Dunne&Ias' Sims 2 Stuff

I decided this is going to be the last card.

Like, this is fun and all, but a lot of the cards are now becoming things I'd rather actually play in the game, you know? People arrive, people leave etc.

But I'm going to do this last card, and I'm going with the second one.

Reeds grow all over the island, and can be used to weave baskets. This is not going to be someone's job (at least not right now) because it was a bit unbalanced in terms of effort/reward in my playtest, but it was a fun crafting station so I'm keeping it for anyone who wants a hobby. They're only allowed to make one item for their own use every season though.

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So what I'm going to do is to draw a card from The Quiet Year at the beginning of each season to see if that can inject some chaos into the hood. Maybe eventually I'll have used them all.

It's a shame I never got to the end of Winter though. King of winter means The Frost Shepherds arrive and the game ends. But I'm getting bored doing this by myself and I'd much rather build houses, roll the last sims and make the families and you know, play.

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I'm also going to draw a tarot card for each household and use that as a sort of ROS-generator.

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We're going to focus on getting everyone to safety.

The natural disaster is gonna have to be a tsunami. People survive but a hard period follows, where everyone lives extra close together and it takes them some time to rebuild.

After careful consideration, I'm going to remove "health" as an abundance. I'm therefore going to install some mods that would affect the health and survival rate of my sims. I'm not making health a scarcity (at least not yet).

Our project to figure out that ashes from the coccoon boiler can make lye for soap has failed. Now everyone has to be unclean. I guess that's why everyone got sick.

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New project: Will we be able to build and expand however we want? Who can become an architect? 3 weeks.

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Ongoing projects:

The fishing hut on Beacon Rock is complete. Man, beach lots are fucking fiddly.

Here lives Paul Fisher, a very recent widow and widely known as the most handsome man around. Paul is the fisherman, and a knowledge sim who'd like to get into wood working when he time to spare (which is hardly ever). Their home has three bedrooms and is very sparsely furnished because it's all they can afford right now.

He lives here with his only surviving child, his daughter Marianne. Marianne is a romance sim and while her future has her slated for more fishing, she dreams of becoming a fashion merchant instead.

Currently:

Deco/Statues: 16 expanded "pages" of content

Deco/Misc: 13 expanded "pages" of content

Going with the weakest.

Paul Fisher used to be a soldier. He was a massive oak tree of a man, and much admired by the other youths when he was young. He went off to fight in the king's war and was gone for a long time.

When he came back, he'd brought a wife. A little wisp of a thing, beautiful but sickly. Her name was Anne, because of course it was. Anne moved as if she floated on air, she probably talked for faeries and spoke in a tiny little voice.

She was well-loved but she had the kind mind that made people say "oh, honey" whenever she spoke.

They only had one child, early on, a daughter named Marianne, and then a series of miscarriages.

One day, Anne died. There was something in the family's well, and they were all sick, but Paul and Marianne pulled through. Anne did not.

What had happened to the water in the well? It turned out to be a vicious prank. Some children who, they said, didn't know what they were doing. They said. (They'd also heard rumours about a witch. They hadn't heard it was Elizabeth McCleary. They assumed it would be Anne, so strange, so weird, so other-worldly.)

No one was punished for the death of Anne. They dug a new well and barred the old one up. Salt water was blamed; they did live by the sea after all.

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New Project:

James Weaver, while still missing his sheep, has embraced the silk business whole-heartedly, but keeps noticing that they end up with ashes they don't have any use for.

We're starting a project to see if there's anything they can make from the ashes that is useful.

It will take four weeks.

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Oh yay!

There's only one project currently, and it's the dog one, so it gets to finish early.

The person they sent to inquire about dog breeding has sent word back! They're really excited! There were several breeds to choose from on the main land, but they've managed to find a good breeder who has given them a deal. Won't Mr Pelehan be happy to hear of money saved?

In fact, they're already on their way home. They're bringing four dogs, two of each breed, and they'll be on the next ship.

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Two of these dogs will go to the Weaver family, and two will go to the McClearys.

Adult dogs need to be trained in at least two skills before they're allowed to be bred.

A family who have a guard dog are allowed lifestock on Forest Hill, to protect against the wild wolves.

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New project:

Someone has noticed there are tall reeds growing all over the islands. What could they be used for? This project will take three weeks.

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Look, I'm not letting the dog project fail. I want dogs. There should always be dogs.

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It was late one night when Elizabeth McCleary, the book merchant and suspected witch, was walking home from a friend. Suddenly there was a knife at her back and a hand on her purse strap.

It happened so quickly. Elizabeth wasn't hurt. But it seemed that the community had itself a new criminal. A few days later, Tor Ellsworth was robbed as well. And then, Jeffrey Miller.

Who was the criminal, the wolf among the sheep?

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I keep track of burglaries. After three break-ins, someone gets the criminal career job. This person has to be of farmer class or lower. After that, it's one criminal per 150 population.

Law enforcement doesn't become available until there are 5 criminals though, so there'll be quite the crime spree going on for a while there.

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Ongoing projects:

Autumn is here and with it, harder challenges.

Adding new scarcities is always fun though.

What should it be?

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Ongoing projects:

Okay, so I renamed a bunch of islands. I also renamed the hood itself to Arbor Straits. I figure those areas of water between the island should be shallow enough to count as straits.

Unnamed town center island is now Macellum Heights. There are SOME heights, I promise. They're just not very high.

Golden Island is now Haybale Bay

Lighthouse Island is now Beacon Rock

Also placed on the map are where I have either built or imagine I'll build everyone's home.

I actually think I know all the families now, and at least one family member, but for all I know the cards are gonna throw me a curve ball soon so I'm not finalizing the families OR their homes until I know for sure.

The summer month in the game is over now, so it's time to summarize a bit.

The following sims have been added to the neighbourhood since spring

Odgen Miller, an old man who has gone into servitude to pay for a crime he committed in his youth

Jeffrey Miller, his son who has taken over the farm that provides most of the food for the island

Melva Smith, the wife of Ridley Smith and the town's healer with her wonderful soup

Meaghan Carpenter, daughter of recently deceased island carpenter Cameron.

Andreas Cedar, lumberjack and that's okay

Paul Fisher, a fisherman

Tor and Clarity Ellsworth, newly moved in flower merchants and their three sons Devin, Sven and Johan.

Also I suppose, Arienne Pelehan, who has moved away and won't exist but a kid of hers might pop up some day.

Currently the following resources are in abundance: Lumber, iron, silk, health, suspicion and food.

The following resources are in scarcity: outside connections, education (but a school is in the process of being built), technology, equality, democracy and lifestock.

Autumn is approaching so I'm over half-way and my fingers are itching to roll the rest of the families and build their houses, but I'm exercising patience that is not characteristic to my personality. I know that by going slow I'm going to spend more time on the details (as far as they can afford the details)

I'm having fun. And that's the important part. I hope this is fun to follow too.

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Because they rolled when they entered the hood, I could make the Ellsworth family.

They're flower merchants, and consists of fortune sim parents Clarity and Tor, as well as their children, knowledge sim Devin and Sven and Johan. They do not have any plans on having any more children.

Their shop sells flowers :)

This is one of those really interesting cards that don't really fit with how I am using this game, but I'm going with the top one.

The die said it should happen to a member of the Pelehan family.

Terrence Pelehan, the local landowner, always enjoyed stargazing. As a man with plenty of leisure time, he was in dire need of hobbies, and astronomy promised to be as endless as the universe itself.

And endless the universe may be, but turns out, it was not empty. Not by a long shot.

The day Terrence Pelehan disappeared, his ward, Adria Ledford, was the one to rise the alarm. They searched all over Pelehan Island for him, and then they searched Forest Hill as well as the could. Maybe the mysterious well had taken him?

Good riddance, some people thought, but really, did it matter who was the landlord? They would still be stuck being poor. So everyone searched. A man like Terrence Pelehan wouldn't just up and leave his fortunes and lands behind.

But Mr Pelehan was not gone for lone. The next night, while his ward was keeping watch at her window, she say a strange light in the sky. Some, well she could only describe it as a contraption, appeared in front of Pelehan Court, and it unceremoniously dropped the so dignified man on his arse on the front lawn.

Terrence would never speak of what happened, but he sure had a lot to say when his belly started to grow in the next few months.

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Terrence Pelehan will start the game pregnant by aliens. Isn't that fun?

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Project completion

What should we grow on Golden Island?

While all the lifestock died, we would one day hope to bring them back to the island, so someone will have to grow Hay. We also have need of grains to make flour, and vegetables.

The mill is still standing, and the main farmer is named Jeffrey Miller. After his father Ogden became sentenced to servitude for his crime, life has been hard for the Miller family, who have to deliver 300 foodpoints every season to Mr Pelehan. The rest of what they grow they can sell or use themselves.

All homes should have at least some gardening plots too, and something to forage, like berries.

And with this project completed, food is now an abundance.

-- Other on-going projects:

Bring dogs to the islands - 4 weeks.

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Oh this is a fun one.

It's a family of five. We have an abundance of suspicion in the community so when they arrive on market day in the square no one will talk to them at first. They try to sell their wares, which happens to be flowers, but no one will buy. There's a rumour right away that the husband, his name is Tor Ellsworth, had been a prisoner for a horribly violent crime. Whether this is true or not, we don't know, but him and his wife Clarity set up shop as merchants.

Mr Pelehan becomes a customer, and after that, the suspicion of the townsfolk is lessened a little, but rumours never die completely. The Ellsworths have three sons, Devin, Sven and Johan. Merchants have access to imports and don't have to make their own products, and they move into a house by the square. According to the die, the Ellsworths have 100.000 simoleons to their name.

-- Project completion

What can the wood be used for?

Forest Hill is just one massive forest and there seems to be no end to the amount of wood available nearby. The logger is Andreas Cedar who might have a family but I don't know about that yet. He chops down trees and delivers some to Mr Pelehan and some to Meaghan Carpenter. The rest he sells or uses himself.

Logs are processed by the carpenter into planks that she uses to build furniture.

Logs are also a building resource. 100 logs, which is a tough but no unreasonable amount for a family to gather, is enough for a 10x10 building expansion. The community is currently also saving up to build a school.

Anyone can go to the logging lot to chop down trees if they want to, but the logger is the only one expected to deliver some to Mr Pelehan as part of a contract.

-- Other ongoing projects

What should we grow - 1 week

Getting dogs - 4 weeks

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Oh, the eldest dies. The die says this person is a farmer, so I'm going with the old Carpenter.

His name was Cameron Carpenter. He was getting on in years and probably should have turned his workshop over to his children years ago, but he was a stubborn man. When he ran out of wood to work with, he would go logging himself, and this is what he did one day.

But Cameron Carpenter was bad of hearing in his old age, and not as alert as he had been in his youth. He did not hear the approaching wolves until it was too late. But he felt their teeth.

He was survived by his daughter Meaghan who took over the job as town carpenter.

-- New project

If only Cameron Carpenter had had a guard dog with him when he went to the woods.

Someone is dispatched to the mainland to bring back a few dogs that could be bred on the island. This will take five weeks

-- Project completion

The fishing expedition has finished and they have found the waters around Lighthouse Island -> you know what, I'm gonna rename it Beacon Rock, so that's its name now, are especially good for fishing. Paul Fisher builds his home there with his family, and has to deliver 4 crates of fish to Mr Pelehan every season. The rest of his catch he can eat or sell to others.

-- Ongoing projects

What can we use wood for? 1 week left

What should be grown on Golden Island? 2 weeks left.

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Alright then. an "action" in this game are things like hold a discussion (hard to do by myself), or start a project.

Project 1: We've got so much wood. What can we use it for? This project will take two weeks

Project 2: What should we grow on Golden Island? This will take three weeks.

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Other ongoing projects:

The school project is completed. Everyone has had their say, and Mr Pelehan has agreed that a village school makes sense. His sister has written to him of the value of servants who can read, and he is convinced that it should be done as long as it can be done with minimal cost and inconvenience to himself.

Mr Pelehan offers a parcel of land on the so far unnamed town center island, to be used as a school, and promises that the pay for a school teacher can come out of his charity funds.

The people will have to raise the lumber for the school themselves though, and it will cost 100 logs. Everyone may contribute to this project once actual gameplay starts.

We also need to have at least 5 eligible students. Children and teen knowledge sims are the only who may attend, and the higher classes won't attend a cheap village school because they don't want to mix too much with the "serfs".

The school may be expanded with an additional 100 logs once 3 teens have graduated, at which point the school will also be open to teenagers no matter their aspiration.

Once the school is placed, children and teenagers learn how reproduction works and also how to prevent it when they are adults.

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The search for good fishing spots is still ongoing for another turn.

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This was actually hard to pick between, because they both sound difficult to fit into the hood, and also exciting.

I'm going with the first one, I think, or a variation on it at least (I can change whatever I want because I am the creator)

The relationship between the different islands and Luna Island, the island of the werewolves have always been friendly, but distant, built upon mutual respect and suspicion. But people talk. They talk to the werewolves, they talk about the werewolves, and the idea of community and no overlords is certainly compelling for many of the poorest members of society.

And why could not the human sims live like that too, they ask themselves? Really, who said Mr Pelehan could own land in the first place? Especially land that he could not use himself?

Certainly, once the idea has been discussed around the dinner tables on Golden Island, it actually seems preposterous.

In the younger generations especially, there is soon produce a pamphlet. It's handwritten and crude and not really that persuasive, but it is enough.

A group of young men and women destroy the private ships and boats belonging to Mr Pelehan in order to show that he is vulnerable to the people. They're never caught, but taxes are raised in retaliation, and that's enough for everyone's parents to put a stop to any "foolish talk".

The pamphlets are never confiscated though. Owning one is punishable by law, and turning someone in is rewarded.

Suspicion is now an abundance on the islands.

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Projects

Looking for fish: two weeks left

School: one week left.

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