A New House Full of Rodents? «12...Next Go

mw1525

I was reading through the owners manual which came with the base game (disk). On page 19 under 'Surprises In Your Sim's New Home' it says "...or worst yet, maybe it's already occupied by a host of rodent residents!"

I have never seen this. Has anybody here ever had rodents in their starter game, base or otherwise? I've had broken water pipes, ghosts, meteors and I've even had roach spawners whose spawn radius make them appear very close to my Sim's home (Riverview), but never rodents.

Even though I know it's possible they could be there, in my seven years of playing this game, the event just hasn't happened for me. This leaves me wondering if this event was something which was 'supposed to make it into the base game but was pulled at the last moment.

KatyFernlily

Yes, I have.
I rarely do those first quests with broken, messy stuff at the start...just click ignore and move on.

mw1525

@KatyFernlily - Since I have never experienced this, I would like to know about the event. What kind of rodents appear and what are you supposed to do to get rid of them? Like the other events (water, meteor or ghosts), who comes out and what happens if you need help with completing the event?

Edit: Just saw where you said you rarely do these events. Have you ever done this one?

GraceyManor

I get these occassionally, one is where the house is a mess, another where the plumbing is broken, there's one with lots of ghosts.
For the mess, the maid comes and helps clean it up for free, same with the plumbing, the ghosts I don't know how to fix it lol.

mw1525

@GraceyManor - I haven't gotten one where the house was a mess. Didn't know that one existed. For the ones I do get, the fire(wo)man comes out for the meteors, the repair person comes out for the plumbing and the ghostbuster comes out for the ghosts. I always seem to get the same three starter events. I would like to see the one with the rodents, just to see how it plays out.

rubyskywalker

I've never had any of that happen to my sims... although I usually build them a house and not use a prebuilt one.

GraceyManor

It rarely happens.And for the longest time I thought it was broken.Every now and then I'll accept one if I feel like dealing with starting drama lol.

mw1525

@rubyskywalker - Yeah, the events are tied to the pre-built starter homes. if there are any events for empty lots I don't know about those because I always start with either a starter home or one I've built and placed.

@GraceyManor - They hardly fire for me anymore, either. With just the base game, I would love to know how to beat the 'Ghost' challenge given that Ghostbusting didn't come into play until Ambitions was released .

@Lquinn - !

Pary

Yes, I have a mod to increase the chances of the move in scenario. I think they're fun. My favourite is the Ancient burial ground ... it virtually gives you instant haunted house and a bunch of collectible gemstones.

To get rid of rodents, you simply click on the trash piles and choose the available options, which are either "clean up" or "shoo rats"
Usually in the trash laden house scenario, you also can pick up a bunch of random vegetables lying around, like tomatoes etc, and I believe a maid will also arrive and help you clean up if you choose to let them help.

The Burial Ground has a Ghostbuster ( he looks like the repo man and you don't need ambitions for him to show up ) arrive and ask if you need help busting your ghosts and the Leak scenario spawns a handyman to offer to help fix your leaks.
The meteor scenario has the local fireman show up and offer to help you clean up and the bug ridden house scenario has a scientist show up and ask if they can collect some of your bug samples.

mw1525

@Pary - Thanks Pary! So, the rodents are a part of the game. That's good to know, hopefully I'll get to see it in action myself one day . With the Ghost event, how are you supposed to get rid of the ghosts when their tombstones don't appear? Whenever this event pops up, there are never any urns or tombstones that my Sim can pick up and move; so how are we supposed to beat that challenge?? Have you ever done it without the Ghostbuster's help?

Pary

There should be tombstones somewhere on the lot when you have the Ancient Burial Ground challenge. If there aren't, then it sounds as if something has gone wrong.
The challenge isn't one that can be beaten as such; you either accept the Ghostbusters help, and he takes the ghosts & tombstones away, or you refuse and the ghosts / gravestones stay on your lot and you have a haunted house.

I find those ghosts can be a little bit buggy. Normally on my lots, when this happens, the ghosts stay out all day and all night long for the first two or so days, then they disappear off the lot, and sometimes I never see them again.

mw1525

@Pary - Thanks again. I have always had the ghost taken away because I couldn't figure out how to get rid of them on my own !

LadyGreenEyes

I've never seen rodents, personally. I have seen roaches - ICK!! - and ghosts. No big deal with those. The ghosts, I just had the sim pick up the tombstone or urn (if inside), and take it to the graveyard. No broken plumbing, either, but I usually build and play there, so it's rare to see any of these. Rodents...ewww....shame we can't plan those for some games, lol!

SuzyCue72

@mw1525 - Here's a pic especially for You! Enjoy!

mw1525

@SuzyCue72 - Um, thanks(?) .
Cute as they are, they can't stay. I think the one in the back has an idea of what's coming if they do !

SuzyCue72

@mw1525 - I've been experimenting a little with this "moving-in-surprises" thing, and so far my poor sims have experienced several meteor incidents, broken waterpipes, insect infestations, weed plants, ghosts and house occupants leaving lots of thrash behind, but no rodents, so I guess that must mean that rodents are much rarer than all the rest of the surprises. Who knows, maybe I'll never get to see it?

rubyskywalker

Now I'm tempted to move my sims into a already built house in Starlight Shores to see what happens.

mw1525

@SuzyCue72 - I don't think it's ever going to appear for me either . But, at least I now know that they are indeed a part of the game...so in a way, there's still hope .

@rubyskywalker - Good Luck!

SuzyCue72

mw1525 wrote: »

@SuzyCue72 - I don't think it's ever going to appear for me either . But, at least I now know that they are indeed a part of the game...so in a way, there's still hope .

@mw1525 - Now I've tried it for a while in Starlight Shores too, and still no sightings of the elusive "rodent residents", only the other types of surprises/accidents. I really wish I knew why... oh, well, I'll try some more, but if they keep refusing to show up I guess we'll have to make do with whatever the spawners generate, like on the photo below:

Turjan

Interesting thread. I read it's only unfurnished homes that get this opportunity. As I usually buy the starters with furniture, it doesn't surprise me that I've never seen any of this.

Mikezumi

@Turjan I have had opportunities when I have moved my sims into furnished homes although I never accept any of them.

Turjan

Ah, good to know. Thanks.

Auroraskies

I have seen it. There is a 20% chance for the scenario in unmodded game, I think; and according to this mod they are specific to certain lots. I tried in Appaloosa Plains, on the lot Sunflower Shack at 1936 Beach Boulevard. There is a jolly notification like in the other scenarios, about squatters leaving trash behind - and my sim could shoo rats as well as appearantly get them underneath their clothes, unseen by me though; throw away trash and collect the various fresh harvestables laying around; the sort depending on the installed content one have I assume, since I got a banana, pumpkin, carrots, herbs as well as base game ones.

SuzyCue72

@Auroraskies - I had no idea that the rats were part of the house occupants/squatters moving-in-challenge! One of my sims got that particular challenge, (I posted about it in this thread august 20) but I didn't see any rats at all! I took a couple of screenshots, (see below) and there are no rats on any of them, it's really strange. It must be a bit buggy, or something.

@mw1525 - Now I've finally seen the "rodent residents", with the help from Auroraskies, and the info and advice on the page at Mod The Sims. The address is 2200 Pinochle Point in Sunset Valley. Here are a few screenshots from the occasion:

mw1525

@Pary - Thanks for mentioning there is a mod in existence to increase the chances of the 'starter challenges'.

@Auroraskies - Thanks for taking the time to find and link to that mod. However, the idea of having rats climb underneath my Sims clothing is not an appealing one !

@SuzyCue72 - Thanks so much for the screenshots! While I find the move in challenges fun to do, I wouldn't want them all the time (option 4). Just look at the size of those critters !

Squeemotastic

I hadn't seen this for so long that I forgot it was a thing! Of course yesterday I started a new game in Lucky Palms and chose the tiny house on the big lot (by the community garden lot). As soon as I hit play a notification came that it had some plumbing issues! Everything that could be spewing water was. I chose to play it that way to give my guy some handiness experience, but boy it took him forever to repair the shower. By then he had neighbors lining up to visit, as well as a repairwoman who told him she would be happy to fix the rest - "for free, of course"! I happily accepted her kind offer and went to meet the people who were still hanging around. Welcome to the neighborhood, Mac!!