Sims 2 Test of Time Challenge

The Sims 2 Test of Time Challenge has always been my favorite challenge in The Sims. It’s LONG and requires a commitment to see it through, but it’s a really fun way to build up your neighborhood from literally nothing. 

I recently started this challenge in my Twitch streams, so I thought I would write up exactly how I play it. The original version found on Mod the Sims is fantastic! I applaud the creator for inventing such an entertaining way to play.

But, as always, I like to put the ‘ole Pleasant Sims twist on things. So, here is my version of The Sims 2 Test of Time Challenge (including recommended mods and custom content as requested). Note: This is a work in progress and will be updated.

Sims 2 Test of Time Challenge (Description)

This challenge was first posted by SwallowTail87 on the original Sims 2 forums (now defunct) way back in the day – sometime before 2011 as far as I can tell. I have changed the rules to suit my preferences. Feel free to use what you like and discard the rest.

The objective of the challenge is to have your starting bloodlines make it through the Neanderthal age to modern times. Each “stage” has its own rules and limitations, and only the fittest Sims will survive and prosper. In my version, you will play through 12 generations.

Some Sims will become rich lords and rule over the lower classes, while other Sims will remain on the bottom – depending on how well their family can survive. Oh, and there’s a whole lot of breeding (which you know I love).

Mods & Custom Content

I would consider creating a new Sims 2 folder (or at least downloads folder) just for The Sims 2 Test of Time Challenge. This is not necessary, but it helps if you want things to be as realistic as possible. I recommend the following mods and CC to start:

• Castaway Stories Furniture & Clothing – This is a complete pack of prehistoric furniture, clothing, road replacements, and even an empty map. Also includes Maxis hiders to hide everything in the game that does NOT match (hence the need for a separate challenge folder). Thanks to Lord Crumps for this download!
• Castaway Maternity Defaults – So zyour Sims don’t magically change into modern clothes when pregnant. These maternity clothing defaults match the Castaway clothing.
• Garden Plant Gussy Up – Your Sim will be doing a lot of farming in the beginning of this challenge, so gussy up those plants and make them look nicer!
• Hunting Spears – Your Sims can grab a hunting spear and go hunting for meat! This is great way to supplement their diet of produce and fish with something more substantial. 
• Castaway Outdoor Toilet – This is the toilet bush from Castaway stories. It looks more primitive than the toilet in my opinion.
• Grouper (Fish Meal) – A nice looking fish meal for your Sims converted from Castaway Stories. Gives them something different to eat besides Bass with Squash. 
• Seasonal Garden Crops – Adds more crops for your Sims to grow. Highly recommended!
• Wild Berry Bushes – Harvest berries for your Sims to eat (and add a chance of poisoning if you want).
• Ultimate Fruit Collection – Harvest fruits and nuts from trees, plus your Sims can gather fruit off the ground to eat that drops from the trees!
• Wild Mushrooms – Harvest wild mushrooms for your Sims to eat. Be careful! Some are poisonous and can be fatal!
• Breastfeeding Mod – Allows your Sims to breastfeed babies, since bottles did not exist at the dawn of time.
• Alternate Pregnancy Controller Lite – Adds a chance of miscarriage to pregnancy based on random chance and the Sim’s motives.
• Death by Childbirth – Gives a chance for Sims to die in childbirth. Odds are tunable, but default chance is 10% with chance increasing as a Sim ages.
• No Traffic in Neighborhood View – Makes the cars in neighborhood view invisible, also includes a horse-drawn carriage default replacement you can use when you get past Neanderthal stage.
• No More Newspaper Delivery – Stops newspaper delivery. You can also achieve this by banning NPCs using the visitor controller below.
• No Social Worker – Stops the social worker from taking children who are too hungry or don’t go to school.
• Visitor Controller – If you have townies present in your world, use this mod to ban them from appearing on your lots, giving the appearance of a world that only contains your Sims.
• No Autonomy Fridges Patch – Stops Sims from cooking or getting anything from the fridge unless you tell them too or they are starving. (Helps keep them from making non-allowed foods.)
• Invisible Phone Booth Recolor – For your community lots. You don’t want a modern phone booth sticking out on your early lots.
• SupraFridge – Mini fridge that allows you to get bottles from it for toddlers and babies. Also will take the Castaway recolors if you download the furniture & clothing pack.

Getting Started

Follow these steps to get started with The Sims 2 Test of Time Challenge:

1. Create a brand new neighborhood from scratch. Use any template you like. I’m using the Riverblossom Hills template that’s included with the game, and there’s also one in the Castaway download pack listed above. 
2. Create five new households. Each household should consist of one male and one female Sim. Create two couples with Skin 4, two with Skin 1, and one mixed with one adult having Skin 2 and the other with Skin 3. Use a variety of eye colors and hair colors for better genetics. 
3. Move each couple onto a small 2×2 lot near each other. Name the lots anything you want. Thanks to the suggestion of my Twitch viewers, I named my lots based on the last names of my Sims’ last names (i.e. The Tinyleaf Estate).
4. Set each household’s funds to $3,000 immediately after moving in (and before buying anything). Use the family funds cheat (familyfunds lastname $3000).
5. Furnish each family’s lot with the following objects:
   • Double bed, tent, or lean-to
   • 1 cheap dresser
   • 1 cheap loveseat
   • 1 cheap table and 2 chairs
   • 1 cheap stove or grill
   • 1 cheap counter
   • 1 cheap refrigerator
   • 1 cheap sink
   • 1 cheap toilet or outhouse
   • 1 cheap phone (or give all the Sims their own “shell phones” from the castaway download pack listed above)
   • Pond (I build my Sims a 2-click pond to start with)
   • Farming plots and orchard trees (as many as you can afford to start)
   • 1 trash pit, optional (from the castaway furniture pack listed above

6. Set seasons to summer all year round (four summer seasons).
7. Play each household for a single season, then move on to the next, playing each in rotation. See the rules below for how to play your households during each stage. 

General Rules

These are rules that apply to all the stages of the challenge. 

• There are to be only bloodlines going from your original families. However, you may add one adult CAS Sim as needed to the mix for each stage. These Sims may be of any class, however choose wisely.
• Women may not take jobs. However, they may earn money around the house by painting, farming, assisting a home business, etc.
• Women must take the men’s last names when marrying. This is pretty self-explanatory. 
• Sims marry up in rank. Any Sim who marries out of their social class takes on the higher of the two classes. For example, if a servant marries a plebian, the new family becomes plebian.
• Anytime anyone gets into a fight, the loser must be killed by your method of choice. If the stage is after the Neanderthals, then you are to place their grave in a community graveyard. This is the only way you are allowed to purposely kill Sims in this challenge.
• The heir in each family is the eldest male child. If the eldest male dies, the next eldest male becomes heir. If there are no male heirs remaining in a family, the eldest female becomes heir.
• Move to the next stage with the first grandchild of the current adult Sims age to adults. This will keep you at two generations per stage, which means you will play through a total of 10 generations in the challenge. 

Neanderthal Stage Rules

The Sims 2 Test of Time Challenge has several stages, each with their own rules. During the Neanderthal stage, times are tough. Follow these rules for TWO generations:

• Couples may interact only with each other. They cannot talk to any townies or NPCs. I recommend creating an empty game with no townies for this challenge, but you can also use the visitor controller to ban townies from your lots (or just ignore them).
• Have couples try for baby as often as possible. As soon as you begin playing each household, immediately try for baby. Wait 24 hours and if your female Sim is not pregnant, try again. After one baby is born, wait 24 hours and try for the next. 
• Sims cannot get jobs. They must make their living by farming, and survive by farming and fishing as the only food source. You cannot do anything else to earn money, including digging for treasure.
• Once the children age up to adults, they must move out (except the oldest male child). They must buy the same size lot as their parents and have their funds set to $3,000. Set them up with the same objects in the getting started list on their new lots. The first-born male child must take over the parent’s farm.
• You may build a small shelter for your Sims as they can afford it. They don’t have to live outside for the entirety of this stage, but keep things as basic as possible when it comes to furniture (I recommend sticking to the castaway furniture only). Use natural building materials such as wood and stone, etc.
• Move to the next stage when the oldest Gen. 2 child ages to an adult. Your starting Sims are generation ZERO, so it’s time to move on when the first of their grandchildren ages to an adult.

Community Lots

You may have a single community lot during the Neanderthal stage:

• Community Bathing Lot: This lot may include hot springs or waterfalls (custom content) for bathing. You may also place a bonfire or camp fire, but no other cooking or entertainment objects are allowed. Place as many trees, flowers, rocks, and natural decorations as you like. 

Food Requirements

In the Neanderthal stage, your Sims may only eat what they catch and grow. If a food is not listed here, your Sims are not allowed to prepare it (because it doesn’t exist yet). Remember, there is no agriculture or animal husbandry. Your Sims are hunter/gatherers on a Paleo diet.

• Bass with Squash – Requires a largemouth bass. 
• Grouper – Requires any fish. (Custom food)
• Grandma’s Comfort Soup – Requires one fish AND one vegetable (or may be made with rabbit hunted with the hunting spears).
• Blackened Catfish – Requires a catfish.
• Chef Salad – Requires two different types of vegetables.
• Stuffed Rainbow Trout – Requires a rainbow trout.
• Pork Chops – Must be hunted using the hunting spears. 
• Turkey – Must be hunted using the hunting spears.
• Salmon – Requires any fish or can be hunted using the hunting spears.
• Stuffed Golden Trout – Requires a golden trout.
• Holiday Roast – Must be hunted using the hunting spears. 
• Ribs – Must be hunted using the hunting spears.

These are the only foods your Neanderthal Sims can eat. They can also eat raw fruits and vegetables if you like (or if they’re desperate). No quick meals are allowed at this stage. 

Roman Stage Rules

Now you’re moving on to the Roman stage. The great Roman Empire rises under the rule of only the richest, upper-class elite, and in comes the first period of great learning. Follow these rules for the next TWO generations.

But first, we must determine ranks for this stage based on which family has the most money. Take any families with the same last name and add their net worth (found in the neighborhood screen) together.

The family with the most money are the Emperors, the next are the Patricians, the next are the Plebeians, and last are the Servants. There should be more Servants than Plebeians, more Plebeians than Patricians, and only 1 Emperor’s family. 

• Set seasons back to spring, summer, fall, winter. Your Sims no longer live in the eternal summer of the Neanderthal stage. 
• All objects are allowed except electronics. However, things such as the Telescope weren’t used until the Renaissance, so use common sense on what to use and what not to.

Emperors

• The Emperor is the eldest male in the family. The eldest male of your richest family from the Neanderthal stage is the starting Emperor. His oldest son becomes Emperor after him. If he has no male descendants, then as soon as he dies, the oldest daughter takes the throne, and her husband becomes Emperor.
• Move the family to a large lot and construct their palace. The total amount of money calculated above is the amount of money the Emperor can begin building his Palace with (along with a bonus of $25,000). The palace can be as lavish as you like (and can afford), but don’t use objects that would not have existed in Roman times. 
• Members of the Emperor’s Family may marry Patricians only, or other blood relatives. Yes, you can marry cousins in this stage if you want or need to. The game will not allow you to marry first cousins, but second cousins and beyond are fair game.
• They can take any job they want (Aside from the Emperor. He must be in Politics or Military), hire a maid, and buy just about anything but electronics and hot tubs. Don’t buy anything that would not exist in Roman times (within reason).
• The Emperor must have at least two Servants (from the Servant class) working for them. Choose two unmarried Servants and move them into the palace. Create a small servant’s quarters for them to live in. Have them do cleaning, cooking, gardening, etc. around the palace.
•  The Emperor’s family may stop having kids after two boys are born. You can have more if you like, however, since there’s always a chance your Sims will get murdered from losing a fight with another Sim. It’s a good idea to have some spares around. 
• Teens must attend school. The heir may take a job in politics; however no other teenage jobs are allowed for anyone.
• Children live in the palace until marriage (except for the heir to the throne). Upon marrying, move them out onto their own large lot with a gift of $5,000 to begin their new lives. They are still part of the Emporer’s family and follow all the same rules, even if they do not live on the palace lot. 

Patricians

• Move each Patrician family onto a medium-large lot (smaller than the Emperor’s lot of course). Give them a bonus of $10,000 to build a home. 
• Patricians must take jobs in respectable careers. Architects, doctors, intelligence, lawyers, scientists, military, politicians, and teachers were considered respectable during this time. They have a salary cap of $1,000.
• Patricians can marry other Patricians and the Emperor’s Family. Non-heirs can marry Plebeians if they want.
• Must meet requirements for marrying up. If a Patrician male marries a descendant of the Emperor, they must have a job in politics. If a daughter marries a descendant of the Emperor, she must have a $3,000 gift in her inventory. If a daughter marries the Emperor himself, she must have maxed creativity and charisma, and a gift of $5,000 in her inventory.
• Patrician families can have a single Servant Sim (from the Servant class) living with them. Provide a small servant’s room, and instruct the Sim to do chores and help with household tasks.
• Can stop having children after four in total. The gender does not matter. But they must have at least four children.
• Must send their teens to school. No teenage jobs are allowed, even for the heir in Patrician families. 
• Patricians may own community businesses, as long as they aren’t too extravagant. They may also own farms. A small farm requires 1 Servant, a medium one 2 Servants, and a large one requires 3 Servants.

Plebians

• Move each Plebian family to a medium sized lot. Give them a bonus of $1,000 to build a home.
• May take jobs in anything but a “respectable career” or that a modern person would have to attend college for. (Adventurer, Artist, Athletic, Business, Criminal, Culinary, Law Enforcement)
• Plebians may own community businesses, as long as they aren’t too extravagant. They may also own small farms.
• Plebians may marry Patricians, Plebians, or Servants. Under no circumstances can they marry into the Emperor’s family. 
• Daughters must have a $1,000 gift in their inventory if marrying a Patrician. No gift is required for servants.
• Can stop having children after six in total. The gender does not matter. But they must have at least six children.
• May choose to send teens to school. If they are not sent to school, they are required to work at home, on a farm, or as a live-in-servant for Patricians and the Emperor’s family.

Servants

• The poorest families from the Neanderthal stage are the Servants. Males stay on their original small lots and do not receive any monetary bonus, or they may live with a higher class family as a servant.
• Male Servants who stay on their lots may take jobs in the Criminal career. They have a salary cap of $400. Males living as Servants with a higher class family may not take a job.
• Unmarried Servant women must take jobs working for any of the other classes until they are married. They do not receive pay for their labor.
• Can marry other Servants or Plebians. Under no circumstances can they marry Patricians or into the Emperor’s family.
• Must have as many children as possible. Just like in Neanderthal times, the Servants keep breeding until they can no longer produce children.
• Teens do not go to school. They must work at home or as a Servant for a higher class family. 
• Servant houses may not have a bathtub, and can never have anything above the cost of $1,000. If they do, and a member of the Emperor’s family walks past the house, the adult male Slave is accused of stealing and is killed at the Colosseum within 3 days of the accusation. If the adult male is already dead, then his wife is killed, then the decreasing order from oldest to youngest.

Community Lots

The following community lots are allowed during the Roman stage:

• Roman Colosseum: Once every seven days, choose an adult servant to die in the Colosseum. You can select them randomly by putting all the names of servants into a draw, adding a name for each servant born, and removing one once it has been drawn. 
• Bathhouse: Upgrade the community bathing lot from the Neanderthal stage. The Roman version should include a pool, hot tub, sink, and bathtub. You may also include a toilet.
• Sim-owned Shops: Your Patrician and Plebian families may open community lot businesses that are appropriate to the times (clothing store, book store, restaurant, pottery shop, etc.) as they can afford to.

Dark Ages Rules

You are now entering the Dark Ages. The Empire has fallen, and the Black Death and Vikings sweep across the land. Those who were once rich isolate themselves into individual manors, and cling to Feudalism for support and protection.

The Emperors dissolve into monarchs, the Patricians into Lords, the Plebeians into Vassals and Vikings, and the Servants into Serfs. Old customs are forgotten, villages are abandoned, and community lots are destroyed.

Follow these rules for the next TWO generations:

• Anyone who becomes sick, must die. During the dark ages, medicine was crude and ineffective. The plague is here and many people die. This is a good time to install the more realistic sickness mod. It won’t be unreasonable to lose a lot of your population during this time.
• There is no limit to the number of children you can have. Allow your Sims to breed as much as they wish, no matter their rank.
• Any NON-HEIR can marry anyone from any class. Heirs are restricted to marrying people of their own class, but for everyone else it’s a free for all. Let your Sims marry who they love, regardless of class or wealth. When marrying outside their rank, the couple takes on the higher rank of the two.
• Bulldoze all community lots. If you really like your current community lots, make sure to package and save them before deleting. 

Monarchs

• The Emperor’s family from the previous stage become the Monarchs. Move the previous Emperor’s families onto 4×4 lots. Cluster around each Monarch lot the houses of 2 – 4 Lords and 4 – 6 Vassals. They can only use the money they have to build. 
• Monarchs may take any job except Law Enforcement, Politics, and Military. Monarchs have a $600 salary cap.
• Hide the family’s wealth well. If any object above $3,000 is purchased and a Viking walks past the lot, the entire family is to be killed, and the Viking’s family comes into possession of the object.
• Teens must go to school. Remove any school-restricting mods from the lot and allow your monarch teens to pursue what education they can.
• A single cheap bookcase is allowed. This is the only recreational object allowed. Period. No musical instruments, chess tables, games, etc.

Lords

• The Patricians from the previous stage become the Lords. Move them onto small 3×3 lots clustered around one of the Monarchs. They can only use the money they have to build. 
• Lords may take any job except Law Enforcement, Politics, Military. Lords have a $400 salary cap.
• Hide your Lords’ wealth well. If any object above $3,000 is purchased and a Viking walks past the lot, the entire family is to be killed, and the Viking’s family comes into possession of the object.
• Teens cannot go to school. Only the monarch family teens can be education. Teens in a Lord’s household must work and do chores around the house to help out.
• No recreational objects allowed. Life was not fun during the Dark Ages. Your Sims must make their own entertainment. They don’t even get a bookcase like the Monarchs.
• Must give a gift of $1,000 to their Monarch every 7 days. Work hard, because if a Lord cannot pay his fee more than twice in a row he will be stripped of his lands and demoted to Vassal rank.

Vassals

• The Plebians from the previous stage become the Vassals. Move them onto 2×2 lots clustered around one of the Lords. They can only use the money they have to build. 
• Must make their living from farming only. Grow and sell crops of all kinds, but they cannot earn money any other way – including digging for treasure. 
• At least 2 Serfs are required to work as farmers. Recruit two Sims from the Serf families for each of the Vassal’s farms.
• Teens cannot go to school. Only the monarch family teens can be educated. Teens in a Lord’s household must work and do chores around the house to help out.
• No recreational objects allowed. Life was not fun during the Dark Ages. Your Sims must make their own entertainment.
• Must give a gift of $250 to their Lord every 7 days. Work hard, because if a Vassal cannot pay his fee more than twice in a row he will be stripped of his lands and demoted to Serf rank.

Serfs

• Half the Servants from the previous stage become the Serfs. You can choose them manually or randomly. I prefer to assign each family a number and roll randomly to see which families become Serfs and which become Vikings. 
• Serfs must live on the Vassals’ land. If there are more than (or fewer than) two Serfs per Vassal, spread them out amongst the Vassals as evenly as possible. The wealthiest Vassals have the most Serfs if there are extra.
• Must have a 50/50 relationship with their Vassal before marrying anyone. The Vassal must approve of any marriages first.
• Serfs may only leave their Vassal’s land upon marriage. If they marry, they can remain on the farm or move onto their own tiny lot. If they choose to move, they must start their own tiny farm and give HALF of all the money they make farming directly to their Vassal.
• Teenage Serfs must be sent to work for a Vassal. Teens may not attend school and must work as a full-time farmer.
• No recreational objects allowed. Life was not fun during the Dark Ages. Your Sims must make their own entertainment. 
• If a Viking walks past a house with no Vassal and only Serfs, the family is to be killed. Except children, toddlers, and babies, who will be taken by the Vikings and raised by them. Be careful when moving Serfs out on their own!
• Serfs may not get a job. The only way they can earn money is through farming – and only if they have their own lot which poses its own risks.

Vikings

• Half the Servants from the previous stage become the Vikings. You can choose them manually or randomly. I prefer to assign each family a number and roll randomly to see which families become Serfs and which become Vikings. Move them onto small 2×2 lots situated away from all other lots and near water. 
• Drama in the ranks. If a woman befriends another male Viking, they must reproduce. If they are caught cheating, then the husband must fight the other Viking. If the husband wins, then the wife and other Viking are to be killed. If the other Viking also had a wife, then the Husband must marry her. If the Viking wins the fight, then the husband is killed and this Viking must continue to reproduce with her until she is an elder. If the Viking is unmarried, then he is required to marry her. However, if the woman befriends another Viking and is caught cheating once again, then the cycle starts all over again. 
• All enemies must die. Anytime an Adult or Elder Sim walks past a Viking’s lot, they are killed and the Viking wins money. If it is a Monarch killed, he is awarded $1,000. If it is a Lord, $700. If it is a Vassal, $200. No money is obtained from killing a Serf (but they must be killed anyway). If another Viking walks past, then he/she is not killed.
• Vikings may take jobs in the Criminal Career only. Their salary cap is $500.
• No recreational objects allowed. Life was not fun during the Dark Ages. Your Sims must make their own entertainment. 
• Teens cannot go to school. Only the monarch family teens can be educated. Teens in a Viking’s household must learn the ways of the warrior.
• Women must marry. There are no single Viking women. Once they come of age, they must marry. If they do not love another Sim, a marriage must be arranged for them. When a Viking and Serf marry, both Sims become Vikings. When a Viking marries any other class, both Sims become that class. 

Medieval & Renaissance

With the fall of Vikings and the Black Death, governments emerge once again. Community lots develop, and old customs and learning once again emerge.

Lords turn into Nobles, Vassals turn into Merchants, Vikings turn into Knights, and Serfs turn into Peasants. Learning resumes and sickness no longer claims millions of lives. For some young men, university life finally awaits.

Follow these rules for the next TWO generations.

Monarchs

• The Monarchs from the previous stage remain Monarchs in this stage. Move them onto a large lot, and start building their Medieval palaces. I plan to build a castle for my primary Monarch (King and/or Queen), with smaller keeps for the lesser Monarch families.
• Each Monarch must have at least one servant and one Knight. Choose an unmarried Peasant to live each Monarch household as a servant, and choose a Knight to live as the knight (obviously).
• May stop having children after one son is born. However, you might want a spare or two. If the son-heir is killed and the family is unable to produce another, the entire family is demoted to Nobles. 
• Monarchs may take any job. But heirs must take a job in Politics or Military. 
• Male teens must go to school. Once they are at least 7 days away from adulthood, they may go to University. Female teens may not attend University.
• Female teens must be sent to Finishing School as soon as they age up to teens. See Finishing School in the community lot section below.
• Monarchs may marry other Monarchs and Nobles. They are not to marry below the Noble rank under any circumstances. 
• Teens cannot have jobs. 
• A Knight will be a knight. If a monarch is insulted or attacked by another Sim, the Knight is called in to fight for him in the arena. If the Knight loses the fight, the Knight and the Monarch are killed. If the Knight wins the fight, the attacker is killed. 

Nobles

• The Lords from the previous stage become the Nobles. Move them onto large lots near the Monarchs and start building their homes. 
• Must have either a servant or a Knight. Choose from what’s left after the Monarchs take the best peasants and knights into their homes. 
• Heirs must marry Monarchs or other Nobles. Non-heirs may marry Merchants and Knights as well. Nobles never marry Peasants. They can fall in love with and reproduce with Peasants if they choose, but if caught by another Noble or Monarch, they are demoted to Peasant and must marry their lover. 
• Must meet marriage requirements. If a Noble marries a Monarch, they must have a job in Politics or Military AND have logic or charisma maxed. If a female Noble marries a Monarch, she must have a gift of $3,000 in her inventory. 
• Nobles can stop having children after two are born. Gender does not matter. 
• Male teens must attend school. Once they are at least 7 days from adulthood, they may attend University. Female teens may not attend University.
• Female teens must be sent to Finishing School as soon as they age up to teens. See Finishing School in the community lot section below.
• Males may take any job. Females may not take jobs. Salary cap is $900.
• Teenage non-heirs may take jobs. But heirs may not hold jobs as teens.
• Knights will be Knights. If a Noble is insulted or attacked AND he has a Knight, the Knight will be called in to fight for him (somewhere on the Noble’s home lot). If the Knight loses the fight, the Knight and the Noble are killed. If the Knight wins the fight, the attacker is killed. 
• Nobles may fend for themselves. If a Noble is insulted or attacked and he does NOT have a knight, he must fight to defend his own honor. If he loses the fight, he is killed. If he wins the fight, the attacker is killed.

Merchants

• The Vassals from the previous stage become the Merchants. Move them onto a medium-sized lot and start building their home and business.
• Merchants must own a home business. They can take no other job or earn money in any other way. Think of the services your world might need at this time – grocer, bakery, butcher, clothing store, general store, book store, etc. 
• Merchants may marry knights, nobles, merchants, or peasants. They may never marry Monarchs under any circumstances. 
• Must meet marriage requirements. Merchants marrying Nobles must have either logic, creativity, or charisma maxed. If a female is marrying a noble, she must have a gift of $1,000 in her inventory. 
• Merchants must have at least two children. Gender does not matter. 
• Male and Female teens must work in the family business. They cannot take outside jobs. 
• Male teens must attend school. Once they are at least 5 days from adulthood, they may attend University. Female teens may not attend University.
• Female teens must be sent to Finishing School as soon as they age up to teens. See Finishing School in the community lot section below.

Knights

• The Vikings from the previous stage become the Knights. Move them onto a medium sized lot or in with one of the Noble or Monarch houses. 
• Only males can be Knights. When starting this stage, the Knight’ wives are part of the “Knight” class, but cannot actually be knights themselves. 
• Knights may marry Merchants, Peasants, Nobles, or Princesses (Monarch daughters). However, if the Princess is caught doing romantic interactions and the Knight’s relationship is less than 50/25 with the King, then the Knight is demoted to Merchant Level and stripped of his title. If a Knight gets a Princess pregnant before marriage, he is sent to jail and the baby is sent away to be raised by relatives (and the child cannot be an heir).
• The first-born male child is born a Knight. Females are born Merchants (if the Knight works in a career track or as a guard) or Nobles (if the Knight works for a Noble or Monarch). Other male children may choose to be a Knight or a Merchant. 
• Knights may take jobs as Guards for the Jail, working for Nobles or Monarchs, or in the Military or Law Enforcement careers. They have a salary cap of $600.

Peasants

• The Serfs from the previous stage become the Peasants. Move them on to small lots and use what money they have to build homes. 
• Peasants may marry Peasants, Knights, and Merchants. They may fall in love and reproduce with Nobles, but this may bring consequences (see Noble rules above).
• Peasants may have an unlimited number of children. 
• Male teenagers may go to school. Female teens must stay home and help around the house and with raising the family.
• Teens cannot go to University. Both males and females are prohibited from higher education. Females cannot attend finishing schools either.
• Must go to jail for stealing expensive items. If a Peasant family possesses an object worth over $2,000 and a Merchant, Noble, Knight, or Monarch with a relationship of less than 50/50 walks by, they are accused of stealing and the eldest male is sent to jail.

Community Lots

You may have the following community lots during the Medieval stage:

• Jail – Stony prison that contains the living quarters for prisoners. Requires two Knights to act as guards and must live at the jail. People who have a negative daily and lifetime relationship with the King are sentenced here (until the relationship improves over time), as well as anyone accused of stealing (see Peasant rules above). Peasants who get into fights are also placed in the jail for a minimum of two days for their unruly behavior. 
• Finishing School – A live-in school for Noble and Monarch teenage girls. Must include mirrors, easels, bookshelves, pianos, and other items used to educate the girls and make them ready for high society. Must have two Madames (from the Noble Class) to run the school. Tuition is $5,000 per daughter who attends. 
• University – Added as a subhood. Families must pay $10,000 per son who attends. 
• Parks, theaters, taverns, churches, etc. – You are free to build any recreational lots you want that fit within the time period. 

Exploration & Colonization

Welcome to the exploration and colonization phase. Your families move across the ocean to live life as American colonists. Monarchs and Nobles become the Upper Class, Merchants and Knights become the middle class, and Peasants become the Lower Class. A new class is discovered – Native Americans.

Upper Class

• Monarchs and Nobles from the previous stage are the new Upper Class. Move them onto a large lot and build their homes using whatever money they have. Cluster the upper class together, away from the middle and lower classes.
• Upper class may marry Upper Class or Middle Class. They cannot marry the Lower Class.
• Male teens must attend school. They may also attend University, and they may take teen jobs.
• Female teens stay home. They help around the house, and cannot attend University or take jobs.
• Male Sims can take any job. Females must remain unemployed. No salary caps for the Upper Class.
• Each Upper Class family must have 1 Servant. Choose an unmarried Sim from the Lower Class to live with them.
• Affairs are a matter of life and death. If a woman is caught having an affair, the husband and other man must fight. If the other man wins, the husband is killed and the woman lives alone unless someone chooses to marry her. If the husband wins, the other man is killed. 
• May stop having children after 1 is born. But you may have more if you like.

Middle Class

• Merchants and Knights from the previous stage are the new middle class. Move them onto a medium lot and build their homes using whatever money they have. Cluster the Middle Class together, away from the Upper and Lower Class. 
• Middle Class may marry Upper, Middle, or Lower Class. 
• Can own businesses or farms, and may have 1 servant. Choose an unmarried Sim from the Lower Class to live with them as  a servant. If they own a farm, they must hire at least 3 farmhands from the Lower Classes.
• Male Sims can take any job. Females must remain unemployed. Salary cap is $700.
• Male teens must attend school. They may also attend University, and they may take teen jobs.
• Female teens stay home. They help around the house, and cannot attend University or take jobs.
• Affairs are a matter of life and death. If a woman is caught having an affair, the husband and other man must fight. If the other man wins, the husband is killed and the woman lives alone unless someone chooses to marry her. If the husband wins, the other man is killed. 
• May stop having children after 2 are born. But you can have more if you like.

Lower Class

• Peasants from the previous stage become the Lower Class. Move them onto a small lot and build their homes using whatever money they have. Cluster the Lower Class together away from the Upper and Middle Classes. 
• Males may work as Farmhands or any career that, in modern times, does not require a college degree. Salary cap for the Lower Class is $400.
• Females my work as servants for the higher classes. But they may not get any other type of job.
• Both male and female teens cannot attend school or University. 
• Male teens may get jobs. Female teens must stay home and help around the house. Either gender may work as servants for the higher classes.
• Lower Class may marry Lower Class, Middle Class, or Native Americans. 
• Affairs are a matter of life and death. If a woman is caught having an affair, the husband and other man must fight. If the other man wins, the husband is killed and the woman lives alone unless someone chooses to marry her. If the husband wins, the other man is killed. 
• May stop having children after 5 are born. But you can have more if you like.

Native Americans

• Native Americans are a new class. Create three new households in CAS consisting of married couples (1 male and 1 female) with skin 3 and black hair. Move them onto wooded lots away from the other classes, but clustered close to each other. 
• Set starting funds to $3,000 to purchase native-themed furniture and necessities. Set funds after moving onto the lot.
• Must sleep in tents, hammocks, or teepees. You can download some CC for this or make your own as best you can.
• No teens attend school or University. Teens cannot take jobs aside from Servants for the higher classes.
• Must make a living farming, hunting, and fishing. They can also work as Servants for the higher classes. 
• Can marry only other Native Americans or the Lower Class. 
• Must have at least two children.

Community Lots

You may have the following community lots during the Colonization stage:

• One University – You can keep using the same University from the previous phase if you like. Tuition is $20,000 per child since it is “overseas.”
• Shops & Businesses – Anything you see fit. Must be owned by families from the Middle Class. 

Victorian

Coming Soon!

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