In this blog I'm documenting a sort of 'self-challenge' I'm playing in my Sims game. See, I've tended to be more of a skill-grinding micro-managing sort of Sims player, so I thought that I'd try something that's more about the storytelling. And since I don't think that it's necessarily worth issuing it as an official challenge for others to try, I haven't done so. However, if you really, really want to know the 'rules' that I'm playing by in this blog, here they are:
1. Start with a completely empty world. It should have no infrastructure: no roads or other signs of recent civilization. The only lot allowed in the beginning is the starting lot.
2. Create your first Sim, but the Sim must be randomly generated. The Sim should have a random name, gender, age, and appearance. (Note: Some ages may not be used for your first Sim since they can't survive, but you must choose randomly from those who can.) If you can't make a Sim of a particular age without an adult, make an adult with them but immediately remove that adult from play. Rerolling is not allowed - the first randomly generated Sim you create is what you must use. Anything weird about them, like the clothing that they start with, must be kept and be explained in your story.
3. Place this Sim in the world and the game begins.
4. You may only build, buy, or use Edit Town to do things that you can explain in a way that makes sense. For example, you can only buy your Sim a TV if you can explain how they obtained it, where it's getting electricity from, etc. Also you may only allow your Sims to do things that make sense - don't let them use their cellphone if you can't explain why they have cellphone reception. If you catch your Sim doing something inappropriate, you must immediately stop them. Also, your Sims may only change their appearance in ways that can be explained - where did they get that new shirt?
5. No cheating, which includes mods, cheat codes, quitting without saving, or anything of that kind that you do to make the game easier. Anything you have to do to fix game errors and such is not considered cheating. Using cheat codes to make cosmetic changes, like fancy building things, is allowed... if you can do so and also follow Rule #4.
6. You must add a new Sim to your current household every 2 Sim weeks. This Sim must be randomly generated as explained in Rule #2. (Note: If you find yourself in a situation where the current household couldn't possibly raise a young Sim to the age to be old enough to fend for themselves before the rest of the household would die of old age, then you don't need to include that age group when you randomly determine their age.) If you have Pets, any Sim after the first one who has the 'Dog Person', 'Cat Person', or 'Equestrian' traits must be created with a randomly generated pet of the appropriate species.
7. Sims that the game generates (like the postal worker) may only be interacted with if you can explain their presence.
8. Your Sims may reproduce as per usual, but Sims obtained in other ways (whether adopted, made, etc.) must be explained.
9. Sims may move out of the current household, but where they went and all those pesky details must be explained.
10. Other lots may be built, but again their presence must be explained.
11. Basically, anything else is only allowed if it can be explained.
12. This has no scoring system or endpoint, but if your explanations are terrible, then you're losing.
