Charmander Sims

Well hello there Mr Boring... I mean Julien Cooke. I even toyed with making him a plantsim just to add a bit of excitement, but it wasn't to be. Such a shame.

Seriously, this was his entire first day. Skilling, then gardening, then more skilling, then work, then gardening and so on.

Building friendships is a bit more interesting.

While this is the oh-so-riveting content you're obviously all here for.

I had to get him to do something fun.

Success.

They move fast.

So on the one hand, Julien's in love and they had a good time. On the other hand...

They've got no bolts, and that love thing? Not mutual. Not even besties.

So it's back to the garden.

Despite my misgivings, Julien's wants panel is firm, so David is invited back over.

This really sums it up! Julien is head over heels, and David just wanted a booty call.

That is where we leave him. Whether or not these two can go the distance I have no idea. But at least Julien got one promotion closer to the level 10 culinary we need to help unlock one of the subhoods, although I can't even remember which one!

Yet another Fraps fail for the Kim round. I'm sorry. What fraps didn't show you was some birthdays for Justin and Cosmo, as well as the birth of little baby Galaxar. Sci-Fi name for a sci-fi baby, only seems fair.

Justin grew up into a popularity sim who wants to be super influential. Note that it's halfway through the season on the little dial, which means half a round gone! Thanks fraps. He had a great party, because Cynthia and her party power will never let me down.

So far he's quite fond of Ginger, so we'll have to see if anything happens there.

Excuse the walls down, but it's time for little Galaxar to grow up!

A cutie. Cynthia celebrated by running off with Robert immediately when Galaxar became a toddler, so she's now pregnant again, but this time Robert is the dad, not a pollination technician.

Robert is not the slightest bit bothered that the newest Kim isn't biologically related to him at all. He's a devoted dad to the little green addition to the family.

(Part one showed Trent continuing to be an idiot, yet continuing to get away with it. Trisha remained a boss babe while Tina grew up and heartfarted Gavin Newson).

Mary was a walkby and I thought another marriage was about to go up in flames. Oddly enough though, nothing happened.

Cute faces from Tina when she finally asked Gavin on that date.

Generic teen cuteness.

<3 <3 <3

Mary comes back and is significantly less cute. That face doesn't fool me Mary, I know your game.

Once Mary has gone home, Trent studies physiology and begins trying to maximise his body skill. He's not losing a fight to Nathan again!

Cyd and Porthos visiting means Porthos can meet one of his puppies, not that she's a puppy anymore though!

Trent starts us off by showing he has absoloutely no intention of changing his ways. Delightful.

At least someone in this family is competent.

I swear half this town is obsessed with grilled cheese.

The rest of the household is just obsessed with football.

It's surprising to see Nathan here after all that happened last round...

This? Not surprising.

Poor Tina.

Trent this actually needs to stop.

Samantha is more receptive than I'd expected.

Hang on, why is Nathan here again?

Oh that's why.

They have another fight after Nathan runs home and comes back to kick the bin over - leading us to 5/5 fights. One step closer to Veronaville.

Samantha comes over for that date, but she rejects anything beyond flirting. Guess she just wanted to feel noticed.

Trisha continues to excel.

And it's time for Tina to grow up!

She's a family/knowledge sim with a LTW that could take her in any direction.

Trent spent the entire party passed out from heat exhaustion on his bedroom floor, which I'm going to say is some kind of karma.

Tina finds herself drawn to Gavin Newson.

But Gavin is not impressing her best friend Bianca.

A wholesome start to the week.

Less wholesome, and now Priya is pregnant again already. As far as her round goes, it's been less than 12 hours since she gave birth.

Fatherhood seems easy now Sanjay, but just you wait.

Told you so.

They might be about to have two under two, but that won't stop the Ramaswami's from being the best party house. Little Rayah deserves a birthday bash.

Apparently birthday's are good for relationship mending? Which is actually rude as I needed that to unlock Veronaville. Although I might say I've already unlocked two enemies? I don't have to decide right now, it's fine.

When the party ends and the sun rises, Rayah gets started on those all-important toddler skills.

What a superstar!

And it's baby time!

Welcome to the Uberhood Rani Ramaswami!

We left part one with David getting a demotion but...

this will put a spring in his step and get him closer to his goal of being an overachiever.

Dora then polishes off the bottle - I want her around for as long as possible!

David and Julien start to bond over being the only gay men in Viper Canyon. I hope they get on, it'll be a bit awkward if they don't.

This version of Samantha is the furthest from a family sim I've ever seen her.

FIRE!

Luckily the rain puts it out pretty quickly.

This is where I discovered that I've installed the hobby hood wrong - so it's all big empty lots. Guess David isn't going to do much socialising there then!

<3

Well done Dora!

And this is why David drank that elixir! Last day of teenagehood and he's done it! Overachiever complete!

He then immediately grew up right there on the pavement. So classy.

And David has a quick makeover to end the round. It's been a very David-centred update, but considering how many people are in this family, they all need a turn to indulge in the spotlight.

I don't know why I took this screenshot, but I did, so let's start with that.

Peter needs more family friends for his next promotion, so that's his top priority at the moment.

Terrible screenshot to show that David is doing really well.

It's Sharla's birthday!

Welcome to teenage life Sharla.

Some shiny new stats...

And a fresh teenage makeover. Just ignore the stinky bottles in the background okay.

"Can you believe that we met an hour ago and I was a child, and now we're both teenagers and future besties? So wild."

The next day in the same bedroom, Tommy befriends Gabriella Newson. The Ottomas clan always have guests over - it's a big, happy, friendly house.

Alien-faced grocery delivery! I've forgotten her name, but I love her.

Dora and Samantha meanwhile love groceries too much to put outside clothes on.

Wholesome family moments <3

All hands on deck with these skills!

Not quite sure how, but David had a million aspiration points, so we got some rewards. He's earned them.

a) Hollie is cute and b) That re-nu-yu you can see is going to give David a little longer to be a teenager. Again, I think he's earned it.

I do love the violin faces.

Happy birthday Hollie!

Poor David. He worked so hard, and I failed his chance card.

Wait what?

It's a new premade household and I am astounded.

How after all my years of this game am I learning about an extra premade right now?

Three guesses who I am off to download and add to the Uberhood...

We started the round with Tara buying a little shop, starting to run it, and the birth of baby Harrison.

Hiring a nanny enabled Leaf to get a promotion, not that he looks particularly happy about it.

Tara starts teaching Harrison to walk.

The difference in how stressful it is teaching Harrison his skills vs the Newson twins is unreal. He is a little dream.

Even if he is a little grumpy.

All skills learnt and he's not even finished his first full day of toddlerhood. An actual dream.

Back at the shop, there are so few potential shoppers that even NPC cashier Absinthe Dirge comes to investigate. She's so cool, I'm gonna have to marry her in at some point.

The shop is doing well, now on rank two and Tara is climbing through the badges.

But where is Mary?

Oh.

Guess Mary isn't built for retail.

Mary's outburst has had a little consequence for the daily profit margin, but business is still going well and Tara's the first sim in town to earn 10k.

More kittens! Faline is the mum, and James (one of Mickey and Samantha's kittens) is the dad.

One boy and one girl (like every pet birth so far), and they are very cute.

Harrison misses being the youngest.

But he still gets cuddles on demand.

I start the round by double-checking that the kiss from Cyd's round didn't have any major consequences in Tara's relationship. Luckily, coast is clear.

I love Leaf's phone faces.

What Leaf was doing was investigating the price of Tara's new shop. They only just can't afford it, but they are only 600 simoleons short so if all goes well, Tara can buy it tomorrow.

Tara already wants to get to work so it shouldn't be long. (And yes, she's a criminal, it's unexpected and we love it.)

Even with Faline not pulling her weight, that's more than enough to buy the shop!

Leaf and I are both so proud.

And she's done it!

Let's go and check it out.

This is the lot, it's fairly basic because I am not a builder, and it was originally a maxis house that I repurposed. It'll do nicely for her little cat shop.

Leaf tags along to be cashier for the first day of business, and once baby is born Tara will hire somebody so he can stay at home.

First customer is Julien Cooke.

Tara somehow convinces him to buy a birdcage, although where that will fit in his tiny house I have no idea.

First day at the shop is a success. Leaf gets stinky so they head home, after making a nice little profit.

A baby may be on the way, but the cats will always be her babies.

And speaking of a baby...

It's a boy! Welcome Harrison Kat. You also may be able to see that he's inherited infant facial features from his dad Leaf, which is very exciting. He has Leaf's skin and hair but Tara's eyes, and I'm guessing Tara's nose and eye shape but we'll find out for sure when he grows up.

Proud mama.

Angry baby.

With Leaf staying behind to babysit, Tara is going to need a new cashier. She decides on Mary Gavigan, who is about to enter single parenthood and probably needs the money.

The shop even has a mailbox because I forgot to delete it.

A new sim we've not seen before? Must be the reviewer, it's only the second day the shop's been open so hopefully they'll be kind.

Tara becomes best friends with Cyd while selling a pet house to a garden club townie.

Definitely the reviewer, but she left without leaving a review? What even is this.

Restock faces are cute <3

Tara makes it home in time for Harrison's birthday.

And Leaf hires a nanny so they can both keep their daytime jobs. She's more interested in the cats than in Harrison though.

So round two is a go! Order of families/rotations will be the same, but between rounds there have been a couple of tiny changes to the hood (which I imagine only I will notice).

These changes are extra neighbourhood deco, and some new community lots. A new H&M has been built, we've got The Golden Rattlesnake by @katatty as a new nightlife venue, and (potentially most relevant for the story) I gave up on Tara owning Pepe's Pets and built her a brand new pet shop for a fraction of the cost.

I'm sure there were other new additions to the community lots as well, but I can't think of them now. If any get any visitors I'll have to mention it then.

So at the end of round 1, we haven't unlocked any other districts (not surprising), but we did come closer than I expected. We also destroyed one marriage, welcomed 4 new puppies, 2 new kittens, and 3 new baby girls. Let's have a look at the progress so far:

Unlocking Pleasantview - X

Unlocking Strangetown - 1/3 abductions

Unlocking Veronaville - 2 enemies achieved, 2/5 fights

Unlocking Bluewater - X

Unlocking Downtown - X

Unlocking Desiderata - X

Unlocking Belladonna Cove - X

Unlocking Riverblossom Hills - X

Unlocking Sim State - X

Unlocking Academie La Tour - 2/3 entrants into private school

Unlocking La Fiesta Tech - X

Unlocking Twikki Island - X

Unlocking Three Lakes - X

Unlocking Takemizu Village - X

Unlocking Widespot - Got caught cheating

We have a long way to go, but after three more fights we'll have 2/5 of the Veronaville goals done so that might be where I start to focus. Espescially as the remaining three are all career goals, and all those careers have a sim in them anyway.