ROOK: I hired Elmira...
ROOK: Welcome to the team!
ELMIRA: Quiet down, punks! Elmira has arrived!
ROOK: ...and assigned her to the 3rd floor, where Roger and Travis were. I sent them out on the Morcu Corp Stakeout, and returned to the mountains, feeling the squad had a good chance. I checked out the red car. The closest thing to paperwork was a parking ticket. I guess cops just love red cars. Finally, the blue one. Score! One deed. According to it, Preston owns all the land around the chalet. Rather suspicious... I decided to follow those tracks again. They led me past the ranger station and through the gate. Thankfully, there were patches of snow on the ice with footprints in them. They lead to the cabin. I had to get in, but the door was boarded up! However, there was a stack of crates nearby. I climbed up. I'd have to pull a Santa Claus and slide down the chimney. First order of business: clear the ice. Once inside, I found it deserted. I made sure I could get out again if I needed to, then continued my investigation.
You put your finger on the side of your nose and gave a nod, didn't you?
ROOK: ...No! ...Well... okay, I did. Anyway, there were random notes on the desk, a sharp-yet-dusty axe, a shelf unit with nothing of note—
WALKER: The team is in place, and they look sharp. Let's scope this warehouse out. Morcu Corp will never see it coming.
ROOK: ...Well, he seems pleased at the choice. More than Roger alone, definitely. Anyway, I also found a trap door. A stubborn trap door. But the crowbar was more than a match. In I went.
All right! This section, and a few others like it, are 2D platforming sections. You can still see in 3D, but for all practical purposes...
ROOK: Yes, well, I examined this mazelike place as I went. Turned out, it was a mine. An early offshoot path had shaky supports and was blocked at the end, besides. I pressed on, through freezing water, up ladders and down shafts. I found viking outfits down here. Weird. I continued until I found another door.
ELMIRA: I'm perfectly happy working on the case. I'd prefer a bit more, you know, toil, but you can't have everything.
ROOK: Once through the door, I found myself inside another cabin! There was a crate nearby which I opened to discover... video games? A table at the other end had a lot of water bottles, which seemed to point to Preston, but I wasn't going to take it as hard evidence yet... even if the contents were hardening. There was a filthy shelf, but more interesting was the yeti suit on the floor nearby. I took it with me. Whoever was wearing this costume was the one who wrecked everything. And I pretty much knew who it fit. I unlocked the door and headed back to talk to Rosalyn about freeing Paul.
(By the way, for those of you who play this game, telling Rosalyn the following line is a Point of No Return for this area. If there's anything you left behind, it's Lost Forever. In fact, every place you go to by jet is like this. So make sure.)
ROOK: Paul's innocent, agent!
AGENT ROSALYN: What? Impossible!
ROOK: Everybody was assembled, so it was time to present.
ROOK: Well, Agent Marshall, we've got your proof. You'll have to let Paul go.
NOVA: WHOOOOOOOOOO!! IN YO' FACE!
ROOK: You're scaring me with your counting of "O"s.
Get used to it.
NOVA: Ooh, sorry. Go ahead, Rook.
ROOK: Preston wasn't really missing. He was hiding out in one of the ranger's stations the whole time.
BUDDY: We know from the security footage we recovered that a baseball bat was used to attack the lodge.
AGENT ROSALYN: But that footage also showed a yeti destroying Professor Nova's property. A yeti that left yeti tracks.
Professor? I know she was a professor — well, ex-professor — in My Sims... is she also a professor here, in addition to being a lodge owner?
ROOK: A yeti wouldn't need a baseball bat to smash a hot tub. He would just use his hands.
BUDDY: And besides, yetis hate baseball. They're more into cricket.
PAUL: That's true.
Wait a minute, he was turned into a yeti! Did this transformation imbue him with a preference for cricket? Did a pre-existing preference for cricket influence the crown toward turning him into a yeti? What's going on here?
ROOK: Anyways, more important are the boots which we discovered. Someone dressed up in a yeti costume to leave misleading footprints.
PRESTON: HA! You can't prove that it's my yeti costume!
BUDDY: We could make you put it on to make sure it fits.
ROOK: Beebee seemed to like that idea. I wondered if she understood what it would mean if it fit...
PRESTON: Oh, ummm...
ROOK: Put the costume on, Preston.
ROOK: At first, he refused, but then...
PRESTON: ...Fine.
ROOK: He put it on.
BUDDY: A perfect fit!
PAUL: Not a very good likeness, though...
BEEBEE: ''Oh, Preston, don't you look adorable?
ROOK: Indeed, she was clueless to what that meant, and just wanted to see him in an adorable costume. Preston went to take it off again, but... the zipper stuck.
PRESTON: Oh, great, now I can't even get it off!
AGENT VIC: Wow! Nice sleuthing, Rook! But why'd he do it? What did Preston have against Nova's lodge?
ROOK: I suspect it had something to do with this.
ROOK: I pulled out the deed.
ROOK: This deed proves that Preston recently purchased all of the surrounding land in these mountains. The only holdout was this lodge. Of course, if Nova's lodge suddenly had to close due to yeti attacks, the land would be much easier to acquire.
NOVA: And what exactly were you going to do with my lodge once you had it?!
PRESTON: ...Bulldoze it and build a bottled water factory.
PAUL: Well that's just tasteless.
BEEBEE: I think it's fantastic!! You're so amazing, Preston!
ROOK: Okay, this kid has a lot to learn about right and wrong. She couldn't really approve of Preston's actions that much... could she...?
AGENT ROSALYN: Well, I guess you've solved the case, Rook. We'll let the yeti go right away.
ROOK: She went to do so.
AGENT VIC: And Preston, you'll be paying for all the damage you did to this lodge.
PRESTON: Awww...but Daddy said if I borrow any more money he'll cut me off!
AGENT VIC: That's awful. No, seriously, you're breaking my heart here. Again, really excellent work, Special Agent Rook!
AGENT ROSALYN: Alright, Vic.
AGENT VIC: I mean, you sure made us look like chumps!
AGENT ROSALYN: ALRIGHT, VIC!
ROOK: They left.
NOVA: Rook, Buddy, I can't thank you enough. You've saved my lodge... and you gave me the chance to chat with this handsome yeti!
PAUL: She said I can use the hot tub anytime I want!
NOVA: I'll go call the hot tub repairman right now!
ROOK: She left, leaving us to talk with Paul.
EVELYN: Paul? My name is Evelyn Gray. I think you knew my father?
PAUL: Evelyn Gray? Is that...is that little Evie?
EVELYN: You know me?
PAUL: I think... yes! Evie! You used to scurry around the lab all the time back when I worked with your dad!
ROOK: That sounds safe.
PAUL: Man, you've grown!
EVELYN: So you really knew my father? You and he were researchers together?
PAUL: Yeah...yeah, that's right! He helped make the Nightmare Crown! But after the crown disappeared I didn't see him anymore...he was a good guy.
EVELYN: Paul, why is Morcubus looking for you? Does he think you have the crown?
PAUL: I don't know what happened to the crown. Morcubus knows that. I just helped him make it.
EVELYN: Wait! What if Morcubus wanted to make a new crown. Is that possible?
PAUL: He'd need the raw resources...and a ton of money. But yeah, that would explain why he wants to talk to me!
EVELYN: Rook, please, we have to find out more about the Nightmare Crown! Maybe we can even figure out what happened to my father...
BUDDY: Don't worry, Evelyn! We'll do everything we can to help you.
EVELYN: Thank you, Buddy.
ROOK: Paul, thank you for your help. Please let us know if you remember anything else.
PAUL: No sweat! Thanks for clearing things up with those crazy agents!
ROOK: Let's head back to HQ.
ROOK: So we did.
BUDDY: These cases keep going by so quickly, pal! Today I took some time to sit down and appreciate the beauty of freshly-fallen snow. Good thing this jet has heated seats!
(A yeti boot trophy! A sculpture of Preston in a yeti suit! And new recruitables: Vic, Rosalyn, Beebee, Preston, Nova, and our first non-humanoid, Wolfah! New agent outfits, a cold weather sweater/skirt outfit, a bunny hat and a yeti suit! New clients, as well!)
ROOK: Agent Walker returned.
AGENT WALKER: Agent Rook! Great work up at Nova's lodge.
ROOK: Thanks, Agent Walker. What's new?
AGENT WALKER: I just wanted to come by and drop off a couple of upgrades. First, that crowbar has to go. You're an agent, not a thug.
ROOK: I kinda like the crowbar.
AGENT WALKER: Don't worry, the F-Space Manipulator does everything the crowbar did, plus much more. I'm also replacing your old wrench with the agency's patented Techno-Tool.
ROOK: Ooh, now that sounds like an upgrade.
AGENT WALKER: Indeed. It will still allow you to salvage, but now you can also pick locks!
ROOK: Should be handy.
AGENT WALKER: You know, you might want to train on that F-Space Manipulatora bit before you take it into the field. Why don't you head up to the hangar and try it out? The manipulator runs on fenergy and there should be a fenergy vent up there.
ROOK: "Fenergy vent" up in the hangar... got it.
AGENT WALKER: Now if you'll excuse me, I'm late for my daily haircut.
ROOK: Of course.
The F-Space Manipulator is awesome, not the least because, well, you know all those objects we've been hauling around? Now we get to place them. This is not merely decorative, but functional. Each object has 5 interest slots, like agents do... although up to 4 may be empty. You can place up to 15 objects on each floor. Careful, though, some objects have special needs. Some are large. In a similar vein, some are interactive, which means you need space for a Sim to walk up to it. Some require walls, and only half the available floors have them. Each floor has a special desk-like thing that you can move but unlike all other objects, not remove. It's especially for music players. Only one may be placed on any floor, so you can't double up... even though you may want to later. I'll be handling this part based on what missions are to be selected. But I'll still tell you what interests each object contributes to.
Also, we can paint with those paints. It doesn't help in gameplay, but it can add a touch — or flood — of whatever to your HQ floors.
Anyway, here are your new recruitables:
BEEBEE: Oh, hi, Rook. So, I guess you're looking for agents and stuff? If you recruited me, do you think it would impress Preston?
1 Nature, 1 Athletic, 3 Charismatic.
NOVA: Finding Paul has reminded me how much there is still left to discover: aliens, sasquatch, krakens... with your resources and my theories, I know we can do it!
2 Paranormal, 1 Nature, 2 Smarts.
PRESTON: Rook, please don't hire me. Vic and Rosalyn are making me volunteer with the S.P.A. as part of my community service! Have mercy!
1 Athletic, 3 Charismatic, 1 Smarts.
I guess he has a bit of Smarts where she has a bit of Nature.
AGENT ROSALYN: Agent Rosalyn P. Marshall reporting for duty! Just fill out the necessary requisition forms, expense reports, and agency transfer documents (in triplicate).
2 Paranormal, 3 Smarts.
AGENT VIC: Dude, you rock. I've gotta become a special agent! Can you train me to find footprints and analyze evidence and lift rocks with my mind and stuff?!
3 Paranormal, 1 Charismatic, 1 Smarts.
WOLFAH: Grrr...yip! Yip yip? Grrrrolf! Yip!
3 Nature, 2 Athletic.
Rook, what was that?
ROOK: Oh, he's excited to be able to be part of the agency, and... he said that Paul's trained him not to "go" while he's inside.
Oh. Well, that's good. Roxie should be especially pleased.
The new missions:
- Yeti Begins
PAUL: It's time I took stock of my life and faced my past. Can you send a team to help me find out if there was anything particularly good, bad, or just plain important that I did before I became a yeti? I'll try my best to help, but there's only so much I can remember.
2 stars. 15 minutes. Paranormal/Nature. New objects and a paint.
- Pig, Camera, Action!
RENÉE: Hey, Rook! I'm trying to go to the movies with my pigs, but there's too much traffic! Do you think you can help me and my pigs get around all these pesky cars?
1 star. 20 minutes. Nature/Charismatic. New outfits, new recruit.
- Snack Thief
ROXIE: There's a thief on the loose in our HQ — my icecream sandwiches keep going missing! The thought of unauthorized fingers all over my food gives me the creeps. Please help!
3 stars. 20 minutes. Smarts/Charismatic. New outfits, an object, and a trophy.
- Episode X
JENNY: Starcruiser X is having a contest for the best fan-written episode, and they're hiring the winner to work on the show. Could you spare a few agents to help me brainstorm?
2 stars. 15 minutes. Smarts/Paranormal. A new object and a trophy.
- Tainted Broth
HOPPER: My Hopper Broth has been tasting funny lately, and my froggy friends won't play with me. Help me figure out what's up, sproing?!
3 stars. 15 minutes. Paranormal/Natural. New object, paint, and recruit.
- Missions
- Yeti Begins
- Legendary Cheese
- Pig, Camera, Action!
- Snack Thief
- Episode X
- Tainted Broth
- The Sadness Parade (ON HOLD)
As far as "Yeti Begins" is concerned, there will be some recruits all the way up to the fruits of Rook's last mission that may be interesting to send to help him. On the other hand, there are interesting recruits now, so if you can't wait or just want to get those objects (and paint; who knows?), that'll work.
One interesting thing is that if you send agents on Roxie or Jenny's missions, there will be no evidence in the office that the mission is going on, but you'll still receive texts. Eerie...
- Recruits and Recruitables
- Beebee
- Leaf
- Nova
- Pinky
- Preston
- Agent Rosalyn
- Agent Vic
- Wolfah
Travis, Roger, and Elmira are still on the mission, of course.
Next time: A lesson in manipulation, and more!
