Click here for Week 1 with the Landgraabs in TS4.
So far, I have not moved around many (if any) Sims in TS4, and the Landgraabs are no exception; they are still in their ultra-modern mansion:
Also, the original set-up of the family has not changed since their first week. We have Geoffrey Landgraab, the Good Sim of this family, working in the Law Enforcement career...
...his wife Nancy, a materialistic lady with an evil streak (but very much in love with her husband, and also good friends with her son)...
...and of course their son Malcolm, who has inherited his mother's evil streak and is currently enjoying his time as a young adult with no obligations such as school, university of work interrupting is days of leisure.
On the Monday morning of their second week, the Landgraabs have breakfast together.
Geoffrey is the first to leave for work today. He seems to be really looking forward to work.
Nancy greets Katrina Caliente, who interrupts her jogging for a brief chat.
Malcolm meets Ophelia Kim-Spencer-Lewis.
Later, he chats to Alexander Goth just as his Dad returns from work.
On Tuesday morning, one of the three toilets breaks. I have Nancy repair it; she has enough time on her hands, and since she wants to be fabulously wealthy, it is in her own interest to save the money otherwise spent for the repair service.
With both his parents out for work, Malcolm goes exploring the neighbourhood and finds several places where he can dig for crystals, time capsules and other such findings.
Cassandra Goth turns up on her own initiative. She is still a teenager, but that does not mean she and Malcolm can not be friends.
Here the two of them are taking their picture together - something the Sims in this game seem to like doing on their own accord.
Look who's here - Summer Holiday is always interested in making new friends or improve existing friendships.
It is Wednesday morning when Nancy, still in her work outfit from the night before, makes a garden salad. The cleaning up after her is left to her husband.
Finally, Malcolm gets a job - he needs to be in the Criminal Career like his mother in order to reach his lifetime want. He starts today as a "Tough Guy", while his Mum is now a "Minor Crimelord" (shouldn't that be Crimelady?).
Today, he also opens the three time capsules he has found so far this week.
All three contain MySims figures which are placed in one of the book shelves.
On Thursday morning, I have Malcolm empty the kitchen trash can into the wheelie bin outside the back door.
He then pepares Mac'n Cheese.
When Geoffrey returns from work, he finds one of the bathroom sinks needs repairing.
The same happens on Friday morning, this time with the kitchen sink, and it falls on Malcolm to repair it.
Geoffrey is a family oriented Sim whose milestones revolve around children. As his own son is already grown-up and he wishes to read to a child for two hours, I have him talk to Pierce Delgato (whose family we visited last August) when the little boy walks past the house.
And indeed, Malcolm manages to read to Pierce for an hour, and hopefully will complete this milestone before the week is over.
Summer Holiday is back; she knows Geoffrey already quite well and happily shares a meal with him.
Trolling the Forums is a good way to have Nancy and Malcolm indulge their need for mischievous actions without really hurting other Sims' feelings, and so I have Nancy do just that on Saturday morning.
Husband and wife share a sandwich... and a romantic moment.
There is all this workout equipment in Malcolm's room, and so I finally make him use it on Sunday morning.
The week ends with everyone having reached a few milestones, but nothing earth-shattering. Much time was spent working, and there are two decisions I should make next time I play here:
1) Get a household help (maid/cleaner/butler) for the family? I have not yet played any TS4 household who has help, I think, so it would be something new.
2) Change Geoffrey*s lifetime want, or have the couple have or adopt another child? Malcolm needs a child in order to reach his next set of milestones; Malcolm is too old for them (they have to do with homework and high school stuff).
What do you think?
Just like the Goths are all about old money, the Landgraabs are about new money. It shows in their house:
You all know Malcolm Landgraab from The Sims 2. Here, he is still a teenager, living with his parents, Geoffrey and Nancy.
Geoffrey is what in TS2 we'd call a Family Sim, with the lifetime goal of "Successful Lineage". He works as Lead Detective. Although he loves his wife, she is not the only romantic interest in his relationship panels: There are also townies Adrienne Barth, Kendra Lowe, Lily Egan, Yasmin Wilkinson and another playable: Katrina Caliente.
Nancy is a Fortune Sim and strives to be Fabulously Wealthy. Interestingly, her career is at the opposite end of the legal spectrum: She currently works as a Minor Criminal. Apart from her husband, townie Vernon Fenton makes her heart beat faster.
Malcolm's aspiration is, sadly, to be Public Enemy. He is a High School Student. Malcolm has an evil streak which I try not to indulge too much during this week.
Monday goes by uneventfully. Nathan Snodgrass, a townie friend of the Landgraabs', comes visiting, but I forgot to take a picture.
Tuesday sees Nancy getting up late and having a lone lunch in the kitchen while her husband is at work and her son at school.
Like I said, I try not to give in to Malcolm's evil streak. In fact, he gets along very well with both his parents. Here, his Dad joins him in his room for a father-son chat on the bed.
On Wednesday morning, Malcolm is the first to get up.
Nancy makes tofu dogs.
On Thursday, once again she has much of the day to herself. Today, she watches telly.
Then she sits her son down after school and asks him about homework. Strangely enough, all week Malcolm doesn't have any homework in his inventory. This must be a bug; his parents wish to help him with his homework nearly every day, but there simply IS none.
Just before she has to leave for work, Nancy's mood changes to "confident" and she wishes to paint a "confident" painting (whatever that means!). The easel has always been on the top floor of the house, but this is the first time anyone uses it. The visiting friend is Eliza Pancakes.
It is Friday morning when Nancy and Geoffrey have a very relaxed breakfast in their living room - without getting dressed. Apparently, seeing Nancy in her sexy undies has an effect on her husband... he suddenly wishes to try for baby with her.
And of course I grant his wish. I don't know whether it worked, though, since the characterstic baby jingle we all know from TS2 does not exist in TS4 (at least I haven't heard it yet).
As if she knew her lover's marriage is getting better by the minute, Adrienne Barth comes visiting. Nancy has no idea that the lady sitting next to her husband is one of several romantic interests in his relationship panel. He never rolls any romantic wants for any of them, though; only for Nancy.
On Saturday, I decide to try how to play a party in TS4 for the first time. There are many options, such as whether to hire a bartender, caterer and entertainer or not - of course the Landgraabs have enough money to hire all three, plus buying a bar and a grand piano (a requirement for the entertainer). Next to decide is the guest list, and whether the party is to take place at home or elsewhere.
The Goths are invited as well as Eliza Pancake and another friend whose name I forgot. Soon, everybody gathers around the stereo. Who would have thought young Alexander has such cool moves (and cool sunglasses!).
The caterer is busily preparing all sorts of nice food for the guests.
The bartender prepares drinks, and the entertainer tinkles away on the grand piano. The Landgraabs are happy, and their guests are, too. Still, I do not manage to fulfill all "tasks", and the party ends as a medium success. As a reward, the Landgraabs now have a Charisma book in their family inventory.
New to TS4 is that things can also be put on bookshelves, for instance empty drinks glasses and plates.
Here is another example of the TS4-typical multitasking: A Sim can eat and play on his mobile at the same time.
On Sunday, for a change it is Geoffrey who wants to do something mischievious: he wishes to prank on his son. I have not tried this before and so I have him give Malcolm a "tranquilizing handshake" to see what will happen. This:
Don't worry, Malcolm simply sleeps on the floor for a while. When he gets up, he finds Cassandra waiting to be let in at the front door. Thus the week ends on a pleasant note.
I must admit I am not a fan of the Landgraabs. I like Geoffrey, but both Nancy and Malcolm want to do something mischievious or even downright evil far too often. Still, they have many friends and only a handful of enemies. Thankfully, in TS2, the adult Malcolm Landgraab is much nicer (or maybe he just turned out this way in my game)!
