Asylum Challenge: the rules

At a glance

Creator

simswithcheese (Nick, @NickM97); based on Scout's Sims 2 and BlakeS5678's Sims 3 versions

Length

One life

Packs

Base game

Rules

The creator's page, read on October 28, 2026

How to start

• Make one young adult main Sim with the Insane trait (now called Erratic) and any two other non-custom traits.
• The main Sim may not take Successful Lineage, Big Happy Family, Super Parent, Fabulously Wealthy, Mansion Baron or City Native.
• Make seven more young adults with the Insane trait and any other traits and aspirations. None of the eight may be related.
• Build, download (#AsylumChallenge on the Gallery) or adapt an asylum on a residential lot in Willow Creek or Oasis Springs. Money cheats are fine while building.
• All furniture starts as the cheapest version. No items that change emotions (unless earned from a career) and no fire prevention.
• Then set household money to the amount for your difficulty: 1,000 (easy), 500 (medium) or 100 (hard).

The rules

• You control only the main Sim. Never select the other seven to check their needs.
• At midnight, with the game paused, you may look inside the other Sims' inventories.
• Free will on high. No cheats or mods that boost needs or skills.
• Lifespan normal or long.
• Don't use your inventory or furniture moves to keep items for yourself.
• Graves stay on the lot; an annoying ghost may be banished.
• No building changes after setup, except to free stuck Sims or to buy an allowed skill item or upgrade.
• Saved money may replace cheap items with better ones, one for one, never extra items (not on hard).
• Only the main Sim may use Work Hard.
• Pools count as a skill item. Toilets and showers may be in separate rooms.
• Easy: 2 sinks, 2 toilets, 2 showers; 6 bed spaces; 8 seats; TV and computer together; everyone may work but patients only in Criminal and never promoted; maid and pizza allowed; fishing and collecting any time; visits 9am to 3pm.
• Medium: 1 sink, toilet and shower; 5 bed spaces; 6 seats; TV or computer, not both; only 2 patients may work, in Criminal; no maid or pizza; fishing and collecting 7am to 5pm; visits 9am to 3pm; lose one seat per death.
• Hard: 1 sink, toilet and shower; 4 bed spaces; 4 seats; TV or computer; patients can't work and the main Sim works only if the aspiration needs it; no lifetime rewards; fishing and collecting midnight to 5am; no visits unless the aspiration needs one (6pm to 11pm); lose one bed and one seat per death.
• All modes: at most 5 skill items. Computers, stoves, bookcases, mirrors and TVs don't count as skill items.
• When you leave the lot, all patients come with you.
• Pack rules: no restaurants (Dine Out), no active careers or retail stores (Get to Work), no apartments as the asylum (City Living); an alien baby must be sent to Sixam; Outdoor Retreat trips only for that aspiration, to the campground, with everyone.

How you win

The main Sim goes free after completing 2 aspirations (easy), 3 (medium) or 4 (hard). A single aspiration counts, not a whole category.

Scoring

• Optional scoring:
• +50 per aspiration completed
• +1 per skill point of any living Sim at the end
• +1 per 1,000 satisfaction points of every Sim
• -20 per death
• -20 per fire
• -20 per day the power and water are cut off

Tips

• Pick an aspiration that matches a career your main Sim can follow from home, so work and goals move together.
• Spend the 5 skill items on things that earn money, such as an easel, so the bills get paid.
• Pay bills right away: every day without power or water costs points.

Free tools for the challenge

• Sims family tree maker
• Sims 4 legacy challenge generator
• Sims 4 random trait generator
• Sims 4 name generator

More one-life challenges

• Rags to Riches Challenge
• Black Widow Challenge
• Off the Grid Challenge
• Runaway Teen Challenge
• Wonder Child Challenge
• Movin' On Up Challenge
• Immigrant Challenge

Questions