Build A City Challenge Rules
So, I'm not posting for fear of my game/computer going stupid mid challenge again and having to stop posting :( That's what happened to my legacy. Everything was so gross and laggy that I just got made and deleted all my neighborhood and everything. Then I started a fresh blank neighborhood and started a build a city challenge. I'm somewhat posting a few screenshots here and there on my tumblr, but otherwise I'm not posting real updates. But, even though I'm not actually posting anything here, I thought I'd share the rules as I adjusted them a bit to better fit my play. It's actually a combination of different sets of rules along with a few slight changes of my own simply because I couldn't find any one rule set in existence that fit how I wanted to play it. Anyways, lets get to it.
The goal of this challenge is to start with a completely blank neighborhood and a single Sim and to create an entire “Sim City.”
Starting Out
-You must create an entirely new Neighborhood to start with. It can be on any template you choose, but you MAY NOT add a University, Downtown, Shopping District, or any community lots. However, if you have Bon Voyage, you MAY add vacation destinations.
-Create a single Sim to be your founder and move them onto an empty lot. The Sim can be made however you choose (looks and personality) and their home lot can be any size (the smaller the better since money will be tight). Your founder sim is the 'mayor' of your soon to be city. They can either work in the political career, or they can live off the land just like everyone else. This is the only career open to your founder in the beginning though. All taxes from other households are paid to your founder sim. Your founder can choose to do as s/he pleases with that money.
- Other than your founder sim, you can also begin with 1-6 other households, these are your 'settlers' they can also be however you like. (pick their aspirations/turn ons/turn off/etc however you wish) or you can roll a dice and create them at random. These sims may not have any careers until positions have been unlocked. They must live off the land only. (Digging for treasure, start a business, painting, writing, etc. Whatever way you can earn money WITHOUT a job)
- townies (or in this case we'll call them tourists as no one really lives in the town/city besides your founder and their settlers) can be game generated, downloaded sims, or CAS sims you've created yourself, whichever you choose. I personally prefer a mix of game generated and cas made sims.
-As your neighborhood expands, you must play EVERY household for the same amount of time. If you move in townies just for their money and move them back out, they CANNOT just sit in the Sim Bin. ALL Sims MUST be played.
-When Sims have children, it is up to you whether or not they remain at home or move out. Keeping them home means a higher lot value which can earn a university (rules in a later section). Moving them out means more households and more community lots. Choose which works best for you.
-New households after the founder, may be pre-built houses or blank lots.
-At the beginning ALL careers are locked, except the political career to your founder ONLY. You must find other ways to make money (painting, novels, business, treasure hunting, etc). We’ll get to how to unlock careers soon, but first we must cover a few other subjects.
-Sims may not have fire detectors or burglar alarms until the first position in the Law Enforcement Career is unlocked (rules in the career section).
-Sims may not call for any services except for the Nanny and Adoption. Service calls are unlocked when the population reaches 500 (figuring out population is in the next section). Pizza and Chinese Food delivery are unlocked with a population of 3,000.
-Servos are allowed and do count in the population.
The Sim Multiplier
-The goal of this challenge is create a city with a population of atleast 50,000. Of course you won’t literally have that many Sims to worry about. This number is purely figurative and that is where the Sim Multiplier (SM) will come into play.
-The SM is just a number that you will multiply your number of playable Sims by in order to get the city’s population.
-At the start of the challenge, the SM is 1. As you progress and unlock certain additions for your neighborhood you’ll increase your SM. Points for your SM are added as follows:
+1 for your first community lot
+1 when you reach a total of 5 community lots
+1 for every additional 5 community lots
+5 for adding a Downtown
+5 for each Business District
+5 for each University
-From now on when population is mentioned, it simply means your total number of playable Sims multiplied by your SM.
Unlocking Neighborhood Additions
Community Lots: You start off your neighborhood with 1 community lot. After that there are two ways to earn additional community lots.
The first way is by expanding your city and adding residential lots. For every 2 residential lots, you earn 1 community lots. (in apartment lots, each apartment that has a playable sim/family counts as a household) so with 4 households, you would have your first community lot, plus 2 more for the households. Making a total of 3 community lots in the neighborhood.
The second way to earn community lots, is to have a playable sim to purchase the lot and start a business there. So you would get your 3 community lots just like in the example above (these can be playable sim owned or not) plus an extra lot if your sim purchases it and starts a business there.
You also earn 1 CAS sim for each community lot
Business Districts: To unlock the business district there are two ways to do so.
The first way is by using city taxes in order to build the district. It costs $50,000 to build a business district.
The second way to unlock the district is by having 5 playable sim owned businesses at any rank and one business tycoon. (See below to find out how to unlock business career)
You may unlock more than one business district and you can use a combination of the two methods to earn them if you please.
In order to use 'taxes' each household at the end of each week pays 10% of whats in their bank to your founder sim. Your founder sim MUST have that amount on hand and deducted from his/her funds in order to build the business district.
In addition to adding to your SM, for each business district you also earn 5 CAS Sims. [You don’t have to add the new Sims as you earn them. You can save up and add whole families if you choose.]
Downtown: There are also two ways to earn a downtown.
First way, just like with the business district, you can build a downtown when the city has $100,000 in taxes to spend.
Second way is pretty simple. Your city must reach 25,000 in population.
You may only earn 1 downtown addition
In addition to adding to your SM, the downtown also earns you 20 CAS Sims. [You don’t have to add the new Sims as you earn them. You can save up and add whole families if you choose.]
Universities: You can unlock univeristy in several ways.
The first is by having $250,000 in city taxes to spend on building one. This is then considered a public university which anyone can attend.
The second is by having a wealthy sim/family donate $500,000 to build a private university. The donor for the private university will get $25,000 for every sim that attends and gets to choose who can and can not attend.
The last way is by reaching 50,000 population which is probably the hardest way to earn one.
Public universities cost $1,500 per semester to attend
Private Universities cost $3,000 per semester to attend.
You may earn more than one univeristy addition and you can you one or a combination of all of the above methods to unlock them.
You may earn multiple universities using any of the three methods mentioned. In addition to adding to your SM, for each university you also earn 5 CAS Sims (students perhaps). [You don’t have to add the new Sims as you earn them. You can save up and add whole families if you choose.]
Child
Unlocking Careers
Athletic: One position in the athletic career is unlocked when a sim ages to adulthood with all ten body skill points. The career is completely unlocked when a sports themed community lot is built. The sport being played can be anything from bowling, darts, even kicky ball, just use your imagination! The only limit to the lot is there MUST be an area for competetive sports and it must be built on a 5x5 or larger lot and be worth at least $250,000.
Business: A new position opens in the Business Career track every time a player owned business reaches level 5 (home or community lot). When a playable Sim reaches the top of the career, it is then unlocked to every one.
Criminal: Wherever there are people there is also crime. When the population of the town reaches 100 one spot on the Criminal Career track opens. Every time a Sim reaches the top of the Criminal Career, they open an additional position in both the Criminal and the Law Enforcement careers. The Criminal Career track is never truly unlocked, but can have many open positions.
Culinary: The Culinary career gets one open position for every player owned restuarant that reaches rank 5, or for each sim that ages to adulthood with all 10 cooking skill points. The career is unlocked to everyone when a playable sim reached the top of the career.
Law Enforcement: A position in Law Enforcement is unlocked when one of the following events occurs.
1) There have been 3 burglaries.
2) The population reaches 500.
3) There have been 3 fires in someone’s home.***
4) A playable Sim reaches the top of the Criminal career.
Like Crime, Law enforcement is never truly unlocked, but can have many positions available rather quickly.
Medical: The first position in Medical is unlocked when the town population reaches 1,000. Another position is opened at 5,000 and an additional position is opened every 5,000 after that. The career as a whole is unlocked when the town acquires a university.
Military: The Military Career track is unlocked when a community lot is placed that represents a military base. It takes the place of a NPC community lot that you can add once you accumulate 2 households, but it does not contribute to the total number of community lots present and can never be purchased by a playable Sim.
Politics: The politics career is open to your founder at the start if you so chose to have them join it. Another position opens when he/she reaches top of the career. The career is unlocked to everyone when the city reaches a population of 1,000 but there may never be more than one playable sim as mayor at any one time.
Science: A Science Career position will be earned every time any Sim transitions into Adulthood with maxed Logic. A position can also be opened for every 3 electroctions by electronics or lightening. When a playable Sim graduates from a university, the career is unlocked to every one.
Slacker: A position in the Slacker Career is opened every time a community lot is created for the soul purpose of being a “Club”. It is unlocked completely when a Downtown Area is Unlocked.
Adventure:To open a position in the Adventure Career, a community lot must be placed to represent a Museum. This lot must be at least $250,000. When a playable Sim reaches the top of the career, it is then unlocked to every one.
Education: Once the population of the town reaches 250 a position in the Education Career opens. The career gains an additional opening for every 250 in population. This career is always open to any Sim who has a diploma regardless of population.
Gamer: For a Sim to become a Gamer they must own all of the following items either in their inventory, the lot they live on, or a community lot that they own the deed to: the expensive computer, video game console, a pinball machine, and an arcade game.
Journalism: When the town reaches a population of 1,000 the first position in Journalism is unlocked. An additional spot is added every 1,000 in population thereafter. Every time someone reaches the top of the Law Enforcement, Criminal, or Show Business career tracks an additional position can be added. If someone reaches the top of either careers before the town reaches a population of 1,000 they do not count towards the total number of Journalist openings until the population requirement is met.
Law: The Law Career is open to any Sim with a diploma.
Music: The Music Career is unlocked when a music venue community lot is placed. To be considered a music venue there must be a stage and at least 3 music instruments. This lot can serve other purposes other than just music, such as a park or club (won’t count for the slacker career).
University Careers
Artist: A position is opened for every art gallery business that reaches Rank 5. It is always open to Sims with maxed creativity who have also sold 10 masterpieces.
Natural Science: A position is opened for every nursery, flower, or landscaping business that reaches Rank 5. It is always open to Sims with gold gardening badges.
Paranormal: The first position is opened when a cemetery is added and there are 5 graves in the neighborhood. After the first position opens, another is opened for every 10 additional graves. The graves do not have to be sent to the cemetery and pet graves do NOT count. The career is unlocked to everyone when a playable sim reaches the top of the career.
Show Business: A position is open for every Prestidigator (entertainment) and Professional Party Guest. Whenever a Sim reaches the top of the career, a position is opened in Journalism after the population reaches 1,000.
-Of course Show Business, Paranormal, Natural Science and Artist are only available to Sims who have a diploma.
-If you move in a townie that has a job in a career that does has not been unlocked, they MUST quit. If you move in a townie and they have a job in a career that already has all its available positions filled, either they must quit or have another Sim with that career quit. The fairest way is to have the person with lowest rank quit.
-Teen and Elder jobs count as a position filled in any given career.
Pet Careers
Show Biz: Only "talented" pets who have learned all their tricks may enter this career (excluding toilet training for cats).
Service: Career opened once phone service options are unlocked when the population reaches 500.
Security: 1) Job opened for all pets when there at least 5 sims in Law Enforcement. OR...
2) Owner must be in Law Enforcement.
Free Time Careers
Architecture: A position in Architecture will be opened for every 10 lots, residential or community, and each neighborhood addition (University, Downtown, Business District). The residential lots must be occupied. The community lots must be complete and functional (no blank lots), and can be player owned. Apartments only count as one lot, no matter how many playable families live in the building.
Dance: A position in the Dance Career is opened whenever a Sim owned dance studio opens and reaches Rank 5.When a playable Sim reaches the top of the career, it is unlocked to everyone.
Entertainment: A position is opened whenever a Sim transitions into adulthood with maximum charisma. The career is never unlocked.
Intelligence: A position in the Intelligence Career is opened each time a Sim reaches the top of the Military, Criminal, or Science Career.
Oceanography: The career is open to any Sim with a gold fishing badge. The career is unlocked when a Sim tops the Natural Science career.
Apartment Life
-Each family living in an apartment counts as a seperate household when calculating how many NPC community lots you can have.
-However, each apartment building only counts as ONE lot towards the Architecture career.
-You may not have Sims ask the landlord to do repairs or any other chore around the apartment until Service calls are unlocked at a Population of 500. The landlord doing his daily rounds of cleaning up outside is okay.
***Fire List
-Fires in a Sims home. COUNT.
-Fires started as a Sim repairs an object. COUNT.
-Fires caused by lightening. DO NOT COUNT.
-Fires caused by a Sim BBQing outside. COUNT.
-Fires caused by Cafeteria workers. DO NOT COUNT.
-Fires on business lots caused by the controllable Sim. COUNT.
-Fires on business lots caused by employees or customers. DO NOT COUNT.
-Fires caused by a witch's spell. DO NOT COUNT.
The goal of this challenge is to start with a completely blank neighborhood and a single Sim and to create an entire “Sim City.”
Starting Out
-You must create an entirely new Neighborhood to start with. It can be on any template you choose, but you MAY NOT add a University, Downtown, Shopping District, or any community lots. However, if you have Bon Voyage, you MAY add vacation destinations.
-Create a single Sim to be your founder and move them onto an empty lot. The Sim can be made however you choose (looks and personality) and their home lot can be any size (the smaller the better since money will be tight). Your founder sim is the 'mayor' of your soon to be city. They can either work in the political career, or they can live off the land just like everyone else. This is the only career open to your founder in the beginning though. All taxes from other households are paid to your founder sim. Your founder can choose to do as s/he pleases with that money.
- Other than your founder sim, you can also begin with 1-6 other households, these are your 'settlers' they can also be however you like. (pick their aspirations/turn ons/turn off/etc however you wish) or you can roll a dice and create them at random. These sims may not have any careers until positions have been unlocked. They must live off the land only. (Digging for treasure, start a business, painting, writing, etc. Whatever way you can earn money WITHOUT a job)
- townies (or in this case we'll call them tourists as no one really lives in the town/city besides your founder and their settlers) can be game generated, downloaded sims, or CAS sims you've created yourself, whichever you choose. I personally prefer a mix of game generated and cas made sims.
-As your neighborhood expands, you must play EVERY household for the same amount of time. If you move in townies just for their money and move them back out, they CANNOT just sit in the Sim Bin. ALL Sims MUST be played.
-When Sims have children, it is up to you whether or not they remain at home or move out. Keeping them home means a higher lot value which can earn a university (rules in a later section). Moving them out means more households and more community lots. Choose which works best for you.
-New households after the founder, may be pre-built houses or blank lots.
-At the beginning ALL careers are locked, except the political career to your founder ONLY. You must find other ways to make money (painting, novels, business, treasure hunting, etc). We’ll get to how to unlock careers soon, but first we must cover a few other subjects.
-Sims may not have fire detectors or burglar alarms until the first position in the Law Enforcement Career is unlocked (rules in the career section).
-Sims may not call for any services except for the Nanny and Adoption. Service calls are unlocked when the population reaches 500 (figuring out population is in the next section). Pizza and Chinese Food delivery are unlocked with a population of 3,000.
-Servos are allowed and do count in the population.
The Sim Multiplier
-The goal of this challenge is create a city with a population of atleast 50,000. Of course you won’t literally have that many Sims to worry about. This number is purely figurative and that is where the Sim Multiplier (SM) will come into play.
-The SM is just a number that you will multiply your number of playable Sims by in order to get the city’s population.
-At the start of the challenge, the SM is 1. As you progress and unlock certain additions for your neighborhood you’ll increase your SM. Points for your SM are added as follows:
+1 for your first community lot
+1 when you reach a total of 5 community lots
+1 for every additional 5 community lots
+5 for adding a Downtown
+5 for each Business District
+5 for each University
-From now on when population is mentioned, it simply means your total number of playable Sims multiplied by your SM.
Unlocking Neighborhood Additions
Community Lots: You start off your neighborhood with 1 community lot. After that there are two ways to earn additional community lots.
The first way is by expanding your city and adding residential lots. For every 2 residential lots, you earn 1 community lots. (in apartment lots, each apartment that has a playable sim/family counts as a household) so with 4 households, you would have your first community lot, plus 2 more for the households. Making a total of 3 community lots in the neighborhood.
The second way to earn community lots, is to have a playable sim to purchase the lot and start a business there. So you would get your 3 community lots just like in the example above (these can be playable sim owned or not) plus an extra lot if your sim purchases it and starts a business there.
You also earn 1 CAS sim for each community lot
Business Districts: To unlock the business district there are two ways to do so.
The first way is by using city taxes in order to build the district. It costs $50,000 to build a business district.
The second way to unlock the district is by having 5 playable sim owned businesses at any rank and one business tycoon. (See below to find out how to unlock business career)
You may unlock more than one business district and you can use a combination of the two methods to earn them if you please.
In order to use 'taxes' each household at the end of each week pays 10% of whats in their bank to your founder sim. Your founder sim MUST have that amount on hand and deducted from his/her funds in order to build the business district.
In addition to adding to your SM, for each business district you also earn 5 CAS Sims. [You don’t have to add the new Sims as you earn them. You can save up and add whole families if you choose.]
Downtown: There are also two ways to earn a downtown.
First way, just like with the business district, you can build a downtown when the city has $100,000 in taxes to spend.
Second way is pretty simple. Your city must reach 25,000 in population.
You may only earn 1 downtown addition
In addition to adding to your SM, the downtown also earns you 20 CAS Sims. [You don’t have to add the new Sims as you earn them. You can save up and add whole families if you choose.]
Universities: You can unlock univeristy in several ways.
The first is by having $250,000 in city taxes to spend on building one. This is then considered a public university which anyone can attend.
The second is by having a wealthy sim/family donate $500,000 to build a private university. The donor for the private university will get $25,000 for every sim that attends and gets to choose who can and can not attend.
The last way is by reaching 50,000 population which is probably the hardest way to earn one.
Public universities cost $1,500 per semester to attend
Private Universities cost $3,000 per semester to attend.
You may earn more than one univeristy addition and you can you one or a combination of all of the above methods to unlock them.
You may earn multiple universities using any of the three methods mentioned. In addition to adding to your SM, for each university you also earn 5 CAS Sims (students perhaps). [You don’t have to add the new Sims as you earn them. You can save up and add whole families if you choose.]
Child
Unlocking Careers
Athletic: One position in the athletic career is unlocked when a sim ages to adulthood with all ten body skill points. The career is completely unlocked when a sports themed community lot is built. The sport being played can be anything from bowling, darts, even kicky ball, just use your imagination! The only limit to the lot is there MUST be an area for competetive sports and it must be built on a 5x5 or larger lot and be worth at least $250,000.
Business: A new position opens in the Business Career track every time a player owned business reaches level 5 (home or community lot). When a playable Sim reaches the top of the career, it is then unlocked to every one.
Criminal: Wherever there are people there is also crime. When the population of the town reaches 100 one spot on the Criminal Career track opens. Every time a Sim reaches the top of the Criminal Career, they open an additional position in both the Criminal and the Law Enforcement careers. The Criminal Career track is never truly unlocked, but can have many open positions.
Culinary: The Culinary career gets one open position for every player owned restuarant that reaches rank 5, or for each sim that ages to adulthood with all 10 cooking skill points. The career is unlocked to everyone when a playable sim reached the top of the career.
Law Enforcement: A position in Law Enforcement is unlocked when one of the following events occurs.
1) There have been 3 burglaries.
2) The population reaches 500.
3) There have been 3 fires in someone’s home.***
4) A playable Sim reaches the top of the Criminal career.
Like Crime, Law enforcement is never truly unlocked, but can have many positions available rather quickly.
Medical: The first position in Medical is unlocked when the town population reaches 1,000. Another position is opened at 5,000 and an additional position is opened every 5,000 after that. The career as a whole is unlocked when the town acquires a university.
Military: The Military Career track is unlocked when a community lot is placed that represents a military base. It takes the place of a NPC community lot that you can add once you accumulate 2 households, but it does not contribute to the total number of community lots present and can never be purchased by a playable Sim.
Politics: The politics career is open to your founder at the start if you so chose to have them join it. Another position opens when he/she reaches top of the career. The career is unlocked to everyone when the city reaches a population of 1,000 but there may never be more than one playable sim as mayor at any one time.
Science: A Science Career position will be earned every time any Sim transitions into Adulthood with maxed Logic. A position can also be opened for every 3 electroctions by electronics or lightening. When a playable Sim graduates from a university, the career is unlocked to every one.
Slacker: A position in the Slacker Career is opened every time a community lot is created for the soul purpose of being a “Club”. It is unlocked completely when a Downtown Area is Unlocked.
Adventure:To open a position in the Adventure Career, a community lot must be placed to represent a Museum. This lot must be at least $250,000. When a playable Sim reaches the top of the career, it is then unlocked to every one.
Education: Once the population of the town reaches 250 a position in the Education Career opens. The career gains an additional opening for every 250 in population. This career is always open to any Sim who has a diploma regardless of population.
Gamer: For a Sim to become a Gamer they must own all of the following items either in their inventory, the lot they live on, or a community lot that they own the deed to: the expensive computer, video game console, a pinball machine, and an arcade game.
Journalism: When the town reaches a population of 1,000 the first position in Journalism is unlocked. An additional spot is added every 1,000 in population thereafter. Every time someone reaches the top of the Law Enforcement, Criminal, or Show Business career tracks an additional position can be added. If someone reaches the top of either careers before the town reaches a population of 1,000 they do not count towards the total number of Journalist openings until the population requirement is met.
Law: The Law Career is open to any Sim with a diploma.
Music: The Music Career is unlocked when a music venue community lot is placed. To be considered a music venue there must be a stage and at least 3 music instruments. This lot can serve other purposes other than just music, such as a park or club (won’t count for the slacker career).
University Careers
Artist: A position is opened for every art gallery business that reaches Rank 5. It is always open to Sims with maxed creativity who have also sold 10 masterpieces.
Natural Science: A position is opened for every nursery, flower, or landscaping business that reaches Rank 5. It is always open to Sims with gold gardening badges.
Paranormal: The first position is opened when a cemetery is added and there are 5 graves in the neighborhood. After the first position opens, another is opened for every 10 additional graves. The graves do not have to be sent to the cemetery and pet graves do NOT count. The career is unlocked to everyone when a playable sim reaches the top of the career.
Show Business: A position is open for every Prestidigator (entertainment) and Professional Party Guest. Whenever a Sim reaches the top of the career, a position is opened in Journalism after the population reaches 1,000.
-Of course Show Business, Paranormal, Natural Science and Artist are only available to Sims who have a diploma.
-If you move in a townie that has a job in a career that does has not been unlocked, they MUST quit. If you move in a townie and they have a job in a career that already has all its available positions filled, either they must quit or have another Sim with that career quit. The fairest way is to have the person with lowest rank quit.
-Teen and Elder jobs count as a position filled in any given career.
Pet Careers
Show Biz: Only "talented" pets who have learned all their tricks may enter this career (excluding toilet training for cats).
Service: Career opened once phone service options are unlocked when the population reaches 500.
Security: 1) Job opened for all pets when there at least 5 sims in Law Enforcement. OR...
2) Owner must be in Law Enforcement.
Free Time Careers
Architecture: A position in Architecture will be opened for every 10 lots, residential or community, and each neighborhood addition (University, Downtown, Business District). The residential lots must be occupied. The community lots must be complete and functional (no blank lots), and can be player owned. Apartments only count as one lot, no matter how many playable families live in the building.
Dance: A position in the Dance Career is opened whenever a Sim owned dance studio opens and reaches Rank 5.When a playable Sim reaches the top of the career, it is unlocked to everyone.
Entertainment: A position is opened whenever a Sim transitions into adulthood with maximum charisma. The career is never unlocked.
Intelligence: A position in the Intelligence Career is opened each time a Sim reaches the top of the Military, Criminal, or Science Career.
Oceanography: The career is open to any Sim with a gold fishing badge. The career is unlocked when a Sim tops the Natural Science career.
Apartment Life
-Each family living in an apartment counts as a seperate household when calculating how many NPC community lots you can have.
-However, each apartment building only counts as ONE lot towards the Architecture career.
-You may not have Sims ask the landlord to do repairs or any other chore around the apartment until Service calls are unlocked at a Population of 500. The landlord doing his daily rounds of cleaning up outside is okay.
***Fire List
-Fires in a Sims home. COUNT.
-Fires started as a Sim repairs an object. COUNT.
-Fires caused by lightening. DO NOT COUNT.
-Fires caused by a Sim BBQing outside. COUNT.
-Fires caused by Cafeteria workers. DO NOT COUNT.
-Fires on business lots caused by the controllable Sim. COUNT.
-Fires on business lots caused by employees or customers. DO NOT COUNT.
-Fires caused by a witch's spell. DO NOT COUNT.