Lessons of the Legacy

The Legacy Challenge is a fun challenge that someone on the Sims 2 site forum boards came up with. Lots of people thought it was a great idea and it's really caught on in the Sims 2 'fandom'. Essentially, the point of the Legacy challenge is to create a Sim in the game, set him or her down on the most expensive plot of land, and see what he or she can make of themselves. The rules of the challenge say that you can only marry your Sim to a "Townie" or "NPC" character (basically, a character that you cannot control until you can convince them to move in with your Sim), no cheats or hacks are allowed, the aspirations of subsequent generations of Sims must be randomly chosen, and a direct descendant of your original Sim must always live on the lot. The goal is to reach ten generations, with the tenth generation being able to trace a direct bloodline back to the original Sim. There are plenty of other little rules. If you're interested, they can be found here on the Sims 2 site.

I've been playing the Legacy Challenge a little differently than what might be considered acceptable to the rules and original spirit of the challenge, so I have a feeling more than one person might tell me that I'm not really doing the challenge at all. That's fine. I'm enjoying what I'm doing, and if it's not exactly right... I don't think there is a Legacy Challenge Gestapo out there ready to come and get me. So, what do I do that's different?

Well, first of all, I'm keeping with the basic essence of the rules. I'm not using any cheats or hacks on the Legacy lot. I am not turning off aging on the Legacy lot. I am not sneaking money into their bank account with any Simoleons cheats. I am making sure that my "heirs" only have relationships with Townies or NPCs, and I am rolling the ol' dice to chose their aspirations. However, when I started working on this challenge, I discovered that the part which was really the most fun and fulfilling for me was in putting together an interesting storyline, and so to help with that, I am using a few cheats with other families and on other lots in order to make sure that my non-Legacy families can fit into the story I have plotted out in my head. In particular, I have a residence in my Legacy neighborhood which is home to the local patron "goddess", and she has access to any cheat she needs to work her will on the hapless citizens. She has the teleportation bush to bring forth any Sim she desires, the mind-control mirror to possess them for a few minutes, and a means to change their ages. When she has changed them as she sees fit (usually an age transition and a make-over!) then she returns them to their natural habitat, as it were. Thus, if my Legacy Sim is desperately in love with a Townie while a teen, he or she needn't leave their love behind when they age. A little intervention from the goddess will make it all right.

As I said, these sneaky little tricks probably disqualify me from the Legacy Challenge at its most pure, but I'm finding that it's just as much fun and equally as challenging to play as I am.

Though I am also uploading my story to the Sims 2 site, I wanted to chronicle my Legacy Family in my own space as well, so that is what this site is for.

A note of caution: Sims 2 is a very bi/gay friendly game and so am I, so fully expect to see same-gender relationships in my Legacy story. If this squicks you out... I don't want to hear about it. Just don't read the story. Simple as that.

The Legacy Family		The Shivendras
	Riordan Legacy The Patriarch of the Family. Originally came to the depressing town of Little Hope an optimistic and generally cheerful young man.		Mina Shivendra Matriarch of the "family across the street." A strong willed and successful politician, Brandi's best friend and confidant.
	Brandi LeTourneau Riordan's wife. She married him because she thought he was going places and would be her ticket out of Little Hope.		Saionji Shivendra Mina's half-Hindi half-Japanese son. A quiet, serious, cautious and introverted young man who dreams of being an artist.
	Trisanu LeTourneau Riordan and Brandi's son. Outgoing, upbeat and determined to overcome the unpleasantness of his youth.		Kiritan Shivendra The youngest of the Shivendra family, already set on following in his mother's political footsteps
	Aithne Legacy Riordan and Brandi's daughter. Painfully shy and unsure of herself and especially of her physical appeal, she's starting to look for acceptance in the wrong direction.