'Tis Always The Season - A Room Challenge (COMPLETE)

[Nevermore]

Thank you so much. @Granny Lawlor. It was actually really cheap to arrange the whole house, I just chose colours that were either in the green, red, white or wooden colours matching the theme. The holidays content was surprisingly low budget too. I really miss Create a Style from Sims 3, or I probably would have plastered custom content patterns of Christmas all over it.

Also... wait... kids can use use microwaves in this? That will make a total game changer when I do play my teen, kid and toddler household. It will take the burden off my teen for cooking. In Sims 3, I had to depend on those baking ovens for the kid to eat when he wanted.

btw I have "Christmas" as one of my distant family lines irl - don't think I'm descended from the man himself tho!

That is so cool! :O I didn't even know "Christmas" was a real family name.

[Granny Lawlor]

That is so cool! :O I didn't even know "Christmas" was a real family name.

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Joseph & Mary Christmas. I love having them in my tree

[Brian_Z]

@Granny Lawlor And imagine if one of them became a Catholic priest, and everyone addressed them as Father Christmas...

Anyway, @Nevermore  yes, it will take quite some time to start making real money.  Briar-Rose will need to write a whole LOT of books before she finishes Bestselling Author, and by then the royalties will add up to several thousand every day.  Once  a book has been out for a while, the royalties start going down and eventually-- it takes a long time-- they will drop off your daily royalty report entirely.

Oh, and what I usually do to feed the kids, is always cook party size meals and make sure they get put away in the fridge.  Sims seem to be perfectly happy with their cold leftovers.  And even toddlers can choose to open the fridge, then you can drag leftovers to the counter, and then the toddler can take a serving from it.  I don't even place high chairs, I find them a real nuisance.

[Nevermore]

Carrots For The Reindeer

After doing her usual morning routines, and calling Eliza Pancakes, Briar-Rose worked on her writing. I'm focusing on her writing to get some real money with it, and it works well for her aspiration now.

Briar-Rose: "I hope the elves like all the books I'm writing."



Briar-Rose made something to eat.

Briar-Rose: "Dashing through the snow, on a one horse open sleigh. Over the fields we go, laughing all the way!"

She loves listening to the radio.



She liked it so much that she danced to it. Still not the most adorable redhead I've seen dancing at the stereo, but pretty cute.



Another call to Eliza Pancakes.

Briar-Rose: "Hi Eliza... fancy a on the phone carolling session?"
Eliza: "It's october."
Briar-Rose: "So! In the north pole the holidays never end. Oh, come on.... it will cheer you up...."



While she was writing, the computer broke down. I had no choice but to just pay for a replacement, as I couldn't risk her trying to repair it with no handiness or fixing skills, I couldn't risk any damages that would require service sims. Her pittance of funds took another hit.



After some much needed advice on gardening (thank you, @Brian_Z ), Briar-Rose gave gardening another try. It was weird. She just sat the piece of spinach on the planter, then I had to make her plant it. Weird.



Then it was back to the computer to start raking in some good royalties money. I really like how that menorah looks right there. Pity can't see the festive Christmas candles on the other side, but still looks great.



It did her a lot of good, because it worked on her aspiration thingy. And also, yay! That spinach plant is actually growing. I wished it was carrots to stick in with the theme. Those seed packets seem to be luck of the draw. All it had was spinach and mushrooms.



Painting progressed okay, but not a great deal of money. At this point, I got to admit, this certainly feels like Christmas. Broke as hell, emotional mood swings, handmade gifts are deemed worthless, and everyone wishes you would shut up about it. LOL, or maybe that is just my family.



While cooking, Briar-Rose gained a skill point and is capable of doing Gourmet Cooking now. Two types of cooking still, strange. I honestly can't remember what she is all tense about. Fa-lala-la-la-la! Tis the season to be moody! XD



Then she went on to kill my eardrums for a while with that violin. As much as I loved having them back because TS3 didn't have them, not loving her playing one. (Covers ears.)



That spinach plant is growing nicely! It's weird just how proud I am of one crop growing. I literally never gave crops in TS3 any particular attention.



She gave gourmet cooking a try, and started off that skill. No idea how much different that is to regular cooking, but hopefully that will help when she can go back to her cooking aspiration again.



Something great happened with her writing. She achieved a stage of her writing aspiration, then immediately got two goals from it. The last one can easily take care of itself with her writing.



It is about here where I realised she doesn't need that bookcase. Other than the early days, she never really uses it. So, I sold it. I kept and moved her bear chair. It's adorable, so it stays.

Also, shocker! Her violin playing actually started to sound good.



Some big changes, in adding that large window. I might move it over a little. That added the space for two more pots. Straight away Briar-Rose ordered a packet of seeds, and got a carrot! After selling the rest of the seeds, she brought another packet and got another carrot!



Straight to work on planting and watering them!

Briar-Rose: "Now all I need to do is grow lots for Rudolph, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Blitzen, Dasher, Donner, Comet and Cupid."



Finally time to rest. And make a lot of calls to Eliza Pancakes, her hubby and whoever that random woman is in her social panel.

--------
Starting score: 101
Day points: - 4
Skill points: 0
Aspiration points: +5
Mansion Baron Progress: 0/4
Ending score: 102

[Brian_Z]

When repairing things-- don't worry, there's no "now it's REALLY broken" outcome!  Worst that happens, is that she could shock herself.  If that happens, DO NOT try to finish the repair until that moodlet wears off!  Repairing while Dazed makes it much more likely to happen again, and if it does happen again while that moodlet is still on, GAME OVER.  After performing a couple of repairs, she'll get to level 2, which opens up the most basic upgrades to plumbing objects-- make them more durable, the shower will get her clean faster, etc.  At level 6, upgrade your bed!  A full night's sleep, in less time.

[Nevermore]

@Brian_Z: Oh! So this has the upgrades system like in Sims 3? That was actually really handy, but very limited to specific objects that were more time convenience not actual use. Like "Self-cleaning" on certain objects or "unbreakable," or "fireproof." But that is so helpful that I can improve her bed. I was hoping to buy her a new bed, but all the good ones are double beds, and there is no space for that in the house or her little bedroom. Thanks for the tip. I'll have her work on that soon.


Story related note: I'm actually two chapters ahead of what is in this thread. I know I have already posted a chapter today, I am going to put the other two up as well. I thought I could manage it, but it keeps confusing me when I glance back and think that some pics are missing, but that isn't even in the current chapter. I'm also getting some really great tips for the game (which I am very grateful for and appreciate so much) and I think it makes me look rude or ungrateful to appear to ignore them then do the tips two chapters later. Two chapters coming soon.

[Nevermore]

In The Right Mood

Briar-Rose woke up to bills. I was actually surprised they got delivered, considering that the mailbox is fenced in. I was also surprised that they can be paid on the computer. I'm glad for that, because I really don't need the score plummet for getting repomen showing up (if that happens in this game.) Not that they can get at any of her stuff.



Her fun was plummeting (not surprised after those bills), Briar-Rose played the violin. Total coincidence probably, but the carrots seemed to like it. That one in the corner grew while she was playing.

Briar-Rose: (singing) "Silent night... holy night..."



Then after watering the crops, Briar-Rose had to mop up the water that seemed to have flooded out the pots. I'll be glad when I can put them outside. It's times like his when I wish I had another sim to take care of the crops, and at least the painting.



Then it is back to writing. The royalties are coming in at about 700, I think, so that is promising. It's a glimmer of hope that I'm not going to take forever to do this challenge.



Time to harvest the spinach plant! They make like 1 simoleon to sell each, but every little simoleon counts.  Honestly, I'm mostly growing them for the skill point, and to get a little simoleons out of it.



Brair-Rose got a mood I've not seen before. No idea how she got it, but apparently she confident. There is also a new option to wrote a "Motivational Book" or something along those lines. I had to have her write one.

Briar-Rose: "I'll name it "Can You Make a Gourmet Christmas Dinner on a Budget? YES YOU CAN!"

Snappy title. Really rolls off the tongue.



Not all that much interesting happened. I mostly focused on her moods management, worked on the gardening pots (still growing! Not wilted them yet.) Writing, painting, and a little violin playing.



Her cooking is going really great too. Hopefully I can max it, and get some good challenge points from it, as I'm not doing great with those either.



Then back to painting. She is starting to make more simoleons than the canvases cost.



Then right back to writing again. She is starting to rake in a little money. Not enough for me to play around with and start building, but certainly not enough that she is broke when something breaks and it needs to be replaced.



I noticed here, when she plays the violin she gets the "confident" mood. I'll admit, it does sound better when she plays.



I noticed, while she was cooking food after having a shower, she was in a flirty mood. Interesting. I had no idea that were possible.



I did notice that the mood can be really helpful for her skills, she can paint a romantic painting, and I also spotted that she can write a romance novel. I remember they sold really well in Sims 3, so I hope that is the case here.



The end result turned out quite beautiful. I wish she could have kept it, but it doesn't fit the theme and she needs the money.



While Briar-Rose was sleeping, I found the "Rewards Store," that seems to be like the Lifetime Rewards. It says that Marketable means more simoleons for crafted items. If that applies to books and paintings, that could really turn things around. If not, then points have gone to waste.



After a shower she got in a flirty mood again, and made these. Heart shaped biscuits. They do look so cute and tasty. She did seem to enjoy them too. I'm really liking the impact their moods have on crafting. 

--------
Starting score: 102
Day points: - 2
Skill points: 0
Aspiration points: 0
Mansion Baron Progress: 0/4
Ending score: 100

[Nevermore]

Decking The Halls

We start this of with... writing! Briar-Rose got all flirty again and dabbled in writing a romance novel. At this point, I'm getting bored of writing. I'm going to start looking for more alternative skills that make money to break it up a little bit.



Her cooking is still going great. After this pic, she earned a skill point. She is at 6 for normal cooking. At this point, she mostly did routine stuff over the next 3 days, but a few memorable things happened.



The garden was growing well. I did start to think about expanding it, but wasn't sure how at this point. Briar-Rose is gaining some good skills. I think she is at about 4 gardening skill points.



She started sulking every time she used the bathroom, and I realised why. The place was filthy, so Briar-Rose cleaned the place. I'm thinking my next boost in cash, I'll work on improving the bathroom. Best to upgrade her actual accessible living space before building anything outside of it and have stuff she can't reach and can't use.



Her fun kept depleting, so I let her take a little time off from earning money and play some video games (also work on that skill.) I'm about 95% positive she is playing The Sims 1. This is about to get seriously meta, if there is an option for her to write SimLit and able to blog it.



I noticed "computer programming" on her computer, and thought I could dabble with it. Maybe it will bring in some cash, when I'm finally done with this writing aspiration.



Then going back to painting, mostly for the skill gain. I'm not doing so great in getting skills to 10. Only one close is writing being at 8.



While I was thinking about upgrades, I thought the best place to start would be with her computer, so Briar-Rose got a new one.



And straight back writing! Sigh.... I really don't remember writing being this difficult and tedious in Sims 3.



I didn't catch it when it happened, but she achieved an aspiration stage!



I did some rebuilding. Shortening the little garden, and making that little writing nook over there by the bathroom. Added the windows along this wall. I did all this, because I figured out a way to expand the indoor garden.



And a little rearranging! I plan to have two of each. Those two pots near her room become mushrooms. It seems that I only get 3 types of seeds per packet, so I don't have much variety. Those three types are spinach, carrot and mushroom. The desk is much better there. I might use that space for the easel as a "rotating skill object space." Where when she gets 10 skill points in something, put a new object there.



I also discovered that crops can "evolve." Now the spinach plant is either a "good spinach" or a "better spinach." I did write it down on a post-it, then lost it. Oops. LOL. Either way, I hope this new evolved crop gets more money.



I decided to move her little teddy chair closer to her bed and out of the main area. Its just so cute, and I couldn't possibly sell it.

--------
Starting score: 100
Day points: - 3
Skill points: 0
Aspiration points: + 5
Mansion Baron Progress: 0/4
Ending score: 102

[mpart]

This is such a fun challenge to read! I love how as time goes on, you're able to make the most out of her little living space. Also, I find myself learning new things about the Sims 4 while reading this. I have never tried my hand at gardening in the game before so it's been interesting reading about how it differs from the Sims 3 gardening skill. I have the uttermost faith that Briar-Rose can complete this challenge! She seems too determined not to.

[Brian_Z]

It sounds like you're buying the "Starter Vegetables" packet each time?  There's also starter fruits, flowers, and herbs.  And as you get something new, be sure to do the Research interaction, and then check out what it says in your notebook (that's in the bottom left).  At level 5, you can start grafting, and that can yield new plants, which can be rarer and more valuable.  You REALLY want to get a snapdragon and a strawberry.

[Nevermore]

This is such a fun challenge to read! I love how as time goes on, you're able to make the most out of her little living space. Also, I find myself learning new things about the Sims 4 while reading this. I have never tried my hand at gardening in the game before so it's been interesting reading about how it differs from the Sims 3 gardening skill. I have the uttermost faith that Briar-Rose can complete this challenge! She seems too determined not to.

I have you to thank for making most of small living spaces.  That little house you built me served three generations of crazy sims.

I actually like the gardening compared to Sims 3. The crops there were so ignoreable. I find that I can take more notice of them, like that evolving thing is brilliant. I am curious to see where that goes. After the big changes to gardening, and some other skills, I am interested to see how different fishing will be when Briar-Rose can leave the house.

It sounds like you're buying the "Starter Vegetables" packet each time?  There's also starter fruits, flowers, and herbs.  And as you get something new, be sure to do the Research interaction, and then check out what it says in your notebook (that's in the bottom left).  At level 5, you can start grafting, and that can yield new plants, which can be rarer and more valuable.  You REALLY want to get a snapdragon and a strawberry.

Yeah, I bought the starter vegetables. I thought the reason for me getting those specific ones was like sims 3, where if you started gardening, you got some random veggies, then if you wanted more you had to either buy them from the supermarket or find them around town. I thought that because Briar-Rose can't leave, she can't find any more veggies. When I can expand her garden more, and she isn't locked in, I'll have to explore that more. I do plan to continue playing her and max out as many skills as possible.

[Nevermore]

Skill The Week Away

This is probably the last you'll see of that garden. It's just not bringing in much money, and it wouldn't be so bad if there was another sim in the house, but because it's just Briar-Rose, it takes up time that can be better spent on skill gain or other more profitable skills.

Also, what follows is about 7 game days were I actually start to get how things work.(Shocker, I know.)



Not a whole lot of reason for this snapshot. She has that "lockdown" face. Dad in the eyes. "Am I ever going to get out of here?" mood. Clearly going stir-crazy. Even Briar-Rose gets it.



Then for her money gaining skill, writing of course.

Briar-Rose: "Yay! I can do this! I'm talented! I'm enthusiastic!"

Yeah, I thought that back when you started doing this skill.



Then for fun skill, violin. Her mood and facial expression about sums up how I feel having to listen to it through my headphones... OUCH! As soon as she maxes it, it's getting sold. Be rid of the sound.



It was about here I noticed she had over 5000 simoleons, and finally had money to do some serious upgrades around her living space and give her some better stuff to use.



FINALLY! A GLIMMER OF HOPE!! 9 skill points in writing, 1 more to go. Then she can be free from writing for a while. Forget the aspiration stages for a while. I only get like 5 points for them, when I can get 10 points from maxing skills. Her royalties are steady enough to have money to play around with.



Monday's money gain and fun skill was painting. Not a whole lot of cash, but some royalties came in and that made up for it.



As I said at the start of this chapter, the garden is gone. Another great tip advised me to work on handiness skill, and after digging around in buy mode I found that work bench. She can gain skill and earn something out of it to sell. That microphone, I thought would be good for her fun skill.



Tuesday, her money gaining skill was the workbench. Again, didn't get much but it's more the skills I want.

Briar-Rose: "This is so much fun! I wonder why the elves complain so much!"



Then for fun, was the microphone/comedy skill. Now I noticed a total game changer. She gains fun, social, and skill points. No more phone calls to Eliza Pancakes! Two weeks of daily phone calls and they not even friends? Eliza Pancakes is officially ghosted.

Briar-Rose: "What kind of music do elves listen to? Wrap."
badum-dum-tst!
Briar-Rose: "Who hides in the bakery at Christmas? A Mince Spy!"
badum-dum-tst!
Briar-Rose: "What happened to the thief who stole a Christmas Advent Calendar? He got 25 days!"
badum-dum-tst!
Briar-Rose: "What do Santa's little helpers learn at school? The elf-abet."
badum-dum-tst!

I'm not even a little bit ashamed that I looked up Christmas puns specifically for this pic. Not at all.



Wednesday was back to writing again.



I noticed this, that once a week, Briar-Rose can send a book to Literary Digest for money royalties than just publishing them. I sent one of the books she finishes on this day to it.



First on the improvements agenda is the bathroom. I made the walls and floor nicer, and bought the most expensive of everything and added some artwork on the wall next to the mirror there. Sadly it's not Christmas themed art, but it looks nice.



Then did some upgrades to the appliances in the kitchen, such as the fridge, the cooker and got her a dishwasher. All the most expensive she could afford to buy. And ate up most of her money.



Friday, after doing her usual routine, dump on the can, shower, eating, jokes at the microphone, she was stuck at that desk all day, but it was worth it! She is free! From writing that is. Finally maxed it, and now no more writing. For a while.



To celebrate, she spent all day Saturday free from that desk, working on her comedy.



To cap things off nicely, she had money to splurge! As the rules state I can build outside the room. I built this, which will be the entrance hall when the challenge is over and she gets access to the rest of the house. But as of now, she has no access to it at all. This room is also where the stairs to the next floor will be, but I didn't add them yet. I checked the rules, and it does state that I can't add stairs to the next floor. I wasn't sure if that included the rest of the house outside her living space, but to be safe, it's an empty hallway for now.

--------
Starting score: 102
Day points: - 7
Skill points: + 10
Aspiration points:
Mansion Baron Progress: 0/4
Ending score: 105

[Granny Lawlor]

Love the the Christmas Cracker jokes - I'm getting in the festive spirit!

[Nevermore]

@Granny Lawlor; those jokes were fun to find. I literally sifted through 100 Christmas jokes for the best ones.

This whole challenge has definitely got me in the festive spirit too.

[Nevermore]

Jolly, Jolly Christmas!

Just forewarning. All aspect of story went right out the window with this one. I (shockingly) made so much progress, I surprised even myself.

First goal was just get that author aspiration out the way, then it's done. Royalties were pretty good, but the skill just had to go away so I can focus on other things.



Then she easily jumped an aspiration stage. Seeing that I only needed 3 best sellers and to collect royalties, I was so close.



This woman showed up at the lot to knock on the door of the empty room. She stayed there for a few hours. Then I realised, OMG! She is Nancy Landgraab. I was so surprised that the Landgraabs are in this.



While digging around in the Rewards Store, I found this. Savant. It increases skill gain rate. That could really help with other skills both fun and for profit.



I couldn't not buy it. The points gain over all is worth it. I won't be just barely keeping over the 100 starter points any more.



She wrote like 3 best sellers, one after the other. And this happened! Finally free! I picked painting this time. Royalties are all at like 4000 simoleons.



Then it was straight to the easel. Honestly, I like this more than the writing process. I see instant results of like 500 or 700 simoleons straight away, rather than just send them off and hope the returns are a good amount. Because of my rewards they sold well, and Briar-Rose gained skill pretty quick.



Then she soon jumped an aspiration stage.



Then another. But we faced a problem. This next one required going to an art gallery that she can't do.



I found this. Fabulously Wealthy. Seems like tracks her wealth both earned and in her current funds. That can be easily managed. I'll just not spend anything on upgrading or expanding until it's done.



She literally gained and aspiration stage straight away.



And just when I thought I couldn't have any more good luck... this happened. Maxed  cooking as well.



Royalties and paintings helped her gain another aspiration stage not long after.



She started to paint some really nice paintings. This one was quite pretty.

Briar-Rose: "It reminds me of the elves..."



This one is my favourite so far.



Briar-Rose: "Ever feel like a secondary character in your own life? One day you got loads to say, the next only your accomplishments matter..."

Brair-Rose worked on a comedy routine for a while.

--------
Starting score: 105
Day points: - 7
Skill points: + 10
Aspiration points: + 30
Mansion Baron Progress: 0/4
Ending score: 137