Post by Jabberwocky on Sept 3, 2015 16:09:18 GMT
I was reading through THE BIBLICAL CHALLENGE by THE BEN while perusing new challenge ideas for when I finish "Baby On Board". And it got me thinking...
I LOVE inventing new religions for fantasy stories, rps, etc. It's on of my absolute favorite things because the world is so full of diverse religion, and learning while I craft is so much fun.
So I decided to expand more on the rules and make it truly challenging, as well as perhaps offer a backbone idea for anyone who want to involve a religion in their story.
THE END GOAL: To have reached _ by the end of 10 generations.
Or just leave it ongoing for story purposes, etc.
LEVEL 1: The Monk
Create a CAS Sim. Preferably male. Give him regular simple clothing. This guy is going to be your starting priest, but for now, he is merely discovering your religion. So keep that in mind.
Like any challenge founder, he needs to move into an empty lot. Make it one of the bigger ones. Eventually the temple will be built here. Keep that in mind.
Now obviously, the guy will have lost a lot of money by purchasing this land, but that's not all. You see, he came to this country with no penny to his name. Use the familyfunds cheat to remove ALL simoleans. He will start with literally nothing.
Go find him a job. It MUST be the first job that is available on the newspaper. No cheating. No using the Job Notice Board or cheat objects, etc. This first job will determine what sort of deity he is worshipping.
As a humble monk, he will always begin in the humblest of ways. With his first paycheck, he may begin building a SMALL and SIMPLE abode for himself. You don't need the fanciest stove. Purposefully buy the cheap one. As money accumulates, do not buy any superfluous items like computers, TVs, workout machines, espresso makers, etc. Only the bare minimum items that you need to survive. These include: bed, fridge, stove, table, chair, shower/tub, and toilet.
To keep him entertained and not depressed, have him visit community lots often to make friends. He will eventually need to gain followers somehow.
He may meet and marry a woman (or if your monk is a woman, then a man) and get married. Depending on your Play Styles (explained later) this may affect your choices and marriage.
Your monk is just scratching the surface of religion. He feels the need to live simply and cheaply, staying humble and being dutiful to himself and his family.
His family is impressed with his dedication. They also get jobs in his career (again, Play Style may affect).
LEVEL 1 GOAL 1: Reach the top of the chosen career level.
This unlocks the Attention of the Deity.
Type in Motherlode once.
What's this? Your humble monk suddenly has an abundance of cash! Knowing it is from a higher power, your monk feels the need to learn more about this superior being.
If you have not already, get what body skill you need in order to Meditate. Once your Sim begins doing all the wacky yoga stuff, you know you're good. Have your monk Meditate undisturbed for three hours a day for three days in a row. Bonus if they meditate for longer than three, but it has to be in a row. No meditating one hour, going to work, meditating two hours, eating dinner, meditating one hour, and so on. It MUST be consecutive.
After those three days of meditation, the deity reveals to your Monk that he has found favor in the deity's eyes for being so dedicated and honest in their life. The Monk is ordered to build a shrine.
LEVEL 1 GOAL 2: Build a Shrine with the most expensive statue you can afford.
The shrine should not be huge, but it should be fancy enough. If it has walls, make the wallpaper fancy. Make the floor fancy. Add fancy shrubs. Etc.
Then, furnish it with a coffee or kitchen table. This is the altar. Behind the altar, probably raised on a pedestal or stage floor will be the statue. It must be the most expensive statue in your catalog.
The shrine is completed. Your Monk has fulfilled the deity's task. It is time to invite as many friends as you can and celebrate.
LEVEL 1 GOAL 3: Host a party a day for seven days. It needs to be a Roof Raiser. Influence at least one non-related SIm at every party to do a task for you.
The influenced Sims will come in handy later. But once you have finished all seven parties, your Monk's work is finished.
Have a poll, pick from a hat, roll a die: however you decide, you will now pick an heir and pass on the mantle to them. The heir must be a child of the Monk and his first wife.
Again, Play Style may affect.
LEVEL 1 POINTS
+5 for starting on the largest lot your Sim can afford
+2 if your Sim never carpools or drives to work (such things are too ostentatious for your humble monk)
+0.5 for every child born to the Monk
+2 for every related Sim that gets a job in the same career as the Monk
+5 for every related Sim that meets their LTW AS WELL AS reaching top of the career of the monk. If they ONLY reach their LTW and not the Monk career, they do not get the bonus. They must achieve both.
+10 if the statue at the end cost more than 10,000 simoleans
+0.5 for every extra hour a Sim meditates during the three day meditation period, but they MUST be consecutive hours
+1 for each party that is a Roof Raiser
+1 for every non-related Sim successfully influenced during the party week except the 7 that you need to influence
LEVEL 1 DEDUCTIONS
-1 for every child of the Monk that dies
-10 if your monk gets fired
BUT +5 if your Sim gets rehired in that same career
-2 for every fancy appliance/object used (cheapest bookcase, art easel, chess table, sink, couch/armchair, mirror, counter, phone, dresser, light source are NOT fancy so long as they are the cheapest).
-# if you fail to influence all 7 needed Sims in the party week. The number removed is the number of failures. If you fail to influence a Sim one day but succeed the next, you do not lose that point.
LEVEL 2: The Preacher
Your father was a devoted man to his deity. And now he has passed that mantle on to you, his child.
Create 5 community lots and build a shrine similar to the family shrine on each one. If you have Open For Business you MUST purchase them. If you do not have Open For Business, then create an empty, residential lot and build a shrine on it. Look at how much it would cost to move a family there. Deduct that number of simoleans from your Preacher each time you build a shrine lot. However, the shrine lots must be community ones.
NON OFB: In a back corner of the lot away from the shrine, build a small kitchen area. Nothing super fancy.
Your Preacher must visit one shrine every weekday for all five weekdays. That means one shrine on Monday, one on Tuesday, one on Wednesday, etc. You must also take care of your family shrine on the weekdays.
Your Preacher must leave a food offering on the altar every time they visit. The food must correspond to the deity. They must clear away the old offering when they come back again.
Your Preacher must tend to any and all plants, pull weeds, clean surfaces, mop puddles, fill holes, etc etc. You are the caretaker of your shrine. However, you may bring family members who worship your deity to come help tend the shrines.
Your Preacher must entertain and interact with every Sim that comes on the lot. Related sims are optional.
As your Preacher accumulates wealth, they must tithe to the shrines by building them up bigger and better. This is the start of the churches.
LEVEL 2 GOAL 1: Build the church.
You must start with your family home lot. Invite attendants using hacked objects, the phone, etc. Attendants on community lots are all the walk-bys.
FOR NON-OFB: Keep track of how much each thing costs as you update churches on community lots. You will be deducting that amount from your Devout's funds using familyfunds cheat.
Each church will include a shrine area, either the original or tear it down and build a new one.
Each church must have a small stage and a sitting area. This can be in a room separate of the shrine.
On the stage, use moveobjects on to place a hanging mirror on the stage facing away from the people. Use this mirror to do the Practice Speech function. Of course, if you or a family member has unlocked the speech pulpit, feel free to use it. But it must have been gained without cheating.
Church services must begin once you have at least one church. Church services must be held on the same day. Write the names of the days of the week on slips of paper along with six slips of paper that say "No more" on them. Put them in a hat/bowl/etc. Draw a slip of paper until you get a day of the week. Keep drawing until you get a "No More" slip. The days you drew are days that your sim must hold a church service. Rotate which church your Sim holds the service in so that all the churches get a turn. Note: if you begin church services when you have only one church, then obviously only use that church. Services may not be held at shrines.
Remember: you need to keep taking care of the shrines. If your shrine is now within a church building or attached to a church building, then reorder your schedule so that you can take care of that shrine on the day you have service.
LEVEL 2 GOAL 1.5: Collect Tithe
Keep track of which non-related Sims attend your church services. If a Sim attends five church services, they will begin tithing. For every visit they make after the initial five, give yourself 20 simoleans. Every five visit mark, increase the simolean count they tithe by 5.
Once they hit a tithe of 100 simoleans and attend a service five times after that, then you may begin increasing their tithe by 20 every five visits.
When they hit 500, increase their tithe by 50 every ten visits. When they hit 1000, increase their tithe by 100 every ten visits.
The most a Sim can give in a tithe is 2000 each visit.
BONUS: if a related Sim (not in your household) or a playable Sim attends your service, you MUST go into their house and deduct their tithe amount. This gives you bonus points to the challenge.
more coming soon
I LOVE inventing new religions for fantasy stories, rps, etc. It's on of my absolute favorite things because the world is so full of diverse religion, and learning while I craft is so much fun.
So I decided to expand more on the rules and make it truly challenging, as well as perhaps offer a backbone idea for anyone who want to involve a religion in their story.
THE END GOAL: To have reached _ by the end of 10 generations.
Or just leave it ongoing for story purposes, etc.
LEVEL 1: The Monk
Create a CAS Sim. Preferably male. Give him regular simple clothing. This guy is going to be your starting priest, but for now, he is merely discovering your religion. So keep that in mind.
Like any challenge founder, he needs to move into an empty lot. Make it one of the bigger ones. Eventually the temple will be built here. Keep that in mind.
Now obviously, the guy will have lost a lot of money by purchasing this land, but that's not all. You see, he came to this country with no penny to his name. Use the familyfunds cheat to remove ALL simoleans. He will start with literally nothing.
Go find him a job. It MUST be the first job that is available on the newspaper. No cheating. No using the Job Notice Board or cheat objects, etc. This first job will determine what sort of deity he is worshipping.
As a humble monk, he will always begin in the humblest of ways. With his first paycheck, he may begin building a SMALL and SIMPLE abode for himself. You don't need the fanciest stove. Purposefully buy the cheap one. As money accumulates, do not buy any superfluous items like computers, TVs, workout machines, espresso makers, etc. Only the bare minimum items that you need to survive. These include: bed, fridge, stove, table, chair, shower/tub, and toilet.
To keep him entertained and not depressed, have him visit community lots often to make friends. He will eventually need to gain followers somehow.
He may meet and marry a woman (or if your monk is a woman, then a man) and get married. Depending on your Play Styles (explained later) this may affect your choices and marriage.
Your monk is just scratching the surface of religion. He feels the need to live simply and cheaply, staying humble and being dutiful to himself and his family.
His family is impressed with his dedication. They also get jobs in his career (again, Play Style may affect).
LEVEL 1 GOAL 1: Reach the top of the chosen career level.
This unlocks the Attention of the Deity.
Type in Motherlode once.
What's this? Your humble monk suddenly has an abundance of cash! Knowing it is from a higher power, your monk feels the need to learn more about this superior being.
If you have not already, get what body skill you need in order to Meditate. Once your Sim begins doing all the wacky yoga stuff, you know you're good. Have your monk Meditate undisturbed for three hours a day for three days in a row. Bonus if they meditate for longer than three, but it has to be in a row. No meditating one hour, going to work, meditating two hours, eating dinner, meditating one hour, and so on. It MUST be consecutive.
After those three days of meditation, the deity reveals to your Monk that he has found favor in the deity's eyes for being so dedicated and honest in their life. The Monk is ordered to build a shrine.
LEVEL 1 GOAL 2: Build a Shrine with the most expensive statue you can afford.
The shrine should not be huge, but it should be fancy enough. If it has walls, make the wallpaper fancy. Make the floor fancy. Add fancy shrubs. Etc.
Then, furnish it with a coffee or kitchen table. This is the altar. Behind the altar, probably raised on a pedestal or stage floor will be the statue. It must be the most expensive statue in your catalog.
The shrine is completed. Your Monk has fulfilled the deity's task. It is time to invite as many friends as you can and celebrate.
LEVEL 1 GOAL 3: Host a party a day for seven days. It needs to be a Roof Raiser. Influence at least one non-related SIm at every party to do a task for you.
The influenced Sims will come in handy later. But once you have finished all seven parties, your Monk's work is finished.
Have a poll, pick from a hat, roll a die: however you decide, you will now pick an heir and pass on the mantle to them. The heir must be a child of the Monk and his first wife.
Again, Play Style may affect.
LEVEL 1 POINTS
+5 for starting on the largest lot your Sim can afford
+2 if your Sim never carpools or drives to work (such things are too ostentatious for your humble monk)
+0.5 for every child born to the Monk
+2 for every related Sim that gets a job in the same career as the Monk
+5 for every related Sim that meets their LTW AS WELL AS reaching top of the career of the monk. If they ONLY reach their LTW and not the Monk career, they do not get the bonus. They must achieve both.
+10 if the statue at the end cost more than 10,000 simoleans
+0.5 for every extra hour a Sim meditates during the three day meditation period, but they MUST be consecutive hours
+1 for each party that is a Roof Raiser
+1 for every non-related Sim successfully influenced during the party week except the 7 that you need to influence
LEVEL 1 DEDUCTIONS
-1 for every child of the Monk that dies
-10 if your monk gets fired
BUT +5 if your Sim gets rehired in that same career
-2 for every fancy appliance/object used (cheapest bookcase, art easel, chess table, sink, couch/armchair, mirror, counter, phone, dresser, light source are NOT fancy so long as they are the cheapest).
-# if you fail to influence all 7 needed Sims in the party week. The number removed is the number of failures. If you fail to influence a Sim one day but succeed the next, you do not lose that point.
LEVEL 2: The Preacher
Your father was a devoted man to his deity. And now he has passed that mantle on to you, his child.
Create 5 community lots and build a shrine similar to the family shrine on each one. If you have Open For Business you MUST purchase them. If you do not have Open For Business, then create an empty, residential lot and build a shrine on it. Look at how much it would cost to move a family there. Deduct that number of simoleans from your Preacher each time you build a shrine lot. However, the shrine lots must be community ones.
NON OFB: In a back corner of the lot away from the shrine, build a small kitchen area. Nothing super fancy.
Your Preacher must visit one shrine every weekday for all five weekdays. That means one shrine on Monday, one on Tuesday, one on Wednesday, etc. You must also take care of your family shrine on the weekdays.
Your Preacher must leave a food offering on the altar every time they visit. The food must correspond to the deity. They must clear away the old offering when they come back again.
Your Preacher must tend to any and all plants, pull weeds, clean surfaces, mop puddles, fill holes, etc etc. You are the caretaker of your shrine. However, you may bring family members who worship your deity to come help tend the shrines.
Your Preacher must entertain and interact with every Sim that comes on the lot. Related sims are optional.
As your Preacher accumulates wealth, they must tithe to the shrines by building them up bigger and better. This is the start of the churches.
LEVEL 2 GOAL 1: Build the church.
You must start with your family home lot. Invite attendants using hacked objects, the phone, etc. Attendants on community lots are all the walk-bys.
FOR NON-OFB: Keep track of how much each thing costs as you update churches on community lots. You will be deducting that amount from your Devout's funds using familyfunds cheat.
Each church will include a shrine area, either the original or tear it down and build a new one.
Each church must have a small stage and a sitting area. This can be in a room separate of the shrine.
On the stage, use moveobjects on to place a hanging mirror on the stage facing away from the people. Use this mirror to do the Practice Speech function. Of course, if you or a family member has unlocked the speech pulpit, feel free to use it. But it must have been gained without cheating.
Church services must begin once you have at least one church. Church services must be held on the same day. Write the names of the days of the week on slips of paper along with six slips of paper that say "No more" on them. Put them in a hat/bowl/etc. Draw a slip of paper until you get a day of the week. Keep drawing until you get a "No More" slip. The days you drew are days that your sim must hold a church service. Rotate which church your Sim holds the service in so that all the churches get a turn. Note: if you begin church services when you have only one church, then obviously only use that church. Services may not be held at shrines.
Remember: you need to keep taking care of the shrines. If your shrine is now within a church building or attached to a church building, then reorder your schedule so that you can take care of that shrine on the day you have service.
LEVEL 2 GOAL 1.5: Collect Tithe
Keep track of which non-related Sims attend your church services. If a Sim attends five church services, they will begin tithing. For every visit they make after the initial five, give yourself 20 simoleans. Every five visit mark, increase the simolean count they tithe by 5.
Once they hit a tithe of 100 simoleans and attend a service five times after that, then you may begin increasing their tithe by 20 every five visits.
When they hit 500, increase their tithe by 50 every ten visits. When they hit 1000, increase their tithe by 100 every ten visits.
The most a Sim can give in a tithe is 2000 each visit.
BONUS: if a related Sim (not in your household) or a playable Sim attends your service, you MUST go into their house and deduct their tithe amount. This gives you bonus points to the challenge.
more coming soon