What is Digg?103 Comments
- FuzzyHacker, on 10/12/2007, -1/+67What a depressing game.
- Intrepion, on 10/12/2007, -0/+58You got dysentery and died.
- Pests, on 10/12/2007, -2/+32No one cares now.
- Angsto, on 10/12/2007, -1/+28What I have learned from this game:
(1) All "cold" like symptoms will always result in serious illness.
(2) The only thing that makes people happy is community service (no wonder it is so frequently used to punish petty criminals in the USA).
(3) If one person gets sick they will immediately spready their illness to their entire family which will often result in poverty or death.
(4) The harder you try to better yourself the more likely you are to die of some horrible disease.
(5) The benefits from community services and projects will never be noticeable on the individual family.
(6) Anything that is likely to be effective is most likely going to cost more than you can safely afford. So either throw your money away at prolonging the inevitable or accept your fate of death by horrible illness.
Great life lessons there. I should get my son in on this game before he becomes an optimist.
Why is there no option to sell your more useless children into slavery or just kick them out of the house? - topace3000, on 10/12/2007, -0/+27Trying to educate them only kills them faster. I learned a lot today.
- drizek, on 10/12/2007, -5/+30Wheres the build a nuke and enslave your enemies option?
- stizz, on 10/12/2007, -0/+21you are correct sir, it is a cereal.
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -15/+35funny how there are no white people in this game... RACISM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
- SpoonMachine, on 10/12/2007, -0/+19The trick is to kill off the little ones early.
- stizz, on 10/12/2007, -0/+18sure:
http://69.63.131.66/uniceflogo.jpg
http://www.costlife.org/charData.xml
http://www.costlife.org/choiceData.xml
http://www.costlife.org/eventData.xml
http://www.costlife.org/gameData.xml
http://www.costlife.org/gameOverData.xml
http://www.costlife.org/GKcontainer.swf
http://www.costlife.org/GlobalKids.swf
http://www.costlife.org/homeData.xml
http://www.costlife.org/homeFarmData.xml
http://www.costlife.org/householdData.xml
http://www.costlife.org/jobData.xml
http://www.costlife.org/moreInfoData.xml
http://www.costlife.org/schoolData.xml
http://www.costlife.org/statusConditionData.xml
http://www.costlife.org/storeData.xml
http://www.costlife.org/treatmentData.xml
http://www.costlife.org/yearOverData.xml - stizz, on 10/12/2007, -0/+15I looked in my activity window (I used safari) and was able to see the url for not only the .swf file, but for all the xml 's and the swf container as well. I downloaded them all, threw them in a folder and launched the container with firefox. The game plays locally from my desktop now. The cool thing about this is I now have the xml's that the game relies on for it's data strings. This makes cheating, while probably pointless, possible nonetheless. I'm gonna tweak some parameters and see what happens....
- DracoFlameus, on 10/12/2007, -0/+15well sometimes they get sick WHILE working or studying... quite often by the way and suddenly u have no money left... I would LOVE to reach that "work harder"-button for other family members in time, but I have only 0.1 secs left before the next annoying msg pops up, telling me that another family member got sick... another 0.1 secs later comes the hurricane... and another 0.1 secs later a work acident... aaaand the season is over before I could do anything.
What exactly should I learn out of that? That u cannot really influence how hard someone is studying or working?? :p - kmccormi, on 10/12/2007, -2/+16how the hell is this "ironic"??? when will people learn to use that word correctly?
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -1/+14*HINT* This is for those who suck at the game
1. Adjust your living standard to "poor" for the first few rounds.
2. Send everybody to work in the first season.
3. Buy Livestock in the second season, it's the only thing that makes your asses money.
After that send your people to the clinic when they get unhealthy, and make them volunteer when they're not happy. (I know, counter-intuitive.)
Buy books and remedies every round if you can. - brianary, on 10/12/2007, -0/+127. Only religious schools can provide a quality education.
- imeddy, on 10/12/2007, -4/+15And pointless... actually, that was the only realistic aspect of it.
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -3/+14mine died within 2 seasons...
"Here lies andy; peperony and chease" - MatttK, on 10/12/2007, -1/+12No, you're supposed to learn that a lot of people in third world countries are screwed, despite trying really hard to live.
- helmsb, on 10/12/2007, -0/+11Thanks, that works great. This game was like the kobayashi maru and the only way to beat it is by reprogramming it. I don't understand why people in third world countries don't just edit their XML file to give them more money?
- smpx, on 10/12/2007, -0/+11I'm a little cracked up by this, but after pumping volunteer, I discovered the lessons of life:
The secret to life is working for UNICEF. By volunteering, your whole family will gain education, better health (some never get sick at all after the health information center gets build--suggesting immortality), better happiness and more money. After choosing money for my strategy and constantly having at least 1 person volunteering, I had a ridiculous moneystream (got a computer easily), the family rarely got sick, and all were at 9 in happiness.
By working for UNICEF, you will not only grant your family immortality and evergrowing wealth, it'll also make you incredibly happy, slightly addicted and judging by the looks on their faces, somewhat delusional.
UNICEF is the truth, the answer, and the only way.
Oh, did I mention that the game was partly sponsored by UNICEF? - JusticeAK, on 10/12/2007, -2/+13If they wouldn't get sick so often, maybe we should send them some medicine. But that isn't exactly what the stock holders want to hear.
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -1/+11*HINT* Better starting strategy... And YES, I realize that I'm lame. But I got a little addicted to the game. Wished it lasted longer.
*Round 1*
1. Start by buying: Radio, Books, Toys, and New Shoes.
2. Send 4 family members to perform the highest paying jobs, and send Yves to Volunteer.
3. Switch living conditions to: "Good Living (840 goud/season)"
4. Start season and set their asses to work hard regardless of the messages. If you can, tell "Yves" to work hard first, and you'll probably get an improvement first season.
If you do it right, you'll enter the second round with 500+ goud, some good starting material, health, and all that good stuff.
*Round 2*
1. Buy more books.
2. Send 4 family members to perform highest paying jobs. Make Yves volunteer again.
3. Start Round.
*Round 3*
Now you can choose to buy a Bed, Livestock (recommended), or some Sanitation. You get the general idea. Use the other four family members to make money, and Yves to improve the community, study, and the cool stuff. You should be able to figure it out from there. Keep your cash above 500 goud too. As it will ask you randomly through the game if you want to buy a "Stall" at the market (which you can then send one of the parents to work) and thus make more money.
If you do it right. You can get through the entire game without visiting the medical center at all, or at least, very little. Be sure to buy the homemade remedy as often as necessary. - alostpacket, on 10/12/2007, -1/+11care to share your secrets?
I tried for awhile and kept getting frustrated which of course is the point. I have to say though I kinda wish UNICEF wasn't trying to teach me what frustration feels like as much as teach me the cool positive things they are doing to help. - openyoureyes17, on 10/12/2007, -0/+9if you volunteer enough, the town builds a library and a health awarness center and your people are educated w/o school and they stay healthier so you make more money.
- Narwaffle, on 10/12/2007, -0/+8Just like real life. Sort of.
- davidrools, on 10/12/2007, -0/+7i had the whole family stay at home for a season and they didn't improve their health or happiness at all..maybe because we were living the poor budget
- shrontzy, on 10/12/2007, -0/+7I have to admit this comment has me rolling on the floor with laughter. I love the angry sarcasm.
- xxmollsx, on 10/12/2007, -1/+8Took me several tries, but once you get the hang of it, it's possible to survive all four years.
- smpx, on 10/12/2007, -0/+7After a couple of tries I got the hang of it. I've yet to have anyone die on me, and between remedies/hospitals it's pretty hard for them to pass out. Just don't let more than 2 people's health fall below 4 at any given time. Any work you get them to do at 5 is pointless, they'll just get sick and quit. I wish this game lasted longer than 4 years, and that the seasons will be longer.
Rotate your work. Keep the standards at decent from year 2-4 (first year you can live in poverty a little). Rotate the youngest between school and volunteering, keep 3 working at all times if possible and if their life gets down to 5, send them to the hospital (not clinic). You can get things like market stalls that will make you more money. Livestock is important, plumbing keeps the health a little more managable.
It's a good game because it really makes you think about balancing their lives. It's easy to fall into a downward spiral but once you develop a pattern it's easy to keep your income up while developing education. - billbillbilly, on 10/12/2007, -3/+10... its based on haiti
- MikedaSnipe, on 10/12/2007, -1/+7ARGGHHHH!!!! DO YOU KNOW WHAT IRONIC MEANS (bashes keyboard over head)
... s*** i was using a laptop. - SultanTravi, on 10/12/2007, -1/+7I killed them pretty fast. Trying to live large while all you do is sit in your house doesn't work--not sure why not.
edit: Hmm.. do they never die? Health has been at zero for a while now. - DracoFlameus, on 10/12/2007, -0/+6great, thx alot! :)
- o2o2o2o2, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5Something tells me this is how our elected officials run countries. SimCountry
- DracoFlameus, on 10/12/2007, -1/+6That's absolutely true... I was able to play it through all 4 years... but already losing, because I tried to give them some education.
In the end u have no time for education, because u need money.. and u only get money with working :p Sure.. once or twice a year u can send one kid to school... but that's it. The rest of the time ur people are working or in the hospital.
I don't even know why they did that volunteer option at work... when exactly should I use that? When I have to decide between education and volunteering a prefer education :p - Lacero, on 10/12/2007, -1/+6I had them partying the first season, needless to say they spent all their money and died from starvation.
- Digitalwingx, on 10/12/2007, -1/+6Tip: do community work as much as you can.
I ended up with 9 diplomas.
Because of the community centers I ended up with a lot better health and education. UNICEF is sending out a message here... - grubwort, on 10/12/2007, -1/+6@h00paj00: if the aim of the game was to teach you some geography, then it clearly failed, as it is set in Haiti.
- openyoureyes17, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5i always use the little boy to volunteer since he cant work a real job. i leave the farm alone a lot. if you buy livestock your farm earns money w/o anyone being there anyway.
make them work, until they reach about 6 health then make them to to the hospital. don't do educated until year 4. - Tiak, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5Eh, I seem to be pretty good at the game but I've never seen books do ANYTHING after buying them just about every season. I had to earn my certificates the hard way (the magic disappearing re-appearing schools)...
- Callero, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5Worked out for me at last,
managed to keep everyone alive and somewhat healthy.
Everyone earned a degree and things looked up a bit. - Metis2be, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4Two of mine died. I just can't get them healthy no matter how hard I try, they get sick then slowly drop off.
- waike, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4Buying books and the remedy every round is the way. Also have at least one person on volunteer each round, you start to build stuff that helps the whole family by having a volunteer. Managed to do quite well after a couple of tries.
I don't bother going to school at all, just buy books each season and build the library etc with volunteer. - DracoFlameus, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4lol could u please write down the urls, so I can download them too... would love to try some "tweaking" :D
- Larofeticus, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4Reminds me of that simulated mcdonalds game, where the game was designed in such a way that the only way to not loose was to put poison in the hamburgers and buldoze a thrid world country.
It has the same problem as "atlas shrugged", the game was designed to fit the lesson and not the other way around. - bluemansteele, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3you can choose if they stay at home or go to work or go to school before they get sick.
- Emesis, on 10/12/2007, -2/+5@bluemansteele: Where are you from? Do women there frequently become spontaneously knocked up?
- ei8htball, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3I've only tried a few times, but the easiest way I've found to do well is to:
- buy books till they all have an education of 2
- go to public school whenever possible
- go to the clinic if they drop below 7 health (hospital if below 5)
- get a stall, livestock, bed, etc. ASAP
It is rather addicting... - themastersb, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3I keep dieing of diarrhea.
- Applemacmad, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4stop dying goddammit!!
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