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MoonlightGraham
Seasoned Ace
3 years ago

March Madness! A Free Will Experience tournament

Sul sul, Simmers.

Z and I have a bit of a problem.

Sometimes we want to play The Sims more than I want to write. This means it's possible for us to get weeks ahead in our "story save" before we find the time for updating the story. For a while, we amused ourselves in the meantime with "throwaway saves," learning about gameplay features that were new to us, such as sending a Sim to University or learning Spellcasting. While those can be fun for a while, they seem to lose their allure fairly quickly.

This afternoon, I was browsing the forum here and, quite by accident, stumbled upon @aaronrulz 's thread, I am bored with family play. I showed this thread to Z, who found it intriguing, too.

A post by @Chicklet453681 gave us an idea about something we think we'd like to try...the Free Will Experience, as described by @BreeMiles !!

Basically, a household of Sims are given Free Will. We follow them around, observing what they do, but not controlling them. There are very few exceptions to this rule, and they tend to apply only when the game would otherwise be stuck or too dysfunctional.

The Sims add and lose points for doing a variety of things, per @BreeMiles' instructions:
(Positive) Earn Points by:
+50 points - Repair Something
+25 points - Attempt to put out Fire
+8 points - Earn a Promotion
+7 points - Sleep in Bed with Another Contestant
+6 points - Cook a Grand Meal or Complete a Holiday Tradition
+5 points - Comfort/Pamper Pet on Couch
+5 points - Max a skill (reach Level 10)
+4 points - Hug Someone (including Pet)
+4 points - Clean the Grill
+3 points - Call to Meal
+3 points - Gain Skill Level 7 to 9 by doing activity or reading a skill book
+2 points - Use Stove/Grill/Cook/Prepare Food
+2 points - Making Friends with Pet/or other Sim, per friendship stage
+2 points - Gain Skill Level 4 to 6 by doing activity or reading a skill book
+1 points - Clean Floor/Plate/Glass/Toilet/Counter/Put away Books
+1 point - Pick up Trash/Take out Trash
+1 point - Gain Skill Level 1 to 3 by doing activity or reading skill book
+1 point - Brush Pet

(Negative) Have Points taken away by:
-1 point - Dropping Trash on the Floor
-1 point - Sim walks in on another Sim who is bathing or using the toilet
-2 points - Shout Forbidden Words
-3 points - Lose Friendship with Pet/or other Sim, per friendship stage
- 4 points - Breaking Sink/Toilet/Shower/Fridge/Computer/TV
- 5 points - Starting a Fire or attempting to start said fire
-10 points - Pee on Self
-10 points - Sleep on Floor/Ground
-10 points - Fight

The rest of the rules are spelled out in @BreeMiles' first post. You can follow the link from @Chicklet453681's post if you'd like to read about them.

Sounds cool, doesn't it? Z and I think so, too.

As we began making plans for our Experience, another idea came into our heads. This is the time of year when American college basketball teams participate in tournaments. Our family likes college basketball, so this was on our minds. No wonder Z mused, "It would be fun for our Sims to have some kind of tournament."

That's how our idea began to move to the next level. We're going to create a simple elimination tournament, based on the Free Will Experience!

In the First Round, the members of a household--four Sims and a pet--will participate in the Free Will Experience. The winner of this Experience will advance to the Championship. We'll repeat this process three more times, giving us four champion Sims. These winners, having confirmed their status as survivors, will retain the skills they acquired in their first Experience.

All four First Round Experiences will take place in the same house. We haven't decided if we'll move to a new venue for the Championship, or not. And, as Watchers and Tournament Directors, Z and I reserve the right to make any changes we need to make along the way in order to fix the problems we'll undoubtedly cause.

We've decided each of the First Round matchups will last for seven days. The Championship is tentatively planned for 14 days. Again, we might adjust this timetable as we go.

Z and I need to select (or create) the Sims we'll use in our first Experience. And we have to pick the house they'll live in (we aren't good builders, so we'll need to choose a pre-built house).

We're excited about this project, and we hope some of you will enjoy following the action!

9 Replies

  • We're ready to begin the first matchup in the First Round of the Free Will Experience tournament!

    For our setting, Z and I chose a house created by @BreeMiles especially for the Free Will Experience. It's a one-story house, which will make it much easier to keep an eye on our Sims as their actions add or subtract points from their totals. Bree's house contains all kinds of skill items to entice our Sims.

    Now it's time to meet our four contestants.

    https://i.imgur.com/g8KrxVK.jpg

    Azure Paulsen is an Adult, and she's almost entirely the product of randomization through CAS. She turned out so pretty that Z couldn't resist touching up her makeup. We have a mod that adds lots of new traits to our game, and when we rolled for Azure's traits, she came up with Heartbreaker, Chic, and Lovey-Dovey. Her Big Happy Family Aspiration will be unfulfilled, at least in this challenge.

    https://i.imgur.com/p68KJEg.jpg

    From our Gallery, we picked one of Z's creations, Jacob Dial. This Adult Sim aspires to be Fabulously Wealthy. He's an Active Animal Enthusiast and a Goofball.

    https://i.imgur.com/I6Q5izA.jpg

    Z created Brylee Tharp to be a fun-loving party girl. For the Free Will Experience, we rolled a new set of traits for Young Adult Brylee, who is now a Romantic, Smart Bro. Her aspiration to become a Spellcaster will have to wait.

    https://i.imgur.com/P74YSrm.jpg

    Our fourth and final contestant might not need an introduction...it's Rohan Rosenthal!! RoRo is a Young Adult and, like Azure, was generated completely at random. Rohan is Proper, Non-Committal, and Hot-Headed, and he aspires to be the Chief of Mischief.

    https://i.imgur.com/IgJiveT.jpg

    Mixed breed Maxie rounds out this household. She is Active, Loyal, and Hairy.
  • March Madness, Day 1

    Here's the story of an action-packed first day at the Free Will Experience House!
    https://i.imgur.com/i2PhAuE.png

    Spoiler
    Our contest begins at 11:00 on a Sunday morning, the first day of Summer. Z and I have placed our house in Newcrest, where it's going to be a sunny, hot day.

    Jacob becomes the first contestant to score a point, when he goes for a swim and gains the Fitness skill. +1 to the handsome dark-haired Sim.
    Brylee spots a potted plant on the back porch and begins to shape it. +1 for learning Flower Arranging.
    https://i.imgur.com/xZzFlw7.png
    Jacob, who is apparently rather vain, prances around in his swim trunks and praises Maxie while the others watch the news. Since he’s an Animal Enthusiast, Jacob is easily able to make Friends with Maxie. +2 points.
    https://i.imgur.com/HA1eFLf.jpg
    Azure goes to the bookshelf, but instead of choosing a skills book, she selects My Pizzi-Cat-O Polka. She passes up another chance to score a point by putting the book on the floor, rather than returning it to the shelf.
    Rohan gets on the board by swimming long enough to learn the Fitness skill, before easing into a Back Float. +1 point.
    Jacob, our most active Sim so far, picks up Azure’s book and returns it to the shelf. +1 point.
    The gang seems to get along well. They spend a lot of time chatting, sharing their knowledge of Fishing while Maxie recovers from a case of the zoomies.
    https://i.imgur.com/WSpjWiS.jpg

    Then, things become more interesting. Jacob, a Goofball, decides to prank the only toilet in the house.
    https://i.imgur.com/eXkQARG.png
    RoRo, oblivious to what is going on, is pleased with himself after playing some SimScuffle and learning Video Gaming. +1 point for Mr. Rosenthal.
    https://i.imgur.com/ynpsrcP.png
    Poor Azure makes her way to the bathroom. She uses the sabotaged toilet and breaks it. Azure’s first appearance on the score sheet is a negative one. -4 points.
    However, she earns back a point by mopping up the mess. +1 point.
    https://i.imgur.com/w8I9vx0.jpg
    The contestants are getting a bit hungry by now. Rohan grabs a bowl of chips and Jacob a serving of cheese crackers, but ambitious Brylee prepares a serving of Mac & Cheese. “She’s going to catch that stove on fire,” predicts Z. Her prediction turns out to be wrong. +1 point for learning to cook, and +2 points for successfully making a dish. Now she's tied for the lead with Jacob. Nice going, Brylee!
    https://i.imgur.com/A0RGrbq.png
    Meanwhile, Azure has not yet emerged from the bathroom, where she is Polishing the toilet to Perfection. Azure picks up +1 point for cleaning.
    Everyone who eats something cleans up after themselves. +1 point for Rohan, Jacob, and Brylee.
    Because none of the contestants attempt to fix the busted toilet, it continues to leak. This creates opportunities for Jacob and Brylee to score +1 point each for mopping the bathroom floor. RoRo gains a point on the field by doing the mopping duty twice. +2 points for Rohan.
    Rohan lets Maxie out, and she poops in the middle of the front walk. An hour or so later, Jacob discovers it and cleans it up. +1 point for Jacob.
    Brylee spends some time reading Crisis Barn, and she puts it back on the shelf when she’s through. +1 point.

    Azure hasn’t eaten anything yet. She learns the Cooking skill (+1 point), and deserves props for not Shouting Forbidden Words when she cuts her finger. Then, Azure does this…
    https://i.imgur.com/Aw0AOeR.jpg
    https://i.imgur.com/K5ld65H.jpg
    Z and I have never seen a Sim do this. “EWWWWW!” Z squeals. “That is DISGUSTING! And she's SMILING about it!”
    “Azure just got two points for making a dish,” I remind her.
    “GROSS! Is there a penalty for making Ear Wax Salad? There ought to be!”
    Z and I are still deciding if we should create a house rule that imposes a penalty for Doing Disgusting Things. For now, it’s +2 points to Azure for successfully preparing a meal.
    As Azure walks to the bathroom to wash her salad bowl, Rohan joins Jacob and Brylee on the sofa and tells them a joke. He learns the Comedy skill and scores +1 point, while Azure gains +1 point for being tidy.
    https://i.imgur.com/0BD6YLJ.png

    The gang has been watching the Romance Channel, and it’s put the gals in Flirty moods.
    Azure slips into her bathing suit and goes for a moonlight swim. She learns Fitness; +1 point for her.
    https://i.imgur.com/kd7Lzq8.png
    Brylee chooses instead to flirt with Jacob.
    https://i.imgur.com/uAByOTq.png
    Azure comes back in and interacts with Maxie, becoming her Friend. +2 points. Had Azure not lost four points for being unlucky enough to try to use the toilet after Jacob pranked it, she'd be in the lead.
    Then, Azure is disgusted when her new buddy drinks from the broken toilet.
    https://i.imgur.com/i2PhAuE.png
    Now it’s past midnight, which officially makes it Monday! This means our Simmies can call a repairperson to come fix their toilet without losing -3 points each. Azure makes the service call. Jacob wisely takes advantage of one last opportunity to mop the bathroom floor. +1 point for Jacob.
    Lori Callahan comes over to repair the toilet.
    https://i.imgur.com/T6HQ80x.png
    Jacob sits down to play a video game, and learns that skill. +1 point.
    https://i.imgur.com/cTQNEyB.png
    But Jacob has a problem. See that red Plumbob over his head? He needs to pee very badly, but he can’t use the toilet, because Lori is fixing it. Z is not sympathetic. “It’s your own fault, bro. You’re the one who pranked it.”
    Rohan decides to take a nap in the single bed. He doesn't bother taking off his flippers.
    https://i.imgur.com/5IP0PXV.png

    Azure takes a moment to clean the table where Jacob is playing on the computer. +1 point for Azure.
    That task completed, she sits down on the couch and begins to flirt with Jacob. “She’s trying to distract him so he’ll pee himself and lose 10 points,” Z concludes. We’re laughing too much to take a screenshot. Sorry about that!
    Lori is finished with the toilet, but Jacob foolishly enthuses over identifying the Perch instead of using the bathroom. Meanwhile Rohan–who also needs to go really badly–makes his way to the toilet.
    https://i.imgur.com/BXWmHKb.png
    Can Jacob hold on…?
    https://i.imgur.com/tcS6oqq.png
    Nope. -10 points for Peeing on Self. He was in the lead, but he's not on top any longer! What a disaster for Jacob!
    Things go from bad to worse for Mr. Dial. He needs a bath, so he hustles to the bathroom...but Rohan is still sitting on the toilet. -1 point to Jacob for barging in on RoRo.
    Brylee goes to sleep in the double bed. For a moment, we think Azure is about to make a boss move and join her, which would give her +7 points. Then she changes her mind and goes to sleep in the single bed.
    Jacob is tired, too. He approaches both beds, finds them occupied, passes on the seven points he'd have scored for crawling in with Brylee (after going so far as to spin into his sleepwear)...
    https://i.imgur.com/iHsW0kq.png
    ...and decides to cry in the closet instead.

    Jacob then takes a nap on the couch.
    Rohan is the only one awake. He’s hungry again, so it’s time to cook. +1 point for learning Cooking, and +2 points for preparing a Garden Salad. RoRo also adds Ear Wax, so he might be subject to the proposed deduction for Doing Disgusting Things.
    Now Rohan is weary, too. He takes a pass on joining Brylee in the double bed.
    As the first light of morning begins to color the Newcrest sky, Rohan makes a risky choice. He goes outside, gets in the pool, and begins a Back Float!
    “What if he goes to sleep in the pool?” Z asks, her eyes wide.
    “I think he drowns.”
    Then we notice movement at the other end of the pool. Maxie has jumped into the water, and she is swimming toward the drowsy Rohan! Will the heroic doggo awaken him and save his life?
    https://i.imgur.com/zFgTZ1w.png
    Whew! Maxie was just in time! She and Rohan climb out of the water together and go inside.
    Jacob has awakened, and for the first time in nearly 24 hours, he changes into something besides his swim trunks. He mops up a puddle beside the pool, and then he’s kind enough to clean up the mess he made beside the computer. +2 points.
    https://i.imgur.com/TNg6Q5p.png
    Now comes a flurry of activity, as Rohan deals with several piles of dog hair which Maxie shed on the back porch. He picks up three piles of hair (+3 points), but he drops one on the kitchen floor instead of throwing it away (-1 point). He performs these tasks while modeling his Hot Weather outfit.
    https://i.imgur.com/pzboheB.png
    Now Brylee has awakened. She’s feeling frisky after a good night’s sleep. Brylee is digging Rohan’s Alien suit. She flirts with him and tells him a dirty joke.
    https://i.imgur.com/dzIpBtj.jpg
    RoRo's response is to take another nap on a sofa. And now that Brylee is up, Jacob can take a nap on the double bed.

    Brylee makes the most of the last minutes of our first day. She empties the trash and picks up the last pile of Maxie's hair. +2 points.
    Then she tries out the grill. As the clock approaches 11am, Brylee finishes grilling some Pinchos, which she puts on the ground beside the grill. +2 points.
    https://i.imgur.com/buzBhFk.png

    And, after the first day, our scores look like this:

    Jacob: -1 point
    Azure: 5 points
    Brylee:
    10 11 points
    Rohan: 10 points






  • A few observations on Day 1:


    • Jacob and Brylee both did things that added points eight times. (Actually, Brylee performed nine scoring actions, as we discovered later.) Rohan and Azure scored plus points seven times each.
    • Brylee was the only Sim who never stepped out of line and cost herself points. Jacob, of course, did two naughty things, and the others messed up once each.
    • Jacob would be the leader if he hadn't wet his swim trunks.
    • Mopping the bathroom floor was the most common way for our contestants to score. The bathroom was definitely the place where most of the action took place, and Jacob's goof-up was also toilet-related.
    • Having a Goofball Sim in a house with only one toilet = havoc.
    • Rohan learned four Skills (Comedy, Cooking, Fitness, Video Gaming). Azure learned three (Comedy, Cooking, Fitness). Brylee learned two three (Flower Arranging, Cooking, and Gardening), and so did Jacob (Fitness, Video Gaming).
    • It looks like some of the contestants are close to becoming Friends with a housemate or two. So far, only Maxie has been able to befriend any of them.
  • News flash!

    While we were playing through Day 2, Z and I discovered we had made a scoring error. We were unaware that when a Sim decides to shape a potted plant, they build TWO skills: Flower Arranging AND Gardening! We should have given Brylee another point for learning Gardening.

    That correction has been made, and it's an important one. Brylee is now our leader, on 11 points!
  • March Madness, Day 2

    You won't want to sleep through all the action on Day 2!
    https://i.imgur.com/7WzuIfZ.png

    Spoiler
    Z and I decided to add some new skill items to the Free Will Experience House. We chose the Punching Bag, The Perfect Yoga Mat, and The Pied Piper Acoustic Guitar. Will any Sim check them out on Day 2 of the Free Will Experience?

    Brylee is delighted with herself. Not only has her productive morning moved her into first place, she’s prepared a delicious batch of Pinchos. She can’t wait to dig in.
    https://i.imgur.com/UkFCa9y.png
    Brylee, honey, you made an entire plate of Pinchos. You took one serving. Do you remember what you did with the others?
    https://i.imgur.com/pdlcTkJ.png
    Did you mean to leave them there for Maxie to enjoy? She's glad you did.
    Jacob awakens and feels hungry. He goes into the kitchen and helps himself to some Yogurt. He still hasn't tried to cook anything.
    Brylee finds an empty water glass (we have no idea who put it there), and washes it. +1 point.
    Rohan scores his first point of the day by taking out the trash. +1 point to RoRo.
    Azure likes to keep the computer table nice and clean. +1 point.
    Jacob gets on the scoreboard by washing his Yogurt bowl. +1 point.
    Cleaning is the most common way for our contestants to build their point totals. Maxie has gone outside to do her business, and Azure takes advantage of this opportunity by mopping up Maxie's puddle and cleaning up her pile. +2 points for Azure.

    Azure breaks the monotony of a morning that's largely been devoted to cleaning by strolling outside to grab a serving of the Pinchos Brylee grilled. She has no idea Maxie helped herself first.
    https://i.imgur.com/HYzO8DX.png
    Back inside the house, Jacob catches Maxie drinking out of the toilet. He praises her. “He is so weird,” Z declares.
    Then Jacob gets an idea. Maxie apparently approves.
    https://i.imgur.com/K5Ox97D.png
    “Oh my GOSH! You did NOT do that again!” says Z as Jacob pranks the toilet.
    Here, Z and I make a house rule. It’s Monday, and we could have a Sim call the repair service without penalty. However, while Z and I are aware of the pranked toilet, none of the contestants except Jacob know about what happened. We decide that if a Sim goes into the bathroom, they might discover the toilet has been pranked. (It does emit a purple haze, after all.) In that case, we’ll have the Sim make a repair call. If the Sim only discovers the prank by trying to flush the toilet and breaking it, they’ll lose points for their misfortune, and then they’ll call the repair service.

    Brylee washes her plate. +1 point. She then wanders off to Browse the Web.
    Azure turns on the Cooking Network and plops onto the couch. Jacob, ever the opportunist, sits down beside her to watch and picks up the Cooking skill. +1 point.

    Then Azure gets up to use the bathroom. No, Azure! Not again! Too late. Azure breaks the potty for the second time in two days! -4 points. We don’t have time to make Azure call for the repair before she climbs into the bathtub.
    Maxie and Rohan both stroll into the bathroom. Maxie drinks from the toilet again. We think RoRo was going to mop the floor, but he’s a Proper Sim, and he is so embarrassed by walking in on Azure that he simply freezes in place. -1 point for Rohan.
    Azure gets out of the tub and calls the repair service. Rohan finally composes himself enough to mop the floor. +1 point to Rohan. Then Azure Polishes the toilet to Perfection. +1 point for her.
    Again, Z and I are laughing and forget to take screenshots.

    Today, our contestants are obsessed with drinking glasses of water. Azure washes a glass. +1 point.
    Jacob puts his water glass down. Brylee finds it and washes it. +1 point to Brylee.
    Jacob and Azure both get another glass. Again, Jacob doesn’t care to wash his glass, so Azure grabs hers and his, too. +2 points for Azure.
    A hungry Rohan enjoys a helping of Pinchos while the rest of the gang watch a movie. Maxie barks at her friend, the shower.
    https://i.imgur.com/fyMHYwu.png

    There’s a Heat Wave in Newcrest today, and Azure is feeling the heat. Why won’t she change back into her Hot Weather attire?
    At first, we wonder why RoRo is carrying his empty plate outside. Then we realize he’s picked up the spoiled Pinchos from beside the grill. Good thinking, Rohan! +2 points.
    RoRo is on a roll. When Azure finishes yet another glass of water, she puts it down long enough for Rohan to grab it and wash it. That’s another point for RoRo. +1 point.
    While we are watching Rohan cleaning everything in sight, Brylee is making Friends with Maxie. +2 points.
    Azure sits down at the computer and begins to play Hillock II. She learns Video Gaming. +1 point. Meanwhile, sociable Brylee is chatting with Jacob, and the two of them become Friends. This is our first Sim-to-Sim friendship! +2 points for Brylee and Jacob.
    https://i.imgur.com/0lLMsBM.png
    Darkness falls, and Brylee goes outside to mop up a puddle beside the door. We figure Maxie was responsible for its appearance. +1 point.
    Rohan, clad in Alien attire, takes Maxie outside, where she poops on the sidewalk. Yet another opportunity for Rohan to score by cleaning up someone’s mess. +1 point.
    https://i.imgur.com/JqUbgq8.png
    Jacob still resists the urge to cook food, instead choosing to relax in front of the TV with a bowl of cereal. He chooses to clean up after himself this time, and washes his bowl. +1 point.
    https://i.imgur.com/4wIsUaG.png
    Rohan Rosenthal, Clean Machine finishes a glass of water and washes it. +1 point.
    https://i.imgur.com/jzKrIMe.png
    At 10:45, Jacob, who has been getting by on naps for two days, finally gets into the single bed for a real sleep.

    Azure is still gaming, and her marathon sesh has paid off. She levels up in Video Gaming, becoming the first contestant to reach Level 2 in a skill. +1 point.
    Brylee’s obsession with watching PolitiSim does not help her score points. “All politicians are clowns,” Brylee declares.
    https://i.imgur.com/skaV3IM.png
    Did you notice Rohan napping on the couch in that last screenshot? He wakes up a moment later, and promptly decides a full night’s sleep would do him good. He wanders off to sack out in the double bed.
    Now the ladies are the only ones awake. They bond while the guys sleep.
    https://i.imgur.com/cSP5mro.png
    Brylee gets up to make her signature dish, Mac & Cheese. +2 points. She pauses to play with Maxie before digging in.
    https://i.imgur.com/GDP0ARE.png
    Lured by the television, Brylee leaves her plate on the counter for a while before she goes back in to watch it. +1 point.

    Azure and Brylee chat again, and then they share a friendly hug! +4 points for both of them. This warm moment also teaches both Azure and Brylee the Charisma skill. +1 point to both.
    https://i.imgur.com/m9Bay3l.png
    Azure washes her cereal bowl when she’s done with it. +1 point.
    Maxie is becoming a real mess. She sheds all over the kitchen floor. Brylee cleans up one pile of hair, but then she drops the trash on the kitchen floor. +1 point for cleaning, -1 point for not finishing the task.
    Did I mention Maxie is becoming a real mess? As flies swarm around her, she helps herself to an unauthorized snack.
    https://i.imgur.com/ZPMdktm.png
    She’s also developed a fear of the TV, which is always on.

    For a moment, everyone in the house is asleep, even Maxie. Jacob wakes up not long after Brylee dozes off on the couch.
    Quick meals don’t stave off hunger for long, and Jacob is ready for a real meal. He strolls outside to the grill. “I’ll make some Pollo a la Brasa,” he decides. “Also known in most countries as Peruvian rotisserie chicken, this preparation originated in Peru in the 1950s and has become a staple in Latin American cuisine. This wonderfully roasted chicken is served usually with French Fries and a side of salad. Delicioso!”
    https://i.imgur.com/lyXkV6P.png
    “I watched the Cooking Channel. I got this.”
    https://i.imgur.com/xDdXzT4.png
    No, you don’t! It’s a fire! -5 points for catching the grill on fire, Jacob!
    Z is very suspicious of Jacob’s motives. “Watch! He started a fire so he can put it out and score all those points!” Sure enough, Jacob quickly brandishes a fire extinguisher and attacks the blazing grill. Rohan and Brylee are also heading this way, but will they arrive in time to join the fight?
    https://i.imgur.com/p8Ypuhg.png
    https://i.imgur.com/xeNQLGg.png
    I managed to use the grill without burning it up,” Brylee points out. Hurry, Azure! You could use a break! Don’t let these points slip away from you!
    https://i.imgur.com/EGY1D4Z.png
    Azure arrives in time to join the firefighting brigade. All four contestants score +25 points for battling the blaze!
    Maxie missed all the excitement.
    https://i.imgur.com/7WzuIfZ.png

    After this fast-paced action, the last two hours of Day 2 are destined to be anticlimactic.
    Azure finds the trash Maxie has been eating and cleans it up. +1 point.
    Jacob finally uses the toilet for its intended purpose. Rohan wants to take a bath, and he walks in on Jacob. -1 point for RoRo.
    Azure shapes a potted plant, learning Gardening and Flower Arranging. +2 points, since she picks up two skills. “This is fun, isn’t it? ” Brylee asks. (This is how we discovered we’d shorted Brylee a point on Day 1.)
    https://i.imgur.com/mGFLggK.png
    Rohan takes out another bag of Maxie’s hair. Jacob didn’t get to eat his Pollo a la Brasa, so he settles for another bowl of Yogurt. Rohan washes the empty bowl. +2 points to Rohan.
    Brylee mops up another puddle outside, which we figure is the result of all Maxie's drinks from the toilet. +1 point.
    And Jacob closes out Day 2 by heading outside to hit the Punching Bag. Maxie is unsure about this activity, but it allows Jacob to reach Level 2 in Fitness. +1 point.

    Here are the point totals for each contestant today:
    Azure = 39
    Brylee =42
    Rohan = 30
    Jacob =26


    And...the total scores after two days of competition:
    Brylee: 11 + 42 = 53 points
    Azure: 5 + 39 = 44 points
    Rohan: 10 + 30 = 40 points
    Jacob: -1 + 26 = 25 points

  • Oh this has been so fun to read! I love your ideas for a 'Champions' tournament after four rounds of winners. You have a wonderful variety of Sims competing in this first round and Maxie is adorable. It's so fun and very nostalgic watching you play in Bree's house. I remember that house very well! Bree is a great builder eh? :) I am quite shocked you've never seen the ear wax animation in cooking before. It seems all my noob chef's do that, it's quite common. It is gross eh? o.O

    Is Rohan an actual alien or did you just give him that alien outfit for laughs? Just curious. :) Jacob is positively delicious! Cracks me up that he's a goofball and keeps pranking the toilet. :D So glad Maxie was able to save Rohan from certain death by drowning. Sad when that happens, it happened in my first playthrough. I was tempted to not save when it happened, but that would've been cheating. o.O Poor Whitney. :'(

    Oh man, of course Jacob started a fire on the grill for his own benefit. I've got my eye on you Mister! hehe I have a favorite, but I won't say who it is just yet. I hope they end up winning though. We shall see! Looking forward to reading more! This is making me want to play this challenge again. Sounds like the two of you are thoroughly enjoying yourself with this. I'm so glad, makes me smile so big that you play with your daughter. My entire family played The Sims, and a little of TS2, but it's just me that continued to play to this day until recently. My daughter-in-law bought the base game in a sale a couple weeks ago and now has three new packs as well. It's been fun answering her questions about it and giving her tips. One day soon, I hope that I can play WITH her or at least watch her play. Warms my heart. <3

    Bookmarked!! ;)
  • @Karababy52 I'm glad you're enjoying our first Free Will Experience!

    We picked Rohan first, since he's been one of our signature Sims ever since we created him. I wrote about this process in this thread: Making Rohan Rosenthal. RoRo is not an Alien, but he rolled the Alien suit for his Hot Weather outfit. Jacob and Brylee were randomly selected from the Sims in our Gallery. Azure was a brand-new creation, and she's probably the prettiest Sim I've ever seen generated that way.

    Maxie is a great addition to the household, isn't she? She sheds all over the house, which gives the Sims plenty of opportunities to score points by cleaning. It seems the vast majority of positive actions they're doing involve cleaning things up. Goofball Jacob's pranked toilets break, and they all mop up the resulting puddles. On Day 2, all four Sims developed insatiable thirsts. Rohan, in particular, racked up points by washing water glasses. And Maxie also creates scoring opportunities when she pees and poops on the sidewalk.

    Bree's house is perfectly suited for this project. I quickly saw that playing the Free Will Experience in a two-story house would be very difficult, because I'm sure I'd miss something a Sim did on one level while I was following a housemate who was on another. With Bree's house, we can zoom out and keep an eye on everyone at the same time. We also pause quite a bit to make sure nobody gets up to something without our knowledge.

    Z and I are becoming fond of all five of these Sims, human and canine. Had Rohan drowned, I think Z would have cried (and that might have created the same response from me). I'm not sure which of our Sims you're rooting for, but all of them have been lots of fun.

    I hope your daughter-in-law enjoys her new hobby. The fact that she's had the game for only a few weeks and has already added three packs to her collection leads me to conclude she's having fun. I did the same thing. Z has been my Simming buddy from the start, and she's said that she'd rather continue to play together than to have her own game. I can't say I'm disappointed about that.

    I'm so glad you're following along! I hope you enjoy the ride!
  • "MoonlightGraham;c-18076910" wrote:
    We're ready to begin the first matchup in the First Round of the Free Will Experience tournament!

    For our setting, Z and I chose a house created by @BreeMiles especially for the Free Will Experience. It's a one-story house, which will make it much easier to keep an eye on our Sims as their actions add or subtract points from their totals. Bree's house contains all kinds of skill items to entice our Sims.

    Now it's time to meet our four contestants.

    https://i.imgur.com/g8KrxVK.jpg

    Azure Paulsen is an Adult, and she's almost entirely the product of randomization through CAS. She turned out so pretty that Z couldn't resist touching up her makeup. We have a mod that adds lots of new traits to our game, and when we rolled for Azure's traits, she came up with Heartbreaker, Chic, and Lovey-Dovey. Her Big Happy Family Aspiration will be unfulfilled, at least in this challenge.

    https://i.imgur.com/p68KJEg.jpg

    From our Gallery, we picked one of Z's creations, Jacob Dial. This Adult Sim aspires to be Fabulously Wealthy. He's an Active Animal Enthusiast and a Goofball.

    https://i.imgur.com/I6Q5izA.jpg

    Z created Brylee Tharp to be a fun-loving party girl. For the Free Will Experience, we rolled a new set of traits for Young Adult Brylee, who is now a Romantic, Smart Bro. Her aspiration to become a Spellcaster will have to wait.

    https://i.imgur.com/P74YSrm.jpg

    Our fourth and final contestant might not need an introduction...it's Rohan Rosenthal!! RoRo is a Young Adult and, like Azure, was generated completely at random. Rohan is Proper, Non-Committal, and Hot-Headed, and he aspires to be the Chief of Mischief.

    https://i.imgur.com/IgJiveT.jpg

    Mixed breed Maxie rounds out this household. She is Active, Loyal, and Hairy.


    They look like a fun bunch of sims, super glad you are playing this challenge!
  • @BreeMiles Oh, thank you! We haven't played it much lately--we haven't played TS4 much, period, because we've been so busy--but we have never forgotten our challenge, either. In fact, I read it again just the other evening, because I'm enjoying it so much.

    Your house is perfect for the challenge, too. There's so much for the Sims to get into, for better or for worse. :)

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