Life Changes Fast-A Sims 3 Decades Challenge. UPDATE 2/11 New chapter is up.
I saw this Sims 4 challenge making it's way around the internet and it looked fun . As a result I decided to modify it slightly and try it in sims 3.
Now on to the Let's Play itself
Update: The recording of this Let's Play had been moved and edited here
Spoiler
Rules
Housing and Funds
1. Starter money only up to (16k)
2. All these rules assume you have all the expansion packs except Into The future, if you lack any of these expansion packs modify the rules as you see fit.
***************
1890s rules
1.Buy any land/house with it, this is best played as a "homestead" style story, as in their money comes from the land they live on.
2.Only male heirs are allowed. If there are no boys, then a woman's husband may inherit.
3.Sims may only have a relationship and marry the opposite gender and within their own ethnicity/race.
4. Sims must only "Try for Baby" and never "Woohoo." (If you have the "w" mod it is also recommended to set Try for baby to autonomous, but not required).
5.No electricity. Use candles or lanterns to light up the house.
6.Women take care of the children, tidy the house, and cook. They can help tidy the garden. If she is widowed she may pick one of the listed careers below or paint.
7. As mentioned, a career such as a gardener is recommended, but some other self-employment career to go for is for is inventor, writer or fisherman (aka angler). Supplies for these jobs must be either gathered in places like the junkyard or bought in the consignment/apothecary store.
8. Sims cannot get a divorce unless one of them commits adultery (in this case, flirting with another sim in front of the spouse).If she is divorced she must join the "actor" career or one of the Showtime careers.
9.Elementary is mandatory, but high school is optional.
10. Female children must move out once they're married.
11.Cell Phones are only allowed to invite people over to your house or to travel.
12.Outside toilets and bathtubs only.
13. Wooden furniture, floor, and walls only, however you may get a small rug, but keep in mind that was a luxury during the period, so don't just fill your house with rugs. Also if your character wants to be a writer, you have a computer in the house, but it must only be used for writing and nothing else.
14.Buy ovens and fridges that are as close to period as possible. I personally recommend the wood fire stove if you have Monte Vista.
15. Festivals and Holidays are allowed, but edit the fairgrounds to roughly period if you want to use it.
16.Every child born during this decade must be born at home.
17. A butler or maid can be hired if you can afford it.
18. You also don't need a cowplant, but I'll elaborate on how I intend to simulate "going to war" when we get to the 1910s
19. Optional: you may roll a die a random times to determine if a Sim dies of a disease. You may also roll a die every time your founder's wife has a child to see if she "dies in childbirth".After that you could use mods to kill them off instantly.
***************
1900s rules
1. Relationships, Woohoo and Inheritance Rules are the same
2. You may now have electricity (only in the form of lamps) and Indoor plumbing (Still Bathtubs only though).
3. Upholstery and Wallpaper are now available as well as a Phonograph. Computers must still be the cheapest one available and limited to writing only.
4. The rest of whatever town you're playing in is now unlocked! In fact, leisure was an important part of Edwardian culture so it's actively encouraged that your Sims "Go to town" or actively live in the center of it all. For optimum historical accuracy edit the town as you see fit.
5. Trips are also encouraged.
6. For males, all career branches are now available, except the Science, Military, and Band career paths. However, the Law Enforcement branch is limited to the local level, so no secret agents here. Furthermore, the music career is limited to the Classical branch(aka no rock stars allowed). Lastly, the Criminal career is possible but discouraged.
7. If married, women must still stay at home. However, before they marry or if they are widowed they may have any of the available part-time jobs, join the acting career branch or the teaching branch.
8. Divorced women must take up one of the Showtime careers or "acting" career if you don't have the Showtime expansion pack.
9.Optional: First Wave Feminism has officially started, so at least one woman in your household becomes a Feminist. She attends protests, much to the chagrin of her parents/ the previous generation. She also tries to force your household into giving up "Nector". Does she succeed or does it lead to less than stellar results like a divorce?
***************
1910s rules
1.Most Relationship and career rules remain the same. The exception being divorced women may now have the exact same careers as single and widowed women.
2. WWI officially breaks out when the first teen in your 1900s household becomes of age (aka 4 day’s before they are set to age up to young adult ), after that all men that come “of age” in this generation must go to war. This is probably where my rules differ the most from @ZombieCleo’s since the cow plant is exclusive to the sim store in Sims 3. The first to “go to war”is the heir of the previous generation. Move him out for a day or two and roll a die: odds he dies, evens he returns home. If he returns home replace one of his traits with “Clumsy” to symbolize a wound that prevents him from ever going back to war. As for the teenage males of the household when they “come of age” send them to military school for the last four days of their teen hood; odds they die, evens they return home( this includes love interests for female children)If they return home their final trait must be one of the following: Insane, Clumsy, Grumpy, Inappropriate, No Sense of humor, Neurotic, Brooding or Commitment Issues.
3. If all the men in your household die, the oldest daughter’s husband will inherit, if he dies the next oldest daughter’s husband will inherit and so on.
4. Even if an heir survives WWI they must remain in the military career until the war ends when their oldest child becomes a teen.
5. Painted and Drywall walls are now allowed in houses.
6. Everything thing else about household technology remains the same
7. At least one woman in your household is encouraged to be involved in “activist” pursuits such as protests.
***************
1920s rules
1. Women may now be heirs and do not have to move out when married. "Risky" Woohoo is now also allowed if you have the "W" mod, however regular Woohoo without the risk of pregnancy is still off the table.
2. Women are now allowed most careers but are limited to "Level five" of big careers like Business, Medical. Journalism etc. Divorced women may also have any job single women and widowed women do. Optional: take away a little bit of their paycheck each day through buying something to illustrate unequal pay if you like. Also, the band career is now unlocked.
3. Criminal careers are recommended for all young adults.
4. As far as building goes, all forms of lighting are now allowed in homes and Sims may now have a radio.
5. Prohibition is also a thing, so all Bars and lounges must be deleted or changed to No Visitors Allowed. Sims cannot buy juice or nectar either. The exception to this rule is that Sims may make their own nectar if you have the proper expansion pack.
6. Sims can now give birth at the hospital, but that was not common in the 20s.
***************
1930s rules
1. Gender Roles, technology, and Woohoo rules remain the same. Although it is recommended that your Sims listen to the radio at least once a day.
2. Any sim with a career loses it for at least one week. During this week of unemployment, sims must scavenge places like the junkyard or local gardens for food and such instead of buying it. Teens also do not go to school at this time. The business career is no longer allowed for either sex. Optional: Buy one very expensive item(like the sports car or the suit of armor) and place it in the family inventory immediately. This is to simulate the Stock Market crash or simply use heats to remove 15% of your sims' funds.
3. After a week sims are allowed to be re-hired, but it is recommended to stick to part-time jobs or self-employment.
5. Bills may not be paid until the repo man shows up at your house, but roughly about three years in Prohibition ends.
6. Sims may only have one hot meal per day, but they may cook several meals at once to be used as leftovers. Gardens are also recommended.
7. Any sim that grew up in this decade must have their final trait be either Grumpy, Commitment issues, No sense of humor, Frugal, Mooch, Mean-spirited or Gatherer.
8. Optional: small pets were gaining popularity in this era, so Sims may catch and keep any of the small pets they encounter. Also, your sim may not adopt a cat, dog or horse, unless they tame a stray/wild one.
***************
1940s Rules
1. This is another war decade, so "going to war" rules remain the same except now at least one of your daughters must go to war as a nurse. You may also increase the chance of coming home since more soldiers returned from this war than the previous one( for my playthrough I changed it so a sim only "died" if the dice I rolled landed on a multiple of three). Also, the oldest child(male or female) of your heir must also go to war once they are 4 days from becoming an adult, but all other children are safe. Like after WWI this child must have their final trait be: Insane, Clumsy, Grumpy, Inappropriate, No Sense of humor, Neurotic, Brooding or Commitment Issues if they return home. Any men who return from war must stay in the Military career until the start of the 1950s
2. The Science and Secret Agent branch of the Law Enforcement Career are now available, but only to men.
3. Women who become a teenager or Young adult in this era must have a career or at least a part-time job. They cannot work in Law enforcement, Science, or the military.
4. Technology-wise not much has changed, but you may now have a washer and dryer and a coffee machine(nothing fancy though).
5. Sims may now have a relationship with someone of a different race, but they may not marry.
6. Lastly, In the 1940s, there was a lot going on on the homefront, one of the biggest things was having a "Victory Garden" or collecting scrap metal. Both of these things are highly encouraged during this Decade. There were also a lot of limits on things like sugar, so your sims can no longer make desserts unless they intend to sell them or if you have particularly social sims make them for other people.
***************
1950s Rules
1.Any female sim who had a job in this era immediately lose it at the start of the era. Single ladies may get a part-time job, but that's it. Married sims may not have any job beyond self-employed as women were encouraged to be housewives in this era. Woohoo, rules remain the same and because this is also the Baby boom era, large families of at least four kids or more are strongly encouraged, but not required.
2. At least one child that becomes a teenager in this era must get the Rebellious trait upon their age up. Teens are also encouraged to have cars.
3. This era also marks the beginning of the Cold War. Because of that sims are no longer allowed to travel to any of the World Adventures locations. This rule will remain in place until the 1980s. Foreign music cannot be played in the household either.
4. Career-wise Sims(preferably men) may now become astronauts, athletes and rock stars.
5. University is now unlocked as well, however, women may not graduate and the technology degree is off-limits(I know college has existed since Ancient Greece, but I don't think college as we know it existed until maybe the 1940s and in that decade WWII happened, so for simplicity's sake, I left University "locked" until this decade. Feel free to add it sooner if you like).
6. Technology-wise the Jukebox, television, and showers are now available. However, the tv may only be watched between 6 am and 9 pm, and flatscreens are not allowed. Radios are also basically nonexistent and shouldn't be in your sim's household.
7. Apartments are now allowed but discouraged if your sims are married.
8. Lastly, sims may go back to cooking whatever they like and both elementary school and high school are now mandatory.
**************
1960s rules
1.This is another "going to war" decade, so the same rules of the 1940s apply here, except women going to war is now optional(however, if they go to war for whatever reason like as reporter for instance as was done during the Vietnam War they still have to risk the dice). As always anyone who comes back from war must have one of the following traits: Insane, Clumsy, Grumpy, Inappropriate, No Sense of humor, Neurotic, Brooding or Commitment Issues.
2. Woohoo-wise the pill was invented in the 1960s, so Sims may now woohoo without risking pregnancy. Sims can now marry sims of a different race and have same-sex relationships, although they may not marry.
3.Male sims no longer have limits on what careers they can have, but women are still discouraged from working in law enforcement or the military. However, there were plenty of female rock stars in this era so they may take on that career if you like.
4.University rules remain the same, except women can now graduate and the technology major is now available.
5. Lastly Sims may go back to listening to foreign music, but they still can't travel to any World Adventure locations unless they have to travel for work.
**************
1970s rules
Everything remains the same besides the following:
1.Career-wise women may now have any job they wish and Sims my divorce for any reason(until the 1970s no-fault divorce laws did not exist, so that's why I put this rule here instead of the 1950s like ZombieCleo).
2. Because of the environmental movement sims of this generation are encouraged to have at least one of the following traits: Vegetarian, Eco-Friendly, or Green-thumb.
3. Technology-wise computers may now be used for gaming and all the following are available: Microwaves and dishwashers
4. Lastly, any future wars are now optional as the draft was eliminated at the end of the Vietnam War.
**************
1980s rules
Everything remains the same besides the following:
1.Sims can now go back to traveling to the World Adventure locations
2. University is required for all Sims in your household, but they don't have to graduate and all babies must be born in the hospital
3. It is strongly recommended that sims that become young adults in this decade and any children born must have one of the following traits: Ambitious, Workaholic, Born Salesperson or Snob.
4. Technology-wise gaming consoles are now allowed and the tv time restriction has been changed to 6am- 2am. Sims may also use the television to work out and the DJ table is now allowed alongside the karaoke machine.
5. Lastly, at least one of your sims in this decade must work in the Business or Political career.
Rules
Housing and Funds
1. Starter money only up to (16k)
2. All these rules assume you have all the expansion packs except Into The future, if you lack any of these expansion packs modify the rules as you see fit.
***************
1890s rules
1.Buy any land/house with it, this is best played as a "homestead" style story, as in their money comes from the land they live on.
2.Only male heirs are allowed. If there are no boys, then a woman's husband may inherit.
3.Sims may only have a relationship and marry the opposite gender and within their own ethnicity/race.
4. Sims must only "Try for Baby" and never "Woohoo." (If you have the "w" mod it is also recommended to set Try for baby to autonomous, but not required).
5.No electricity. Use candles or lanterns to light up the house.
6.Women take care of the children, tidy the house, and cook. They can help tidy the garden. If she is widowed she may pick one of the listed careers below or paint.
7. As mentioned, a career such as a gardener is recommended, but some other self-employment career to go for is for is inventor, writer or fisherman (aka angler). Supplies for these jobs must be either gathered in places like the junkyard or bought in the consignment/apothecary store.
8. Sims cannot get a divorce unless one of them commits adultery (in this case, flirting with another sim in front of the spouse).If she is divorced she must join the "actor" career or one of the Showtime careers.
9.Elementary is mandatory, but high school is optional.
10. Female children must move out once they're married.
11.Cell Phones are only allowed to invite people over to your house or to travel.
12.Outside toilets and bathtubs only.
13. Wooden furniture, floor, and walls only, however you may get a small rug, but keep in mind that was a luxury during the period, so don't just fill your house with rugs. Also if your character wants to be a writer, you have a computer in the house, but it must only be used for writing and nothing else.
14.Buy ovens and fridges that are as close to period as possible. I personally recommend the wood fire stove if you have Monte Vista.
15. Festivals and Holidays are allowed, but edit the fairgrounds to roughly period if you want to use it.
16.Every child born during this decade must be born at home.
17. A butler or maid can be hired if you can afford it.
18. You also don't need a cowplant, but I'll elaborate on how I intend to simulate "going to war" when we get to the 1910s
19. Optional: you may roll a die a random times to determine if a Sim dies of a disease. You may also roll a die every time your founder's wife has a child to see if she "dies in childbirth".After that you could use mods to kill them off instantly.
***************
1900s rules
1. Relationships, Woohoo and Inheritance Rules are the same
2. You may now have electricity (only in the form of lamps) and Indoor plumbing (Still Bathtubs only though).
3. Upholstery and Wallpaper are now available as well as a Phonograph. Computers must still be the cheapest one available and limited to writing only.
4. The rest of whatever town you're playing in is now unlocked! In fact, leisure was an important part of Edwardian culture so it's actively encouraged that your Sims "Go to town" or actively live in the center of it all. For optimum historical accuracy edit the town as you see fit.
5. Trips are also encouraged.
6. For males, all career branches are now available, except the Science, Military, and Band career paths. However, the Law Enforcement branch is limited to the local level, so no secret agents here. Furthermore, the music career is limited to the Classical branch(aka no rock stars allowed). Lastly, the Criminal career is possible but discouraged.
7. If married, women must still stay at home. However, before they marry or if they are widowed they may have any of the available part-time jobs, join the acting career branch or the teaching branch.
8. Divorced women must take up one of the Showtime careers or "acting" career if you don't have the Showtime expansion pack.
9.Optional: First Wave Feminism has officially started, so at least one woman in your household becomes a Feminist. She attends protests, much to the chagrin of her parents/ the previous generation. She also tries to force your household into giving up "Nector". Does she succeed or does it lead to less than stellar results like a divorce?
***************
1910s rules
1.Most Relationship and career rules remain the same. The exception being divorced women may now have the exact same careers as single and widowed women.
2. WWI officially breaks out when the first teen in your 1900s household becomes of age (aka 4 day’s before they are set to age up to young adult ), after that all men that come “of age” in this generation must go to war. This is probably where my rules differ the most from @ZombieCleo’s since the cow plant is exclusive to the sim store in Sims 3. The first to “go to war”is the heir of the previous generation. Move him out for a day or two and roll a die: odds he dies, evens he returns home. If he returns home replace one of his traits with “Clumsy” to symbolize a wound that prevents him from ever going back to war. As for the teenage males of the household when they “come of age” send them to military school for the last four days of their teen hood; odds they die, evens they return home( this includes love interests for female children)If they return home their final trait must be one of the following: Insane, Clumsy, Grumpy, Inappropriate, No Sense of humor, Neurotic, Brooding or Commitment Issues.
3. If all the men in your household die, the oldest daughter’s husband will inherit, if he dies the next oldest daughter’s husband will inherit and so on.
4. Even if an heir survives WWI they must remain in the military career until the war ends when their oldest child becomes a teen.
5. Painted and Drywall walls are now allowed in houses.
6. Everything thing else about household technology remains the same
7. At least one woman in your household is encouraged to be involved in “activist” pursuits such as protests.
***************
1920s rules
1. Women may now be heirs and do not have to move out when married. "Risky" Woohoo is now also allowed if you have the "W" mod, however regular Woohoo without the risk of pregnancy is still off the table.
2. Women are now allowed most careers but are limited to "Level five" of big careers like Business, Medical. Journalism etc. Divorced women may also have any job single women and widowed women do. Optional: take away a little bit of their paycheck each day through buying something to illustrate unequal pay if you like. Also, the band career is now unlocked.
3. Criminal careers are recommended for all young adults.
4. As far as building goes, all forms of lighting are now allowed in homes and Sims may now have a radio.
5. Prohibition is also a thing, so all Bars and lounges must be deleted or changed to No Visitors Allowed. Sims cannot buy juice or nectar either. The exception to this rule is that Sims may make their own nectar if you have the proper expansion pack.
6. Sims can now give birth at the hospital, but that was not common in the 20s.
***************
1930s rules
1. Gender Roles, technology, and Woohoo rules remain the same. Although it is recommended that your Sims listen to the radio at least once a day.
2. Any sim with a career loses it for at least one week. During this week of unemployment, sims must scavenge places like the junkyard or local gardens for food and such instead of buying it. Teens also do not go to school at this time. The business career is no longer allowed for either sex. Optional: Buy one very expensive item(like the sports car or the suit of armor) and place it in the family inventory immediately. This is to simulate the Stock Market crash or simply use heats to remove 15% of your sims' funds.
3. After a week sims are allowed to be re-hired, but it is recommended to stick to part-time jobs or self-employment.
5. Bills may not be paid until the repo man shows up at your house, but roughly about three years in Prohibition ends.
6. Sims may only have one hot meal per day, but they may cook several meals at once to be used as leftovers. Gardens are also recommended.
7. Any sim that grew up in this decade must have their final trait be either Grumpy, Commitment issues, No sense of humor, Frugal, Mooch, Mean-spirited or Gatherer.
8. Optional: small pets were gaining popularity in this era, so Sims may catch and keep any of the small pets they encounter. Also, your sim may not adopt a cat, dog or horse, unless they tame a stray/wild one.
***************
1940s Rules
1. This is another war decade, so "going to war" rules remain the same except now at least one of your daughters must go to war as a nurse. You may also increase the chance of coming home since more soldiers returned from this war than the previous one( for my playthrough I changed it so a sim only "died" if the dice I rolled landed on a multiple of three). Also, the oldest child(male or female) of your heir must also go to war once they are 4 days from becoming an adult, but all other children are safe. Like after WWI this child must have their final trait be: Insane, Clumsy, Grumpy, Inappropriate, No Sense of humor, Neurotic, Brooding or Commitment Issues if they return home. Any men who return from war must stay in the Military career until the start of the 1950s
2. The Science and Secret Agent branch of the Law Enforcement Career are now available, but only to men.
3. Women who become a teenager or Young adult in this era must have a career or at least a part-time job. They cannot work in Law enforcement, Science, or the military.
4. Technology-wise not much has changed, but you may now have a washer and dryer and a coffee machine(nothing fancy though).
5. Sims may now have a relationship with someone of a different race, but they may not marry.
6. Lastly, In the 1940s, there was a lot going on on the homefront, one of the biggest things was having a "Victory Garden" or collecting scrap metal. Both of these things are highly encouraged during this Decade. There were also a lot of limits on things like sugar, so your sims can no longer make desserts unless they intend to sell them or if you have particularly social sims make them for other people.
***************
1950s Rules
1.Any female sim who had a job in this era immediately lose it at the start of the era. Single ladies may get a part-time job, but that's it. Married sims may not have any job beyond self-employed as women were encouraged to be housewives in this era. Woohoo, rules remain the same and because this is also the Baby boom era, large families of at least four kids or more are strongly encouraged, but not required.
2. At least one child that becomes a teenager in this era must get the Rebellious trait upon their age up. Teens are also encouraged to have cars.
3. This era also marks the beginning of the Cold War. Because of that sims are no longer allowed to travel to any of the World Adventures locations. This rule will remain in place until the 1980s. Foreign music cannot be played in the household either.
4. Career-wise Sims(preferably men) may now become astronauts, athletes and rock stars.
5. University is now unlocked as well, however, women may not graduate and the technology degree is off-limits(I know college has existed since Ancient Greece, but I don't think college as we know it existed until maybe the 1940s and in that decade WWII happened, so for simplicity's sake, I left University "locked" until this decade. Feel free to add it sooner if you like).
6. Technology-wise the Jukebox, television, and showers are now available. However, the tv may only be watched between 6 am and 9 pm, and flatscreens are not allowed. Radios are also basically nonexistent and shouldn't be in your sim's household.
7. Apartments are now allowed but discouraged if your sims are married.
8. Lastly, sims may go back to cooking whatever they like and both elementary school and high school are now mandatory.
**************
1960s rules
1.This is another "going to war" decade, so the same rules of the 1940s apply here, except women going to war is now optional(however, if they go to war for whatever reason like as reporter for instance as was done during the Vietnam War they still have to risk the dice). As always anyone who comes back from war must have one of the following traits: Insane, Clumsy, Grumpy, Inappropriate, No Sense of humor, Neurotic, Brooding or Commitment Issues.
2. Woohoo-wise the pill was invented in the 1960s, so Sims may now woohoo without risking pregnancy. Sims can now marry sims of a different race and have same-sex relationships, although they may not marry.
3.Male sims no longer have limits on what careers they can have, but women are still discouraged from working in law enforcement or the military. However, there were plenty of female rock stars in this era so they may take on that career if you like.
4.University rules remain the same, except women can now graduate and the technology major is now available.
5. Lastly Sims may go back to listening to foreign music, but they still can't travel to any World Adventure locations unless they have to travel for work.
**************
1970s rules
Everything remains the same besides the following:
1.Career-wise women may now have any job they wish and Sims my divorce for any reason(until the 1970s no-fault divorce laws did not exist, so that's why I put this rule here instead of the 1950s like ZombieCleo).
2. Because of the environmental movement sims of this generation are encouraged to have at least one of the following traits: Vegetarian, Eco-Friendly, or Green-thumb.
3. Technology-wise computers may now be used for gaming and all the following are available: Microwaves and dishwashers
4. Lastly, any future wars are now optional as the draft was eliminated at the end of the Vietnam War.
**************
1980s rules
Everything remains the same besides the following:
1.Sims can now go back to traveling to the World Adventure locations
2. University is required for all Sims in your household, but they don't have to graduate and all babies must be born in the hospital
3. It is strongly recommended that sims that become young adults in this decade and any children born must have one of the following traits: Ambitious, Workaholic, Born Salesperson or Snob.
4. Technology-wise gaming consoles are now allowed and the tv time restriction has been changed to 6am- 2am. Sims may also use the television to work out and the DJ table is now allowed alongside the karaoke machine.
5. Lastly, at least one of your sims in this decade must work in the Business or Political career.
Now on to the Let's Play itself
Update: The recording of this Let's Play had been moved and edited here
