Legacy Challenge Strategies

[xMoonFaeriex]

So, I've started around 5 legacy challenges, gotten to Generation 2, then got mad/confused and trashed the family! On the Legacy Challenge LJ, people post things in parts, like:
Generation 9.2, or 7.8. I want to know what that means, and how to properly execute it.

The thing that gets me is that I cannot stay devoted to a family, because it gets REALLY boring. So, could y'all be so kind enough to share some strategies?

-Molly :bunny:

[sushigal007]

Generation 1.0 is the founder, then it usually rolls over to 2.0 when the first baby is born, although some people start counting generation 2 when they become adults, usually in IBI challenges, when the heir takes over as controllable. If a regular legacy is boring you, there are many many things you can do to spice things up. There's Awesimsauce legacies, where each generation has different goals, like one is to become a witch/wizard and fulfil a want every day, another is to open a store selling stuff you dig up. Or you could do an ISBI legacy, where you have one controllable sim each generation. Or there's the list of mini challenges, a lot of people roll one of those each week of the game.

[joandsarah77]

What exactly is making you mad/confused? Maybe see what is causing that and see what you can do to change it. Why do you become bored? Is it because they have too much money? There are ways of cutting that back. I'm only on generation four of my legacy, but I love that family. I don't just play that family though or I would become bored, I play other challenges or build as I feel like it.

[Darby]

On the Legacy Challenge LJ, people post things in parts, like:
Generation 9.2, or 7.8. I want to know what that means, and how to properly execute it.


Looks like a story chapter numbering system. 6.2, for instance, would indicate that the player/writer is on the second chapter of generation six. If you're not writing a story, there's nothing for you to "execute" with regard to this. And if you are writing a story, you can choose a different chapter-naming system if you want to.

I've never done a Legacy Challenge because I prefer to play whole neighborhoods rather than just one family, but I think a good way to alleviate boredom in a Legacy would be to incorporate other challenges as well. Sushigal's Awesimsauce twist sounds like a great way to do that. Taking on some of the optional goals Pinstar included with the official rules can spice things up as well, even if you don't manage to do them perfectly.

Consider, too, that just because you're doing a Legacy, that doesn't mean you can't play other families for a change of pace. In fact (note to self), why not have your Legacy family as just another family in a neighborhood rotation? Or, play more than one family "Legacy style" within said neighborhood? In other words, customize the challenge to suit your play style.

[Fivey]

Put new twists on old habits. Tend to start your legacy with a knowledge or family sim? Start with a Romance sim and see him or her cringe in terror as they are faced with the dilemma of marriage due to illegitimate children, then have them cheat on their new spouse with many other people (see Roger Fleurada)! Put new restrictions on your sims! Something!

Also, just typical tips.

People keep knocking over your trash can? Use moveobjects to move the trashcan a distance away from the sidewalk! They can't knock it over if it's on YOUR property!

Toddler keeps making messes with the potty? Put the toilet on a halfway foundation! Try to make messes NOW, you stupid baby!

Play your damn relatives!

[Peni Griffin]

Here's the thing about sims - the only wrong way to play is the way that bores you. Stop doing Legacies for awhile. Do something else. Rotation play. Challenges. Take a bunch of premades and make them do things you haven't done before. If you're not really a Legacy player, there's no reason to play one. If you are a Legacy player, but are confining yourself to somebody else's playstyle because you think that's how it's "supposed" to be, you need to find your playstyle.

What engages you with a game, movie, book, TV show, hobby? Odds are good, that's what'll engage you with this game, too. I engage with characters - they start to talk to me, I begin to grasp how they see things and to empathize even with the unsympathetic ones; I love to have them surprise me and realize that yes, what they want to do is so much better than what I'd had in mind for them. Other people enjoy overcoming challenges, and play the game in a series of goals realized and new ones set. Others need a little farce in their lives and set up gloriously chaotic situations that have them rolling on the floor laughing. Some people would rather build houses than play. Some people play the same sim over and over in different neighborhoods. Some people like to make families conform to an idealized image of what families should be like, and some people like to run neighborhoods where everyone is an inch away from total failure. And on and on and on.

There are nine and sixty ways of inventing tribal lays, and sims games, and every single one of them is right.

[frankokomando]

Whenever I get bored playing my legacy family, I just make them start a lot of fires. It always add some excitement if a sim dies during that fire and you have to make a quick decision to either plea for that sims life or just let the grim reaper do what he's suppose to do. It's also fun to start playing into their fears and see how long it takes for them to have a complete meltdown.

[maxon]

If you find legacy play boring, don't do it. It sounds very boring to me and I've never played a legacy. People prefer different things. Edit: ahh - what Peni said, essentially, though shorter.

[Emily926]

Try making an interesting storyline or actually writing the story on a blog. It helps you grow attached to your legacy sims.

[dieKristina]

Like other people already said Legacies are not everyone´s style. I have tried playing legacies with different themes and enjoy it for a little while but soon get bored. To play the whole neighborhood in rotation is however my thing, and it successfully prevents me from getting bored. But there are also many players who find the rotation-style tiresome and boring, since it takes much more time to see the progresses. Only you know what style suits you the best. Also; why do you want to play a legacy? Because the legacy challenge is so very famous in the sim community and therefore something you feel you "should" try? Or is it because something with the challenge actually seems very appealing to you? If it´s the first alternative (which has been the biggest reason for me personally to do a legacy) then I think chances are hight you´ll get bored pretty quickly. If it´s the other alternative then you´ll have something interesting to build on and something to motivate you. Of course people who start a legacy because they feel they "have to" try it might end up loving it, and people who thought it would be interesting might end up totally bored with it. So it´s always a good thing to experiment with the game to find what you really like in it. But remember: you don´t have to play a legacy if you don´t enjoy it - in fact you don´t have to do anything in this game. Sims 2 is all about having fun!

[sushigal007]

Another thought is, why do they become boring? Is it because they're all happy and rich? I find perfect sims to be boring sims. Happily there's ways around that. Make sure they have free will and only direct them to do things they actually want to do. It spices up college when your sims just want to party all day instead of studying and you let them and then they fail. Or if they really want to woohoo three sims, go for it. Buy community lots to blow big chunks of cash, or install no20khandout to stop the offspring walking out of college instantly rich - I had one sim move out who was so poor, they had to move into an apartment and then dig in front of the building so they could afford to rent a room!

[A.G.Doren]

Also if you want to play a legacy but don't like some of the rules adjust them to suit your taste.I don't think I've ever read a legacy where someone follows all of the rules. Most people's games include ACR and Inteen even though technically you're not supposed to use those kinds of mods.

Also there are legacy mini-challenges look into those.

[Selly_2009]

I know that I've probably broken half the rules in the few legacies I've played!

It does depend on the family, but I too find that sometimes I get bored of one set of characters; playing other families in the hood breaks out of that, so I can go back with a fresh start. My longest legacies are only Generation #4, but I doubt I'd ever have got that far if I'd not played others in between.