@YukiShine: I start counting at one, but I just realized I was counting the whole 3rd gen in my numbers, except that'd make them the 1st Roman gen really. At which point I can start feeding them to the lions.

I think I'll just have to figure it out on the fly, and maybe my poor sims will start having "accidents" if they get too populous too handle.

@Chicklet: Welcome! Addressing your vikings and vassals question, the quick answer is: if the rules don't specify, do whatever works best for you. Personally, I'd probably divide the families evenly, and then either roll to decide which ones become the vikings, or maybe pick depending on the personality of the families.

This challenge isn't too stuck on individual rules, because getting through the whole thing is challenge enough! If you need to modify something so that it works better for you, feel free.


Pretty sure they are, yeah. I think some folks just had old rules they printed out ages ago and never checked the thread for updates.


I just started recently myself, so I haven't made any real modifications yet, although I'm considering some sort of 'disaster' add-on to trim down my neanderthal's numbers. Something like:

Animal Attack: Any time a wolf wanders onto your lot, roll to see if he attacks one of your sims currently outdoors. If no, you may carry on as usual and/or attempt to befriend the wolf. If yes (and if there's more than one sim present) roll to see who the wolf attacks. If you have a wolf or large dog pet, you may roll for defense:

- 1-3: Your dog succeeds in fighting off the attacker!
- 4-5: Your dog fails to fight off the attacker.
- 6: Your dog fails to fight off the attacker and is mortally wounded in the process. You must kill the pet immediately using any method you wish.

If you have no pet to defend you or the pet fails, then roll for damage:

- 1-2: Just a scratch - The wolf did minimal damage and your sim requires no recovery time.
- 3-4: Moderate wounds - The wolf did a number on your sim before they fought it off. They'll require a day of bed rest to recover. (No work such as fishing, gardening, cooking, or child tending for 24 hours)
- 5: Severe wounds - The wolf savaged your sim before fleeing. They'll require three days of bed rest to recover. (No work for 72 hours)
- 6: Death - The wolf attack resulted in the death of your sim. You must kill them immediately using any method you wish.

You know, I actually really like that. I think I'll be adding that to my game, with maybe a few other disaster events.

Oooh that is a cool idea.
I was recently playing one of my families, and a fire killed the two parents and left twin children and a baby. The "wild women of social workia" came, but then my game froze :[
well atleast i have them back now. I didnt mind losing the adults, just the kids, they were actualy adorable :D

Ha! Yes. I was pretty surprised when I read some of the rules a few days ago and suddenly saw aspects I've never noticed before...


Cool idea. I like including pets in my ToT game. Some of my families try to breed them - more or less successfully.

As for (mild) population control: At the end of stone age, I introduced a 1:6 chance for women to die at childbirth. Once I have doctors in Rome, those women can get another roll, though. For a fee.

My vikings (and maybe even the natives in the Colonization stage [if I ever get there]) will be CAS sims, most likely. I finally see a chance to put this awesome set to good use.

Okay, so I uh... might have gone a little overboard with my disaster idea. I figured I'd post it here in case anyone want to use/modify it. These are all obviously designed for the Neanderthal stage, although you could probably tweak a few for later eras. I've gone five days on a lot so far and gotten:

- Bad fishing season.
- One severe sickness that the sim luckily survived.
- Three wolves wandering by, two of which decided not to attack, and the third of which my dog successfully fought off.

It definitely seems to be adding some interest to the farm/fish/reproduce grind. :D

Any unspecified rolls are intended to be 50/50 chance. You can increase or decrease the odds according to your needs.

Animal Attack: Any time a wolf wanders onto your lot, roll to see if he attacks one of your sims currently outdoors. If no, you may carry on as usual and/or attempt to befriend the wolf. If yes (and if there's more than one sim present) roll to see who the wolf attacks. If you have a wolf or large dog pet, you may roll for defense:

- 1-3: Your dog succeeds in fighting off the attacker!
- 4-5: Your dog fails to fight off the attacker.
- 6: Your dog fails to fight off the attacker and is mortally wounded in the process. You must kill the pet immediately using any method you wish.

If you have no pet to defend you or the pet fails, then roll for damage:

- 1-2: Just a scratch - The wolf did minimal damage and your sim requires no recovery time.
- 3-4: Moderate wounds - The wolf did a number on your sim before they fought it off. They'll require a day of bed rest to recover. (No work such as fishing, gardening, cooking, or child tending for 24 hours)
- 5: Severe wounds - The wolf savaged your sim before fleeing. They'll require three days of bed rest to recover. (No work for 72 hours)
- 6: Death - The wolf attack resulted in the death of your sim. You must kill them immediately using any method you wish.

Flash Flood: Any time it thunderstorms, you must roll to see if it floods.

- 1-3: No flooding.
- 4-6: Floodwaters rip through your property. Damage is inevitable, but how bad will it be?

If yes, the flooding causes crop damage.

- 1-2: Mild damage. You may not tend your crops in any way for 24 hours.
- 2-4: Major damage. Half of your crops have been destroyed. You must dispose of half of your crops and you may not tend the remainder in any way for 24 hours.
- 5-6: Catastrophic damage. Your crops have been completely destroyed. You must dispose of all of your crops and wait 24 hours for the waters to recede before planting anew.

If any of your sims are outside when the rain starts, you must roll for EVERY SIM currently outdoors to see if they are swept away by the deluge.

- 1-4: Your sim escapes the floodwaters.
- 5: Your sims is carried away, but manages to find their way home within a day. (You can manage this however you want. Move them out and back in, lock them in a little "penalty box" on the corner of the lot with the necessities, whatever. Just remember to take away the extra $20k if you move them out and back in.)
- 6: Your sim is swept away by the deluge, never to be seen again. You must kill them immediately using any method you wish.

Bad Fishing Season: You must roll for this at either the beginning of each season, or the beginning of each week/round (whatever's easiest). The fish population in the pond is starting to look a little thin, and the family needs to cut back on the fishing to give the pond time to repopulate. For the duration of the season/week/round your sims may only fish once per day, per sim. Once the fishing action has been canceled for any reason (autonomously or not), that sim may not fish again until the next day.

- 1-4: The pond's looking well-stocked and bountiful. Business as usual.
- 5-6: The fish need time to repopulate. Time to cut back.

Pestilence: Disease is always a concern. At the beginning of each round, roll to see how your sims are doing.

- 1-3: Everyone is healthy as can be!
- 4-5: One poor sim has fallen ill. Roll to see who.
- 6: Sickness is catching, and your entire family comes down sick!

If any of your sims become sick, roll for the following (once for each sim):

- 1-2: Just a case of the sniffles. Keep the sick sim indoors for the next 24 hours and they'll be right as rain.
- 3-4: A bad fever. The sim must stay in bed (either sleeping or relaxing when not taking care of bodily functions) for the next 24 hours.
- 5: Seriously sick. Your sim is burning up and things could go either way. Keep them on bed rest for 72 hours. Roll once a day for survival. If you roll a 6, the sim dies.
- 6: Deathly ill. Your sim has contracted a (thankfully not contagious) flesh-eating virus and dies. You must kill the sim immediately using any method you wish.

Ice Age: Roll once at the beginning of each round (except the first if you're just starting). If yes, change all seasons to winter/winter/winter/winter for the duration of the round. There will be no farming and no fishing available for the duration, so make sure you have a small stockpile of fish if you don't want the family to starve to death. There cannot be two ice ages back to back (unless you want to, in which case go nuts), in order to give your families time to recover.

- 1-4: No ice age.
-5-6: Hoard your furs and hunker down, because winter is coming with a vengeance.

At the beginning of each day, roll for variables:

Freezing: Your families aren't prepared for sudden sub-zero temperatures in the once-tropical climate. They may have discovered fire, but freezing to death is still a very real concern.

- 1-4: Your sims huddle together and survive another day.
- 5-6: One of your sims succumbs to the freezing cold and dies. Roll to see which sim dies. You must kill them immediately using any method you wish.

Going Feral: Your sims aren't the only ones suffering from the lean conditions. Your pets are also starving, and there's a chance on any given day that they might attack the family in desperation. (Note: Depending on the outcome, this event may override the starvation roll for the day.)

- 1-4: Your pets resist their feral nature and remain true to the family.
- 5: Overwhelmed by hunger, one of your pets (your choice) attacks the family and has to be put down. You must kill the pet immediately using any method you wish. Saddened, but too sensible to waste perfectly good meat, your family receives a free meal from the fridge. (Overrides starvation roll)
- 6: Desperate for food, one of your pets (your choice) attacks and kills a family member. Roll to find out who. You must kill them immediately using any method you wish. The rest of the family successfully puts down the feral animal. You must kill the pet immediately using any method you wish. Saddened, but too sensible to waste perfectly good meat, your family receives a free meal from the fridge. (Overrides starvation roll)

Starvation: Food is scarce and the threat of starvation is very real. The sudden onset of the ice age left little time to prepare. (Note: If you had to kill a pet during the Going Feral roll, you do not have to roll for starvation that day.)

- 1-4: Your sims may have forgotten what it's like not to be hungry, but they've scraped together enough scraps to live another day.

- 5-6: The gnawing hunger has finally taken its toll on one of your sims. Roll to see who starves to death. You must kill them immediately using any method you wish (or just let them starve for real). IF YOU HAVE PETS you may kill one to feed the family and save the starving sim. This can be represented by serving a non-fish meal from your fridge. You must kill the pet immediately using any method you wish. Alternatively, you can just let the sim die and save the pet.

Arathe that is AMAZING how much more interesting would the Neanderthal Era be with such things?! I'd still be in it! In fact it makes me want to start all over again just so I can see what happens... (no no no dont do it!!! ) That would definitely allow for the constant trying for baby rule without letting things get out of hand, though I get so attached to all my simmies (even the dull ones) I find killing them off difficult at times, I'm always thinking "ah but what story would they tell me if I let them live?" *brain combusts*

This thread is so awesome. Have I told you all how awesome you all are lately!? You're all awesome! Go out and buy yourself some chocolate! You know you want to~

The rules I'm using are the original as posted way back years ago by Swallowtail with very little modifying and that's because I started as soon as it was posted practically, some of my fellow simmers from back there have gone into the abyss I think as I haven't seen them in ages, thankfully there's a huge community now! It keeps me going (I did mention you were all awesome right?!) I really think there's a lot of variety now to make the challenge even more interesting. I'm glad people are getting ahead of me, gives me something to be inspired by as to how I wish to go about playing the Dark Ages (4 more rounds yay!)

Welcome to Chicklet! Please do start! I insist! In fact now you're here you find yourself unable to leave.... ever.... ever again.... *hypnosis?*

I'm supposed to be getting ready for work >_> *shh!* I really must go. As for my simmies I have played another 2 families and am about halfway through Round 17 now (still havent started updating, really going to hate myself for that later) and how often do I say this - but just when I thought nothing else could happen - something does! I love this challenge. :lovestruc

taliah~

PS: LoL! I don't know where you come up with this stuff but please do keep it up.

Questions and ideas
 

I was hypnotised before you tried. This is the third night in a row that I've ended by bouncing between this thread and various tot sites to read the variations on rules.

I'm resisting for now, but I know it won't last. Otherwise why would I be back here reading hungrily and asking another question? I just started a challenge too...finally finished with the set up, barely started playing....dang it. This means I'm going to have a 4th neighborhood going doesn't it? Resistance is futile.....

I'm a little lost on the bathing. No, don't run away! I don't mean me! I shower, honest! In the challenge I mean. In the roman section it says slaves can't have bathtubs. Does that mean everyone else can? That means neanderthals can't have tubs? For 3 generations? Just sponge baths at the sink?

I have some ideas to bring forth. I know, haven't even started the challenge and mouthy already.

I plan to use inteen. If you are not familiar, there is inteen, and then there are flavor paks to make it how you like. (Don't use all flavor paks, they conflict. Read the instructions and pick what you want.) So one thing I thing works real great for this is miscarriage. If the mom is too tired and hungry there is a chance she'll miscarry. (You can use inteen without miscarriage if that bothers you.) With inteen the teens can have babies (which in early history they did) and can move out and live without adults. Therefore I'm totally going to cheat and count aged to teen as reached the next generation instead of waiting until adult. There is the drawback that they have longer to reproduce - but miscarriages will limit that as will the fertility. Sims vary on how fertile they are based on if they have had a miscarriage and how old they are. An older woman is less likely to get pregnant but more likely to have twins.

As for the wolves...well sometimes they fight on their own. Perhaps instead of using a walkby and dice to see what happens, you can see if your wolf and lone wolf fight or get along, and who wins. Just an idea.

Smirnoff made a potion that makes sims sick. It's available at modthesims. It's in the gypsy potions, it's the poison one. There is a chance they will be die, but might only be sick. This could fit some of your ideas.

Over at More Awesome Than You there is a mod called more realistic illness. Warning though, if you use this, your sims will spend their illness in bed or they will probably die. It seems too extreme so I haven't used it....but it might make an alternative to the black plague where everyone who gets sick dies. This would make it so everyone who gets sick probably dies.

Starfire is the one who has rules about an ice age on her site. It sounds so neat. I want to use that at the end of my neanderthal era. Or maybe for 2nd gen like she does if I can find out what she does for 3rd gen.

Thanks everyone!

Another question: The $3,000 starting $. Is that $3000 for the family funds, or $3000 spending $? I was thinking it would have to be a pretty empty lot if they have to buy it for $3000 and spend from there. To be a little more clear, $3,000 total family $ and then move into lot, or $3,000 spending $?

Can Neanderthals have any lot size? I notice in the Roman era each class gets a specific lot size.

Are the Neanderthal kids allowed to have toys?

*waves to all*

I was just thinking - I said I was following the original rules but >_> I haven't actually read them in a while... I couldn't really tell anyone how to play the Roman Era! Isn't that the Era I'm in now?!

You're not resisting at all Chicklet! To answer your questions (remembers some rules) $3000 is the spending money after you've moved the founders in and bought all the required furniture etc. The lot size is up to you and what you want to - or what your computer - can deal with, some people like smaller lots for ease, others like bigger lots for space; I had a 3x3 lot for my Neanderthals, it gave me plenty of space for a pond, a garden, a building so they didn't die of heat stroke, and space for the kids to run around in. Even in the Roman Era I kept my lots reasonably small, except for the Emperor's Palace but that's because I was inspired to build something grand *cough* but otherwise - whatever you feel comfortable with. I don't think Neanderthal Kids are allowed toys but I'm pretty sure I gave them some >_> just coz it kept them occupied so my sims could fish and garden without a smelly noisy tot whining at them XD no... I like sim tots... honest!

I also have inteen but when I used the miscarriage thing before it drove me crazy, with a previous challenge, so I took it off for this as I think all my sims would have died and the challenge would have lasted less than one generation

taliah~ (who is off to play some sims coz Bene is being a naughty boy! )

I totally caved.
 

You are right, I'm not resisting. In fact I'm going to make 2 ToT. One with 5 couples, and one 3:1 like at http://nesxyasmoodlets.weebly.com/

Really, no showers? For 3 generations? Good thing they have a sink...

I downloaded neanderthal cc most of the day today. Then I made just one couple.

Chicklet, I think many of us are ignoring the part where there's no shower. I, for one, can't stand having my sims whine at me 'cause they're stinky. I've got a shower from Uni hanging out on the back of my lot. And if you look carefully at some of the other players' pictures, you'll notice they have showers too. Mine don't use their sink however (to encourage them to toss their plates in the garbage so they can be composted). If they get too high on the temperature scale, I send them for a shower since I have a hack that lets you choose water temp. I think my sims will be quite happy to progress to the Roman age simply so that they can have hot showers. ~VP (who is off to work on the list of Sims 2 requests that ToT had caused her to ignore for the last several months)

Vacations
 

VP I started thinking, what, no mammoth shower? Then I remembered you play an alien tot.

I have found fantastic caveman stuff that is not on the object list. I am considering having a little time at the end of the neanderthal era to let them use some of them. It would make a nice bridge into the Roman era. But I'll have to see how I feel then.

What does everyone think about vacations? Does anyone plan to let their sims go on vacations in a certain era?

How long before you miss playing an era you finished?

Straight away! In fact, before I even finished the Neanderthal Era I was missing it knowing that it would soon be over even as I was looking forward to and preparing the Roman Era, and I still miss it, especially with all these new inspirational ideas other players are coming up with.

I started with no showers OMG *dead* all the sims did was whine.... and complain... and fight over the sink.... they wouldn't fish or garden or anything! It was PAINFUL! I did hide the sink often, also for the idea of throwing dishes away for compost use but once the babies start arriving with all those bottles I just gave up and let them have the sink, I think to help with the water for cooling down too - how many sims did I have get heatstroke?! Summer is fun!

Back to the eras - I was reading the rules again, and especially for the next two eras to see how to play about it and I've discovered I have NO inspiration for the Dark Ages - I'm kind of confused! I know it would help others to help me if I could say how... >_> contradictory much? All I know is I was reading this morning thinking "what's the difference between the Dark Ages and the Medieval Era?" there seems to be only a few minor ones, I'm not sure if I'm just not seeing it... has anyone else read them recently? Or can clarify maybe?

Where's cespencer?! I know you're out there torturing your simmies in the Dark Ages! How are you finding it?

I feel like I'm still establishing the Roman Era even though playing by my new quicker paced rules I'm more than halfway to it, only 4 rounds to go - but I just can't see myself in the Dark Ages yet. I may even find myself still there 4 rounds from now not wanting to leave...wouldnt that spoil my challenge?! XD

As for vacations - I had planned on sending my Romans away, those that could afford it, but they're having so much fun in Tempus I just don't feel the need to now =/

taliah~

I was going to tough it out but now that you say how much it doesn't work...yay mammoth showers! And the waterfall shower too!

I can help a little about the difference between dark ages and medieval. I've been playing royal kingdom challenge for a few years. Also I keep rereading those rules. See how hopeless I am?

Dark ages has the plague, medieval doesn't. For this I plan to use the more realistic sickness mod at more awesome than you. With that if your sims don't lay down most of the time, they will die when sick. That sounds like more fun than killing sims who get sick outright. I expect most will still die of the plague.

Vikings in the dark ages, not medieval. At least one person here is using the Besieged challenge with their vikings. I think they talk about it back a page or two.

Dark ages has limited or no recreation object (depending on class). The more "enlightened" medieval era gets these back.

The medieval age has knights and special rules about them, dark ages does not.

And then a little fun stuff. For the most part the dark ages and medieval would look the same. You can easily get away with using the same lots, clothes, etc.

I have found a lot of medieval stuff over time. Just ask if you are searching for something. The very best resource is www.medievalsims.com. They have pretty much anything medieval you could ever want. Most of the best creators of medieval cc (that still make it) post there. There is a massive section called "best finds of the medieval kind" that covers cc not at their site where you can find everything else.

In the earlier period most everyone wore bright colored clothes in about the same shape, tunics for men, dresses for women.When I get that far I plan to use the more plain medieval clothes for the dark ages, and the fancier for the medieval. I can easily do this because I have over 4gb of just medieval clothes and meshes. It's sitting in a folder on my desktop along with medieval objects and other thing I thought I woudn't use for neanderthals. I didn't dissect folders...but if I'm not going to use the whole folder, in it went. It totals (drumroll) over 9gb.

My game loads faster with the much smaller neanderthal folder. I forget who it was that said they planned to switch out the cc for each era. It's such a good idea.

Yeah, if I had a normal ToT, the mammoth shower would be on every lot. As it is there's the uni shower, that I've stopped trying to explain how it functions. Maybe they came off the crashed mothership? That's how I explain the phone. I also found a fountain type thing that someone here made that allows toddlers and children to splash in it (its essentially a very shallow pond with water running out of a pipe of sorts) and that raises hygiene. That got added only after several of my toddlers were getting potty trained and started getting stinky due to not having their diapers changed. I was tired of the whining, and buying a tub for two seconds to bathe the little annoyances, er, I mean darlings. I do need to go muck around in the files for that and change its advertisements. It calls all the kids and toddlers over there when their hygiene gets about halfway, which in the case of the kids is rather annoying. ~VP

I have actually played without showers or bath tubs for the whole era. The only exceptions were toddlers with a hygiene toy and pets that I bought tubs for. Each time I sold them right after washing the dogs, though.
The only real difficulty occurred with children. Toddlers had their toy and teens+ could spongebath, but children were chronically frustrated and complaining.

And now I really, really appreciate the Roman public bath house. :D

Thanks for that Chicklet! Suddenly it makes a lot more sense to me; I think I was trying to read too hard @_@ So the Dark Ages are all horror and despair and the Medieval all gaiety and fun yeah?

........horrifying thought - I've just killed off a heap of sims in the Roman Era and to keep population from exploding have cut down on babies (strange but true), but if they're all going to die of plague and viking death and what not in the next era I think I better set up the bunny mode again!

On the up side - the Dark Ages should pretty much kill off the majority of the population therefore allowing a rebuild in the Medieval times - yes?

I swear I don't know what ST's brain is made of that she thought this challenge up so well >_> but I'm having great fun playing it!

I worked out based on how I'm playing now that my last round would be Round 65 (Gen20 Modern Era) I'm at Round 17.......... .......... nobody remind me of this ok

I'm off to play with one of my faves now poor cursed immortal Korbl XD what plans I have for his poor soul~

taliah~

Classes
 

When you get to the Roman era (and above) and divide the families into classes...um...need clarification. So my first thought is that they are divided by last name. Like you start with 5 couples, so lets say last names A, B, C, D, E. B is richest so one of them is the Emperor. Then you start dividing the rest up. Say Plebians are D, Slaves are A, etc. Do I have that all wrong?

Is it supposed to be more like you have 30 households (with the 5 last names), and then you divide up the households. So depending on their $ and possible other factors, you could have the all 5 last names in each class.

I'm not sure which way is the way that Swallowtail meant.

By the way I have my 3 families ready for my ToT 3:1 ready. (I'm going one too, but so far only have 1 couple made.) There are 5 women and 15 men spread over 3 households. They are fairly romance sim inclined. I roll a 6 die 6 times and then get to pick one, so I almost always got to choose romance. It will take but one pregnancy before I begin splitting up the homes so they can have more babies.

I will do the die rolling for the classic ToT too, but for them I will make them more family sim inclined.

I can hardly wait to play. I'm getting tired of cas, it takes forever!

Edit: After I posted I noticed something. Please excuse the neanderthal with the big red beard. It looks like he is trying to show everyone what is under his clothes!

[QUOTE=Arathe1]@taliahneth: Sorry, I meant the evil jungle witch known as Soshal Werkir. Rumor has it she lives in the wilds with only savage beasts for companionship. It's said her favorite meal is the tender young flesh of children, and should you let them overheat the tantalizing scent will lure her out of hiding. She can't resist a meal you've already cooked for her, after all.

Oh how wicked that sounds and yet so right for this challenge. I can't wait to hear how the next round goes if you just let things happen. Of course there are still a few things you will need to tell them to do. I made a list on my website just so folks knew what things you might still need to tell them. When to God Mode

I know what you mean. Isn't it amazing how attached we get to our little simmies? When you lose a favorite it makes you want to cry When I lost children to the wild women, I would have one of the other families adopt. I just made sure to pick the age that the children were when they were taken. Usually the child who showed up the next morning was one of the ones just taken.

Hey, I'm still here. I have been posting in the Besieged challenge since I incorporated that into my Dark Ages. Dark Ages vs. Medieval: Dark Ages are almost like neanderthal again, and they are dark, dirty, with no fun, and lots of hard work. I found another challenge called Besieged and I added this challenge to my game. This has added lots of interest to the game and is weeding out about 10-12 sims each 5-day season.

Historically the Medieval Age is a revival, like the Roman Age. I plan in the later Medieval Ages to add a downtown village with lots of craftsman and shops like the butcher, baker, and candlestick maker. I might even write my own mini challenge using OFB and maybe track points for how many stars each shop gets by the end of 3 generations. You get to add music, art, games, and more colorful clothing, decorations, etc. It is the age of castles, knights, and romance. I haven't planned yet for that age since I just started the Dark Ages.

Thank you
 

I do believe I have you to thank. I followed someone who is doing the tot from www.medievalsims.com to here.

This morning I took my medieval hoods and cc and dropped them into an external drive. I don't want to get rid of them, but for now I just want to play tot. Plus I got 10gb out of my game and off my hardrive. I bet the game will run better and faster.

I also checked out your site, along with many other tot sites. Thank you everyone. I especially love reading how each person has tweaked the rules. It gives me a lot of ideas. The tot pics are amusing as well.

I have rethought the showers and am going to try the caveman era without showers.

I just finished placing the sims in lots and buying their stuff for my 3:1 tot and they are all set to play the first round. I wanted to place them all before playing so that they have an equal chance to meet each other when the welcome wagon comes.

My classic lot still has 1 couple. I may finish the other 4 tomorrow. I'm eager to start playing. CAS is only fun for a little while. After setting up a hood I don't want to see it again for a long time.

Funniest Post
 

I have been reading this thread in the evenings. I have read from the begining to page 23, where I found the above. In my opinion it is the funniest post so far.

It may be the worst bad day in a sim's life I've seen. Unless she hated her husband, her kids and her house. In that case it explains why the wife finds it a great week. Or perhaps she is the master of sarcasm.

Isn't it fun to read other folks' posts and sites. Some of our fellow simmers are so witty I find myself laughing out loud all alone in my condo. Sometimes my own little sims doing something so silly it makes me laugh. The neighbors must think I am a little odd but I just love having a good laugh every day.

In the Roman era sometimes a sim dies for various reasons. Is this instead of weekly slave dies, or in addition to?

I can see the slaves being slightly relieved when someone gets caught and spares the rest from the chance of dying that week.

On the other hand, I can see the weekly sacrifice having a little company while waiting for impending doom.

For this era you may find Paladin's Wrath of the Gods to be wonderful for the executions. It's at http://www.paladins-place.org/main.htm It won't allow direct links. So from there click sims 2, then objects, then other. Here are just a couple of his sim torture objects.

Wrath of the Gods - Options are plague of locusts, rain of fire, lightning storm, and smite.

Crate of Throwing Axes - Sim picks up an axe, throws it at another sim who then dies. Executioner looks horrified at what the did.

And don't worry about your neighbor's when laughing at your sims. Either they'd never guess in a million years that is why you are laughing, or they know you play and it should just make them want to go out and buy the game.

Eyes
 

I know this is an old one, but I wanted to reply because I love the eyes I use and want to share.

I took a look at every set of default eyes at mod the sims and some sets in a few other places. I chose Nouk's defaults, they are very pretty: http://www.modthesims.info/download.php?t=243858
The last picture shows the 5 defaults. I don't use the non default.

All my non default cc eyes are geneticized Enayla eyes. This means that the genetics are like maxi. So if you have a sim with the gentecized cc eyes and one with default eyes, they have the same chance of showing up on their kids - as in one or the other could be dominent etc. It is explained much better by Madame Mim, which is where I got all of my geneticized eyes, they are all Enayla: http://genensims.com/guest/MadameMim/eyesTopher1.htm
If you get Enayla eyes at mod the sims or elsewhere they are not geneticized unless it specificly says so.

Check out their geneticized skins and their explanations on how geneticized skins and eyes work. They are just as easy to download, but are far more fantastic. Like if you have a geneticized super light skin, and a geneticized super dark skin, and 2 sims with these 2 sims have babies, they can be either color, or any color inbetween that is geneticized including default skins. Yeah, like wow.

Weebly
 

I noticed a lot of you use Weebly to tell your ToT stories. I'm considering using it instead of blogspot like I usually do. I have a question about it.

In Weebly when you post pictures do you have to use an image hosting site? I prefer browsing and pulling the pictures straight from my game folders.

Blogspot allows that, but the set up I see on your weebly sites is much better. I love the tabs and the pages with pictures where you can click and see the picture bigger with the caption underneath.

Nope, no image hosting necessary. All my pics were loaded straight from my computer to weebly. ~VP

Oh my god, seriously! I love this challenge. Really it's one of the best I have ever read and I so want to do this. For the last hour I have been non-stop downloading clothing and stuff for the different stages. Love reading your stories too!

Welcome Koestie and good luck to you. I agree this is one of the most fun things I have done with the sims ! Be sure to update us on your progress

PS - welcome to any and all newbies that I may have missed. While I havent been posting a lot these days I do drop by to read what is new. I try and play a little bit every day and update occassionaly ( I did one today ). But I am at least 3 families behind in the updates now. Thankfully I finally figured out how to upload my pics on blogger after their latest update so that should make it easier to keep on top of it. Cant believe some of you are so far along already ! WTG !

Wow...so much has been happening during my absence. I've had some real difficult moments with my game and weebly . But all is okay now....new link for new blog...

Only the neanderthals were beyond rescue, I'd completely forgot to upload to photobucket and lost the majority of pics... Slowly rebuilding my roman era but by the end of the week, I should hopefully have it complete.

Its wonderful to see fellow simmers doing this challenge. Welcome all.

So basically I just made my five families to start of with. Still building their houses (4 to go..), but I am enjoying this, haha I'm gonna try to make their houses somewhat different, to avoid boredom later on.

These are my families (the names are real and yes it will be a horrible job just to remember them):
Hemi Chiamaka and Ebele Chiamaka
Paora Kwasi and Kiri Kwasi
Asher Abishai and Sela Abishai
Urien Llyr and Elaine Llyr
Dwyn Rashnu and Andraste Rashnu

Oh and I just wanted to say that I'm not a native speaker, so if there would be a grammar/spelling mistake, ignore it
And I'm still not sure if I'm going to make a blog about it. I'm bad at keeping a blog and it would be easier just to put some stories over here...

Welcome Koestie:
This is a fun challenge because it blends the building with making families and the rules make you play in ways that you might not have before. I would love to hear more about your stories here.

http://sims2testoftime.weebly.com/

This is my new Weebly site. This is my "classic" test of time site. I only have the first post up. If you are interested in more, post a comment about what you want to see and I will set that part up next.

I also have another test of time hood, it's my 3:1, inspired by Nesxya.

I was reading this test of time challenge: http://nesxyasmoodlets.weebly.com/ Nesxya has a test of time where there are 3 men to each woman. Hers is kind of a bachelorette kind of thing.

My 3:1 test of time challenge is similar, but instead of being a bachelorette kind of thing, it's begins with no marriage or monogomy. That is something that will develop over time. This way there is more dna in the gene pool since a woman is very likely to have babies with different fathers. This makes it more "spicy" as well. Is there an interest for me to publish this one as well or should I keep it to myself? It would be rated R for subject matter and have some nudity. Not all the chapter will be "spicy" and by the Roman period it will be a monogomous society. The one I have published (see top of post) is no more spicy than playing a regular sim game....so more like PG.

Inteen + Simblender
 

I have inteen and simblender and haven't had problems with them that I am aware of. I have all expansions and stuff packs and the latest available inteen and simblender.

Can you tell what problems you had? Perhaps I have had them and didn't realize they were related.

So I don't know if I did this right, but I built their houses by using all the money they had (not all of it, but you get it). Now in the rules it's mentioned that you need to use familyfunds to bring their money to 3000. Since they've already got everything they need, I guess I need to lower that amount? Or not? How did you guys do this?

I was confused about that too. After they get the stuff allowed from the list lower their cash on hand to 3000.

I was surprised to find the familyfunds cheat can be used while in the household. If you use it there it effects cash on hand instead of total household value.

I can't remember really,sorry.It's been a while since I had it installed, but I think it was simblender that (at the time) had a few bugs and issues, which are now fixed. I may have also downloaded the wrong version of inteen.

Love your ToT blog. Look forward to reading more.

Update
 

Hey guys! I'm still here and playing, but haven't been updating for the longest time. Even though I I like weebly, I'm on tumblr all the time now so I'm going to move my sim blog. I'm currently playing the last generation of Romans/Greeks/Egyptians! I can't wait for the next era even though I'll miss this one. I'll let you know when my simblr is up and running some time soon (next few days).

Thank you.

Today I defragmented my computer which took hours...probably because I couldn't just leave it alone. While I was waiting I finished posting the first round of my ToT.

I'm really wanting to update it because last night I had the funniest fire scene ever and I have pictures. I tried to explain it to someone and ended up crying I was laughing so hard.

Ermagerd, Simblr!
 

I've moved all of my sims stuff from my weebly to my new Simblr! Check it out & I'll be posting new stuff soon.----> ermagerdsimblr.tumblr.com

Great to have you back Lizz. I have updated your link on my blog so I can now find you again

WOAH, intense challenge. I want to try it soon

I was just looking at how far I have left to go to the Roman era ( my 1st gen 3 kid is 5 days away from being a teen so long way to go yet ! ) and I started to wonder about those of you who are so much farther along. The rules state 4 gens for Roman, 3 for dark and then another 4 medieval but have you done that many or have you shortened the rounds? Are you using mods to cut amount of time spent in each age category, ie teen is the big one I guess.

The only mod I have regardng your inquiry is "8 Day Teen." I couldn't stand how long the teen-span was. Most of my 4th generation is having kids now.

As promised, I have posted the funniest sim fire I have ever seen. It is in a post called Mamutoi Day 12. In a single fire 3 funny things happen I've never seen in the sims before. I've been playing sims 2 for over 5 years.

Here is what I do that effects how long rounds are. Inteen is one, but a lot of it is game play.

I use Inteen. This allows for teens to marry and have kids; it also allows for spontaneous miscarriages (caused by low needs with extra risk for older moms and moms who have had a miscarriage before).

I count teen as having reached the next generation due to them being able to marry and have kids. The rules say they must move out when they are adults except oldest 2 kids. I say they don't have to move out until they are adults (not teens). But if the house is full and there is a married woman who can still have kids then a teen kid must move out so they can keep repopulating. Having fewer households makes rounds go faster.

For my classic ToT (the one with the funny post mentioned above) if the head of the family is bff with the head of another family, they make an arranged marriage between 2 of their kids. (Not to make 5 couples, to make 1.) This happens as soon as I notice they are bff and I write it down. Sometimes it is this kid and the other families first daughter if they don't have one yet.

If they don't have an arranged marriage then they must propose marriage the usual way. This may mean that some marry older or never at all. But there will at least be an attempt to marry. I expect some marriages with age differences.

Cheating is only allowed if a sim wants to woohoo with more than one sim, or with a specific sim. Same with flirting with another, falling in love, etc. It must be initiated by the married sim. If they do something autonomous that's fine. I don't have ACR so they won't woohoo on their own, but they might flirt.

Aspirations - I roll a 6 die 6 times to pick aspiration. I get to pick any of the selections and almost always get what I want. I pick in this order for neanderthal: family, popularity, romance, pleasure, knowledge, $. I do use secondary aspiration. In that one grilled cheese is last choice. So far I've escaped that. In later time periods when I would be ok with more aspirations, I'll roll fewer times. Like if I'm ok with 2 choices, I roll 5 times, 3 choices roll 4X, 4 choices 3x, 5 choices twice, and when I'm ok with any choice I'll roll once. So less romance sims at first is less cheating.

I always use sim blender to take back kids taken by the social worker. If the teens and older are all dead, another family takes them in but does not adopt. Sim blender allows you to move in a kid without adopting, making them related, or changing last names.

I adjust things a little for my 3:1 ToT. This one began with 15 men and 5 women in 3 separate households. They do not have marriages (but will eventually) and are not monogomous. This will make a varied gene pool. In this one I prefer the romance and pleasure aspirations, then the rest in the same order. No arranged marriages unless a sim has a want for married kids or the parents are married.

In both Tot I always plead for loved ones with the sim who has the best relationship. This doesn't always work. Sometimes they don't get there in time for example.

No phones for my neanderthals. Surprisingly despite this everyone is quickly becoming good friends, a lot of bff. I greet guests whenever I notice them, but don't pause to do so.

Fights! If they have a fight then the winner kills the other with the throwing axe from Paladdin's Place. They must both live on the same lot. I had to move one sim in on another lot just to kill the person they won a fight with. After this they still get to plead for the person's life. They usually stay dead.

All stoves are the simstone stoves which means if it's dirty and someone puts trash in it then the chance of a fire is really high.

The results? The classic one by the time the founder's kids have become teens I think there will be about 15, and they started with 10 sims.

The 3:1 I have reached the next generation, I have a teen! They started with a population of 15, now there are 14 sims, including kids. There were a lot of fires, lot of miscarriages, and 2 fights.

Due to the slow population increase I'm considering calling the founders generation 0. I'll decide that further along. I did math originally and determined that in both classic and 3:1 there is potential for there to be an outrageous number of sims if you count the founders as 0.

Welcome. If this challenge interests you then you should just adjust the rules to suit your preferences so you will have FUN.

I wanted to do this challenge since it involved history and I wanted to see how the restrictions in each age would shake up my game play but I knew I wouldn't last for over 20 total generations. So, I adapted the rules to only play 2 generations for each age.

Neanderthal = founders, A name, B name born
Romans = B name founded this age as adults, C name, D name born
Dark Ages (Early Medieval) = D name founded as adults, E/F/G names, H/I/J name born. When they become adults they will move me into the Renaissance (Late Medieval).

It has taken me a year to do this much. It is lasting a long time but I totally love it. This challenge lets me mix game play with building and it gives me a wonderful excuse to download lots of custom content.

It has also been a blast to talk with the fellow challengers, to check out their blogs and websites for ideas, and to build websites and blogs of my own. It is stretching my creative talents.

FIRE! Wow what a huge fire that was. Some of the funniest blogs I read early on in my game play were of people's fires and the funny things that our neanderthals did during fires. Aren't neighbors just the most hopeless people in a fire? I actually forgot about how much fire affected game play in the Neanderthal age since I found custom content smoke alarms (one looks like pots hanging on the wall and one looks like flowers drying) that I started using with my Roman Age.

I actually made a little video in my Neanderthal website about fire since it was so much a part of my game play during that age. I lost most of my fathers and an entire family to lightning storms, those dang Breadfruit trees. FIRE video

Hey all of you

I finally found time to start the challenge a few weeks ago and finished my second round (always playing one season) this evening. Even though it's really fun to play, I hadn't much interesting things going on. No fire, no deaths, no social worker. Only a few heatstrokes and funny moments because of the waterfall shower (simmies tend not to get dressed after taking the shower when getting disturbed by something or someone, so a naked dinner and a naked birth xD) and after the first round I had 5 baby girls and only one boy. but luckily I got more boys during the second round, even though having a big majority of girls could have been interesting
and one of my couples has a little fertility problem, they needed six tries to get the woman pregnant the first time ._. and it's not getting much better as time passes
when starting the third round i'll get my first kids and I think that will get interesting as well ^o^

I've made a couple of snapshots, but I'm not sure where and when I'm going to post them. =3

Welcome Flying Raccoon. I found that sometimes I "God Moded" too much and it took the craziness out of the game. Try to just let the sims do their own thing and don't rescue them when they are about to do something stupid. I found that when I just watched them that was when crazy things happened. I made a list of things that you will have to tell them on my website. God Mode Needed

I'm up to my fourth go at this challenge and am up to about my 7th day. With a shorter aging mod and pregnancy shortened thanks to inteenimator the challenge feels much more manageable and hopefully I'll have enough population to create some drama this time round.

One of the things that I wasn't entirely happy with my previous attempts was how important money was in deciding the future emperors. Money seemed pretty useless for my neanderthals. Sure it is a necessity but by the end of the neanderthal era everyone has pretty much everything (that money can buy) that they need. So I'm developing a more complicated system of doing it. There will be three stages, if there is no clear winner by the end of the second stage, well I'm going to need everyone of those CAS sims in the roman era to rebuild my population. I figured I'd post my idea here to see what you guys think.

I'm probably going to decide this when the first gen 4 sim is born, as soon as this ends, (I'm hoping for maximum drama, *cough* stage 3 *cough*) I will decide new ranks based on similar stuff

Stage 1, negotiations
The person with the most points wins this stage, if the difference in points is not large enough or I don't like the winners (it happened last time I got to the roman era) I shall move on to the next stage.

Each family's points will be calculated based on the follwing, I'm still playing with numbers
+2 for every edible fish (bass or catfish)
+1 for every non edible fish (others)
+30 for head of family being elder (I kill pretty much everyone off before then)
+10 for every adult/elder family friend (each person counts only once)
+15 for every adult/elder best friend
+30 for every daughter married into another tribe
+20 for every friend of head of family that is also head of family (may count for both friend/bff and for this)
+30 for every bff of head of family who is also head of family
+2 for every charisma skill of head of family
+10 if there is a gen 4 heir on the lot

-10 for every murder by a member of the family ( does not count if one brat kills its sibling, murderee must be from another family)
-15 for every murder by the head of family
-30 for the head of family being teen

Stage 2, intimidation
If the difference in points is not large enough, I don't like the winners or I want to kill of some sims, or I don't want to not use the final stage, I shall move on.
If it gets to this point I will consider the points below independently from those in stage 1.

+10 for every adult, large tame dog on the lot
+7 for every elder, large tame dog on the lot
+13 for every tame wolf on the lot
+10 for every elder, tame wolf on the lot
+20 for every teenager/elder in the family (pregnant sims don't count)
+35 for every adult on the lot (pregnant sims do not count)
+1 for every body skill held by a family member

Stage 3, war
I'm still ironing this one out I was thinking of just chucking everyone together and having them fight it out but that would leave me with less than half my original population and honestly I think I'll be sick of infants long before my population gets large enough to support that kind of destruction.
Then I thought maybe each family could have damage done to them and the family with the most damage/sim loses as well as having money taken, sims killed etc. Though I'm still figuring out this part.

I know this is long and terribly complicated but so is this ridiculously addictive challenge. Honestly I don't know if I'll even use this but if I do decide to write about my challenge it will add some drama before the roman era.

This may be the beginning of the end ! Today I was playing a lot and the baby would not age to child. Nothing I did would work so I ended up putting her outside for the bears. (They feared it was a contagious illness and didnt all want to get it.) It was a small lot with only mom, dad and baby on it so not sure what glitched. Going to see what happens with the next baby which wont be this round as there is only one day left before I rotate and she isnt showing being pregnant yet.

Probably her motives were too low and you just gave up to soon. I've had babies age to toddler 12 hours late.

Unfortunately I could not interact with her at all - no changing diaper, feeding, playing, cuddling, nothing. The parents kept dropping out of q to go and help with birthday and would just stand at her crib and get stuck so I could not even interact with them either. I think what might have screwed it up was I forgot she was aging and saved the game right after 6pm and she had a full diaper so her needs were down. Will see what happens with the next baby at the next lot when I rotate. I did find a wiki on how to trouble shoot so if I get motivated I may go thru all those steps to see if I can find the error.

Keep a book handy. You'll find the steps aren't that onerous, compared to playing a glitched game. You just have to possess your soul in patience and be systematic about it. The FAQ procedure hasn't failed me yet (and I've had weird crap going on).

First I agree that usually when this happens it is because the baby has low needs. Change the diaper, feed the baby, put down for a nap, and hope they stop trying to grow the baby up because a tired baby won't age.

Second, if they are all getting frozen like that, force an error on the baby with boolprop. This does the trick. Say something if you don't know how.

I have saved the gamed when the baby was about to grow up and it was after 6 without a problem. Sometimes babies just get stuck.

Also if your game is not patched, that will help. Before I ever had patches and didn't know about boolprop, the babies would get stuck in their cribs. The only "fix" I knew was to move the family out and into another lot. Which reminds me....

Third, if a situation like that happens and you have already saved, moving the family out fixes the problem.

Fourth, get the batbox at More Awesome Than You. It's called the FFS Lot Debugger. Anytime you have an issue buy it, have a sim click on it, and pick stuff from the "fix" menu and the "nuke" menu. Usually if something odd is going on, this takes care of it.

My favorite use for the batbox was a friend in another forum. She had a lot that had invisible beach towels everywhere that she could see in neighborhood view. She couldn't buy stuff because every spot was full. Things would move slower and slower, then freeze. She used the batbox and it took care of the problem in seconds. It's a magic glitch removal box!

Thanks for all the suggestions ! I did try max motives to see if that would help and while the baby picture showed green she still had the stink cloud around her from the dirty diaper. Yes I was wrong to action it on my own without posting first but I was getting fed up at that point. I looked at the boolprop and saw the force error but wasnt sure what it did and didnt want to lose my whole 'hood so was scared to try it ! At the time I thought I would just call for adoption afterwards and get her back but then remembered that anoher girl was ahead of her in the list so dont think I will bother. Do you think this is just a one time thing or something bigger is going on with the game glitching?

glitches
 

Glitches? I get them sometimes but I just keep playing along. I had a baby get stuck for so long that finally the wild women of socialworkia showed up and took all the children. It made me sad because some were really cute. But in this game you will have tons of kids and plenty of lots, so don't despair just keep playing.

Thought I would share a photo of one of my recent sims, Diana Dracul nee Scalyn, recently remarried widow of Darin Shanidar. I thought she was kind of pretty. I added freckle makeup and custom content hair. If you would like to see more of my sims stop by my biography blog. http://test-of-time-medieval.blogspot.com/

teehee well the first time I played the lot out on speed 3 to see what would happen. The parents would stop what they were doing to q for the baby and before long everyone was in the orange ( not even red it was far beyond that ! ). Shes a lovely sim ! The freckles are a cute touch.

Force error on the baby, then select reset. You won't lose anything. When you do this sims stop doing what they are doing. At that point the baby will probably end up on the floor and either have a yucky diaper and cry or just be all fine. I've had that happen.

It isn't a corrupted hood. It's something that just happens sometimes. All is not lost!

I'm working on an update and thought I'd share a picture I'm not using on my site. It's because I changed my mind on where this is going to be located on the lot.

This cracks me up. The twins Stoney and Rocky Flinstsone grow up and both want to prove their manhood by walking across hot coals. So what do you do when you don't get to go first? Does this mean Rocky's really pissed off?

Cool photo. The hot coals fit in well with the whole manhood competition thing.

Thank you for your advice ^o^ It's sometimes hard not to forget not to god mode too much and I really like controlling and chasing my sims around (otherwise I wouldn't be playing I suppose xD) and not god moding at all freaks me out pretty much, because my simmies are simply too stupid sometimes. For example, they need to pee, are stinking and hungry, but instead of taking care of their needs, they run around congratulating each other and anoying the poor toddler who just wants to sleep
And somehow, once you start guiding them a little bit, you fall back into god moding really fast, so it's not always that easy.
In fact, the biggest problem when controlling them is, that they're not going to help somebody who is fainting on their own (because their queue is quite full), so that their survival or death is not arbitrary anymore, which is, well somehow good, but makes it less interesting.

but I'll do my best not to god mode :D

LOL LOL LOL
What you just described is exactly the crazy sim stuff that some of our fellow Test of Time challengers so creatively describe so that it makes me laugh out loud.

I had a couple with twins who just kept taking them in and out of the two cribs despite how tired the poor babies were. I finally had to put one crib on the 2nd floor of the house so that they would stop.

There is a mod for that. It's called alreadyinbedfix and you can find it here: http://www.simlogical.com/sl/Sims2P...2_Childcare.htm

This way nannies and parents won't take a sleeping baby or toddler and put them in an empy crib. However... it doesn't work on the castaway cribs.

The other fix is to put a baby or toddler in each crib. They will stop doing taking them out to put them in another crib if they are all full.

Or you can do like in my game and use the reservable crib (can't remember whose it is right now. Probably simlogical). Just assign any unused cribs to a sim who can't use the crib and no babies will be put in there. And you always know which child is where when you have multi-births. I more use mine to keep the toddlers out so that they'll use the floor blankets and not whine at me from cribs, but it also solves the "taking tired baby from crib to put in another crib" issue. ~VP

VP: Thanks. I will look for these because this is one of those things that makes me crazy and I really want to try not to interfere with my sims too much.

Hello Hello, hugs to everyone!
Me and hubby moved, took a few months. We are moved into my moms and having to downsize big time! We are going from a 4 room house to 1 room w/loft, kitchenette w/living area, bathroom w/walk-in closet. I still have boxes and boxes of crap to weed through (literally the whole living area is piled full of boxes, probably take me months). At least the Bathroom, Closet, Bedroom are set up. I'm going to have to weed them down some more, since I don't have room in the kitchen for pet stuff, its going to have to go into the bathroom/closet area. lol. But I have my computer up and running again (ahhh my sweet sweet escape). Time to dust off the ol'Simmies. Oh how I missed everyone! So I will be catching up soon. Now I just need to figure off where I left off.

welcome back nesxya and congrats on the move ! Tons of luck sorting out your game.

neanderthal challenge
 

I'm glad I decided to shorten my generations in this challenge to 2 for each age, but I can see that I am missing out on some of the neanderthal fun you all are having by playing for 4 generations. I was thinking maybe I should create a challenge that is just for the neanderthal age based on the first part of the TOT challenge. Then if someone wants to stop after those first four generations they won't feel like they failed. What do you think?

besieged and test of time
 

I have been integrating the Besieged challenge into my test of time challenge. It has meant a significant amount of death and dying each five day season. This is probably good since the number of lots was making each round last way too long. But, I hate killing off my sims. Just this week, I lost one of my favorite lots (a french chateau) because of a second round of viking attacks. Duchy of Burgundy Siege The Duke was a coward and he fled in the middle of the night. So he, his wife, and daugher Eloise survived. But four others died and the chateau was burned to the ground. (sob sob)

Does anyone else find themselves torn when they have to kill off sims? Do you find yourself "breaking your own rules" to save a favorite sim? I do.

I had to be heartless to let the parents on the Bavarian Duke's lot die in a house fire. Luckily there was a teen on the lot so I didn't lose all the kids as well. Here are the photos in my blog that show what happened. Bavarian Fire Orphans

Yesterday I turned on my laptop and it has a missing or corrupt system file. It had been working fine the night before!

My boyfriend says that due to other crashes it has had in the past this means the hardrive is dying. He is letting me install sims 2 on his computer, which I did today. I cleaned up the templates, and am redownloading my neanderthal cc. Most of my cc was backed up.

I will be starting my ToT all over. So if you are interested in reading about the past one, do so. Eventually I'm going to wipe it out and chronicle the new one.

I have limited time on his computer, so after he reformats my laptop I'm going to use it for updating my site, which gets neglected at times. I'll just have to copy pics onto an external drive when boyfriend needs his computer.

Maybe if we can find a cheap used one my laptop hardrive can be replaced. If not, I'll have to deal. I can't trust the current hardrive to not need a reformat due to fatal errors for more than a few months. Heartbreaking for playins sims and very time consuming to reinstall and get everything set up again.

I can identify with being sad over dead sims. I too twisted a rule. Everytime a sim dies in this challenge I allow them to plead for loved one, even if they were murdered due to the fighting rule.

Previously I had 2 tot going, one classic and one 3:1 (started with 15 men and 3 women and no marriage at the begining of the challenge). In both I created an Ayla character, and in both she was the first woman to die. I was not happy about that.

I hate spending so much time in CAS. It stops being fun by the time I make enough to begin a challenge. However, I do love that I get to recreate my favorite characters. I can also change anything I want when creating them.

I also was trying to solve a problem where none of my teen were getting pregnant. I have inteen. I was getting irked because one reached adulthood and hadn't been pregnant once. At least now I can take some things out that maybe caused it and will not have lost al that....reproduction time...

I also accidently used maps with no places to put beach lots. That was very annoying. Problem solved....not int the way I wanted it...

It's not much of a bright side, but I'm taking it!

I am so sorry to hear about your computer problems. It reminds me that I need to back up my Sims folder. I haven't done it since about Christmas time. I am glad that you feel like this gives you a chance to use beach lots. I also picked a map that only had one beach lot, so I do understand why you want more beach lots. Hope the new TOT will still give you hours of FUN.

good luck Chicklet ! Not sure I would start over if I lost it all lol Some good news tho ! The baby glitch was just that. I just had a baby age with no problems. I made sure he was in the green before 6pm this time around. Isnt it amazing how after all this time we still learn something new about the game?

Anna, glad to hear the baby glitch was not a big deal and that all if right in the world (of sims) Hope you are having fun in your game. I need to stop by the blogs and websites to see how everyone is doing.

Well the third generation hadn't been conceived yet, so that makes it not as painful as it could be.

The really painful part is installing, then doing the clean template thing, then getting neanderthal cc again.

I have added a neanderthal page on my website. As I download I'm copying links over to that page. It's worth a look. I have found a lot of goodies. I'll keep adding to it, at least for today. Hopefully I will have all I want before tomorrow.
Thanks for the support everyone.

I'm glad the baby glitch went away on its own.

EDIT: My Where Can I Find page now has everything Neanderthal I could think up or find except for the historical replacements I use. If you want to know about those please ask.

Thank you Anna! It's good to be back, I'm so happy your baby glitch worked out! Big big bear hug.

Chicklet you are awesome! I hope your lap top gets up and running soon. I'm tickled pink that you are trying the idea of 3:1 males to female. I'm so excited to see how it plays out in your game.

Cespencer wow, I bow before you. I'm amazed at how far you are! I think that's a wonderful idea to created a mini Neanderthal Test of Time challenge. Almost like a SimStone mini Story 4/5 gens. Welcome to the Test of Time SimStones, can you rock out 5 generations or become extinct like the dinosaurs!?

And yes I do feel horrible when a sim dies, unnaturally! Here I drafted up all these death rolls to make my game more period realistic and I can't bring myself to use them.

On a happier note, I'm almost done with another round in both my ToT neighborhoods. One more Sim day per household to go. So I should have updates soon. Time to shake up my and update my Weebly site, its been in stasis for so long. lol. And of course, I have to catch up on everyone both old and new sites! Well off to do some simming. Best wishes & lots of hugs.

Sorry to hear about your laptop Chicklet. Hope you get it back up running soon.
Cespencer, you never fail to amaze me with your blog, it's wonderful.
Nesxya, glad to see you back and look forward to your updates.

I love catching up with everyone's progress. So much creativity and thought in everyone's blogs, it inspires me to keep trudging along. Though at the moment I have begun a Small Business course and it seems to be taking up a lot of my time during the week, so I will have limited game play hours. But I have not given up.

Happy Simming everyone :lovestruc

I'm now halfway through the third round and (more or less) interesting things start to happen. sadly, I didn't took many photos during the first two rounds, but I try to change that from now on to get lots of material to post on the blog I'm going to do soon. Next week our easter holiday start and then I'll have more time for playing and story telling.
Moreover, I had been thinking about some 'marriage system', where each founding family has a 'heir', a head of the family, which will be the oldest son in every generation and sims from one family can only marry sims from families whose heir is befriended with their heir. but I'm not sure, if I'm really going to do it like this, maybe I'm making it a little bit easier by considering the heads of the households and not heirs. but for the first generation born during the challenge it doesn't matter anyway, because heads of the families and households are the same at the moment xD
how did all of you (or how are you going to) decide about the marriages? or do you chose simply randomly?


due to this challenge, I will, for the first time, really have to kill quite a lot of sims and as I always have problems letting sims die - because, well, then you can't play with them anymore, right? - I'm sure that I will be saving the one or other sim xD a part from the fact that I normally let sims pled for their loved ones anyway


good luck with your new challenge and I think the detailed content list will be helpful to a lot of people, especially beginners ^.^

For marriage if the heads of the households are bff then they arrange a marriage between 2 of their kids - so that's one couple regardless of how many kids they have.. Anyone who does not have an arranged marriage gets to choose by falling in love and proposing. That's what I decided for my test of time.

I finally finished making the founding families on my boyfriend's computer. I no longer trust the hard drive on my laptop. Play lots of sims and it will crash, it has enough times. This last time seemed especially short.

I went to a used pc store to get information. I can get a desktop for less than $300 with Windows 7....that is, when they have it in stock. They also said that if I play my laptop near capacity (like I do with sims 2) over 4 hours a day the hard drive will need to be replaced every other year, and it's the old kind so the hard drive will cost more. Considering that, it's cheaper to get a used desktop.

Actually, no. Quite the opposite, as I even kill favorite sims that don't necessarily have to die according to the original rules. I love unexpected turns and story elements that haven't been initiated by me. So when one of my favorite sims died because of my stupidity (I used Rodney's DC and forgot to actually select the sim supposed to die *headdesk*) I left him dead and matched the story accordingly. On the other hand, in my last session a woman I don't really care for was supposed to die at childbirth. However, her husband pleaded with Grim Reaper successfully (and it was the first time I've ever had a sim try that! In so many years...) so I let her survive. Until the next child... :P

Yuki: I am really trying not to rescue my sims when they die, but it is so hard. You are stronger than I am.

Im with Yuki. I crave for something unexpected to happen that I didnt plan. Following along with the anti-god hand style playing I have started to only use the pause button for extreme times. I used to have 3 fingers poised over pause, 1 and 2 buttons so it was taking forever to get thru a round. Now its moving along quite nicely. I might actually see the end of the cavemen within the next 2 months lol after 2+ years playing ( off and on obviously ) I am so ready for it.

So I finished updating the Delta Group, whew! They were the easiest to jump right back into. The Directory, ranking, and tidbits for them have been updated. Before I get working back on the story line of the Beta Group (Where the hell did I leave off, scrambling to unpack notes). I decided to update and catch up on everyone's ToT sites. I'm really looking forward to it, including the newcomers!

I am currently reading CeSpencer's new Medieval Website & Blog. I love it! Wow you have done an amazing job CeSpencer! I absolutely love the history you have included and all the details. The map's, lots, content, names, details, and story are amazing! Such a terrific way to get back into the groove of things, by reading such a terrific well thought of ToT.

I look forward to catching up with everyone, and am amazed at how truly wonderful each one of you are! This is really the best damn Challenge and group of players out there! Hugs to you all.

Agreed ! cespencer your site is awesome. You must spend more time updating than playing for such detail !

one year test of time anniversary
 

This is my one year anniversary. I have completed six generations of sims. I took a photo of the neighborhood at the end of each generation's adulthood. Here is a little digital scrapbook page to show how things have changed. Sorry it is so big. I don't know how to change the size.

(Yes, I cheated and only did two generations for each age. Founders. Then A & B baby names for the neanderthals. C & D baby names for Romans. E,F,G baby names for first generation of Dark Ages. Soon the second generation of Dark Ages babies will be born.)

Thanks for the feedback. I love simming. I admit I play for a hour or so every night. I have a job I love but at times it's not very creative. Simming let's me be creative. Nesxya is correct. This is the best group of simmers in the whole world. You are all so creative. I am inspired by your work!! Thanks for being you. :lovestruc

Here here!

I just happened to be sneaking a quick look on my way to work and after seeing this had to throw myself into the group hug!

It's good to see everyone still plodding along. I hope to be back playing regularly again real soon (fingers toes and everything else crossed!)

Sorry to hear about chicklet's computer (reminded also I haven't backed up for a long while and my laptop is oooold... cough) I hope all goes well with the new one!

*waves to all and anyone!*

taliah~

Due to $ being tight I am considering just waiting. My boyfriend says when he replaces his computer, I can have the old one. That would be about 1 year or more unless we get lucky and someone just happens to be getting rid of one.

In the meantime, he lets me play on his...when he isn't using it. I have founding families in their homes and started playing one of them. It's taking so long to get pregnant I'm wondering if I have something that conflicts with inteen. Maybe makes the chance of pregnancy lower. Of course when I did have a pregnant sim I accidently went to neighborhood without saving.

My old laptop is reformated but I no longer trust it with my sims. It has been reformated a few times per year. This last time didn't seem very long...maybe a month or two.

So I'm using the laptop for internet when I'm not able to play. And...I installed castaways for the very first time. Love it! This way when my boyfriend is using his computer all the time I have castaway stories to save me from sim deprivation. Sims deprivation - a terrible death to die!

So I've gone through and am hopefully caught up with everyone's going ons.

First - Wanted to Welcome all the new ToT'ers
Arathe - I love the website awesome job! The CC is darling. Great idea: Animal Attacks!
Lisail - I'm so glad we are getting Sims 3 Tot'ers, I'm so looking forward to an update.
Stripes of Doom - How's it going, did you start a Sims 3 ToT?
Flying Raccoon - Your doing a great job, looking forward to the Blog!
Flickstar - Hang in there!
Chicklet - Hope the computer situation works out, I'm really looking forward to your ToT.
Koestie - Are you passed the CC/building stage? Isn't that such a fun part of start up!
UkeJunge - Come join the fun.
lbsgirl24 - Yeah, sometimes it takes a few tries. I can't seem to get your link to work?


Second - Welcome Back ToT'ers
Oboesapien - Welcome back, good to see you!
Floor1304 - I hear ya, I took a break too! Sometimes RL is demanding.
Melibee1323 - It has been awhile, it's good to have you back!
Lizz - Your back, Whoot!! Updated link, glad to catch up, love the CC info!


Third - Hugs to some Great friends
Taliah - I missed you! Just re-read, The Bordello is Awesome! Luv the Shipwreck ToT!!!
YukiShine - I'm so excited that you are in the Roman Age!
Anna - You scared me! I know glitches are scary. I think Sims has always been buggy.
Tga Kiwi - You have a true heart of gold! Such spirit that never gives up. Luv the site!
Peni - I love your pop-ins, wish you did it more! How's the writing going?
VP - I love your ToT! So creative. They are growing so fast. Your Plant Sims are so cute!
CeSpencer - Congrats on the Anniversary! The neighborhood has evolved so much!!!


I hope I didn't miss anyone or updates! If so, let me know.

Wow when you write it all out we have become such a big group !! I hope ST drops by at some point to see just how big her challenge has grown. I am so happy so many people have decided to join in the fun. When I found this challenge way back when I just knew it was going to be something special. Sharing with others is what makes the sims the game that I love :lovestruc

So I'm on yet another restart (thank you glitch 10-yr-old game!!), but still trying Gen 1 Neanderthals!

My custom content and storytelling improves each time so I don't have much to complain about, really. But here's one I'm worried about: I've stopped getting roaches. How are they supposed to get sick and die, now? My population will explode!

At least it seems to have been (partially) canceled out by a huge number of miscarriages.

And I want to join Nes in wishing Ces a happy anniversary. Following your model, I've started having different rules for each generation instead of just by era. Much more interesting, especially after 4 restarts

You really should make regular backups so you don't have to restart so often, oboesapien.

Thanks for your good opinion, nesxya, but if I popped in more often than I had useful things to say you'd soon be sick of me. I'm just the peanut gallery - it's not as if I'm taking the time to do the challenge, so I'm always in danger of dragging things off topic if I talk too much. (And speaking of off-topic, since you asked, and only because you asked: http://www.jms-books.com/index.php?...products_id=726 )

Alas, it has nothing to do with history or simming, so back to lurking for me.

Wow a published author ! Congrats Peni ! I will take a look at that later when I am done raging at blogger for being such a POS and in a better mood Speaking of blogger does everyone use it or a website to update? I have been using them for awhile now and they keep changing how to input photos. So much that I end up spending hours trying to get it to work and I dont bother updating anymore. I just want to keep the style of my blog which is 2 photos side by side and then my update underneath but obviously I am being far too demanding and unreasonable to expect such a thing

Oh my Anna. Yes we are getting to be a large size group! And that's not everyone, just who posted recently. I created a ToT Site Page listing players with websites. There are 25 ToT'er with 28 websites. Not Counting me or other's that have no websites. I use Weebly since it has a very easy and visually attractive interface. Adding pictures is a "Snap", I've never used Blogger. It must be frustrating, when a change happens like that, I'm sorry.

Obosapien, hang in there. Sometimes the game is just glitchy and its ok. Other times its more fun to start over. I would imagine if a ToT glitched at the Roman stage or later, I would just re-create and start from there.

Yes, back ups, back ups. I really should do one, now that I think of it. Try to do one once a month. Good idea to do while I check out Peni's writings!

I actually "pop" on to apologize to Chicklet. I'm so sorry it took me so long to reply to your question. For some reason my Weebly site is not notifying me of Comments. I'm going to check my settings. I thought I would answer in both places.

Comment/Question


Answer:
First off thank you! I'm glad you like the timeline add ons. Yes, that is correct! I saw no point in having Sims with LTW's that they couldn't even try to achieve. So all my Sims started off as Romance Sims with LTW's of Woohoo 20 Sims. I have inteen & Insimenator, so I use those controls to set the LTW's. As my Timeline progresses cultural items and Aspirations w/LTW's will be unlocked. They will continue to unlock at faster rates, I'm still working on the details of the others. I wanted to mimic cultural development.

:lovestruc

On that note I had some thoughts and an idea I wanted to share.

Somethings to think about: Sims Basic Needs, Wants, & Aspirations.
There are two ways to approach this Challenge. Follow the strict by-line and see if your Red Sims don't explode. Or adapt the Challenge to meet basic needs, with restrictions. I found I was the second type of player. At first I tried the no bathing, but hated playing. So I added a "Themed" Waterfall Shower and Hot Springs. I started enjoying my ToT. Now my Neanderthal Sims get tubs, but can only bath once a day. I figure if a Neanderthal was so angry at his hygiene he would go jump in the river or something! But it is part of the Challenge, so Kudos to who was able to play under those conditions!

So instead I adapted restrictions of unlocking items, Wants, & Aspirations. The game mechanics are set-up in such a way that sometimes you have to adapt to have your Sims survive. Also you want your ToT to be enjoyable so you play it! Remember the basic concept is to reach 20 generations.



Another Basic Sim Want that I am thinking about adapting is Teen Sims and University. From an Anthropology Class, I learned that in most societies regardless of technology advancement there is a period of training for juvenile groupings. Hunter/Gather societies usually have juveniles groups that separate and must go through rites of passage to become an adult member. This can begin as young as 8/9 years and finish at 12 thru 15!

Taking this concept and how the mechanics are set-up in Sims 2, I'm thinking/wanting to make a "Spirit Journey" or quest available to my SimStone Teens and this will be their University. The only degree available will be Art, since this is the main cultural development at this time-frame. Since my ToT advances on Rounds and not generations, the extra life stage shouldn't impact much and it might help out with the crowd in the caves. This would be a good way to adapt a mechanic of the game and a basic Want, while fitting in the appropriate historical setting. I've already started some groundwork in my Delta Group.

1) Teen Sims will be sent to Communal Caves to begin training based on their destined position or calling: Clan Mothers, Shamans, Head Warrior, or Generic Tribal Members.
2) Older Teen Sims will be sent on a Vision Quest or Spirit Journey (University).
3) They will return and be initiated into the Tribe as Adult Members.

My main goal is to work with the wacky age mechanics and Sim wants already built-in game, while adapting to the nature of the ToT challenge.

So what ya think? Could it work? Is it too outside the box? Good Adaptation?



Another topic that has cropped up is how long in RL on average to complete a ToT?
Since no one has finished a ToT, it is unknown. But it seems that an average Legacy Challenge or Apocalypse Challenge can take 1-3 years depending. Since a ToT Challenge is double the generations a good estimate will be 2-6 years to complete! I know I'm doing rounds and an advancing Timeline, while others are shorting lifespans to make this more realistic to accomplish.

So I have a question for everyone: What adaptions are you doing or thinking of doing to make completing a ToT more realistic? What do you think should be a realistic time-frame to complete a ToT?

Thats quite a Timeline Progression you have going on there Nesxya! Great job with the details. It is almost another challenge in itself ! I did something similar with the LTW. All sims so far are family sims with those wants. The beginning is tough enough without sims rolling for a new car lol Once I get to Roman time I will allow the rest I think. The idea of futher education is a great one. I It will follow along nicely since young sims have to learn their ways from someone/where. The main change I will be making once I move to the next stage is shortening the generations. It is taking me way too long playing at the current time and I would like to see another time in history lol As I go along no doubt ( just like now ) I will find other ways to alter the challenge to suit me. Again it seems like we all agree that one of the best things about this challenge is the ways to modify it to suit each one of us.

About ages spans; I wonder if someone has already discussed this. After all, long ago life spans were SO short, most babies/children did not survive, and old-age didn't last long. If a wolf keeps comeing around, and the toddler want to "hug" it... baby has to go away.

As for lifespans: During Neanderthal I've been halving child and teen times with boolprop, and I kill them when they reach elder - also simulating that 'maturity' was reached much earlier in more primitive cultures. For Roman, I keep the halved maturation time but don't auto-kill elders.

For training: That's a really interesting point. Hmmmmm...I'm treating each family as a separate tribe with little diplomacy during Neanderthal, so the idea of a communal cave won't be that relevant. I'd be very interested to see how other players are modeling the abstraction to 'real' time and geography. One play-through I tried modeling each family name as a culture, and each lot as a country, but I wasn't particularly happy with the results - especially the transition to Roman times. My current play-through is much more like neighboring clans. I really want to do something with it now that you've mentioned it, though. :P

Another thing I've done for my current run is change the seasons - instead of Sum/Sum/Sum/Sum, it's Win/Win/Spr/Spr (Ice Age). I'm modeling my first generation as hunter-gatherers, the second as early agricultural, the third as early-stage city-builders, and then of course the fourth will be Roman Republic. My hunter-gatherers are not allowed to farm, only fish - and since that's tough (and I seem to have a bug that doesn't allow me to eat fish) I've added a hunting mechanic as well. Each adult can go hunting once a day, and to do so they have two rolls.
The first is Success:
1 - Nothing
2-3 - 50 food max
4-5 - 100 food max
6 - 150 food max

The second is Injury:
1-4 - Nothing
5 - Minor injury (bedridden for half a day)
6 - Major injury (bedridden for a full day)

How do I model the food? I have them go buy it from a community lot I've named the 'Hunting Grounds' - not the best solution, but it's a workable one. Oh, and cats affect how much food you can have stored (mimicking their role in making granaries possible on a large scale). Base is 200, each cat allows an additional 50. Each dog allows one Simoleon tree to be maintained, simulating that they make guarding/hunting easier and allow more effort to be put into other things. I'm treating Simoleons as an abstraction of how much effort the family has to put into things beyond basic survival (eating/sleeping/etc). Thus, they are limited in the rate they can produce it: 300 per day for each adult and 150 for a child/elder. All numbers are still subject to playtesting.

Have I played the Neanderthal time too much? Maybe, but I'm really having a blast.

I'm playing a little loose with what's allowed. Each family has a bed, a firepit for cooking, a locker for food, a sink and a shower (assuming they can afford them) as well as an enclosed cave (important in those cold winters!). I also have a lot of custom content - like the wonderful faerie-themed bathroom appliances from Parsimonious that look like flowers and leaves and such, so I just put them down by the water and it looks like they're bathing (mostly) naturally. I make life difficult enough for my Sims without disallowing showers. With the exception of one, all of my hunter-gatherer families are perpetually on the brink of starvation. It's grim. I actually thought about having one family kill and eat their dog, but honestly I couldn't do it. Fortunately it worked out for them anyway.

I technically have a Weebly for this but I haven't updated in months. I'm trying to be a better photographer this time so maybe I'll do a megapost when I get out of Neanderthal.

Honestly I have no expectation of completing this challenge.

this made me I am in awe of how much thought you guys are putting into this challenge by creating your own rules.

/sign

I mean, I do have some minor custom rules too, but reading some of your setups I feel like I wasted a lot of my Neanderthal stage. :D
This challenge in itself is great in getting me to play differently from before. However, the community here makes it even better! Such a lot of inspiration. It's a shame I can't follow any of your blogs right now (neither do I update my own).

Btw, I've got the impression my computer has about reached its final life stage already. >.> Sometimes it randomly forgets it has a CD/DVD drive, which is kind of sad...

Aww, a computer with memory issues. I had one of those once, it too kept randomly forgetting it had a CD Drive. I can't tell you how to fix it 'cause I don't remember. Probably b/c it was about time for Mom and Dad to replace the family computer and it was my turn (versus my sister's turn) to "inherit" it. Thankfully they replaced computers before they really broke so my sister and I had semi decent computers, they just weren't able to run newer stuff really well. I played Sims2 on the family computer after everyone else was asleep for a long time until I had a job and enough money to buy my own computer. And now I've gone way off topic. I should go play my ToT so I can make ON topic posts... ~VP

YukiShine, sorry about the computer issues, but good news it maybe your cd drive is actually going out, and its usually only a $20 to $30 piece of hardward to replace. If not it could be the connections ports to your motherboard. Usually its the CD drive. They do wear out! (Hehehe I've worn out a few!) Start there, cheap and usually a easy repair for any repair shop, or computer geeky husband.