CrescentMoonPye's Blog
: June 2009
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice Beetlejuice!
POSTED ON 06/30/09

\r\n

http://i534.photobucket.com/albums/ee342/qrluna/TS3/NoniLightfinger.jpg

\r\n

I created my first Notorious Sim the other day because I wanted to play a klepto. Well, of course, poor Winona pops into mind.

\r\n

Will she ever live that one down? Probably not now, because I made my sim after her. Her name is \"Noni Lightfinger\" and here is the reason she is made the way she is:

\r\n

light\u2013fin\u00B7gered adjective Date: 1547 : showing adroitness in stealing or a tendency to steal especially by picking pockets or shoplifting

\r\n

All about Winona [according to IMDB & Wikipedia biographies]

\r\n

- Her friends call her Noni.
-  Daily, she drinks Big Gulp glasses of water and eats tons of salads to maintain her complexion. The first thing my sim asked for was a writing class and then to garden with lettuce. So there you are. It must be true. 
- I picked black because of her early movies being \'gothy\' and morbid. Don\'t know what her favorite color really is. She still wears black a lot so I said \"what the hey\" Did you know her real hair color is blond? (I can\'t tell her apart from Kiera Knightly sp?) She dyed her hair black for her first movie and just kept doing the Goth movies.
- I picked indie music out of default because I think she was into that kind of music. Plus I like the guitar icon. She has a music production company that she started to help her musical friends out. She plays the guitar in real life so buy her one if you play her.
- She and Al Pacino both have Insomnia. They call each other at night.
- She almost drowned at the age of 12 so she hates water. They had a heck of a time with her while shooting \'Alien\' from what she said.
- She was raised by hippie parents in a commune where they didn\'t have TVs & stuff so she read a lot. She still reads a lot. Catcher in the Rye is her favorite book. She says she has a copy of every edition ever printed. Not sure about that! If you notice, many of the characters she plays in her movies are writers. So I said OK to the Life Aspiration of writing.
- She is on a ton of charitable boards and offered a 200,000 simolean reward back when, to try to get a kidnapped girl from her hometown returned. When she was arrested for kleptoing, the police said she was very friendly cooperative and nice. She\'s still anti-authority minded though. I don\'t think she trusts the government.
- She was \"selected for the part of Mary Corleone in The Godfather: Part III (1990), but had to drop out of the role after catching the flu from the strain\" of doing back to back films just prioir to this filming.

I think that covers it. Now when you play her in game, you can admire her all the more.
Happy Simming to you!

\r\n

---------

\r\n

EDIT: Say, what were the odds that Noni\'s first visit to the library (hopefully to steal a book to read because she has no money to buy one after building her house and getting her laptop), she would walk right into a Beetlejuice convention?! 

\r\n

http://llnw.thesims3.com/sims3_asset/sims3_asset/media/343/539/000/00/screenshot_original.jpg

\r\n

p.s. She gets her jollies out of touring the Theatre. How convenient is that? It\'s as close to an actress as I could get her. Hopefully she\'ll write her autobiography soon so I can appear prophetic.

Helpful Hints from citizens of the Sim Universe
POSTED ON 06/28/09

   Custom Pattern-making

\r\n

~ Kitkat7145:

\r\n

It\'s not a simple process, but these guides are pretty thorough...

http://www.sims2wiki.info/Sims_3:Creating_Custom_Clothing_Stenc
ils


http://linna.modthesims.info/showthread.php?t=343264

'Moon's Summarized Diary' is born
POSTED ON 06/25/09

 I started making comments about Moon\'s adventures and thoughts in My Blog but it became quite apparent that that wasn\'t going to work long term, so...

\r\n

I started my first story yesterday to learn how to use the new story-making feature.  I decided, in the sprirt of TS3, to make it a progressive never-ending catalog of the trials and tribulations of Moon\'s life [and all of her future reincarnations - she believes in a universal level Collective Unconscious that exists in non-linear Time, so I think it\'s only fair if she can come back as many times as she wants]. I set it up so that I can be flaky and inconsistent writing it, in case I can\'t devote myself to it consistently (which I think I\'m being pretty linear in it so far - so congrats, me). Which would be consistent for me because I\'m easily distracted once the novelty of something is gone. I go where the wind blows me ...

\r\n

But I do believe that this whole adventure will be continously challenging. It took me a while to figure some things out   (like: that I can\'t have the active game on pause while taking snapshots if I want them to to go to the launcher/go into the Snapshots folder - it\'s consistently true for my machine, not sure about yours - just an FYI), but I think I got there. I\'m getting more & more comfortable with it and having fun with it now.

\r\n

Then I had to tweak the style of my writing and the format I was going to use to let you know when I was speaking and when it was Moon doing the \'thinking\' & writing.  I think you\'ll catch on to the alternating \'text speak\' rhythem once you read a few entries. Just in case not,  here\'s the code. If the typeface is:

\r\n

black+italicized = it\'s me speaking telepathically directly to you. (You get to \'hear\' my thoughts. Scary!)

\r\n

black+regular = it\'s me summarizing what Moon wrote in her diary entry.

\r\n

blue+regular = it\'s a direct quote from Moon

\r\n

blue+italicized = it\'s you reading Moon\'s actual thoughts (hey, you\'re pretty good at telepathy. Bet you didn\'t realize that.)

\r\n

green = it\'s a reference to one of you actually out there in Simlandia or the Greater Beyond. Usually a credit.

\r\n

Well, I hope you can enjoy it somewhat. I\'ll never know because you can\'t tell me on this site, but I\'m going to be optimistic and pretend that you think it\'s great and that I should continue doing it. Like they say: no news is good news. But hey, if you really do think I should keep it up, then \'Recommend\' the story. That way I\'ll know if I\'m reaching some of you or not. Thanks ahead of time.

\r\n

\"Recommend C.M. Pye products. I\'ll be glad you did.\"

Wow!! 'lazywnch' created a heck of a guy in Aidan Malloy!
POSTED ON 06/24/09

Moon is so in love with Aidan that she can\'t sleep! She just lies there, staring at him all night long. Of course she pretends that she\'s sleeping in case he wakes up... geez, she doesn\'t want him to think she\'s obsessing over him!

\r\n

there\'s a picture in her diary if you want ot see it. It should be entry 4.

Moon's Lifemate? Oh Thank You,'lazywnch', for making him - I hope...
POSTED ON 06/23/09

 I may have found a perfect boyfriend/love interest for Moon in the Aidan Malloy download (cross fingers for my sim-self)

\r\n

The Moon I was playing was of the perfect age/stage in life to meet him right now- just about to transition to Adult and settling into her career.  I have to start over in CreateASim to play them together as a household, I guess, to get them into the same neighborhood. But then their ages won\'t be the ratio I would have preferred AND I\'ll have to start all over again! Wish we had more control over this issue/easier process. Either kinda dumb of the gamemakers to not allow us to add sims to existing neighborhoods OR kinda dumb of me for not figuring out how to do it. Either way, it\'s absolutely annoying to me that we can\'t get our creations all together at the same time. I\'m desperately hoping that I\'m completely missing something and that this is totally user-error and not actually a game-design flaw. I\'ll keep practicing/reading/learning/praying....hopefully I\'ll figure out how to do it someday.

\r\n

In the meantime, there is always the perpetual \'reset button\' [sim bin]. Man, do I desperately wish that real life had one...

\r\n

I wanted to ask \'lazywnch\' if Aidan Malloy\'s based on a real person. Just curious cuz it\'s makes our little simmies seem all that much more real (if so, no specifics needed that would \'give him away\' in reality, just enjoying the fantasy date idea - nice to know they\'re out there somewhere).

\r\n

He reminds me so much of characters from Northern Exposure [one of my all-time favorite TV shows!]. I had a massive crush on the Chris Steven\'s character [+ actor], so I\'m imagining that \'Aiden the sim\' is a bit like him minus the artistic tendency (Moon makes up for that part) & mixed with Aidan Quinn [actor] characteristics [Romantic hero-type]. {I wish this stupid site had a way to write to other simmers like the TS2 site did so we could get some responses/personal answers!!!!}

\r\n

p.s. \'lazywnch\' - you\'ll be very happy to know that Moon is definitely \"Not Just Another Pretty Face\".  Her nose is bumpy and a bit big, and she has mildly unruly eyebrows that need tending occasionally. Aidan should be enamoured with that according to your creation blog notes.

\r\n

Well, there\'s only one way to find out if he\'s right for her, so here we go.... (check out \'Moon\'s Summarized Diary\' from time to time)

\r\n

[the lack text/font control in these blogs is so possesed! Hee! We need a formatter button. ]

Helpful Hints from citizens of the Sim Universe
POSTED ON 06/23/09
\r\n

  To Find Your Posts

\r\n

~ debra1970p Simwold: 
--> go to the my preferences link and get your number. your number will be at the end of the url right before \".page\". 
--> Then enter that number in the link below without the quotes. that\'ll show you all of your posts.
\'http://forum.thesims3.com/jforum/posts/listByUser/(enter your number).page\'   \"

\r\n

~ heidismiles:
--> First, you need your member ID #. If you click \"My Preferences\" in the forums here, (near the top of this screen, NOT on your \"My Page\") - the member ID shows up in the URL.
--> Next, this URL should work for your message board profile. Except, it\'s MY profile. You need to replace my member number 18367 with your own member ID. Once you access your profile, bookmark it in your browser!
http://forum.thesims3.com/jforum/user/profile/18367.page

This link is for your posting history. Same deal - replace my member ID with your own. Then bookmark it.
http://forum.thesims3.com/jforum/posts/listByUser/18367.page

This one is for the new threads you created. Replace my member ID with your own, bookmark it.
http://forum.thesims3.com/jforum/recentTopics/showTopicsByUser/18367.page

\r\n

_________

A Shout-out to Captain Toasty
POSTED ON 06/07/09

Happy belated Birthday, Captain Toasty. Hope you had a fun day.

\r\n

I hope you got the game like you hoped to...

\r\n

Update: I guess you must have because you made your custom avatar!

just testing...
POSTED ON 06/07/09

birdpoop

\r\n

Man, that is so weird that the phrase \"****** on by a bird\" gets pixelated [used in C. Dickens blog post below]. Hee. Funny. It\'s the same word as above only without the bird/add ed.

\r\n

I guess Barney the Dinosaur will come arrest me now...

Tribute to C. Dickens
POSTED ON 06/07/09

  Well, I\'m getting better at this new site format and the CAS [found a bunch of sliders I didn\'t know it had after I made Moon Equus (the Guinea Pig creation - poor thing). Oh well, that\'s what learning curves are all about]. 

\r\n

Thanks go up to Mr. Charles Dickens, for inspiring my first joke sim designer; and to the Interlocking Puzzle-Piece Floor Tile which inspired M. Puzzlewit and me to make-up a \'company\' for him to display his stuff.

\r\n

TAA DAA!!!   Here is C.M.Pye & Co.\'s  favorite \'designer\' made manifest:

\r\n

Let me introduce you to Martin Puzzlewit, maker of many fine uploads. He is an insane genius, artisitic, a snob, and he hates the outdoors because he always gets sunburned, or stung by a bee, or ****** on by a bird,  or... well, you get the picture. Speaking of pictures:

\r\n

He has funny clothes that took me a while to tweak.  I had to make Martin 3 times before I was able to get him to \'stick\'. His thumbnail image went missing the first time, the computer ate the second transfer to the launcher, saying he was already uploaded - and this is the third attempt.  Thank the pyes in the sky that I was able to save him this time. Didn\'t want to have to go through that again! I\'m learning.

\r\n

Sadly I am having nightmares with the server eating my uploads or doing weird things to them. The launcher keeps telling me that my stuff is uploaded, but it\'s nowhere to be found in My Studio or in my game Bin. Just can\'t get the server to show them on the site. Conundrum.

\r\n

But I\'ll keep trying. I have a post in Technical if any of you can help me find my uploads in limbo or help me release them so they show on My Studio/are available to download (search \'upload failed\' in Forum, you\'ll see it there somewhere)

\r\n

Now, to actually go play Martin in the game and see what he does....

\r\n

Update...so much for that! I can\'t get my own creation to upload into my game. I really wanted to see how insane he really was. He\'s supposed to be very crazy. Hope you\'re having fun playing him. I\'ll join you when I can....

\r\n

Update again... 6/22 I finally got him to load into my game. I found him, I found him.... so again, to actually go play Martin in the game and see what he does....

Something's wrong with me
POSTED ON 06/05/09

 I think I have J.Peterman Catalog Syndrome.  It\'s all TS3\'s fault.  It\'s contagious, I just have a feeling that it is. 

\r\n

Before I know it, hundreds of other simmers will take great pride in their creations and be writing clever or funny descrip,tions to increase the impact of their upload,  instead of merely uploading them with just a word or two that doesn\'t describe their upload at all.

\r\n

I don\'t know all the symptoms, but I do know that one of them is losing hours of sleep writing up Item Descrip,tions.  And blurred vision from staring at the screen too long.  And a headache from trying to think up just the right words.  And starvation from forgetting to eat dinner because the spelling has to be just right since you can\'t edit it later.  And strained muscles from pulling out every reference book you own to get the facts right.  And.....

\r\n

I\'m not the only one suffering either. My only sim has been sleeping for [two -strike that, three-no,strike that again] four days now because every time I open the lot, I get distracted by interior decorating.  Then I become compulsive, I just have to share what I did because it seems wrong to make another simmer go through so much trouble just to make things match.  So I guess that\'s another symptom right there.

\r\n

When will this end? Do I even want it to? Am I afraid that you\'re going to get it too or am I secretly hoping that you do?

\r\n

I\'m starving. Maybe I should eat or go get some sleep.....or something ...maybe just one more upload, that won\'t take too long....

\r\n

(next day)

\r\n

Well, let\'s go see if we can get our sim through a full night\'s sleep...[opens active game screen]... man, her couch looks gross, let\'s see what we can do about that, C.M.Pye & Co....[4 hours later, sim has gotten about a minute\'s sleep and the Buy/Build screen has been open for 3:59:00].......

\r\n

_________

\r\n

Hey, if you can\'t beat \'em, join \'em!  I\'ve created an imaginary Sim products distribution/catalogue company of my very own called C.M.Pye & Co that all my object uploads will described with. 

\r\n

Company slogan: \"Recommend C.M.Pye products. I\'ll be glad you did.\"

Getting to know me, getting to know all about me...[hum the tune from The King and I] Part 1
POSTED ON 06/03/09
 The following is from my TS2 Profile. It took me forever to write it back when, so I put it here to get more mileage out of it.  I was trying to use up the entire 4000 chars. they allowed us to describe ourselves on the TS2 site. It all still applies, so \'what the hay\': \r\n

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

\r\n

Interests: The Sims obviously: creative, open-ended video games [been simming since original TheSims release]

The Olympics and all Equestrian sports [real and imaginary] Thoroughbred Racing most of all (Harness is cool too) EA, please make a great horse sports game for me or let my sims have bigger pets. Or just give me a real one!

Am. Revolutionary War reenacting (Queen\'s Rangers 1st American - British Forces 1780) [unit\'s still in existence in Toronto. Yay!]=> Queen\'s York Rangers - love visiting you guys!

Studying: Etymology, Ethology, & Mythology stuff - all the Ologies are fun though; all time periods prior to & including WWII; old movies, old music & old history[mostly social kind though]

\r\n

(cont in Part 2)

Getting to know me, getting to know all about me...[hum the tune from The King and I] Part 2
POSTED ON 06/03/09

(cont) from Part 1

\r\n

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

\r\n

 About Me: My hair is crazy just like me (me like it?), the avatar does it no justice. I\'m a naturalist. I love heights. I like diving into water. I am soothed by the sound of waterfalls. I love forests. I like to hug trees. Artemis is my favorite goddess. Met Prince Andrew twice, never shook his hand though. I was hugged by a real wolf once. I also saw a black bear that was not there.

I paint with wax, so I won\'t swat at bees (I wouldn\'t anyway because I like them - especially those big fuzzy ones). Dragonflies are my favorite insect. I try to release bugs instead of killing them. I let spiders live in my garage because they catch the ickier bugs. I look out of the window to see if it\'s raining. I love sun showers. I love to eat peas dried, fresh, frozen, or cooked. I talk to my plants often and I talk to myself all the time.

I love the plant/animal/mineral kingdom in general. \"I\'m a vegetarian, not because I love animals, but because I hate plants.\" Nature abhors a vacuum. Me too. I have house fairies. I\'ve seen them trying to disappear into my carpet & walls after they hide my stuff and make a mess. They won\'t help me clean even if I say Please.

I trip on the sidewalk because I\'m always looking up. I talk faster than I can keep up. I\'ve never needed \'help\' to use my imagination. Never smoked/never will. Barber\'s Adagio always makes me cry. My favorite song is Joplin\'s \'Solace\'. If ever I get a racepony, that\'s what I will call him.

Scientific Illustrator by training and it was the right decision

Historic subject Re-creation\'Restoration\'/Decorative painter by trade (attempting to make a go of it anyway). Trompe L\'oeil is my specialty. My favorite painter is George Stubbs.

I love English dialects & all languages, foreign and domestic. Especially dead ones. I listen to them like music. I pay attention to all things world/international. Would like to travel widely.

I\'m an ENFP, for those few of you into Jungian personality types, which reveals that I am idealistic, a natural Champion of Causes, compulsively driven to try to help to my own detriment, and addicted to novelty. I love problem solving and conversing in \'stream of consciousness\', talking paradox & being one. I oppose myself. To thy own self be true. (or is it thine? I can never remember)

I\'m a night owl, I love the internet, so I enjoy the BBS for the most part. Too much information too fast makes you pass out. Sleep deprivation can be fun. The moon makes me loopy. I\'m intensely curious. How do you contact other simmers to chat/\'Guestbook\' them on this site? I admire Ben Franklin and Einstein. I bet they could figure it out. I thought Deep thoughts w/ Jack Handy was funny. MP\'s Holy Grail is my favorite movie. I love that white bunny.

I\'m a creator/conservator by nature. I can appreciate things of beauty without having to own them. I despise littering (especially flicked cigarettes). I prefer diplomacy to violent conflict and wanton destruction. Although, Mrs. Crumplebottom sometimes made me reconsider.

I think the universe is a place of wonder. I believe in the potential of everyone and everything. I believe in too much info rather than not enough (no, really?). Same thing for Truth. I believe my friend\'s favorite saying: anything worth doing, is worth overdoing. I can find the weirdest things entertaining. I love eating chocolate. I\'m overly analytical. I think I am obsessive. I believe in correct Spelling & Grammar. I can\'t seem to quit using the Edit button in my posts.

As you have hopefully guessed by now, I was trying to use up all 4000 characters on the TS2 Profile to see how many that is. I\'m tired, been in/out of this post 4000xs to edit it. I think I must have gotten close because it started to cut off words when I got this far down. It takes about this many inane facts and reflections about oneself to reach the bottom. And that\'s all you need to know to know me.

\r\n

\"And that\'s all I have to say about that.\"- Forrest Gump