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[TS4: OFftS] Alien Adoption Challenge (COMPLETE 04/01/20)

Posted: December 17th, 2019, 4:42 pm
by LuckyDuck
Image
(Started 16th-17th December 19, Finished 4th January 2020)
Runner-up for 2020 Golden Plumbobs- Best Rare Challenge
CONTENT WARNINGS: bad language | references to non-consensual alien abduction | mental illness | emotional abuse | unstable family |sexual content (text only) |upsetting themes |
CHAPTER INDEX:
PrologueOneTwo(Int)TwoThreeFourFive (Int)FiveSix (Int1)Six (Int2)SixSevenEightNineTenEleven(Int)ElevenTwelve(Int)TwelveThirteenFourteenEpilogueExtras

This Alien Adoption Challenge (by Pinstar) is done using the Maxis-made TS4 XBox version of Ripp Grunt, from TS2's Strangetown! It's a mix of pre-planned story ideas, and the game-play driving the narrative. I used a Challenge File on my XBox (For playing using challenge rules) and a Storytelling file (for challenge-breaking screenshots needed for the narrative.)
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STORY PREMISE
A few years after leaving their native Strangetown, the Grunt Family are no strangers to the frayed relationship between humans and aliens. When an alien spaceship crashes- with one-hundred surviving orphaned alien toddlers- the middle child of the family takes it upon himself to raise one of the toddlers, in secrecy, in the seclusion of Oasis Springs. Not everything is as it seems, and it's hard to know which of the conspiracy theories floating around about these alien children is true...if any of them are. Can this young man survive adoptive parenthood? And will the little girl ever learn of her past...and the truth behind her origins?
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Thank you to all of you who have read or commented. I really appreciate it < 3

Re: [TS4] OFftS- Alien Adoption Challenge [Last update 17/12

Posted: December 17th, 2019, 5:11 pm
by SimCave
My heart has been abducted by your story. Its beautiful. :heart:

Re: [TS4] OFftS- Alien Adoption Challenge [Last update 17/12

Posted: December 17th, 2019, 5:19 pm
by LuckyDuck
SimCave - Bless you, you sweet sweet person! Thanks so much for your kind feedback. It’s fun using premades, I’ve found. Thanks so so much!

Re: [TS4] OFftS- Alien Adoption Challenge [Last update 17/12

Posted: December 18th, 2019, 9:44 am
by ciyrose
What a great start! Very sweet, I love what you have done so far!

Re: [TS4] OFftS- Alien Adoption Challenge [Last update 17/12

Posted: December 18th, 2019, 11:26 am
by LuckyDuck
Thanks so much for your kind words and encouragement, ciyrose! < 3

Re: [TS4] OFftS- Alien Adoption Challenge [Last update 17/12

Posted: December 18th, 2019, 11:41 pm
by Rawla
Great start! :applause:

Re: [TS4] OFftS- Alien Adoption Challenge [Last update 17/12

Posted: December 19th, 2019, 12:52 am
by LuckyDuck
Thanks Rawla!

I’ve been playing until what should be a second chapter, but I have learned early into my Sim challenge writing hobby that the game will throw a curveball at any moment, but trying to write them into the ‘plot’ is part of the fun. XD

Re: [TS4] OFftS- Alien Adoption Challenge [Last update 17/12

Posted: December 19th, 2019, 3:50 pm
by Rawla
Curveballs in gameplay can be fun. :bounce:

Re: [TS4] OFftS- Alien Adoption Challenge [Last update 17/12

Posted: December 19th, 2019, 5:08 pm
by LuckyDuck
Update time! Things DO NOT go to plan and the RNG gods mess with me, big-time.
Chapter One

I hope you enjoy it, thanks to everyone who read and commented as well, I'm glad I've had such positive feedback on my first 'Sim Lit' project.

Re: [TS4] OFftS- Alien Adoption Challenge [Last update 19/12

Posted: December 19th, 2019, 11:42 pm
by SimCave
This was a very beautiful and wondrous story chapter. I applaud your writing skills. :applause:

Re: [TS4] OFftS- Alien Adoption Challenge [Last update 19/12

Posted: December 20th, 2019, 12:59 am
by LuckyDuck
SimCave wrote:This was a very beautiful and wondrous story chapter. I applaud your writing skills. :applause:
SimCave- I really appreciate you following the story, it means a lot to me < 3 I’m so happy you like to so far.
Spoiler:
I cannot believe I got abducted by aliens! One of the challenge rules is that no alien children can be controlled, so now that’s two alien kids I cannot directly control. I’m gonna keep it though instead of send it back, might as well accept the challenge, haha!

Re: [TS4] OFftS- Alien Adoption Challenge [Last update 19/12

Posted: December 20th, 2019, 8:50 am
by 108sims
Spoiler:
I love how you're using Ripp and keeping up with the family's background from Strangetown (it's one of my favorite premade neighborhoods). Ripp's a good guy, so he would help out the aliens. It's sad that he has to leave Buck behind, though. I hope Buck is okay without Ripp there to look after him. Olivia is very cute!

I wonder if Olivia understands Ripp when he tells her no? Aw she's learning to speak now. :)
I feel so bad for Buck being trapped there with Buzz and Tank. Poor Ripp. He's such a good big brother though, doing anything he can to protect Buck.

I really enjoyed these first two chapters. Can't wait for more!

Re: [TS4] OFftS- Alien Adoption Challenge [Last update 19/12

Posted: December 20th, 2019, 11:30 am
by LuckyDuck
108sims- Thanks so much for your wonderful feedback and for reading, I appreciate it so much. :)
Spoiler:
Back in my TS2 days my favourite families were Grunt and Curious to play, in fact I only ever played them. I figured I ought to use premades for a change and the Grunt family history fits in quite well for some interesting things that could happen along the way, with the common fanon that Buzz hates aliens and his military history. I hope to give Buck his own chapter at some point. He’s in a bit of a situation because he has Tank pushing him one way and Ripp trying to push him in another, so he’s stuck between the sort of ‘feud’ of his two older brothers and their conflicting ideals. Not only that, but he doesn’t know how to feel about what Ripp is hiding from Tank and Buzz sometimes. I always imagine Ripp to be quite impulsive at times, so he’s conjuring up all these lies without thinking about how much time they’ll buy him.
Thanks again for reading, I was really happy reading what you liked and I’m glad it worked for you!

Re: [TS4] OFftS- Alien Adoption Challenge [Last update 19/12

Posted: December 20th, 2019, 7:47 pm
by LuckyDuck
A new chapter has been published!
Our Friends From the Stars- Chapter 2 Interlude- Buck
Spoiler:
This 'Interlude' chapter shows us a bit from Buck's point of view, and shows a bit more about family life for him, as well as more about Tank Grunt and the reason he can be harsh on Buck. I figured they'd be a nice way to show other characters' views, since Ripp's outlook on his family can sometimes be narrow-minded and it's cool to see the worldview of other characters.
I am currently playing the challenge through what will become Chapter Two now.

Re: [TS4] OFftS- Alien Adoption Challenge [Last update 21/12

Posted: December 21st, 2019, 2:17 am
by SimCave
The interlude chapter from Buck's point of view was a delight to read. I'm falling in love with your characters. :heart:

Re: [TS4] OFftS- Alien Adoption Challenge [Last update 21/12

Posted: December 21st, 2019, 5:36 am
by LuckyDuck
SimCave- Thank you so much for keeping up with the story, I’m glad that you love the characters as well.
Spoiler:
I always felt the worst for Buck in TS2 because he seemed to be completely ignored by his father. Also in this story, he’s torn between whether or not Ripp’s or Tank’s ideals are what he should go with. Deep down he is a lover, not a fighter like Tank, but Tank worries he’ll get pushed around. Tank does care about Buck, but he just shows it in a strange way.

Re: [TS4] OFftS- Alien Adoption Challenge [Last update 21/12

Posted: December 21st, 2019, 6:00 am
by bookloverblue
Spoiler:
Ripp immediately insisting that no-one can take his daughter warmed my heart. I hope he copes with the pregnancy OK!
You've got a great story going here!

Re: [TS4] OFftS- Alien Adoption Challenge [Last update 21/12

Posted: December 21st, 2019, 6:04 am
by bookloverblue
Love the interlude idea - it'll add a whole extra layer to your story, and Buck is such a sympathetic character!

Re: [TS4] OFftS- Alien Adoption Challenge [Last update 21/12

Posted: December 21st, 2019, 8:30 am
by LuckyDuck
bookloverblue - Thank you so so much! It means a lot coming from someone who inspired me to even start this stuff up!
Spoiler:
Yeah, I think the Interludes will be a nice way to look at the rest of the Grunt family in a different light, since I want to clarify that just because Ripp says Buzz and Tank are this and that, it doesn't mean there aren't other layers to their intentions- but that's the beauty of first-person, the unreliable narration! Also about the alien abduction...I now know how you must have felt with the unplanned alien baby in your legacy, and having to write that into the story (which BTW you did very nicely!) I'm currently playing through what will likely become chapters 4 or 5, and it's safe to say not being able to control Olivia OR the new alien child makes for some bloody difficult gameplay! Ripp would actually have time to earn money if he managed to get five minutes of sleep!

Yeah I feel the most sorry for Buck, because he's been the one who's been left out the most growing up, and without Ripp (who is almost an adoptive father to him really) he feels out of place, but he's starting to stick up for himself a bit more with Tank now. He knows that it's unlikely Ripp is coming back and so he's going to have to learn to cope without him around all of the time. Tank wants the best for Buck, but what's best for him differs greatly between Buck's two older brothers.
Thank you so much for reading < 3

Re: [TS4] OFftS- Alien Adoption Challenge [Last update 21/12

Posted: December 21st, 2019, 2:13 pm
by 108sims
Spoiler:
It's very interesting to hear things from Buck's perspective. Being kind isn't a weakness, but I can understand how Tank is worried that others might exploit that in Buck.