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Hi y'all, I've been working on a story for a while now; I found a farming challenge years ago on Modthesims that appealed to me: I've always liked Harvest Moon, and it looked like just the right amount of difficulty, between a regular legacy and an Apocalypse challenge. Now that I've gotten back into Sims 2 again this year, I finally thought, "why not do this for real?"
The challenge thread can be found here: https://modthesims.info/t/363053
Fair warning: I'm working on this sporadically, between various projects IRL, and I write slowly, so don't wait too eagerly for updates.
But with that out of the way, here you are:
Hi there! I just read the first chapter and wow, this looks tough!
I'm playing Alijah's version of the Harvest Moon challenge in my BaCC and really like having a backstory for playing a different kind of challenge, although it isn't as restrictive/challenging as the one you're playing. The goal in mine is just to set up a thriving homestead, I don't believe I have to do five generations, but I may need to brush up on my rules to know for sure.
I'll finish reading the rules for this one and follow along. Good luck and thanks for taking the time to share a story on it!
@lorinsv Yes, it got off to a difficult start, although the overall difficulty after the first harvest never quite spiked up to the same level again. I felt like I was doing an Apocalypse lite, what with no shower and limited food. And I did check out the Planter chapters of your BaCC; I was a little surprised to find that you'd been doing a challenge from the same thread. I apologize for not having more of a backstory, but I had a lot of trouble coming up with one--I'll try to focus a bit more on characterization if I do any other challenges in the future.
@peachy123uk It certainly was difficult at first; I had to try the first summer twice before coming up with a strategy that worked. But it did get a lot easier once the kids were old enough to help out--buying some nicer beds made a difference, too.
@nooboostar Glad you enjoyed it! I sometimes think I may have bitten off more than I could chew, but I intend to stick with it. And no problem, good to have you.
Thank you all for commenting! Chapter Eight is up now.
Oh, I didn't really create a backstory, Alijah's version of Harvest Moon kind of came with one. That's what I meant, when a challenge captures your imagination, more than just following a set of rules. I think quite a few challenges come with a backstory, which is what makes them appealing to me (Because I don't have much imagination on my own, I need whatever inspiration I can find!) I love reading other players' challenges, doesn't matter if they're observational or story-driven.
Gonna catch up with yours now
ETA:
I laughed at Geoff's conversation with Gwen Fuchs about TVs in Chapter 2!
I like seeing Maxis townies, although I prefer the women quite a bit over the men. Probably because they don't dress as dorky, and the genetics look a little less extreme on them.
I always have to use a reference guide for garden plants, I haven't been able to memorize it even after playing for years. I did not know watering plants frequently improved their health - great tip!
Spoiler:
Yikes, twins! Tough break, but it's nice you got your heir right away.
I wouldn't worry about posting lots of detail and dialogue, they can really bog you down, and sometimes you just want to play the challenge. I can totally relate!
Almost all my farmers and fishers end up getting fat. I've become rather a fan of chubby Sims
I don't think I've played with such a lack of objects that build Comfort. Thank goodness the challenge is getting a little easier by Spring/Summer Year 2, and hooray for a real house now! I like how carefully you plan the build to save as much money as possible. Still, things are pretty tough as far as the scoring is concerned.
Year 2 Summer/Fall: a well-deserved cushy bed and good progress digging out of the points deficit!
Does the crappy cheap stove have anything to do with burning food? Perhaps a burner or six is on the fritz
Year 2 Winter: I love elders with little kids
Year 3 Spring/Summer: kids growing up, worst of the hardship is over, and a positive score - yay!
Interesting playtest regarding selling platters of fresh food, thanks for sharing that too!
Jeez, it's been a long time, hasn't it? But in response:
@Lorinsv: Thank you, I was a bit worried about the Pleasantview and Bluewater townies being too familar. And this challenge has been a learning experience when it came to gardening for me, too; I'd done it a fair bit already, but I never paid as much attention to things like harvest time and crop values before.
I was highly discouraged back in Chapter Four, but the difficulty's eased off a lot and almost feels like playing a regular family now. In hindsight, I kind of wonder if I should have prioritized buying nicer beds over trying to expand the house--although I wanted to ensure that there'd be enough room for everyone to come in from the cold or heat. If anyone else tries this challenge, he or she might be able to learn from my mistakes.
Oh, I didn't think about upgrading the stove; it's on my list for when the next harvest comes in (although I really could probably do it right now), so thanks.
I'm relieved to have gotten out of the points deficit; I'm now aiming for some additional point-related minor goals to keep things interesting.
I have read it sounds, everything went well, i don't think using the juicer is cheating as it is in the game and you grew and harvested the eggplants. and we now have the third generation.
UPCOMING EVENTS:
BOOLPOP 19TH BIRTHDAY EVENT NOW OPEN NOVEMBER 1- 30th
My apologies, I don't know what happened. I had to redo the entire journal entry, but they should be showing up now. Thank you for letting me know; I could see them just fine when I was logged in, so I didn't realize there was a problem.
Glad things are getting easier, but sad to see Geoff go. I approve of making eggplant juice for skills, they worked hard for their crops and the juicer.
It's amazing how fast the money starts building once you get over that first hardship hump.
I like the look of the Ventis family, just very nice and relatable.
It's been a long time, hasn't it? But I finally uploaded a new chapter, so in response:
@Lorinsv: Yes, I was pretty sad to see Geoff go, although I think he had a pretty nice life in his golden years. And finally having a juicer has proven to be useful.
Yes, farming has proven different from normal gameplay; instead of getting a steady infusion of money from a job or business, it comes in spurts, which requires more planning. It's gotten easier to adjust, though.
@peachy123uk: I was pretty pleased to have the new kids arrive. And thank you, I feel less uneasy about using eggplants to skill now.
Last edited by B. Scirocco on June 14th, 2021, 4:45 pm, edited 1 time in total.
I haven't seen this challenge before, but it looks like a lot of fun. Hats off for keeping your founder alive before the first harvest! lol. Those motive skills can crash when they're living off the land like that! I can't wait to read more
@MommyIzz: I happened upon the challenge rules a long time ago, but it took a while to finally dive in and try it. It has turned out to be fun to work within the low-tech restrictions, although the first year or so was definitely not easy; I actually had to try three times at the outset!
Thanks for commenting! Chapter 11 is up now.
That was a lot of birthdays! And a lot of Sims. And a lot of crops. When are greenhouses allowed - the third generation?
Hoo-boy... those dating/romance aspirations definitely get bizarro when playing multiple generations of one household
Personally, I would limit the term "breakup" to marriage, engagement and going steady.
I don't recall seeing ghosts in bubble baths before, that's neat. Not sure if there's a coding formula for why some ghosts are more menacing than others, but that's happened to me too.
@Lorinsv: I apologize for not responding earlier, but:
Yes, it was a nearly full house at that point, and all their birthdays seemed to line up in quick succession. I know a number of strangers have shown up too; in normal circumstances, I often just greet and befriend walkbys without comment. For now, though, I've mainly been taking shots of them to help keep track of all of Alyssa's dates thus far, considering I have never done that particular LTW before and want to ensure that I'm on track to finishing before her time's up. I may have bitten off more than I could chew in terms of crops, but it really hasn't been difficult with five to seven people. Unfortunately, I can't build a greenhouse until the challenge is over, although it would help.
I think this is the first time I've played a multi-generational house, so it's been kind of strange having nieces and cousins around. I will have to get used to it if I ever play a legacy, though!
Yes, I was not entirely sure what the challenge author meant by a breakup, so thank you for helping me clarify things.
@nooboostar I'm glad you found it entertaining! And thank you very much; adapting to the challenge rules has taught me a few lessons along the way, including "How to go from strangers to couple in a matter of hours."
Chapter 14 is up now! Hope y'all enjoy this one.
I've been having a blast reading this story. It really does feel like a soap opera though! A family trying to live the rustic, simple life but filled with romance and relationship drama xD.
Spoiler:
Geoff may have had 'interesting' genetics, but I think the facial features add character. Namely for Alyssa. Speaking of her, I'm just glad her goal isn't to have 20 Lovers! Dominic's reaction to Alyssa's cheating is Maxis coding at its finest. All relatives have a secret superpower of knowing whether family members are unfaithful or not.
So. Many. Fortune sims. I genuinely think they have an easier time in apocalypses, where they at least can get jobs. But you've done good in keeping your founder and his son in good enough aspirations so they get platinum gravestones.
I'm glad I've picked up a few tips from this challenge on gardening. Like how eggplants are one of the most finicky crops. Even with a bunch of ladybug houses they turn sickly fairly easily. I think the only plant more annoying is the fruit tree.
Also, you may have already found out about this(in which case, ignore me lol), but when in an earlier update you mentioned fish aren't available in the mornings. You actually can prepare them for breakfast, through the Make.. option in the fridge. It's a helpful tool I think.
Yay, Owen tied the knot with Adriana!(or Hat Girl, as I affectionately called her in my apocalypse, I think she even had the same LTW to be Hall of Famer)
Anyway, enjoying the family's antics, time for me to read Violet's chapters and wait patiently for your next update.
(Because I don't have much imagination on my own, I need whatever inspiration I can find!) I love reading other players' challenges, doesn't matter if they're observational or story-driven.
is on the fritz 
And thank you very much; adapting to the challenge rules has taught me a few lessons along the way, including "How to go from strangers to couple in a matter of hours." 
