Zeus and Hera's Nectar-Making Invitational

[Metropolis Man]

Zeus and Hera’s Nectar-Making Invitational


GOAL:

Ever since Zeus and Hera decended to the mortal plane to introduce nectar making to Sims, things have gotten incredibly competitive. Whistle sounds from nectar-making machines can be heard throughout Sunset Valley and Riverview alike. Workaholics are becoming nectarholics. Well, Zeus and Hera are back and have thrown down the gauntlet. You are cordially invited to an all-out war to find out who can make the most money selling nectar. Are you ready to defy the gods? What say you, mortal?

RULES:

• Stating your intent to play in the challenge is a requirement. You will be added to the leaderboard. Simply lurking and then posting results is bad sportsmanship.
• Create 2 Young Adult Sims. No other Sims can be played.
• Lifespan set to Long.
• No cheats or modifications.
• You must be patched up to the most current EA patch.
• You are not allowed to enter the Edit Town screen to switch Active Households during the tournament.
• Use of the Moodlet Manager is banned.
• Move your Sims into an existing house or build one yourself to start. But, you are not allowed to move again during the challenge.
• The only vacation you're allowed is a single trip to France.
• The Challenge ends at 12AM, Week 15, Day 2.
• You are allowed ONE attempt at this Challenge.
• Discussing Strategy and Explicit Info. Revealing very detailed information about how best to achieve a certain goal is forbidden. Ignoring this rule hurts everyone involved, and gives distinct advantages to late-starting players. Here is an example:
  
  

General "playing for tips" advice that is fine: "A great place to play for tips is in front of the Theatre on the weekends. Not many Sims are working, so there are plenty of Sims available. Don't forget to bring a piece of fruit to ward off hunger late in the day."

"Playing for Tips" advice that's way too much information: "Click on your Sim's guitar for the Perform cue and cue up 8 songs. But, as soon as the first note begins, cancel the cue. The more songs you "perform" the larger the tips your Sim will earn.

The 2nd bit of info is obviously walking someone through the steps of an advanced exploit and has no place in a challenge thread. But this information is still solid and there's no reason why players should be hidden from it. So, it simply belongs elsewhere on the forum, or Carl can put it somewhere on the Guide.

If you're not sure if something you want to say in this event thread would be divulging too much information — don't say anything.

SCORING:

Nectar $ -- When the game clock reads 12AM, Week 15, Day 2, you’re done. All of your nectar will have just aged up at midnight. Sell it all and note your total in the Skill Journal. IMPORTANT: All nectar sold must have been made with a nectar-making machine.

This Event is Now Closed

Final Leaderboard

Player	Nectar $
ik	$8,733,633
meamalso2	$8,018,330
Metro	$6,618,092
LenaLJ	$5,692,993
lianne	$5,587,103
omega2alpha	$5,240,566
Eftyen	$5,132,771
NancyJ	$5,121,271
annieb	$4,946,930
TheCub	$4,826,871
mordana666	$4,630,612
wildredchild	$4,517,882
simsa	$3,875,829
Twinmum	$3,478,748
akurinne	$2,621,074
tosho	$2,567,395
AriaGirl77	$2,170,350
Pam	$1,532,968
Zylphe	$808,960
HelenP	$726,276
Margerita	$300,263
simfulicious	$287,453
saffivort	$200,378
kat	$114,881
samoht04	$96,379

[Metropolis Man]

The rules are up. This tournament begins in one week, so give a shout if you want to be added to the leaderboard and if you need anything clarified.

[simfulicious]

I'll try it, even though I haven't tried making nectar yet.

[Metropolis Man]

I'll try it, even though I haven't tried making nectar yet.

You're in. If you don't play a test character before the tourney, then at least read over Carl's nectar article and my Bottomless Cellar article. There's some good stuff in both — particularly Carl's piece. I referred to that for my own article.

[jmz95]

Yea! The rules are posted! I'm definitely in, on this one too Metro. One thing I'm a bit concerned about: if people haven't read the perfectly happy challenge rules, they might buy the prepared traveler award which I'm assuming would break the "Only one trip to France rule" as it would allow you to stay 6 days instead of 3.

[Metropolis Man]

You're in jmz. The Prepared Traveler reward is a big part of the initial strategy for this event. It's something everyone is going to have to wrestle with and taking it doesn't break any rules. There's benefits to taking it, but it also means delaying your trip to France to get the 10k points. So, it's a key decision.

[ik]

do we have to decide if we want to join before the 22nd, or just before we start playing? this sounds very interesting, but i would rather not commit myself to it before i know how long i need to finish the perfectly happy challenge.

[wildredchild]

"Throws hat in the ring"  Count me in!!!!

[Metropolis Man]

do we have to decide if we want to join before the 22nd, or just before we start playing?

One of the new requirements I'm requiring for forum challenges is that players need to say "I'm in." It's good sportsmanship and keeps everyone on the up and up. You can start whenever you want , but what that avoids is someone lurking and then just making one post with their results. To me that's poor sportsmanship and sneaky.

"Throws hat in the ring"  Count me in!!!!

Gotcha, red.

[HelenP]

I'm in although, like simfulicious, I haven't tried nectar making yet 

You are allowed a single trip to France.

Are you allowed trips to the other countries as long as you only go to France once?

[Metropolis Man]

You are allowed a single trip to France.

Are you allowed trips to the other countries as long as you only go to France once?

Ah, excellent question. Yeah, I think I'll have to ban that option because one could easily exploit that and make a lot of money doing adventures/exploring to prepare for the trip to France. Nice one, Helen. Thanks.

[HelenP]

You are allowed a single trip to France.

Are you allowed trips to the other countries as long as you only go to France once?

Ah, excellent question. Yeah, I think I'll have to ban that option because one could easily exploit that and make a lot of money doing adventures/exploring to prepare for the trip to France. Nice one, Helen. Thanks.

I'm not sure, because I've not finished playing Perfectly Happy yet, but will this mean that 2 grape varieties are unavailable and will this make a difference?  I'm only aware of one place in France where they are available and as far as I know a trip to another country is vital for acquiring them.  Sorry if this sounds a bit vague but I'm trying not to give away too many hints for those of us who are still playing PH challenge.

[Metropolis Man]

I'm not sure, because I've not finished playing Perfectly Happy yet, but will this mean that 2 grape varieties are unavailable and will this make a difference?  I'm only aware of one place in France where they are available and as far as I know a trip to another country is vital for acquiring them.  Sorry if this sounds a bit vague but I'm trying not to give away too many hints for those of us who are still playing PH challenge.

No, I think China's cherries are the only plant you can't attain in France. France has basically anything you would need for this challenge. Your strategy in this is not coming up with lots of varieties/combinations of nectar. It's discovering the most valuable one (read, read, read the articles) and driving that into the ground.

[HelenP]

cool, thanks Metro.

PS Don't forget to put me on the Leaderboard 

[The Illuminator]

Sorry, I accidentally deleted my post... Good luck everyone!

[samoht04]

I'll give it a go!

1. How long can we go to France for?
2. If we get 40000 can we use Collection Helper?
3. Do both sims have to max both skills? Do they even have to max skills? Well we pron will if i can but do they have to and do we get extra points?

[Metropolis Man]

Ill give it a go!

1. How long can we go to france for?

I intentionally did not put a limit on the vacation to bring more strategy into it.

2. If we get 40000 can we use Collection Helper?

Of course.

3. DO both sims have to max both skills? Do they even have to max skills? Well we pron will if i can but do they have to and do we get extra points?

If their were any kind of skill restrictions/requirements, they'd be in the rules.

[mordana666]

Ready, willing, and almost unable to contain myself! Add me to the board please Metropolis Man. I've always fancied going up against a Greek God 

[Metropolis Man]

Ready, willing, and almost unable to contain myself! Add me to the board please Metropolis Man. I've always fancied going up against a Greek God 

You're in. And you better bring your A game because I'm telling Zeus and Hera what to do in this one. 

[kat]

Metro, I LOVE the whole Greek God theme, and I am definitely in. Still haven't finished the Perfectly Happy challenge yet, so will probably be a bit behind everyone else in starting.

[Metropolis Man]

Okay, kat, good luck luck in this one whenever you get to it. I'll be having Zeus and Hera kick off next Friday when the flag goes down, but I'll be taking this one slower than I typically do. It's not that this one is that complicated. But, there's a million things to really line up and do properly to get the two Sims into a well-oiled machine-like state.

[mordana666]

Metropolis Man, please could you answer the following questions for clarification please.  Is it just the value of the nectar which is counted? Or is it the value of the lot after the nectar is sold? Also, on a trip to France I once dug up some nectar whilst excavating - does the nectar sold have to have been actually made by one of the two starting out sims? Also is use of the cabinet prohibited - you know the one which makes crystal skulls - because you can transform gems and metals into some extremely expensive bottles of wine! I've seen tens of thousands of simoleans for a single bottle quoted on the Sims 3 Forum. Sorry for so many questions, but best to ask first.

[Metropolis Man]

Is it just the value of the nectar which is counted? Or is it the value of the lot after the nectar is sold?

Value of the lot? How did you think that was in the picture? No, it's just the value of nectar sold which is listed in your Skill Journal.

Also, on a trip to France I once dug up some nectar whilst excavating - does the nectar sold have to have been actually made by one of the two starting out sims? Also is use of the cabinet prohibited - you know the one which makes crystal skulls - because you can transform gems and metals into some extremely expensive bottles of wine! I've seen tens of thousands of simoleans for a single bottle quoted on the Sims 3 Forum. Sorry for so many questions, but best to ask first.

Good questions. And this is stuff I had not thought of. Doesn't surprise me since I really haven't touched the excavating and transmutation aspects of the game yet. Well, my feeling is it's a Nectar-Making tourney, it doesn't fit in with the theme of anyone selling nectar they find, or selling something that pops out of the transmutation thing-a-ma-bob. Thanks, mordana. I'll edit the rules.

[mordana666]

Yay, it's listed in the skill journal! I didn't realise, and had visions of having to use a calculator or something. Happy obviously never got round to selling any of the nectar she made - she was far too busy drinking it! Just to say I wouldn't have used the cabinet thingy - it's a loophole, and somehow I don't like loopholes.

[Metropolis Man]

Just to say I wouldn't have used the cabinet thingy - it's a loophole, and somehow I don't like loopholes.

I'm just so glad you mentioned it because I wouldn't have even thought of it in a million years.