How do you make your game more challenging or realistic?

Hi :)

I seem to always try and make it more interesting, yet I still lose interest when all my plans don't go Exactly how I want them. What is hard for me is to let my Sims go have their free will more.


There are Random event Generators out there.

These are a few things I want to do still...
I want to play some mean Sims. Not just control them because my Sims are always nice when I control them. XD
I want some Zombies running around because of a Science Family who create them to work on their farm - or something.

Mayors that have to make a certain number of friends to win the Election - and have speeches in the City Hall. Enemies- death treats....
Have a Sim who tops a Career build that career building - and when they retire, sell it to the next topper. :)
I want to create a few family Dramas and fights and rifs - jealousy and competition between businesses.
I want to use the Group more. I want my Grandpas having a Group Poker night at the Club owned by the Mayor (or something).
I want to make the Social Clubs and see how/if they work; Jocks/Techs/Bohemians/Gearheads/Socialites
I want family party nights/occasions.
I want to let Sims not get rich so fast... but I also want some rich Sims - I don't know. Lol!
I want to put the Career rewards is their career buildings and the only time Sims can use them is if they go there.
Weekend date night. Friday teen night/parties/hideouts.
I want to create a Show Business Movie Studio to make TV commercials and shows to put on their TV.
Maybe a Paper/Website for Gossip.
I finally found a mod to use to keep Sims from being promoted - keep them poorer or make them struggle more.
Mods to add some days to their life stages.
I haven't tried it but there's a Story Progression mod out there. I read about it but not much. :)

Some mini challenges https://fightocrime.livejournal.com/52461.html
https://eien-herrison.dreamwidth.org/163086.html
https://pleasantsims.com/sims-2-mods/#UIl
http://cyjon.net/

I don't think it will make it harder but I'm hoping to make it more fun for me.

More Sims getting caught - by their wants of cheating/flirting but not with their spouse specifically (romance Sims).

There are many mods to make bills larger, make jobs different...
Maybe Tax System. No 20k handout mod would make it harder for some (having to move back with the parents for a bit).'

Hope it helped a bit. :cookie:

I play differently almost every time I play. :)
However, I do set up my neighborhoods because I control all of the neighborhood households not just one family or one Sim.

I also set up businesses owned by Sims in the neighborhood. I rarely play downtown and or in business hood of OFB anymore. After twenty years it's just much easier for me to build a bigger world in the main hood and place all my community and Sim owned businesses in it.

I also have furniture stores, shopping malls, theaters, restaurants and curious shops that sell weird things in the game and or just decor etc. Most of these are owned by the Sims of different households I play. I make my Sims go shop for what they need including groceries or even a car. I build hospitals, doctor's offices and spas and gyms. My Sims have to go to one of these if not deathly sick to get well by filling comfort and drinking juice and doing other things like sleeping in a hospital bed while on a community lot (mod). If other Sims get sick while my sick Sim is at the 'hospital' then so be it. :D

I make clubs that may cater to chess, or science or whatever. Some parks are of particular things like a community pool that also sells coffee, juice and food and some handy t-shirts. So do some of my bars.

Someone in the household has to go shopping at some point to buy all the clothes the family or household will need. Especially, before one grows up. Sims have to go shop for presents, too, and may wish to give it to other Sims. There are no free clothes in my games most of the time, unless it's to start them out with a particular outfit that fits their character and story.

One of the great things about TS2 is you can build multi type community lots to cover a large lot with just about everything your Sim will need and not all Sims will be in the restaurant nor in the clothing shop or playing pool or whatever. It's great for urban areas that are close knit buildings with back alleys.

That's just the basis of how I set up my hoods, and there a lot of Sim owned stores and businesses.

If I play a rags to riches story, or just a wilderness story I may build community centers for Sims to use and never have a fridge, or a toilet and or shower and bed on a vacant lot but they have to go to the community center or shelter to take care of their needs. It gets interesting when toddlers and kids also live on a totally vacant lot, especially with weather. >:)

I just downloaded a Castaway Stories cc pack and I am currently having my sims live like they are in prehistoric times. Never though I would like that but after watching Pleasant Sims test of time challenge streams I decided to try it out and I'm having fun with it.

@StrawberryYogurt I acquire furniture in buy mode because I think of it as it being delivered by a crew from the furniture store. Too bad there's no animation for this. A furniture does sound like a great idea. Something I've started doing lately is sending most of my Sims to the grocery to buy food rather than having it delivered. I think my rich, entitled Sims will rely on delivery though. I also want to create auto dealerships so people can go car shopping.

"Dreamchild;c-18040289" wrote:
@StrawberryYogurt I acquire furniture in buy mode because I think of it as it being delivered by a crew from the furniture store. Too bad there's no animation for this. A furniture does sound like a great idea. Something I've started doing lately is sending most of my Sims to the grocery to buy food rather than having it delivered. I think my rich, entitled Sims will rely on delivery though. I also want to create auto dealerships so people can go car shopping.

Yes I always go out to grocery store to give my sims an outing. But i always buy a ton of groceries at once ?

I also have an 'Extraterrestrial Welcome Center' to help alien sims assimilate. Its an office building that has a bit of space themes and small museum to understand alien culture. But I also used a mod that has a job board that allows you to join any career in the game (no checking every day on the computer!). So its easier for alien sims to find work (storytelling) and easy for my sims to find the job I want for them.

@Rflong7 One of the things the first Sims game had that I wish they'd brought back for 2 was Studio Town where Sims could record music, do television and movie scenes or do modeling shoots.

"@Dreamchild;c-18040293" wrote:
Rflong7 One of the things the first Sims game had that I wish they'd brought back for 2 was Studio Town where Sims could record music, do television and movie scenes or do modeling shoots.

I agree. :mrgreen:
I waited for that one and for the Makin' Magic expansion. When they shoehorned in witches in Apartment life, I was very disappointed. :(

The most challenging addition to my game is a modded career that requires Sims to work 12-hour shifts, six days a week, for one or two simoleons. My Sim just comes home from work and crashes in the pool. It’s really challenging because he’s also an extrovert who wants to be partying instead of sleeping.

"Rouensims;c-18040448" wrote:
The most challenging addition to my game is a modded career that requires Sims to work 12-hour shifts, six days a week, for one or two simoleons. My Sim just comes home from work and crashes in the pool. It’s really challenging because he’s also an extrovert who wants to be partying instead of sleeping.

Whats the mod?