Spectres of the Past

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” challschmale going (rules on Mod the Sims here) .. and this time I wanted to START with a story, not the challschmale itself.  (I started with the challschmale 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 challschmale (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 challschmale 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 ruhig have the save file, but the issue is ruhig 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.

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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 Challschmale 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 challschmale, 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.)