A Very Victorian Bachelor Challenge - Day 6 5th Oct '08

[Dicreasy]

Hi everyone, welcome to my bachelor challenge featuring Theodore Harrison. I'm trying to integrate this in with my legacy, so you might find it handy to have read that. I have tried to explain who everyone is though, so hopefully if you don't follow my legacy you will still be able to know what is going on.

Due to the failtude of the exchange, I've now made the permanent switch to slideshare, so you get a choice of viewing options for this challenge. Click on your preferred choice.

Anyway on with the show:

Prologue. Exchange. SlideShare.

Day 1. Exchange. SlideShare.

Day 2. Exchange. SlideShare.

Day 3. Exchange. SlideShare.

Day 4. Exchange. SlideShare.

Day 5. Exchange. SlideShare.

Day 6. Exchange. SlideShare.

[GintasticNecat]

Oh my god! Yay, I love you Di, mwa. This is just what I need after a bit of a bad day..

Spoiler:

"Meeeee." Came the stony reply.

I'm so sorry, but that just gets me every time! Please can I change your surname to that in my game? It always makes me laugh I could never quite figure out what to give SimGin as a last name, but you got it spot on!

Oh gosh, I did think when Theo had a spin on the dance sphere - we're not going to have alien babied popping out halfway through are we? Because that would certainly be new!

But that was an awesome prologue, I am so excited! I mean.. there's just going to be so many pictures of Theo! Squee. And it definitly feels integrated with the Legacy, it's all perfectly set up with the hints and the fact that it's Thomas who's set it up. And again, the whole house really does look fantastic. I can't wait!

Come on SimGin - you can do this.

[DrSupremeNerd]

*does the Happy Dance*

Spoiler:

Oh, SimNerd would like to "research" Theo, all right. Hey, I work in a lab, I have access to all sorts of amusing tools!

Probably a good thing Riverblossom-Theo wasn't abducted, eh?

Looks like Theo's finally starting to put two and two together and coming up with "Grandpa!"

I love that your SimSelf is named Di Meeeee. Mine's just SupremeNerd SimSelf.

Nummy Theo is nummy.

Day One Soon?

[DocGirlP]

You have no idea how much it rocks that this is up now! I wish I had a coherent comment other than just to say WIN! I love how you set it all up and how well you integrated it into the plotsyness and just yay! Also I found it hilarious when you called the simselves spinsters

[puddinroy]

Yay! What a great proloque to a great bachelor challenge. I enjoyed it. Keep up the good work

[tlhs0]

Di, you have no idea how much I needed something like this today. I'm off to read and hope that I can get through it and comment before my husband gets back and I have to start moving furniture.

Spoiler:

"Anything with the words 'decadent' and 'chocolate' in needs to be made."

Absoposolutely.

"Mad Scientist Monthly" made me giggle. I don't know that I'd be answering any ads from that.

Maybe most BCs don't have prologues, but I loved this and how well you tied into the legacy plot. I can't wait for part 1.

Oh, and the house is gorgeous. I am constantly in awe of your mad Victorian building skills.

Cheer up Theo! It'll be ok.

Whew. I'm so glad I got to finish. Sorry the comment is short, but I was afraid I'd be cut short.

[GintasticNecat]

Also I found it hilarious when you called the simselves spinsters

Yeah, I notcied that too.. Tsk!

[MichelleFobbs]

Oooh! This is early, isn't it? Well, I certainly didn't find it rushed, it's just perfect!

Spoiler:

My mom always got mad when she realized her Readers' Digests were disappearing into my room before she could read them, so the Mad Scientists' Monthly joke is dead-on!

Hmm, green Theo-spawn? That could be interesting! But first he has to graduate, right? Let me guess, you did that to get him fit and match turn-ons? I was very happy to see Theo reason out the situation so fast. Lovely Knowledgey Theo...

What a great house, it'll be wonderful exploring it during the research project.

[tatdatcm]

Yay! This was a bit unexpected. The early release that is!

Spoiler:

The prologue was amazing. Everything about it. Integration into the legacy, introduction of the participating members, the house - OMG! what an amazing build, and the gardens. Count me as extremely jealous of your garden building skills.

Can't wait for Day 1!!!!

[Dicreasy]

Ooo responses, yay they always make me happy.

Thanks, I'm glad that you all liked it.

Gin:

Spoiler:

Aww, sorry to hear you had a bad day. I'm glad this cheered you up a bit though.

I'm happy I'm not the only one to find that funny: it's an example of my silly sense of humour. I wasn't sure what to call my simself, and just thought 'well, she's meeeee. Oh, that sounds good, how many 'e's was that?' Change away, it's how I always think of her.

No alien babies here, but it is a hint that whoever wins might have an alien stepbaby at some point, because I've never seen a dance sphere abduction and I want to.

I know, lots of pictures of him. I've already got a couple lined up for day one from before I moved in the simselves. I think you'll all like them.

Excellent, I'm really happy to hear that: it's what I was going for. I knew when I mentioned doing this that I had to integrate it somehow: I couldn't do what you might call a 'normal' BC because that wouldn't work with the era or Theo's character. I gave it a lot of thought, and I've been planning how I would do it for about six weeks now.

Doc:

Spoiler:

Well, given how much he likes doing group research at uni, if she suggests that to him, he might just go for it.

Yeah, I knew it was safe for this Theo to spin. RealTheo will probably get to have a spin too, in the name of research of course, since I've never seen a dance sphere abduction in my game, and I'm curious.

That's my silly sense of humour for you. When I was making her, I didn't want to give her my real surname, and I wanted her to be unique from any other simselves I might put in game. I thought 'she's meeeee.' so that's what her surname became.

Yes he is. Smart too.

I've not played it yet, but I'm planning on trying to get these chapters out quickly, so hopefully day one will be out soon.

Jamie:
I'm really glad that you enjoyed it, and I'm happy you laughed at the simselves being called spinsters, it was meant tongue in cheek. It is an unfortunate thing I think that any unmarried female in Britain, who has never been married, their legal status is spinster. Doesn't matter if you are 18 or 76, you are still a spinster.

Gin (again):
Hey, I'm a spinster too you know.

Puddinroy:
I'm glad you enjoyed it, I hope that you like the rest of it too.

Lea:

Spoiler:

Aww sounds like you're having a bad day too but I'm glad if this brightens your day slightly.

I might put the recipe for that torte up on my LJ when it's not the middle of the night. It is absolutely scrumptious and very easy to make, in fact it's my favourite choice of pudding when I make something.

No I don't think I would either, but it does seem to be an esteemed scientific publication.

Thank you, that really makes me happy because that was my intention. As I say to Gin, I couldn't take Theodore and put him in a BC situation how they are normally done, because that wouldn't fit in with either the era he is from, or his character. As it is, I have some dialogue and reactions planned as the challenge progresses. This way we know that he is the same Theo as the one in chapter 15.1 of the legacy.

I am really pleased with both the houses I've made for this challenge. They turned out exactly as I wanted.

I'm sure he will be fine.

Michelle:

Spoiler:

Yeah I managed to get it done quicker than I expected, but then again I have had this all planned out in my head (dialogue and all) for a number of weeks now. Definitely helps to know what you are doing.

Really? That is so funny! It seemed appropriate to me since 4 of the simselves currently living in that mansion are knowledge sims. I can just imagine the magazine being passed round the house before Di even saw it.

I'm quite intrigued to see what alien-Theo spawn would look like, definitely. Yeah, I wanted him to get fit quickly, so he is the spitting image of the Theo in Regalton. It also helps helps with the turn ons.

Oh yes, he's a smart boy is our Theo: very good at putting the pieces together.

I'm really happy with both this house and the one the observers are living in. For once they turned out exactly how I had planned.

Annie:

Spoiler:

I know, definitely didn't take me as long as I thought it would. Mind you, I have been planning this for a little while now, and knew exactly what I was doing.

It is really making me smile that everyone likes how I've integrated it with the legacy. It really wouldn't be right to put Theo in what you might call a 'normal' BC situation. It just doesn't gel with is character or the era he is from. This way you can see that he is the same character as the one at university in chapter 15.1.

I was so pleased with how both the houses I built for this turned out. I love making the gardens for my sims, but I have to be in the right frame of mind. I have to plan quite carefully where I'm going to put any plants that need tending, because I use a lot of decorative plants that can block those plants.

Thank you so much everyone.

[Mzyra]

Spoiler:

"Jessica is the simself of Mzyra who has just started the fabulous Kennedy Shufflacy"
Yeeeah... That isn't officially not happening, but Jess is suffering a severe addiction to TS3 (I know it's strange given that I won't even have it for 6 months), which is seriously crimping her TS2ing ability. We'll see about that.

"Meeeee." Came the stony reply.
If i hadn't already read comments about that, I wouldn't have realised that that was your SimSelf's last name, I might have just thought your SimSelf was a little crazy...

"Besides, you are a well-brought up young man, is it too much to ask for you to be nice to seven spinsters for a week?"
Spinsters?! I liked his Grandmama up until then...
Blimey, I'm a spinster at 17, you make me want to get a move on in real life!

That house is amazing - did you build it and decorate it?

Looking forward to the first day (although my SimSelf will probably get kicked out first and no-one's even seen her yet! ), I'm hoping my SimSelf's fairly outgoing-ness might give her a shot at at least staying the first day...

[Apricot Fiend]

Wheee, BC...I actually read this last night before I went out, but I was too lazy to log in.

Spoiler:

I love how you integrated it into the actual story. It works so well, and you're right, I think it's the only way that a BC would really make any sense at all, given the setting.

It's very difficult to imagine "Meeeee." being said in a stony voice, with all those eeee's. Every way I try to do it in my head makes me giggle. I couldn't figure out what to call my simself either, so her surname is ^.^

I must have forgotten about Theo getting abducted, but...green babies are always good!

And hooray, everyone's off to Riverblossom, so the challenge can begin!

....Also, sharing delicious chocolate dessert recipes is just lovely.

[RoseFyre]

Ooh, posting!

Yeah, a prologue isn't always the right thing for a bachelor challenge, but it works here, for all the reasons you said - especially integrating with the legacy.

Oh, and on the topic of simself last (and first) names, mine is Rose Fyre. Easy, and it fits.

Spoiler:

I like how your simself started out completely unsuspicious when it was just the Doc, but then, as more and more people started getting involved...

I assume both the participating simselves and the observing simselves are clones? And Theo as well, of course? That way you won't have messy crushes all over the main hood, and you don't have to actually move them all that much.

And Theo starts to put it together - that his grandfather organized it, and that it has to do with getting him married.

Hey, at least it's not an arranged marriage. Yeah, in a traditional bachelor challenge, there has to be a wedding at the end, and of course you'll end that way as well, but at least Thomas isn't absolutely forcing one. Pushing for one, yes, but the way he's describing it, it's more giving Theo the opportunity to spend time with women that he wouldn't do otherwise, and hopefully fall for one. He does get to choose his own wife, just from a set group of choices.

The house is quite nice, though the hot tubs just...aren't very Victorian. Or at all.

And then the simselves are all so excited about the bachelor challenge. Heh.

[thepiepers5]

It's arrived!

Spoiler:

I was so thrilled to log onto boolprop and see that your BC was up. Exciting, exciting, exciting!!!!

What a great prologue. I think you did a great job of tying the BC to your legacy. It all seems to flow really well. I know I really have nothing to complain about being that my simself just started her life with Charles, but I must admit I am a little sad to see all the simselves leave town I wanted to scream... wait for me! But, I hardly think that would have been appropriate seeing as simAngela is with child Yay! I guess you will all just have to keep me regularily updated on the progress.

Theodore is a real cutie, isn't he? I think he has a really good group of simselves to choose from so it will be interesting to see how it all plays out. If we are taking bets I might be putting my money on simNerd. She was a tough competitor in Gin's BC, so I am thinking she will be hard to beat.

Can't wait until Chapter One.

Angela.

[LauriEmpress]

Yay it's here!

Spoiler:

::giggles.:: They hired me as a housekeeper. I hope they didn't see my last house. It fits though I wouldn't fit into the scientific frame of mind. Historian or Literary junky maybe but not very scientific except for Astronomy. But enough about me, back to your prologue.

I loved the way you integrated it into the legacy, and your supsicions and Theo's were fun! And Thomas was so in character. He's never been one to be perfectly traditional if it goes against his wishes has he? Theo is gorgeous, smart, and doesn't realize how attractive he is which is another turn on.

I look forward to the next update! Thanks!

Lauri

[Dicreasy]

More replies, how lovely.

Thank you, I really do appreciate you all reading and commenting.

Jess:

Spoiler:

Oh given the fact that it's not been released yet, that made me laugh.

Di is a little crazy, but that is her surname in my game.

Ah Violet's lovely. She is just a bit blunt, and very precise with what she says. I hate the fact that an unmarried man who has never been married is a bachelor, but us ladies are spinsters. There are connotations to the word that aren't exactly nice. I did mean it all tongue in cheek though, since none of the simselves match those connotations at all.

Yup I built and decorated the house from a sketch in one of my Victorian design books. I've also made a house for Di et al. I'm really pleased with how they both turned out.

I've just played the day 4 eviction, and I must say there have been a couple of surprises, and some sims are really stepping up their game.

Apricot Fiend:

Spoiler:

Thank you, that really was my intention. Since the winner will be marrying Theo in Regalton and producing lots of cute babies, the Theo taking part in this has to be the one who lives in the village. It's not exactly a Victorian thing to do, but I am trying to make it fit as much as possible.

I know, when I think it stonily it comes out more of a drone, as if I'm saying it through gritted teeth, whereas normally, it sounds as if I'm smiling inanely.

His abduction hasn't been mentioned in the main legacy. I was going to have him tell Edward at the beginning of chapter 14.2: Edward was going to say "You look tired Theo, are you ill?" Theo would have replied "I did not get much sleep last night." over a picture of the abduction. In the end I cut it because I felt it would have taken away from Edward telling Theo about what William and Henry had done.

The recipe is up on my LJ if you want to check it out.

Rose:

Spoiler:

Exactly, I couldn't think of any other way that it would make sense for the challenge to be happening. As it is, although I am following all the rules, some of the interactions will probably be written differently to how they play out to try to tie them into the era.

Yeah, the Doc (who is working in the science career track because of her LTW) being picked for a research project isn't surprising, but when it turned out to be so many, Di got a bit suspicious.

Everyone is a clone, and it's all taking place in Riverblossom Hills, so there is no meeting oneself going on. I made all their interests the same using Simpe, after all there no point in having Theo pick his girl, only to find out back in Regalton that they can't have a civil conversation because their interests don't match as well as in the Hills.

That's the key point. Yes there will be a wedding eventually, but this is really to allow Theo to find a girl he wants to get to know better. A key theme of generation 4 will be about forcing love, versus taking the time to find the one you want to be with for the rest of your life. We're already seeing that with Alexandra, and I want Theo to be another side of it. Yes to some extent he has been forced into living in the house and he is going to find his true love, but he will only realise that as he sees the sim in question outside of the house. That's a bit rambling, but it makes sense in my head.

The hot tubs have given me a bit of grief. Ideally I would like to leave them out, but the alternatives I came up with, just fell short in some way. The idea I liked best was to have two tables with four chairs around, and then have the sims sit there. Trouble with that is I would have to set them very far apart since sims can and frequently do, talk to sims at other tables. Sims also get very bored sitting there, so I'd have to turn free will off. Lastly, hot-tubs also have the splash interaction that builds relationships. All sims can do at a table is sit there. In the end I decided to keep them in.

Oh yes the simselves are very excited about being in a house with Theo, but can you blame them?

Angela:

Spoiler:

Thank you, I really want this to be something that is happening during the summer break from university. It doesn't make any sense to me for it to happen as a standalone challenge, especially since the winner will be marrying Theo in Regalton. Yeah I think that SimAngela is probably sad to see everyone dash off, but I couldn't see her wanting to leave Charles for a bit so soon after her marriage, and especially now a little on is on the way. There are a few other simselves left though, so she's not entirely on her own.

Theodore is lovely. I think he is a really handsome sim and the winner is going to be very lucky.

I've done four evictions so far, and I have to say that there has been a lot of change in some sim's relationship points. It is close, with two sims so far being evicted by only 3 points. There does seem to be a favourite, but given the changes I've seen, I wouldn't be entirely surprised if she doesn't stay the favourite.

Lauri:

Spoiler:

All the simselves of the volunteers were either knowledge or family, and Theo's knowledge and studying physics. It fitted to me to have the knowledge sims applying for a research project, and the family ones wanting to look after the scientists.

Thank you, I enjoyed building those suspicions and putting the hints of what was going to happen into the legacy chapters. As I've said, not only is the winner going to marry Theo in the main 'hood, but writing this as a 'normal' bachelor challenge doesn't work with either the era or Theo's character. I felt I had to integrate it in with the legacy itself.

Thomas is great. Although he is part of the establishment with his military background, he has always gone against it, and done what his heart tells him. I love having that dynamic in a character.

Theo is fast turning into the perfect man. In some ways I'm not too happy I'm doing that as I write him, but he is such a charismatic sim in game it is hard not to. Even without Edward and Stanley about he is a lot of fun to play.

[LauriEmpress]

Just a quick something I forgot in my last post. About the hot tubs, since it's a sort of holiday family home, couldn't it be built over a natural hot springs? Or were hot springs baths segregated in that area as well? I'm not as well versed on that subject as I could be, but I thought it might be an explanation.

Lauri

[charris]

How could I have missed this?! ::so.excited.so.excited.so.excited::

Spoiler:

I loved the prologue! It was a really interesting way to begin and I think you'll be able to integrate this into the legacy really well.

Is Violet still around? I do hope General Harrison gets to see Theo married...::coughcough::to me::coughcough::

I know I already told you, but the house is gorgeous.

Can't waaaaiiiitttt for the first part!

[avidreader2466]

Okay, I lied in my comment in your legacy, because I just got the time to read the prologue - I couldn't help myself, I had to!

Spoiler:

I love the way you have this set up, and woo! I'm there to watch it all! I can't wait to see it get underway.

Also, just how long was Theo on that dance sphere? It's a good thing the military is coming to take it back. Hee.

I'm looking forward to day one.

Denise

[hbcirce]

Wonderful opening.

Spoiler:

I love the way you have set this up. It will be interesting to see what a group of knowledge sim and Cee, family sim representing, will do in a BC. I’m not sure if I feel sorry for Theo or not.

Ok Sim Circe, listen up here is the plan. Infiltrate the BC house and report back every little detail. Let nothing stand in your way. I must know what’s going to happen!

If Sim Circe doesn’t pull through for me, then I guess I'll have to patiently await the next chapter.