The Stacks Family - Week 10

Click here for week 9 with this family.

It's been way too long since I have last played in this Maxis-made house, which in my game has become a family home filled with warmth and love. It used to be the Harts' house (Matthew Hart and Jane Stacks) and is now lived in by their daughter Helena and her family; Matthew and Jane have long moved to the Big Community Lot in the sky.

Here is Helena, whom we left last time I played this household in her late 60s. Strangely enough, now she is at 1 day before adulthood - but looks like the elderly lady we last saw. Her husband Cedric (Julien Cooke's half-Alien son) turned into an Elder last round and is now 57. Both are on Permanent Platinum and get little control from me.

Their eldest daughter Stacy is pursuing her dream of becoming Celebrity Chef. She started her working life as a Dish Washer and was promoted to Drive Through Clerk last week. As she was never serious about going to college, I didn't send her. She is engaged with Carl Capp, one of several two-bolt-men for her, while her only 3-bolt-man is Callum Capp - she knows him, but has no romantic relationship with him.

Her younger sister Stella grew up into a teenager only recently, and wishes to follow in her big sister's footsteps as a Celebrity Chef.
Helena and Cedric's third daughter, Stephanie, is currently a Senior at college.

On this Monday, nothing truly remarkable happens. Stacy harvests a batch of rather bland oranges and otherwise takes care of the necessary skills for her next promotion, Stella goes to school, and their parents spend most of their time with each other.

On Tuesday morning, I find Cedric doing the slap dance in the living room. All the family love dancing, be it the Hula, Slap or Smustle, and the stereo is on nearly constantly.

Stella spends part of the afternoon upstairs in her room, doing homework. She has kept the princess look of the room and even the old toy oven, although she can not use it anymore.

Not the car pool you'd expect for a Drive Through Clerk, is it? Well, the limousine is actually there to pick up Helena for work, but of course her daughter can come along.

The ride back is much less posh - but Stacy returns with a promotion to Fast Food Shift Manager.

Helena is first to get up on Wednesday morning.

Stacy has the day off and been wishing for a date since the start of the week. Although her wish was not explicitly about Carl Capp, he is her fiance and so she asks him over.

After a short... ahem... intermezzo in the car, the date ends as a dream date. Neither of the two wished to get married, but that could change once spring comes round.

For now, it is enough to have Carl stay for dinner, always a favourite time with the Stacks when they all gather round the table.

Early on Thursday morning, Carl leaves a rose bouquet for Stacy on the front porch.

She is up already, skilling for her next promotion.

Later, I have Helena invite Vyn Scott over to strengthen their budding friendship. Vyn has the same surname as a playable in TS4 - Travis Scott - and is therefore eligible to become a proper New Max resident eventually.

Winter has begun, and the house is decorated for Christmas inside and out.

Stella first just looks at the reindeer sculpture in the front garden and then pets it - an electric shock is the result. Nothing dramatic, I think; most times, a Sim is perfectly alright again after a shower, something to eat and a rest.

Not so this time, though: A few sparks have fallen to the ground, igniting the dry grass.

Stacy hears her little sister's cries and comes running out to see what's up - FIRE!!

The inevitable happens: Stacy gets too close to the flames and dies...

...followed by Stella. All the shocked parents can do is panic. Will they also burn?

No, they survive the fire, which burns until Friday morning, leaving two tombstones and many piles of ashes behind. The poor Stacks family! I am truly sorry, but have decided not to intervene. Their third daughter, Stephanie, is still at uni. She will be devastated when she learns of her sisters' death.

Helena keeps interrupting whatever she's been doing, bursting into tears.

Eventually, she begins to sweep the ashes in the garden on her own initiative. "Worst thing I've ever had to do", she thinks, "sweeping my daughters' ashes."

Cedric is of course no different; he, too, grieves his daughters. "All the lovely Christmas decorations we've put up, and nobody to enjoy them now," he sobs.

In the evening, a team of young volunteers appear to help with the cleaning up. (Actually, Cataldo Capp and Amin Seifert simply walked by, but I had Cedric greet them and use the "influence..." interaction to make them help.)

On Saturday morning, Helena and Cedric drive to the cemetery.

Several new tombstones have been erected since my last visit (well, of course I have put them there, but in build mode; not the same as playing there).

Stacy and Stella have found their last resting place here. Theirs are the two tombstones with the potted green and red amaryills in front.
Helena and Cedric don't stay long; they politely greet a few neighbours but are soon heading back home.

Helena invites her friend Vyn Scott over. "I wish we were best friends," she thinks. And Vyn seems to understand her grief; shortly after this picture was taken, Vyn and Helena become best friends.

Cedric does what he can to help his wife.

But of course, he is sad, too.

Waking up on Sunday morning, the Stacks find themselves in winter wonderland; it has snowed heavily over night.

Stephanie still manages to make their way over from university for the day. The sad news of her sisters' death hit her hard, of course, and she is worried about her parents.

"Dad still in his PJs, and the bed still unmade at this hour..." she thinks, "and Mum was always so houseproud! They really are not coping well."

But then things take a turn for the better when Helena asks her friend Vyn not only over for the day, but to move in:

Vyn Scott, former Townie, adds 3,000 Simoleons to the household account
Aspiration: Family; Lifetime want: Have 6 grandchildren (sorry, Vyn, I doubt it will happen)
Job: Flag Capturer (I have her quit her job immediately)

Now Helena makes more of an effort again, lighting the fire in fire place while Vyn contributes to the day by making Comfort Soup.

The family - what's left of them - around the dinner table; this is how we know and love the Stacks. Stephanie returns to uni the same evening, but it won't be long now until she graduates, and I can see her coming back to live with her parents. For now, she is glad to know her parents have Vyn for support.

What about Vyn, though? Will she move to her own place, or to the Senior Residence? I have not yet decided.

Kennedy Smith - Week 1

Hello and welcome to my second Smith household - this is Kennedy Smith, a tourist-NPC originally from Three Lakes (I think). He moved to New Maximiliania a while ago and is now in his own house.

For the post where Kennedy moved in, click here. How he was a house guest with Paola Picaso and Garret Newson is here. When he developed a crush on Beta Beaker can be read here.
 

Kennedy's aspiration is Knowledge, and fittingly, he dreams of maxing out all his skills.
So far, he has only two points for most, but never mind - he has time, since he is still at the very beginning of his adult life, in spite of his elderly looks.

This is the house I have given him, an - of course - Maxis-made one.

It's not much inside; only basic furniture is already there: a kitchen in the top left corner of the open-plan ground floor, a dining table with one single chair, a small settee, a book shelf and a side table. The small bathroom is empty.

Upstairs are a fully equipped, if basic, bathroom, a bedroom with a cheap double bed and an empty room. The landing is spacious.
Kennedy had a bit of money on him when he moved in, and now, after having purchased the house, his bank account still shows a balance of 11,250 Simoloens. Not bad! If he is a bit careful about spending, he may not have to work. Instead, he can dedicate all his spare time to skilling.

Orlando Ottomas walks by on this Monday and is of course greeted.

Not much later, the Welcome Committee arrives: Candice Walter, Gesine Landgraab and Johnson Fleig join Orlando and their host Kennedy for a delicious meal of bass and squash. "Which university did you go to, Mr. Smith?" Johnson wants to know. Well... truth is, Kennedy never even went to school, as he came into existence as an adult - same as Johnson himself, really!

In the evening, Kennedy is invited to an outing. As I really want him to wear an everyday outfit that comes without a backpack, I decide on the Frippery Frock.

Kennedy chooses four outfits - one for every season - and then spends a bit of time with the members of his group. Pictured here are Ryker Love (in the black outfit), Paola Picaso (she was the one who invited Kennedy to go out with them), Beau Broke (yellow shirt) and... not sure, but could be Ginger Newson.

When he gets really tired an sorely needs a bath, I send Kennedy home on his own. Tomorrow is another day!

On Tuesday morning, Kennedy repairs the toy robot that broke yesterday while one of his guests was playing with it.
If possible, I try to have Kennedy do everything that increases his skill profile, such as repairs, cleaning and cooking.

For fun and to have him gain creativity points - and with the idea of selling his paintings for money eventually - I buy him an easel.

Otherwise, nothing worth of note happens that day. Kenneday pays his bills, does the crossword and goes for a hike in the afternoon (as it was a minor wish easy to fulfill).

Wednesday starts with cleaning the bath before having a nice long bubble bath.

Kennedy still suffers the remains of a cold, but the hot bath did him good. By early afternoon, he feels much better.

While he is on the phone to Gavin Gavigan (the teenager rang him), his best friend Shaun Singles comes visiting on his own initiative. He obviously wants to see how Kennedy is getting on in his new place. Kennedy makes mac  & cheese for himself and his guest, and is happy not having to spend the evening alone again.

Naturally, Thursday is bills day again, and just as Kennedy takes his set of bills out of the mail box, Calendula Capp walks by. Before I can make him greet her, she runs off - she was clearly up to something when she arrived, probably nick the paper.

Again, the day passes by skilling (his first painting sold for 11 Simoleons - now he works on the next one) and talking to a friend on the phone. Just as Kennedy is about to go to bed, the phone rings, and it is again Gavin Gavigan. To my knowledge, the two have never met in person, so I wonder how Gavin got Kennedy's phone number.

A very tired Kennedy goes to bed on Friday at 4:37 in the morning.

When he gets up around lunch time, the phone rings - and it is again Gavin Gavigan. Shouldn't the boy be at school at this hour?

Kennedy has something to eat, takes a bath and repairs the toilet (mechanical skill!).

He spots Catherine Capp walking by, and politely greets the young lady. She stays for dinner, the leftover mac & cheese. Later, Kennedy finishes his second painting and sells it for 45 Simoleons.

On Saturday morning, Kennedy tries his hand at pancakes for the first time. They turn out nicely.

His third painting sells for 79 Simoleons. Shouldn't that be more? After all, he has 7 creativity points by now.

A further 500 Simoleons come his way when he discovers an unknown star that night. This is less than a quarter of what the telescope cost originally - at 2,100 Simoleons, it is the most expensive object Kennedy owns, but he sooo wanted it!

On Sunday morning, hours before Kennedy gets up, a magic lamp is left by his door. To decide what to have him wish for is a no-brainer - money, what else!

But first, it is time to put on something warmer, as winter has begun.

Kennedy wishes indeed for wealth. His other two wishes are a long life (and he is instantly back at the beginning of adulthood) and beauty - which is a little unfortunate, in that now every lady he meets is a 3-bolt-match for him. How to know who his true love might be?

The first sack of money contains 10,000 Simoleons, allowing for some very welcome home improvements.

But first, Kennedy greets Jill Fleig who is just passing by. As expected, she - like all the ladies in his relationship panel - is a 3-bolter for him.

The bedroom looks much better now, and the new bed is a lot more comfortable than the cheap one that was in the house when Kennedy moved in.

In the kitchen, the stove and fridge are exchanged for more expensive models. This means the meals will be more filling now, too.

Over dinner with Jill, she starts an interesting topic of conversation!

But before anything more can happen - I can't remember whether Jill is already in a relationship -, I have Kennedy do some skilling, and Jill leaves after a while.

This was not a bad first week for our newcomer! Kennedy's home has improved as well as his skill profile, although he is still far from reaching his lifetime want.

Will he meet someone to share his house with eventually, and how is his next week going to pan out in terms of skills?