Saturday 15 December 2007

Pic of the day: In the Near Future, a lifespan of more than 80 years is perfectly common. In The Sims 2 this is achieved by giving Elixir of Life (an aspiration reward) to sims who live a healthy and/or meaningful life.

Sims 2 Near Future (refined)

Today I will explain the Near Future scenario in which my legacies take place. It is not so much a challenge as an altered environment. It makes the game harder financially but some of the gameplay is easier. (I have from early on found that the game is too generous with money but requires too much mousing. This is an attempt to fix that.)

In the Near Future, everyone has Internet access: Each family must have at least one of Monique's hacked computers from Mod The Sims 2. It contains a couple cheat-like features, don't use these. If you cannot use this hack, at least get Simlogical's mortgage shrubs and some way to reduce the family funds.

In the Near Future, house prices remain higher than in the good old days: All property prices are multiplied by 5. After buying a house, donate 4 times the sales price, using the computer. Borrow money if needed. Major upgrades such as adding a second or third floor or a new wing to the house also requires you to make donations. Minor changes such as a new window or removing a wall don't. The price of furniture is unchanged.

In the Near Future, there are no government subsidies to new home- owners. Borrow 20 000 simoleons immediately and pay back the starting fund. (The computer will automatically add interest and payments to your bills.)

In the Near Future, college education is not free: To go to college, donate §40 000. Borrow if needed. Alternatively you can pay §5000 per semester while you are there. Good luck with that. If you don't have University, you still have to pay §40 000 if you want high-level jobs, see next point.

In the Near Future, all real jobs require college. If you decide to skip college, you can only hold entry-level jobs. As soon as you get promoted, you have to quit your job and apply for a new. You can still support yourself by painting, writing novels, writing articles on the Hacked Computer, farming if you have Seasons. If you have OFB, you can craft toys, robots and flowers and sell them in buy mode, but you are not allowed to run a shop. If you have a job-related lifetime want, you are allowed to reroll this (using the Lot Debugger from More Awesome Than You or some similar hack) twice to see if you adapt to your life by getting a new LTW. If not, sorry.

(If you hate the Young Adult life phase, as some people do, but still have University: Get the Lot Debugger or Christianlov's fake diploma and upgrade your adult. You lose out on a lot of good friends, though, so it is your poison. You still have to pay 40 000. If you don't have the University expansion, you can still get the higher jobs if you pay 40 000 and make a note which Sim it is for. You will lose out on the special careers that comes with the Uni package, obviously.)

In the Near Future, adults can go to college. Use one of the above options to upgrade pre-uni Sims, for instance brides that move in, or if you really love University, get Christianlov's Adults Go To College hack. Pay §40 000, borrow as needed.

In the Near Future, you can work and study from home, if you have the necessary computer equipment. With Moniqe's computer, you can support yourself by writing articles, which will give a modest pay and increase skill by around half the speed of reading textbooks. To sell articles above skill level 5, you need an accredited college degree. Upgrade your Sim to college graduate as above, paying §40 000.

Sims 2 Flynn Effect

In the Near Future, Sims are smarter. This is equivalent to the Flynn Effect in humans. Google it if you haven't heard of it, it is a truly amazing fact. Don't tell your grandparents about it though.

In the Near Future, there are no kitchen fires. Smarter sims and improved kitchen technology means that burning your grilled cheese will no longer necessitate a fire truck. (Fireproof Cooking by Simsky, Mod The Sims 2.) The laws of nature are unchanged, so lightning and open fireplaces may still cause fire.

In the Near Future, sims will be smarter in a number of small ways. They will know when their fridge is starting to get empty, they may even buy groceries on their way home from work. They will go to bed in time to get a full night's sleep, they will leave the bathroom when they don't have any errands there, they will remember where they put their homework so you don't have to find it for them, and they will figure out which parts of the house need cleaning. Whenever you come across a hack that makes sims behave more intelligently, add it to your Near Future downloads folder. Mod The Sims 2 and More Awesome Than You are particularly good sources. I particularly recommend J.M.Pescado's Macrotastics and all associated hacks, on MATY.

On the other hand, smarter sims are not overall happier sims. I avoid all quick fixes like mood paintings, mood doors, magic espresso etc. I even restrict the use of Snapdragon (an in-game object from Open for Business that pulses a mood-boost from time to time. 2-4 of these will keep all your moods maxed except energy, which is why I classify it as a cheat). I will allow a snapdragon by the baby/toddler crib or in shops / workshops.

The short of it is: To make the game more realistic. Most real people struggle with the bills, not with peeing on the floor or falling asleep on the pavement.