Player challenge

A player challenge is a goal which the player defines then attempts to achieve while playing a game in The Sims series. Challenges are not a standard part of the games themselves, but are instead created by players. These players may share their challenges with other players, including successes and failures. Some forms of challenges have become particularly well-known within the player community of The Sims.

Legacy Challenge
A legacy challenge is a challenge created by Pinstar that challenges a player to play a family through 10 generations.

The player starts with one adult Sim by themselves in what is known as a "legacy lot" (a lot, usually 5x5 or 6x5, with only the bare necessities for the Sim). The use of cheats and who the family members can marry are strictly regulated. In every generation there is supposed to be an heir who keeps the legacy going.

Poverty Challenge
The Poverty Challenge is a challenge, originally created by 'Yinakori' on ModTheSims, for The Sims 2. There are strict rules about which items can be owned, and limitations on objects that can be carried in a Sim's inventory. Starting with only §100 and an empty lot, the player must find a way for the Sim to gain §20,000 without a career or cheats.

Notable examples
Alice and Kev is an example of a modified Poverty Challenge from The Sims 3. It is the story of a homeless family in The Sims 3 created by Robin Burkinshaw, a British web design student. The story follows Alice and her father, Kev. Alice is a loser, unlucky, clumsy, good-hearted and above all miserable. Her father, Kev, is mean-spirited, quick to anger, and inappropriate. He also dislikes children, and he’s insane. They live in an abandoned park. Kev and Alice wander around this virtual city, sleeping on benches and digging through garbage bins.

The story attracted a lot of notice, averaging 100 or more comments per post by people who seem to genuinely care about this duo. The response prompted the author to promote charities that support homeless people.

Other Challenge links

 * Mod the Sims - Sims 2 Challenges
 * Mod the Sims - Sims 3 Challenges
 * EA forums - Challenge list for Sims 3
 * EA forums - Challenge list for Sims 4
 * Fanlore - List of The Sims Challenges
 * The Sims 3 Apocalypse Challenge