SimCity Weekend Prep

SimCity is here! Time for a weekend of Mayoring (yes that is now a verb), gaming and nothing else.

It is recommended to take a 5min break every hour at your desk job and being a Mayor in SimCity is like a desk job! Don’t ruin your back/wrists/elbows/etc by sitting behind your PC too long.

Friends

Tell your non-SimCity friends you are not available this weekend for any plans they might have. Not this weekend, next is fine.

Significant Other (SO)

Skip this step if you are lucky and your SO likes SimCity almost as much as you! Or if you are single.

Monster-in-Law

This coming weekend is a great time to surprise your Significant Other with a trip to visit their mother, in the UK it is almost mother’s day after all. Tell them to not worry and just enjoy themselves, it’s on you!

Girls/Boys weekend away

If visiting your MIL does not work, they can always go a weekend away with their friends! Discuss that she could really use a spa trip or that he has always wanted to see that city. We are going on stereotypes here, you know what will be the best thing to suggest to your SO!

Very important, do not forget to tell your SO to call you before leaving their MIL or holiday place. Or to call an hour you before they get home. This will be your warning sign to clean up the house and to get your head into the right mental state to pretend you misssssssed them so much and that you did not just have an amazing weekend with SimCity.

Kids

Grandparents

Yay! The kids can go visit their grandparents! This is great fun for them! Grandparents get to spoil them and the added benefit that you do not have to take care of them for a weekend.

Dogs

Neighbours kid

That kid down the road can really use some extra cash right? 7am, noon, afternoon and evening walks are a great way for them to earn some extra money!

Monster-in-Law

Maybe the Significant-Other wants to bring that cute little puppy with them when visiting their mother .

Cats

Claws

If you notice claws in your legs/back you have forgotten to feed the cat. Avoid this.

Automatic feeder

Automatic Feeders are recommended to avoid the claws situation.

Attention

Teach the cat that if they sit on your lap while you are behind the computer they can get attention while you multitask SimCity. Do not give attention if they are on the keyboard or in the way of the computer mouse.

Avoid this. 

Last resort

If they still want attention from you, catnip toys. The good kind that they will really love.

Hygiene

Do not neglect your hygiene! Noone likes to live up to the gamer stereotype.

Quick Shower

You need a 5min break every hour. So learn to take a 5min shower.

Clothes

Change your clothes at least once a day. There is some merit in the idea of just using PJs but make sure you own enough PJs.

Food

Deliveries

Print out the phone numbers for all the local pizza, Chinese, etc places that deliver.

Quick food

Stock up on supplies for sandwiches, cereal, Ramen or Pot Noodles . These options are so easily made. Good snack foods are nuts, vegetables like carrots. Stay away from unhealthy snacks like potato crisps, they just make you thirsty

Prepare food beforehand

Chili con carne, spaghetti sauce, risotto are all foods you can make before hand and then heat up when you are hungry.

Kitchen… Computer Room

Consider putting a minifridge, toaster and electric kettle in your computer room. Safely! Do not create a fire hazard in your computer room!  If fires do happen, save yourself first, do not even think about saving your computer. Computers can be replaced (yes even your epic one), you cannot.

Also make sure to test this out before game release, you might blow the breaker.

Drinks

Caffeinated

Caffeinated drinks are recommended to play games as long as possible. These includes (diet-) Coke/pepsi, tea and coffee. Do not make yourself sick with too much caffeine in energy drinks (like RedBull, Monster, etc) if you never drink these, this is not the time to try.

Daily intake

To make sure you drink enough water, put an actual bottle of water next to you on your desk. Dehydration can give nasty headaches.

Sleep

It is better to sleep a short time than to fight sleep and ruin your city.

Cleaning

Make sure your house is clean before you start mayoring. You have some cheat-time with this while your game is installing. Hoover, no need to mop this week right?, do the dishes and all that fun stuff.

5 min breaks

These 5 min breaks are excellent times to bring your plates to the Kitchen and load up the dishwasher or to quickly wash them. Make sure you have a drying rack if you do not own a dishwasher, no time to spend on drying your plates!

Paper Cups and Plates

For the ultimate anti-cleaning Gamer, consider paper cups and plates, it is not good for the environment but do you care?

Got any more great tips for a great SimCity weekend? Share with us on twitter,  facebook or in our IRC chat!

Most pictures in this article are from sxc.hu