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mysimstory-blog · 7 years ago

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The Sims 4 “Homescapes” Challenge

THE GOAL OF THE CHALLENGE:

Due to unfortunate events, you became homeless, lost your money and everything else you owned. Luckily for you, a distant relative recently passed away and left you their house, a small amount of money, as well as... all their junk. You can make your fortune back from it but you must turn that place into a home, clean all the rubbish and restore all the rooms before the real estate agent would have a look at it. Or you can make it your own home, settle down and grow your family. Either way, the house needs serious work and your funds are limited, so it's going to be quite the challenge. Are you up for it?

SETUP

You start off with a household of 1 Sim (brand new Sim with no skills or career levels, YA or A), a pre-built home with LOCKED rooms full of junk and 500 simoleons. The goal is to unlock, clean and restore all the rooms in order to have a fully furnished and functional home for your household, without your sim dying of exhaustion, starvation or embarrassment.

After you moved in your Sim and BEFORE you start the gameplay, money must be set to 500 simoleons and all doors inside the house must be set to "Lock for Everyone" (including any doors that lead to the backyard, if any).

The only cheats allowed for this challenge are the money cheat (for when you need to subtract amounts from your household funds) and the “Move Objects” cheat. Any other cheats are to be used ONLY in cases of emergency (sim is stuck and needs to be reset, death caused by fire, drowning, disease, death that occurred when your sim was not on the lot or other causes not directly related to their needs).

HOW IT WORKS (general rules):

You will use your starting amount as reference for the gameplay. Earn simoleons to unlock the rooms and clean them up before decorating them and giving each room a function.

You will have one room of your own to start off with. The room will contain the bare minimum for your sim to survive, according to the list provided. You are allowed to travel with your Sim to fill all their needs.

All the other rooms in the house will be locked and will contain all sorts of "junk" objects (crates, boxes, clutter, etc.) that need to be cleaned.

In order to unlock and clean the rooms, your Sim must earn simoleons and complete aspirations as follows:

Every 500 simoleons earned/aspiration task completed = clean 1 junk object in an UNLOCKED room;

Every 1000 simoleons earned + aspiration milestone completed = unlocks 1 room (Set the door of the room to "Unlock");

IF an aspiration is completed* (all tasks and milestones) you are given the possibility to fully clean one unlocked room.

*For EASY mode, whenever players complete an aspiration, they will also add 5000 simoleons to their funds using the money cheat. This is the only instance in the game when the money cheat will be used to add funds.

Whenever you take action - unlocking doors and removing junk from the rooms - the amount corresponding to each action must be subtracted from your household’s total funds using the money cheat. (testingcheats on -> money X where X is the new amount your household will have after taking action) OR using the UI Cheat Extension mod.

You can unlock, clean and refurbish ONE room at a time. Once a room is unlocked, you must fully clean it before you start decorating. In order to unlock the next room, you must finish working on the previous one.

Cleaning a room means moving the junk objects to the family inventory. Money earned from selling those objects DO NOT count towards your goal (it’s considered junk regardless of their use). After you finish the game you may sell the junk (or use it - one man’s trash is another man’s treasure).

NOTE: We have found that some objects, when resized (“Cats & Dogs“ crates for example), can cause your game to glitch. Your sim might get stuck or might not perform actions for no apparent reason. This can be due to the resized objects being in too close of a proximity to the object your sim is trying to us and can continue to happen even after you placed said junk object in your family inventory (for cleanup). In this case, the object can be permanently deleted.

A room is considered “Done” if, after it was cleaned, it meets all the requirements for its specific function, as follows:

ROOM FUNCTION REQUIREMENTS* (for a household of 1 Sim):

LIVING ROOM: 1 sofa (loveseat or large), 1 armchair, 1 coffee table/side table, TV (wall-mounted, on the coffee table or with TV stand), 1 audio device, 1 plant, 1 decorative object (from the "Paintings" or "Statues" categories in Build Mode);

KITCHEN: 3 counters (normal, island or a mix of both), 1 fridge, 1 stove, 1 sink, 1 garbage bin, 1 plant, 1 decorative object from the “Clutter” or “Miscellaneous” categories in Build Mode;

DINING ROOM: 1 table with 2 chairs OR 2 island counters with 2 stools, 1 bar/audio device, 1 plant, 1 rug;

BEDROOM(S): 1 bed (single or double), 1 bedside table, 1 dresser, 1 mirror, 1 plant, 1 rug;

BATHROOM(S): toilet, 1 sink, shower/bathtub/bathtub with shower, 1 mirror, 1 towel rack;

STUDY ROOM/AREA: 1 desk/table, 1 chair, 1 computer, 1 bookcase, 1 hobby object, 1 plant, 1 decorative object (from the "Paintings" or "Statues" categories in Build Mode);

YARD: 1 bench, 1 BBQ, 2 outdoor lights, 1 tree/shrub, 3 flower beds/1 flowery bush;

*The list states the minimum number of objects required but feel free to add more.

Your house must have at least one of the rooms mentioned above for it to be considered functional. Multi-purpose rooms (kitchen and dining for example) are acceptable, continue reading for details).

How you earn money is up to you. You can pick any trait, aspiration or career to help you earn money faster, you can collect, craft or provide services for money, you can travel or build your own store or vet clinic. Anything but cheating. However you have to stick to one aspiration and one career at a time so chose wisely when you start. Once an aspiration is completed, move on to the next one of your choosing.

You can unlock rooms in whatever order you want. Keep in mind that your sim must be able to access the room you are planning to clean and refurbish (even though you don’t really need them to clean a room, it kind of defeats the purpose if the sim cannot access the room you are working on).

The game is considered "Won" (end game) if you have unlocked and restored all the rooms, making sure you have a fully functional home that accommodates your entire household.

ADDITIONAL RULES (please continue reading):

Additional house levels (basements included) are areas that become “available” to you after you finished restoring the rooms on the ground floor. If you are playing with a house that has multiple levels, finish the ground floor before moving on to the next. Like with rooms, levels will be completed one by one.

You can expand upwards or downwards if you need additional rooms to complete your house. You can also expand existing rooms to accommodate multiple room functions (kitchen and dining area for example) BUT only after you fully cleaned the room.

You can build new rooms to your house as needed. A new room can only be built AFTER you finish restoring a room you were working on and BEFORE moving on to the next. New rooms must be accessible to your sim (not connected to locked rooms or placed away from the main house). You can chose to work on the new built room right after you placed it OR you can move on to another room that needs to be unlocked and cleaned (you can’t do both).

You can combine the room functions as long as you have the minimum number of objects from all the room functions you want to put together. (i.e. if you want to make a kitchen and dining space, you must place all the objects listed for "Kitchen" AND for "Dining room" in order for it to count).

You can only unlock rooms that your sim can access (rooms that are connected to the starting room or an already finished room).

You can start placing objects after all junk objects in the room have been moved to the family inventory. Any object that was in the room when you started the game is considered junk except for lights as long as they are ceiling or wall lights.

When decorating a room, you are allowed to place any other objects in the room at any given time AFTER you clean it. You won't be able to move on to the next room if you don't meet the requirements for the room's specific function. Your sim is free to use the room even if it’s still a work in progress. You are allowed to use the “bb.moveobjects on” cheat.

What function each room has is up to you. Once you cleaned the room and decided the function, you cannot change it until the end of the game. If you decide on a multi-function room, you can work on both functions (i.e. kitchen and dining) at the same time but you can only move to the next room once BOTH functions are completed.

You cannot modify the room's layout, add, move around or remove any windows, columns, half-walls, railings, stairs or fireplaces that were already there when you started the game until you finish. You can, however, modify their colors and move and change the door. You can modify the walls and floors however you like but only on the interior of the house. You cannot change the exterior of the house in any way.

You can move the windows up or down if it interferes with the function of the room (i.e. if you have windows on the same wall as the kitchen cabinets, you can move them up or down so they don’t get blocked by the counters).

You cannot move the rooms around until the end of the game.

You cannot place rooms outside of the main house (in order to make shacks, laundry rooms, etc.) until the end of the game.

Rooms with functions other than the ones mentioned in the rules (laundry room, entertainment room, etc.) can be added only at the end of the game. Nurseries can be set up in the master bedroom or in a separate room that will become the child’s bedroom.

Hallways can be used to connect the rooms and will not contain any junk objects. They will be furnished throughout the game. The starter room can be connected to the entrance through a hallway.

Custom Content (CC) is not allowed if you build houses for the challenge for other players to use. Mods are allowed as long as they don’t interfere with the gameplay (i.e. mods that generate random events or make your sims act whacky, etc.). Cheats are allowed with restriction. You can use the money cheat to set the starting amount for your household and modify it as you progress in the challenge, you can use the “moveobejcts” cheat for decoration, you can use the debug cheat when creating your house or any other cheat that is useful in emergency situations ONLY (reset your sims, prevent untimely death, etc).

PETS

Because it can be quite lonely for your sim sometimes, especially when working on such a challenging project as refurbishing an entire house, you can add a pet to your household at any given time, so long as you can provide for them and stick to only one (cat, dog, fox, raccoon or one of the new rodents). You can add a pet to your household by adopting a stray or using the “Adopt” function on your computer (NOT through CAS). The pet must have a food bowl, a place to sleep (your sim’s bed counts if it’s a double bed or a sofa), a toy to play with and, if it’s a cat, a litter box and scratching pole.

If you do decide you want a furry little companion, make sure to take really good care of it. If it runs away or is taken away from you, you cannot adopt another until the end of the game, unless it dies of old age.

ADDING HOUSEHOLD MEMBERS

You can add members to your household by asking them to move in, by marrying or by giving birth. You cannot edit the household to add more sims but you CAN edit your existing sims. The new members are allowed to have jobs, collect objects, craft and sell to help you earn more money and you must provide comfortable areas for them (add extra seating, beds, decoration, etc).

Once you add a new member, the room function requirements change as follows:

ROOM FUNCTION REQUIREMENTS (per additional household member):

ALL objects from 1-sim household PLUS:

LIVING ROOM: 1 extra seating, 1 extra decorative object (ANY category);

KITCHEN: 1 extra counter AND:

If sim is toddler: + 1 toddler chair;

DINING ROOM: 1 extra seat OR 1 extra island counter with stool, 1 extra plant;

BEDROOM(S):

If sim is GF/Spouse - existing bed must be changed to double (if single), 1 extra bedside table;

If sim is BFF/roommate - they must have their own room with the aforementioned requirements;

If sim is newborn - add cradle in the parents bedroom, 1 changing table;

If sim is toddler or older - see "Kid's Bedroom";

KID’S BEDROOM: 1 toddler/ single bed (depending on child's age - toddler bed will be changed to single bed after aging without it having any effect on the gameplay), 1 bedside table, 1 toy box, 2 toys, 1 activity table, 1 rug, 1 plant, 1 decorative object (preferably for kids);

BATHROOM: 1 extra sink, 1 extra towel rack, (if you only have 1 shower/bathtub) 1 bathtub/shower respectively OR change to bathtub with shower;

STUDY: 1 extra hobby object;

YARD: nothing.

BUILDING THE HOUSE AND ROOMS:

If you want to build houses for this challenge or want to follow the challenge and build your own, here are some guidelines on how to do it.

The difficulty of the challenge is also set by the number of rooms your household starts with. Once you have your house in place with the locked rooms, you can make little to no changes so chose wisely. The more rooms there are, the more challenging it will be as you must complete all rooms of the house in order to win. Houses with various levels of difficulty will be provided.

When building a house, you can add any number of rooms with the minimum of 2 (the starting room + a locked room).

The starting room can be of any size and shape and must have the bare minimum for your sim to survive, as follows:

1 single/double bed,

1 fridge;

1 stove;

1 counter;

1 sink;

1 toilet either in a separate room or in the same room surrounded by the tallest half-walls (I found that with those walls sims can do their business without dying of embarrassment; yes, that can happen);

After the starting room is built, any room added to the house must have a door (set to "Lock" upon starting the challenge) with a given number of "junk" objects.

Junk objects can be crates or boxes (like the fruit crates in the base game, the boxes in "Get to Work" or "Cats and Dogs"), the damaged objects from "City living", boxes of clutter or wall posters that appear as junk (the computer parts object for example). Even the spider webs from "Vampires" or the wall cracks from "Vampires" and "Jungle Adventure" count. Objects that look modern or are expensive cannot count as junk but the cheapest ones do. Get creative and find objects as useless and as garbage-looking as possible :).

Once an object is placed in a “Locked” room, it is rendered as junk, will be moved to the family inventory during gameplay and will not be used until the end of the game (regardless of how useful it is).

Lights are NOT considered junk as long as they are ceiling or wall lamps.

After placing the “junk” objects, you can decorate the rest of the house whichever way you want, both on the inside and on the outside.

You can add railings, stairs, window panes, fireplaces, fountains, swimming pools, columns, half-walls etc. You cannot use archways to connect rooms since they cannot be locked.

You can build the house on however many levels you want (basements count as well). You can also create a backyard area, with or without fencing, making sure there is at least 1 door that connects to it.

DESIGNATED NUMBER OF “JUNK” OBJECTS (per room):

Measurements for the rooms are based on the room's LONGEST wall. Diagonal walls will count as the entire square area they take up (diagonal wall length of 1 = 1 square, length of 2 = 4 squares and so on);

The junk objects for each room size go as follows (wall cracks included, minimum number of objects):

Wall length of 2 = 3 junk objects;

Wall length of 3-4 = 6 junk objects;

Wall length of 5-6 = 9 junk objects;

Wall length of 7-8 = 12 junk objects;

Wall length of 9-10 = 15 junk objects;

Wall length of +10 = 20 junk objects;

NOTE: We have found that some objects, when resized (“Cats & Dogs“ crates for example), can cause your game to glitch. Your sim might get stuck or might not perform actions for no apparent reason. This can be due to the resized objects being in too close of a proximity to the object your sim is trying to use and can continue to happen even after you placed said junk object in your family inventory (for cleanup). In this case, the object can be permanently deleted.

WHAT DO I DO WITH THE STARTING ROOM THOUGH?

The starting room is the only room without a set function and which can be modified however you need. You can add an easel or an instrument to practice and earn more simoleons as well as cooking or dining areas that can later be moved to their designated rooms. It's a "bit-of-everything" room that will help your sim live and earn money towards completing their goal. You can add walls, half walls, columns, doors and windows to it however you need, as long as you have the space. It cannot be expanded until the end of the game, however and it must be directly connected to the front door (or to a hallway which connects to the front door).

DIFFICULTY LEVELS:

Household and house size at the BEGINNING of the game

EASY* - Household of 1 sim and a 3-room house with yard area;

NORMAL - Household of 1 sim and a 6-room house with yard area;

HARD - Household of 4 sims and an 8-room house with yard area;

CHALLENGING - Household of 4 or more sims with 8 or more rooms with pre-assigned functions** and yard area;

**Pre-assigned functions refer to the locked rooms that were assigned functions before starting the gameplay. This is done by placing 1-2 main objects of a function for each room (i.e. a stove for the kitchen, a couch for the living room, a bed and a mirror for the bedroom, and so on). This can be done by players to help them plan ahead or by builders, in which case it will be mentioned in the lot description “CHALLENGING LEVEL” so as not to consider the designating objects as junk).

#the sims 4 #thesims4challenge #thesims4homescapeschallenge #homescapeschallenge #thesims #challenges #build #house #rooms #homescapes #household #junk

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28northgroup · 4 years ago

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20 Ways to Save Money and Stretch Your Household Budget

These days, it seems like everyone’s looking for ways to cut costs and stretch their income further. Fortunately, there are some simple steps you can take to reduce your household expenses without making radical changes to your standard of living. When combined, these small adjustments can add up to significant savings each month.

Here are 20 things you can start doing today to lower your bills, secure better deals, and begin working toward your financial goals.

1. Refinance Your Mortgage - For prime borrowers, mortgage rates are at or near historic lows. Depending on your current mortgage rate and the terms you choose, refinancing could save you a sizable amount on your monthly payments. There are fees and closing costs associated with refinancing, so you’ll need to talk to your lender to find out if refinancing is a good option for you.

2. Evaluate Your Insurance Policies - If it’s been a while since you priced home or auto insurance, it may be worthwhile to do some comparison shopping. Get quotes from at least three insurers or independent agents. Try bundling your policies to see if there’s a discount. And inquire about raising your deductible, which should lower your premium.[1]

3. Bundle Cable, Phone, and Internet - You can also save money by bundling your cable, phone, and internet services together. Shop around to see who is willing to give you the best deal. If switching is too much of a hassle, ask your current provider to match or beat their competitor’s offer.

4. Better Yet, Cut the Cord on Cable - In many cases, you can save even more if you cancel your cable subscription altogether. An antenna should give you access to the major stations, and many of your favorite shows are probably available on-demand through a less expensive streaming service subscription.

5. Revisit Your Wireless Plan - You can often save by switching from a big brand to an independent, low-cost carrier. If that’s not feasible, ask your current provider for a better deal or consider downgrading to a cheaper plan.

6. Adjust Your Thermostat - Turning your thermostat up or down a few degrees can have a noticeable impact on your monthly heating and cooling costs. To maximize efficiency, change your filters regularly, and make sure your windows and doors are well insulated.

7. Use Less Hot Water - After heating and cooling, hot water accounts for the second largest energy expense in most homes.[2] To cut back, repair any leaks or dripping faucets, install low-flow fixtures, only run your dishwasher when full, and wash clothes in cold water when possible.

8. Lower Overall Water Consumption - To decrease your water usage, take shorter showers, and turn off the sink while you brush your teeth and wash your hands. If you don’t have a low-flow toilet, retrofit your current one with a toilet tank bank or fill cycle diverter. And irrigate your lawn in the morning or evening to minimize evaporation.[3]

9. Conserve Electricity - Save electricity by shutting off your computer at night and installing energy-efficient LED light bulbs. You can minimize standby or “vampire” power drain by utilizing power strips and unplugging idle appliances.[4]

10. Purchase a Home Warranty - While there is an upfront cost, a home warranty can provide some protection and peace of mind when it comes to unexpected home repair costs. Most plans provide coverage for major systems (like electrical, plumbing, and HVAC) and appliances (such as your dishwasher, stove, or refrigerator).

11. Outsource Less - From lawn care to grocery shopping to minor home repairs, we pay people to do a lot of things our parents and grandparents did themselves. To save money, try cutting back on the frequency of these services or taking some of them on yourself.

12. Prepare Your Own Meals - It costs nearly five times more to have a meal delivered than it does to cook it at home.[5] And home cooking doesn’t just save money; it’s healthier, cuts down on calorie consumption, and can offer a fun activity for families to do together.

13. Plan Your Menu in Advance - Meal planning is deciding before you shop what you and your family will eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It can help you lower your overall food bill, eliminate waste, and minimize impulse purchases. When possible, buy produce that is in season, and utilize nutrient-rich but inexpensive protein sources like eggs, beans, ground turkey, and canned tuna.

14. Plant a Garden - You can save even more on produce by growing it yourself. If you have space in your yard, start-up costs are relatively minimal. Gardening can be a rewarding and enjoyable (not to mention delicious) hobby for the whole family. And it could save you around $600 per year at the grocery store![6]

15. Review Memberships and Subscriptions - Are you paying for services and subscriptions you no longer need, want, or can utilize? Determine if there are any that you should suspend or cancel.

16. Give Homemade Gifts - Who wouldn’t appreciate a scratch birthday cake or tin of cookies? And if you enjoy crafting, Pinterest and Instagram are full of inspiring ideas. Show your recipient how much you care with a homemade gift from the heart.

17. Minimize Your Debt Payments - The best way to reduce a debt payment is to pay down the balance. But if that’s not an option right now, try to negotiate a better interest rate. If you have a good credit score, you may be able to qualify for a balance transfer to a 0% or low-interest rate credit card. Keep in mind, the rate may expire after a certain period—so be sure to read the fine print.

18. Get a Cash-back Credit Card - If you regularly pay your credit card balance in full, a cash-back credit card can be a good way to earn a little money back each month. However, they often come with high-interest rates and fees if you carry a balance. Commit to only using it for purchases you can afford.

19. Ask for Deals and Discounts - It may feel awkward at first, but becoming a master haggler can save you a lot of money. Many companies are willing to negotiate under the right circumstances. Always inquire about special promotions or incentives. See if they are able to price match (or beat) their competitors. And if an item is slightly defective or nearing its expiration date, ask for a discount.

20. Track Your Household Budget - One of the most effective ways to reduce household expenses is to set a budget—and stick to it. A budget can help you see where your money is going and identify areas where you can cut back. By setting reasonable limits, you’ll be able to reach your financial goals faster.

WE’RE HERE TO HELP

We would love to help you meet your financial goals. Whether you want to refinance your mortgage, save up for a down payment, or simply find lower-cost alternatives for home repairs, maintenance, or utilities, we are happy to provide our insights and referrals. And if you have plans to buy or sell a home this year, we can discuss the steps you should be taking to prepare financially. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation!

The above references an opinion and is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to be financial advice. Consult a financial professional for advice regarding your individual needs.

Sources:

1. Insurance Information Institute

2. Department of Energy

3. Money Crashers

4. Harvard University

5. Forbes

6. Money

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nerdy-bits · 5 years ago

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Stardew Valley - The Perfect Oasis

I remember hearing about Stardew Valley when it was approaching release. I thought it looked cute. I have this long hidden secret that I love organizational and management heavy games. It doesn’t come out very frequently. XCOM, Surviving Mars, City Skylines, each had their run with me. They burn hot, too. A couple weeks of intense involvement followed by a pretty substantial distancing. I get what I need from them and then move on. Deep down I knew that Stardew Valley was something that I could easily sink dozens of hours into, I would just need to find the right moment.

Well...it seems I have found the perfect moment.

The world has largely been in lockdown for a little more than a month now. I immediately saw the opportunity to crush out some of my backlog. Writing and podcasting about games has meant that, to stay relevant, I have a relatively short amount of time I can allow myself to get drawn in by something. Occasionally I am blessed with the opportunity to put all of my focus into one game, but more often than not, games release in windows with other games. One becomes three, even five. I put 120 hours into Mass Effect Andromeda on paternity leave. I put 110 hours into Assassin’s Creed Origins during a stint of unemployment. Sometimes the stars align. Often they do not.

I understand that describing the outbreak of COVID-19, and the free time the ensuing lockdown has afforded me, as fortuitous comes across as...unseemly. There are millions of people around the world impacted by this trying time. The reality that has settled in for a lot of people quarantined in their homes is, “Well I have to do something.” Hobbies are being discovered, honed, the time suddenly available being put to whatever use it can be.

My friends and I play games a lot. It comes with the territory for me. PvP multiplayer has a strong voice in our decisions. Call of Duty, Apex Legends, Rocket League, and Ninja Theory’s new Bleeding Edge have been vying for our time for the last month and a half.

A few weeks ago a group of four of us were playing Bleeding Edge, a terrific hero-based shooter that can send your blood into a rolling boil in moments. Things reached a head, rage quits ensued, a heated argument followed, and in the wake of a good night suddenly turned sour I had a conversation with myself. A lot of the games that my friends and I interact with relegate player input to violent response. We shoot a lot of things, competitively, for extended periods of time. It was suddenly apparent that the mounting stresses from daily news, entertaining a three year old every day, and maintaining home quarantine were impacting my mood when I sat down to play with my friends. A good friend and I had discussed working in less stressful games for months. We finally took a good look at Stardew Valley and decided to jump in.

Unsurprisingly, I found a lot of peace, structure, and fellowship.

In Jason Shreier’s Blood, Sweat, and Pixels, there is a chapter dedicated to the development of Stardew Valley. I was driving to Houston in October of 2018, headed to an event for teachers while working for Pixel Press. It was my leg of the drive, and my copilot was napping-off lunch. I burned through a lot of that book during that trip. Maybe even all of it. But I thought about the Stardew Valley chapter for the next week. When we got to our hotel, I went straight to my Xbox app and bought Stardew Valley. I knew that Eric Barone didn’t technically need my support, yet I still felt this urge deep down to be a part of his journey.

The game sat, installed on my xbox, for the better part of two years. I played through a few days of the campaign but got distracted by some other title.

After the Bleeding Edge incident I looked through my library of installed games. To say that I have a sturdy backlog is an understatement. Gamesharing, writing about games, and having gaming as my primary hobby has led to having more than 300 games in my library. I’ve played about 150 of those games, beaten about 80. Oddly, I only searched for thirty seconds. Stardew Valley quickly found my attention.

One of my best friends, Ryan (@sergeantsodium), and I had been talking about giving the game a shot for the last few months. But, as it often goes with games, those titles most frequented by friends drew our attention away. With mounting stresses from lockdown, Stardew immediately sounded like the perfect choice. Non-violent, serene, structured. Within days, Ryan and I - and our friend Odin - decided to start NerdyBits Ranch together.

A week in, we have our own Discord chat group, I have had four to six tabs of the Stardew wiki open on my computer, we talk about plans and strategies throughout the day, and I spent thirty five dollars on a beautiful fan-made guidebook.

We started with only the slightest impression of what we were going to get, let alone what we were going to do. We cautiously entered Pelican Town in our first moments, met our first few villagers, spent too much money on food at the Stardrop Saloon, and wandered home.

A week in, we have endured five seasons. Thrived, in fact. We specialized, individually. Odin took focus in mining and dungeon crawling, now transitioning to slime ranching. Ryan pushed our first crops across the counter and has built up a highly sustainable crop offering, allowing him to start dabbling in dungeon crawling as well. I took up animal husbandry and artisanal food production, with a minor in skilled fishing. Each day we all have something to do that keeps us from over-stepping on our farmmates. The whole process is intoxicating.

With any semblance of regularity thrown out the window by the outbreak of COVID-19, we are finding it in this small, lovingly crafted oasis. The daily tasks a substitute for routine, the upkeep a prescription for idleness, the close cooperation a salve for loneliness. It has been ages since I can remember longing to get back to a game as much as this. Each day my thoughts wander to grazing field optimization, production constancy, or undiscovered fishing holes. It’s absurd, and silly, and strange, and perfect.

In the Spring of our second year in the game the three of us all got married, in game. The 8th, the 13th, and the 18th. As I met Penny at the bathhouse in our last Twitch stream, I smiled throughout the entire interaction. “There is just so much fucking charm in this game,” I said aloud to the party. “There really is,” they responded. You can tell when people talk while they are smiling.

Animal Crossing came out a few weeks ago, and I remember thinking - with the rest of the world - that it would be a perfect game for the current situation. As time has passed I feel that sentiment may have come and gone. What started as a serene getaway has evolved into a ravenous trading market predicated on finding players with better selling prices for goods gathered.

Animal Crossing, in my research, from testimonials by friends and based on the reaction of the internet, is not a game to be grinded. Nevertheless it has become that. And with people’s finances in such disarray I can only imagine the low, or high-level stress that comes with taking out and paying off Tom Nook’s loans. As someone with no more experience than my own research I can’t belabor this point to long. But suffice it to say, the idea of having to trawl through Twitter in search of players with higher prices for goods, attempting to understand and take advantage of a Stalk Market, seems to provide little relaxation or reprieve.

Stardew Valley has none of this. We look up the prices of our crops, find the best choices for both growth and processing, decide how to divide our harvests, and plant. There is no where to go to get better prices. Our specializations simply make it more profitable for a particular player to sell the goods. The rules are simple, but the possibilities are intricate. Low floor, high ceiling. In this retreat, you are free. The responsibility you take on is your own. As we chew, we decide when we can bite off more.

Truly, my discovery of Stardew Valley, and what it offers, is far more serendipitous than I want to admit. I wish there was a way to spin the urge to tap on Start Game into some tale of fate. What a story that would be. The reality is, I got lucky. I had a few friends who had it, and had already expressed a desire to play it. I also don’t have a Switch so I couldn’t get drawn into Animal Crossing. I spent fifteen dollars, two years ago, and let this little bottle of Starfruit Wine age.

Now, we have the ability to produce a quarter million in crop and processed food revenue in a season. And that number is growing. I started as the animal expert on our farm and I have taken that role and evolved it into an artisanal powerhouse. I make craft beer, high grade artisanal cheeses and oils, I roast coffee, and I make textiles.

I have weaved this narrative for myself that I run the Artisanal branch of NerdyBits Ranch. It’s starting to become our primary money maker. As someone who, like so many people, is stuck at home and unable to work, I have found a way to provide for my friends, albeit in a virtual medium.

I don’t have to worry about finding the right time or place to sell my goods. We have the ability to distribute to anyone who wants our pale ales, goat cheeses, truffle oils, meads, melon jellies, coffee, and high quality cloth.

A part of me wishes there was some kind of overgame to Stardew Valley. I wish, in some way, I could invite people to try my goods. I wish I could make deals with restaurants and grocers for my goods. At the same time, the more I think of that, the less I want to muddy the peace with deep logistical complexity. So I let my imagination suffice. There are a few restaurants that I supply, they are high quality establishments that are run by the kind of people I would want to sit and drink coffee with. The kinds of places you would see Anthony Bourdain visit. The kinds of places that you would see on an episode of Chef’s Table.

Watching an episode of Parts Unknown as I write this, I would think that those chefs would bring Bourdain to the source of their goods. In the universe that Stardew Valley lets me create in my own head, there is so much more going on beneath the surface, which may just be the best way to describe Stardew Valley as a game.

To many, it may just be a game about farming. To me, and perhaps to my farmmates, it’s a prescription for chaos. Treating the unknowable with a calm reprieve. A place where hard, smart work always pays off, and where friends can fellowship without stress. For fifteen dollars you can do a lot worse.

@LubWub ~Caleb

#stardew valley #stardew #farming #indie games #concerned ape #cooperative #multiplayer #coronavirus #COVID #quarantine

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sending-the-message · 7 years ago

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DOG by Ilunibi

So, I’m a found object artist, specializing in assemblage and creepy fucking sculptures. Not one that you would have heard of, just one with a day job and a weird hobby. I spend a lot of time at flea markets and peddler’s malls, because they’re the one place you can go with fifty bucks and walk out with a mummified deer head and a crate of old, rusty kitchen knives, all of which fit my motif to a T. Courtesy of crazy country folk with enough money to rent booth B-4892, I have done such magical, artistic things as help build a monster out of dog jawbones and scrap metal and shove a cow skull in a box with serial killer scrawlings, the latter of which is set to glow bright red at night because Christmas lights were on sale and I didn’t realize how tacky it would be until after the fact.

I don’t always make wise decisions.

But, yeah, you can gather that I gravitate toward creepy things. Sometimes, though, I’ll drift toward the stalls colored bright pink with fluffy stuffed animals and old McDonald’s toys still in the bag, if only because a touch of cute to something unsettling can make it ten times more powerful. Desecrating something wholesome and pure elicits a lot of uncomfortable feelings in people, and trashing those tiny plastic Furbies that came with Happy Meals in the ‘90s is super satisfying. They’re terrifying.

Fortunately for you, though, this isn’t a story about Furbies. This is a story about Dog.

Dog was the denizen of one of those pastel toy booths, crammed so far into an Easter basket that it was like somebody was trying to bury him out of sight for the rest of his little puppy life. One look at him and it was evident that he was probably older than my mother, crafted of a ragged brown fabric that was threadbare in places with wide, orange/pink eyes that gleamed red in the fluorescent light. He was bottom heavy, the majority of the sawdust inside of him crammed into his legs from what I assumed were years of sitting on his ass. When I picked him up he felt gritty and made my hands uncomfortably dry.

A tag was dangling from his wrist. Typically, ancient stuff in this particular peddler’s mall would have the year printed on it to entice antique hunters, but all his said was “DOG, $5.” Strange, but hey, maybe they didn’t know how old he was.

I instantly liked Dog, though. He was strangely cute and, despite my art’s subject matter, I’m secretly a glitter-loving, cat-snuggling pushover. As I wandered around looking at old Coke bottles and rusted traffic signs, a part of me regressed to being that softhearted five-year-old who was paranoid that if she didn’t have all of her stuffed animals on her bed that the ones left behind would be scared and alone at night. My mind kept drifting to Dog, crammed in that basket, looking vaguely afraid, probably overlooked because people thought he was ratty and gross. He wasn’t even disgusting, really. He was just slightly terrifying and showing his age.

I must have looked like a sight, walking up to check-out with a goddamn meat cleaver and a ratty toy dog, but I couldn’t resist in the end. I didn’t want Dog to be alone. He was older than the hills and had made it this far, so it’d be a shame if he didn’t sell and ended up in a landfill somewhere. Dumb to be concerned about an inanimate object, I know, but again, I’m a fucking pushover.

So, I brought Dog home to my apartment, much to my roommate’s delight. He loves creepy things and old things and Dog fit both of those bills. He originally expressed some concern that my cat would be a little too interested in him because he was filled with sawdust and smelled like outdoors, but thankfully she didn’t really want anything to do with him. Safe from being a scratching post, he found a new home nestled on the row of stuffed animals that we had gradually been accumulating on the back of the couch: souvenirs from zoo and aquarium trips, geek toys from our favorite games, that sort of thing. Dog became the semi-permanent neighbor of an ESO mudcrab and a bushbaby.

Notice I said “semi-permanent.” I say this because it didn’t take long for Dog to start traveling in instances my roommate and I originally blamed on the cat. It started with him being behind the couch, then dragged outside our bedroom doors. Then, it evolved to him teetering on top of our headboards while we slept or peeking from behind the milk in the fridge. We assumed the other was just messing with us until, finally, I got a call at work after my roommate dropped me off. His voice was shaken and I could hear the sound of traffic rushing behind him.

Apparently, after dropping me off, he caught a glimpse of movement in his peripheral vision. He checked once, and there was nothing. He checked once more when it happened again, and Dog was sitting in the passenger’s seat. It startled him enough that he pulled over to call me, convinced there had to be some sort of explanation, but what explanation could there be? I was at work, Dog hadn’t been in the car, and then he was. Not like I could will him inside of it.

I got periodic text messages throughout my shift. How my roommate got stuck in unexpected traffic because he pulled over and his twenty minute commute turned into an hour. How uncomfortable he was being in the car with Dog. How he put Dog back in my room to keep from having to look at him but he was back on the couch after he took a shower. The kicker came in the last hour of my workday, though.

“I missed a six car pile-up at our exit because I stopped. FedEx semi. Rolled over and caught fire. Eight dead.”

The traffic my roommate was stuck in was the result of an inexperienced semi driver trying to illegally change lanes at our exit. I don’t know the logistics of it, but apparently he somehow managed to tilt his cargo while trying to overcorrect and wound up crushing the cars in the lane next to him. It caused a pile-up because nobody on the interstate actually drives the speed limit, then, bam. Gas and sparks ignited and the entire thing went up in smoke. It wasn’t anything my roomie saw, mind you, because he got impatient and got off at the previous exit, so it took him by surprise to read the local news later and realize that Dog’s miraculous intervention saved him from burning alive. Potentially.

Needless to say, Dog got a lot more respect after that. Back on the couch he went, with the occasional head pat for good luck and just to let Dog--or whatever was in Dog--know that we appreciated whatever it was that he just did. We didn’t even sit in front of him when we played video games or watched Netflix, just in case Dog wanted to watch, too. Whenever he’d disappear and pop up someplace else, we always acted happy to see him, like he was a kid playing hide and seek or something.

It sounds crazy, but we didn’t regret it when we began to notice patterns in where he popped up.

Shows up in the fridge? He was next to expired food. Saved me a morning of rancid cereal. An appearance under the sink? We had a mild leak and mold was beginning to grow. That could have been bad for my allergies. We still didn’t know why he showed up on or near our beds or outside of our bedrooms, but we thought he may have believed that the cat was a threat and was trying to protect us from her. He is a dog, after all.

Then? Dog stepped up his game.

It was one of those days where you come home from work and are just done. Eleven at night and it was all I could do to get out of my uniform and walk to my bed. My typically nocturnal roomie was in the same boat, having “accidentally” stayed up for a good forty-eight hours playing goddamn Fallout 4 because he has the self-control of a kindergartner on his days off. We high-fived our Dog buddy on the couch and were out by midnight.

Now, normally, I’m a deep sleeper. Being a deep sleeper does not keep you from being woken up by the sound of “What the fuck!” ringing through your apartment in a voice you, unfortunately, don’t recognize. Then, I heard barking, loud and furious, ripping through the air at a volume that seemed unnatural. It was like cranking up Cujo on an old television as high as it would go. There was growling and snarling, cussing and fussing, then the sound of my cat bolting under my bed. Heavy footsteps thundered down our hallway, then back. Our bookshelf of knicknacks rattled, I heard the door to our balcony squeak open, some rustling…

… Then, a thud.

A male voice screamed on impact and I bolted out of my room, meeting my roomie in the hallway with the best weapon we own in the goddamn apartment: a fucking broom. While I’m not sure what he hoped to accomplish with that, at the time he seemed like a knight in shining armor. I hid behind him while we edged toward the living room.

It took extreme courage to flip the light on. We both half expected to be attacked as soon as an intruder saw the whites of our eyes. But, there wasn’t an intruder.

The balcony door and screen were open, and lying in the middle of the living room floor was Dog. A seam on his leg has split, sawdust scattered around him. While my roommate assessed the damage, I poked my head out the balcony door and took a look-see. It took a little help from my phone’s flashlight, but I could assess the damage as one broken branch on the dogwood tree beside our balcony and one grown-ass man sniffling on the sidewalk right beneath our third floor apartment. He’d attracted quite the audience of pajama-clad neighbors with his screaming and, after a quick phone call, the cops were in attendance as well.

He wasn’t anyone I knew and he wasn’t there to burgle anything. The police seemed to recognize him almost instantly, and I got a pretty stern warning to keep my balcony door locked because apparently the dude had been gunning for me for a while. He had a car parked around the block, and a nasty assortment of objects that spelled a bad time for me. They didn’t tell me much more than that, which I was fine with, but they did ask me one weird question before the left.

“What did you hit him with?”

I told them the truth: Nothing. Which the officer found mighty suspicious because the guy’s hair was full of sawdust and he was adamant that I had thwacked him with a sock full of something. Right before my dog tried to attack him, apparently. A dog I technically don’t have.

I spent a lot of time patching Dog up after that--not so easy, given his age--and both my roomie and I sat around trying to figure out the how or the why of what happened or, more importantly, how long that dude had been creeping around inside of our apartment while we slept. After all, Dog always showed up whenever danger (however minor) was near. How many times had we woke up in the morning to find him sitting vigil on our headboards, nestled beside our heads, sitting at our doors? Honestly, I don’t want to think about it.

Lately, he’s been pretty stationary, save when we forget to clean out the fridge or the cat knocks something over and breaks it. I’ve occasionally found him staring wide-eyed out the balcony door, which is unnerving, but I keep it locked up tight anymore and we’ve upgraded our home defense from “broom stuffed in a closet.”

I’m not too concerned. Maybe he’s just keeping watch, since rotten yogurt and broken glass seems to be the most he has to worry about anymore.

#reddit #nosleep #scary #story

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asereardscon90-blog · 8 years ago

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What It Takes to Create an Award-Winning Business

Out of the blue, I received an email from the Abbotsford Chamber of Commerce one day notifying me that we were nominated for a 2016 Business Excellence award.

Say what?

Once I got past my shock and disbelief that they must have the wrong Susan... it began to sink in that someone out there thought we were worthy enough of this nomination. Wow, what an honour!

Part of the nomination process consisted of a 30-minute interview in front of a 3-judge panel. Imagine being forced to actually brag about yourself for a half an hour! Talk about squirming in my seat!

Fast forward to last week where the awards ceremony took place. Much to my relief, our category was up first so I could relax the rest of the evening.

To be honest, I wasn't all that anxious - I knew the odds of winning was only 1 in 7 so I waited patiently for the winner's name to be announced, not at all expecting it to be us.

But it was! We were declared the winner!

Say WHAT???

Shock and disbelief once again came over me as I took a moment to grasp what just happened. Walking to the stage was quite the blur but I managed to do it without tripping up the stairs to get our award.

In the aftermath of winning this wonderful recognition, I reflected some more about that judge's interview and how they deemed us the winner from the other worthy nominees in our category.

With that in mind, I wanted to share some of the attributes I feel helped us win this prestigious award. Without further ado, here's what it took for me to create an award-winning business:

1) Be Passionate About What You Do

We are not the first business I've created; there's been plenty others ranging from creating craft pieces to faux finish painting. But no matter what I did, I was very passionate about it.

Don't waste your time trying to run a business just to make money. You're going to tire of it very quickly and it will be harder to make sales.

But when you're passionate about what you do, others will immediately see that and will be drawn to you like a magnet.

2) Love Working With the People You Serve and Offer Exceptional Customer Service

One of the truest joys I receive is the knowing how much we are able to help a new business owner get their online presence up and running. Being a part of their joy at seeing their dream materialize into something tangible gives me just as much joy.

If you avoid answering the phone or responding to emails because you dread having to talk to a client, then you need to adjust your marketing so you attract the right people to work with.

If you don't love who you're working with, then it's hard to establish a successful business that needs to cater to your clients by making customer service a #1 priority. And that means answering the phone, responding to emails in a prompt manner, and treating every person as if they were your only client. And when you're attracting your perfect ideal client, then this should be easy to do.

Make your business about them, not you. Just remember, if you had no clients, then you'd have no business.

3) Know Your Stuff

Before even thinking about starting a web development/digital marketing business, I ensured I got the education I needed first. I attended the Vancouver Film School in their Multi-Media program and then later earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree with a concentration in Computer Information Systems (with an A+ GPA).

Not to mention the countless online courses I've taken over the years to ensure my skills are kept up-to-date with this ever changing industry.

Sadly, I see a lot of entrepreneurs wanting to start a business with not a lot of skills or experience under their belt and then they wonder why they're struggling.

Reading a book or taking one on-line course is probably not enough to reach award-winning status. But if you're passionate about building a successful business, you'll find a way to ensure you become as qualified as needed.

4) Be Committed

Is working 15 hour days, 6-7 days a week committed enough? Yep, that's what Daniel and I do every week. We have to in order to fulfil points 2 and 3 above.

It takes a lot of time and effort to ensure your clients are taken care of properly. You also need a "do whatever it takes" level of commitment.

You might not need to work such long hours as us and trust me, we're continually working towards lessening that kind of volume but until then, we are willing to do whatever it takes to ensure our business is successful. Are you?

5) Be Consistent

Consistency shows up in many forms when running a successful business. For me, it's being consistent with my message, my brand, my Social Media presence, my newsletters, my team management, and the level of quality we bring to our clients.

Do I miss sometimes? Absolutely. But being consistent in these areas are very important to me, and I do what needs to be done in order to show up the best I can for my team and our clients.

Without consistency, it's hard to create brand ambassadors (such as the ones who nominate you for an award), loyal team members, and a steady flow of clients.

Whatever you have decided to commit to, be consistent at it and you'll be amazed at how things start to flow your way.

6) Surround Yourself With a Dedicated and Knowledgeable Team

I started off as a one-woman show. Because of my educational background, I was able to do the design, build and marketing of a website quite easily. I'm what you would call a "generalist", someone who knows a lot of about a lot of things and is a specialist in a few areas.

But my one-woman show was not going to create a successful business. Especially in this technologically-driven industry. It quickly became apparent my skillset was only going to get me so far.

So my first hire was someone who could offset my biggest weakness. Warren was a student at UFV and applied for my part time programmer position. He was a perfect complement to our company and the moment he came on board, I was relieved of having to do all the site builds myself. I could then take that time and focus on building the business instead.

It's tough to try and do everything yourself when it comes to running a business. Sure, there are expenses involved in hiring but if you hire smart, keep an eye on your bottom line, and know when to let go of those that aren't serving you best, your business will escalate far quicker than if you try to struggle with everything yourself.

This topic is worthy of a whole article itself so I encourage you to read How to Take a Solo-Entrepreneurship to the Next Level for more.

7) Have Honesty, Authenticity and Gratitude be a Part of Your Daily Life

It's sad I even need to list this as an attribute but I've been in business long enough to know not everyone adheres to these principles.

To me, this is a no-brainer - I'm not certain I could live any other way?

But judging from the stories I hear from new clients about how they were treated by their previous web developer, it sounds like many people need to be reminded of this.

No business will thrive without honesty and integrity. And a little secret: gratitude will not only make your business thrive, but your whole life too. Give it a try and see what I mean.

8) Persevere

Every business, including ours, has its ups and downs. The key to success is to not let those "downs" overcome your enthusiasm. Pick yourself back up, learn from whatever lesson there was to be learned, and keep moving forward.

If we had quit when we only had $20 credit left on our credit cards at Christmas time just a handful of years ago, we wouldn't be award winners now!

9) Invest in Your Business

Building the company has been one investment after another. It never ends really.

There's always something that needs to be worked on. Here's a short list of my recommendations on where you need to invest in your business:

a.Branding & Website

b.Marketing

c.Education

d.Building a Team

10) Understand You're Running a Business, Not a Hobby.

I think this is an important distinction to make and one many entrepreneurs aren't differentiating.

I've always looked at our company as a business and that's mostly due to my business mind and having a business degree.

But for those that simply are passionate about something and have a dream to make money off of it, it's hard to know exactly HOW to turn that dream into a business.

They end up blindly doing what they think they should be doing, all by themselves, in order to save money (or not spend money they don't have) and hope for the best.

If this sounds familiar, I'm adding another business investment to consider as your top priority: A business coach or mentor. ASAP. Otherwise, you'll probably end up just running a hobby.

11) Set up a Systemized Business Structure

I've worked with a lot of clients over the years. Some amaze me at how organized and systemized they are. And others, well, not so much.

Having a systemized business structure in place is the only reason I haven't gone insane with my daily workload.

Here's the tools we use to be more organized, efficient and less stressed.

12) Get Comfortable With Sales

Sales. It's a dirty word for many entrepreneurs and business owners alike. Me too. I hate to think of myself as a "sales person" but at the end of the day, if we're not selling our wares, we don't have a business.

Now that's not to say you need to become a pushy, in-your-face predator. Far from it.

Remember attribute #1 about being passionate? That's what you need. People will trust your passion and will respond to it. But be careful, sometimes passion can be too intense and will turn people away.

Find your sweet spot as to what resonates with your ideal clients and keep working at it. But do embrace the fact you're selling your wares and learn some strategies that fit with your personality and comfort level that will work.

13) Give Back

Giving back is an imperative attribute to have when building a successful business. We give back in several ways, here's some ideas to consider that we do:

-Offer discounted prices for non-profits

-Volunteer your services to community groups

-Send cash donations to worthy charities you believe in

-Make purchases that support worthy causes

-Donate door prizes and/or silent auction items for fund raising activities

-And support your own clients whenever you can

14) Be Accessible

When new clients approach me due to being disenchanted with their existing web developer or marketer, the most often complaint I hear is they can never get a hold of the person. Either they take forever to respond to an email or never answer their phone.

I think I'm going to write a book on how NOT to run a successful business based on this alone. It boggles my mind when I consistently hear stories like this. How are these people keeping a business going with such poor service and accessibility?

I have a policy to answer emails within a day of receipt. I often exceed that policy but sometimes the volume is too much and I get delayed in responding. Same thing with the phone. If we're available to answer, we do so. If we're not, we'll call the person back right away.

Being accessible provides peace of mind to our clients; they know we care enough about them to take care of their needs in a timely manner. 'nuff said.

There you have it. My honest take on what created the company to be an award-winning business. Maybe I need to write a book about this because, honestly, I could have added more but, it's coming into the 15th hour on this Sunday night of working so I'll leave it at that.

What about you? What would you add to the list? Please leave a comment below, I'd love to hear from you!

Susan Friesen is the founder of eVision Media, a boutique web development and Digital Marketing firm of over 15 years that specializes in designing, building and marketing professional, unique websites for entrepreneurs, businesses and organizations.

Visit http://www.ultimatewebsiteguide.ca and grab your FREE "Ultimate Guide to Improving Your Website's Profitability - 10 Critical Questions You Must Ask to Get Maximum Results".

Article Source: EzineArticles

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