From my original page on this story: “First of all, I know it’s mis-spelled.  I did it on purpose.  Poetic license! Second, the title will be explained in due time.

I came up with the idea after downloading a beautifully evocative world called “Silent Hill” (yes, based off the games) from the Sims Exchange – found here if you’re interested.  I promptly tossed the idea out and kept looking.  Hours later, after coming back to the idea many times, and finally having a brainstorm session with my husband where the story was fleshed out some more, I finally decided this was what I was going to go with.  I really wanted to get another “Nothing is Free” challenge going (rules on Mod the Sims here) .. and this time I wanted to START with a story, not the challenge itself.  (I started with the challenge last time, and then had to come up with a semi-lame story after the fact when I decided to start blogging it.)  However, this was where the complications showed up.  For the story to work, I’m going to have to get a bit.. well.. creative.  The world is a lovely sad and ruined world, perfect for a lonely sim who thinks they just might be the last sim alive to try to rebuild humanity… er.. simanity.  However, that means the play is going to be a bit more complicated.  I’ve always wanted to try an Apocalypse challenge (rules found on it’s wiki here) .. but never been brave enough to actually start one.  I read over the rules fairly carefully, and if I modify several key things (the big one is going to be the fact that there ARE no rabbit holes to start with in the world – and I’m going to make a really tough choice to also force a NO OTHER SIMS! in the world to start with as well.)  Not to completely spoil the story, I will let you discover that as we go.. but this challenge could very well end before it begins if the random chance gods of sims don’t help me out before my founder dies. (yikes!)“

This is the only Sims 3 game I’ve attempted to go back to since Sims 4 came out. I still have the save file, but the issue is still the same. I was going to need to force the save past bugs with cheats, and I wasn’t sure I wanted to just for the sake of the story. Maybe someday.

Welcome to Spectres of the Past!

To make the long story a little bit shorter, I loaded up the world, turned all community lots to “No Visitors allowed” and removed the rabbitholes … picked a spot for my starting lot… and loaded up Create a Sim.  I really wasn’t sure whether I wanted to go girl or guy, but the random sim that loaded had a nice look for a tough but sexy survivor-lady, so I went with it.  Didn’t mess with any clothes or sliders (in fact, I haven’t a clue what she’s going to be wearing other than her everyday wear!!), and hit random once for her name… turned out okay, and kept it.  I randomized her favorites until they were tolerable (no “kids” music.. thanks..), randomized the astrological sign, and then the traits.  The first set of traits it came up with was goofy and wouldn’t work, the second .. had a nice ring to it – with a “first choice” Lifetime Wish that fit my story REALLY well, so I changed the trait that didn’t fit, and saved her.  However, after deciding to be as close to the Apocalypse rules as I can, I’m going to also remove “Green Thumb” and toss in something else.. haven’t exactly decided what yet, but it will come to me when I start playing/writing (leaning towards Insane at the moment… if I thought I was the last sim alive, I think I might go a bit nuts too…)  Beyond that, she’s Disciplined, Eccentric, Social Butterfly, and.. blah, can’t remember the last right this second.  I’ll update it once I get back in game.  (the trait was “Neat”, by the way, but I took the liberty of switching it to “Handy”)  Her “LTW” is to make monsters.. how appropriate.

The story started out as a game-driven story, but I’ve since changed it to a story-driven story.. in other words, the story makes the game go, not the other way around. This will require some updates and cheating in game to make it work, but that’s the way things go.

Story Chapters:

• Prologue: The Roar
• 1. Where is everyone?
• 2. The Will to Survive
• 3. Determination vs. Hopelessness
• 4. Desolation

Game Information and Links:

Mods in use:

• No Ice Cream Truck
• Twallin’s mods (Master Controller, Story Progression, Register, Woohooer, Saver, Overwatch, Mover) – most of these are set simply to prevent npcs/townies/animals or to allow the more than 8 sims per lot. I also have all jobs and service options “turned off” until they’re unlocked. Also, I have all careers turned off, and all but the very basic and allowed skills disabled.  (nraas home)

Custom World:  “Silent Hill” (on the Sims3 Exchange here)

Nothing is Free/Apocalypse Challenge Modifications:

Both will be heavily modified to suit the story. I’m using them as ideas and a jumping-off-point for the story. For example, being that this is an apocalypse story, the venues don’t need to be owned like they are in the Nothing is Free challenge, but I am trying to get the skills required before “placing” the lots (being that this is a custom world, most lots are already there, they just need updating.)

Current Apocalypse Challenge Modifications/Exceptions and my reasoning:

Being that this is now story-driven, these modifications no longer really apply, since anything goes in the game to further the story. I left these modifications here for now so I can see what they started out as, I will probably remove them as the story progresses.

• As there is no one else in the town/world (that she knows of), money has absolutely no value – hence, the Criminal money protection is suspended until such time as there actually is a crime lord to pay. (Will be back in place once outside communications are established.) This also pertains to bills – there’s no one to pay, so there are no bills.
• No buying or building anything – scrounging necessities will be done on a per-case basis as the story needs.
• No adding sims to the town – the only way possible to get another Sim is through finding one in the Time Machine.(the only invention that I’m lifting requirements to use – all others are still blocked – this is for two reasons: one, to allow another sim to be added to the challenge, and two, for story reasons – she wants to find out what happened to her town, therefore, she tries to travel to the past to investigate) After appropriate lots are activated, some NPCs will be allowed to show up, helping to “populate” the town.
• As there are no careers, “Hopelessness” will be lifted once  two things happen: another sim is added to the town (via the Time Machine), and that she masters Invention.
• Outside communications and electrical generators will be re-established under the following conditions: a sim (not the founder) has Maxed Handiness and Science skill. As noted above, once this is lifted, Criminal protection money will be back in effect at this point.
• Both “Hopelessness” and “Outside Communications and Electricity” must be cleared before any other Apocalypse categories. Being that venues, lots, and rabbit holes must be BOUGHT before the Apocalypse career – clearing can begin, I’ll allow a single sim to fulfill both a “NiF” goal and an Apocalypse goal, should they be able to.
• Because of the “nothing is free” limitations, the only goal that will be complete-able without buying a lot is the Town Hall, then Business must follow – because both of those must be cleared in the Apocalypse rules before lots, venues, rabbit holes, etc, can be invested into. More on this in the NiF section below. After these two, all other apocalypse goals will be available, so long as their pre-requisites are covered.

“Nothing is Free” Challenge Modifications/Exceptions and my reasoning:

• No adding sims to the town, marrying, pregnacies or anything of that nature. This is a major change to the Nothing is Free challenge – new town sims must be “earned”, including townies and neighbors. There has to be a reason for someone else to be in town or to move to town, and will vary from a case to case basis. Having both a place to live and a place of employment will be pre-requisites.
• As there is no money, lots, venues, and rabbit holes cannot be purchased. Once outside communications are re-established, this will be re-instated. Paying bills will not come back into effect until there is a town hall to pay the bills TO. (Also, without a town hall, there is no mail service).
• All services are completely restricted – there is no one to fulfill them. Newspaper delivery won’t be back until there’s a Business Office, Babysitters are gone until both Education and Day Care are cleared, Pizza Delivery is gone until the Diner or Bistro is back in service, Police need a Police station, firemen and fire alarms need a Fire Station, Adoptions and social services needs Town Hall, maid will require both a City Hall and a grocery store, butler is completely suspended (until I figure out what will unlock him), repairman requires both an owned junkyard and Town Hall, bartender needs a full service bar in the town, and there will be no Papparazzi until celebrities are back (requirements still pending – it’s a long way away).
• No buying or partnering ANY lots without both Political and Business requirements from Apocalypse being lifted. Getting a Town Hall in Nothing is Free doesn’t cost a money paydown, so that’s workable. Business, however, will have to be tweaked a little bit. The sim who unlocks a Business lot will have to raise funds by writing before the actual Office can be placed to allow the unlocking.
• As for other sims working, for story and game reasons, once communication is established, I will have an “apartment” that will count as “out of town” and one for “in town” – the boss of both criminal organizations and the politics will live in the “out of town” home – basically outside overlords who are “pulling the strings”. (There will be no contact with these people except by phone, to make like they don’t live in this town for story purposes.) Once the City Hall is raised, Mailman npcs arrive to live in the “in town” apartment, as well as a co-worker for the Politics, and a Criminal worker or two (for story reasons – what criminal over lord wouldn’t want to have his people over-seeing the town, forcing the protection money out of folks.) These people will be the only NPC’s to have any contact (other than via phone) with the Apocalypse family. Also, once City Hall is “active”, I’ll allow the sale of her inventions and other crafted things, so the “in town” lot will be bought and funded by the founder and her family. (This is in keeping with the “Nothing is Free” rules.) The “out of town” lot will not be funded by her, as, for story purposes, those people don’t really live “in” the town.