The purpose of the challenge is to simulate an economy, so career tracks won't be available until there's a good reason for them to exist.
You may use cheats to combine household funds if you need to merge multiple households to afford a house.
Play each household for an equal amount of time. I play for 1 Sim week before moving to the next one.
- #GEN1. You may not use Create-A-Sim (you'll be using only the Sims provided with the Neighbourhood).
- #GEN2. Use a random number generator to choose the Primary Aspiration for each Sim. You can choose the second one manually.
The following rules will change as you play. The best way to track them is to copy them, then as they're unlocked, delete or cross out the restriction. I'll be highlighting them in green for unlocked and red for restriction removed as I go.
Phone interactions:
- #TEL1. No Grocery Delivery
- #TEL2. No Pizza/Chinese food delivery
- #TEL3. No Matchmaker (except to cure accidental cases of paranormal Sims)
- #TEL4. No Magazine subscriptions
- #TEL5. No Retirement
- #TEL6. No Move to University
- #TEL7. No Invite Headmaster
- #TEL8. No Pet Adoption
- #TEL9. No Child Adoption
Paranormal:
- #PARA1. You may not buy potions from other Sims, with the exception of the Matchmaker if you accidentally create a paranormal Sim
- #PARA2. You may not make PlantSims
- #PARA3. You may not create a Werewolf Sim
- #PARA4. You may not ask the Witch to teach you
Aspiration Rewards:
- #ASP1. You may not use any Aspiration Reward items except for Smart Milk unless they have been specifically unlocked.
Career Rewards:
- #CAR1. You may not use the Career Rewards from the following career tracks until the items have been unlocked by completing the Science career track:
- Criminal
- Law Enforcement
- Medicine
- Politics
- Science
- Slacker
- Natural Science
- Show Business
- Music
- Intelligence
Architecture and Building:
- #ARCH1. No Ponds
- #ARCH2. No Pools
- #ARCH3. No decorative architecture
- #ARCH4. No Pillars
- #ARCH5. No Elevators
- #ARCH6. No Apartment Buildings
- #ARCH7. No Items above the listed price for their type
- Stairs $900
- Modular Stairs $40
- Awnings $20
- Fireplaces $1,200
- Fences $50
- Walls
- Wallpaper $5
- Paint $5
- Poured $7
- Wood $6
- Brick $7
- Masonry $8
- Siding $6
- Tile $5
- Misc $6
- Floors
- Stone $6
- Wood $6
- Tiled $5
- Brick $10
- Carpet $5
- Linoleum $4
- Poured $10
- Misc $4
- Windows $75
- Doors $100
- Double Doors $350
Buy Menu:
You may not buy the following items from the Buy Menu unless you're running a business and buying them as wholesale to sell, or are furnishing a business and another business exists that sells the item type.
- #BUY1. No trash compactor
- #BUY2. No dishwasher
- #BUY3. No TV
- #BUY4. No radio
- #BUY5. No smoke alarm
- #BUY6. No burglar alarm
- #BUY7. No outdoor lighting
- #BUY8. No hot tubs
- #BUY9. No curtains
- #BUY10. No cars except restorable car
- #BUY11. No trash chute
- #BUY12. No green energy sources
- #BUY13. No items costing more than the price limit for their type:
- Fridge $600
- Stove $650
- Counter $335
- Sink $165
- Sofa $165
- Dining Chair $100
- Desk $70
- Living Chair $80
- Recliner $130
- Single Bed $300
- Double Bed $450
- Tent $650
- Dining Table $275
- End Table $65
- Coffee Table $40
- Shelf $245
- Park Table $115
- Decor
- Plant $35
- Mirror $100
- Rug $5
- Toilet $300
- Bath $700
- Shower $625
- Coffee Maker $85
- Toaster Oven $100
- Microwave $250
- Food Processor $180
- Computer $1000
- Lights
- Desk $30
- Floor $100
- Sconce $25
- Ceiling $65
- Bookcase $200
- Telescope $550
- Pet Bed $160
- Pet Bowl $80
- Pet Kennel $300
- #BUY14. Permitted items of any price:
- High Chair
- Crib
- Potty
- Change Table
- Toddler Toys
- Playground Equipment
- Pet Toys
- Ant Farm
- Potter’s Wheel
- Flower Arranging Bench
- Sewing Machine
- Toymaking Bench
- Phone
- Ballet Barre
- Dartboard
- Chessboard
- Simwardrobe Fish Packing Station
- Juice Machine
- Litterbox
Gardening:
Since you can't order groceries, your Sims will need a vegetable patch and/or orchard trees to survive at first. You can use sprinklers, greenhouses, ladybug lofts and greenhouse lights, but be careful not to over-spray the crops as we don't want Plantsims until they're unlocked.
- #GARD1. You may only buy the following from the gardening menu:
- Greenhouse
- Garden Plot
- Sprinklers
- Ladybug Loft
- Lamp
- Compost Bin
- Orchard Trees
- #GARD2. You may not use the Sell Produce interaction until it has been unlocked.
- #GARD3. You may not sell produce items through Buy Mode
- #GARD4. You may only buy decorative trees for free community lots like parks and graveyards, not Sim-owned lots, with the exception of the Stay Things Shrub.
Hobbies:
- #HOB1. You may not sell your crafted items directly from the hobby benches or easel until the interaction has been unlocked for that craft through a business of the matching type gaining levels.
- #HOB2. You may not sell crafted items through Buy Mode.
- #HOB3. You may not buy or use the Robot crafting bench or use a hacked computer to study Robotery until Robotery is unlocked.
Monique’s Hacked Computer:
- You can use Monique’s Hacked Computer to send and receive money, bank and pay bills online, and take out loans. You can use the study skills and badges interactions, write novels, chat online, and perform any interactions that would otherwise be available through the phone if those phone interactions are unlocked.
You may not:
- #MON1. Select your career
- #MON2. Unlock career rewards
- #MON3. Use the Write Article interaction before the Journalism career track is completed.
- #MON4. Use the Work From Home interaction except within the limits of the Journalism part of the challenge.
Moving out:
- #MOV1. Sims may not move out unless they can afford a house to live in, you may use Monique's computer for loans and a Money Order to ensure they take the correct proportion of the family funds with them, or do this manually using cheats to adjust the funds.
Check out the mods and hacks I use.
Businesses:
- #BUS1. All shops and venues must be Sim-owned with the exception of an outdoor playground and a graveyard, which you can start the challenge with.
- When you unlock University, you may visit any of the venues that are added, but until they are owned by a playable Sim, they don't count towards any totals for unlocking new features.
- #BUS2. Permitted list of business items:
- All counters
- All shelves
- Open/Closed sign
- Simwardrobe’s Employee Coffee Maker
- Cash registers under $205
- Ticket Machines
- Any recreation or hobby item
- Dangling Daylight Lamp
- Restroom doors
- Public toilers
- Decorative garden items
- #BUS3. Any business over Level 5 may have a cash register over $205 in cost.
- #BUS4. No produce bins, food display cabinets or freezers.
- #BUS5. No snack vending machines.
- #BUS6. No magazine racks
Grocery:
A business can sell farmed produce. You can have your playable Sims visit the business to buy produce.
- Level 5 Grocery business:
- Remove Rule #BUS4. You may now buy produce bins, food display cabinets and freezers.
- Level 10 Grocery business:
- Remove Rule #TEL1. You may now use the Grocery Delivery phone and computer interaction.
- Remove Rule #BUS5. You may now use snack vending machines.
- Rule #GARD2 no longer applies to crops. Sims may now use the Sell Produce interaction directly from their crops.
Music School:
A business that allows Sims to practice instruments.
- For each 5 levels, a Sim can enter the Music career path.
Arcade:
A business that allows Sims to play arcade and computer games.
- For each 5 levels, a Sim can enter the Gamer career path.
Entertainment & Show Business:
A business that allows Sims to enjoy entertainment, either other Sims performing, or a cinema.
- For each 5 levels, a Sim can enter either the Entertainment or Show Business career path.
Dance School:
A business that allows Sims to learn Dance from one of the dance instructors, or practice using the Ballet Barre.
- For each 5 levels, a Sim can enter the Dance career path.
Restaurant/Fast Food:
A business that serves food to be eaten on the premises.
- For each 5 levels, a Sim can enter the Culinary career path.
- Level 10 Restaurant/Fast Food diner:
- Remove Rule #TEL2. Sims can now use the phone or computer to order Chinese/Pizza delivery.
Art Shop:
A shop selling paintings.
- Level 5 Art Shop:
- Rule #HOB1 no longer applies to paintings, you may now sell paintings directly from the easel.
- Level 10 Art Shop:
- You can now create Sim-owned gallery businesses displaying art.
- You may enter one Sim in the Artist career for each 5 levels of Art Shops in your city.
Gym:
A business where Sims can work out using exercise equipment, the pool, or sports such as rollerblading, ice skating, football or basketball (not bowling).
- A Sim may enter the Athletics career for each 5 levels in a gym type business.
Garden Centre:
A business where Sims can buy decorative garden items and potted plants.
- Level 5 Garden Centre:
- Remove Rule #GARD5. You can now buy decorative trees in the Build menu.
- Remove Rule #GARD1. You can now buy decorative border plants and shrubs in the Build Menu.
Career Tracks
Adventurer:
- One opening in Adventurer is available at the start of the challenge, this is your explorer. Completing the Adventurer career track provides:
- Military career track - you've found enemies, allies and resources out there that need defending. You may now start unlocking the Military part of the challenge.
Architecture:
- You may have 1 Sim in the Architecture career path for each 10 buildings in your city (including expansion districts), but the buildings must be in use, either owned by a Sim or unlocked through other parts of this challenge.
The following career levels unlock architecture features:
- Level 5
- Remove Rule #ARCH7. All price limits for the Build Mode menu are removed
- Level 10
- Remove Rule #ARCH2, you may now make Pools
- Remove Rule #ARCH3, you may now buy Decorative Architecture
- Remove Rule #ARCH4, you may now buy Pillars
- Remove Rule #ARCH5, you may now buy Elevators
- Remove Rule #ARCH6, you may now make Apartment Buildings
Education:
- You may have 1 Sim in the Education career path for each 5 school-aged children. Completing the Education career track provides:
- Remove Rule #TEL7 Private School - you can now try to get your Sim children into private schools.
- Remove Rule #TEL6 University - you can now make a University and send your Teen Sims there.
- Any decorative University buildings will not count towards your Architecture count. Any shops or businesses in your University will not count towards the challenge for Architecture or other aspects of the challenge. You may visit those venues.
- Existing houses and dorms in the University sub-hood can keep forbidden items, but you can't buy any new ones if they're damaged or stolen. New purchases must abide by #BUY13.
Music:
- You may have one Sim in the Music career track for each 5 business levels.
Law:
- You may enter one Sim into the Law career track for each 10 households in your city.
- Completing both the Law and Politics career tracks:
- Remove #TEL5. You may now use the Retire phone interaction.
- Remove #TEL9. You may now use the Adopt a Child phone interaction.
- Remove #TEL8. You may now use the Adopt a Pet phone interaction.
Journalism:
To unlock the Journalism career track, you must have one correspondent for each of the skills, with their designated skill at level 10. A correspondent is a Sim you've designated to write about a topic, they may use Monique's computer to write one article per week about their chosen skill topic. There can only be one correspondent per skill, and no Sim who is not a correspondent may use the write article interaction.
- When this career track is completed, you may remove Rules #TEL4 and #BUS6 to use magazine subscriptions and your businesses may sell magazines from the magazine rack.
Gamer:
You may enter one Sim into the Gamer career track for each 5 levels of an Arcade Sim business.
Oceanography:
This career track becomes available to 1 Sim at a time once a Sim has been abducted by aliens. It is completely unlocked when the career track is completed.
- Once a Sim achieves Level 5 in the Oceanography career, you may remove #ARCH1 and build Ponds.
Intelligence:
This career track becomes available once a Sim has been abducted by aliens, you may enter one Sim per 10 households in your city.
Entertainment & Show Business:
You may enter one Sim into the Entertainment or Show Business career track for each 5 levels of a Sim business that serves as an entertainment venue, for example a cinema, disco or performance stage.
Dance:
You may enter one Sim into the Dance career track for each 5 levels of a Dance School Sim business.
Culinary:
You may enter one Sim into the Culinary career track for each 5 levels of a Sim owned restaurant or fast food venue.
Law Enforcement:
One Sim may enter the Law Enforcement career path for each 10 households in your city.
- Once a Sim reaches Level 5 in Law Enforcement, you may remove #BUY5 and #BUY6 so you can buy Smoke Alarms and Burglar Alarms.
Paranormal:
Only one Sim may pursue a Paranormal career path at a time. The opening becomes available once a Sim has seen a ghost, werewolf or vampire, has used a Genie Lamp, or your graveyard contains at least 10 graves.
Once the career track is completed, all paranormal Sim types are unlocked (Plantsims, Witches, Werewolves, Vampires), and other Sims can enter the Paranormal career. Remove Rules: #PARA1, #PARA2, #PARA3, #PARA4 and #TEL3
Military:
Available once the Adventurer career track is complete, one Sim may enter the Military career track for each 10 households in your city.
Medicine:
An alien abduction must have occurred. University must be unlocked. Only one Sim may be in the Medicine career track until the track is completed, then other Sims may join.
Natural Science:
An alien abduction must have occurred. University must be unlocked. Only one Sim may be in the Natural Science career track until the track is completed, then other Sims may join.
Artist:
One Sim may enter the Artist career track for every 5 levels in an Art Shop business.
Science:
An alien abduction must have occurred. University must be unlocked. Only one Sim may be in the Science career at a time until the career track is completed. This career track allows all the previously disallowed aspiration and career rewards. Remove Rules: #ASP1 and #CAR1.
Politics:
One Sim may enter the Politics career track for each 10 households in your city.
- Completing both the Law and Politics career tracks:
- Remove #TEL5. You may now use the Retire phone interaction.
- Remove #TEL9. You may now use the Adopt a Child phone interaction.
- Remove #TEL8. You may now use the Adopt a Pet phone interaction.
Criminal:
You may enter one Sim in the Criminal career track for each 10 households in your city.
Athletic:
One Sim for each 5 levels in a gym type business.
Slacker:
Becomes available once all the other career tracks are completed.