Jess1281's Blog

: September 2012

Saved from Forum Bugs

POSTED ON 09/27/12

I usually post my musings and ramblings in my blog, but I really wanted to see what others thought of this. It is concerning Sims 4, So I hope General Discussion is a fine place for it.

In light of the coming Digital only, I had a thought about Sims 4.

Say the game is a code you buy, you go to the Site, you enter your code, you are then given the chance to completely customize your game. Each thing is in a list, you get 5 or 6 slots for each thing

[i]Example:Build mode, 6 distinct styles of matching Doors: An Exterior Single, Double and Interior/Windows/Stairs/Pillars/Archways/Fireplace. This would be a matching set, in a specific style, then you'd have like 4-5 other styles to choose from with picture examples of what each set looks like. This would break down further in Buy Mode, Kitchen; Living; Bedroom; Bath: Like 3-4 styles of each of the common components to these rooms.[/i]

[i]Example: Build mode, you click on it, you are shown a list of say 60 different build styles, you can choose 6 from the list. Then you have buy mode, same thing. You can choose say 5 styles of Furniture for your base game, CAS: Outfits/Mix n' Match for Each category, Age, and Gender. Hair styles are similar. So it works out that players don't have anything they don't want in their game, This could even apply to skills, Say you never play as an artist, so you don't have to have that bit of code in your game.[/i]

This could apply to the professions included also, you get like 5 Careers slots to pick from a list of so many, say they have part time jobs and self employment options too, allowing for a truly Customizable and unique experience.

[i]Example: 5 Career Slots, 3 Profession slots, 4 Part Time Slots, and depending on the skills selected, like 2-3 Self employed Slots. Or you could forgo certain paths entirely, say you wanted all professions, no careers and 2 part time jobs, you could do that. Not into Part time, don't have to have it. [/i]

And depending on how the Blueprint function works, they could keep it and then apply it to the whole neighborhood, so that it was easy one again to Build a custom neighborhood. If you didn't want bars, you don't have to add them. Back to Careers a moment. Even if you don't have say the firefighter career, or police career, there'd still be a Police Station and Firehouse to respond to emergencies in the neighborhood, and they could still be interacted with, just not as a job opportunity.

And then they could just offer new Objects, Clothes, Skills, Career/Jobs, (maybe)even Collectables/Harvestables right from the site, so whatever you are into or aren't into can be included/excluded from your individual game experience. It would just be Game-play (Which they could even go so far as to offer Game-play packs that add certain social interactions to the game, like a romance one, extended romance, The Prude/Crumplebottom Pack, lol, things like that maybe.)that was included in the games plus extra slots to choose new things, it'd radically cut the cost (Or should) since it wouldn't have as much in it, there isn't a physical copy to justify the expenses like there is now, etc.

So what do you think? I kinda like the idea, and it would cut alot of wasted money on the Developers part and a lot of wasted money and hard drive space on the players' part as well.

Hair Color Prejudice?

POSTED ON 09/27/12

I've noticed on the exchange that Blondes are the single most highly downloaded Sims, then red heads somewhat, and Brunettes are a lukewarm Meh.... I don't get that when there are very few true blondes left in the world, most of them are from a bottle. There are still some natural Red heads, and then A LOT of Brunettes. I wonder about the psychology behind that en mass. I am frankly not keen on blondes myself, I think it is a stereo types or stigma attached to it all.

While musing hair color, what is the genetics behind it that causes it to change, for instance: I started life as a toe head, then it went red and fell out, grew back in strawberry blonde, and as I get older my hair is almost black. Both my parents were blondes as babies too. My dad has black hair (He's just now graying at 68) as an adult and my mom is a redhead till she started going grey. My son is a natural brunette, his has never changed, and my daughter is a strawberry blonde...Genetics are strange.

I wish the aging process in the Sims was more subtle, a gradual thing each day, from infancy to death, with Birthdays thrown in. That hair would grow slowly, beards formed natural over days and required shaving, Acne comes on slowly and spreads if not dealt with, Going grey was a slow, gradual occurrence. Slowly Sims start to get their first grey hairs and wrinkles as an adult and slowly they age from there, getting liver spots that come on gradually as they age as seniors. I know EA/Maxis/Sim Studio probably doesn't have the ability for that yet, but it would be neat to see the aging process in action, Baby Sims would be so much more fun. Of course, my babies were odd, they didn't just lay there.

Stuff Pack Idea #2

POSTED ON 09/24/12

Another thing I'd love to see is a stuff pack with new Designs of things we already have in the game, like an OLD fashion pool table, a wrought iron porch rail like the one from Supernatural, DIfferent SYTLES AND SIZES of the Planters, Different Counters, LACE & SHEER Curtains to go UNDER all the Neat Curtain Sytles. Bathroom, washer/dryer designs (Ringer Washer), etc.

Another one would be like a Better Homes and Gardens Edition, with Stuff for the Kitchen, Bath, Bedroom (Just normal but nice looking stuff), Actual things people use in their gardens: New styles of Picnic tables, Trelises, Bird Baths, Bird Houses, Bird Feeders, New garden boarder styles, Mansard Roof Deco Pieces, Deco Water heater and furnace pieces to create more realistic homes, switch plates that the sim will actually walk to to shut off the lights, or even just deco ones. And a sort button for the decor by the room it goes in, rather then what expansion it is from.

And fix the plants in the game, there are wee tiny planters that look like they should go on a table and can't and then some obnoxious oversized plant can go on tables and looks rediculous.

Hope they fix the Supernatural bugs before Seasons comes out....

Stuff Pack Idea 1: Coffee House Stuff!

POSTED ON 09/20/12

It'd go great with University! I couldn't resist since I've been miffed ever since Showtime's Rabbithole non-coffee house coffee houses were added to the game, so I'd love to see a coffee house stuff pack that breaks the rules and adds both New objects and new gameplay. This is a mock-up of my ideas. All images from Google Images, editing only done to better represent the ideas I'm illustrating. I do not claim anything other then the scenes constructed from the parts used.

This one I think sums up the way a coffee house should look and feel. Then there is always the Urban Edgy look too. Two Styles offered there, Urban and Classic Comfort.

Some of the typical drinks offered at a Coffee House/Shop. It'd be neat to have customizable drinks but There Must Be a Barista Moonlighting and a Coffee Bar/Stand/Register!

And Let's not forget the goodies Coffee Shops/Houses usually offer either, Yummy! Buyable at a Register or Pastry Case (Hint!)

The ideal Barista's uniform and models of Bistro sets, display cases, a coffee kiosk, the ever loving menu board. Coffee and Tea for all...Sims, that is.

And none of this would be complete without a Convection oven for close quarter Baking from the counter tops, Syrup to flavor the drinks, a blender for Smoothies and Frappes, Coffee Mugs and Paper Cups that are 100% Eco Friendly, and the Coffee Grinder and Espresso Machine!!! oh and the cute lil counter or table top pastry display case.

So there's an idea if the Idea well has run dry, I for one would happily invest in such an SP. Wonder if the rest of the community feels the same way???

Another why didn't they do that???

POSTED ON 09/17/12

I've recently ventured into the wild and wonderful world of Mods and CC, I love some of the things out there while others make me go "Hmmm..." To the point, there are a few interesting things I've found on Mod the Sims and Around the Sims 3 that make me wonder why the Hell-o EA/Sims Studio didn't or wouldn't do it too.

For Instance, this AWESOME and ADORABLE toddler bed by deluved1, it would have been a cute edition to the SKIMPY Generations EP, along with flat shoes for girls, and windows that open, Cafe set and more.

Also why aren't there low to No income styled furniture, although many, I reiterate, MANY have requested it. Like beds on frames with no head or foot boards, milk crate bookcases, furniture re-purposed to other things, like an

etagere as a computer desk, a large stereo cabinet as a TV stand

I've always wondered why they didn't have more customization,

like you select the tv then the stand it sits on with open slots to set

decor on, it can't be that hard if modders can do it.

Coffee House Blues

POSTED ON 09/06/12

You know, When I heard Showtime would have Coffeehouses again, I thought of the visitable/buildable/workable Barista Style places from Sims 2. What I got in my game looks like a Flying J truck stop or wacky dinner rabbithole.

I'd love if they'd consider just how many creatfallen fans there were out there, like myself that want an interactive/vistiable coffee shop, that isn't a freaking preformance venue...

I'd love to see a Coffeehouse/Shop theme set on here that harkens back to Sims 2 Baristas, with the coffee bar, and lattes, and Seattle Coffee shops, old world coffee houses like in Italy. That sort of thing, so we could build our own and have it be a useable place, rather then another Rabbit hole.

I'd love to see Seasons have a coffeehouse theme/set, you can't have rain and cold weather without coffee, you just can't! Please, please...Real Coffee, and real coffee pots, that aren't all Cinnamon Soy Chai! I don't want a mod/hack/CC in my game, no offense, but they seem like a hassel.

Worried No More

POSTED ON 09/05/12

Well other then Zombies arriving to my house in a Taxi Cab, the Zombie Fall Out I was afraid of, hasn't happened yet. I do worry the population controls are a little wonky, as there are horses running around after I disabled it in Options. However, Moonlight Falls is an awesome neighborhood/world. Still trying to tweak the rooftops as neatly as the sims team did... Can't wait to explore more.

SupernaturallyExcited

POSTED ON 09/01/12

These next 3 days are going to kill me, I am so hyped about Supernatural, and I dont' think this one will fail to meet my and everyone else's expectations because I don't think fans had alot of preset Exp, since the Supernatural Fans didn't think they'd be getting an EP this time around. I however do worry about Seasons living up to the loft demands/expectations of all the players Demanding it....

I was not on the Seasons train, as in "I want it or I'll just up and die" like many fans of the series, but I've warmed up to it, and will buy it. I again, don't have expectations about Seasons, so whatever it is will be an enjoyable experience.

Back to SPN, I am worried over Zombies...I know the first time I install and play Superntural, it'll be in Moonlight Falls, and I'll leave all the setting alone to test out the experience and see how it all works, play with the premade households and even sit through a Zombie fallout. I am not sure I like the idea of Zombies randomly spawning inside my fences because I just know I'll be one of those players who's sims get tranformed everytime I step outside on a full moon while other players complain the Zombie AI is broken because it never happens in their games. So we shall see, beyond the shambling undead, I can't wait for Supernatural so I can play with Supernatural Life!

A Most Intriguing Game

POSTED ON 09/01/12

Honestly, after reading the hot and cold reviews of Sims Medieval, I wasn't so sure about the game. I finally bought a copy at Walmart for $19.99. I can honestly say players didn't give this game a chance. It is rather ingenuis as Two different styled simulation games in one. You are playing a castle game in in two ways to advance the Castle sim. You play it from the social level of the Ruler and their subjects and how they interact with each other and the world around them, which then in turn affects the growth and all over well being of your Kingdom.

Well done EA, it is a pity this didn't go over better with players on the whole. I love the collection system in this one too, it is a tweaked version of the one in Sims 3, I'd love to see some of the plant and ore collectables make their way into the Sims but that is unlikely this late in the game series.

I've only gotten about 2-3 hours into play, from creating a Monarch to attaining an advisor, but so far it has been interesting and fun to see the feudel system in action with that zany sim twist. I have to find Pirates & Nobles now, lol. So that being said, Thanks for a fun game!

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