Old, Archived Dead Threads Graveyard 3

Ari wrote:

What's that sound? I think it's the sound of crickets chirping. It's like a tomb in here - where is everyone?

It's so nice to know you missed our presence. I can't speak for anyone else, but I really don't like to comment on story, game or challenge threads unless I have the time to do so in depth. You'll put so much time and effort into your game play and story telling that I feel it deserves the same attention in a response, so I won't respond unless I can do just that.

Gunmod's lighting mod is great. It really helps with your PC's resources by not constantly keeping all the lights on all the time. I love it! And no game should be without Numenor's scriptorium and all its fixes; he is truly the modfather!

Ari wrote:

This challenge is about turning a modest settlement into a thriving city by establishing an economy and discovering culture.

As I have said ad nauseum, I love prosperity and population based challenges. The medieval aspect just makes it just that much cooler.

I love the diversity of your families, in this challenge as well as your other sim adventures. They are always beautiful and produce lovely sim offspring. I am loving the story lines, too, especially the teen who will be left on his own. I had a lone teen in one of my prosperity challenges and I really enjoyed how that story unfolded.

Ari wrote:

Wish them all luck!

Sugalicious wrote:

...(and a total waste of turn on/turn off choice evidently ).

Toni wrote:

I'm such a hot mess!

Mac, I mentioned before how sorry I am to hear about your mom and how good it is you have such a great support system in Maikki. I have you in my thoughts and prayers, always.

Ari, always a pleasure to read your sim challenges. I look forward to seeing how this unfolds. Next stop for me is Challenge Central to see your latest update.

Thanks so much for your comments, Elle. I haven't quit playing the MCC, but I may not post for awhile until I can figure out how to make it more Ari friendly. I do really like the concept of it, but the rules are quite complicated, and to be honest, I'm feeling kinda lazy these days and just want to sink into a game I can play without being so mindful about so many rules.

That's why when I read about Em's recent adventures, I wanted to try it, too. The rules are fairly simple - survive and repopulate. Rebuild civilization. I'm game!

So a little backstory for my families. These couples were handpicked out of a group of volunteers for a new terraforming project of a nearby planet. The planet was ready to sustain life, and these couples, young, healthy, and family oriented, were picked to start a population and grow their own food for survival.

While en route to their new home, tragedy happened on their home planet. All human life on earth was destroyed (nuclear fallout, zombie apocalypse, Armageddon, WWWhatever) the couples never will never know. With no one left to guide the couples' ships, the automatic return to origin features kicked in, and the ships returned home.

And now they find themselves back on earth, with the same goals as they set out to do in the first place. Build and populate. Is earth safe for habitation? They don't have a choice but to find out.

Having a backstory like this will allow for the possibility of including supernatural sims later (like plantsims or werewolves), if I want to, as I can simply say the human race has evolved to survive, or whatever chemical residues that are leftover in the atmosphere after said tragedy happened caused some humans to evolve.

But at the moment, I'm really not that interested in playing plantsims. I've played them a lot, and I'm just not in the mood for them right now.

I have furnished the couples' lots with ladybug houses to keep the pests away, theorizing that they could have built them themselves. And why not? They have to build themselves a hut to sleep in - they can certainly build a little bug house on a stick.

Anyway, enough blabbing. Time for introductions! I apologize - the pictures are boring - just the generic family screenshots - but I have actually only played 2 of the families so far.



Family 1 - Aspen and Wren Silverleaf

I have the most pictures of them because I have finished their rotation. Like Em, I am starting all the families out equally, with the same amount of stuff. I won't go into detail about everything because you'd fall asleep. But gardening-wise, they will all have a pond, a cellar fridge, 4 fruit trees, and 20 garden plots. They have the little grill thing Em was talking about to grill their fish. They have a compost bin (because they learned that from their handy dandy gardening manual that it's healthy for their garden). They have several ladybug houses, and I may buy them the harvestable banana, coconut, and papaya trees that I linked to in Em's thread.


Aspen relaxes in this cool recliner thingie I already had in my game. All the couples will get one because it fits the theme. Behind her, Wren squats with the squat anywhere hack I have installed and does his business. I am really loving this hack for the realism value. No toilet, no running water. Primitive and awesome.


Fishing for supper. A couple of the shipmates, who are now neighbors, come by for a visit. I gave them all lots close to the beach for the view. I didn't want actual beach property, though, because I didn't want them constantly trying to go play on the beach when there is so much work to always be done.


Wren demonstrates how to grill fish on the spit.


Then he sits on a nearby downloaded rock chair (next to a downloaded tree stump chair) to eat his meal.


YUM. And I ain't talkin' about the fish.


They all start out with 4x8 cottages, so some of their furnishings are outdoors. I later took the couch and tent I had bought for them and got them a bed, instead. I thought they'd be more likely to try for baby on their own with a bed. I have a cool Flintstones bed for them. They also have a few primitive baby toys, like music sticks for creativity, counting stones for logic, and a pile of sand - which I can't find a link for at the moment. The toddlers will also need to be fed in a high chair - there are no bottles here. Where would the milk come from? The crib is a cute little Flintstones crib made from a turtle shell and some animal bones.


But just because life is rather primitive, that doesn't mean it has to be boring. The couple cuddle in the hot springs (a downloaded hot tub clone) after a hard day.


Sunset never fails to amaze me. You can see part of the waterfall shower to the right, and the beach view in the background.


Aspen nurses the first baby born in the new world (with Boiling Oil's nursing mod) - a baby girl named Rainbow.

I imagine play will be rather dry, like Em said, because all the families will be living the same way. I was thinking about getting their crafting stations in winter, when they won't be able to work on farming and fishing.


Family 2: Meadow and Bramble Moonstrider.


Meadow models the cute little undies I found over at GOS. All the ladies have them in different colors. The style for all the families is a quasi-steampunk look. Behind her, Bramble chows down on some cereal. I think I'll look into some default dishes for a more realistic feel.


Family 3: Echo and Phoenix Forestmist (not yet played).


Family 4: Dusk and Ember Shadowstorm (not yet played).

So those are the families so far. Now they need to be fruitful and multiply.

Awesome, I'm so excited that you're trying this challenge too! How fun! Your backstory is really interesting.

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But at the moment, I'm really not that interested in playing plantsims. I've played them a lot, and I'm just not in the mood for them right now.

I have furnished the couples' lots with ladybug houses to keep the pests away, theorizing that they could have built them themselves. And why not? They have to build themselves a hut to sleep in - they can certainly build a little bug house on a stick.

I decided to have all of my plantsims change back to normal. It was fun for awhile, but I'd rather have them as regular sims for this I think. I've been debating the same thing about the ladybug houses and I think I like the way you reasoned it and am going to let my sims have ladybug houses. I mean, they already catch bugs all the time anyway.

I love your set up. Your lots look so authentically primative. I think I'm going to have to go back and add some more cc to my lots. I know I have some stump seats which I'm sure my sims will appreciate since they currently have no chairs. I think I need to give that lighting mod another try too, because your twilight shot is fantastic.

Looks like you're off to a great start!

Thanks, Em! I was hoping you wouldn't think I was trying to copy you.

In one of my game configurations (I have 3 - sheesh ) I have all this primitive stuff because I was playing some caveman sims. I have a lot of rock furniture, animal skin clothing and grills made of turtle shells and a bone oven which I may incorporate later on as an achievement award or something.

I think one of the funnest things is the waterfall shower, though. They gain some fun and comfort from using it (I know I would if I bathed in a waterfall!), and there's a 'cooldown' option for when they get too hot. It looks pretty dang cool, too. But there are also some medieval tubs out there that are made of wood - did I give you a link for that? Let me know if you want one and I'll look it up.

A warning about the lighting mod if you're considering using it - night time is really dark. I mean really dark. I would take a pic for you, but you won't be able to see anything. It works out for me, though, because I like the realism. I just have to scroll in far to see things, lol.

I have a couple new pictures.


Here is what all the couples' beds look like. And the little crib I was talking about. All the huts have wood paneling inside and out, and dirt or grass floors. They each have 1 window, 1 barrel night stand with 1 non-electric lamp.


Ember and Echo both looked at the camera so I snapped their pic.


Ember's husband, Dusk Shadowstorm. How cool is that name, eh?

Here's a new house......I have only finished the exterior and placing all of the trees, flowers and bushes

Tyme Cottage In the Woods

Nestled back far off the road is a cottage full of paths, flowers and lovely views of the mountains...

View from the road


Tyme Cottage


Back Patio


Front Yard


Front Patio


Bedroom Patios and Hot Tub

It's really beautiful! What a gorgeous home - I can't wait to see the rest!

It doesn't even matter what inside looks like! I'd take it for the landscaping alone!

Awww thanks girls!!!

I have spent two days working on the outside

I am hoping to start on the inside tonight, if all goes well...

Oh, it's SIMply gorgeous, Jen!
How cozy and inviting!
I am lovin' the beautiful landscaping, natural stone hot tub & pretty white trellises.

Thank you for sharing what's been going on in your game lately with us.

Elle wrote:

I can't speak for anyone else, but I really don't like to comment on story, game or challenge threads unless I have the time to do so in depth. You'll put so much time and effort into your game play and story telling that I feel it deserves the same attention in a response, so I won't respond unless I can do just that.

I couldn't have said it better myself, Elle. I feel the same way.
When some of us put so much time, energy and thought into sharing our gameplay or Sims tales, it truly deserve a more in depth response.
I know I am always grateful & thrilled when others take the time to do so in my Sim Antics thread.
I think it's important to support one another, regardless of whether we're creators, storytellers or just sharing what's going on in our games.

Ari wrote:

...but the rules are quite complicated, and to be honest, I'm feeling kinda lazy these days and just want to sink into a game I can play without being so mindful about so many rules.

I hear ya, sista. You're singin' to the choir on that one.
It's my issue with 75% of the challenges out there.

Ari, I love your backstory. Right up my alley. Very Sci-fi!
Aspen and Wren are beautiful Sims.
As a matter of fact, everyone in the new world you've created is SIMply gorgeous, dahling.

The primitive set up is very cool.
You've got so many neat objects & abodes ... looks so authentic ... As well as your choice for steampunk attire.
Speaking of, I'm diggin' their wardrobes.

I do not know what a Lady Bug house is. Should I?
Did I miss the link on the waterfall shower?

I love all of the names you have given your lovely Sims, btw.

This was fun, Ari. Looking forward to learning what happens next.

Aww thank you!!

I just downloaded those pretty white trellises the other day. It comes with about 4 or 5 different flower colors too...

I can't wait to get started on the inside tonight

I worked on one bedroom and the kitchen and dining room tonight (not finished with this room, yet)

Love the new concept Ari! If I wasn't so deep in my story-telling, I'd totally try this. In fact...I'm putting it on the front burner. As soon as I've got a few chapters and pix stored up, I can give this a whirl!

Lovin' all the realistic stuff...the futuristic, post-apocalyptic clothing and the squatting bushes...and the furniture finds are awesome!

Now...to your gooorgeous colonists: Can you say HAWT?!

Wren is particularly delicious! But Dusk Shadowstorm has my heart beating faster! Hellloooo Dusk! And he is really rockin' that outfit!

Love the look of this new world Ari, and fascinated to see how it'll all turn out.

Now...I do believe it's BABY MAKIN' TIME!!!

Oooooooo Jen, it's breathtaking! I would so live here! The kitchen with it's wide open windows is just lovely. So cozy and inviting...and I could see my simmies (or me! lol!) sitting around that dining room table chatting long after the meal is finished.

Will you be sharing it here? :praying1:

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Thanks, Em! I was hoping you wouldn't think I was trying to copy you.

I don't mind at all. I think I've copied ideas off of you enough times (like the royal kingdom challenge) that I owe you some.

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A warning about the lighting mod if you're considering using it - night time is really dark. I mean really dark.

Yeah, I think that's why I quit using it after I'd tried it. I remember I actually had to put lights in rooms to see anything. Something I often forget to do.

Your founders are really pretty. I'm looking forward to seeing what the offspring look like.

Awww thank you so much sweetie...

I will gladly offer it here, more than likely unfurnished to keep the file size down :))

AdriannaSimmie wrote:

I will gladly offer it here, more than likely unfurnished to keep the file size down :))

Can you tell I'm excited?!

I have started on another little cottage. I have been on a downloading spree lately :))

here are a few of pics, I am still currently working on it since I am such a clutter a holic :)

Oh, how stunning! Every single room is absolutely gorgeous, Jen!
You have such a gift, my friend.
I love how you find so many treasures, then put together a room perfectly.

You know, you might want to considering offering both a furnished AND an unfurnished version of your fabulous houses.
Just a thought.



PS I love the kitchen wallpaper. I might try to do something like that.

Awwww thank you so much my friend!!

I truly appreciate your support and feedback very much

I can't remember where I got that flower wallpaper from but I did download the pretty birch wallpaper in the living room here, under her walls and floors section. She has a lot of lovely things and beautiful 3,4 and 5 tile murals too :)))

I would love to offer both furnished and unfurnished version of both lots. I just need to double check the creators policies. If I have too, I can provide links to the goodies :))

I will try to take some shots of these new and cute tile back splashes I used in the kitchen too. There were quite a few recolors too and you use them like a pic and they can be moved up or down too.

I think you just took pictures of a real house and put them in your thread. This house looks too realistic to be a sim house. Every detail is mapped out meticulously, every corner is perfectly decorated, every room flows into the next naturally, like it belongs there. It all just looks so real. This is a piece of art.

Wow! and Awww, thank you soooo much Ari, you are too sweet :0)

I am on a cottage kick here lately and just love the look of worn and shabby things.
To me it just makes a home cozier when everything just doesn't quite match ;) kinda like my real life home

Astral Faery wrote:

Every detail is mapped out meticulously, every corner is perfectly decorated, every room flows into the next naturally, like it belongs there. It all just looks so real. This is a piece of art.

It is glorious! You know now how much I love clutter and that lived-in-look. This home is a dream!

I'm always amused at how much of the same cc we have. We obviously have the same tastes (which is also why I love your home in RL! ).

I have not however, seen those delicious globe lights above the dressing table. Where oh where did you find those gems?!

Thanks for the comments, ladies, sorry I haven't been in sooner to acknowledge them.

Sugah - the ladybug house comes with seasons. You put it near your crops and fruit trees so the ladybugs that live inside will eat the bugs that destroy your plants. Either use those, or a sim can spray to get rid of the pests, but then they run the risk of becoming a plantsim.

I'm not sure if you got the link to the waterfall shower - I think I may have posted it in Em's thread. But here it is again in case you missed it. I reckon these would go fab on some beach lots, as well.

Toni - yes all the families are quite busy starting their families - more on that in a bit. But I'm having a weird problem. For some reason, many of my babies are being born with Maxis skin tones - which is odd, because I have defaults installed. I have the same defaults installed that I have in both my other game configurations and those are working fine. What's even weirder is that it was doing this even before I switched defaults - before I started this challenge I had Louis defaults installed and it was doing the same thing - creating Maxis skinned babies. What's even weirder is that it's not affecting all babies - about 2 out of the 10 I've had so far have the Anva defaults I have installed. I've done searches through my files to make sure I didn't have 2 defaults conflicting. How did this happen and what do I do about it? Is there a cure for this without plunging into SimPe - which I am not comfortable with? I've thought about trying some skin changing vials, and that would be nice for a band-aid - but I really would like to get to the bottom of it. I've never had a problem like this before in all my years of simming. It's really heartbreaking, because some of these kids should be drop jaw gorgeous since I tried so hard to make sure they had good genes - and with the Maxis skin tone....they're just ick.

I haven't been taking that many pictures because I'm lazy. But I have a few. I spent most of my time recently with the Moonstrider Family.


Mmmm Bramble - that's some yummy elf goodness right there!



Their second birth resulted in twin boys - Briar and Thorne. Firstborn Vine sits in the background. All three of them have Maxis skintones.



Their third birth resulted in twin girls - Fern and Daisy. I only have the multiples mod set at a 6% chance of having twins and they have two sets in a row! Daisy has a Maxis skintone, but Fern got my default Anva.



An example of a day in the life of the Moonstriders throughout summer and fall - Briar has a fit in the high chair while Bramble cries. Life is hard.



The babies kept their parents very busy. After the first set of twins, Meadow got immediately pregnant again. So for awhile the couple had three toddlers to take care of and more on the way. After Fern and Daisy came along, Vine grew to childhood, but then the couple had four babies to take care of. And Meadow nursed them all, so Bramble couldn't help in the feeding. He could do some cuddling and playing, though.

The crops suffered and the family lost almost all of them. They'll be fine through the winter because they have plenty of fish, though, because having so many kids just increases the amount of fish they can pull in. I know it's not a race, but I fully expect this family to pull ahead of the others in the spring.



I don't normally take build mode pictures, but in this case I had to because it was night time - and so dark! And I knew if I waited until daylight, she would give birth and I wouldn't be able to take a pic of her belly. I can't remember what Echo was doing - maybe cooling off in the waterfall, but she put on her swimsuit, which happens to be one of Sugah's. I didn't know it had a preg morph. Cool.



Don't be alarmed - the baby is fine. Since the waterfall shower has a one tile footprint, sims don't regard the rest of it as an actual item. Echo gave birth in the middle of her shower, then set the baby down and wandered off to do something else. I thought it was pretty funny how the baby was underwater.

I am very much enjoying my families and the simplified but very difficult lives they are leading. At this point, I'm not ready to start buying them their hobby benches because I like the way things are right now. Most of them don't have enough money anyway. Thanks, Em, for this idea!

Thanks sweetie!! I always crack up over how much of the same CC you and I have..

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I have not however, seen those delicious globe lights above the dressing table. Where oh where did you find those gems?!

Ummm, ummm.... I promise I will look as soon as I get a chance, I am pretty sure it I snagged it the other night in one of my massive downloading sprees.