Welcome to Wyvern's Bay! I tried to make a cut, but Dreamwidth apparently hates me (& the feeling is very mutual)
***INTRODUCTION***
My BACC starts with the premise that my founding family isn't building a new settlement from scratch; rather, they're helping a struggling town restore its former glory. And a glorious town it was indeed, so Gabriel and co. will have a lot of work waiting for them.
Wyvern's Bay is an ancient settlement with a lot of history. Once home to the most powerful elven sorcerers and Dragon Lords of the Old Age, there was an arcane energy to the place that, like a siren's song, drew to itself magic practitioners of all descriptions. It was almost a matter of prestige for young witches and warlocks from all across SimNation to spend a certain amount of time in Wyvern's Bay, honing their skills and perfecting their craft. Indeed, magic flourished in every corner of the land, so it's little wonder that, in its heyday, Wyvern's Bay was considered one of SimNation's greatest magical metropoles.
There's much debate going on about what might've been the final nail in Wyvern's Bay's proverbial coffin. The older generation of residents might argue that it all started when the witches and warlocks stopped coming; other, younger townsfolk will say that the sudden deaths and disappearances of the town's best and brightest was what sealed their fate; everyone agrees that the mysterious epidemic that claimed so many lives certainly didn't help. The dragon threat was getting so bad to the point of being unbearable, and with no sorcerers or knights to protect them, people's very lives were hanging by a thread. A wave of immigration hit the town, diminishing the population to a mere fifth of its former number.
Not everyone who left made it out alive. The rocky gorge going in and out of town often proved too challenging for even the most experienced of seafarers, and the poor farmers and other civilians who were fleeing their homes in hopes of a better life stood very little chance. The few who did manage to escape to other parts of SimNation spoke very poorly of their former hometown, telling astonished listeners of the many hardships they had to face in order to get out.
Once a bustling metropolis, Wyvern's Bay had now become a place of ill repute, a dark blemish on SimNation's geographical and sociopolitical map. As if feeling this sudden hostility from the outside, the city shut itself down from the rest of the world, its magical core now radiating a corrupt energy that let no locals out and no outsiders in. It had, in a sense, become a Bermuda Triangle in its own right: those who lived in Wyvern's Bay were trapped there for good, and the few who tried to get in would always, without mistake, fail in the most miserable of ways.
That is, until a group of brave strangers came along and broke the barrier...
***RULES***
My ruleset is a merry mix of of Nepheris’ and OliveTheGreat’s BaCC rules with a few small tweaks and additions inspired by the MCC as well as general Castaway gameplay. The rules laid out here were specifically tailored to fit my own world-building needs, so I’m not sure how fit they are to be applied to other people’s BACCs, but you’re more than welcome to try them out!
RESTRICTIONS:
- No electronics*. This includes tvs, stereos, computers, electronic games, burglar and fire alarms, fridges and other appliances. (*Exception: All sims in the hood are allowed to own ‘pantry’ fridges, and sims who can afford them may also own period-appropriate, ‘hidden’ electronics (e.g. these computer books by Heget).The Irving family, being scientists, own a set of steampunk electronics. My idea behind this is that they’re steam-powered inventions built by Alistair Irving himself rather than store-bought electronics. Until electricity is unlocked, the Irvings are the only family to be allowed to own electronic devices that actually look the part.)
- No running water. Your sims can take baths, use the bathroom and cook with water from a local source (river, lake…) that they purified. But no showers*, no garden sprinklers, no fountains, and definitely no swimming pools. (*Exception: hidden or period-appropriate showers are allowed: this includes Marvine’s Waterfall shower and the Medieval Barrel shower. Until running water is unlocked, a combination of the ‘Fetch Water’ + ’Water required for baths’ mods will be used to make water tougher to come by)
- No cars.
- No delivery service of any kind. That includes groceries, pizza and chinese food.
- No services of any kind. That includes the maid, butler, repairman, gardener, exterminator, nanny, adoption service
- No fertilizing gardening plots.
- No community lots*. This includes both Sim-owned and City-Owned community lots (*Exception: ‘Nature’ and ‘location’ community lots - forests, abandoned cemeteries, old castle ruins, etc. - are allowed, but they do not count as real community lots, they do not earn you CAS points, and sims are not allowed to own them). Home businesses are allowed, but:
- No businesses that sell anything other than items you crafted/grew/caught yourself. Where would you get them from, anyway?
- No hobby lots. They’re back in the city, miles and miles from where your settlers currently are.
FOUNDER:
All careers start out locked, with the exception of the Politics career. This is ONLY open to your founder Sim. The founder is the mayor of the town, and with each promotion, he/she unlocks certain perks for the town.
- (Lvl3) Lobbyist: Befriend a sim who has the Mechanical skill maxed out to gain access to electricity & running water.
- (Lvl4) Campaign Manager: Befriend a sim who is the owner of a business to unlock community lots & townies.
- (Lvl6) State Assembly Person: Politics is now unlocked to everyone (but only one sim can be Mayor at any given time)
- (Lvl8) Judge: Befriend a sim who is highest in the Law Enforcement career to unlock the Law career.
- (Lvl10) Mayor: Downtown unlocked.
UNLOCKING OTHER CAREERS:
- ATHLETIC: Add connection to Downtown and build a stadium with town funds (50.000$)
- MILITARY: Add connection to Downtown and build a Military Base with town funds (50.000 $). Only one Sim can be General at any given time.
- BUSINESS: Once one of your Sims’s businesses reaches top rank, they can enter the career. When they reach the top of the career, it is unlocked for everyone.
- SCIENCE: The career is open to any Sim with maxed out logic skill and a golden talent badge in Robotics. Once they reach the top of the career, they build a research facility with town funds(50.000$) and the career is unlocked for everyone with a University degree in Physics.
- CRIMINAL: When the population reaches 100, a place in the Criminal career opens up. Once the top of the career is reached, it is unlocked for everyone, but only one Sim can be Evil Mastermind at any given time.
- SLACKER: Once the population reaches a multiple of 500, a position in the career opens up. The career is unlocked to everyone when a connection to Downtown is added.
- CULINARY: the Sim entering the career has to open a restaurant business. It does not have to reach a particular rank, but needs to be played at least one day a week. Once they reach the top of the career they can start hiring personnel, and the career is unlocked for everyone.
- LAW ENFORCEMENT: A position opens when the town has had its first burglary. Once the Sim has reached the top of the career, they build a Police Station with town funds (30.000 $), and start recruiting more law enforcers, unlocking the career for everyone. Burglar alarms are unlocked. Only one Sim can be Captain Hero at any given time.
- MEDICINE: When one of your Sims has fallen ill, and has passed on their disease to at least 2 other sims, a position opens to one Sim who has studied Physiology. Once they reach the top of the career, they build a Hospital with town funds(70.000 $), unlocking the career for everyone with a University diploma in Biology.
EP CAREERS
- EDUCATION: A position opens up once the first child in your town reaches childhood. Once the town’s teacher reaches the top of the career, they build a school with town funds (20.000$), and the career is unlocked for everyone with any University degree.
- ARCHITECTURE: Unlocked when a connection to Downtown has been established.
- SHOW BUSINESS: Unlocked when a connection to Downtown has been established
- ADVENTURE: Unlocked when the founder builds a museum community lot (30.000$). Once the top of the career is reached, it’s unlocked for everyone.
- GAMER: career unlocked to every sim who owns a computer, tv, console and arcade game, after Electricity has been added.
- INTELLIGENCE: Unlocked once the top of the Law Enforcement and Military career have been reached, but is only open to Sims who graduated college with a GPA of 4.0
- OCEANOGRAPHY: open to any Sim with a golden fishing talent badge. Once the first Sim reaches the top of the career, it is unlocked for everyone with a University degree in Biology.
- DANCE, ENTERTAINMENT: Unlocked when the founder builds a cultural center (50.000$)
- JOURNALISM: Unlocked when a connection to Downtown has been established. A position opens up everytime there have been 5 burglaries where items have actually been stolen (burglaries interrupted by the burglary alarm do not count), 5 Sim-Instigated fires where an object actually burned down (fires put out by the fire department do not count), or a Sim reaches the top of any career.
- LAW: A position opens up every time a Sim gets furious at someone. To enter the career this way, a Sim needs to have studied Couples Counselling. The career is unlocked for everyone with a University degree in Political Science once the Founder has fulfilled his requirements as a Judge.
- MUSIC: Unlocked to everyone when at least 3 instruments have been placed on a community lot.
- ARTIST: Unlocked when a connection to Downtown has been established. The career is open to any sim who has sold at least 5 masterpieces.
- PARANORMAL: A position opens when the town builds a cemetery and 5 graves have been sent to it. Additional positions open whenever a Sim is turned into a creature (vampire, werewolf, witch, zombie) or an alien is born.
- NATURAL SCIENCE: The career is open for any Sim with a golden gardening talent badge and a University degree in Biology. Fertilizing garden plots is unlocked.
UNLOCKING HOOD ADDITIONS:
- Community Lots: Unlocked when your Founder is promoted to (Lvl4) Campaign Manager. There are two ways to get a new community lot: Either a playable sim buys a plot of land and starts a business on it, or one is built with the City Funds. For each community lot you also earn 1 CAS Sim. You don’t have to add the new Sims as you earn them. You can save up and add whole families if you choose.
- Downtown: Unlocked when your Founder reaches the top of the Politics career. He/She has successfully lobbied for a proper connection to SimCity, whether by train, bus, proper roadworks, ferry or monorail. Supplies are much easier to come by, and businesses can now sell items they didn’t craft themselves. Hobby lots can now be reached. The Mayor will be required to fund the start of the construction, costing the town 500.000$ With the connection to SimCity established, your town sees an influx of new Sims. You earn 5 CAS Sims.
- University: Unlocked when your town’s teacher reaches the top of the Education career. He/She has gathered enough renown and connections to set up their own campus of Sim State University. The Mayor will be required to fund the start of the construction, costing the town 500.000$ The establishing of a new campus naturally draws new students to the area. You earn 5 CAS Sims.
- Shopping District: Unlocked when your town has 5 player owned businesses of any rank, and the Business Career is unlocked. The Mayor will be required to fund the acquisition and conversion of the new stretch of land, costing the town 1.000.000$ More businesses means more job openings, and your town attracts Sims looking for work. You earn 10 CAS sims.
TAXES:
The original BaCC rules state that taxes are unlocked when the Founder becomes Mayor. I decided to go a slightly different route with this and borrow a rule from the MCC: taxes will be paid from the very beginning, and until my founding sim becomes Mayor, all money will go to a Royal Stewart.
Taxes are paid on the first day of the week (or on the last, if a household doesn’t have the needed funds at the beginning of the week). Use a money hack (SimWardrobe’s checkbook, Christianlov wallet controller, or Pescado’s Money order) to send the correct amount to the Royal Stewart, and later on to the Mayor. The Mayor’s income and the taxes come together into one big pool, and it will be up to them to decide whether they’ll use those funds to advance the town or to build themselves a nice, heated indoor swimming pool. The Royal Stewart may also use their funds to build community lots or advance the town in other ways, but ONLY if the needed requirements are met (e.g. they may build a community lot only if community lots are unlocked).
Households are divided into tiers based on their total funds (check from neighborhood screen):
Rich (net worth $450,000+)
Upper Class (net worth $150,000- $450,000)
Middle Class (net worth $70,000-$150,000)
Lower Class (net worth $30,000-$70,000)
Poverty (net worth below $30,000)
Each tier earns the city tax per week based on the number of sims in that household:
Rich: 2.000$/Sim
Upper Class: 1.000$/Sim
Middle Class: 500$/Sim
Lower Class: 250$/Sim
Poverty: 100$/Sim
THE SIM MULTIPLIER (SM)
The SM is just a number that you will multiply your number of playable Sims by in order to get the city’s population. The goal of this challenge is create a city with a population of at least 50,000.
At the start of the challenge, the SM is 1. As you progress and unlock certain additions for your neighborhood you’ll increase your SM. Points for your SM are added as follows:
+1 for your first community lot
+1 when you reach a total of 5 community lots
+1 for every additional 5 community lots
+5 for adding a Downtown
+5 for each Business District
+5 for each University
-From now on when population is mentioned, it simply means your total number of playable Sims multiplied by your SM.
***SPECIAL RULES***
TEACHING:
Nepheris’ original BACC rules state that the first opening in the Education career is available after the first child in the hood has had their birthday. I’m going to go with an alternative interpretation of this rule and say that an opening in the Education career is available the moment there is a child-aged sim in the neighborhood - which, in my case, is straight from the start.
Motivation: Nepheris’ BACC rules, like most other BACC rules, work under the assumption that there are no children in a freshly started BACC hood. Personally, I wanted to have a diverse cast of age groups right from the start. My founding family has two school-aged kids (a teen and a child) as part of the household, and since these guys start out in pretty rough living conditions the kids will have to be homeschooled. I found the idea of having a tutor for the kids rather appealing, but this rule change still comes with a restriction: my teacher-to-be cannot enter the career until he has met his future students.
TAXES:
Like mentioned earlier, the sims in my BACC hood will be burdened with taxes right from the get-go. But instead of paying to a (as of yet non-existent) Mayor, they will have to pay their taxes to a Royal Stewart. The Royal Stewart essentially fills in the exact same position as a BACC mayor - so why the need for one?
Motivation: The reason I decided to introduce this MCC rule to my BACC is twofold. In a classic BACC, you wouldn’t need to worry about taxes until your founder has become Major, but I needed to give myself some time to get accustomed to the taxpaying process (as that's something I’ve never done in my game before), and also to raise the stakes for my simmies and make life a bit more challenging for them. }:) Secondly, I’m hoping that the ‘taxes are paid from the beginning’ rule will speed up the challenge progression at least a little bit; I’ve been preparing this hood for a year and a half now and I really don’t feel like dragging things out any longer, so any shortcuts I can take to speed things along, I will take. I don't know yet if this will work as intended or not, but let’s wait and see.
TOWNIES:
A regular BACC starts out without townies and only after certain conditions are met do they get added as a feature. I’m still following this rule, but with a Wyvern’s Bay spin to it: my hood starts out with a few 'Generation Zero’ townies, i.e. a group of townies who are considered a 'playable’ family (except they don’t actually get to have their own rotation).
Motivation: Like with most other rule additions, this one too was added for immersion’s sake: in my mind Wyvern’s Bay is an old settlement that’s been there forever, so a fair portion of classic BACC rules that suppose the hood is only just getting founded don’t work for me. I’m trying to keep things balanced and not make the new rules feel too cut corner-y, so in that name, my townie rule comes with a few limitations: 1. After the initial Gen Zero townies are released into the hood, no new townies can be added until townies are unlocked; 2. The existing townies are treated as a playable household in that they count in the SM, but they don't actually get to be played (unless they get added to an existing household through marriage or otherwise).
LOCATION COMMUNITY LOTS (AND THEIR PURPOSE):
In the original BACC rules, community lots start out locked and become available only after the founding sim has reached Lvl4 of the Politics career. I’m still following this rule, but with a small twist: my neighborhood will start out with a number of community lots that are labeled as ‘nature’ or ‘location’ lots.
Motivation: I rather enjoyed the guided gameplay part of Castaway, where your sim gets to explore various new locations as the game progresses, and I wanted to incorporate some of those elements into my BACC. Hence, the idea of ‘location’ community lots was born. These lots are meant to emulate wild, untouched nature: forests, abandoned beaches, overgrown ruins of civilizations long gone - anything that isn’t a contemporary, man-made (eh, sim-made) location. As their purpose is more aesthetical than practical, they don’t earn you the same benefits a real community lot would: no CAS points are awarded for these lots and sims are not allowed to own them/start businesses on them. At a later point in the challenge, the Mayor may be allowed to purchase these lots and use the acquired land to build something else (e.g. cut a forest and use the land to build a new hotel), but until then, the lots will serve a different purpose: much like in Castaway, they will need to be discovered and explored.
I imagined this as a sort of mini challenge within the main BACC: my founding family will start out pretty roughly, in an abandoned cabin by the beach that has very little to offer in terms of comfort or food. In order to feed themselves and gather the supplies they need to survive, they’ll have to venture deeper into the forest, discovering these hidden, new locations as they go.
I’m starting out with 4 ‘location’ lots, each of them a little wilder than the previous one. All except one start out ‘locked’, meaning no sims are allowed to visit them. The first location is available only to the founder (I’ll be using Visitor Controller to ban other sims from the lot once my controllable sim has arrived on site). The founder will have to spend a certain amount of time on the lot and/or meet certain goals before he can move on to the next one. With each new location lot he visits, the family gets a little closer to the fortified city, and once all four location lots have been ‘cleared’, they’ll get the chance to move to a better home in the city (if they have the needed funds, that is).
I still haven’t figured out what exactly the goals for each lot will be or how long my sim will have to stay on them, but I guess I can cross that bridge once I get there. For now, what matters is that I have the general outlines, and the details I can work out when I actually get down to playing. Can't wait to get started!
***USEFUL LINKS***
RULES:
PAYMENT:
- SimWardrobe’s checkbook
- Christianlov wallet controller
- Pescado’s Money order
DOCS & REFERENCES:
- Excel spreadsheet for Nepheris’ BACC
- Taxes spreadsheet for MCC (long post by Eumachia)
- Mortia's Medieval Game Setup Guide (contains tons of awesome tips & links!)
MODS:
- ACR V2
- Teleporter Shrub
- Visitor Controller
- iCad’s Aging Mod + Kidsimblr ACR fertility tweak for iCad’s Aging mod + Chris Hatch’s Neighborhood Age Correct
- Invisible Fishing Pond
- Gain hygiene from Hot tubs
- Cyjon’s Job Stopinator
- Simlogical School System
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