Veronaville

The Montys

The leaders of this little clan, Patrizio and Isabella, are unfortunately not that far away from death, and are content to do nothing more than live out their lives, basking in the glow of family life. The odd thing is that they're not even in love with each other; they're only friends when you first enter the scenario, so get them smooching as soon as you can; this will replace some of their sometimes awkward Family Wants with romanticW between themselves, which are quite easy to pull off.

Mercutio and Romeo are the sons, and are somewhat competitive, but luckily won't be fighting over the same girl (unless you encourage them to do so). Romeo only has eyes for Juliette Capp (at the moment; he'll have eyes for lots of girls when he gets older, thanks to his Romance Aspiration), while Mercutio is pursuing Hermia Capp. Note that Puck Summerdream is also wooing Hermia; there's nothing wrong with this, of course, but you'll want to be sure that the two don't meet up with each other while Hermia's around, lest one pair or the other gets involved in an indiscretion.

Tips
This European-style home isn't too difficult to get around in, but you may want to eliminate some of the walls between adjacent rooms, such as the kitchen and the dining area. The central courtyard is also underemphasized; you can eliminate the little spot of water with the terrain-levelling tool, then use the space to throw down a hot tub or even a small pool. Don't forget to throw up an expensive television and gaming system somewhere; the house as is is low on Fun items.

The Capps

The second of the two Family Feud contestants, the Capps live on an imposingly large estate that's set well back from the sidewalk. Consort, the paterfamilias, is an elder Sim, but is still robust and is going strong in his Business career track. You can have him Retire if you wish to concentrate on his Wants, but he's still an able breadwinner.

Tips

The real problem with the Capp household aren't the Sims, but the lot itself. The house is large and expensive, yes, but it's set an incredible distance away from the sidewalk, meaning that it takes quite a while for people to make their way to and from the front door. If you're willing to put a little time into it, this is a great lot for constructing a new house! Just sell off as much of the existing house as you're able to, move the appliances down next to the mailbox, then flatten the land and start laying a foundation. You don't need anything hideously extravagant, but you stand to gain a lot of efficiency for your working and school-going Sims by relocating the household, even if the new house is a bit plain.

The Summerdreams

The Summerdreams have one of the most impressive houses in the Sims 2--it's well laid-out, fairly efficient, and it benefits from a number of expensive decorations by giving some truly impressive Environment boosts to the Sims that come to visit. It's rather easy to entertain here, especially if you make some minor changes to the layout of the house. In point of fact, there's a party going on as soon as you enter, with a few easy chances to get some of the Summerdreams' Wants fulfilled.

Tips
As should be becoming second nature to you, you'll want to make a new doorway, leading up to the main statuary room, immediately across from the mailbox and trashcan. If you do so, you might want to consider shuffling some of the items around and converting the room with the flower-pattern carpet into your main entertaining area, with the kitchen items along one side and a few high-Fun items nearby. You'll have to work around the stairs, but that shouldn't be too much trouble; you can always knock down a few walls if you need more space.