Other Sims Stuff: Prosperity Challenge

[strangetomato]

I took a little detour on my way to the next Strangetown update, and I've decided to start a prosperity challenge neighbourhood. I'm not entirely sure where I will go with this, but I'll be posting updates on it in a looser story form, as a bit of a palate cleanser when I'm struggling with Strangetown and could use some time to think.

Since I know that you all love Strangetown, and the Maxis sims, I have a feeling that you'll have some interest in these characters.

Let us gaze into the future, and observe the residents of the prosperity neighbourhood, which, for now, we will simply refer to as "The Cove".

There are 6 houses in The Cove. We have the single and mysterious James Davenport, The Wolfe family (you may have heard of the daughter, Virginia Wolfe), Richard "The Dick" Cole and his alien children, The Snow family, the beautiful Catherine Lamb, and all of the Fishers.

In total, 22 residents. But wait... some of these people may seem familiar to you.



















Yeah, that's right. Everyone in The Cove is a Maxis clone, or the offspring of Maxis clones. I do love those Maxis sims. I'm pretty predictable like that. I'm also a huge fan of alternate realities (like Peculiar, created by madame_ugly). These are mostly Strangetown clones, but I threw a couple of my favourite Pleasantview characters in there too, and a couple from La Fiesta Tech (see if you can name them all).

They've gone through some cosmetic changes, since I used this sim randomizer, and I took the suggestions for their colouring from that. Personalities and aspirations are also random, though some did influence the Maxis sim that I chose for that character (The Dick is a good example of that - his stats were very Ripp-like, so I couldn't resist).

All of the names were taken from that randomizer too. Virginia Wolfe - I nearly died. And she's the daughter of a cloned Nervous Subject. Too perfect. I instantly love her. But really, I love all of my sims. (I clone Nervous a lot, don't I? *snicker*)

Also, check out the awesome matchmaker! She's a female alien Komei Tellerman!

This is just a sneak preview. I will set it up and give more details later.

And about that update... I'm going to try for a post tonight.

Comments

[madame-ugly.livejournal.com]

I love she Nervouses. And that hair is so great.

Why am I not surprised you used Maxis clones? Love it.

So that update? Prosperity or Strangetown?

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Yeah, me too. I had a very Nervous-looking daughter from him when I first played him, and thought she was just so great looking. I've been devising ways to make more female Nervouses ever since. So now I have that clone in Strangetown, and these "daughters" (Nervous was cloned for CAS, but he's not seen in this story - his wife is a cloned Circe. *snicker*)

Which hair? The tucked bob? I like that one too, and it's a different shade of red than most of the Maxis hairs. Virginia Wolfe looks a lot like Nervous, and she's a popularity sim, so I'm going to have her writing bestselling novels, just like her namesake. Too fun.

You shouldn't be surprised. This will give me more opportunity to do fun things with breeding that I can't do in Strangetown. I'm free from limitations of what "makes sense". And I just love 'em. Can we have too many different versions of Maxis sims? I think not. And it was super fun giving them different hair and eye colours.

I like making my own sims too, but there were so many to make that it would have taken ages, and this is more amusing to me anyway.

The update should be Strangetown. I'll get a post on this prosperity challenge after I post parts 2 and 3. While I'm working on the next chapter.

[madame-ugly.livejournal.com]

The she-Nervouses hair, that kind of greasy one that shows a lot of forehead (I use it on Rocky Khillian). That hair is one of those that when it looks good on a sim, it REALLY looks good.

I'm excited to really get to use all the townies. I'm aging up child townies that I've never used before. And the college sims, too.

I loved making random sims. Really, just randomized until I found something I liked. I don't think I tweaked any faces (or if I did, it was just a tiny bit, like re-size eyes a bit or fix a goofy mouth).

Ahh, that's the way I do it, too. I hate breaking up a run of Peculiar with other updates (and I forgot your last Strangetown was a multi-parter).

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

That hair does look a little lank, doesn't it? It just seems really fine to me. I like how it shows off the ears. It looks good on Rocky. I'll bet it would be great for an alien with pointy ears too.

I enjoy breeding with Maxis townies (not me personally). They have interesting features and you get those hidden genetics. I've always liked Kaylynn Langerak, so I'll be trying to lure her in (and have you seen her nose on a male? Craziness). I tried to get James Davenport (Tank) to check her out, but he threw up in his mouth. I thought it would work, since he's a knowledge sim in this 'hood, but no. I get way more x-hearts than I do heart explosions so far. Everyone finds everyone else in town repulsive, apparently. Maybe there is hope for the children...

Yeah, the randomizer is very fun, but I little the random pacifier even more.

It's a good way to do it, I think. Especially since this journal has been very focussed on the story so far. I don't want to confuse that or crowd it out.

Chapter 22 is a three-parter now. It got out of hand, and since it is a party, with lots of characters, it can be a headache to shoot. The first part is a little separate anyway, since it's a different party, but the other parts are both at the sorority, so I'll try to post them fairly close together.

[madame-ugly.livejournal.com]

I like it for the ear showing, too. But it's bad for the big forehead sims.

I've never checked out a male Kaylynn. I like her for breeding, too. (I don't think I've ever bred my self sim to a npc/townie--I have bred spawn of my self sim to townies though--Ben Long's nose actually defeated the funky Verde schnoze, I was shocked).

I need to get maids into some of my houses. Xavier (or whatever his name is) is one of my favorites (love his squished "Pao The Mailman" face).

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

You're right. If your forehead is huge, it's best to wear bangs, anyway.

Kaylynn bred with my Michael Stipe sim in my only legacy attempt, and they had 10 kids (is that what turned me off from it, I wonder?). Some of the guys had a formidable nose. It's big and it has a huge bump on the bridge.

I love marrying or moving NPCs into families. They don't bring money or jobs, but they often have a lot of skill points, and can easily get a good job in a short amount of time.

Xavier is only in Strangetown, right? I like Remmington too.
He has such an interesting and lumpy face.

[madame-ugly.livejournal.com]

Michael Stipe with 10 kids. *snort* That hurts my brain.

I'm not sure where Xavier pops up. He might be for any of the hoods, you just might have to burn through a few maids to get him (I wish you could pick male/female when you hire a maid).

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Yes, it's funny what a surreal little world you can create, isn't it?

Yes, I agree. Sometimes I have to call over and over again to get the maid that I want. I wish you could select between the three of them (but that wouldn't be a very ethical work practice for the maid company *snicker* Unless it's a naughty maid service).

[madame-ugly.livejournal.com]

PLEASE! Look at those maid uniforms. It's SO a naughty maid service.

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Yes, it is. Just ask Don Lothario. *snicker*

[pixelcurious.livejournal.com]

You have a Michael Stipe sim? *laughs* I'd love to see him.

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

I should post him. I made him in CAS, not Bodyshop, so he isn't perfect, but maybe I should show off the fruits of my abandoned legacy.

I've always been a big R.E.M. fan.

[madame-ugly.livejournal.com]

DO IT!

[pixelcurious.livejournal.com]

Perfect schmerfect. I like the way linuslover on MTS2 approaches her Star Trek sims -- she says they're her interpretation, not a literal likeness. :)

I've always been a big R.E.M. fan.

Me, too. At least their earlier stuff. They're the only band (besides local bands) that I've seen multiple times. I think I've seen them 6 times or so, starting on the "Fables" tour.

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Heheh. I went into Chronic Town to check it out, and the likeness is even worse than I remembered. I had a crappier graphics card at the time (that's my story and I'm sticking to it). But perhaps I will post him anyway. I added a cowboy hat (Everybody Hurts style) and it looks a bit better.

You saw R.E.M. 6 times?! That's so cool. Good bands never come to Newfoundland. I saw them once during the Up tour, in Scotland (I was visiting a friend). It was great.

And I agree about the earlier stuff (Automatic for The People is the high point, in my opinion). It's sad to see something that you love so much just go to seed, but they aren't what they used to be.

[pixelcurious.livejournal.com]

You named the neighborhood Chronic Town? :D

I guess bands always evolve and change. And it would suck to be in a band that never changed (though it didn't seem to bother the Grateful Dead *cough*) I feel like I haven't given their new stuff much of a chance, either. But I still like the early stuff best.

[simpathology.livejournal.com]

I love it! It's too much fun using cloned Maxis sims or their offspring to me (that's part of why my new hood has a cloned Grunt family, young clone!Olive and teenagegirlclone!Nervous). I think I'll enjoy seeing these updates as much as the Strangetown updates.

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Thanks. It should be very fun to watch, since they have different personalities too. I love Maxis sims, and I can totally relate to your need to recreate them over and over (in general, my personality dictates that I can never have too much of something that I like - within reason. I often listen to the same song on repeat too. It drives my SO crazy, but that's why they invented headphones).

I have many other versions of these sims in my game, and I may bring some of the others to light eventually for a metafictional/alternate reality one-off story. I have something in mind.

Ahhh, more she-Nervouses! Good to see someone else has jumped on the bandwagon. He makes a cute girl, I think. A girl with a long chin, but still cute. Did you post pics of yours? I know what he looks like as a girl, from the Stranegtown clone, but I'd like to check her out as a teen.

[simpathology.livejournal.com]

She-Nervouses are awesome, IMO. And yep, she got posted here in my Weirdsville introduction post. I think she's just super-cute. I couldn't find a hair that suited her perfectly, but the crimped curls always scream "teenage girl" to me for some reason (although it might be because I did crimp the hell out of my hair from the ages of 13 till 17, then chopped it all off). And I still managed to get her to keep some of the grouchiness, which made me laugh hard when she was talking to a townie and having a GOOD conversation yet making the "shut up I hope you die" face.

[music-simbol.livejournal.com]

Wow, everywhere I turn, someone is doing the Prosperity Challenge! It's extremely contagious. :P

A good chunk of characters I recognize, some I don't. Course, I'm sure once you get into the details, I'll be kicking myself in the ass for not seeing it sooner. I do look forward to seeing what you come up with!

(ps, and I'm uber excited to see that you might be posting tonight, woot!)

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

It is contagious. *chants* Do it, do it, do it...

I started another one a while back, and I do still have it in the game, but it didn't hook me at the time. Maybe because it didn't have a bespectacled, sexy sexagenarian Ripp clone with three alien children. *grin* Among other things.

Some of them are pretty well transformed, and there is one of them that even switched sex. I might make a game out of guessing them in the first post. Some are super obvious though. They're just too distinctive.

I'm really going to try my best to post the next part of chapter 22 tonight. One more round of photo taking should fill in the gaps. I'm glad I stepped back from it a little. I think I needed it. And I wouldn't want to force the story either.

[music-simbol.livejournal.com]

Truth be told, I have thought about it. I've written out all the details, even made some sims in bodyshop. But, I think I want to get further along in my assassin story before I launch into it.

For it to last, you have to really be into the characters. So, of course using Strangetown would get you hooked.

Ripp with alien kids?!?!?!?! HA HA HA HA HA!!!!! I LOVE IT!!!!

A guessing game would be cool. My money would be the madame_ugly gets the most right. :)

I can relate on stepping back. You have to be in the mood to write. If you force it, the story may suffer, which is never good. I'll be constantly refreshing my f-list tonight. :):)

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

That's a good idea. It's best not to have too many things starting up at the same time. My Strangetown story is so established at this point, that I'm not worried about losing interest in it.

Yeah, that's what I figured too. I really want to breed Strangetown like crazy, and now I will be able to, so that holds my interest.

Ripp's alter ego is named Dick. *snort* I'm so immature, but it kills me. (I'm the sort of person who laughs when my SO uses Ben D. Dicks as his MSN name.) It's a sort of what-if scenario for a guy like Ripp, if he became the victim of an overly jealous pollinator. Very sad and funny for a romance sim - it does nothing for your love life.

Madame Ugly probably would get them all, since she's in the habit of cloning and altering Maxis sims herself (not to mention, breeding them). We'll have to wait and see.

Sometimes I have to push the story, but I don't like to really have to force it. There has to be some love involved, ya know?

I'm happy to hear that you'll be waiting... I'll try to be true to my word.

[music-simbol.livejournal.com]

Dick............heh heh heh. You perv you. I cannot wait to see him in action: "Hey there hot mama, you wanna have a little fun? We can go back to my place......No, I don't live alone. I live with my 3 alien children........why you walking away?"

LOL

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

I can't help it. Dick is a funny word. (And that was the randomly generated name, so who am I to argue?)

*snicker* I'm going to have fun with this. And there's still some room for more "oopsie" babies in his life too. Not that I'm the kind of person who'd do that to my sims...*wink*

[indigoleo.livejournal.com]

It is contagious! After reading the rules I decided to start one also. Lord knows why because I play Strangetown that way anyway (each house gets played for one week then on to the next).
the thing that's hardest for me is to play without cheating. No aging off! My favorite cheat. :)

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

I know. I'm used to using aging off and maxmotives when necessary for the story, so I have to drop the habit.

Are you going to post your prosperity challenge?

[indigoleo.livejournal.com]

I actually do have a journal that I started for myself to keep notes on my Strangetown families in and I have started keeping my prosperity challenge there also. It's my_simsession if you want to check it out.
It's not fantastic writing but you're more then welcome to read it. As for posting it anyplace else? Uh, I don't know. That will remain to be seen. For now, the stories can sit there.

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Oh, how cool. I'll check it out.

[abbycat900.livejournal.com]

Ugh, my stupid computer is too much of a stupid computer to handle making a new neighborhood, so I can't do one of these prosperity challenges. I hope you have fun with yours, though!

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Oh, that's too bad. You could always play an existing neighbourhood in a prosperity style. I've seen people do the Maxis neighbourhoods as prosperity 'hoods.

[abbycat900.livejournal.com]

Really? Thanks! I just might try that...

[uber-orange.livejournal.com]

Oooh I am VERY excited for this! I just got done reading all of your Strangetown chapters, and I absolutely LOVE them. I am a huge Strangetown fan, but when I play I tend to make too many alien babies and the neighborhood gets flooded with G]green and I can't keep track of them all.

I love the maxis clones idea. I've never been a big fan of maxis skins, face templates, or hair in my game, but in stories like this, I love them.

I'm a huge Nervous fan, so I was VERY excited to see a red-headed female Nervous xD so cute! I think I love him so much because he was my first legacy founder's husband, but I just find him adorable in general. His chin and eyes make him seem so much more unique.

Also, thanks for the link to that Prosperity Challenge Randomizer. I've been looking for something like this for forever! Thanks!

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Thank you. :)

But flooding the neighbourhood with alien babies is exactly what the aliens want you to do! It's all part of the plan... *grin*

I'm a big fan of the Maxis stuff. There's just a nice amount of variety. Those replacement face templates are so bland and vanilla to me. They make everyone look so similar! When I create sims myself, they're even more extreme. (Check out Jayne's eyebrows, for example.) I'm happy to hear that you can at least embrace them in this context.

I love Nervous. The eyes are the best part. So forlorn and unique.

I love that randomizer. I kept clicking it until something caught my imagination. I love how it dictates that many of the sims will be overweight too. That's a nice touch.

[uber-orange.livejournal.com]

Yeah, stuffing the town with aliens is probably the plan, and all the little alien toddlers are just so cute, and have so much variety in genetics, I just love them x3!!!

True, the face templates I downloaded don't hold a whole lot of variety, but they just... just look so smooth, and soft, I can't help but like them.

Yeah, Maxis did bless us with Nervous :3 I love his eyes, you're right, the are probably the best part.

I've been clicking on that randomizer for an hour now, and every time I find something I like, I end up changing my mind. So I might take the families that inspire me and use them. n_n;

[pixelcurious.livejournal.com]

Love the matchmaker! :D And the glimpses of familiar faces. I see Ripp's teen nose on the alien girl, right? :)

Everybody's doing this challenge... I should check out the parameters for it, though I don't see myself joining in at this point. Yours looks like it will be fun, though!

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Yes, that's his nose. :D You're good! But I know that you love him like he should be loved, so I'm not surprised.

Ripp's nose is my favourite of all sim noses. It's just right. *sigh*

It does seem to be a big trend right now, and that's great, since the challenge creates interesting story dynamics. Much more interesting than a legacy, I think.

Well, you already have your story and the GUCCI challenge, so I can understand if you don't have any extra time. ^_^

[saunasims.livejournal.com]

This is so many shades of awesome. Actually all your recent updates have been cream of the crop for that, though I'm a bad LJ-reader and have completely missed on commenting. There's been a lot of squealing, though!
I have to ask, is the very last picture of the guy with the beard and curly hair the Fishers or the Snows? Because the moment I saw that I had flashbacks to the horribly creepy Dustin Diamond person that once played Screech on Saved By The Bell. *shudder*
In more pleasant thoughts, I'm also very amused that you too are starting up a Prosperity Challenge. I've been toying around with that as well, though I'm incorporating it into my meta-hood instead of giving it one of its own like I should. Maybe this time I'll actually post pictures and stuff!

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Well, I won't mind if you back-comment. Not at all. If you have something to say, I'd love to hear it.

*snort* Screech! That's too funny. But I actually really like that curly hair. There aren't many curly hair meshes for males, and it's nice to see a wild and curly mane from time to time. (I gave the same hair to Ajay Loner.)

Yes. Do it. Prosperity challenges are a lot of fun.

[saunasims.livejournal.com]

Ah-hah, you don't mind me warping the time/space continuum! Duly noted. ;)
I really like that hair too, it manages to be both simmish and realistic without being anime. I like some anime-style hair, but it's hard to find ones that *aren't*, y'know? But it's the combination of that in black plus the full beard plus the pale skin plus the track suit plus something with the facial shape you gave him.. Very adult-Screech. I'll try and keep that image out of my head, though!

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Not at all. Mess with my perceptions if you must! :P

I hear you on the anime hair. Way to many of those styles for men, and the majority of male CC hair is too feminine for me. I might need one or two styles like that at most.

I thought that Screech only ever grew a pitiful little mustache... Heheh. Well, the look is nerdy-cool, in opinion. I like it. And I think the facial shape is different enough (I didn't "give" it to him, as such, either - it's a Maxis face).

*snort* "It's all right, 'cos I'm Saved by the Bell..."

[80sfiend.livejournal.com]

I don't think he looks like Screech, but I can't help but comment. :P Did you know that he made a sex-tape? *shudders* The world is a scary place at times. O.O

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

I don't think his features look like Screech either, but I can see it about the styling somewhat. He has the same big curly hair. (Which I think it cute, for the record. *grin*)

Meh. He's not the first person to end up in an adult video (especially not a homemade one), and he's far from the worst guy committed to film in that way, I'd imagine. Still... It's not like going to go search it and find out. *snicker*

[dothesmustle.livejournal.com]

Prosperity challenges are getting so popular!

Man, I can see the Strangetown clones, but the Pleasantview, I AM NOT SEEING THEM. I was thinking the elderly female being a female version of Morty, but I'm probably wrong.

I love the Nervous clones. Speaking of which, he had a son with this townie with a mohawk(MEANT TO BE!) His son has the most extreme personality EVER. He is really nice, outgoing, active, very sloppy, and serious. I'm sorry this is off topic.

WORTHINGTON! :D

The Komei matchmaker is loooove. Komei is one of my favorite sims!

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Yes, they are. It's such a great idea for a challenge.

Heheh. I'll give you a hint. Mortimer IS in there somewhere. I love me some Morty! ;)

Nervous has a crazy personality, and sim children often have random extreme points, so that makes sense. I just love extreme sims.

Worthington just has to be in every neighboorhood. Just 'cause. He's married in this one, though. To a woman.

I Like Komei too. I married him to one of the offspring of my legacy attempt, mentioned above.

[80sfiend.livejournal.com]

Oh awesome! :D I'm excited to have more stuff from you to read/squee over. :)

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Thanks. It should be fun. I've almost played through a week with them all at this point, since I was in desperate need of a Strangetown break. I see some characters developing already, but it won't be nearly as detailed as Strangetown, so it should be lighter and more fun to update on too.

I really want to add Free Time to the mix soon, and it's almost in stores, but I won't be able to install it until I see at least one patch out and hear all the initial horror stories. I will never be a person that installs a game like that on the day it is released.

I'm very excited for it, though.

[missgan.livejournal.com]

I like them all! :D
I'm glad to have something else from you to read about - double the fun! :D