Keeping Up With The Joneses - Part One - A Balancing Act
I’ve had a down sort of day, it’s been ‘enting’ down with rain and I haven’t been in the right frame of mind to settle down and do any of the many things that I want to. Things like finishing off the custom paintings tutorial, posting screenshots from some of the many TS3 games I have on the go or washing the kitchen floor. I also didn’t feel like playing any of these saved games of mine, I wanted to do something, but what? Then I remembered a post of Madame Ugly’s, in which she listed things that she’d like to try out if/when she got The Sims 3, and how much I liked her idea of a Keeping Up With The Joneses Challenge.
I did sort of ask permission and am ignoring the fact that I haven’t yet received it. Sorry.
Under the cut is the beginnings of an attempt to play: no real story, just commentary, rambling commentary I expect, I’m not sure though, at this stage I haven’t written it yet. So, if you have a few minutes and would like to see how it’s gone so far then please click on the more.
From Madame Ugly’s Post:,
Keeping up with the Joneses Challenge: (would require awesome mod) Play to active households in rounds. Have them compete against one another in the classic "keeping up with the Joneses" way. I'm assuming you can fiddle with awesome mod enough to allow for random stuff to happen in households while you're not playing. So whatever random crap happens in one household (A) while you'e away, you try to make happen in the other (B) while you're playing. (gets even more fun if the households have negative things happen like divorces and love children!)
I don’t have Awesome mod, I have Twallan’s instead. It gives little pop-ups telling what’s going on in neighbourhood. Hopefully it will provide enough information to be able to play.
Decide that my ‘Joneses’ will be two male sims and that I’ll plonk them down in Concordia Prime as I’d like to try out that world. Unfortunately, hadn’t quite realised that the world was empty, really wanted to play so rushed through a set-up.
Set-up: added my Portal (which contains Jynx Rabbit Hole Rugs and an equestrian centre), mini Library, Junk Yard, Consignment Store, Live Show Venue, Local Watering Hole (assumed this was a small park with water in the middle?) and a Big Park/Performance Park and seven houses (as I suddenly realised that having neighbours might be a good thing.)
In hindsight I should have just played in a populated world or spent more time setting up my ‘play’ world.
The neighbours, hastily plonked into game, are four eligible spinsters:
My Fi Jeez and FurryJackal’s Fiona Mulroy. (The ‘Toofies;)
PixelCurious’ Little Miss Blue and my Pan Demonia.
Looks like Little Miss has already spotted the boys.
Meet the Joneses:
This is FurryJackal’s Wolf Nanaki. (I’m sorry, I was too impatient to go back and download all the custom content, so he appears here as a de-tailed, shorn, paler version of himself. I think he still looks pretty good though.)
He’s set down, outside his new home and left as I have to add the final Jones:
PixelCurious’s Makoa O’Brian. (Aged up to young adult and, because Wolf was a dog lover, I’ve added the animal lover trait to Makoa. I did wonder about giving both boys the snob trait as it kind of seemed appropriate for this challenge. I’m not sure if I should have done or not.)
Unfortunately, Makoa doesn’t actually look enthused to be here.
I’m not exactly sure what to do next. I decide to play a day for each boy. Swapping households (losing promised wishes, unfortunately) when the active Jones goes to sleep for the night.
While I’m dithering, Makao starts work on his first skill point.
Then needs a shower. I had a much better view than you do.
To keep up with the Joneses, one must first know the Joneses.
Wolf is not sure about his competition.
Incidentally, both their houses are identical one room starter homes. Any changes that I make to one, will be reflected in the other.
Makao wishes to be a magician. That is arranged.
During the day, I get a pop-up message telling me that Wolf has got a job at the hospital. This he will not have for long. He must be a performer, like Makao. He will become an acrobat.
As Makao wends his weary way home to bed, I discover that love is blossoming between Little Miss Blue and Wolf. As Makao tucks himself into his lonely bed, I hear that affection seems to be developing between Fiona and Wolf. Hmm, Wolf by name, wolf by nature! I hope the girls will find you equally as attractive when you meet them, Makao.
SUMMARY DAY ONE
Makao
- One skill point - body
- Magician
- Needs two love interests
- Updated bathroom to include shower/bath combo
Wolf
- Requires one skill point
- Works at hospital (to quit this and join acrobat profession)
- Two love interests
- To upgrade bathroom
SWITCHING HOUSEHOLDS:
We join Wolf in the middle of a potentially awkward situation. It would appear that Pan is hitting on Wolf’s sweetheart, Little Miss Blue. After accepting the flowers, Little Miss heads off for bed, leaving Pan and Wolf alone together.
Whilst I’m still bemused, Wolf starts flirting with Pan. (No! don’t tell me poor Makao is going to need three girlfriends.)
Ah, potential crisis averted (there are currently only four girls in the whole world) as Little Miss Blue decides Wolf is behaving inappropriately and I send him home to bed.
Pop-up
Makao first saw Taylor’s photo at the agency and had to pick him up: “He was so cuddly, I couldn’t pass him by”
I have to admit that, for one moment, I thought Makao had got himself a boyfriend instead of a puppy.
It’s a good job that milk doesn’t come in packages otherwise I’d have made some small juvenile joke here.
Right, let’s work out your plan of action for the day. You need a skill point, a job as a performer and a dog. Oh, and it’s a good job that you didn’t become romantically involved with Pan last night because today she has started dating Makao.
Something tells me that this is not shock at the news of Pan and Makao’s romance.
Oops.
The fireperson took their time. Wolf, not a happy puppy.
After the fire is out, I send him off to the library, where he fulfils his wish of gaining a skill point in logic and joins the acrobat profession.
Is he holding up a heavy weight or just re-enacting his reaction to the morning fire?
He needs to work at this as Makao has just received a promotion but it is getting late and we have a dog to adopt.
This little fluffy white mutt is Marina.
She’s an old girl but really rather adorable.
SUMMARY DAY TWO
Makao
- One love interest (needs another)
- One dog
- Must buy dog food bowl, dog bed and dog toy crate
- Requires a double bed
- One skill point - body
- Magician - promoted - earning $340
- Household funds $3,545
- Must have a fire
Wolf
- Two love interests
- One dog
- Has dog food bowl, dog bed and dog toy crate
- Sold twin beds to buy double
- One skill point - logic
- Acrobat (needs promotion)
- Household funds $3,672
- Fire
Well, that’s as far as I’ve got. I’m not sure if I should be playing more than one day at a time or not? It seems such a short period of time but, on the plus side, it is manageable.
Ah well this is just a test game. Set up just a touch too quickly because I wanted to play not build houses or create downtowns yet was determined to play in a world without any of these things. I was definitely feeling contrary today.
By the way, been finding this quite enjoyable. Like the surprises of the pop-ups and the having to pay attention to them as each sim needs to have a life similar to the other. Switching to Wolf was a bit of a surprise, especially the business with Pan hitting on Wolf’s girl and then Wolf hitting on Pan.
I’m unsure as to whether they should both aspire to have the same number of friends as well as love interests and I may also make a note of aspiration points. Not too sure how useful that will be at the moment though.
Any comments, suggestions, advice or recommendations welcome.