So, at the end of my WYDC, here are some thoughts on the challenge. It’s a fun one, but difficult to get going – once you’re there, you’re fine.
When I failed the first time (Bebe’s failed mission) I didn’t plan my time very well. This time around I was much quicker with both getting her pregnant (keep her pregnant as much as you can until you get life fruit as this keeps her young) and with building her gardening and cooking skills.
Having a child do the fishing was really useful as kids can learn that skill from the child age and it saved Bebe having to learn three skills before she could make ambrosia. Omni plants were vital (those at the science facility at first, our own later) as we could then grow lots of life fruit and death fish.
Money is tight at first, remember that lawn living is great and that the ambrosia book costs – we did use the bookshop bargainer LTR (as well as stupid vacationer which I regret getting, and long-distance friend). I do regret not going for the no-LTR bonus though.
I didn’t rush too fast to get a husband – having one was very handy both for child-rearing and for doing his own challenge, but getting him later meant we had more life fruit to go round. The paper boy was an excellent choice as he was guaranteed to be young, unlike many service sims.
Bebe’s traits were family-oriented, flirty, childish, workaholic and green thumb. I’d say all but the latter were essential. Childish was great for making new friends, family-oriented earned her loads of LTH as she was forever rolling up wants to have babies (every single one was wanted – and more) and grandchildren, and pretty much every want she ever rolled was related to one of her kids. She was a very easy sim to keep happy.
Some WYDC players don’t go for careers, but it really helped to have both parents in work, for the income (maternity pay is vital) and the points. Bebe’s workaholic trait was very useful as she could work from home and thus get promoted more easily.
Generations really screws this challenge up. I used an any game starter mod at the end to avoid the reactions and reputations though after the Pets reinstall with it being so close to the end I just played it straight and bought the clean reputation LTRs without paying a point cost seeing as the game CHEATED ME. I think you’d need to invent new rules to deal with this – it’d be interesting to see if you could do a pet variation on this challenge somehow as well.
Glitches meant the family tree got screwed up, and Asa’s children kept being purged (which was why I stopped giving him extra kids) as well as us having to move the family once and having several months where play was impossible – but I guess a challenge like this is always going to bloat the game.
Finally – for those who weren’t aware, there was a naming theme. All the kids and pets were named after Neighbours characters and pets (and places in the case of Erinsborough the fish) – except Yabbie Creek, the non-biological child, who was named after a place in Home and Away!
