Random Sim Musings 3-6-23

 

Coming to you LIVE from the Sim Acres Newsroom!  

Been awhile and there's been some stuff going on with Sims 4.  I have no idea where I'm going with this.

First up, THE BABIES ARE FREE FROM THEIR BASSINET PRISONS!  Kinda.  I don't generally play families but I have a few saves populated with lots of families and this will be an addition for them.  It's too soon to be annoyed with them yet.

I watched the live stream a few days ago and while I'm glad the new things are coming with the update and the expansion it's just...  Start this thought over.

The Sims 4 has added a lot over the years.  Lots of things with updates and lots of things with paid content.  And overall it's made a good playing experience (minus broken features and bugs) but it's spread out over so many packs and it can be inconsistent.   Like Selvadorada vs Sulani with culture lore.  Or even with the supernaturals.  Werewolves have lots of content compared to vampires.  Spellcasters fall in the middle since they have the Magic Realm.

Now this brings us to Growing Together.  There's the gameplay from Parenthood (which was not a Sims 3 Generations replacement) .  High School Years also had some family gameplay with the teens.  I see this as more of an add-on than an expansion (perhaps like My First Pet Stuff?) to fill in the holes in the family gameplay that's already there.

In the end I guess it doesn't matter because I'm getting the pack when it comes out and then figure out how to weave it in to my already established saves and probably making new saves because that's what I do.

Go 4th and sim!

 

Lori

#Simmer4Life

Hi again.

Making plans for this space.

Hi

 Really should post more on here.

Random screenshot.

Go 4th and Sim!

Lori

Crazy Sims Idea!

 YOU LOOKING FOR DRAMA???!??!? 

Well, you won't find it here.  Actually nobody finds this place. 🤷  The Simming Community is filled with drama...again.  It never really goes away, does it?  Not to mention the history making, life changing events of the last few years.  I'm just weary of everything.

Letting my mind wander into what ifs and this is what I got.  😐

We have scenarios.

We have a residential haunted house lot trait.

We have Strangerville.

We had Jasmine Holiday.  (She's been gone a long time.)

Here's my GRAND IDEA!

Pulling from the Strangerville Mystery, the Haunted House Residential Lot Trait, the limited time scenarios and Jasmine Holiday from the long forgotten challenge events.

I enjoyed the Private Eye career from Sims 3.  I enjoyed Strangerville.  I enjoy the location aspirations.  But once you do them they're done.  I would love to see a limited time event that adds some new gameplay.  

...

Yeah, that's all I got.  It sounded way better in my head than actually putting it into words.  I'm giving myself a 🌟for even making the effort to put something on this blog.

Go 4th and Sim!

Lori

#Simmer4Life

Wow 2 Years!

 Right on schedule to dust this off again.  

I've been in training.

And taking care of the farm..

But I have some ideas that may or may not get put out.  And that's the Sim Acres promise to you.

Go 4th and Sim!
Simmer 4 Life!

Lenny Pt. 1

This is a story I started in 2015.  I'm finally at a point I can continue/finish it.  Now on with the show!

Lenny Vicuna was your typical alien from, well, let's just say an alien planet.  Lenny's native language doesn't translate well into any Earth language. Yet his race had the ability to learn any language quickly.   Lenny's real name was his planet's equivalent of Jim Smith or Tom Jones, not unusual.  His job was also equivalent of a paper pusher, button clicker or test tube spinner.  He started off in an entry-level position and worked his way up few levels.  Wasn't the best, certainly not the worst.  Did a few good things that got him some recognition.

He had a group of friends that he hung out with doing all the normal things the aliens on his planet did.  Lenny's life on his planet wasn't really that bad.  He got by.

Yet Lenny felt that he needed something else.  He wasn't sure what.  So he lived his life and got by always with the feeling there should be something more.

Then one day he nearly slept through his entire shift and still managed to do his job in his sleep.  It was then he knew he had to take drastic measures.  He took off for Human Resources (his job's version anyway) and wanted to know if there were any other openings anywhere else.

Turns out there was an opening in their Earth branch.  Lenny didn't even give the clerk the time to give him details before he said yes.  Before he could go Lenny had to fill out a packet for transfer.  First up was getting a more Earth appropriate name.  The clerk clicked some buttons and the name "Lenny Vicuna" showed up.  Lenny shrugged and decided he could live with it.

After two weeks of Earthling training, Lenny found himself in the city of Bridgeport.  He was set up with a small apartment in a seedy part of town and was ready to start work in the lab first thing Monday morning.

At first it was exciting, meeting new people experiencing new things.  He found a local watering hole and spent many evenings there.  Nobody seemed to question him to closely.  They would just smile and nod when he said he was "From out of town and it's complicated".  Lots of people had the same story.  Topics turned to the weather or the local sports teams.

The months went by and soon he felt the same way he did on his old planet.  Same stuff every day.  Really boring, too.

To be continued...

Random Sim Musings 8-3-2020 Icongate!

Let's start with this picture.  It's summer and what's better than a beach?  

Actually, I like that picture better than the one making the rounds of the Sims Universe now.

Quite the "controversy".  This was "leaked" "accidentally" while EA was showing how to share submissions for the Sims reality game show.  Yeah, that's probably worth a whole post on it's own.  But let's stick to today's controversy.  I think they knew this icon was there before sending out the information.  It sticks out.  I just can't see this being overlooked before sending it out to the public.

There's a lot of details about the look of it.  But the big speculation is that it's....a Star Wars themed game pack.

Let me make my point very clear...NO.  Not just in English, but in every language ever known to man in the entire history of communication.  The costumes are fine.  Baby Yoda , um The Child?  No problem.  Those are free updates to the game and you never have to use them.  But to ask people to fork over $20 for something that is so narrowly specific?  FUCK NO!

It doesn't fit with The Sims at all.  Whew, enough anger.  There's enough garbage going on in the world and I don't want that to come into my Sims happy place.  Another thing I don't want is Star Wars.

Keep it long, long ago in a galaxy far, far away.

The more likely speculation is a future themed pack,   Ehh.  It's been done with Sims 3.  I didn't play it much in that game and just not that interested.

Now honestly if it was a space themed pack, that would be more interesting.  Even though the astronaut career has been there since Day 1 and aliens with their own planet have been around for awhile, too.  I wouldn't mind seeing that expanded.  Make it like a cross between the Magic Realm and the vacation worlds?  With a touch of Strangerville and maybe Get to Work?

Ya got your town, let's call it Luna Bay.  Home of a private aeronautics company.  New career, private astronaut?  I don't know how that will work, doesn't matter.  Then there's a lot, like the lab in Strangerville where you can go for outer space travel.  You take a vacation to the new planet...Llamaria.  Introduce a new alien race spoiler alert...they look like LLAMAS!  🤯  You can learn the Llamarian culture.  Negotiate business deals with the locals.  Do a nice little refresh of some base game careers.

Anyway, it's all speculation until something is announced.  

One last thought...if it's not space I'd be okay with a winter/mountain theme.  Even though there's already Granite Falls.  The three circles on the icon could be snowballs, the pointy thing on the right is a mountain and the building on the left is a lodge.  What the hell, no crazier than STAR WARS!!!!!

That's enough for today.  Until the next controversy.

Go 4th and Sim!

Simmer 4 Life!

Random Sim Musings 5-20-20 Sims 4 VS Paralives VS Sims 5 + Bonus Musing

Wow, one day with a couple videos and everything explodes. 

Yesterday a new game play trailer for the Eco Lifestyle expansion dropped.  Personally, I think it looks pretty fun.  I'm happy with any new game play for The Sims.  Probably won't buy it when it's released, just wait for a sale.

But the comments and some reaction videos.  I should know better than to watch and read but I do.  Even with seeing a little bit, everyone is an expert. 

"It's all recycled from other packs!"

"It's not enough for a whole expansion!"

"NOBODY WANTED THIS!!"

Well, Eco stuff has been voted for addition by the community.  I think I voted for it, too.  I do the surveys and forget what they were for.  There's been some Eco play added in a few other packs and updates.  The argument that things are split up over different packs is a pretty valid point.  It's kinda frustrating to buy a few packs to feel that something is complete.  It's been a common theme in Sims 4 but I can't see it changing at this point.  I'm sure opinions will change yet again after the live stream tomorrow. 

This community...

Which brings me to the other big video yesterday.  The first look of the Parafolk from Paralives.

First the comments (paraphrased by me)...

"HEIGHT SLIDER!!!1111"

"THE HAIR MOVES!!!!!"

"THE CLOTHES MOVE!!!!!"

"COLOR WHEEL!!!"

"EA IS SO SCARED NOW!!!"

I can appreciate the work put in on this game.  It looks pretty good for just the work a few people.  I'm keeping an open mind but I need to see more.  I wish them well with the project though.

The fact that people think this is going to KILL the Sims franchise is wrong.  Yeah, I said it.  The Sims has 20 years worth of background.  Consistent releases has kept it alive.  There's probably more that can be said overall of the franchise but that's the basics.

Let's look at Sim City for how to kill a franchise.  Cities Skylines didn't have 100% to do with it, they did it to themselves.  It was screwed up right from the very start and that's why there may never be a Sim City game ever again.

Sims 4 is winding down and Paralives may fill the void until Sims 5 is released and if the base game isn't good, to say the least, Paralives may come in and succeed where The Sims failed.  If it get's some traction it may get backing from a large developer and it will go from there.  Only time will tell what happens.

Now for the shadow looming in the corner...Sims 5.  Rumor has it that it's going to be announced at EA Play in June.  And that feels right to me.  There was some staff shuffling a few years ago and the timing seemed right to start up a new game.

After some in depth research I've come up with this timeline...

Sims 4 announced on May 6, 2013.

Sims 3 Into the Future was released on October 22, 2013.

Sims 4 was released on  September 14, 2014.

Over the next 6 months there's going to be an expansion , Eco Lifestyle, a stuff pack, Nifty Knitting Stuff, probably and a game pack to be determined.  So that takes us to the end of the year. 

The was a recent survey so anything from that is at least a year away.  The results of that will take us into 2021 and I think that will wrap up this series.  It will probably finish on an expansion, not sure what will come maybe yet another stuff pack and game pack.  There's no shortage of stuff they can add.

So my uneducated best guesstimate is early 2022 for Sims 5 release.  And that is already too much to wrap my brain around.  And a perfect place to end.

Given everything going on in the world right now, I'm glad to have The Sims in my live as a distraction.  That's really the most important thing.


Bonus Musing...Animal Crossing New Horizons is one thing I'm sorry to be missing out on.  But a Switch just isn't in the budget, if I could even get one.  And getting it for one game just doesn't make sense to me.  But I do play Pocket Camp and even if the stepchild of the Animal Crossing community, I still love it.

Go 4th and Sim!
Simmer 4 Life!

Twenty years ago...

We all have days in our life that stand out for various reasons.  Good, bad, momentous, whatever.  They all stand out.  The first time I played The Sims is one of those days for me.  Which coincidentally was the release day, February 4, 2000.

I don't remember much of my playing that day but I do remember installing it, reading the manual (RIP Mergatroid Fishlips you never got the recognition you deserve) and then meeting Bob and Betty.  They were new to the neighborhood, as was I.  I helped Betty get a job.  I helped Bob get a chair (oh that orange recliner!) then they danced the night away listening to the Latin station.

Listening to that Base Game sound track still brings me back to that time.  Yeah, it's probably stupid to feel that way about a video game but it seems there's an emotional attachment to this franchise that isn't there for many others.

So yeah, it started 20 years ago today.  Four main versions in, console versions, side games (Castaway for PS2, Urbz and The Sims Medieval especially) and looks like Sims 5 is on the horizon.  Amazing!  I could probably go on and on but I at least wanted to acknowledge today on this crappy little blog.

I think I'm going to end this year and go revisit Bob and Betty (Sims 4 version) and we'll dance the night away to the Latin station just like old times.

Go 4th and Sim!
Simmer 4 Life!

Random Sims Musing 10-22-18: Dear Whiners

Perhaps I'm starting this off a bit harsh.  Maybe I'm just at an age where my crankiness skill is nearly maxed out.  Or maybe I'm just tired of people whining.

The embargo has been lifted from the latest Sims Camp and my YouTube and Twitter feeds are flooded with the new game footage.  I've watched a bit, just to get some different perspectives and see what's coming.  I'm liking what I see and I think this can be a very fun pack to play with.  Especially to let your imagination run wild with storytelling possibilities.

Then I make the mistake of reading comments and responses.  I know that's Internet 101 NEVER READ COMMENTS!!  And most of them are whiny.

"The world is too small."
"They're teasing us with cars!"
"Why didn't they put that one thing in that I want that I know everyone else wants???!!?!?!?!?!?!?"

Look Sims 4 isn't the game I would make if I could.  But neither was Sims 3, Sims 2 or The Sims that started it all.  There's been things I loved, things I liked and things I hated in each one.  Each pack brings something new to the game that it's in.  I use these things and if they're good I keep using it and if not I don't.  I'm looking at you, Vlad!  Stop creeping around my neighborhoods!

Anyway...

But Maxis has been listening.  Toddlers and Terrain Tools anyone?  There's been much more community involvement from the Gurus answering questions from everyone they can.  Even when they can't provide an answer.  They're just a group of people who are trying to do a job for an audience that isn't always grateful.  And yes, I'll include myself in that at times.

This game is what it is.  Shut up and play.  Or don't.

Here's Bella Goth giving the old stink eye.

Go 4th and Sim!
Simmer 4 Life!

Disabilities in Sims 4?

There seems to be some discussions lately on Twitter about adding in different options for disabilities in Sims 4.  Even a few speculation videos on YouTube.  Overall the response has been positive and Sim Guru Grant is saying they are looking into it.

Well...um.

Let me put it this way...I think it's great that the Sims 4 team want to be able to include all sorts of possibilities into this game.  It's important for some people to have "someone just like me" to play.  It's great for telling a story.  If that's your thing.

See, I don't play very realistically.  My sims never age or die.  They all live quite comfortably.  My sims have stories but I don't share much.  I've tried to play realistic type scenarios and honestly it was pretty depressing.  I love the Sims world as it was created.  I love the lightheartedness of it.  I have enough worries in my own life and I don't want to bring that into my gaming.

If by some chance it's added, it's not something I will ever use.  It doesn't fit my play style.  Honestly, I don't think it will ever be added.  I'm not sure there's a big enough audience for it and let's face it they have to make stuff to please the majority of players.  I really don't feel I can make this sound as if it's not heartless.  That's not where I'm coming from.   We all play The Sims for our own reasons.  I like it as an escape.

I'd rather see things like University or a vacation expansion added because I'd get more use out of that.  I gotta say leave this area to the modders because they could probably do it better than anyone else.

Go 4th and Sim!
Simmer 4 Life!

Random Sim Musings-The future of The Sims

There's been a whole lot of talk lately about the future of this beloved game.  There's been layoffs! Crappy packs released!  No information at all!  Too, too quiet!  WTF is going on!?!?!?!?

I have no answers.  If I did I'd probably be getting free stuff and the Sim Gurus would know me.  But I digress.

Yes, things have been quiet.  There has been some house cleaning so to speak.  And that last pack...well, the less said the better.  But right now they don't have a community manager to relay information and they did just put up a bunch of job listings for The Sims 4 and other projects so this franchise is not dead yet.  I still have hopes things will be released in a timely manner.  There is still quite a bit to go with this version.  Like Seasons and University, which I'm sure will come.

Now about Sims 5...I don't think there will be one anytime soon.  I think many long time simmers (like me) are slightly burnt out on the series and who knows about new players.  But ya know I have no information about any of this and it's just my random musings.

What I would like to see is a stand alone Sims title on PC.  Sims 2 had the Stories games and Sims 3 had Medieval.  It probably wouldn't be well received by the public but personally I like having a title that doesn't fit the typical Sims playing mold.  Some of my favorite titles were on the PS2, The Urbz and Sims Castaway.  And I did like Medieval.  They were nice distractions that were familiar but just different enough to be new.

I think what I would really like to see is a full on World Adventures/Jungle Adventure type game.  Which I suppose would be like Castaway.  Something more mission based but you can ignore it if you want.  I love what they added with the jobs the objectives.  I tend to sometimes just watch my game and direct them if they need something.  But I do find myself paying more attention when they have stuff to do.

But my big wish is to see a relaunch of Sim Copter.  There is definitely a hole in the simming market for one.  I just keep throwing it out into the universe and hopefully it get heard.

"Sim Copter 1, reporting heavy traffic!"

I mean there's already a helicopter in Sims 4.  I'd love to be able to fly around all those parts of the worlds we can't actually play.  Traffic jams!  Protesters!  People falling into the water!  Fun, fun, fun!  All that with the graphics of Sims 4.  Winner, winner chicken dinner!

And with that I sign off.  Always keep on dreaming!

Go 4th and Sim!

Simmer4Life

That time of year

It's about that time of year where I make vague promises of grand plans and then ignore everything until I do it all over again!

Woo hoo.

Go 4th and Sim!
Simmer 4 Life!

Random Non-Sims Musings: Uncharted Version 5-24-16

Or The Best Game I've Never Played.

For the past 15 plus years The Sims has pretty much been the only game I've played.  There was a few other titles on the PS2 but mostly Sims titles.  I've been aware of other games so I haven't been totally chillin with The Goths all these years.  It's only within the that few years (Thanks YouTube!) that I've really followed more game titles.

When GTA V was released a few years ago I got caught up in the hype.  I watched videos, live streams, read articles.  Even scoured Wikipedia for background.  Never knew that there were so many titles in the series!  Wow!  Grand Theft Auto V because the first Best Game I've Never Played.

Okay, I'll admit that I mostly got my video game info from Watch Mojo videos.  Great time killer, I highly recommend them.  Anyway, one game that always shows up in their lists besides the Zelda games, is the Uncharted series.  I mean how could anyone not love Nathan Drake?  I know I couldn't!

I managed to catch a few livestreams of the earlier games and could not believe the details of them.  Less of a video game than an interactive movie.  Excellent stuff.  Which brings me to the release of Uncharted 4:  A Thief's End.

Holy shit!

This is one of the most beautiful games I've ever seen.  The action holds up to any Hollywood movie.  The story is just outstanding.  And most importantly for me...a happy freaking ending.  The amount of detail that went into everything is amazing.  It really sets the bar pretty high for any video game in the future.

This is supposed to be the last installment in the series.  It's a good one to end it.

Even with all this I still have a few nitpicky things.

Does Nate only pack one outfit per location?  I get it when the action happens over the course of a day.  But there were times where the action moved onto another day and there he was in the same shirt and pants.

How does that chunk of hair that always seems to not make it into Elena's bun not drive her crazy?  I get that she's not a super girly girl but I know when I have a few hairs out of place I'm not satisfied until they are all someplace where they won't annoy me.

And lastly, don't think Nate and Elena should say anything about Cassie cleaning her room because they aren't exactly the neatest people.  Let the girl go to Antarctica!

Now I think I need to get my hands on a PS4 so I can play these games for myself.

I've just realized that I've probably spent more time writing about a game that I haven't even played than I have about Sims 4.  But that's a topic for another day.  Hopefully sooner than a year from now.

Go 4th and Sim!

June Happenings

It's the big month of June here as Sim Acres and there are exciting things planned!  We're already five days into Random Picture June!  And today is the first of First Part Fridays!

Just sharing the first part of stories I've started that may or may not ever get finished!  Great, great stuff!

Today's first installment of First Part Friday is one going back to 2013!

Introducing Lenny!

Go 4th and Sim!

Simmer 4 Life

Random Sims Musings 4-9-15: Sims 4 Edition

It's been awhile blah blah blah.  Nobody reads this things but here we are anyway.  Time to muse.

I've had The Sims 4 since early December and I've played with it.  And the reviews were right.  It's okay for what it is.  It's a Sims game and I like it but I don't love it.  There's too much stuff missing and while it's not hard, the game play is annoying.  The interface is too hard to use.  Hate the lack of an open world.  Too many sims just randomly walking around.  I miss CASt.  Nothing matches.  I hate the bill system.  The game looks weird.

But I don't hate it.  I hate parts of it just not the whole thing.  Doesn't have to make sense, it's how it is.

Final word is that the new packs they're adding look fun and do add stuff to the gameplay.  I just can't justify spending the money on a game I just don't love.  Maybe in another year or so when there's more to do.

Right now I'm sticking with Sims 3.  More specifically The Goth family.  As always though I'm still a Simmer 4 Life!

Go 4th and Sim!

So it's April

That means it's time to put up a post with promises to write and share more often.  Okay consider it done.  Until next time!

Go 4th and Sim!

Simmer 4 Life!

Down with clowns!

15 Years Ago Today...

So began my obsession with the little pixelated people called Sims.  Not once did I ever think I'd be sticking with something for 15 years and still love it as much as I did that first day.  I couldn't even imagine that there would be not just a 2nd version but now up to a 4th version.  It's gotten me through some tough times.  What fun it is to create this perfect little world where the biggest problem is not making it to the toilet on time!

Going back to SimCity I've been playing some sort of Sim game for over half my life.  Playing video games since I was a teenager which I guess isn't such a big thing nowadays but these were the days of Pong and the Atari 2600.  Moved on to the PC about 1991, discovered SimCity and besides my SNES haven't played much besides Sim games.  I even bought a PS2 just to play The Sims when my computer couldn't handle Sims 1 anymore.

I'll end this here before I got into a Grandpa Simpson like speech.  I just want to say that I am a Simmer for life.  I can see myself playing some version of this game for as long as it's around and as long as I can.  And that's just what I'm going to do right now.  Show my Simmies some loving.

Go 4th and Sim!
Simmer 4 Life!

My 1st Sim

Belle Blu

Named after an M&M.

Happy Holidays!

I have Sims 4 now.  A review and probably some sort of holiday celebration type thingie will be up sometime this month.

Drew Carey! :O

But when you're busy hobnobbing with celebrities there's not much time for anything else.  Don't be hating.

Go 4th and Sim!

The Sims 4 CAS Demo

FINALLY got my hands on this (along with everyone else).  <mutter mutter>  Okay, whining over.  And the verdict is....I dunno.

I really miss the sliders because it's not always easy to move stuff around.  And honestly I don't see myself molding each part of the face.  I'd like to see all the accessories under one tab.  I don't understand why some t-shirts come in five colors and some only in one.  And yes, I understand it's a demo so the choices aren't going to be there.  I hope that when the game ships there are a more rounded choices of clothing.

 And for the love of all things llama and/or Freezer Bunny why is it so hard to get colors that match???  Yes, I'm missing CASt.  I would go to put a top and bottom together and the colors would just be a shade or two off enough to clash.  Maybe in Sims 5?

Now for the stuff I liked.  Yes, there are things I liked.  For one, hats on any head and boots in pants.  I like how things are separated by type.  I haven't really used any of the filters but as the choices grow I can see how that will be a good feature.  

The choice of hair are pretty good, at least of the ladies.  I like the longer styles in The Sims 4 but I do miss the detail with highlights and such.  The faces look pretty good and I think I'm getting the hang of making Sims that don't all look the same.  But that will probably still take some work.

I liked looking at some of the Sims in the gallery which is a nice feature.  Just as a side note I could do without the celebrities especially all the copies of the Frozen chicks.  And Kim Kardashian.  Gag.  Another strange this was not letting me upload sims based on their names.  So Duke Dinger and Nigel Ledbetter will only live in my game.  Well, at least Nigel will.  I kept him cuz he turned out cute.

Now the most important thing....PICTURES!!!

Serendipity Sunflower-The first version of her didn't come out good enough for me.  I went back and used the Sims 3 version to spruce her up.  I'm much happier with this version.  New and Improved!

And another one of Serendipity.

One of the most important things I had to decide was who to create first.  Serendipity was actually second.  I had to go old school and make the first sim I ever made...Belle Blu

Belle Blu 1.0

Belle Blu 2.0

Belle Blu 3.0

And finally.............

Belle Blu 4.0!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I think the latest is my favorite version.

Yes, big improvement in 14 years.

I liked playing around with it (Origin says I played 9 hours yesterday :O)  I made 16 households that I saved.  There may have been a few more that didn't make it.  Including an ugly sim.  I will try to collect more pictures because...because.

The bottom line is that I'm still on the fence about The Sims 4.  I know I won't be getting it when it comes out because it's just not in the budget but getting to play with the CAS demo a little I'm feeling better about it.  I'm still a Simmer 4 Life so again it's not a matter of if I buy it, it's a matter of when.

Go 4th and Sim!