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Rebuilding Viper Valley and The Apocalypse Challenge

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  • mikitta47mikitta47 Posts: 2,250 New Member
    edited September 2011
    Quick update - I'm still working on Rattlesnake Ridge. I thought all the lots that were built for me were working correclty, but some of them aren't, so I am having to tweak them. Hopefully, the rest of the tombs that I didn't build are functioning like they should and I don't have to go in and perform any surgery.

    A modding game update for everyone ... My favorite modder is tackling an issue that has been dear to my heart since sims 2. Twallen is making a mod that 1. fixes all the issues with traveling, such as loosing sims and their stuff. 2. Enables traveling to ANY world you have installed as a vacation destination.

    That is, say you live in Sunset Valley. This mod enables you to VISIT Bridgeport, Twinbrook, Riverview and Barnacle Bay all as vacation spots. There will also be functionality to visit any custom world as a vacation spot as well. You won't be limited to JUST the WA destinations any longer :D You DO need WA installed for this mod to work, however.

    Here is the thread that discusses what is going on ... http://www.the-isz.com/nraas/index.php?/topic/1776-the-traveler-version-3-updated-2011-sep-07/

    All I can say is that I squeeed like a 12 year old girl at a slumber party when I found out!

    So, how will this affect our challenge? LOL NO travel till politics and military have been cleared - and there's one other restriction, I have to go look. Think it might be Super Spy :P

    This gives me, as a world designer, a lot of latitude in designing future apocalypse worlds. I can make a very small island that has very little in the way of spawners on it, but you might be able to travel and get all the seeds and things you need for Naturalist. We'll have to wait and see - but this development is just amazing! I don't see why EA won't fix the code and do something like this. If an independent modder can do this, surely the brains hired to actually CODE THE GAME can.

    Ah well, off my soap box :D

    Has anyone noticed anything with Generations that we haven't accounted for yet in the rules? I would like to do a sweep to get those integrated before Pets goes live. We've got a little less than 6 weeks to go.

    God Bless,
    mik
  • mikitta47mikitta47 Posts: 2,250 New Member
    edited September 2011
    The Library will be up in my studio in the next day or two. I got it working :D Well, except for a few polishing details - which I should have fixed tonight :D

    The next lot will be the Landfill. I've a lot of fixing to do with it, but hopefully it won't take nearly so long. I've learned so very much creating tombs! After that - it's all tombs others have done for me, so I just need to test a few details :D

    God Bless,
    mik

  • momboqueenmomboqueen Posts: 1,721 Member
    edited September 2011
    just started this using viper valley and having loads of fun with it. My only problem is every time I go back to check on something I find out I've broken another rule,lol. Those I can fix I do the ones I can't oh well. Figure at least I'm learning and will be ready when your new world comes out. then I ought to have all the restrictions down by heart. :mrgreen:
  • mikitta47mikitta47 Posts: 2,250 New Member
    edited September 2011
    Well, as you may know, I don't have the Library done yet - I've got two persistent issues at present, both dealing with floor plates that I can't trigger with a statue. I'm working those issues out hopefully soon.

    After I've got the Library up and running, I only need to get the Landfill working and make sure all the other tombs that were made for me work ... and it will be up. I spent this morning and last evening making some townie housing. I've got a nice little set of cabins for a 20x30 lot, and some 5 story buildings too.

    I'm going to load up the latest iteration of RR - with the new terrain painting in place - for screen shots. I really REALLY like what I came up with. Much better with little of the tiling.

    Once RR is done, I'm taking a break from world building to polish up the Challenge rules. Pets comes out in just 4 weeks now and I would really like it to be ready pretty quick for that.

    God Bless,
    mik
  • mikitta47mikitta47 Posts: 2,250 New Member
    edited September 2011
    The Library is done!!! The Library is Done!!! The Library is done done done done!!!!


    I will be up in my studio shortly :) Along with a couple of apartment complexes - a couple of cabin lots. One is 20x30 and has 2 cabins, one is 6x64 with 4 cabins :)

    I'll get some of the other lots I made last night loaded up too - some trailer houses, a trailer park with 6 units on a 64x64 lot and some other apartment and single unit dwellings.

    My next major goal is to get the Landfill working. I hope I don't have as many issues with it as I did with the Library!

    God Bless,
    mik
  • mikitta47mikitta47 Posts: 2,250 New Member
    edited September 2011
    How is everyone doing today?

    God Bless,
    mik
  • lberen00lberen00 Posts: 15 New Member
    edited September 2011
    Doing good! Just waiting for RR! My daughter is having her babies Wednesday! They, (daughter, her husband & their twins) will be living with us so we may be busy for a while. Not sure how much playing I will get to do... Super excited tho!!
  • mikitta47mikitta47 Posts: 2,250 New Member
    edited September 2011
    Hey all -

    Iberen - been watching your FB posts and looking forward to the next update about the babies :D Post LOTS of pictures!


    Update on RR - I've got the first 4 tombs up for testing and you can find my beta test thread in the CAW forum - I'll link it tomorrow.

    I also uploaded several apartment type lots. MOST of the housing available for RR is going to be apartments so that your founder and their family has A LOT of NPC's and Townies to get to know - even if a neighbor sim moves out to another place, there will still be those NPC's that live in the non-playable apartment. Many of these sims are service sims - baby sitters, paparazzi, maids, etc. Except for the Paparazzi, you can befriend these sims. If they are service sims, you may not marry them in. Be sure to ask about careers so you know for sure weather they are eligible

    I am planning on releasing things with MOST of the lots empty so you can choose what you want in terms of houses - weather you want mostly apartments or mostly single unit dwellings. The areas that WILL be built are the Military Housing units, all of which are apartments, and the area adjacent to Grogan's, where you will find SOME apartments and SOME single dwelling units. I am going to include the Trailer Park lot in this area, but you may move it or get rid of it as you desire.

    When RR goes live, I'm going to make a separate area on the Wiki for Viper Valley special rules and RR special rules - that is the extra things, like rebuilding, etc., that are NOT part of the official TS3 Apocalypse Challenge.

    There will also be a slight amendment to the general rules concerning pre-populating your hood what ever world you may chose to play. If you chose to pre-populate a world empty of sims - you still have to do it all before you lay down your founder. BUT you will not be relegated to just husband-wife pairs. You will be allowed to populate as MUCH as you like with all ages/genders/relationships within the family so long as you do not advance the clock while you are putting them in. Townie lots do NOT have to adhere to Challenge rules any longer. The reason for this is that making them adhere to beginning rules causes weird shifts in your townie population. Sims die a LOT because of it, they move out of town, you are left with odd, bugged fractures in relationships.

    SO - from now on, when you pre-populate before putting in your founder, have fun - just make sure the townie housing LOOKS apocalyptic on the outside - no trees, grass, plants. BUT they can have the amenities of enough beds, cribs, stoves, fridges, showers, TV's and such, to keep them content to stay put.

    RR will be released on the Exchange as a populate world AND an unpopulated world, and all lots will also be released on the exchange for it. Residentials will come in populated and unpopulated flavors. On Mediafire, I will release a zip file that has ALL the lots in the world available and another one with all the families that will be available for the world. All these sims will be available from my studio as well - at least the ones I've made will be. Several sims were donated by other players and I will just release a list of links to where you can download them from their cretor's studios.

    Anyway - thought you guys would like the update since i haven't really put one out in some time.

    God Bless,
    mik
  • lberen00lberen00 Posts: 15 New Member
    edited October 2011
    Sounds great!
    I just posted new pictures of the babies! They are so sweet! Visiting their other grandparents today so it is very quiet & lonely at home today.
    Thank you for all the work you put into the worlds & rules! I get bored without goals & challenges..
  • mikitta47mikitta47 Posts: 2,250 New Member
    edited October 2011
    Those babies are super sweet :) Between you and another friend of mine who had twins about a month ago - I'm getting my baby fix :D

    God Bless,
    mik
  • momboqueenmomboqueen Posts: 1,721 Member
    edited October 2011
    thx for update on RR
  • mikitta47mikitta47 Posts: 2,250 New Member
    edited October 2011
    I am really looking forward to actually playing RR for the challenge. Do you guys know it has been at least 6 months since I've actually played LOL!!!

    Essentially the world is done except for the tomb builds. Specifically, two tombs - one of them I am building and another is being built for me. Once I know all 11 tombs work right - I'm releasing the neighborhood to full beta. There will be some minor differences between RR and RR-lite - mostly the fact that I changed the terrain paints.

    Anyway - I hope everyone is having a great fall and getting in some recreational time :)

    God Bless,
    mik
  • mikitta47mikitta47 Posts: 2,250 New Member
    edited October 2011
    Just a heads up - Rattlesnake Ridge will be up by Friday for beta testing.


    God Bless,
    mik
  • lberen00lberen00 Posts: 15 New Member
    edited October 2011
    Wonderful! I am ready!! Have a little tiny bit of time when the babies are sleeping! Luckily they live with us so we get a nice baby fix!
  • mikitta47mikitta47 Posts: 2,250 New Member
    edited October 2011
    It might be Sunday, not Friday - tomorrow is going to be a crazy day, I'm going to an away game with the band boosters, then Saturday is an out of town band competition. Sunday, going to make a dent in this dirty house and get ready to bug bomb it, but I should have some time to work on the world and get some issues addressed.

    God Bless,
    mik
  • mikitta47mikitta47 Posts: 2,250 New Member
    edited October 2011
    YAYHOOO - Rattlesnake Ridge is now in Beta phase ...


    Download the world here -->
    http://www.thesims3.com/assetDetail.html?assetId=4715955

    Discuss the various issues with it here -->
    http://forum.thesims3.com/jforum/posts/list/0/444499.page#6659947


    Feel like I just had a baby .... of course, I have a tomb I'm still building and I'm also waiting on someone to finish a tomb for me.

    If any of you have some good, apocalyptic townie houses -PLEASE LET ME KNOW - I need some more to fill things out a bit. Thanks :D

    God Bless,
    mik
  • mikitta47mikitta47 Posts: 2,250 New Member
    edited October 2011
    Alrighty - I know some of you have been able to play with Pets and some of you haven't. I FINALLY got the durn thing working about an hour and a half ago. At LEAST CAW IS working well.

    Ok, on basic first impressions as regards the challenge...

    1. You CAN start the challenge with either a cat or a dog - just one pet.
    2. Feeding that pet constitutes your family's 1 meal of the day.
    3. You may not train your animal to hunt things for you until Military has been cleared.
    4. You may not own a horse till Politics and Military have been cleared.
    5. You may not ride a horse, nor may you train your horse to jump or run till Athletics is cleared.
    6. You may not adopt a pet using the phone, computer or newspaper. If you adopt a pet, it must be a stray.
    7. Pet toys may not be purchased until DaVinci is cleared.
    8. Buying anything from the Ice Cream Truck is restricted until Business and Culinary is cleared. (likewise the food truck from Late Night)
    9. You may not buy the bird cage or bird branch table or the various cages for small animals - nor may you stock them with any kind of bird or small pet until Naturalist is cleared. I considered making collecting small pets part of naturalist, but these animals are all produced from spawners or from the pet register (if you have access to it because you bought the limited edition), so I'm not going to do that.
    10. You may not breed your pets until Naturalist has been cleared. Our furry friends seem to be more susceptible to the radiation than simkind is ...
    11. Elder restrictions also apply to pets as they age.
    12. You may not give your pet a bath, even for fleas, until Medical has been cleared.
    13. The Unicorn may not be befriended or moved in to your family.


    Ok - need to figure out what is a good life span for the pets. I'm thinking only 2 days for baby stage, 25 days for adult and 15 for elder ... not sure - I didn't play with it enough to get familiar with how they act at each stage yet.

    I'm also thinking training may be restricted by education.

    The lanterns may be used if they look old fashioned - like they are oil lamps or candle lanterns. I need to look at the new furniture too, to see what is and is not allowed at the beginning. Certainly for pets, the cheapest pet beds and bowls available.

    I'm not going to bring RR up to speed with Pets at all, though I may make some lots that can be used which have the various spawners on them and release them in my studio for optional download. It wasn't a no brainer decision ... there's some nice, dry, ranch grass that would have been VERY nice to use as desert foliage. There's also a new creepy tree I would have liked using. Not to mention several decorative objects and some new environment emitters. Ah well, c'est la vie. The next world I'm making is lush and will be done with pets in mind, so I'll use those things then. The next apoc world I will make is either going to be something from the Wyoming prairie - using the new distant terrain, or it's going to be something from the Salton Sea area.

    If you guys can think of anything else that needs categorized into the rules from this expansion, or from Generations, that we have not done yet - please post here. I'll try to get to the Wikia this week with preliminary updates :)

    God Bless,
    mik

  • mikitta47mikitta47 Posts: 2,250 New Member
    edited October 2011
    Oh, new one - no getting plastic surgery at the hospital until Film - Actor and Medical are cleared.


    Also - you may not move in the unicorn. You may not ask it to bless you. You may not have it mate with any horses you own.


    God Bless,
    mik
    Post edited by Unknown User on
  • mikitta47mikitta47 Posts: 2,250 New Member
    edited November 2011
    hey all - how's everyone enjoying pets?

    God Bless,
    mik
  • SkyberrySkyberry Posts: 6 New Member
    edited November 2011
    Hi there, I just found this version of TS3 AC a few days ago and have been trying to read up on it. I am finding it very difficult to actually read the rules on the wikia as the background interferes with the visibility of the text (or vice versa). I copied it to word and am finding it easier to read there.

    I actually started a world in the Viper Valley and started playing without really reading all the rules properly so I broke a LOT of rules without knowing I was actually doing so. In my humble opinion it is not going to be easy to do this for me as I find remembering all the restrictions very difficult but I am going to try anyway.

    I am amazed at all the work everyone has put into it! Thanks so much for doing it.
  • mikitta47mikitta47 Posts: 2,250 New Member
    edited November 2011
    Hi Skyberry and welcome :D If you have any questions on the rules, just post here and someone will answer them for you :D

    You guys - you might be interested in RfLong's new Apocalypse world - it's an ice world :D I'm linking to it on the Wikia right now - she's got both Populated and Empty versions available. The empty version is on her mediafire ... so I'm trying to find that link right now. Will post it as soon as I have

    http://www.thesims3.com/assetDetail.html?assetId=4799316

    God Bless,
    mik
  • mikitta47mikitta47 Posts: 2,250 New Member
    edited November 2011
    Ice Station Empty version (no builds)

    http://www.mediafire.com/?3xj72zal1hhaku2

    God Bless,
    mik
  • SkyberrySkyberry Posts: 6 New Member
    edited November 2011
    Hi there, I went to this site for the iceworld and the site for Rattlesnake Ridge and they both tell me I need to update my game. The problem is that my launcher tells me I cant connect to the origin manager even though I can log into origin. And I am having all sorts of problems trying to find the latest patch to manually download and install it. I am patched to 1.26 unless its a game expansion I am missing. Any ideas or advice will be appreciated.
  • thecubthecub Posts: 9 New Member
    edited November 2011
    Hi! I've had this thread bookmarked for a long time but never had a chance to read it until recently. I've attempted Ashleigh's version of the Apocalypse Challenge numerous times, and even came close to finishing it once. As hard as that was, this adaptation looks far more difficult. I love a good challenge, so I think I'll give this one a try. (I think I must have the Masochist trait.) :lol:

    I'm about two weeks into my first attempt but I'm going to quit and start over. I just want to clarify some of the rules before I start again.

    An empty 64x64 lot costs §8192 which should leave §8308 to build a house and purchase books. I don't want to use any of the pre-built houses in Viper Valley but all of the large empty lots cost §14700. How am I supposed to build a house and buy books with only §1800?

    Day Care and DaVinci say that sims can't play on the playground but you can buy the cheapest hopscotch panel. The Allowed Buy and Build Interactions page on the wiki says the §100 hopscotch court is allowed, but the Athletic restriction says the only objects that may be used to build athletic skill are a television or a radio. Is hopscotch allowed at the beginning or not?

    I don't have Late Night so I know I must follow the alternate rules for Actor and Director. Even though I have Ambitions, am I required to top the Architect and Stylist careers, or can I choose to follow the alternate rules for those instead?

    The Criminal Mastermind restriction mentions something about a Big Lemon to pay rent on consignment items. I didn't see any other reference to the Big Lemon in the rules. Did I miss something?

    Until Military is cleared I can only leave the lot to go to and from work. Can I jog to and from work or am I required to use a car or bicycle?

    If I understand Symphonic Music correctly, I'm not allowed to lock in any wishes at all? My sims will probably be in bad moods, so the only way I'll get any happiness points is by fulfilling Lifetime Wishes, but I guess that's irrelevant since I won't be able to purchase any Lifetime Rewards anyway.

    That's all I can think of right now but I'm sure I'll have more questions later. Thanks in advance for your response!

    Rob
  • mikitta47mikitta47 Posts: 2,250 New Member
    edited November 2011
    Skyberry said -
    Hi there, I went to this site for the iceworld and the site for Rattlesnake Ridge and they both tell me I need to update my game. The problem is that my launcher tells me I cant connect to the origin manager even though I can log into origin. And I am having all sorts of problems trying to find the latest patch to manually download and install it. I am patched to 1.26 unless its a game expansion I am missing. Any ideas or advice will be appreciated.

    If you go to the CAW forum on these boards, there is a thread locked at the top that lists a whole bunch of resources. I believe Auntilynds has a link for all those manual patches.

    If you look at the download page for what ever world you are considering, there is a spot that says what content is required. If you own the content, it will say so. If you don't, you will have the option to go buy it. In general, if you don't own something from, say, the store - the game will just replace the item with a default item. If it's something with a stuff pack, it may or may not let you download and install. If you are missing an expansion pack, you will not be able to install at all.

    As for downloading through the launcher - there's a way to download so it's just a regular download. It's there on the page - you can choose to install it to your game, which opens the launcher, or to save to your hard drive, which just downloads normally and does not touch the launcher.




    Rob said -
    An empty 64x64 lot costs §8192 which should leave §8308 to build a house and purchase books. I don't want to use any of the pre-built houses in Viper Valley but all of the large empty lots cost §14700. How am I supposed to build a house and buy books with only §1800?

    Use the Family Funds cheat to give yourself exactly $8308 simoleons. I made Viper Valley before settling on the base cost of a middle class neighborhood lot. My next world will have 3 different prices for 64x64 lots - in order to offer either more or less challenge as the player desires.
    Day Care and DaVinci say that sims can't play on the playground but you can buy the cheapest hopscotch panel. The Allowed Buy and Build Interactions page on the wiki says the §100 hopscotch court is allowed, but the Athletic restriction says the only objects that may be used to build athletic skill are a television or a radio. Is hopscotch allowed at the beginning or not?

    Thank you for pointing that out so I can get it amended. There's still things like that that need tested for Generations. I'm two expansions behind LOL! Yes you can use the cheapest Hopscotch court. It's one of the very few objects kids can use to build body that also builds fun.

    I don't have Late Night so I know I must follow the alternate rules for Actor and Director. Even though I have Ambitions, am I required to top the Architect and Stylist careers, or can I choose to follow the alternate rules for those instead?

    You aren't tied into having to do the careers as per the Ambitions expansion if you don't want to. You can use the alternate methods if you would rather.
    The Criminal Mastermind restriction mentions something about a Big Lemon to pay rent on consignment items. I didn't see any other reference to the Big Lemon in the rules. Did I miss something?

    The "buy the big lemon and put it in your family inventory" rule is that if you don't want to sell all your stuff and then buy it back, figure out how much stuff you have in simoleon value and then each week, you buy a big lemon for every so many simoleons you have (I can't recall off hand how much the big lemon is... I think $1800?) So for every $1800 value worth of stuff you have, you buy a big lemon and put it in your family inventory, never to be touched again. This is for those people who don't want to use the Family Funds cheat for adjusting their money at the end of each week.

    Until Military is cleared I can only leave the lot to go to and from work. Can I jog to and from work or am I required to use a car or bicycle?

    You can visit any of the house near you - within 5 lots of yours - so long as you do not have to cross an intersection to do so. You can visit between the hours of 8am and 5pm, but you MUST be headed home by 5pm. You can also visit any community lots that fall within 5 lots of your house. You may cross the street but you may not cross any intersections to get there.

    You are allowed to jog home if you like.
    If I understand Symphonic Music correctly, I'm not allowed to lock in any wishes at all? My sims will probably be in bad moods, so the only way I'll get any happiness points is by fulfilling Lifetime Wishes, but I guess that's irrelevant since I won't be able to purchase any Lifetime Rewards anyway.

    As you clear each career, you unlock the ability to purchase a lifetime reward, or set of rewards. Even though you are not allowed to lock in wishes till Symphonic is cleared, you will be surprised at how readily you can rack up the points. As for bad moods - it really depends. Some traits are harder to play in the challenge than others, and once you are beyond your founder, the challenge to keep your sims happy can be tough.
    That's all I can think of right now but I'm sure I'll have more questions later. Thanks in advance for your response!

    Rob

    Happy to answer your questions :)
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