Hold my beer and watch this, y'all!
Jul. 23rd, 2012 03:14 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
*Please keep in mind -before any of you get offended in any way- that I live in rural Alabama. Everyone I know lives in rural Alabama, and most of my family lives in rural Alabama (though some have ventured as far as rural Tennessee and rural Georgia). I am very familiar with the type of people the rest of the world calls "rednecks" and everything about the lifestyle. We even use the label in a self-joking way (see Jeff Foxworthy) and most people I know are not offended by this at all. (Though the term "stupid redneck" is not okay and you'll get your tires slashed for that one.)
I've been tentatively calling this the Trailer Park Challenge until I come with a better name. Suggestions welcome!
def. Redneck (n): someone with a glorious lack of sophistication
We all know how ridiculously easy it is for sims to become wealthy, and we are all aware of how relatively easy it is to make them happy and successful. Right now, you need to FORGET ALL OF THAT. It won't do you any good in this challenge! The goal (believe it or not) is to make as little money as possible while maintaining a roof over their heads and putting food on their plates. There will be times when you've got more kids than beds for them to sleep in and moments when you have to send everyone down to the nearest community lot to steal free hotdogs just to get a meal. Doesn't this sound fun?!
So let's get going!
The Founder:

You all meet Bubba Hicks. Hey, you might as well have fun with the names and clothes for this one! He's a CAS pre-made, one of those Sims in the custom sims tab that I usually ignore. I picked him because he looks good but his face sliders have been moved around more than they should have been in order to make normal looking offspring. (his whole face is lifted towards his hairline) You can use a male or female for your founder, as long as they come out of CAS without skills or relations. In this case I used dice to randomize Bubba's zodiac, aspiration, and turn-ons/off. He's a Gemini Fortune Sim (lordy) who is turned on by plantsims who can cook real good (like mama!) but he doesn't like werewolves, y'all. o__O I love randomizing! lol

"Wer's that danged trailer I ordered?"
The House:

You have to start off on a 4 x4 lot and build a 6 x 20 foundation for the trailer. Using the Column Deck foundation will shave a few simoleons off the final bill, and you are going to need every penny to build this place! Because, folks, trailers don't come unfinished! You have to put wallpaper on every wall. There also needs to be at least one toilet, a tub or tub/shower combo, stove, sink, refrigerator, at least 3 countertops in the kitchen, and at least one window in every room.

As you can see, this isn't cheap. Now listen, I know most of you have CC in your game that costs nothing, and I would like to stress that it will be MORE FAIR in the spirit of this challenge to not use free stuff for this part. Though CC wallpaper is okay as long as it costs at least 2 simoleons.
At this point you should make sure you like the layout because you can't move walls later! Trailers just aren't made for renovating (there's an exception to this that will be discussed later on in the challenge). So now is when you probably want to put in a small room that will become a second bathroom when you can afford another toilet. I've added mine just north of the kitchen.

Voila! (pronounced "voh-EYE-lah" y'all) All Bubba has to his name are a single bed and a single simoleon in the bank. We've got to find a spouse before he runs out of food!

I'm playing this in Riverblossom Hills and I totally forgot there's a plantsim living here. >_< That Greenman chick. But she's married, so Bubba needs to pack that particular turn-on under the porch and find another lady...

PERFECT. Recessives and totally RIDICULOUS hair.

Not unless she's got one in her inventory, Bubba. e__e
It should be common sense that any hacks you have in your game that give an unfair advantage should be removed. However, there are some hacks and mods that will actually enhance this challenge! Like ACR, InTeen, and "Larger Households"... all of which I'm using, by the way. >_>

It turns out Jane is a Science Teacher by trade. Hm, that's nice but she'll be quiting her job as soon as she moves in! There are some tough restrictions when it comes to employment and Science Teacher isn't allowed. I'll explain later. Anyway, they have two bolts and that's two bolts more than my minimum requirement for a spouse.

"Weee! We done found us a soul mate, y'all!" o___O
Anyway...

Jane here actually won me over by taking it upon herself to prepare some food. Maybe one of those bolts is for that cooking skill turn-on Bubba's got!

Oops. Nope.

These two hit it off swimmingly and managed to get into the range of mutual crush.

"You sure are a sweet young thang. I have half a mind to take you back to my farm and see how you handle yourself with a hoe."

"I suggest you git on back to the old folks home, granny, before I show you what a real 'hoe' is capable of doin to your face. He's mine, Methuselah. Got it?"

I had to send Bubba back home for a nap. He took the opportunity to check for one of the jobs he can have in the paper. Nope.
OH, the Humble Computer. Your sims can use it, but you canNOT sell it. I'd have Bubba looking on it for a job, but he can't afford a flippin desk to put it on! (that rose bush is the ACR adjuster, so it was free)
After some rest I sent him back out to a community lot looking for Jane again because he didn't have enough money to buy a phone at the start so he can't call her. >_<

Luckily she showed up! I took the oppotunity to have Bubba ask her on a date so I can see what aspiration she is (and he could use some aspiration points in the ol' meter about now).

UGH. She's Fortune too! That is really the worst one for this challenge. Oh well.
During the date I learned something about InTeen...

They have to first be in a "committed relationship" before they can become engaged. As you can see, Jane shot that idea down. Maybe she wants to see his trailer first, just to make sure he's legit and all...

*crickets chirping*
(there wasn't enough money for lights either, by the way)

Sigh! It was a tough night consisting of several rejections to "move in"...

But Bubba finally managed to feed her the right line of BS and she accepted! A thousand simoleons might actually buy them some furniture! Yay!

OR NOT! What the ever-lovin frickin heck?! It looks like Jane is a bit of a BS'er too.
She's also a freakin Gemini just like Bubba. EXACT same personality. Gawd, in all the Sim World I managed to find my totally randomized CAS Sim's female double. Well, at least they'll get along. e__e
I should also mention that Jane had nothing in her inventory. EMPTY. Not even a bottle of Re-Nu-Yu potion! Though the rules say I can't sell anything from the spouse's inventory, they are allowed to use one item in the trailer. I was hoping she'd have a TV or something. BUT NO.

Well, it was just enough money for a cheap desk for the computer, a chair, a ceiling light, and a phone. With $21 left over. Now Jane can quit her job.

And NOW she'll commit to the relationship. Jane, you done LIED to us about your bank account balance, brought nothing with you, and basically made this even harder than it should have been. You're gonna have a real nice life, I swear. (<-- BS)

It was after midnight at that point, so Bubba got online looking for a job. Yay, one of the jobs he's allowed to take is there! Here's a copy/paste from this part of the rules that I have typed up so far...
Employment: Only one adult in the household is allowed to work at a time, and it can be the founder, heir, or one of their spouses. There are only a few acceptable jobs! Your sims are uneducated and unskilled, they just don’t get to be CEO’s or rock stars.
- Culinary up to level 4: Host/hostess. $242 a day.
- Slacker up to level 4: Record store clerk. $252 a day.
- Criminal (up to level 3: Bookie, $385 a day) is also allowed, however there are more restrictions for this career!
Criminal Restrictions:
- Your employed Sim must have first worked through Culinary to level 4 AND Slacker to level 4 before they can take a job in Criminal.
- In order to keep working in the Criminal career, your Sim will have to pay off the police every day they work. That costs 2 gnomes every work day!
- Yes, every day your Sim comes home from work you have to purchase 2 gnomes out of the catalog. These can be placed on the lot, or stored in someone’s inventory – your choice.
- These “pay off” gnomes can never be sold! Not even at the annual yard sale.
Other job restrictions: If you Sim is accidentally promoted to higher than level 4 in Culinary and Slacker (or higher than level 3 in Criminal) they must quit their job immediately. They must also buy something out of the catalog that costs as near as possible to the amount of the bonus they received. Example: Your Sim is promoted to Party DJ and receives a bonus of $770. You can purchase one of the $800 televisions or an $800 painting. This item must be placed immediately into someone’s inventory and never sold or used. If you give it to one of the spares they can use it after they move out.
As you can see, stacking your sims with skills is going to be counter-productive becasue you will be over-qualifying them to actually work! There will likely be more added regarding jobs as I play through this and decide what works best.

Jane got a makeover. I want to change her clothes to something more appropriate to the theme, but they can't afford clothes!
Anyway, it's the next morning and Bubba has left for work. Jane decided to autonomously chat with people online. Then I got a pop-up I don't get to see very often: "Does Jane want to invite Kevin over?" I forgot she came with friends already! So yeah, let's invite Kevin over...

"Yeehaw, giddy up, cowboy!"
Kevin arrived and immediately made things more interesting...

Okay, there is going to be a points system added to this challenge and there will be points for illegitimate children born in the challenge household. So Jane might as well meet this mystery guy in case it's someone she wants to get to know better later. (or someone I think she should know better later!)

At first I thought he'd decided not to show up, but found him out by the back door...

Awesome! Pao Face AND red hair! You've got to have at least one unexplainable redhead in the family tree. ;D

The date only lasted until right before Bubba got home (I only need Jane good enough friends with Patrick -the date- to be able to call him later). But yay, promotion! And a tiny bit more money. Now they can have a double bed.

I also took pity on Jane's low aspiration meter and bought her this tiny "sculpture" to fulfill a tiny want.

And with a double bed in the house we can finally get the next generation started! Starting with the engagement...

"Patrick, I uh... I think your date just got engaged to someone else."

Of course there's not enough money for a crib or anything right now. D:
And I should copy/paste what the rulse say about marriage and the first baby for each generation:
- Either the founder or the future spouse must be showing their pregnancy before the wedding can take place! Either during the first or second “bump”. There's no reason for marriage if someone isn't already showing!
- The wedding must take place before the first baby is born. Git'r done, y'all.
- The wedding arch is the ONLY thing you can ever “rent” from the buy catalog. If your sims have enough money for it, they can buy it for the wedding then sell it back immediately after. Or just have them get married without it. (you may also keep the wedding arch for future weddings if you prefer, but if you decide to keep it it cannot be sold at any time!)
- The founder and every heir must throw a wedding party!
- They can only “get married” while the wedding party timer is still running.
- You must purchase the Fruit Punch Barrel ($145) for the party! It’s just not a good ol’ fashioned trailer park party without red Solo cups all over the place. Make sure you've got the funds for the fruit barrel before you start the party.
- You can only delete the Fruit Punch Barrel after it runs out of punch and the price is zero.

So while we wait for the first baby bump... Well, it's kinda boring.
I should mention that date roses ARE allowed to be sold! It's a lot of work to get one of those things, so you might as well take it to the bank. D:

Waiting...

Waiting...
Jane probably knows her from her days in the "Ridiculous Pony Tail Club"...

Finally!
But it was late and Bubba was about to head off to work, so we'll have the wedding party tomorrow.

Bubba came home with MONEY! Now they can get a couch and a table!

And a bookshelf! Because Bubba does need a few skills to become a Record Store Clerk.

The Fruit Punch Barrel was bought, now it's party time. YEEHAW.

This motley crew showed up for the festivities. I am always surprised at who does show up, since Bubba is friends with only one of these people. But with all eight guests in attendance, it's wedding time...

~ The proud groom was dressed to the nines in grungy work overalls and his trademark Stetson, while the blushing bride wore a stunning two piece ensemble that demurely displayed the fact they would soon be welcoming a bouncing baby Hicks.

The guests were enchanted by the proceedings and later would comment on the quality of excellent bagged refreshments available at the reception.

The revelry kicked into high gear when Bubba preformed an acapella rendition of "Achy Breaky Heart" for the attendees, complete with Elvis-like gyrations and a singing voice like "sweet tea". Sorry, ladies, he's taken now!

The tips alone were said to total a staggering 25 simoleons!

The Hicks wedding will go down in history as a "Roof Raiser" - and there will not likely be another wedding party like this for a whole generation!
~ The Kudzu Daily

Welp, I think this is enough for one update! I've got gobs more pictures (they are a couple of pregnancies into this thing now) so expect more really soon!