#TS1 Hot Date

[daman19942]

In which I put my own spin on an old favorite: 1t2 Barrett's Boardwalk from Hot Date

I've just gone home for the holidays, so this will be my last update until the New Year. I didn't build much in 2023 - if I didn't have complete inspiration in a project I just couldn't bring myself to spend many hours going back and forth on something. But as I continue to build out my beach front shopping district, I felt like bringing back a classic Hot Date lot to serve as the main shopping district. And I'm happy with the results so far!

This is loaded with CC (including as much 1t2 content as I can find on the internet) so I will not be sharing it, but it has been a lot of fun to bring the TS1 shops to life in this game. I think my favorite is the ice cream parlor (if I could just get the darn barista to spawn...). That floor is not CC, btw.

I'm not done with it but have started to playtest. The beach needs to be completed, and although the front is very faithful to the original, I feel like its missing something. Maybe I need to dress up the port hole windows more? It just feels naked. I am also considering extending the roof over the restaurant patio.

Also, in referencing @philosimy's TS1 database, I learned that this lot had a very different look if you installed House Party before Hot Date??? Story for another time, but Hot Date was probably the second EP I ever owned, so I'd only ever seen the Downtown lots as they would ship without other EP objects. Wild!

[thesims1master]

Ladies from The Sims Hot Date Expansion Pack with their original hairstyles remeshed by me. Comparation with original heads and hairstyles

[bayoubashsims]

Senescence

Senescence is a short visual story of the twilight years of Agnes Crumplebottom (the title is inspired by this machinima, about a Crumplebottom as well, check it out guys, it’s so lovely). I wrote this many years ago in my teens and illustrated it (with my limited drawing skills), and found the time to do the story in TS2 some time ago.

This post is dedicated to elder Sims, who I feel are often overlooked as they are often so in real life as well. With the COVID-19 epidemic going on at the time of this post, I fully realized how vulnerable elders are and I feel we must care for them especially in these times. 

When people commented about this epidemic being a ‘boomer-remover’, it stroke me as insensitive, because even though I know there are a lot of unpleasant older people out there, a lot of them are still pleasant and our loved ones (plus, not only older people are vulnerable). 

Agnes Crumplebottom was not known as a nice Sim, but her story in The Sims 3 enabled us to look at her in a different way. I was both tickled and touched by @yakumtsaki's words on Agnes here–poor woman is probably only able to rest in peace once she kicks the bucket, so, here is my attempt at a touching tribute before she did.

Also, I suggest listening to this playlist while reading this!

Everyone around Downtown knew the pitter-patter of those shoes. Couples would flee in horror, the scantily dressed would rush to the bushes, and pickpockets dared not go near her infamous purse. But that day was strange. She walked cheerfully past an unwary pair of lovebirds locked in amorous embrace on a bench and she greeted a young woman in a sequinned tube top ‘good morning!’.

She went to her usual spot, a pair of green, wooden recliners near the pond at the Crumplebottom Memorial Park (named after a renowned relative who was unfortunately crushed to death by a chandelier many years ago). She brought out some bread crumbs and fed the ducks swimming at the pond, swarming at her by the side. She was always so kind to animals. But to people? Not so much.

“There you go, little darlings!” She said to them, her voice high-pitched and rickety. A duck came near her feet to peck off the crumbs near her shoes. She didn’t realize it was there until it had pecked the toe of her shoe.

“Ooh!” She exclaimed, giggling a bit. “Aren’t you a curious one!“

She took out her lorgnette glasses and inspected the little critter. The people walking by were rather confused by this. She’d usually sit down and feed the ducks, but giggle and smile? They’re not even sure if it’s really THE Agnes Crumplebottom. Truth be told, they haven’t seen her for the past few months. At any rate, it was a quiet autumn day, and there weren’t many people around. 

She sat down and allowed the curious little fowl approach her. "Now don’t you peck and be a good girl, alright? I’m just here to relax.” 

She caressed the pearl necklace hanging around her neck. “My fiancé gave this to me, you know. He’s just the most darling thing! And his last name is Darling, too, funnily enough. I’m going to be Agnes Darling very soon. Isn’t that wonderful?”

She adjusted her weaved picture hat and seemed rather confused. “Why am I, why am I wearing this…hat? Where’s my grey hat? Oh, darn. I must’ve left it at my sister’s. My word.”

“What was the name of her son again? Murray? Mortimer? Oh, he’d love ducks, I think. Those little boys are always up to something, but he seems like a bright young man. I’ve never really had a chance to spend much time with him. Truth be told, I don’t know him or his father that well. So silly of me. Oh! And I’m talking to a duck!”

She laughed, then sat back and took a deep breath and looked around.

“My my. Where is Erik? He said he was going to meet me here.”

Agnes rose from her seat and approached the rental shack at the corner of the park, not far from there. The rental shack clerk was raking the leaves nonchalantly whilst humming and heard the pitter-patter of shoes approaching. He lifted his head and greeted the woman, after only seeing half of her from under his hat.

“Good afternoon, how can I he–ELP YO-uu…” He jumped, fixing his glasses that slipped off his nose in shock.

“Merciful heavens! What on earth is the matter with you?” She yelled, lorgnette glasses in hand, inspecting him suspiciously.

“No–nothing, Miss Crumplebottom.”

“I was wondering, have you seen my fiancé? He’s about so tall and has blonde hair?”

The rental shack clerk was quiet for a few moments. “Fiancé?”

“I thought I was asking the questions, here!” Agnes yelled.

“Um…um…no, I haven’t…I thought he…your husband…passed on?”

Agnes lift her left eyebrow. “Husband? Passed on?”

The rental shack clerk looked both confused and scared.

Agnes blinked a few times, saying nothing and looking like she was thinking about something. She turned around and walked away, leaving the rental shack clerk relieved and he went back into his shack to go about his business. 

“Oh, what nonsense. Passed on. Passed on where...” She rubbed her pearl necklace and looked apprehensive. She clutched her pearls tightly and squinted her eyes, fiddling with her fingers.

Agnes walked a few meters away into the park and stopped. She dropped her purse and began sobbing as she fell to the ground. It had all came back to her.

The honeymoon. The accident. The years of pain and hurt and the bitterness that followed. She had woken up that day like a new woman, who only remembered of her days before all of that disappointment, the false hope of love. 

How confused would the Downtowners be had they seen it. They’ve never seen her cry or express any emotion other than rage. The younger ones hardly knew who she was except for the stories they’ve heard about the purse of terror.

Some simply thought she was just a demented old bat. Now, even more. Those years of self-righteousness were born out of the disappointment, but now, she was no longer a threat. If anything, she realized that she had been her own biggest threat in the decades that she’s lived. 

“Aunt Agnes!” Called out a woman’s voice, running towards her. A hand grasped her arm and helped her up as the elder lady trembled. Agnes could barely see, worsened by her tears. She squinted but didn’t know who it was.

“Who is this–who are you? I don’t know you…” She asked, meekly, in between little sniffs.

“It’s me, Cassandra.”

She sobbed and shook her head. “I don’t know! I don’t know where, who–”

“Cassandra. Your sister’s granddaughter, remember? Grandma Cornelia?”

“Oh…” She answered, as if she remembered, but not really. Nevertheless, she calmed down. “Cornelia, Cornelia. Yes.” 

Cassandra led her great-aunt into the wheelchair she had brought and sat her down gently, tucking her purse firmly into her lap. “Aunt Agnes, you shouldn’t have left the house. It’s lucky that your nurse called me, we’ve been trying to find you for hours. You know you can’t go out on your own.” 

“I don’t know…I’m lost…I couldn’t find Erik…”

Cassandra tilted her head and put her hand over her shoulder.

“Why don’t we get you home, Aunt Agnes? Would you like that?”

Agnes leaned her head to the side and nodded.

[thesassyl]

[jinnyssims]

Marla and Winter enjoying their salads.

[servegrilledcheese]

climbing out of my ts2 rabbit hole to find out that we're getting a ts1 hot date part 2: the remix typa expansion pack?

[simatomica]

SIMBLR ASK GAME: tagged by @fl0pera <3

🌸 What's your earliest memory of playing the sims? I bought the Hot Date EP for TS1 back in 2002. I didn't realize it was an EP and not the actual game. I finally bought the base game like 3 years after that lol

💫 How did you discover the sims franchise? I saw commercials for TS1 and magazine ads

🍇 What was your first sims game? TS1 Hot Date

🍦 How long have you been playing the sims? 18 years 😬

🧋 What is your favorite sims series? The Sims 2, hands down

🤍 Do you have a favorite sim created by you? Echo. I've had her since I first started playing the game 18 years ago. I've made her in every version of the franchise.

🧸 Favorite townie? Goopy GilsCarbo, mainly for the name but also because I made my sims son always marry Goopy. It was just made sense.

🍨 Do you have a sim self? If yes, do you play with them? I do, and I used to play with my sim self but I haven't in years lol

🫐How often do you play the sims? Not as often as I'd like. Playing the actual game, maybe a few months out of the year, mainly in the summer.

🌱Do/Can you relate to any of your sims? I relate to some of my oc's that I've created using the game. I base some of their traits on mine.

🐬Favorite sims challenge? The Black Widow challenge but I have yet to fully play an entire challenge.

👜 What in-game career would you choose if you were a sim? Ghost Hunter from the sims 3 👻

🌷Which traits would you have if you were a sim? Clumsy, Foodie, Childish, and Lactose Intolerant

🍮 Favorite thing to do in the sims? CAS mode

❄️ Favorite in-game season if you own The Sims 4 Seasons? Summer, even though I loath the summer in rl lol

❣️Do you talk about the sims with any of your friends/family members in real life? I talk about it with my niece because she's dabbled in the game, and she's the only person who doesn't judge me over it.

✉️ How big is your mods folder? 99.6 GB I didn't think I was that far gone yet :(

📱 What made you want to start a simblr? I was looking for a new Sim community after coming off of FB.

I tag @lilamausmaus @salemssimblr @rebelangelsims @westonsims00 @bitzsims @kazuaru @nefarrilou @simbico @suntrait @aniraklova

[executables-sims]

Get to know you: Sims Style

Thank you so much for the tag, @goatskickin! :D I am ill rn, so please excuse the rambling. x) Long post ahead!

What’s your favorite Sims death? Maybe fright? I've only ever had it happen once via ghost, the anim is pretty funny. :)

Alpha CC or Maxis Match? My Simblr probably says otherwise, but I don’t have a preference! I’ve had nearly every possible CC style under the sun throughout my years of playing, and I constantly think about reviving my 'semi-realism' folder (living vicariously through you, other simmers!). I didn't play with CC until early 2006 though, so MM is a little bit more nostalgic. :)

Do you cheat your sims weight? Hell no! I'm still in awe of Nysha's townie body diversity mod finally letting townies be fat. :D I wish the game had a better way of managing bodyshapes so I could add more variety that way.

Do you move objects? Of course!

Favorite Mod? Of all time? Impossible! My continued interest in gameplay is always because of new mods. :)

I did gain a new outlook thanks to a mod recently, though! My wild romance sim Blaze Biermann ended up 'mood swinging' to fortune before he went to uni, and instead of reverting, it got stuck.

He had a few flings still (pleasure secondary), but after he returned home and met his daughter (for the first time since her birth), he started cringing whenever I directed him to romance his dates. It felt like he had grown as a person, and I loved it!

TL;DR: Randomly change your sims' original aspiration/s to give them interesting character arcs! First Expansion/Game Pack/Stuff Pack? I mean, not my decision, but our first TS1 EP was Hot Date. I'm pretty sure I got TS2 EPs/SPs in order of release (miss those days of unwrapping a new one every birthday/christmas!).

Do you pronounce live mode like aLIVE or LIVing? We're LIVE, baby! 🎥

Who’s your favorite sim that you’ve made? I don't usually get very attached to my first-generation sims, but maybe Evonne Milos, from the gameplay/story hood I accidentally destroyed in four days? Never actually played her, but I had a lot of ideas for a corrupt 'sexpot' politician. x)

Have you made a simself? Lots! 99% of the fun I had playing TS2 as a kid was me and my best friend making ourselves and our respective crushes of the week, and we'd always live in one of those Veronaville lots that was two houses connected by a balcony. I can't even tell you the amount of times she got me pregnant against my wishes whilst I went to the bathroom, lmao.

Which is your favorite EA hair color? For colour consistency, probably brown? But there are a lot of brunettes in Brunwick (must be the name!), so I enjoy the recessives popping up in gameplay. :)

Favorite EA hair? Does an EA download count? Jeanette is lovely.

Favorite life stage? Ohhh dude, that's so difficult to answer. They all bring different challenges and dynamics to the household! I feel like I've started to appreciate the child lifestage more since Brunwick has grown large enough to have multiple friendship groups. It's fun watching them goof around with each other and be actual kids, instead of sitting indoors skilling. I really need to build a park! :)

Are you a builder or are you in it for the gameplay?

Are you a CC creator? Yes, I really love how this game has led me to so many creative hobbies! Would like to tackle BHAVs one day. :)

Do you have any Simblr friends or a Sim Squad? Yeah! I consider us all friends over our shared enjoyment of the game really, but as a chronic lurker I'm not the best at cultivating connections. x) Does anyone wanna make a secret club? xD

Do you have any sims merch? No, but I do have a bunch of rad sims memories. 👉😎👉

Do you have a YouTube for sims? Nope, but I watched plenty of sim music videos back in the day! Found a lot of songs that way. :) Some formative memories here: One / Two

How has your “Sims style” changed throughout your years of playing? I sadly don't have screenshots of my oldest saves thanks to a combo of no external HD and no screenshot program, but here's one example:

But gameplay-wise, a lot! My early years were probably based around creating stories more than actively playing, but when I did I would just emulate perfect families, attempt legacies, and restart BG hoods over and over. x)

Now I'm all about wants-based gameplay; witnessing and interpreting a story, as opposed to creating one from scratch. But I will add drama if I find my interest waning! x)

Who’s your favorite CC creator? Again, super-duper impossible to answer because everyone's CC makes the game fun, but my most recent CC shopping spree was Honeywell and HugeLunatic! :) 🛒

How long have you had Simblr? Technically 2011, officially 2013, but if we're being pedantic, I finally made a dedicated Simblr (this) in 2016. x)

How do you edit your pictures? These days, just sharpen and shrink! CC previews aren't too complicated either- a blurred out screenshot for the BG and a shadow.

What expansion/gamepack is your favorite? Ooh… maybe Nightlife, by a smidgen? I feel like it gave us a lot of new features and items, and the subhood was nice (as a non-builder at the time!).

Tagging: @daman19942 @aondaneedles @eulaliasims @profesionalpartyguest @tvickiesims @and everyone else, I love reading these! :D

[goatskickin]

Get to know you: Sims Style

I was tagged by @pooklet

It’s something to do until SFS comes back online 💀

What’s your favorite Sims death?

There’s the one where you can use the Wishing Well and ask for money and the money bag falls on your sim’s head and k!lls them. Hilarious!

Alpha CC or Maxis Match?

I love clay hairs and I love old Peggy and Helga hairs too. Some TS2 clothing meshes have never held any appeal for me, and some alpha stuff that is very beloved leaves me cold. I like the beta look too! I’ve already shared my love of beta-esque eyes.

I've been collecting CC for much too long. Sometimes I go digging through my old af clothing CC wondering what if??? should I recolor that???? is this mesh good, actually?????

I’ve considered getting rid of all of my custom windows and doors (save a few special ones). I feel like Maxis has given us everything we could ask for and more. Plus it might save space for even more CC. More rc's of what I have, less new meshes.

Do you cheat your sims weight?

Like, use cheats for thinness/fatness? No. Not unless I am checking to see if a fat morph I made works.

Do you move objects?

I’ll move any object I damn well please, yeah.

Favorite Mod?

I could say something boring like Gussy Up or the Sim Manipulator but instead I’ll say something cool like the trainset does not catch on fire because it is cool when an object does not have 2% chance of combusting 😎

First Expansion/Game Pack/Stuff Pack?

I really wanted Hot Date as a kid but was mortified to ask for it, so I think I had Deluxe instead?

For TS2 - that would be University I think

Do you pronounce live mode like aLIVE or LIVing?

aLIVE I guess?

Who’s your favorite sim that you’ve made?

I like born-in-game sims a lot. I have a pic of a very good Vidcund spawn from like, 2014. Judith Curious.

Have you made a simself?

Oh yes. It’s kicking around the internet somewhere.

Which is your favorite EA hair color?

Red! It’s always been red.

Favorite EA hair?

MEG!

Favorite life stage?

Adults and then elders.

Are you a builder or are you in it for the gameplay?

I am an awful builder. I like dl’ing other people’s houses though.

Are you a CC creator?

Oh yes! I have a bit of a problem with that.

Do you have any Simblr friends or a Sim Squad?

I am chronically friendly and unable to shut up. As such, someone is bound to fall for my charms eventually.

Do you have any sims merch?

It does not exist but I wish that the TS1 soundtrack was on vinyl. I could relax on a winter's eve to 🎶Under Construction🎶

Do you have a YouTube for sims?

No?

How has your “Sims style” changed throughout your years of playing?

Less grungy! Well, more lightly grungy. Less subject to trends. I’ve been a lot more careful about what I download. I delete stuff all the time.

Who’s your favorite CC creator?

of all time? I could not say. I am a Sims 2 CC historian though

How long have you had Simblr?

2013

How do you edit your pictures?

barely lol. I use one of @pooklet's Photoshop actions

Sometimes a tiny bit of photoshopping for an Apoc C.O.W. picture to adjust a finger or get something to look less clippy but that’s it.

What expansion/gamepack is your favorite?

TS1 – always makin magic

TS2 – I want it to be OFB but OFB is so busted. Seasons I guess! I like weather and plants.

tagging: @pforestsims, @brandinotbroke, @freezerbunny-sims2, @jules-cant-build, @madraynesims, @antisocialbunnysims, @themeasureofasim, @aondaneedles, @bayoubashsims, @rockethorse, @serabiet, @simborg, @virtualpeople, @executables-sims, @hazelpuff and @pixeldolly

[rockethorse]

Get to know you: Sims Style

I was tagged by @goatskickin

Yippee! Talking about myself!!

Q: What’s your favorite Sims death?

Probably running with scissors. It's really just dying of fright (like when a ghost gets ya) but it was such an easy way to cheese the "defeat Death"/"be rescued from Death" Knowledge Sim Wants. Electrocution also feels kind of rare to me, though I'm sure it's far less rare than other deaths, and the yellow ghost is radical. Death by flies is also a classic.

Q: Alpha CC or Maxis Match?

I think I'm known as a Maxis Matchhead, and I do love MM, but it's not because I dislike realistic CC. I actually really like it when it's well-done and I respect realistic CC makers a bunch. When I first dipped into CC, I played a more semi-realistic game myself. I love how flexible and adaptable every Sims game is depending on what CC you load yourself up with. But, MM always has a special nostalgic place in my heart.

Q: Do you cheat your sims weight?

Only when I'm making a Sim to be a Townie or NPC or some other sort of character. If I'm doing regular gameplay, I won't use cheats, but I might put a Sim on an enforced pizza-and-cookies diet if I feel like my neighbourhood is severely lacking in minuscule body diversity.

Q: Do you move objects?

I literally can't play without it any more, lol. I'm always stunned when I pop in to a lot to "just quickly make a minor edit" and realise how soon I need to turn moveobjects on.

Q: Favorite Mod?

Hands-down, it's Shiftable Everything. It completely changed the way I decorate since not only is it less tedious than fiddling around with OMSPs but it allows lots to stay CC-Free and thus more easily shareable. I adore that mod lol, and buyable accessories + Nopke's walk-under spiral stairs mods for the same reason.

I also really like Phaenoh's holiday calendar (which I consider to be a mod, even though it's purely flavourtext and doesn't affect gameplay) and the version I use with modified holidays. It gives me mini goals to keep my gameplay exciting and I haven't taken it out of my game since I found it.

And lastly, it's not an exaggeration to say Meduza's mod to make hobby blogging increase social as well as fun made my week when it was shared. It may not be the most game-changing mod in the world, but it scratched an itch I had been holding in for DECADES.

Q: First Expansion/Game Pack/Stuff Pack?

I strongly remember my first - and, for a while, only - TS1 expansion pack was Superstar, and I hardly learned how to properly use a lick of it. I was young and TS1 was ridiculously hard for a sandbox game. But sooo many of that game's objects and functions and songs are instant nostalgia bait for me because of it, moreso than TS1 already is. (Also, like many it seems, I was never allowed to get Hot Date, LOL. I remember my mother promising I could get it when I turned 13 and then chickening out of that promise when the time came.)

I played without any TS2 EPs for an unnecessarily long time. A friend at school who also played TS2 mentioned something about Lifetime Aspirations and I had no idea what they meant, which was highly confusing to the both of us. I think my first Sims 2 EP was possibly University...? I remember the first time I got the "your teen can go to uni!" message I panicked and thought it meant right now, so I sent my poor Sim off to Young Adulthoot on, like, day 2 of teendom. The guy never got to let loose! Nowadays I don't let move my Sims off to college until they're on their final day of teendom anyway.

Q: Do you pronounce live mode like aLIVE or LIVing?

I always and still do pronounce it in my head as liv(ing). On the one hand, (a)live mode - as in, the game is no longer in stasis, and time has resumed - makes more sense and is probably what the devs intended. But in my defense, build and buy are both verbs, so to me, it makes sense that "live mode" is where you go after building and buying to live in the house that you just set up.

Q: Who’s your favorite sim that you’ve made?

Most of my favourite Sims tend to be born-in-game, so not really ones that I've "made"... I do like the townies I've made with the semi-randomised method, though. It was always hard not to keep them to play with myself, but so far none of them have had great chemistry with my Sims to become playables, LOL. I'm gonna have to say Iris Kopper will forever be special to me. (Not that the Koppers are done yet!)

Q: Have you made a simself?

I tend to make a Simself first in every new Sims game I play as a way to test the system, but I usually don't play them. I had a Simself running around in my old TS2 'hood as a Townie, and I let myself wander around unbothered in TS3 until "I" aged up into a hot pink minidress and I had to interfere.

Q: Which is your favorite EA hair color?

I like making MM black hair recolours because they're the easiest and soooo satisfying, but I think my favourite is brown, especially the more complex ones that have purple/blue cool undertones. It's always struck me as such a tasty mahogany treatment that bown hair usually doesn't get.

Q: Favorite EA hair?

Since there are so many to choose from, let's go by age group!

For EYAM Sims, it was hard to pass up the classic Rocker, but i think Caesar is a very classy handsome hairstyle that suits a wide variety of Sims, and it's nice to have been given the option by EA.

I've always really liked this TM hat-hair from TSS and the fact that it came with a matching hatless version too. I like teens having their own styles, I just wish EA had given it to us for TF Sims too.

For EYAF Sims it was a difficult skirmish at first - I've always had a soft spot for the silly pointy-ear hat that came with M&G, and the matching hatless hair it came with, but that's so similar to longpart from BV I also enjoy - but in the end I realised it was clear;

Sweep sweep. It's versatile, it's nicely modeled and textured, it can be sexy or professional, it's as gender as you want it to be, it's TREMENDOUS on Elders, and it reminds me of Sailor Uranus. What's not to love? Other than its lack of age options.

For TF, JUST LOOK AT THAT. How perfectly Y2K! The fact that it reminds me of Minako "PGSM" Aino is just an added bonus.

Combining CU into one tier - look at these. Look at how precious the little doggy face is. Augh.

And finally, for PU, the most perfectly darling hair in the entire game they knew they had to limit to toddlers or else nobody would ever bother to use anything else. No wonder we all immediately converted it for other ages. It's the perfect boho pigtail look. No notes, Maxis. (Wait, it was introduced in Nightlife?? Why? Whose baby is that on the dance floor?)

And an honourable mention for updo, which would be my favourite EYAM hair, if not for the fact it's technically an EYAF hair.

Q: Favorite life stage?

Probably teens, because they were such a fascinating introduction to me when I shifted from TS1 to TS2. Sims aging and passing away intrigued and terrified me all at once, but the unique middle-ground of autonomy vs. immaturity of TS2 teens must've resonated with me. They could have a job, but not a great one. They could date and go steady and make out, and it could be deathly serious to them, but they couldn't cross the line or get married or start a family. They could look after younger Sims and drive and drink (probably illegally) and buy things and run the household if need be, but they were still trapped with limited freedom or opportunities.

I know other games have given teens more agency and there are mods to do the same in TS2, but as a pre-teen who was just playing TS2 for the first time, it was a really perfect encapsulation of the middle-ground between adulthood and childhood and the excitement but frustration it brought.

I also really like Elders for similar reasons. In many ways, they often have more freedom than Adult Sims, but they can also be harder to play in other ways. Plus they get the short end of the stick in terms of content so I gotta cheer for them.

Q: Are you a builder or are you in it for the gameplay?

I used to hate building (or at the very least, think I sucked at it) and was 100% dedicated to gameplay. Gameplay is still important to me, which is why I'll probably never move on from TS2, but these days I've really been enjoying building and decorating a lot more. It's also something I enjoy being able to do in TS4. Setting myself limitations like "CC Free" also adds interest to the challenge.

Q: Are you a CC creator?

Yep! Try to be at any rate, lol! It's interesting to see how I used to almost exclusively make build-buy content and now a lot of it is BodyShop CC.

Q: Do you have any Simblr friends or a Sim Squad?

Not on a private/personal scale. I have lots of people I recognise from Simblr who I chat with and reblog from frequently, and I think we have a good rapport, but I'm not around enough to really engage 1:1 with other Simmers like that. But I'm also really happy and proud to be a part of the little TS2 Simblr community and always smile when I recognise the same URLs and new posts popping up.

Q: Do you have any sims merch?

Other than physical copies of the games, not really! I've been meaning to invest in some fan-made merch like a pair of earrings or something. Any recommendations? (I also want that unofficial cookbook so bad.)

Q: Do you have a YouTube for sims?

No, but I keep thinking about it...

Q: How has your “Sims style” changed throughout your years of playing?

I've always been a rotational player, whether it be a specific challenge or not. I think the most interesting change in my style has been my intentional choice to cut CC back as far as possible. It's really pushed me to not only embrace a Mega Maxis Match aesthetic but it's also encouraged me to get more creative with the content already in the games.

Q: Who’s your favorite CC creator?

If I listed out all my favourites I'd be here all day and then I'd forget someone and feel terrible. I'm so lucky to be around at the same time as so many incredible CC creators, builders, storytellers, and modders here on Simblr who still make for TS2, and trust me, if you're here still posting updates for TS2 in the year 202X, I see you and I love you and I'm sending you all the positive energy you could ever use.

As a CC creator, though, I'd say my biggest inspiration is @crispsandkerosene. Their textures, models, animations, and especially their eye for the Maxis Match aesthetic are everything I aspire to some day, especially in their authentic TS1 recreations.

Q: How long have you had Simblr?

Since 2011... wow.

Q: How do you edit your pictures?

With The GIMP mostly just to resize. If it's an important screencap I might edit lighting/saturation for clarity, or mess around for storytelling purposes, but mostly it's just to crop and resize, lol. You guys all have to put up with my game's borked lighting.

Q: What expansion/gamepack is your favorite?

For TS1, I never had Makin Magic, so probably Pets. The animals themselves were fun but I was always transfixed by Old Town and gardening. Vacation is pretty close in my nostalgia, though.

For TS2 it's Bon Voyage. It's just such a jam-packed and well-thought-out EP, and you can tell it was Maxis's final love letter to the Sims franchise before they knew EA would put out their fire. Obviously I love Seasons and OFB as much as the next guy, but I think BV adds a surprising amount of replayability.

For TS3 it's 100% World Adventures. I love those gimmicky little tombs, lol. I always yearned for more life sim/time management elements to other exploration games, but I had never considered adding exploration/puzzle elements to a life sim instead. It's the perfect balance for me, lol; the tombs themselves may not be the most difficult puzzles, but having to manage your Sim's needs, finances, time, etc on top of those puzzles is exactly the kind of gameplay I was waiting for. (Why is the vacation EP basically my favourite for all these games?)

I don't have any TS4 EPs and I doubt I'll ever buy any, simply because I don't play the game enough, only decorate, but the one I'm most tempted by is the Tiny Living pack. I think I like the concept of it more than I like any of the objects it actually comes with, though, and technically I don't need an EP to make a tiny home.

Thanks for letting me ramble so much! For anyone who wants to do this, I add the following new questions:

What's your favourite in-game Sims food/meal?

What's your favourite supernatural life state?

What's your favourite way to grind for each skill?

If you haven't done it already then I tag @sixamese-simblr, @persimmonthusiast, @vegan-kaktus and @tvickiesims!

[elden-hicks]

do u know if there's a mod for ts1 that unlocks food options in the fridge? for example u can make a salad even if u have appliances, u can make the makin' magic oven foods without needing the oven/recipe book, etc.

unfortunately, i don't i know about the mod which changes the functionality of the maxis-made fridges but it's the closest mod to your request that i am aware of. i think it's possible to make such mod, though. given the fact that there is a custom ice cream maker which depends on hot date ice cream stand, so you don't have to go to a community lot to buy your sim an ice cream.

maybe someone would update the base game stoves to function as the baking ones from makin' magic, who knows?

[eggysimblr]

Sims Tag

I was tagged by my awesome friend @deathpoke1qa, Thanks!

1. What’s your favourite sims death?

Hard to say, removing pool ladder is a classic everyone loves, but I really loved Mummy Curse Death from TS3 World Adventures, as it has to be one of the most forboding and ominous.

2. Alpha CC or Maxis Match?

I go with a mix of both, don't really care.

3. Do you cheat when your sims gain weight?

My sims rarely gain weight.

4. Do you use move objects?

Of course I do, everybody does!

5. Favorite mod?

Deaderpool's MC Command Center is a must. I'm also a big fan of Coolspear's and Sacrificial's work, and lately I fell in love with new custom skills by JaneSimsten.

6. First expansion/game/stuff pack you got?

That's gotta be Hot Date for Sims 1. Yeah, I'm that old.

7. Do you pronounce “live mode” like aLIVE or LIVing?

Since English isn't my native language, I tend to alternate between those, but I usually go with Live, as in LIVing.

8. Who’s your favorite sim that you’ve made?

Oh, that has to be Lord Professor Ebenezer Vincent Ignatius Laurence von Charlatain III, the gentleman you see in my avatar.

9. Have you made a simself?

Yes, it was for a contest at Sims of History Discord, where you had to make a sim of yourself in historical setting. So, I made myself into an early 18th century Mercenary:

10. What sim traits do you give yourself?

Genius, Lazy, Geek.

11. Which is your favorite EA hair color?

It has to be the brown and gray one, I just love the contrast.

12. Favorite EA hair?

The wavy long hair from Cats and Dogs EP.

13. Favorite life stage?

Yound Adults to Elders.

14. Are you a builder or are you in it for the gameplay?

I mostly spend time in CaS. But I also like building.

15. Are you a CC creator?

Kinda? More like cc Editor, but if you're interested I've got some stuff for download at my Simblr.

16. Do you have any simblr friends/a sim squad?

Everyone from Sims of History, especially @javitrulovesims, @simstomaggie, @simverses.

17. What’s your favorite game? (1, 2, 3, or 4)

Let's see: Sims 1 was awesome, but now is really dated, and build mode is limited and obnoxious to use. Sims 2 is a fantastic game but it's so buggy and prone to save corruption. Sims 3 Would be the best, due to the open world and so many fun lifestates, if you didn't had to wait an eternity and a half for it to load. Also, Twilight sparkly vampires. Ew. I kinda like Sims 4 the best, not only it has the best versions of lifestates (maybe except the furry-ass werewolves), but also the Best QoL improvements to CAS and Build mode. Give it some time, and I think it will be the best sims game ever.

18. Do you have any sims merch?

Sadly, no.

19. Do you have a YouTube for sims?

Nope.

20. How has your “sim style” changed throughout your years of playing?

It really didn't change much, except I rarely now deliberately kill my sims, as I get attached to my pixel dolls. Back in my TS1 days I would torture my sims in the most fun ways.

21. What’s your Origin ID?

Sir_Eggyslav

22. Who’s your favorite CC creator?

So many good cc creators, my all time favourites are @natalia-auditore, and my good friend @strangestorytellersims but I also really miss @acanthus-sims.

23. How long have you had a simblr?

I can't honestly remember, and too lazy to check, but about 2016?

24. How do you edit your pictures?

I don't. I don't have the skills and I'm too lazy to learn.

25. What expansion/game/stuff pack do you want next?

Any pack that would bring back Cars, Genie lamps and Pool tables.

25. What expansion/game/stuff pack is your favorite so far?

Vampires, Jungle Adventures and University.

I'm tagging anyone who would like to join he fun.

[daydreamingdrawerette]

Get to know me: Sims edition

I got tagged by @brandinotbroke

What’s your favorite Sims death? I haven't let my Sims die yet

Alpha CC or Maxis Match? Generally, a mix. And yes, my Sims both wear alpha hairs or clay hairs.

Do you cheat your sims weight? No

Do you move objects? Always

Favorite Mod? Oof too many to mention

First Expansion/Game Pack/Stuff Pack? TS1: Livin' Large TS2: Uni

Do you pronounce live mode like aLIVE or LIVing? aLIVE

Who’s your favorite sim that you’ve made? Thomas, one of my first OC Sims I've made back in 2004

Have you made a simself? Yes, but in The Sims 3 only. Including my boyfriend as well

Which is your favorite EA hair color? Brown

Favorite EA hair? I think this one: "Longpart"

Favorite life stage? Teens and Adults

Are you a builder or are you in it for the gameplay? Both, but I build and decorate more than actually playing

Are you a CC creator? Casually; I make some simple recolors for objects and hairs

Do you have any Simblr friends or a Sim Squad? I don't know. Generally, I rely more on real-life friends.

Do you have any sims merch? No

Do you have a YouTube for sims? No

How has your “Sims style” changed throughout your years of playing? I just got back into TS2 since 2021, but I want to retain my 2005 style as much as possible. But now I've expanded my CCs with alpha hairs and 3t2 and 4t2 conversions.

Who’s your favorite CC creator? Too many to mention

How long have you had Simblr? Originally, I've made my Tumblr acc in 2010/2011, but I've converted it into a Simblr since 2021.

How do you edit your pictures? Just cropping in Paint or with the Snippet tool

What expansion/gamepack is your favorite? TS1: Can't decide between Hot Date, Vacation and Unleashed TS2: I think Freetime?

[furasims]

Sim Tag

I was tagged by @memoirsofasim​, thank you sweetie!

💀 What’s your favourite sims death? Well, since my Sims usually pass away peacefully from old age , I don't have a favorite Sim death. However, I do appreciate the diverse range of dramatic and unexpected deaths that can occur in TS, as it adds an element of surprise and unpredictability to the game. Whether it's a Sim getting electrocuted, eaten by a cowplant, or even burned to death while cooking, these events certainly add some excitement to the gameplay.

💅 Alpha CC or Maxis Match? I'm a huge fan of Maxis Match custom content. I find that it seamlessly integrates with the base game and maintains the unique charm and style that drew me to TS in the first place.

💦 Do you cheat when your sims gain weight? No, I like to see their body change over time. I find it even more realistic, especially if they gained weight because of a pregnancy.

🛋️ Do you use move objects? All the time.

💻 Favorite mod? I don’t use mods, I’m too lazy to keep everything up to date.

🛍️ First expansion/game/stuff pack you got? The very first pack I got was Livin’ Large, for TS1. For TS4, it was Get to Work.

🙊 Do you pronounce “live mode” like aLIVE or LIVing? LIVing is my choice :D

❤️ Who’s your favorite sim that you’ve made? Definitely Twennie from my Not So Berry challenge. She is the worts and best at the same time.

🪞Have you made a simself? I made my family multiple times through the years (and different versions of TS deheh). It’s always fun, but I usually don’t play with those households.

🧠 What sim traits do you give yourself? Creative, Bookworm and Hot-Headed :)

🧑‍🦳 Which is your favorite EA hair color? Red! Favorite EA hair? Everything medium lenght wavy hair

🌱 Favorite life stage? Teenager and Young Adult, because I usually put a lot of effort during those stages to complete careers and challenges. So a looooot usually happens.

🏠 Are you a builder or are you in it for the gameplay? I must admit the ratio between building and gameplay is 80/20 for me. I need to stop building new houses for my challenges, my poor sims are constantly moving.

🎨 Are you a CC creator? I usually do recolors, so I would not consider myself a CC creator.

🤝Do you have any simblr friends/a sim squad? All the beautiful simmers I usually interact through tumblr or discord channels I’m in.

🎮 What’s your favorite game? Packs with University are usually my favs, regardless of the Sims edition.

📦Do you have any sims merch? Nope! But I dream of having a Plumbob lamp one day.

📼 Do you have a YouTube for sims? No (or not yet!)

👴How has your “sim style” changed throughout your years of playing? Nowadays I manly play challenges, which I came to know through Tumblr something like 6 years ago. Before that, I used to create very regular households and just play them through the generations, but without any official goal to follow.

🪪 What’s your Origin ID? plusbizarre

👜 Who’s your favorite CC creator? I don’t have a fav, I love too many D: to name just a few: HulaZombie, pyxis, Aira.

📅 How long have you had a simblr? Since March 2018!

🖌️ How do you edit your pictures? I use GShade in-game, so I don’t have to adjust my screens anymoreto fit a particular aesthetic. I do use Photoshop to add moodlets and icons from the game.

⏭️ What expansion/game/stuff pack do you want next? I really need TS5 to come out soon.

💌 What expansion/game/stuff pack is your favorite so far? Seasons, Island Living and Discover University

Tagging: whoever would like to participate, please feel as tagged :D

[12raben]

Get to know you- Sims Style

I have been tagged by @niamh-sims. I play TS2 for the most part. VERY rarely, I create a sim in TS1, play a little, get bored quickly. But I have fond childhood memories of playing TS1 with my friends. I very briefly played TS3, but my PC was not able to handle it, when it came out and I was just not into it. I don't play TS4 anymore, because it makes me angry.

What’s your favorite Sims death?

Of all the games? In TS1 when my sim had been turned into a frog and was eaten by a dragon. That was pretty memorable. In TS2 it's a hard pick between beeing scared to death, because the sim peeped into a coffin or when they use the business perk and choke to death. (Just looked it up. I meant Rally Forth.)

Alpha CC or Maxis Match?

It depends. Maxis Match is better for a modern setting. Alpha CC better suits my medieval game.

Do you cheat your sims weight?

Just in the beginning. I use a randomizer to determine their weight and manipulate it ingame with simblender. What happens afterwards just happens.

Do you move objects?

Very often. Though sometimes it's easier to turn it off. (e.g. when placing windows and doors.)

Favorite Mod?

This is hard. Would you say, that lazy duchess rcp launcher is a mod? It kinda is, right? So that. And if that doesn't count... ACR. Because it is more versatile than Romantic Standards and it has been a reliable source of ingame drama for many years.

First Expansion/Game Pack/Stuff Pack?

Ugh, that was so(!) long ago. It was TS1. Either Hot Date or Livin Large. Can't remember.

Do you pronounce live mode like aLIVE or LIVing?

Live like aLIVE. Though this argument is really not my cup of tea. I always though of it "beeing live", like "live on TV".

Who’s your favorite sim that you’ve made?

I had a teen girl named Madleine Hlothran in Twinhills. She was a very fortunate combination of her parents genes, though I didn't really "make" her in Bodyshop, I got lucky in CAS.

Have you made a simself?

Quite often. Sometimes I sneak her into my game as an NPC. There are multiple versions depending on the CC I'm playing with. Sometimes it's fun to see my sims interact with her.

Which is your favorite EA hair color?

Honestly in TS2 I like the "custom" haircolors very much. I don't give them often to my sims.

Favorite EA hair?

My favourite hair is the pink version of this hairstyle.

Favorite life stage?

I like teens. I like their drama, their interactions and the voices.

Are you a builder or are you in it for the gameplay?

I really like gameplay, but I have phases, when all I want to do is build. I want my lots to be perfect though. So all lots are in a constant wip-stage.

Are you a CC creator?

More or less. I make smaller edits in simpe for myself quite often, but sometimes I share stuff. Mainly Bodyshop CC and occasionally a neighborhood map.

Do you have any Simblr friends or a Sim Squad?

No. I had many pleasant exchanges with the community though. Everybody has been very nice (so far)... 😚

Do you have any sims merch?

No.

Do you have a YouTube for sims?

No, but I often thought about starting a channel. I made a lot of machinima, when I was younger, but alas not anymore. But speed builds? Tutorial-esque videos? I would probably only upload once a month, but.... 🤷‍♀️

How has your “Sims style” changed throughout your years of playing?

Can you imagine, that I played a really, really, really long time without any CC? I think, I had my first CC, when freetime came out. My english was worse back then, so half the time I did not know, what I was doing or how to install stuff properly. By chance I stumbled over Windlebridge, a massive CC intense hood (wayback machine link, it'll take sometime to load). I wanted to have that. And that was when I started to really get into modding TS2 (and learning english) From that time on, I flipped inbetween historical and modern gameplay. I still think both styles can be great fun. My current CC folder for medieval game is very puristic (only 7 gigs), but I am aiming for a fantasy game next. That is something new and sounds very exciting.

Who’s your favorite CC creator?

This is hard. I want to say @midgethetree. Such a generous and patient person and so many great mods. Just gorgeous.

How long have you had Simblr?

My first post was on 30th january 2015. But is this the day I joined? Probably not. I' pretty sure, I was lurking at first.

How do you edit your pictures?

I use Gimp. Usually I just use it to resize pictures.

What expansion/ gamepack is your favorite?

TS1: Makin' Magic TS2: Seasons

Tagging @withlovefromsimtown & @helene2troie

Happy simming :)

[jinnyssims]

Raven downtown and looking for a new love.