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Defunded or Forgotten? An Opportunity School Challenge 7/31

Posted: June 24th, 2020, 9:36 pm
by Trip
Defunded or Forgotten? An Opportunity School Challenge

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Blog @ cucumberfieldsforever.com

For the Summer Sims Challenge! and SimNaNo


Oh hey so I've never seen anyone do this challenge, even though it's on our challenge masterlist, and wasn't even able to find proof of it ever being done anywhere. For once I can go where no simmer has gone before. In summary: adopt four kids at a time to raise into well-adjusted, skilled, educated adults and repeat five times.

The rules haven't been updated in a while (and let's be real, were stuck in the middle of a TS2 -> TS3 transition, though making a challenge is hard work and I respect what OP did no matter what) and some of them I think need changing anyways. Yeah apparently I'll drop my well-known annoying rule-stickler morals at a moment's notice after all. Let's be transparent here...
  • Parties are allowed because no one is going to come to the house as a perfect angel child. Their guardian may have different ideas, though.
  • Pets are allowed and encouraged, but I can't use dogs to hunt for collectables.
  • I ain't marrying an NPC.
  • Adopted children have randomized traits anyways and I will keep them even if they are "banned" like Good and Friendly or they don't have a "bad" trait. But as a compromise, every subsequent trait is randomized too. (Note: as I transition to the second class I do wonder if adopted kids in TS3 draw from a pool of good/neutral traits instead of getting them truly randomized; in my defense, I only adopted maybe three times in the space of many years in TS3 so who am I to know? We'll assess this condition later...)
  • I will alter the looks of adopted children in any way except for skintone.
  • I can send my students to University after high school but only if they get the highest scholarship level and I can afford it.
  • I'm playing on a modified lifespan with 14 days each for children and teenagers and 48 days each for young adults and adults (and a similarly long elder span), so my main caretaker can live to see all of her students graduate and also for the sake of realism.
  • I turned some packs off for simplicity + performance, so goodbye Island Paradise, Supernatural, Showtime, and World Adventures.
Oh, and scoring for reference. I removed things that were clear holdovers from TS2, things I wasn't gonna do anyways (having natal children), and changed a couple:

Positives:
Spoiler:
  • Each set graduated: +2. (That should add up to +10 in the end)
  • Top a career: +5
  • Get married: +5
  • Each A from a student: +1
  • Each student on Honor Roll by graduation: +2
  • Each student that graduates university: +2
  • Each skill point earned by the students (all added together): +1
  • Each skill mastered by student: +4
  • Each skill mastered by founder: +3
  • For each $100k the school is worth in the end: +1
Negatives:
Spoiler:
  • Each kid taken by the social worker: -15
  • Each fire you have: -3
  • Every D or F a student gets: -5
  • Every demotion you get: -2
  • Value of the school in the end is less than $100,000: -20
  • Every visitor that dies on the lot: -10
  • Each student that dies: -15
Bonus:
Spoiler:
  • Reach the top of 2 or more careers: +10
  • Every student has gotten an A (can only be fulfilled in the end): +10
  • Each student with over 50k LTHP upon leaving: +1
  • Fulfill LTW: +5
  • Every two family friends: +2
  • Every friend each student has: +1

Re: Defunded or Forgotten: An Opportunity School Challenge

Posted: June 24th, 2020, 9:40 pm
by Trip
Scores
[hr]

Class #1: Shane Evans, BettyJo Whitehorse, Chrystal Hathalie, Sheena Stone
Spoiler:
+2, every kid graduated
+4, every kid got an A in high school
+8, every kid got on the honor roll
+8, two skills maxed (Sheena and logic, Chrystal and athletic)
+3, three friends were made (Indiana Abernathy, Addison Ross, Zachary Crenshaw)
-10, two kids got a D or F (Shane and BettyJo, they recovered)
-6, we had two fires

Skill Points

Shane: +18 (8 athletic, 7 fishing, 3 handiness)
BettyJo: +21 (7 athletic, 3 cooking, 3 fishing, 7 logic, 1 social networking)
Chrystal: +22 (10 athletic, 4 fishing, 8 handiness)
Sheena: +19 (1 athletic, 4 cooking, 3 fishing, 10 logic, 1 social networking)

Class Score: 89
Class #2: Noam Yazzie, Winifred Holiday, Jacqueline Begaye, Walker Nez (IN PROGRESS)
Spoiler:
+4, every kid got an A in high school
+8, every kid got on the honor roll
+8, eight friends made (Mikel King, Shasta Northrop, Rosalyn Steel, Nikki Matlapin, Dorian Hendrix-Nita, Perry Rivera, Farrah Rivera, Abner Shaw)
-6, two fires

Skill Points

Noam, +5 (5 in logic)
Winifred, +9 (4 in painting, 5 in gardening)
Jacqueline, +6 (5 in inventing, 1 in fishing)
Walker, +7 (4 in logic, 5 in inventing)

Re: Defunded or Forgotten? An Opportunity School Challenge

Posted: June 24th, 2020, 10:40 pm
by peachy123uk
Spoiler:
oh that sounds like another challenge on my list. Glad the children are doing well at school. Love to see pics too

Re: Defunded or Forgotten? An Opportunity School Challenge

Posted: June 25th, 2020, 6:36 am
by 108sims
This looks like a really interesting challenge. Can't wait to see more and what you do with it for SimsNaNo.

Re: Defunded or Forgotten? An Opportunity School Challenge

Posted: July 1st, 2020, 5:08 am
by Trip
peachy123uk
Spoiler:
It's actually kinda hard! They really expect me to dump 100k into this lot huh. But I'm enjoying all the kids.

And a late congrats on your modding.
108sims
Spoiler:
Thank you!
And let's not dawdle, it's July already.

[hr]
Chapter 1
Plain ol' history teacher Gemini Goldwasser meets Sandria and her foster children for the first time, and like everyone, she has questions that may never get answered.

Re: Defunded or Forgotten? An Opportunity School Challenge

Posted: July 1st, 2020, 7:18 am
by 108sims
Spoiler:
If I got those warnings, I probably would reconsider teaching.

It seems like this school and the surrounding area have a lot more going on than meets the eye.

Of course regardless of that, there's always the difficult parents to deal with.

Eight foster kids is a lot!

This is off to a really good start! I can't wait to read more!

Re: Defunded or Forgotten? An Opportunity School Challenge

Posted: July 3rd, 2020, 6:00 pm
by Trip
108sims
Spoiler:
Lucky Palms is a MESS of a world with tons of pre-made affairs and bitter exes, I love it. I turned off my NRaas StoryProgression notifications (they get to be...a lot) but I would check in on the townsfolk anyways and the weird affairs and divorces did not stop. I'm sure if Sandria was just a normal person then Ms. Goldwasser would find her own trainwreck to obsess over. It's hard to inject some reality into this challenge because that many kids (even if just four at a time) is TOO MANY.
[hr]

Chapter 2 up!

Chapter 2


Gemini and baseball player/former foster child Shane Evans strike up a fast friendship while he recounts the halcyon days of being a snot-nosed little brat.

Re: Defunded or Forgotten? An Opportunity School Challenge

Posted: July 4th, 2020, 12:45 pm
by 108sims
Spoiler:
This makes me want to play Lucky Palms.

Yeah I'm not sure I would've called him out on what he was about to do. Only because I wouldn't want to be hit by a bat, and she's hanging around the parking lot, at night, alone, with someone she doesn't really know.

You're right, the Lucky Palms relationships are a mess, but it's kind of awesome too.

Yes you look into your loopholes on how to get with Sandria.

Poor Shane being ripped away from a nice foster home.

So many secrets about how the kids ended up there.

I feel so bad for Sandria and all the foster kids.

Why do I have a bad feeling about Yuna?

Re: Defunded or Forgotten? An Opportunity School Challenge

Posted: July 7th, 2020, 5:15 pm
by Trip
108sims
Spoiler:
You have a bad feeling because...uh...nothing good happens when I disappear to write? :P Hopefully I don't drag out the mystery of Sandria's "found family" (eh close enough) for too long. There's some value to the slow-burn of a story but let's be real, there's a reason people complain about that kind of pacing too.
[hr]

Chapter 3


Shane's bit finishes and sets a "two chapters per kid" standard. Hearts are broken and mended, and the sun continues to shine.

Re: Defunded or Forgotten? An Opportunity School Challenge (

Posted: July 8th, 2020, 9:06 am
by 108sims
Spoiler:
So you're a writer I should be worried about? :lol:


So Shane and BettyJo had to compete at for more than athletics. I still don't trust Yuna.

Well I guess there was no reason not to trust her. Just a normal girl who met a horrible fate.

I'm glad Sandria was there to support Shane.

Hmmm looks like Yuna's death might not have been an accident, or I could be reading too much into this.

Re: Defunded or Forgotten? An Opportunity School Challenge (

Posted: July 14th, 2020, 3:44 pm
by Trip
108sims
Spoiler:
No more elaborating on Yuna's death except that I got the notice pretty suddenly. It didn't seem like anyone went outside to react to a death but I may have been tending to other sims at the time. I did drown Yuna in another save to get the screenshot, marking the first time I actually drowned a sim (!!!) It's actually a super disturbing animation. Sorry for ignoring the other stuff but I guess the drowning episode awoke some feelings inside of me.
[hr]
Chapter 4
Sheena's turn has arrived and she's boring someone I had to think about an arc for since no one drowned (spoilers?)

Re: Defunded or Forgotten? An Opportunity School Challenge (

Posted: July 15th, 2020, 10:55 am
by 108sims
Spoiler:
I'm a bad simmer and have drowned a handful of sims in my day (now I hate killing any of them), but I agree that TS3 drowning is especially disturbing.

Interesting that Sheena got sent to a different family, and she couldn't get a hold of anyone. Something is definitely up with the foster care system in Lucky Palms.

Does Sandria know someone who died in a fire? Seems like an odd question to ask a child.

So Sandria doesn't even know if she's adopted the kids or not? She was originally supposed to run a day camp? It just sounds like the whole system is a mess! That or Sandria knows more than she's letting on.

I wonder if someone tampered with the stove. :hmm:

Re: Defunded or Forgotten? An Opportunity School Challenge 7

Posted: July 29th, 2020, 9:11 pm
by Trip
108sims
Spoiler:
I don't think fire is a part of Sandria's backstory? I'm vague about it because I don't wanna think sometimes. :P She does have the neurotic trait and I was definitely leaning into that. It felt like someone was tampering with the stove with how many fires I got! Turns out cheaping out on a sims stove? Not good. Someone upgraded it to fireproof down the line.

It's a mess alright and fire's the least of it! Hopefully something's answered in the following chapter(s). All the first draft glory of them (kinda)
[hr]

Oh the woes of SimNaNo. I'm trying to bang stuff out and not go insane.
Chapter 5
Sheena becomes a teenager and even makes a friend, if not under the 100% best circumstances. Brunch happens too.
Chapter 6
We get a glimpse of Sandria's vaguely less stressful dumpster fire of a personal life. Gemini decides she needs a rivalry with a fellow teacher, or maybe it's all in her head.

Re: Defunded or Forgotten? An Opportunity School Challenge 7

Posted: July 30th, 2020, 7:09 am
by 108sims
Spoiler:
It's good Sheena wasn't too badly injured and even better that the hospital costs were covered.

That would really suck to have to start right back up with schoolwork after being burned. The way it goes I guess.

I had to laugh at the "wisest lesbian elder she knew part." I hope Sheena gets the courage up to invite Addison to prom.

Poor Sheena is having a rough time of things.

Awe I'm glad she got a happy ending though.

Someone in this town being married and having a kid seems unusual, with all the more uh colorful backstories.

Well nevermind, she's having an affair of sorts with Sandria.

Sure you don't care. Not buying it!

I feel bad, and I wonder if the crush on Sandria is one sided. Though it's probably better off not to date her students' mom.

I feel bad for Sandria, but she seems like a decent person, looking out for those kids.

Gah now I feel really bad for Sandria. It's hard for her to be so tied to her cultural roots and be who she is.

Not good that Jacqueline walked in on them.

Re: Defunded or Forgotten? An Opportunity School Challenge 7

Posted: July 31st, 2020, 7:54 pm
by Trip
108sims
Spoiler:
So I do work in education but in higher education where the instructor/student dynamic is different (except don't date your current students no matter what, gross). I definitely had to stop and ask the internet "can you date your students' parents y/n", look weird, and also get mixed answers. This is why teaching adults is way better! It may have happened once at my high school (I'm not sure on the timetable, parent may have waited for her kids to age out of the teacher's class) but it seemed like everyone came out unscathed.

Most of the younger citizens of Lucky Palms ended up as boring married adults in the end. Lots of marrying right out of high school and stuff. And just a few divorces that shocked me to my core. Of course Cricket decided to...fit in more. Her parents definitely cheated on each other.

I don't know if this crazy town makes Sandria feel better or worse! That's the feeling I've had the hardest time figuring out.
And with SimNaNo over, updates may slow for a bit but hopefully I'll be a little more prompt with answering your comments. :) (nothing personal at all, I guess I like surprises?)

[hr]
Chapter 7
Jacqueline tells her side of a story, about a friend and the trials and tribulations of it...
Chapter 8
...and Winifred has her side. Maybe the more correct one that leaves room to judge a character or not. In the immortal words of nu-Alice in Chains, it's your deciiiiision~

Re: Defunded or Forgotten? An Opportunity School Challenge 7

Posted: August 1st, 2020, 1:46 pm
by 108sims
Spoiler:
Poor Jacqueline. I do feel bad that her family abandoned her after she suffered an injury. She was just a kid!

I kind of love Jacqueline already. She seems really awesome.

OOO a time machine.

Are any of these kids not born from an affair? That town sounds seriously wild, but fun to play around with.

Who would try and sell beer to kids. :lol:

It's sad she lost her one and only friend. :(

So it was the moms that ultimately ended the friendship?

Regardless of what happened, she's set off now. That's what happens when you meddle in your student's business I suppose

Ah, so Abner is a danger to Jacqueline then, if he assaulted or did who knows what to another girl, it makes sense to want to keep them apart.

Getting bribed with a kiss to fix things, and having to bribe the kid with sushi. :D

Kind of funny judging Winifred on her favorite student since these are kids the narrator knows now (was a name ever provided and I missed it or are they an unknown narrator for these kids' stories?)

I kind of love how just about everyone in the story is gay honestly.

So an untrue rumor caused all the drama with the Abner situation. Of course people will believe what they hear because they love gossip.

Glad Jacqueline and Winifred were able to be on good terms with each other.