Beginner's Luck on Beginner's Landing - Wanmami Island

Trying to develop the Sim family on the cheap, as in starting with the basic inexpensive lot in the Wanmami Island version?

I usually start with Beginner's Landing on the beach. I create a single Sim and place him/her on the beach front lot.  I pull all the broken plane parts into the Rewards Inventory (backpack) so that they don't depreciate in value. I don't sell the parts until I am ready to move off the island so that I know I have a lot more funds than I started with.

I build a bare bones hut from the Build Mode. A small 6 x 6  building will do ($1680 walls, $72 floor, $96 paint inside and out, $170 door, & $0 roof). Either directly on the ground, or build a nice deck out over the water, but that will need extra funds. I make sure that I have a flat area of 3 x 6 next to the hut for the tent and cooking area.

I purchase from the Sim's Story Rewards section, the hatchet for $5 for chopping wood (renews every time Sim travels to other lots on the island) and a steamer trunk for $15 for  food storage and studying.

From Barter Mode's Survival section, I purchase the fire pit for $5, the lean-to tent for $20 and the trash pit for $25. If your Sim lands on the lot during a rainy season, the $90 fire pit from the cooking section of Barter Mode is useful, since it can be lit in the rain. I also purchase the cheap mirror for $50 to hang on the wall and I select the career of Hunter because the least amount of resources are needed for developing the Hunter Career skills of Charisma, Body and Cleaning.

The ocean swimming takes care of body skill points.  After three body skill points are earned, Sim can do yoga to also build body skills indoors. Sim will need a maximum of 10 body skills to reach to highest level of that career.  Use the mirror to reach level 9 of charisma skills and the steamer trunk to earn level six for studying cleaning skills.

If you chose to build a deck over the water, like I did in my example above, it can be used for the Hunter Career Reward of an Obstacle Course that can be used to also earn body skill points. The course needs a flat surface of at least 10 x 4, but 10 x 5 is better. 

The Sim will also need to make at least five friends at various points of the Hunter's Career.

As money is being earned from the regular promotions over the next week, the Sim can begin to purchase other items like a drum for creativity skills, that can also help with social skills if left outside. Purchasing two dining chairs and a chess table builds logic skill and friends if you ask someone to join your Sim while practicing chess.

Within the first Sim week, there should be enough funds to start developing other skills, purchasing plumbing options for the hut and even get a better bed to sleep in.

When starting out bare bones like this, remember that neighbors are more likely to pick fights with each other because there's really nothing for them to do for fun, and they tend to be extremely messy. During the first week, allow a little extra time for your Sim to break up a few fights, send angry neighbors home, and pick up a lot of trash until there are enough resources for placing fun activities around the lot for those pesky social neighbors that like to hang out with your Sim.

Careers and Rewards

It has been a spell since I last posted anything.  But I discovered that I don't have to build a career from the beginning, in order to receive a career reward. 

One of the circumstances of Sims is careers and "building" a career reputation and income. For the Castaway Sims, they have three career options; Gatherer, Hunter and Crafter. As an adult Sim reaches career level 5, he/she is awarded a valuable device/station for added benefit. The reward is the focus of this post. 

The Reward

For the Gatherer, at the career stage of Trailblazer, the Concoction Junction is the reward. 

This Junction provides potions for life changing events and also for fun. Teens can use the station but they can't use all the potions until they become adults. The potions do not have any resource value.

For the Hunter, at the career stage of Stalker, the Hyena Pace Obstacle Course is the reward.

This Course provides Fitness and Body skills. However, plan for Hygiene to quickly lower. Children and teens can also use the course. 

For the Crafter, at the career stage of Scrap Technician, the Crafter's Bench Crafting Bench is the reward. 

This Bench provides three electronic devices. One is battery powered, one is solar powered and the third requires electricity (wind-powered generator). Each device requires payment with resources to create. The devices provide Fun and in some cases can be used for Fitness and Body skills. Teens can use the bench.

Space Requirements

Some of the career rewards take up a lot of space. They can be placed on the ground or on flooring for use. The Course takes up the most space, requiring at least 3 by 9 squares to be flat. The Junction is the next largest, required at least 2 by 4 squares to be flat. The Bench is the easiest to set up, needing only 2 by 2 squares available. The least expensive option for placing the reward on the lot is to use the elevation tool and creating a flat/level space, large enough for the reward to be placed and still allow the space for the Sim to access to it.

Start in the Middle of the Career

One way to earn the reward without starting at the beginning of the career track is to have the necessary skills and friends already in place for the Sim before accepting the career. What I have discovered, over time is that sometimes having exactly the number of skills required for the career is enough, while other times, the Sim may need to have a one or two extra skill levels in place. Also, the Sim may be offered the career level 4, but after accepting, they really start at career level 5 and receive the reward. So keep that in mind when building skill levels. 

For the Gatherer career reward, have at least 2+ cooking skills, 4+ logic skills and 2+ creativity skills. Also have at least 2+ friendships outside of the family. 

For the Hunter career reward, have at least 2+ charisma skills, 5+ body skills and 1+ cleaning skills. Also have at least 2+ friendships outside of the family. 

For the Crafter career reward, have at least 4+ mechanical skills, 3+ logic skills and 1+ creativity skills. Also have at least 1+ friendship outside of the family. 

Having access to these career rewards can help make other events in life a little easier. One word of caution, don't leave your rewards on a lot if you move. You lose the reward and you are not awarded any resource compensation for them.