Family Tree

Interactive LeGacy Family Tree (Plum Tree App)

Wednesday, September 28, 2016

Alycia - Founding of a Legacy

The Sims 4 came out in September of 2014, I didn't get my copy until June of 2016, partially because I needed to be sure my computer could handle it. I had (and still have) other reasons, but for now, those aren't necessarily a factor. I didn't intend to blog about my game, I was just going to play like I always have in the past, I was going to try the legacy style play again, hopefully making it past 3 or 4 generations this time, in fact, I'm determined to get farther this time. I do get laughed at, and asked if I'm playing Sims or AD&D because I have so many little notes, papers and now web based pages surrounding me.

I didn't take the time to read over the forums and multitude of player based sites, which meant I forgot a lot of things. I knew the basics of building a sim, building a house (and what I didn't remember, or had changed, the game reminded me) but I did forget the little things, like grabbing screenshots in game as things happened to remember or to tell the story. For the early part of my legacy, I'll just have to tell it!

On to the LeGacy Story!

Starting rules indicate that beginning cash is capped at 1500.00, significantly less than the 20000.00 a newly created sim begins with.  The beginning plot of land costs 5000.00, and the remaining funds are used to purchase the "Knight of the Octagon" as specified by the Legacy Challenge rules.  The statue must be purchased and remain in the family inventory for the duration of the game making it slightly more difficult in the beginning. Once a lot is selected, the family must remain there for the duration of the game, building and designing the home to suit their needs.

To move forward, there are succession laws in place.  Specific requirements must be met to be named the "Legacy Heir" and be the successor. I have opted to go with a female line of succession in my game, making it slightly more difficult to continue the family into the next generation.
Legacy Succession Laws 
Strict Matriarchy
The Founder must be female. Only girls are eligible to be named heir. Male children cannot, under any circumstance, ever be the heir to the next generation.
Strict Traditional
To be eligible to be named heir, a child must be naturally born from their previous-generation parents and be able to trace an unbroken bloodline back to the founder. Adopted children may never be named heir.
First Born
The oldest, by order of joining the family, eligible living child is named heir.
To track the generations a little easier, I've decided to use an alpha naming convention. Each generation will be named based on a letter of the alphabet. Alycia's children will all have names beginning with the letter B. The daughter that stays in the family home will then continue the next generation and name them all with the letter C. Children that move out of the home will have their families named as generated by the system and therefore not be controlled.

Alycia Legacy

Alycia LeGacy - Legacy Founder

Alycia found herself living on a large empty plot of land in Willow Creek in the shadows of the Spencer-Kim-Lewis mansion. Carrying her sole possession, a "Knight of the Octagon", she would trek daily to the local gym for a shower then over to the library to peck away at the computer on her latest novel hoping to someday make it big in the literary world. Alycia is a genius, bookworm and cheerful, making a day at the library comforting and relaxing. A little food, a warm shower and a good book make for an easy life. 

Julian Cordova - First Legacy Spouse
Business Executive


Julian was a bit of a Bro, but he was cheerful and neat, definitely a catch in the romance department! Alycia managed to publish a couple books, and with a little romance under her belt, had some new material to write about, making her books a little more interesting, she was able to start building a little home. Nothing big to start out, just a tiny kitchen, a place to sleep, a place to write at home.  It made life a little easier not having to travel every day to the gym and library.  Her cooking skills improved along with her writing and she suggested to Julian that they make a go of a life together. 
Children of Alycia and Julian 

Alycia and Julian had 7 children in total, filling their little home to the rooftop! Blair and Brett moved in with friends as soon as they became teens in order to make some room for the younger children.

As some of the children moved out of the home before they received their third trait, I don't always have accurate records of those early days. There are some memory management events that happen as well that can accidentally erase characters and in the early days of playing I was not fully aware of them. I have since learned (and remembered) to make plenty of backups in the event of an unexpected happening, and to make use of the message boards and forums for information and feedback.

Blair - bookworm music lover


Brett - cheerful bookworm


Brody - geek neat romantic


Brandie - cheerful active genius (heir)


Bryant - cheerful genius


Brittney - cheerful childish loves outdoors


Britta - genius cheerful materialistic


Playing Sims 4, I quickly learned the little quirks that came along with the personalities. Married couples willingly show affection for one another. Sims like to exercise. Julian was often off running, doing push-ups or sit-ups and eagerly running off to his job every day. Alycia kept up her job as a writer, publishing books to supplement the family income to make room for the growing family and pay the bills.

I did discover that Julian was older than I thought and soon after Brittney was born he aged up to an elder but that didn't stop him, though he did get a few more warnings that he was pushing himself a little too much at times.  I just wish I had known the importance of those warnings a little earlier!

Julian was his typical active self one afternoon while the house was empty, and was using his charm on Alycia. I noticed hearts floating around the bedroom and smiled, thinking to myself how I liked not having to encourage my sims every step of the way. Suddenly, I noticed Julian and Alycia beside the bed and heard an unusual tone as I saw Julian collapse to the floor and noticed a figure in black robes floating towards them! I had my first experience of elderly demise from exhaustion! Julian had woo-hooed himself to death! I was in such shock, I completely forgot that there was opportunity to plead with grim and possibly save Julian from death and it was utterly heartbreaking to watch as Alycia buried herself under the covers of the bed to "cry it out" as she dealt with the loss of her husband!


Tombstones of Alycia and Julian at a graveyard located in Magnolia Promenade