House Hunters: Movin' On Up!

[Metropolis Man]

Hmm interesting, were you in Riverview or Sunset Valley? Not that it should make a difference. I'll have to do some more testing but the one time I tried it, it let me do it. So there are no rule restrictions to the frequency then, you can move as often as the game lets you?

I actually don't remember if it was RV or SV because I've done testing in both places. But, yeah, no restrictions on how often you can move.

[AriaGirl77]

Ok, I'm actually doing some testing before I start this one.  SURPRISE!

My question is, can you replace things after a fire?

[Schipperke]

And the Collection Helper is fine since it's not a career reward.

What if we have a Food Replicator?  Can we take it along when we move?  Please?

[Edit:  Corrected quote tags.  -Pam]

[Metropolis Man]

Ok, I'm actually doing some testing before I start this one.  SURPRISE!

My question is, can you replace things after a fire?

Nope. Ditto for anything a burglar steals.

What if we have a Food Replicator?  Can we take it along when we move?  Please?

Yes. That's not an object you bought from the Buy screen so taking it is fine.

[Schipperke]

Yes. That's not an object you bought from the Buy screen so taking it is fine.

Yay!!

[Edit:  Corrected quote tags.  -Pam]

[Metropolis Man]

Yes. That's not an object you bought from the Buy screen so taking it is fine.

Yay!!

I did need to twist Pam's arm a bit on that one. She wanted me to make sure to clarify in the rule that any kitchen with a replicator still needs to be unchanged, so basically you have to make sure there's an open spot for it. So, I clarified that rule.

[AriaGirl77]

Alright, this just happened in my test, a burglar took something from my house.  Now my house is worth less.  Then I went into my next move screen, and of course some of the houses I've already lived in are now worth more than my current house.  Does that mean I can move into a house I've already lived in once?  

[Metropolis Man]

Alright, this just happened in my test, a burlger took something from my house.  Now my house is worth less.  Then I went into my next move screen, and of course some of the houses I've already lived in are now worth more than my current house.  Does that mean I can move into a house I've already lived in once? 

That's fine. As long as each succeeding move means you're moving up in value, then you're fine.

[Pam]

I just want to say thanks to everyone for all the questions.  It's really helping us tweak these rules so that everything is clear. 

[Metropolis Man]

Speaking of tweaking the rules, Pam, the more I think about the ONE object rule, the more it's making me uncomfortable because it's going to force players to choose between burglar alarms and something that will actually help their score and add value. Or they can just take a huge risk and not buy an alarm if they want to go guitar, painting, etc. So, I don't know. It's just not sitting well with me now. Two objects per move would still be tough—the entire "play the house as is" doesn't have to change. But, if there were two objects allowed per house I think it would avoid a lot of frustration and give players more flexibility. They can still roll the dice and not buy an alarm, but if someone can buy 2 objects at least the alarm isn't an "either-or" kind of thing.

I had something similar happen to me in a test run that happened to AriaGirl—a burglar came and swiped the toilet. That can be a game breaker if you don't have Steel Bladder because then your Sims would be forced to use public facilities.

[Wova4]

If we're talking about maximizing score, then having something stolen might actually be beneficial, provided it doesn't deprive your sims of something essential.

[Wova4]

Sorry for the double post.

After a discussion in PM, I wanted to add I understand that placing collected items or items purchased from the grocery/bookstore/etc on the lot counts as modifying the lot.  I.E., no use of found rocks or butterflies or books to affect the lot value at sale time.

[MirandaX]

Please sign me up for this.  Back in my troubled youth I moved from Madison, WI to San Francisco to Kansas City back to Madison all within 7 years, so this ought to be no problem!   

[Pam]

Speaking of tweaking the rules, Pam, the more I think about the ONE object rule, the more it's making me uncomfortable because it's going to force players to choose between burglar alarms and something that will actually help their score and add value. Or they can just take a huge risk and not buy an alarm if they want to go guitar, painting, etc. So, I don't know. It's just not sitting well with me now. Two objects per move would still be tough—the entire "play the house as is" doesn't have to change. But, if there were two objects allowed per house I think it would avoid a lot of frustration and give players more flexibility. They can still roll the dice and not buy an alarm, but if someone can buy 2 objects at least the alarm isn't an "either-or" kind of thing.

I had something similar happen to me in a test run that happened to AriaGirl—a burglar came and swiped the toilet. That can be a game breaker if you don't have Steel Bladder because then your Sims would be forced to use public facilities.

The idea is that the players can't have it all.  They have to choose which ONE THING is most important.  Living in a house "as is" means that sometimes you don't have a burglar alarm.  If you get robbed, you deal with it.  Living without an alarm isn't the end of the world, you know.  And how is using public facilities a game breaker?  It's only until Steel Bladder is purchased or the next house is purchased.  Worse case scenario is your Sim wets himself and needs a shower.

The purpose of the one object isn't just to add value to the house.  In the early stages of the game, the one object may be the thing that's needed to earn money, like an easel, a guitar, or a computer.  Later in the game, there will be houses that already have those things in place and they won't need to be purchased.  Players will have to think about what they're going to do while living in a particular house.  It may well change to something else in the next house.

I know there are many hard competitors here who look intensely at the endgame and score, but in this case, you'll actually have to play and live the game.  You know...  get robbed and wet yourself. 

[AriaGirl77]

I have no problem with the one item rule.  It makes it more of a challenge I think to do without something that would normally be bought.  With my test couple, they just had a baby, yikes!  So I had to move to the next house in order to buy a crib, and now that the kid is a toddler I have to choose between a crib or a potty seat, and forget about toys!  I'm thinking when I start this challenge for real I'm either not going to have kids or wait until I move into a house that already has a kid's room!

When the burglar visited my house he took the bath tub.  Thankfully I was able to afford to move to the next house, since the theft also decreased my home's value so I was able to move into the house I lived in previously.  Living without an alarm is no biggie, just makes things a bit more interesting.

[NancyJ]

I'm ok with the 1 object rule. IMO, you don't *need* an easel or a guitar, that something each player has to decide on for themselves. With the guitar, that's something you'd only need to buy once, since it can go in your person inventory but the easel you'd have to buy every time if that was the route you wanted to go.... and speaking of which - paintings your sims paints - can they go on the walls or do you have to sell them?

[Pam]

Just because a guitar is portable doesn't mean it can go with you when you move.  If it's the one item you purchase, it has to stay with the house.  Same with the portable stereo.  It's portable, but it has to stay.  Unless Metro wants to negotiate this rule, it stands as I've stated.

Nancy, you can remove that part of your comment about the burglar alarm since you already know it's nudging too close to strategy.

[NancyJ]

Just because a guitar is portable doesn't mean it can go with you when you move.  If it's the one item you purchase, it has to stay with the house. 

Good point - I think I got confused because of the food replicator thing but of course that isn't your 1 purchasable.  Probably worth bringing up anyway - to remind people to check their sims pockets for purchasable items they might have picked up, don't forget to put it back in the house before you move.

[Pam]

Good point - I think I got confused because of the food replicator thing but of course that isn't your 1 purchasable.  Probably worth bringing up anyway - to remind people to check their sims pockets for purchasable items they might have picked up, don't forget to put it back in the house before you move.

Right, the food replicator is bought with happiness points, so it's a different situation.

[Delgar]

I don't have a problem with the one object per house.

Having started multiple legacies, it can be a real challenge not having a toilet or shower or both. But doable.

Not having a bed could be game breaking.

But it seems like getting robbed or having a house fire could actually be an advantage allowing you to move multiple times into the same homes.

Maybe there needs to be a rule that you can't live in the same house twice?

Edit: On second thought eventually the house will have lost enough stuff to not be livable.

[Metropolis Man]

Okay, I'm sold everyone. One object is it and will remain that way. (fingers crossed for no burglars!!)  

Maybe there needs to be a rule that you can't live in the same house twice?

That does make a lot of sense to me. Going back and forth intentionally could basically be viewed as an exploit to jack up score, so this might be a simple way to prevent that.

[Delgar]

Now that I've thought about it more, not being able to move into the same house more than once really fits in with the spirit of the competetion as well.

[Metropolis Man]

Now that I've thought about it more, not being able to move into the same house more than once really fits in with the spirit of the competetion as well.

Agreed. I went ahead and made the edit:

You may not move into the same house more than once.

The rules are getting longer and longer by the hour!  

In my own testing I found a pretty simple solution to handle potential burglars. Hopefully it will play out correctly for the real deal.

[NancyJ]

Does gardening count as modifying the lot?

[Delgar]

These are probably dumb questions.

What about paintings painted by your sims? It's not purchased but I'm assuming your not allowed to place them on walls, as this could severly affect the value of your lot WAY more than any other skill.

The final value you count at day 50 is just the value of the home? Not any cash on hand correct?