House Hunters: Movin' On Up!

[Metropolis Man]

Hi pumpk1n, welcome to the forums and good luck in the challenge.

[HelenP]

Cool, now to do some research.  Thanks Metro

[dannyr783]

You need to put the patrol car back in your inventory any time it shows up on the lot, especially when you are ready to move.  It cannot be on the lot to count toward the value of the lot.

I'm not sure that this matters, with the police car being worth $0

Anyway, I am not very interested in this challenge, seems repetitive/luck based. Can't wait till the collector's challenge though, I am an expert in that field!

[Edited to correct quote. Please use Preview before posting to make sure your post looks the way you want.  -Pam]

[AriaGirl77]

I just finished!  Very fun overall, although I did get bored staying in the same house towards the end when I had no where else to move.

My score was $884,187

[Pam]

I'm not sure that this matters, with the police car being worth $0

Anyway, I am not very interested in this challenge, seems repetitive/luck based. Can't wait till the collector's challenge though, I am an expert in that field!

It doesn't matter. The police car still needs to be off the lot. You're missing out on a great challenge, by the way! It's fun.

[NancyJ]

Just an idea for addition to the rules - with Ambitions coming out during this challenge would it be wise to specify anyone wanting to compete in this challenge submit their score before installing ambitions - just so that everyone is on a level playing field. It sounds like the expansion will create significant changes to the gameplay - in particular I'm concerned that the architect career could alter the value of the stock houses/add houses.

[Metropolis Man]

Not a bad idea, Nancy. I'll think about it. The fact remains that you cannot alter anything on a lot, so I find it hard to believe that just being an architect is going to make a difference. I would assume you'd actually have to do something to your home—which again, is out of the question anyway.

[NancyJ]

Looks like the marketing blurb is different for the US copy but the UK one says:

Your Sim’s on-the-job choices now change their town and affect other Sims as well. Modify the town’s structure as an architect or set neighborhood fashions as a stylist.

Obviously, we don't yet know what that will involve but it does seem to imply that the town lots will be changed by choices you make in your job as an architect.

[Metropolis Man]

Looks like the marketing blurb is different for the US copy but the UK one says:

Your Sim’s on-the-job choices now change their town and affect other Sims as well. Modify the town’s structure as an architect or set neighborhood fashions as a stylist.

Obviously, we don't yet know what that will involve but it does seem to imply that the town lots will be changed by choices you make in your job as an architect.

I sent Pam a PM on this matter earlier to get her impression. I've seen that copy above too. And honestly I don't think that has anything to do with potential house value. It's probably more of changing community lots/style, etc. And we're covered there as well—you can't change community lots in this event either. So, if a player has Ambitions installed for this event and has the potential to change value via work choices—they can't do it because of rules already in place.

[Pam]

I don't think Ambitions will have an impact on this challenge at all.  First of all, there's a new town in Ambitions and it could be that's the only town we can play for that EP.  Secondly, if we do get the ability to modify Sunset Valley or Riverview by using the new careers, simply don't do it.  You can't use your challenge file for anything except this challenge anyway.  Aside from these two non-issues, what am I missing that could cause problems?

[Metropolis Man]

I don't think Ambitions will have an impact on this challenge at all.  First of all, there's a new town in Ambitions and it could be that's the only town we can play for that EP.

Wow. That's interesting and that fact completely went right over my head if I had read that earlier. I've always been under the impression that this was simply adding more content to Sunset Valley. Interesting. If that's the case where if you want to play Ambitions stuff you can only go to this new neighborhood I wonder how they'll implement that? I guess there would have to be something right at the create a new game screen directing you where to go...which neighborhood you would start a new file in.

[NancyJ]

what am I missing that could cause problems?

...we don't know and that's kinda my point, until it comes out we wont know what affect it might have on this challenge. If someone who hasn't finished (or started) yet, installs the expansion and then discovers that it has changed something that will affect the challenge then its too late and I'm not sure you can uninstall individual expansions, I think you'd have to uninstall the whole game and reinstall it all from scratch. I was also hoping the town changes from work weren't going to be as simple as 'Would you like to paint all the houses pink? Yes/No'. I was under the impression that it would be more organic than that.

[Pam]

First, you can uninstall individual packs in Sims 3.  You'd be able to uninstall just Ambitions without touching anything else.

Second, because there's a whole new town involved, I really don't think Sunset Valley and Riverview will be affected.  It would take a lot more programming than what's involved in an Expansion Pack to integrate the new careers into existing towns.  They'd have to re-write the entire Sims 3 game to make such a major change. 

Third, as I already said, if it turns out that you can play Ambitions in Riverview or Sunset Valley, the rules of the challenge forbid you from playing another family in that same game file, so whatever an architect may or may not able to do to a town will be a moot point because you won't be able to play an architect in your challenge file at all.

Granted, this is all speculation, but there's nothing else we can do right now except speculate.  Until the game is launched we won't know anything for sure.  No need to mess with the rules now when nothing is certain, unless Metro feels otherwise.

[NancyJ]

You wont be able to play a new family in the same town but there is nothing in the rules forbidding playing any of the new careers (architect or otherwise) in your challenge file with your challenge family. We, as yet, have no idea what these town changes will be or how your character will achieve them and more importantly how much active choice you'll have in the matter.

[Pam]

Nancy,

I believe that Metro and I have made it clear that there's no point in making any changes to the rules until Ambitions is released and we know exactly what we're dealing with.  In case this hasn't been made clear to you, let me do so right now:  It's premature to change the rules of this challenge to anticipate what may or may not happen with the new expansion pack.  We'll make any decisions at such time as we have definite info. 

[Metropolis Man]

This is a heads up to everyone (not just Nancy) — the whole issue of how Ambitions will potentially impact current challenges is pure speculation and simply does not need to be discussed anymore. If something does present itself it will be handled quickly and professionally. But, please do not discuss this anymore in this thread. Ignoring my request will result in a consequence. If you simply can't keep your mouth shut, then PM me on the issue. Thanks.

[tosho]

I'm in for this one, too. Please sign me up! Thanks.

[NancyJ]

My final score: $1,436,462

In the end the Alto place wasn't the most valuable - when they moved out they took the car!

Something for others to look out for - when I was at Villa Alto I had a visitor and all of a sudden my carefully calculated numbers didn't add up because Agnes Crumplebottom parked her fancy car on the lot and it added to the value (I was just about to move to Lone Wolffe and all of a sudden my lot was worth nearly 100k more making the move invalid)

[AriaGirl77]

Yeah, recently in another game, I had a party guest die and leave their expensive car in my driveway.  I couldn't access it, neither of my sims could drive it, but it never went away either.  I ended up having to use the moveobjects on cheat to sell it just so they'd have room for their own car.  This added a nice chunk to my cash, but that wasn't really what I intended I just wanted to get it out of my driveway!

[NancyJ]

Heh, I had party guests die in Political Traiter, talk about a mood killer but none of them had cars They were mostly maids and repairmen though so its be expected

[GrowerGirl]

That happened as well in one of my tests. I invited Nick Alto over and my girl's, lifetime wish was be worth 100,000, all the sudden i heard the music and it was achieved. I'd never done that wish before, so I was kind of upset I didn't get to do it myself.

[Edited for punctuation.  -Pam]

[curlybennett]

Count me in!

[Metropolis Man]

Hi curleybennett. Welcome to the forums and good luck in the challenge.

[simfulicious]

Alright, I just can't stay away from this challenge, so please count me in!

[Twinmum]

Well I may as well jump in to this challenge too... not that I need pushing lol. I've had enough time away from my beloved sims, I need to get back in and play some. And challenges are good because they keep me from reinstalling mods (I'm becoming quite good at getting things done without them now )

Just so I'm clear on scoring, it's the total of what you sell all your houses for, not your total worth at the end of the challenge?

Norma