Zombie Aftermath Challenge Rules and Tidbits

   

          Since the Sims 4 is most definitely not going to be the game I want to play, I decided to give the Sims 3 one more chance. I am really engrossed in playing cannibalcupcake's Zombie Aftermath Challenge (thank you tumblr people, especially napoleonfrost for inspiring stories), I find it very entertaining and at the same time easy enough to hold my attention span. I'm posting a set of modified rules, taking into account new EPs content, ideas I've gathered from Tumblr and my nerdy gameplay style. The original rules can be found here and slightly updated version here. Of cause all credit goes to CannibalCupcake. Read more after the jump. Beware, the text is quite lengthy!

           First of all, now you don't have to pretend your neighbourhood in full of zombies, you can actually simulate it and make it work pretty good with this set of mods and Supernatural EP:

• Nraas Vector with Zombie Diseases Module  - infects your town with zombie virus, you can increase the number of infected sims, alter the length of disease stages, set how effective the cure is etc. Make sure to have the number of Patient Zeros higher then 1, this will definitely create an epidemic situation. I also highly suggest ErrorTrap, Overwatch and MasterController just for the sake of savegame stability.
• Zombie More Biting Mod by Shimrod (registration required) - to make zombie moodlet last for infinite amount of time(ShimrodsZombieBuffUnlimited163) and make them attack more often (ShimrodsZombieMoreBitingNoEnterHouses139).
• Breastfeeding Mod by Nona Mena - since the shops are closed and your sims are not allowed to leave the lot, the baby formula is out of the question.
• No Shopping from Fridge by ani_ - self explanatory, I think.
• Retuned Attraction System by Fentonparkninja - makes finding future spouse more realistic, and at the same time more difficult. I use Variety Attraction one.
• Salvaged Junkyard Objects Made Usable by icarus_allsorts - allows you to fix salvaged items from the junkyard and use them at home.
• No Automomous Smartphone by Misty - you'll be surprised how lame the zombies look if they browse the web or text instead of attacking sims and going "Braaaains!"
• No Mutated Hair/Eye Colour by KittyCarey - a must if you want to see the traces of your original sims in generations two or three.
• Scribbling Pad by Buzzler - a notebook that lets sims write books by hand. Computers are not allowed, since there's no electricity.
• Barrel o' Fire by cmomoney - just for shits and giggles. It looks rather post apocalyptic and warms your sims at the same time.
• Dystopian Lighting Mod by Brntwaffles - any world will look right with this one, even Sunset Valley.

          As for grungy and worn stuff try this label at My Sims 3 Blog, there are plenty of good finds both worlds and objects, my personal favourites are of cause Cyclonesue from TSR, a lot of good stuff in this section of Garden of Shadows and from club_crimsyn. There are also quite useful Fowls and Feathers Chicken Coop and Milkin' it Dairy Coral at the dreadful Store if you're into EA official cc. 

The Rules

Preparation

        Find a populated world to your liking, delete all rabbitholes except Hospital, Military Base, Police, Science Facility and Criminal Warehouse. Suppress opportunities and set lifespan to normal, I also suppress celebrity system, paparazzi, supernatural creatures and wild animals (that's where nraas Register might come in handy).

Your Sims

         Create a couple of sims, it is important to give them at least one of the following 'survival' traits: Angler, Athletic, Brave, Daredevil, Disciplined, Eco-Friendly, Family Oriented (Founder female sim must have), Gatherer, Genius, Green Thumb, Frugal, Handy, Hates the Outdoors, Light Sleeper, Lucky, Never Nude, Nurturing, Perceptive, Perfectionist, Supernatural Fan, Workaholic.

         Non-survival traits are: Absent minded, Clumsy, Couch Potato, Coward, Diva, Heavy Sleeper, Hot-headed, Insane, Loser, Neurotic, Unlucky, Unstable.

        The rest of the traits are considered neutral. Each survival trait is +1, a non-survival trait adds -1 and neutral traits count as 0. Only sims with the score at least +1 can become heirs and stay on the home lot, the rest must be kicked out when they reach young adult age. 

  eg. If your sim has Lucky(+1), Heavy Sleeper(-1), Loves the Cold(0), Bot Fan(0), Green Thumb(+1) the total score will equal +1.

        Note, that to successfully give birth to children female founders and heirs should have Family Oriented or Nurturing trait, otherwise survival chances for the mother are 50/50 since there is no medical care. You may not choose traits for children manually, roll the dice. You may also add animals to the family, but they may not breed or contact with strays, leave the lot and if you don't have enough funds to feed them - set them free(meaning kick them out).

Your Home Lot

           Buy an empty lot, I suggest at least 40X40, build a house, buy necessary furniture, sculpt the land around. The tricky part is - there must be a fence around the property, the mailbox and the trashcan should be outside the fence. You may not buy electrical items (no fridge, TV, computer, fire alarm etc.) or appliances that use water (no hot tub, shower, sink etc.). Well, the only exception is the toilet, but your sims may not clean, repair or upgrade it. You may use only three torches or oil lamps for light. You can also buy a radio, but in case it breaks you may not repair or replace it (no batteries). You will not be able to buy new furniture or hobby items until generation one. Take it into account, buy all cribs, toys and whatnot beforehand. You also may not use cheats to take care of sim needs, money or give them skill or relationship boosts. Birthday cakes are also prohibited (no stove and fridge).

          Spend all your family funds except 2000 simoleans, you'll need them to make the last trip to the grocery to buy supplies and two skill books to your liking (you can own only the empty bookshelve at the beginning of the challenge). By the way, in addition to growing vegetables you can dig the pond and populate it with fish, you'll need ten fish of the same kind to do it. Now lock the fence, cancel newspaper subscription, cancel bills (again use Master Controller for this), activate zombie infestation with Vector and try to survive the winter. The Stage Zero begins.

Stage Zero: Zombie Infestation

          Everyone around you is a zombie. You managed to escape their deadly grasp due to your wonderful survival traits and settled down in an abandoned house. You are not sure if this disease will ever end, there are no means of communications with outside world. Basically your task is to build a self-sustaining life and procreate.

This generation:

•  Must grow their own food;
• Anyone that develops a score 0 or -1 by young adult stage must be moved out;
• Have at least one heir with the score +1 to move to Stage One;
• Sims may not leave the fenced lot (also no hospitals to give birth or get flu shots);
• May not interact with anyone outside the household;
• May not use electricity and the running water;
• May not buy new furniture;
• May not use a phone, fire alarm, burglar alarm and may not call for services;
• May not use Time portal, World Adventures or University Kit for traveling or acquiring more funds. Sending children and teens to private school is not allowed;
• Children and teens cannot visit school or after school activities, since their teacher might eat their brains.

 Stage One: Military Takeover

          The stage begins when the last child from generation one grows into young adult. The military forces finally come to town, exterminating zombies right and left. Your generation one wants to assist anyway possible to end this nightmare once and for all.

This generation:

• At least one heir must join Military or Law Enforcement career;
• Anyone that develops a score 0 or -1 by young adult stage must be moved out;
• Must find a spouse only among coworkers;
• Your sim may not leave lot to visit their romantic interest until they are at the 5th level of their career or until they have 10 athletic points. Sim's romantic interest may visit home lot;
• Have at least one heir with the score +1 to move to Stage Two;
• If no one is available to marry, your sim may adopt a child (save an orphaned child from attacking zombies). However, you must move out your adopted child if she/he develops a score 0 or -1 by young adult stage;
• Alien offsprings, plantsims and Imaginary Friends do not count as heirs no matter the traits. Children from the past (from the Time Machine) do.
• Your sims may own two electrical items (the Military supplied them with a generator), a car and a phone (use it to call non-zombies only);
• May not use a fire alarm and may not call for services; 
• If there's a sim with 10 skill points in inventing - Gem Cutter, ZRX-9000 Science Research Station (considered an electrical item) and Chemistry Table become available;
• If your sim invents  Miner, they can use it to drill an 'artesian well' - running water becomes available, two appliances only;
• The rule about female heir having Family Oriented or Nurturing trait persist, otherwise there is still 50/50 chance of death while giving birth;
• May not use Woohoo  interaction, only Try for a Baby, since there's no more contraception left;
• May sell paintings, food, sculptures, rocks and inventions for cash;
• May not use Time portal, World Adventures or University Kit for traveling or acquiring more funds. Sending children and teens to private school is not allowed;
• Children and teens still cannot visit school or after school activities;
• If there's a sim with 10 points of athletic skill they can go loot the town once a week. They may visit three lots only and bring home collectables, fish, seeds, small pets, scrap and salvaged furniture from the Junkyard. They still may not visit shops or market stalls. If there is a zombie on lot they must leave immediately.

Stage Two: Crime

         The stage begins when the last child from generation two grows into young adult. It turnes out that military cannot completely control the region, they are not funded enough, undermanned and overworked. To make matters even worse a powerful gang of marauders arrives to town to loot and burn. They overcome the Law Enforcement and take rule in their own hand. If your sim family wants to survive they must join them.

This generation:

• At least one heir must join Criminal Career (this is the only career available in this stage). Sims that are already employed in Military or Law Enforcement may keep their jobs;
• Anyone that develops a score 0 or -1 by young adult stage must be moved out;
• Until one of your sims reaches level five in Criminal Career and has 10 skill points in athletics you must force a burglar to come every two days (use testingccheatsenabled). Your sims can fight them, though.
• If your sim gets in jail for any reason, they must be killed;
• Your sims may still own two electrical items, a car and a phone (use it to call non-zombies only);
• Must find a spouse only among coworkers;
• Your sim may not leave lot to visit their romantic interest until they are at the 5th level of their career or until they have 10 athletic points. Sim's romantic interest may visit home lot;
• Have at least one heir with the score +1 to move to Stage Three;
• If no one is available to marry, your sim may adopt a child (save an orphaned child from attacking zombies). However, you must move out your adopted child if she/he develops a score 0 or -1 by young adult stage;
• If there's a sim with 10 skill points in inventing - Gem Cutter, ZRX-9000 Science Research Station (considered an electrical item) and Chemistry Table become available;
• If your sim invents  Miner, they can use it to drill an 'artesian well' - running water becomes available, two appliances only;
• The rule about female heir having Family Oriented or Nurturing trait persist, otherwise there still 50/50 chance of death while giving birth;
• May not use Woohoo  interaction, only Try for a Baby, since there's still no more contraception;
• Sims may not own burglar alarm and call police or fire department;
• May sell paintings, food, sculptures, rocks and inventions for cash;
• May not use Time portal, World Adventures or University Kit for traveling or acquiring more funds. Sending children and teens to private school is not allowed;
• Children and teens still cannot visit school or after school activities;
• If there's a sim with 10 points of athletic skill they can go loot the town once a week. They may visit three lots only and bring home collectables, fish, seeds, small pets, scrap and salvaged furniture from the Junkyard. They still may not visit shops or market stalls. If there is a zombie on lot they must leave immediately.

 Stage Three: Vaccine

           This stage begins when the last child from generation three becomes young adult. This stage may last as many generations as it takes to create a vaccine successfully. The military has done a good job of cleaning up the town - they’ve overcome marauders and killed most of zombies. There are still some around, hiding in the ruined houses. Expecting another outbreak military gathers the remaining scientists and medical professionals to create a vaccine for zombie virus.

This generation:

• At least one heir must join Medical or Science Career to help creating the vaccine. However, by doing so they are volunteering themselves as guinea pigs. Every Friday you must roll a dice or use a random number generator to determine if your sim will live or be zombified. If you roll an even number they live, an odd number they must be move out. After 3 positive rolls, the vaccine is successfully created.  Pregnant sims employed in these careers are not taking part in the experiment;
•  Your household can now give birth at the hospital and have allergy and flu shots;
• Anyone that develops a score 0 or -1 by young adult stage must be moved out;
• Contraception is available again. Female heir having Family Oriented or Nurturing trait rule is off;
• Town infrastructure starts to work again. Your household may now use running water unlimited;
• Your sims may still own two electrical items, a car and a phone (use it to call non-zombies only). Sims still may not call for service or install fire and burglar alarm;
• If there's a sim with 10 skill points in inventing - Gem Cutter, ZRX-9000 Science Research Station (considered an electrical item) and Chemistry Table become available;
• Must find a spouse only among coworkers (Military, Law Enforcement, Criminal, Science and Medical careers);
• Your sim may not leave lot to visit their romantic interest until they are at the 5th level of their career or until they have 10 athletic points. Sim's romantic interest may visit home lot;
• Have at least one heir with the score +1 to move to the next generation;
• If no one is available to marry, your sim may adopt a child. (save an orphaned child from attacking zombies). However, you must move out your adopted child if she/he develops a score 0 or -1 by young adult stage;
• May not use Time portal, World Adventures or University Kit for traveling or acquiring more funds. Sending children and teens to private school is not allowed;
• May sell paintings, food, sculptures, rocks and inventions for cash;
• Children and teens still cannot visit school or after school activities;
• No looting is allowed (the town is under law protection), only salvaging scrap and furniture from the Junkyard and looking for collectables, fish, seeds, small pets off lots.

Once the vaccine is invented the challenge is over, the sims can walk the streets freely again.