Challenge Accepted! An Interview with Jendowoz

Hello everyone, and welcome to a new series here at the Sims Legacy Challenge… Challenge Accepted! I thought it would be fun to get to know some of the Simmers that play the Legacy Challenge, Wonder Child Challenge, and/or Apocalypse Challenge (and any other challenges that we post here), so I am going to be sending out interview questions to Simmers over the next few weeks. If you would like to participate, please let me know!

This week’s Challenge Accepted! Interview features Jendowoz and Sims story writer. She is currently working on the Moreland Legacy as well as a medieval themed story called The Lost Soul. You can check both out on her blog. Here is what she had to say:

Mystic: When did you start playing The Sims?
Jendowoz: I started playing Sims 1 in soon after it came out and have every game, expansion and stuff pack that came out since. They are still safely stored in my office cupboard. So I have been playing for over 10 years now. Maxis asked me to become a SimMaster also back in the days they utilised them and did that for 2 years. My title then  became SimMasterJen.  I have written a lot of stories and two I adapted, expanded and turned into 80 chapter novels for young adults and above,  one of which is now being considered for publication, so I owe a lot to the Sims Franchise.

What made you decide to try the Legacy Challenge and/or other player-made challenges for the game?
I like a challenge and being an active community member of the Sims site and a moderator for other Sims’ sites, I decided to give it a go so I could share my discoveries with others. I made up several of my own challenges also, which on the non-official sites became quite popular.  I have made many requested Sims and Simselves for others on the US and Aussie site, which I enjoy and is a challenge in itself.

What is your favorite game and expansion pack for the franchise?
I enjoyed the Ambitions expansion pack as I was keen to become self-employed. Building a business from the ground up is a great challenge. As you can imagine I am excited about the new expansion pack for Sims 4 as this may allow my Sims to once again become self-employed.

What is your favorite Sims challenge to Let’s Play/Stream/write about?
The Legacy Challenge is my favourite. Although I have recently begun The Wonder Child Challenge, so will see how that pans out. I also adapted a Sims 3 challenge I made up called “Livin’ Live To The Max!”, which involves an elder accomplishing a certain amount of things before they passed.  I felt that the elders needed more limelight to show that their life doesn’t end when they retire, so this challenge I adapted for Sims 4. I’d be happy to share this with others, but not sure where it would be noticed, as the US Sims site is so massive, a lot of things go unnoticed.

Of all of your Sims, who is your favorite?
The Sim I used as the founder  for my first legacy, Andra Stafford would be up there on my list and another recent Sim I created called Jessie Hartley, she is a very outdoors-type and have been using her for the new outdoors pack with an “Outdoor Enthusiast” aspiration. It is her in the shot attached to this questionnaire.

Of all of the Sims games, what is your favorite lifetime wish/aspiration?
I often enjoy having my Sims find their soulmate, but my favourite would be the Mansion Baron as it is a challenge in itself to build from nothing to owning a $50,000 mansion using no cheats. Not only does it challenge the finances but the building as well. I start in a moderate starter home and build it up to a $50,000 mansion from the original site.

Do you have any tips for people that are just starting out playing Sims challenges?
Utilise the resources around your Sim. Collect, dig, pick, plant, beg borrow steal and sell! Well not literally, but use the computers in libraries, the showers in parks so you only need the minimum to begin with particularly in the Legacy Challenge.

Thank you so much for taking the time to answer our questions!