The Sims 2 Asylum Challenge – Pleasant Sims Rules

In my latest live stream series on Twitch, we’re playing the Sims 2 Asylum Challenge. The original rules for The Sims 2 version can be found here. This post is my personal spin on the challenge. 

Objective: Achieve your Sim’s Lifetime Want while stuck in a Mental Facility with 7 other patients you can’t control with limited furniture and supplies. 

Creating “Patients”

To begin, create eight unrelated adult Sims. You can use Sims you make yourself or download them. Set their appearance and clothing however you like. The first Sim you create will be the Sim you control, and the remaining seven will be the additional “patients.”

1. For each Sim, go to Random.org and roll a number between 1 – 12 for zodiac signs. Assign their aspiration as follows:

• 1. Aquarius – Family
  2. Aries – Popularity
  3. Cancer – Family
  4. Capricorn – Fortune
  5. Gemini – Fortune
  6. Leo – Popularity
  7. Libra – Romance
  8. Pisces – Knowledge
  9. Sagittarius – Knowledge
  10. Scorpio – Fortune
  11. Taurus – Romance
  12. Virgo – Knowledge

2. Leave their personality points as the default for their sign.
3. Roll for each Sims’s turn-ons and turn-offs. There are initially 34 options, so roll a number between 1 – 34 to find the first turn-on. Roll 1 – 33 for the second, and 1 – 32 for the turn-off. You must accept them no matter how ridiculous they are. 

Creating the Asylum

Now that the patients have been created, it’s time to build the asylum. You may either build or download a house to use, but you will have to make some adjustments. Here are the requirements for your lot:

1. Beds – Enough beds for five Sims (1 double and 3 singles or 5 singles). No bed should have energy or comfort level above 3.
2. Chairs/Couches – Seating for six, including all chairs, couches, benches, and stools. (If you have a couch that seats three, you may only have three more chairs, etc.) No seating may have an energy level above 3 or a comfort level above 8. 
3. Plumbing – 1 sink, 1 toilet, 1 bathtub. I recommend not putting the sink in the kitchen. Sims will sponge bathe there, causing all other Sims to leave the room even if they’re starving.
4. Skill Items – 1 skill-building item per type. You may not have two items that build the same skill. For example, you cannot have both a telescope AND a chess table (logic) or an easel AND a piano (creativity). 
5. Entertainment – 1 TV, 1 bookshelf, 1 radio. That’s it. Sims in the asylum do not have access to computers, video games, or any other entertainment items including MP3 players or handheld games. Nothing allowed with fun level above 7.
6. Electronics – 1 phone and 1 clock. This place is a dump, so no smoke alarms, burglar alarms, or sprinklers.
7. Appliances – 1 stove and 1 refrigerator. No other appliances allowed. 
8. Surfaces – 2 counters, 1 dining table, 1 coffee table, and up to 4 side (end) tables. Nothing too fancy. 
9. Decor & Misc – Any decor, lighting, trash cans, etc. that you want.  
10. Build Mode – Anything is allowed except lockable doors.

Here are some additional guidelines for building the lot:

• All objects must be placed INSIDE the building except outdoor lighting and decor. 
• Once the game begins, you may not purchase ANYTHING from build or buy mode (except to replace stolen/repossessed items. Make sure you get everything you need now. Money cheats are allowed for building, but not after gameplay begins.
• No career/aspiration rewards allowed. 
• No banquet tables or bars. 
• Custom content is allowed as long as it meets the above requirements. 

If you need some inspiration, you can see an example of my Asylum in my Sims 2 asylum challenge live stream on Twitch. I made it a run-down hovel, but you can always make yours really nice if you prefer. But keep in mind furnishings will be sparse. 

Playing the Challenge

After building the asylum, move your family of “patients” onto the lot. Now you’re ready to begin!

The objective of the challenge is for your playable Sim to achieve their Lifetime Want.

Here are the rules to follow as you play:

• You may change their LTW ONE TIME if they have something really stupid or impossible to achieve (such as having a bunch of grandchildren or owning businesses). Do this before you begin playing. Once the challenge begins, you may not change it again. 
• You may never control the other seven Sims in the asylum. You can’t ever click on them or look at their information again after moving them in to the lot. You don’t get to see their LTW, wants and fears, or status of their motives. 
• You may use your influence points to get the other patients to do things, such as cleaning and cooking, if you have enough points. 
• You may only leave the asylum for work. You may not visit any other lots. 
• Other Sims may visit you, and you can even date other Sims as long as you don’t leave the lot. You may also influence visitors to do things around the lot. 
• No maid, gardener, repairman, exterminator, or any other services are allowed. You may not have a baby or move anyone else into the lot even if someone dies. 
• If anyone dies, you must leave their tombstone on the lot and allow the ghost to roam freely. 
• If a patient dies, you must delete 1 bed and 1 seat until you are down to 1 bed and 1 seat. 
• No cheats allowed. 

Note About Mods

You can use mods if you like as long as they don’t break the spirit of the challenge. 

If you use the Smart Beds mod from Simbology, you MUST take it out for this challenge to work properly. With this mod,  you must direct Sims to their beds to “assign” them. Since you can’t control the other Sims and you want them to share beds, this mod is not compatible with the asylum challenge. 

Have you ever played the Asylum Challenge in The Sims 2? Leave a comment below and share your tips and experiences with us!