ISBI rules

I think I'm going to start an I'm Surrounded By Idiots challenge! And I'm going to be using a modified set of rules for my ISBI! I like the basic idea of it, but I have different preferences over a lot of the details. My ruleset is based on the original simslia rules, Toxi's custom rules, and my memories of how I saw people play/post Sims 2 ISBI legacies.

So, the basics, as originated by simslia: You start with a sim with the Insane trait. They're the torchbearer, the only one you can ever control or give commands to, until they have a child and pass the torch to the child when they become a young adult. And then you lose control of the founder and the new torchbearer is the only one you can ever control. All other sims in the household are acting on their own enigmatic free will. The goal is to keep the household going for 10 generations, and you lose if the torchbearer dies.

I'm basically doing the ISBI as a way to take breaks from my legacy, where I have to keep tabs on a whole household, so the core idea I'm interested in is having only one sim to control. My torchbearer is not just the only sim I can control, but the only sim I can ever look at the wants, need bars, etc for. To the extent possible, I'm going to try to even not know the traits of the other sims. I'm easing up on rules that limit how much the torchbearer can influence the other sims. Also, I'm playing this challenge like I play a game of D&D: it's not about winning, it's about making a fun narrative. I will be tracking my points, but I'll be aiming for a wacky story, not a high score. And the narrative I'm going for is about one sim having to be responsible for a whole household of people who suck at taking care of themselves--so my focus is less on "idiot sims act completely on free will" and more on "no divine intervention"; the torchbearer can absolutely try to influence the others, but only if it's in a way one person can realistically influence another.

Idiot Traits
I will be following Toxi's idea of using Insane, Absent-minded, Childish, Inappropriate, and (if I ever get the relevant EP) Unstable interchangeably as "idiot traits" (it also just, as someone with mental illness, makes me more comfortable to not use the word 'insane' all the time). Each torchbearer must have at least one of these traits, and for any sim in the household, they must be given one of these traits the first time an opportunity is presented to choose a trait. For gen 2 I'm gonna try randomizing all other traits and see whether I like that method. When I do choose traits myself, I'm also trying to make sure that idiot sims have more unhelpful than helpful traits altogether.
* Note: I'm exempting the first torchbearer because I forgot. Let's just say this all starts off with Zack being a relatively normal lad and then goes off the rails after him.

Mods
I'm going to use whatever mods I feel like to make gameplay more fun, and I'm going to avoid any mods that go against what I consider the spirit of the challenge or affect my score. So, for instance, I'll be using NRaas to let anybody get pregnant regardless of gender, because gender is bullshit and the rule of "you can use mods to allow same-sex pregnancies but if it's a straight couple then the lady has to be pregnant" is gross. I won't be using any mods to gain money, fix moods, etc.
My NRaas settings: The pregnant partner is assigned randomly when same-sex couples Try For Baby. Jealousy is on low because I want poly sims sometimes dammit. Pregnancy chance is at the default 75% and risky is at 10%. Autonomous Try for Baby/Risky Woohoo are turned on... partly to give me more options besides adoption for ace torchbearers, and partly because I think it'd be pretty funny to see a sim just come home pregnant one day.

Children
I am ignoring rules that limit adoption and require each torchbearer to have two kids. I will try to keep to the rule that generations 3, 6, and 9 need to have both partners use the fertility bonus reward and try for baby, though I might delay it a generation if I feel that the current torchbearer would not do a pregnancy. Any decisions I make about having children will be based on narrative reasons, not how easy or difficult they make the game.

Passing the Torch
The torch can be passed from a parent to a child only on the day that they become a young adult. If I feel for narrative reasons that a torchbearer shouldn't have kids, I reserve the right to pass the torch to a housemate's child instead, as long as they grew up in the legacy house, just became YA, and have an idiot trait.
When a new torchbearer is chosen, their siblings can still stay in the house.

Lifetime Happiness
Children will generally be assigned the first LTW they roll upon reaching young adulthood, or else one that I feel fits their character.
Torchbearers can use any LTH rewards that don't feel too cheaty; I haven't decided exactly which that is. I might allow uncontrollables to use LTH rewards but at a point penalty. Doesn't apply for the fertility treatment when required by the challenge, or if I use rewards to change traits to give spouses an idiot trait.

Rules for Torchbearers
Torchbearers may use their actions to give any instructions to other sims, such as Call Everyone Home, Go Here With, and Call to Meal--as long as they're things a person could realistically ask, there's no limit on this. This includes allowing torchbearers to invite others to participate in activities that build skills.
Torchbearers may call for services, with some exceptions. Fire and police and pizza are definitely okay; babysitters and maids are probably not.
Torchbearers can sell items in the house or from their own inventories, including e.g. paintings they made or fish they caught.

Rules for Uncontrollables
As much as possible, no selecting uncontrollable sims at all. No checking their moods or needs or wants or favorites. I'm basically playing in the role of the torchbearer, so I can only use information that they would have from observation, like the starving or tired animations/mood bubbles.
I can plan outfits for them so they can use CC and not be an eyesore, but I can't tell them when to change. And I'll try to take some cues from the clothes they randomly choose.
Sims will be moved out whenever I see fit (particularly siblings of the heir--they aren't required to move out immediately and they aren't required to stay there forever either). Once moved out they can never move back in, though. My intention is to keep the house full and move someone out only right at the time when I need to make room for a new sim.
I can't accept opportunities for uncontrollables. Or maybe I will accept them, but I can't
All sims are allowed to work any jobs, if they got the job autonomously. I don't have Ambitions so I don't think there's any jobs available to me that they can't do on their own.
I might use the rule where you get to give each sim one command per life stage, but I'm going to try to avoid it. Or I might change it to only one command ever per sim, we'll see. If I use their command to get them a job, the job has to be chosen by random selection of some kind.

Divine Intervention
I the player can't directly interact with any objects, like dragging things to the trash or fridge. I will let myself access their inventories to pull things out, because it drives me up the fucking wall when sims hoard books and stuff in there.
Or I might make this a thing that I'm allowed to do once each life stage of the torchbearer, as with commands for uncontrollables. Or something they can earn from certain achievements (like, if you reach the top of your career, you're granted one 'wish from god' i.e. action from the player). Dunno.
The important thing is, I'm aiming to minimize this. Ultimately, this should be a story of one frazzled sim running around the entire house trying to fix every problem and put everything away by themself.

Points
Failing school: -5
Demotion: -5
Involuntary visit from a police officer, firefighter or babysitter: -5
Fire (regardless of whether firefighter comes): -5
Passing out from exhaustion: -5
Fainting: -2
Self wetting: -5
Uncontrollable makes a housemate cry: -1

Getting fired: -10
Accidental death: -15
Social worker visit: -20

Each baby born: + 5
Honor roll: +5
Uncontrollable gets job autonomously: +5
Torchbearer maxing a skill: +10
Uncontrollable maxing a skill: +15
Torchbearer reaching top of career: +20
Uncontrollable reaching top of career: +25
Every 100,000 simoleons: +20
Fulfilling LTW: +40

Randomizing every LTW choice and trait for a whole generation of children: +10
Not using any spares' LTH points for a generation (aside from mandated fertility treatment): +10
Using an uncontrollable's LTH points: -10 each time (aside from mandated fertility treatment)