Lonely Bachelor "B": A New Beginning!

Round "B" of the Bachelor Challenge has begun!

To recap:

• Challenges will now have 21 contestants separated into 3 houses
• More autonomous interactions! I really push the "hands-off" thing, it's fun!
• This is round "B", our second round, meaning our Bachelor will have either a 1st or last name that begins with "B"...and it will most likely be either a Sim that came with the game, an infamous NPC, or offspring of either of those two. (So not just some random eye candy).
• Check out my post on the new Bachelor rules for more!

Some other (new) info:

• You can still continue submitting contestants! They will appear in Round C!
• I have selected at least 1 Sim from all who submitted, but remember there are 3 houses, so if you don't see your Sim in this update, don't panic. :)
• The 3rd house contains the 4 ladies from the last round who didn't find love (remember in addition to the winner, two contestants found love in each other).

And now, without further ado, let me introduce the seven lovely ladies of House #1!!


Meet the ladies of House #1. Which one of these lucky ladies will win the heart of our Bachelor and take home $300,000 Simoleans?!!?

Will it be...


Shona Goodwin submitted by Libbey & modeled after family member. Shona is a family-oriented Sim with a lifetime want to become an education minister. She’s a virgo, which makes her modest, shy and practical. She’s turned on by fitness and brown hair, and dislikes face makeup. She enjoys discussing politics, food, the environment, and weather, but doesn’t find health, money, school or travel interesting.


Allanah Goodwin submitted by Libbey & modeled after a family member. Allanah thinks fitness and custom hair are hot, and vampires are not. She’s a romance Sim, with the goal of becoming a Hall of Famer. She enjoys conversations about weater, sci-fi and money, and dislikes those that are related to politics, crime and food. She’s a practical and an active Scorpio, though she’s slightly withdrawn socially.



Jeana Bachman submitted by Melissa. Jeana is a family Sim who would like to graduate 3 children from college. She is turned on by the smell of cologne and thinks vampires are sexy, but doesn’t like black hair. She likes fashion, money and the weather, but doesn’t like food or sports. She’s a neat & tidy Virgo with a extremely shy and playful personality, though she can be a bit grouchy.



Bellatrix Lestrange submitted by Opi. Bella is the only Sim outside of the Bachelor contestants, whom I have downloaded. She was supposed to be placed in my Harry Potter neighborhood. That has died. So, she is lost in my Sim bin looking for a place. Therefore, she is joining the Bachelor Challenge as all lost Sims do. Bellatrix is an impulsive and quick-tempered Aires whose mean streak gets in the way of her need to be loved by everyone (Popularity. Her lifetime want is “To Become the Law” (that was coincidence, for those of you HP fans who appreciate that LTW for her). She cares a lot about the culture in which she was raised, and the fortunes she’s grown accustomed to. But she cares nothing for her health, has no desire to travel anywhere, and isn’t concerned about the amount of crime. She finds logic and black hair sexy, and fatness unattractive.


Maria Foogley submitted by Ndayeni. Maria is the unfortunate product of an Uglacy. Despite her horrific appearance, she is a beautiful person- selfless and caring. She is a serious and shy family Sim, who wants to see three of her future offspring graduate from college. She’s not interested in discussing health or animals, but does like conversations about politics and money. She’s attracted to fitness and black hair, but finds vampires to scary to be sexy.



Jilly Kim submitted by Melissa. Jilly is a pleasure Sim with apparent romance Sim tendencies (her ltw is 50 1^st dates). She is a libra which makes her romantic, charming and social. She is a very nice Sim, though she is a lazy slob. She enjoys discussing travel, politics, crime and culture, but not food, the environment or entertainment. She is into fit blondes, but dislikes black hair.




Kendall Barthelet submitted by Melissa. Kendall is a fortune Sim who someday wants to be the head of the SCIA. She likes makeup and black hair, but doesn’t find red-heads appealing. She’s into culture and food, but doesn’t enjoy entertainment, travel or paranormal. She’s lazy but neat. Serious but outgoing. Her birth sign is Leo.


Which of these lovely ladies will you root for?


Next, we visit with House #2!

Who do you think the Bachelor will be??

Moon Islands: Part One- Waves Family

You can find the beginning of Hibi & Sunny's stories with the links on my Sim Page that were participants in my Shipwrecked Island challenge.

When we left off, Hibi was pregnant, and Sunny was starting a business helping Hibi sell her paintings.

Now, we get to meet little baby Erin.

Sunny adopts a little friend for Erin.

Our first Saturday rolls around...and I roll their first Life's Little Twists. They roll.....

.....

...death by drowning. I installed a pool, and rolled to see who it was going to be...and I got Hibi.

Sunny tucked little Erin into bed and came out to find Hibi dead in the pool. He's been very depressed ever since.

Unannounced, Ocean stopped by. She comforted Sunny. I took her showing up as a sign... They are very good friends. They both lost their spouses and have young children to raise. I'm thinking if they move in together they can help each other raise their children and provide each other with companionship.

Not to mention, they have always had two LBs for each other. ;)

So, I moved them out of their old homes and they will move in to a new, larger house in another neighborhood (since they are the only family in the Moon Islands neighborhood).

Up Next: The Lonely Bachelor!!!!!!!!!

I need some time to put our contestants together, but it should be soon.

Moon Islands: The Isle Family- Part 1

If you haven't checked out the Shipwrecked Story yet, I encourage you to do so :) It's in the previous post.

Since Sandy Isle is single and looking to become famous, have an exciting life, find romance, and forget Palm....she is signing up for the Bachelor challenge! So, you'll be seeing her soon.

Next Up:
- We spend two weeks with the Waves family (another pairing from Shipwrecked!)
- Then on to another Bachelor Challenge!!!!!! We have TONS of new contestants. Which is fabulous since we will be starting with 21 Contestants!!!!! You can still submit Sims- if I have over 21 (which I already do), I will put a limit on the # per creator (since many folks have submitted more than one) so you are likely to see at least one of your Sims. All others will simply wait til the next one :) You may also see a couple of from the previous competition. Not Buddy & Fitz however...they have moved in together. You will see them the next time I play Crystal Springs. I see them starting a family in their future.

Moon Islands: The Shore Family- Part 1

The Shore Family, and all other residents of the Moon Islands, are the result of my mini-challenge "Shipwrecked". I wrote a short two-part story on the challenge which has received a pretty good response, you can check it out here: http://thesims2.ea.com/exchange/story_detail.php?asset_id=221712


If you read Shipwrecked Island, than you know the above photo is of Cliff. Cliff was a typical surfer dude. Not very intelligent- though he did have a knack for chess- but a relaxed, laid-back, cool guy.

And his gal, Ocean. When she arrived on the island she was a sophisticated, high maintenance, career woman who lived a fast-paced life and had no desire to settle down.

But that all changed on the island, Cliff and Ocean grew very close, he saved her life once, and together they had a child. Unfortunately, that child didn't make it off the island when the escaped. However devastating their stay on the island was, it did change their lives for the better.

When they were finally rescued, they bought a house on inhabited island not too far away. They led a nice leisurely lifestyle. Ocean had lost her desire to be a journalist and live in a city. She took up her childhood dream, to be a dancer. While Cliff simply worked at the local music store.

And that's where the story left off. Now, we'll check in on them for a couple of weeks and see what they've been up to. Ocean- now a Romance/Family Sim- was very pleased when she found out she was once again pregnant. Cliff was also overjoyed- he loves kids.


Sandy visits Ocean & Cliff very often, and their favorite pastime together is playing pool.


Ocean gave birth to a baby boy. Personality: 3 Sloppy, 4 Shy, 10 Active, 10 Playful, 8 Nice (talk about a handful).

Both his parents are slobs, so no surprise there. His dad is also shy and playful, and they are both super active. However, neither of his parents are particularly nice...so we aren't sure where that came from. He's a Sagittarius.


Cliff, random as always, really wanted to buy a tent. He put it in his backyard, and he likes to just sit in it from time to time.


Cliff is spending his retirement playing pool, playing in the pool, fishing, and playing in his tent.

Ocean still makes fabulous dishes and has a constant want to serve food- even when no one is hungry. We have a lot of leftovers in the fridge. :/

It's Saturday, so we roll from the Life's Little Twists table. And....drumroll....aww, boo. They got an easy one. All they had to do was go on a date. So, they got all dressed up for each other, called a nanny, called a Taxi...and then realized there is no where on the island to go for a date. So, they had one in their backyard. It was very successful. ;)

Eventually Harry grew into a toddler. As a toddler, he expressed an interest in science fiction and the paranormal. He also loves to draw and is quite creative for someone his age.


And he grew up again (not much happened in between, I think Ocean has received a couple promotions, but nothing too big).


We didn't have a party because he really didn't want one. But, he did want the cake.


Ocean and Cliff discussed having another baby, in fact, they both really wanted one. But, alas, Ocean had grown too old. :(


Harry loves his video games. He is also a huge fan of nature. Both of his parents are enthusiastic about nature because of their experience. However, both of them prefer sports.


Harry also enjoys any kind of electronic entertainment.

And he still loves to draw. He decided he wanted an easel to do "big kid drawings" and he took down all the drawings in his room.

So, much to his dismay, his mom plastered them all over the kitchen.
Toward the end of our stay, we had one very eventful day...The headmaster came over, and that went really well. But before he left, Cliff passed away from old age. Ocean didn't handle it so well, but buying drums and a guitar with the inheritance money helped a little.


Up Next: More from the Moon Islands.

Thanks for all the Bachelor Challenge submissions! I am still taking entries :)

My Gameplay

If you plan to follow along in more than just the Bachelor updates, here is how its going to go! :)

Gameplay Schedule

• Rotate between each of my 'hoods. Playing 2 weeks per family.
• In between each 'hood, I will run 1 Bachelor challenge.
• After I rotate through all my 'hoods, I will start a new challenge.

How I play

• I play with all families and enjoy playing with the Sims that came with the game, NPCs, townies, etc...
• I used a set of complex tables to determine my day to day actions; they ensure that my game stays random, progresses slowly, etc...
• I only use cheats when they are needed for a challenge, etc...
• I roll a percentile roll each time my Sims woohoo, because I don't believe Sim birth control is that perfect
• Life's Little Twists!!!
• My newest addition to my quirky play style!
• I have taken the "Disaster Jar" challenge, doubled the number of events by adding my own, and put it into table format
• Each week, on Saturday, I will roll from Life's Little Twists; its composed of two tables with 100 events each. I have 2 d10s that I roll (creating a d100/percentile roll)

I encourage you to follow along! As you can see, my normal gameplay style is a challenge by itself, lol.

We visit all Sims, including those previously in challenges. So, for example, you'll see how Buddy & Fitz's lives turn out!

Future Bachelor Challenge Rules

Pre-Game:

Start with 21 Contestants ( 3 Dorm Houses of 7 Contestants Each) and 1 Bachelor/Bachelorette
I have tons of contestants, people keep sending more, and I recycle them. The actual tv game show has 25 girls to start (I had to look that up because I've never seen it). So, I thought...well, I could do that too :p

Bachelor/Bachelorette: Each game will be identified with a letter. Our first game was letter "A". I will try to find a single Sim already in the game that has either a first or last name that begins with that letter. Preference will go toward Sims that came with the game, followed by: children of those Sims, my Sims, and lastly if I cannot find a Sim with the necessary name, I will create one.

Contestants: Contestants will be a combination of ones submitted by other people, ones submitted by me, and other Sims that are present in game that are looking for love. I will try to make it primarily Sims created by other people, however. Contestants will be recycled so you continue to root for your favorites until they find their match. To submit a Sim, please see the post in this blog discussing that or e-mail me at Flohk13@aol.com for more details.
Contestants in a previous round of Bachelor can spend their aspiration points before the start of the game to give them an advantage over the younger contestants.

During each round, the Bachelor spends a day at each dorm. Other than need requirements and 1 "check-out Sim" per contestant (for LB purposes), all actions will be autonomous.

Round 1:
2 Eliminated; 19 Remain
Round 2:
2 Eliminated; 17 Remain
Round 3:
2 Eliminated; 15 Remain
Round 4:
2 Eliminated; 13 Remain
Round 5:
2 Eliminated; 11 Remain
Round 6:
2 Eliminated; 9 Remain
Round 7:
2 Eliminated; 7 Remain; Those 7 move into the Date House and begin the game.

During each round I will focus on 1 or 2 Sims to give you more info about them and to develop their personality more....similar to how they do it in a real game show to help you develop attachments.

Elimination for Pre-Game:
As in the game, scores will be based upon the top relationship score added to the bottom score. However, Sims with a negative LB will be the first to go, followed by Sims with no LB, 1 LB, etc... So, essentially, 1 LBs have immunity until we run out of negative LBs and no LBs.

Game:
I plan on reducing the 1 on 1 time even more than I did for the first one! I am finding it completely unnecessary as the Sims interact on their own all the time.

• Challenges now will reward Sims with 1-5 points depending on the challenge.
• Sims may also receive a prize along with the points...prizes may include a variety of things such as 1 day of fulfilling their wants, spending their lifetime points, 1 on 1 time with the Bachelor, automatic entry into the hot tub, etc...
• If a contestant is due to move and they have 5 points or more, 5 points are deducted and they become immune for that move-out. However, the points are forever lost.
• Eliminations are determined by lowest combined (daily & lifetime) relationship score. Ties are broken by the points they have accumulated.
  

Schedule:
Day 1: Move-in, Free Reign
Day 2: 1 on 1 chats with Bachelor; 2 per contestant
Day 3: Move-out #1
Day 4: Hot Tub Race, Group Outing
Day 5: Challenge 1
Day 6: Move-out #2
Day 7: Hot Tub Race, Group Outing
Day 8: Challenge #2
Day 9: Move-out #3
Day 10: Hot Tub Race, Outing
Day 11: Challenge #3
Day 12: Move-out #4
Day 13: 1 on 1 with Bachelor; 1 Joke, 1 Flirt
Day 14: Challenge #4
Day 15: Move-out #5
Day 16: Vacation Begins; Vacation Activities
Day 17: Vacation Challenge(s)
Day 18: Vacation Activities
Day 19: Free Reign
Day 20: Finale

Please let me know any comments, ideas, suggestions, etc... you may have!!

The Lonely Bachelor: Finale!!!!!

The vacation spot....

Tents?! What the? That's right...Adam enjoys adventure and "roughing it". So, we are camping for the next several nights!

Adam and Sasha chatted up the locals while Fitz observed.

Fitz spent a LOT of time bird-watching.

While Sasha took out some aggression...

During the nights, they had campfires and roasted marshmallows.


Fitz not only received but learned how to give a deep tissue massage.

Everywhere that they went they came upon the Trimble family who was always beating each other up.

We had a little fishing competition. Fitz won, hands down.

We also had some log rolling fun.

While everyone remained friends throughout the entire trip. In the end, Sasha had the highest score (200 points vs. Fitz's 183). Fitz took it very well, and they are all still good friends (I'm guessing Fitz's heart is someplace else). Sasha and Adam were married right at the campsite. And they had some alone time in a tent before returning back to the house. When they got back, Sasha was puking. We are just going to assume she got sick from something she ate in the woods... (wink, wink). We'll see more of them when we return to Crystal Springs.

BTW, BOTH Sasha and Adam took marriage as a BAD memory (though neither of them feared it)...which is interesting considering Adam is a knowledge Sim

NEXT UP:
- I'll be posting more info on how I play normally, so you can see how the next few updates will work. See...we'll be checking in on some families from my Shipwrecked Challenge which I will be playing normally for a couple game weeks. However, my version of normal consists of charts and my new "Life's Little Twists" table (based on the Disaster Jar).
- I'll also post the rules for my next Bachelor challenge, as I have made some changes.
- Then we'll be checking in with the Moon Islands. If you haven't read Shipwrecked, check out the links in one of my previous posts. :)
- After that, we will be running the next Bachelor Challenge :)

Comments welcome!

The Lonely Bachelor- Day 16, 17 & 18! You won't believe who goes home next!

Here's three days worth of updates all in one go!

When we last left off, Brittney had moved out, and everyone was sad (she seemed to be the current favorite, if I am interpreting people's comments correctly).


The following day was the group outing. No hot tub race this time, since there was only 3 left they just went out. The went to the Sugar Cube Bowling lanes. I tried to have them bowl together for a bit. But Sasha was being cranky, and then Adam was distracted by...well, you'll see in a minute.



Oh, and Mariel left because she got angry with Adam. I don't really know what provoked it. Perhaps he made a comment, but I wouldn't know cause I don't speak Simlish (well, fluently anyway, lol). Anyway, she poked and shoved him and then stormed off. Fitz as usually played the neutral card and just hung around applauding people who bowled well. Erm...Fitz has seemed to develop a crush on Adam, despite the lack of lightning bolt chemistry. Perhaps he's been hanging with the girls too long.



This *may* have been what Mariel was poking Adam about. Adam is a highly unusual Sim. He just oozes with chemistry. The majority of women that he meets he has a 2 LB chemistry with. I consider 3 LB "soulmate" status because they are so rare. In my game, when a 3 LB happens, and the person is already in a relationship, they have my permission to cheat, should they possess the desire to....That's how rare they are in my game. Anyway, Adam has already met THREE ladies outside the game whom he has had 3 LBs for!!!!!!! Crystal, pictured here, is one of them. And the reason he got distracted from the bowling.



The following day was another challenge, "The Bug Hunt". During the "Bug Hunt", all contestants are told to look for bugs outside. I chose this competition for Adam because he likes adventure and getting his hands dirty, and his partner shouldn't be grossed out by bugs or other forms of nature.

Sasha immediately left her hunt to go eat some gelatin. Fortunately, the contestants get 1 free restart. Meaning, if they stop hunting because they have a low need, or get chased by bees, or whatever. They can carry out their current action, and then I let them restart. But this happens just once.

Mariel got chased by bees.

After all contestants had voluntarily stopped hunting, and had already used their free restart, the bug cases were mounted on the wall, and I viewed the total number of bugs caught.

Mariel- 1 Bug
Fitzwilliam- 3 Bugs
Sasha- 6 Bugs (holy cow)

Sasha earned some one on one time with the Bachelor.

Official Move Out Day Scores
Sasha- 198
Fitzwilliam- 182
Mariel- 167 (She had made a good last ditch effort to repair the relationship, and had the highest DAILY score, but it was too little too late).

Adios Mariel!

And now there are two!

The remaining two contestants were told to pack their bags because they were going on a 4 night vacation! Where do you think they will go?