#this is me officially coming back to simblr

[xsakuura]

the joy of life challenge by @simelune

There was a warmth and coziness in rolling out dough, mixing up frosting, creating masterpieces with a piping bag. Most of your days are spent whipping up new creations in the kitchen, enjoying the smell of a delicious apple pie baking in the oven. You dream of having everyone know your name and saying “their cupcakes are the best I’ve ever had!”.

Aisha Singh is a foodie at heart. She moved to Henford-on-Bagley to start an idyllic lifestyle in the countryside, where her only concerns would be baking for her neighbours and tending to her chickens.  Aisha isn't looking for love but her friends have persuaded her to join a dating website - surely no harm can come from that, right?

[alltimefail-sims]

I'm archiving all of my Strangerville story builds!

I've been putting this off for a few months now, but since these builds have been getting a lot of traffic lately I think it's time to officially deem them "unsupported."

!!! Click here to be taken to the download archive folder !!! -> via Google Drive... 😬 Sorry! Some of the files were too big for Sim File Share and I wanted them all in one place.

Note: the ZIP files have been lightly updated, the largest change being that I included a screenshots folder and a folder with modded object links. I did not include modded objects in the original download due to the nature of mods needing constantly updated (I didn't want to break anyone's game with a build back then, and I definitely don't want to do that now.)

Now... why am I doing this, and what does this mean? ↓

Each of these builds were made with the sole intention of being used as sets for my Strangerville story; they were never made to be functional builds for gameplay purposes and therefore aren't practically useful to anyone imo. When I made them I had just started my simblr, just got into building, and recently discovered the wonders of build/buy cc... which I used a shit ton of in order to achieve a precise, unique look that matched what I pictured in my head (again, not for the sake of functionality but for the sake of storytelling). These were never playtested: I would never upload a build today that was just for show and not functional for actual gameplay.

I know a handful of people liked the concepts behind these builds, so I will keep them up for download but will not be supporting them moving forward: what this means is I'm going to upload them all to a folder for anyone who wants them, but I will not be answering questions about them/fixing them/updating the build cc/etc. so download with that in mind! These cease to exist for me the second I publish this post basically.

I'm not abandoning my Strangerville OCs or my Strangerville branding as a whole - I couldn't do that even if I wanted to, unfortunately, because those pixels have me in a chokehold for life. I'll continue posting about them sporadically more than likely, and I even plan to use all these builds as a framework for their updated counterparts that will appear in the actual story at some point down the line. That being said, I'm not going to lie and say this story is coming out any time soon because I just don't have the computer, nor do I have the time, to do this story justice at the moment. I've made peace with that, and I still plan to talk about it and about these OCs forever and ever and ever until I am eventually able to share the story.

On the upside: I do plan to upload similar builds inspired by these OG concepts that will not use CC and will be playable and playtested some time in the near future, so keep an eye out for that!

Thank you for reading this, and thank you to everyone who has supported me. Love you guys <3

[ruthplaysthesims]

🐾🐾 Boop! Boop! 🐾🐾

I'd love to know what simmer has got you hooked right now! Please share what you're binge-reading on Simblr!

Share this with other simmers to get some recommendations on who to follow! Let's keep spreading some love! 💚

Gurl That's easy! I'm currently binge reading YOUR legacy posts. Had me hooked the moment I started following you. Had wanted to look deep into Noemi's life pre Dulce and Angel but never found time for it. Though I would recommend following.

@cinamun : Cin's story started showing up on my dashboard beginning of 2024. It really piqued my interest! Looking at her story you can tell she put a lot of time and effort into making the story come to life. Highly recommend

@stellarfalls Need I say more??? I love me a good love story and Bree has mastered the art of doing just that with Rohan and Hana. Love those two and can't wait to see what she'll do for little Yasmine!

@authorspirit Joy's stories have officially become a staple in my reading journey! I really love interacting with her in her comments and reading her little stories and updates!

ETA: There are so many more people that I like reading from too. One of them I want to give a shout out to. Genevieve is also a good story teller (@crescents-sims) I remember going back into her blog and reading Kaori's story. It's amazing to see how people can take a townie and change their lives completely, and I loved reading from her perspective (also gave me inspiration for my Kaori gameplay) Please check her out. And literally, thank you.

[nikatyler]

List 5 facts about a favorite sim of yours, and send this to 10 simblrs whose sims you adore ♥♥♥

Thank you! Gonna bring back this vampire because I should probably tell more about Callias than just oh yeah he's a massive slut and we love him for it 💀

1. Callias and Caleb were both born in the same century, but Callias is about 16 years older and was turned earlier (but they were both roughly around the same age when it happened, early 20s-ish). They crossed paths and were together briefly for some time as vampires. It was a passionate romance, but it didn’t end well at all. I guess they were just too different. They never saw each other again after that. They might, I haven’t ruled it out yet, but at this point in the NSB universe, they just haven’t.

2. And here’s the tea that I’m not sure if I’ll really acknowledge within the NSB universe or how much I’ll acknowledge it but I love to imagine it happened: After the breakup and Ross leaving, he bumped into Callias and they hit it off. They never spoke of Caleb together, had no clue there was this “link” between them. Eventually, they broke up, no hard feelings, if we see each other again, we’ll be friends, thanks for the good time. It’s just that Callias doesn’t really like the idea of settling down with “the one” and Ross figured out answers to some of the questions he’d had since the breakup.

3. I often like to imagine this scene where all is well between Ross and Caleb again and then Callias comes around and Ross is like “alright Caleb meet my friend who I may have had a brief romantic and sexual relationship with when we weren’t together” and Caleb just goes even paler than he naturally is, realizing Ross is friends with his ex-girlfriend from way back who, sorry, wait a second, is actually now an ex-boyfriend, and wait you guys were together, what the hell has my undead life turned into – writing that scene would probably give me a lot of second hand embarrassment but also a lot of joy and giggling and kicking my feet in the air tbh 😂 Also, if I ever make that scene canon, no worries, there’s not gonna be any jealousy there, just a lot of what the fuck what are the odds kinda internal screaming from Caleb.

4. Oh yeah by the way, yes, just a reminder, Callias is trans. He spent a fair share of his life as a woman though, and actually, after figuring things out, he fell in love with the more feminine aspects of himself that he hated when he was a woman “officially”…which I really hope makes sense and if not, just look at his tag, you’ll probably get it then. He likes being feminine in his style but he’s not a woman.

5. He doesn’t currently have a goal in life. He hasn’t really had one for decades now. He just wants to live (well, he’s a vampire, he doesn’t really live, but you know what I mean), have fun and indulge in all the fantasies world has to offer.

[sim-berry]

Reminders for the upcoming TS4 update!

Simmers, the new expansion pack For Rent comes out on December 7th and as we all know, big updates can mess with your game especially if you use mods. I've learned my lesson from the last few updates and I'd like to give some suggestions to help!

Note: I use the EA App for Sims 4, on a Windows computer. The methods I describe here will probably not apply to MAC users. I also don't know if these work for pirated games so just be careful!

-BACK UP YOUR SAVES. Just in case your save gets corrupted or the update somehow manages to lose your saves (this has happened to me- after the update, my saves were gone). Here's what I do:

Navigate to your "Sims 4" folder. In my case it's Documents>Electronic Arts>Sims 4.

Find your "saves" folder and right-click to copy it.

Paste your copy of your saves folder to your desktop (some people paste to their external hard drive as well, but I'm not sure how to do this)

Right click on your copy to rename it. It's a good idea to write the date on which you copied your folder. Here's my current backup:

Your saves are now backed up! If you lose your files in the game or they become corrupted, open up your backup folder, then select and copy all the files in the folder and then paste them into your actual saves folder. Your saves will then be restored! You should do this every so often just in case. I try and back up my saves once a month.

-Turn off automatic updates. This way you can choose when to update your game. I personally wait until mod creators start updating their mods and then update the game.

Open the EA App and head to your settings, then the "downloads" tab.

Turn off the "update games automatically" option.

When you're ready, update the game and enjoy!

-Follow mod creators on social media. If you use mods, it's a good idea to keep up with updates and what the creators are up to. When there's a huge Sims update, many mods (especially script mods) tend to break and need to be updated by the creators. Keeping up with them allows you to see what their plans are for updating the mods. Creators use many different platforms, but from what I've seen most tend to use Tumblr, Patreon, and Twitter/X to post updates. If I find a mod I really like, I always follow the creator. They also deserve tons of support for their amazing work!

-Know which mods are broken and updated. In addition to following mod creators, there are multiple threads that log all mods with each update. They tell us which mods are broken, which are updated, and which were unaffected by the update. If you're experiencing a glitch with a mod, you can report it on these threads. Here are examples of threads from previous updates:

Always check these before writing to an official Sims/EA forum about a glitch. If you use script mods, the bugs you're experiencing will most likely be from these mods. Also, if you use UI mods like UI Cheats, don't freak out if your UI looks like this:

Your game isn't corrupted, the mod is just outdated. UI Cheats almost always breaks after a big update. The creator of UI Cheats updates frequently, so make sure to check up on their Patreon page.

-Check in with the community if you have a bug. The Sims Forums, r/Sims4 on Reddit, and Simblr are good places to go if you have a question about a bug you're having. r/Sims4 was a lifesaver for everyone who had the dreaded tooth glitch in Growing Together. If you're having a non-mod related bug, chances are others are having it too, so don't feel afraid to ask!

I hope this helps some of my fellow simmers. Good luck with the new update and pack, I can't wait to see how my favorite Simblrs use it in their stories and gameplays!💖

[anamoon63]

Sims Get To Know Me

Thank you @simsdastra and @nocturnalazure for the tag 🤗❤️

What’s your favorite Sims death?

None. My gameplay rule number 1: nobody dies. Ever.

Alpha CC or MaxisMatch?

I'm not quite sure if I understand what Maxis Match and Alpha mean, I just download the CC that is to my taste and anything that goes with my sims style.

Do you cheat your sims weight?

Yes, I have a mod that makes the sims keep their shape, because most of them are part of my stories and need to stay in their character. Though just like real life people, my sims come in all shapes and sizes.

Do you move objects?

A lot, especially when I'm taking pictures for my stories.

Favorite Mod?

For Sims 3, all the Nraas mods, as well as any mod to get rid of the silly faces the sims make when they're idle. I wish there was something that actually cancelled the autonomy, but I haven't seen anything like that so far. For Sims 4, Basemental and Wonderful (not Wicked) Whims are a must. Good Lighting Mods are essential too, for both S3 and S4.

First Expansion/Game Pack/Stuff Pack?

For The Sims it must've been Hot Date; for Sims 2 it was University; for Sims 3, I think it was High End Loft Stuff, and for Sims 4, it was Get to Work.

Do you pronounce live mode like aLIVE or LIVing?

aLive (like 'hey, we're going live' now'. Like when I yell "Action!" and start taking pictures for my story posts.

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

I don't really have a favorite as I love them all. Plus, i have very few sims made by me since most of them were born in game. Now If I had to choose a favorite sim that I made from scratch, it would be a tie between Winston Casanova, Karen Valentine, Felix Ferdinand and (naturally) Robin Crane. Sorry, I can't decide myself, like I said, I love them all! 😄

Have you made a simself?

No, but I used to have a Sims 2 simself, it wasn't made by me, but by someone from the forum I was on in those days (circa 2004).

Which is your favorite EA hair color?

For The Sims 3 any color, for The Sims 4 I use black hair a lot.

Favorite EA hair?

All Banged up (Sims 3 Store), cause for a long time it was the official hair of my sim Tony Langerak (Tony Langerak's World Adventures). I also like some of the hair in the Supernatural EP, with the appropriate retextures, of course.

Favorite life stage?

I have no favorite; I play with all of them. But at the moment I'm playing more with young adults and adults.

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

Gameplay, mostly because I'm not good at building. I've never built anything in The Sims 3, and The Sims 4's build mode gets on my nerves, so I don't touch it. In The Sims 2 I used to build and upload my houses and community lots like bars and dorms. Those were the days!

Are you a CC creator?

I started creating cc when I was playing The Sims 2, recolors mostly. I was just starting out when The Sims 3 was released, and no one was interested in my content anymore. I would make CC for the Sims 3 but so much time passed that I forgot how to use Photoshop and all the tricks I had learned to paste textures, etc. I would like to relearn to create something in The Sims 4, but now I don't have as much time as I used to, and I prefer to use the little time I have to take pics and advance my stories.

Do you have any Simblr friends or a Sim Squad?

A squad unfortunately no, but I have my mutuals. I hope someday we can form a club, or a chat, or something where I can communicate more with them. Again, if only I have the time...

Do you have any sims merch?

No.

Do you have a YouTube for sims?

No. I would have liked to have a Let's Play back in the day, I would have had fun and I would have probably amused other simmers, but now I don't know if I would dare, I'm too self-conscious and a bit too old for that.

How has your "Sims style" changed throughout your years of playing?

I started playing privately and "writing" my stories only in my head, then I started taking photos and sharing my stories, that's how I got started as a storyteller. My stories were quite popular on the forum I was on, with way many more views than I have now. Later, with Sims 3 times I created my Blogger and for a while I just uploaded my sims, shared sims memories and made tutorials. Then along came Tumblr and, from creating sims and helping others with their games, I became a storyteller again. (Calling myself a "writer" would be too much, as English is not my native language). I would really like to write and share more polished and structured stories, but I don't have the time and/or privacy nowadays to create the kind of stories I have in mind. In short, I no longer have time to write the intricate stories with lots of different characters and lots of drama that I used to write back in the Sims 2 days. nowadays my "sim style" has been reduced to sharing gameplay and the occasional story post. (If you can call that a style).

What's your origin id?

AnaMoon63 Like my Tumblr url, but with capital initials. ;)

Who’s your favorite CC creator?

Wow, that's a tough one. There are so many! You can check My Favorites Sites list on my old blog home page here. It sure doesn't mention all the wonderful creators that have been added to my sim universe since I wrote that list. And some of the cc creators from The Sims 4 are missing. I promise to update it soon on my new blog!

How long have you had Simblr?

My first Tumblr post I made on August 8, 2013, almost ten years ago!

How do you edit your pictures?

I find Reshade or whatever-other-shade too invasive and complicated, so I use a photo editor called Photoscape X Pro to (try to) enhance my pics a little, though I don't know a thing about editing, so I wouldn't call what I do "editing", lol.

What expansion/ gamepack is your favorite?

For The Sims 3, would be World Adventures and Into the Future (in that order) I also love University, Island Paradise, Late Night and Seasons. For The Sims 4, mm, I don't know, probably Snowy Scape. For the Sims 2 it is hard to decide, I love them all, especially University and Open for Business. And for The Sims it was Making Magic.

Like I said, English is not my native language so my apologies if some paragraphs were confusing.

I'm tagging all my mutuals and everybody who reads this! 😊

[withlovefromsimtown]

Get to know you- Sims Style

I got tagged by @12raben & would like to procrastinate cleaning my entire house for Thanksgiving, so here we are.

What’s your favorite Sims death?

Run With Scissors! It was available on the official Sims 2 site wayyy back in the day & is now located Here (link)

Alpha CC or Maxis Match?

Can't it be both? Realistically this is one of those that just doesn't apply to Sims 2, because almost all of the BG hairs are made of alpha panels & so is the lace on the bottom of the BG silk nightgown. But yes to improved & later-EP Maxis textures.

Do you cheat your sims weight?

If I have a specific outfit I want them in, & the outfit doesn't have a fatmorph or has one that breaks through the top/bottom of the outfit, sure. Until the next time I close the game, at least... adding & fixing fatmorphs is stupid easy, resisting the urge to throw out the clothing & create a whole new wardrobe is very hard. Then I'll cheat it back if I remember the next time I load the game.

Do you move objects?

Yes.

Favorite Mod?

ACR (link).

First Expansion/Game Pack/Stuff Pack?

Either Livin' Large or House Party. I wanna say House Party because that was the one that had celebrities come to your house for a good party, right?

Do you pronounce live mode like aLIVE or LIVing?

I've actually never said the words "live mode" out loud. I could see both being accurate. aLIVE. Like "go live" in software terms, they are software that is becoming operational. Or LIVing... Build/Buy/Live, as the actions that you as the player are taking in the game. I would probably swap back & forth if I was ever forced to talk about it using the words "live mode".

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

Oh nooo... I don't often make my own Sims, but use premades or recreations of Sims from different games... so... Goopy Gilscarbo.

Have you made a simself?

Yep! Sim-Me helps facilitate photoshoots in games that I'm playing, since my house is located outside of time in terms of the game. (Any unpaused action while there is another playable Sim on the 111 Lifa Lane lot is not saved lol). I also like to play around in my Sim house to figure out redecorating & rearranging ideas for my IRL house.

Which is your favorite EA hair color?

(sarcasm) Piss Yellow. (/sarcasm) For real though I like Pooklet colors.

Favorite EA hair?

M&G stupid anime hair lol. Although I also like a few of the store hairs (link)

Favorite life stage?

Everything but Baby. I'm so glad that Baby only lasts a day in the unmodded game, they're little screaming larval annoyances. I love the little mischievous things that the Toddlers can get into, like playing in the toilet, hugging the pets, & stealing bottles from their siblings. I think the Child anims for everyday activities are sooo cute, like when they whip out the step stool to put away dishes or brush their teeth, or sitting on books to play Chess. Teen Wants can be a bit annoying but they're chaotic in a fun way, like sliding down the stair rails & playing on the fridge door. YA is a good age stage even if college is kinda tedious, specifically because they're super resilient & have a ton of freedom & very few responsibilities. Adult, well, that's most of the game, isn't it? If I hated Adults I probably never would've played at all. Elders, even when retired, can be really sweet especially if you have them in close friendships & group homes - it can be pretty chill to hang out in the retirement home lot for an afternoon watching Sims play Myshuno & Mahjong.

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

Both!

Are you a CC creator?

...If I said "no" would literally anyone here believe me? (Yes. Yes I am.)

Do you have any Simblr friends or a Sim Squad?

Sure do!

Do you have any sims merch?

Official merch? No.

Do you have a YouTube for sims?

I've thought about making one, & have been asked to make one... but not currently no.

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

I'm more into making neutral & basic things now; I used to be VERY Hot Topic type of vibes. I mean, I still am that way, but most of my Sims are normies because for the most part it doesn't make sense to park Grandpa in the goth club in all of the old ClubCrimsyn outfits, ya know?

Who’s your favorite CC creator?

There are so many it would be hard to list them all! Just the fact that everyone who currently creates CC is still around making things for this ancient game is amazing to me.

How long have you had Simblr?

Over 10 years? I think I got on Tumblr in like 2010 or so, & it was specifically to publicly post gameplay pics to a small group of friends.

How do you edit your pictures?

I crop it in Photoshop & then slap text on it. You've seen my CC preview pics, I'm not doing anything fancy.

What expansion/ gamepack is your favorite?

Nightlife! I mean, come on... Spooky haunted house, vampires, cars, bowling, karaoke, restaurants, & ALSO the goth club? Sign me up.

Tagging: No tags just vibes, if you feel up to it you can join in the fun.

[papermint-airplane]

Get to Know Me - Sims Edition

If you saw me accidentally post this before I filled it out and had to private it really quick, no you didn't. 😚

Thank you for the tag, @simsdastra! ❤️

What’s your favorite Sims death?

In Sims 2, the satellite death and death by flies. I used those constantly.

In Sims 3, the meteor death (obviously) and the time sickness death. The meteor one because of how devastating it is while still making your surviving Sims a shit load of money and the time sickness one for how existentially horrifying it is. You just get Marty McFly'd right out of reality! 😱 I haven't had a Sim die that way when it wasn't on purpose and I'm willing to bet not many other Simmers have either. It's a pretty rare death.

In Sims 4, it's the pufferfish death and the Rabid Rodent Fever death. So visceral and mildly disturbing! When Sims 4 gets it right, it gets it right!

Alpha CC or MaxisMatch?

Alpha hair in Sims 3 because it's an absolute necessity, but I don't mind most of the EA clothes so I guess that's Maxis Mix?

When I played Sims 4, I was Maxis Match all the way except when it came to makeup and skin details.

Do you cheat your sims weight?

Not as much as I cheat their muscle slider. I find it preposterous that a Sim with no muscle definiton can go for one jog and come back shredded. I am constantly cheating their muscle mass back down to a more realistic level.

Do you move objects?

Of course, how do you live without that? In fact, I even have a button on my gaming mouse programmed to it.

Favorite Mod?

The transmogfrifer mod by icarus_allsorts and the stencil remover by velocity grass. I use these so much, I forget they're not naturally in the game.

First Expansion/Game Pack/Stuff Pack?

Like, the first one ever? Sims 2 University. I played Sims 1 back in the day but I never had a single expansion pack for it. I didn't even know what expansion packs were until Sims 2.

Do you pronounce live mode like aLIVE or LIVing

Both. 🫣 I don't know which way is the "official" way, so I just alternate my pronunciation depending on what feels right at the time.

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

Aiden. 👽

Have you made a simself?

Many times! I've had Simselves in Sims 2, Sims 3, and Sims 4.

Which is your favorite EA hair color?

In Sims 3, you don't have to use swatches for hair so I almost never use the premade ones. However, there is a nice deep reddish brown that I quite like. I use it as a base frequently.

Favorite EA hair?

Most of the Sims 3 EA hairs are horrible even with retextures, so...none lol.

Favorite life stage?

I'm gonna be boring and say YA. 🤷‍♀️

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

Gameplay. I can't build to save my life.

Are you a CC creator?

No, I want to make CC but I have no artistic talent and I wouldn't even know where to start.

Do you have any Simblr friends or a Sim Squad?

I do not know what a Sim Squad is but I do have Simblr friends! And Sims Reddit friends.

Do you have any sims merch?

No but I did once make a bunch of tiny resin plumbobs.

Do you have a YouTube for sims?

Haha no, I do not have the time or face for YouTube.

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

It hasn't changed that much, honestly. I am a bit more story-focused and a lot less murder-y, but that's about it. For the most part, I still have attention span issues and tend to start a lot of new saves lmao.

What’s your origin id?

Rabbitmancer. You can add me if you want but I almost never turn the online features on in game so it doesn't really do anything.

Who’s your favorite CC creator?

@aroundthesims, no question about it. ATS has literally everything and I have downloaded all of it. 😱

How long have you had simblr?

About...a year? I don't actually know. I've been on Tumblr in the past, though I left around 2015-2016, but I never dove into the Simblr community. @happy-lemon talked me into starting a Simblr and I'm so glad she did!

How do you edit your pictures?

I don't edit my pictures all that often because I do not know what I'm doing. I use ReShade and if I need to make minor edits, I'll do so in Paint.NET like a pleb.

What expansion/ gamepack is your favorite?

Sims 2: Open For Business. In fact, it's my favorite expansion of all time.

Sims 3: It changes often but it's Ambitions right now. There's so much in Sims 3 to love!

Sims 4: Uh... I plead the fifth. 😑

I am tagging @happy-lemon, @oasislandingresident, @spaceapples98, @bool-prop, @hazely-sims (lol if I'm the millionth person to tag you again, disregard), @camisulsul, @sim-songs, @ninjaofthepurplethings, @neillesimstories, and @autonomousllama, as well as anyone else who wants to do it and hasn't yet.

[rainymoodlet]

— hiatus announcement! 🌧️

ft. congratulations to rangi kealoha, my beautiful randomly-generated boy and the only sim of mine (besides steven) who will ever graduate uni because omg now i understand why you all hate it

but yes, i’m sorry to say but after my little period of silence i thought i’d make an official announcement! i’ve lost a good amount of followers and i don’t want to seem like i’ve just disappeared on you guys 😅 i wanted to apologize to everyone who i’ve ghosted and not very much talked to or interacted with lately: seasonal depression and Life™️ have hit me with the effect of a very reclusive solitude.

for those wondering about kiss me in komorebi: it is still happening. i am still highly motivated and excited to get the show on the road, but until i am able to move, i don’t have a way of playing that satisfies what i want to do with this challenge/story. (the above pic is the first in-game picture i’ve posted since The Laptop Use began and i edited the everloving hell out of it) i’m announcing my hiatus officially to explain why i’m not around as much, but letting y’all know that i am definitely coming back!

i will say that i have a few casual gp posts queued up because the hadleys have really reawoken my enjoyment of simply playing the game to play it!! 🌧️ be prepared for a lot of laptop mode-quality pics 😎💪

i also just want to end this by thanking you all for your ceaseless patience and kindness. i joined simblr, idek… like eight months ago, or something like that, and the people i’ve met are some of the kindest i’ve ever met online (and that’s saying something! i’ve been Online forever) — i can’t wait to get to a better place and come back to y’all with plenty of energy! 💛

i love y’all, and see you soon 💛🌧️ oh, and if you’re a mut and you’d like my discord, hmu babey!! 🤙

[theageofsims]

So... it's been a long while since I've worked on a Sim in more than one sitting, but it had to happen. It actually happened back in early October, but I wanted to work on him a little bit more and I most likely will continue to (as much as I can, at least).

I don't know what kind of gameplay my man Everett is going to have, but he most likely will end up in my The Age of Sim save just so I can keep an eye on him, but also because I may have a storyline for him. I knew I always wanted a scientist (got one!), a doctor (got one!) and a detective (got one!) in my story all these years... but now I may want an (secret) Agent in there (though I'm not sure as any story has to connect, in a way, with William in The Age of Sim).

For those that don't know, I've gone completely Black Panther crazy since October and I officially declared this dude my most favorite movie character second to Indiana Jones, overall and as far as dudes go.

So -- officially meet Agent Everett Kenneth Ross from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. I posted him a couple of times over the past few months, but nothing reoccuring.

I like to document my progress when I'm making Sims based off of characters, so I put images side to side. Let's see how I'm doing so far...

Version 1

His hair isn't exactly what it could be, but I kind of like it anyway -- though another character in my story already has this hair cut except it's in blonde (but his name is Kenneth and he's a detective...)

Anyway, it's never just about the hair...

Tonight I found time to work on his eyebrows a bit and his chin (because how did I not notice the dimple in his chin from months and months ago? It's a learning curve thank you @fuzzysebastianstan for assisting me on Martin Freeman's face -- I have said it 10 times already, but you are seriously doing the lord's work)... and I adjusted his profile a bit.

I almost feel like there's an ear tilt slider somewhere out there in Sims land that I never knew I needed... until now. His ears have a personality of their own -- but more on that later.

His nose needs some work, but I'm afraid to change it at the moment because I fear it'll take away stuff I don't want taken away... but there'll come a time where I'll just take the plunge (especially if I'm progressing in my storytelling and I need him to jump in!)

I'm also not sure about the hair... seems more like his speed, but... I don't know. I may actually bring the texture into photoshop and do with his hair what I did to William's goatee and beard (which was literally take the colors right out of Harrison Ford's beard/goatee since William is based off of a HF character) -- but... do I really want to do that again? Right now I don't, but the next time I'm in the mood to work on Everett? It just may come down to that -- but I may just leave it as is...

After doing all that I just said I brought him into my little photo studio and rotated the camera until I felt tipsy -- his second photoshoot.

Version 2

First of all -- never had a Sim feel so excited to be inside a room with white walls and cement flooring, with glaring and blasting white lights all around it... until Everett Ross. Bless his whole heart!

The hilarious bit is I didn't even use a pose on him for him to smile like that... he just did it all by himself because he's out there trying to get into true pixel-dude form -- once again, bless his whole heart.

So yeah -- I guess for those who have been rocking with me on my simblr since 2017... you know how I am... you know how I get... you know this is what I do from time to time.

[petrolstationflowers]

Get to Know Me- Sims Style

@treason-and-plot tagged me, thank you so much!!

What’s your favorite Sims death?

I honestly hate the deaths because everyone cries and it makes me really sad ):

Alpha CC or MaxisMatch?

So I had to google what this was because I am Old tm so... bearing in mind I don't play TS4, I think I have to say MaxisMatch? I'm not using a super powerful PC and I don't like my sims looking hyper realistic. That being said, I do use a LOT of cc hair because the textures and colour blending tends to be much better.

Do you cheat your sims weight?

Nope! I take them as they come but may slim them down again with the gym when I can.

Do you move objects?

Yeah... I get frustrated when I can't put decorative objects in slots where there's very obviously space for them so I abuse it horribly.

Favourite Mod?

I mean I have a TON but tbh NRaas Story Progression was a total gamechanger back in the day and fixed the shitty EA Story Progression that still doesn't work.

First Expansion/Game Pack/Stuff Pack?

The Sims! I recently found the discs again, they came in a pack with my family's first computer (:

Do you pronounce live mode like aLIVE or LIVing

What oh god oh fuck the CRISIS I had thinking about this. LIVe mode.

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

It's probably this bitch:

Have you made a simself?

Nope! I actually have always felt really weird about them so I've never done it.

Which is your favorite EA hair color?

The bright flaming red, I'm a sucker for redheads.

Favorite EA hair?

Pretty much anything that came with Island Paradise, those are the few I haven't swapped for default replacements.

Favorite life stage?

Teen! I feel like it's when their personalities really start coming out.

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

Gameplay; I do like building but I'm not amazing at it.

Are you a CC creator?

Yes! I'm very slow but I try.

Do you have any Simblr friends or a Sim Squad?

Not at the moment but I'd love to make some!

Do you have any sims merch?

Not official; I have a plumbbob necklace and earrings from Etsy. Other than that, just hard copies of the games and the poster from the anniversary edition of Ambitions.

Do you have a YouTube for sims?

Nope.

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

I don't think it really has tbh. I'm always trying to improve though.

What’s your origin id?

Oh god what even is that... looks like it's CeriseLaflamme.

Who’s your favorite CC creator?

Ooooh.... TheSweetSimmer for their excellent toddler and QOL mods! MaryJaneSims also does the best default hair replacements, too.

How long have you had simblr?

Uh, Stan's stuff only this year, but I've been posting on WordPress etc since 2012.

How do you edit your pictures?

The default image editor I have on my PC.

What expansion/ gamepack is your favorite?

All of them, tbh, they all have a special place in my heart. Maybe Seasons?

Tagging @hazely-sims, @hurricanesims, @sircesimblr. @starsweeperskies, and @faeriefrolic!

[jbabblescc]

Sims Tag!!

1. What’s your favorite sims death? Honestly, the hamster one is the one that always gets me. Such a way…

2. Alpha CC or Maxis Match? I do mix a lot but it definitely depends on the project I am doing and if it will work with it.

3. Do you cheat when your sims gain weight? My sims are all different shapes and sizes and I love it. They will only change if they get the moodlet of body insecurity (mod). 

 4. Do you use move objects? What is life even like without it? Too spacious for my liking haha 

5. Favorite mod? MCC  & Wonderful Whims are my two i cannot choose between.

 6. First expansion/game/stuff pack you got? Pretty sure it was the first pack to ever come out (usually am on top of getting the packs) so Get to work?

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

8. Who’s your favorite sim that you’ve made? My favorite of all time is Nora Knott, She’s a sim created for my “Thorns Of Time” Story and shes just so cute and her personality in the story makes me just trying to replicate it in game. You’ll see her often in my pose packs too cuz I love her.

9. Have you made a simself? Oh yes! I have a simself legacy I casually play through. I had one before that made it 5 generations in.

10. What sim traits do you give yourself? Creative, Ambitious, maker

 11. Which is your favorite EA hair color? Red/ginger

12. Favorite EA hair? The High school years pinned back hair with the face-framing hairs out

 13. Favorite life stage? Young-adult.  

14. Are you a builder or are you in it for the gameplay? I would say i am a builder and a storyteller in the game. The gameplay usually turns into a story and I cant ever stop.

 15. Are you a CC creator? I guess you could say I am now, a newly starting Pose creator if it wasn't for my mentor and  Bestie @katverse who always encourages me <3

16. Do you have any simblr friends/a sim squad? I have a small select group of go to sim pals that I talk to on FB and Discord. My closest friend I made because of sims would be @katverse who I always love talking sims with (And real life too). 

 17. What’s your favorite game? (1, 2, 3, or 4) Sims 3 always had so much to do! 

18. Do you have any sims merch? I actually have created a few sims items. I made stickers and a sims notebook (on Amazon) and am working on a few other things too! As for purchasing anything official (I do not) I do recall a time i had a sims USB stick that was shaped like a plumbob

19. Do you have a YouTube for sims? I have one for gaming but its super small and mainly has sims lo fi videos right now.

 20. How has your “sim style” changed throughout your years of playing? I used to make my sims super realistic with all the alpha cc and their homes but now I am a bit more relaxed and kinda prefer the cartoony look

21. What’s your Origin ID?Jbabbles

22. Who’s your favorite CC creator? Senate I believe is one of my quick grabs for CC

 23. How long have you had a simblr? Recently this year actually

 24.How do you edit your pictures? Simple tweaking in photoshop/canva/procreate

25. What expansion/game/stuff pack do you want next? Would like more jobs that can be interactive

 26. What expansion/game/stuff pack is your favorite so far? High school years was very fun for me

I tag [I dont have a lot of friends to tag for this on tumblr but I would love to see others answers! So feel free to try! 

[mystelise]

So, 6 months huh? Took these back in Feb and just wanted to share the cuteness. Anyway... during those 6 months I came to the decision to say "See ya later, Simblr". I don't even remember the last time I opened the sims, and I'm so far behind in updates it'd make your asses dizzy.

I don't see a reason to come back, I really just don't want to, and I lost interest in the sims. There's nothing here for me anymore anyway.

My focus has shifted to my mom + her health and other games. But I figured the people who actually gave a shit deserved to know my choice and that I'm ok.

That being said, thank you to all those who showed me kindness.

I won't be answering any WCIF because I don't even remember any CC I used tbh. Sorry!

Consider me officially inactive.

✌

[ironicscavenger]

Hello guys, lots to tell you. I know I’ve pretty much been gone, but there’s a good reason for it. The last month was intense as it was my final month of internships. I still got a few more things to do until next week, but everything is pretty much wrapped up. I can’t believe it, but yes, I am almost ready to graduate. And these last two days have been all about moving out of my apartment, so that’s what my time has gone toward. But now it should be a bit quieter. I am going back to my parent’s home until I can officially get my degree and get a proper job in the field, and in the meantime, I’ll see what I can do, probably work with my dad part time and some sort of internship, even if they won’t pay me, so I can get some practice. I have an idea of what I want to do, so we’ll see what happens. In the next few months until graduation, I will probably be more free to work on some simblr stuff, but who knows. Anyway, sorry I’ve been gone, this was more time consuming than I thought, but it was my priority. Thanks for sticking around and not unfollowing me, I know I keep giving out excuses, but we all know real life comes first. Hope you guys are well!!

[wildlyminiaturesandwich]

Why I left the EA Game Changer Program

Judging by the state of my inbox, a lot of you want to know what happened that lead to me leaving the Game Changer program and I was gonna write up a MASSIVE text post about it — I still might one day — but honestly... I’m not sure if I could be bothered right now. A lot of things happened, big things and small things, public things and things that took place in the Discord and DMs; all of it absolute bullshit but none of it is anything I want to continue to deal with, which is why I left.

This post still turned out to be quite long so I’m gonna put it under a cut, but if you’re expecting ALL the juicy details, this isn’t it. This is a couple of the major issues but it’s just the tip of the iceberg.

So let me just say, most of the issues can be boiled down to how the program was managed. The program has been slowly declining since SimGuruDrake left and the Community Manager role has kept changing. Say what you want about Drake and her attitude but she was damn good at her job and none of the crap that certain “high value” Game Changers have gotten away with in the past few years would have ever happened on her watch. But I can honestly say the newest Community Manager has been the worst so far.

(I mean, it’s been 5 days since I told him I was leaving the program and he hasn’t replied. I doubt he ever will. I am not surprised, I’m not even disappointed; I’m just annoyed that I was right because this isn’t the first time he’s ignored DMs and I wasn’t expecting any different this time)

Need some examples? We were told in no uncertain terms by the CM that only “High Value” creators (meaning a select group of Youtubers) would ever be given opportunities such as paid sponsorships, event invites and the like because they alone were worth the investment. He also told us that the Game Changer program has “nothing to do with the community”, which is a stark contrast to what most of us were told by the previous CMs and the reason some of us joined the program. And every single time myself and a few other Simblr Game Changers bought up concerns in the Discord about certain things (eg. racism within the program, favouritism, “high value” Game Changers bullying smaller ones, Game Changers acting inappropriately or taking advantage of their titles/power, the insane amount of stress put on us to produce content within such a tight timeframe for early access) we were either told “this isn’t the place to discuss this”, told to “calm down” when we were speaking politely, told to shut up and warned that if we kept going we’d be punished, or just flat out ignored and spoken over.

There were even several occasions where a certain group of GCs (some of whom were mods in the Discord) would provoke one particular Simblr because they knew she would only put up with so much before she would get angry and they hoped she would eventually say something to get herself kicked out. But every single time this happened, the Simblr was the one who was warned that if she kept being “aggressive” she’d be removed from the program. It’s gotten so bad that there are people who are actually scared to speak at all in the Discord because they’re afraid they’ll be removed from the program for having a difference of opinion or not agreeing with the “High Value” people. Honestly, if people knew even half of what was said within that Discord, if they knew how some of their faves behaved behind “closed doors”, they’d be even more disappoint than I am.

So, in conclusion, if you’re a Simblr and you are thinking about joining the program next time applications are open (if they ever are)... Don’t. They don’t care about us, they don’t view us as equals within the community even though Simblrs provide 90% of the CC and mods they use in their games; they never have and they never will. Simblrs have been part of the program for over 3 years and they still don’t even have a way for us to submit our early access content to EA (we have to DM it to the CM who no doubt just ignores it) or accurately measure our ROI, even though several of us have given the CM literal novels worth of information on how it could be done. The only way Simblr GCs have ever been acknowledged was if they started a Youtube channel or collaborated with one of the “high value” creators. Ever seen a single Simblr at an EA event, get a paid sponsorship or even simply get mentioned in a Sims official Twitter tweet? No. Why? They. Don’t. Care. About. Us. 

Honestly, if I knew back then what I know now, I never would have applied for the program in the first place. I could have saved myself years of stress, anxiety, sleepless nights, and tears.

But, if I keep going this is gonna turn into even more of a rant than it already has and that’s not what I want. I just want to wake up every morning not dreading what nonsense is happening in that Discord and how much trouble I’m going to get into for speaking up for those who are too scared. I want to enjoy my favourite game again. I want to enjoy making CC again. I want to feel like a part of THIS community again. Simblr is where I started and where I grew, and though it sometimes can be tough to be here, it’s my home.

Simblrs are just as valuable and important as any other part of the Sims community and no one can take that away from us, not even EA/Maxis.

Just a few things to add...

I have nothing against the “high value” people or any Youtubers. They are just taking advantage of the opportunities given to them, as anyone in their position would. The issue I have is that it’s always them and no one else, but I don’t blame them for that because that’s not their fault.

I’m not going to name names. Sorry, I know some of you want to avoid supporting the people I mentioned being bullies but I left the program to get away from the bullshit and if I name names those people and their fans will come after me and I got enough of that in the GC Discord.

I will still be buying new packs. I love The Sims 4, no matter how much the management sucks, and I’m going to continue to play it because it helps me deal. Even before I became a Game Changer my FAQs page has always said “EA could literally announce a pack called something stupid like ‘Plant  Life’ with just a single ugly little pot plant in it and I would pay  whatever they ask”. If you choose not to support the game anymore that’s great and that’s your right to do so, but please don’t give out to me for wanting to continue to do one of the only things that makes me happy.

I will still be doing reviews of new packs. Just because I’m no longer part of the program doesn’t mean I won’t be giving my opinions of new packs, nor does it mean my reviews are going to change. My reviews have always been my 100% honest opinion and that won’t change. The only difference now will be I don’t get early access so my reviews won’t be up until after the pack releases, but on the plus side, I also won’t have to deprive myself of sleep and run myself into the ground to review an entire pack in less than 24 hours like I had to do many times with early access.

Saying “I told you so” is not helpful at all. I was aware from the start that Game Changers were free marketing, I’m not an idiot. I was just naive enough to think that they treated everyone the same within the program.

I stayed for as long as I did because I was stupid enough to think I could help change things. I thought adding my voice to the ones already trying to change things (who are still there trying now) that together we might be able to light a fire under the CM’s butt and get some changes happening to make the whole program more friendly towards creators from ALL platforms but it’s literally like banging your head against a brick wall. Nothing is ever going to change because they don’t want it to, but hats off to the few people still in there trying; they have way more patience and sanity than I do.

Not all the Gurus are bad. In fact most of them are really great, super friendly and treat everyone equally within the whole community; you only have to go to one of their live streams (on their personal Twitch channels, not the Sims official one) to see that. It’s mostly just the CM who I was referring to in this post.

It’s now been TWO MONTHS and SimGuruFrost never got back to me. I am no longer able to log into the Game Changer Network (the site we use to opt in to opportunities for upcoming games and DLC packs) so my credentials have officially been revoked but the CM hasn’t said a word to me. Even though I know for a fact when other people have asked to be removed from the program he practically begged them to “just take a break and then come back when you’re ready”. Just goes to show, standing up for people and fighting for what’s right will get you nowhere within the program; all they want are yes men.

[empiredesimparte]

Foreword: After a few weeks I finally took the time to reach your request dear Anon, I hope it will be useful to you. I advise you to read (or come back to) the tutorial of our famous De Villiers which is quite complete! Here are my personal priorities, what goes through my head when I take / prepare a screenshot.

My computer equipment is : - Intel® Core™ i7-9750H CPU @ 2.60GHz - RAM : 32 Go (16 at the beginning, I added some more) - Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 Ti This allows me to play in "Ultra" graphics + some reshades... which helps for the quality of the rendering.

- My tips for screenshots -

> "WRITING LIKE A FILM"

When I go into camera mode, I project myself into the shoes of a cameraman on a film set. Or a photographer in terms of portraits, etc.

It's all about intention, and the choice of your angle of view is the means to achieve your intention.

Here (Image A), it's a point of view with its back to the characters. It is an intention:

From the camera's perspective ("zoom out", image B), we can see that the first screen (A) was from the point of view of the approaching curious princess.

Notes :

There is a play of depth in the shot (a little badly done I admit) : the over-framing of the door, the princess, the sofa where we are talking and finally the background (4).

Ideally, you should have at least 3 levels of depth to give a realistic impression. More if you want to show the grandeur of a setting like a castle.

In my opinion, we must strive to find intentions in the screens. You have to see it as a kind of writing of the image.

Sometimes I don't necessarily have a clear idea when I shoot a scene, so I take the scene from absolutely every angle. Then comes a big sorting moment lasting several dozen minutes, where I observe the screens meticulously.

Don't hesitate to multiply the angles of view with different poses. This will give you more storytelling possibilities! Bring your camera closer to yours characters, for example, by positioning yourself over his/her shoulder.

> THE SETTING

The thing that takes me the longest to prepare for a shot is the placement of the objects/architecture. This is what creates the depth of field. I would advise you to take references to furnish your rooms, and take the time to test the screenshots during construction if you have TwistedMexi's Buildmod Freecam.

In the Tuileries Palace (Image C), I'm trying to create a more or less parallel setting with my Sims in the centre to give it a "French style" in reference to our dear Louis XIV.

For a nature holiday, nature and scenery invade the Sims, with a slight asymmetry (Image D).

Notes :

Present the screenshots from the most general shot, which sets the scene (e.g. a building), to the most specific (e.g. with a close-up on your sims). Or vice versa! This sets the mood for your scene.

I try to use as much natural light from outside as possible, even through the windows. But some people do completely artificial lighting :)

Avoid showing the white ceilings of the base game and unworked scenery... This disturbs the immersion, especially during a BTS. In movies or IRL, especially during a conversation, it is rare to see the ceiling or the floor.

Sometimes "show" is enough to describe a mood, a relationship or an action. In this case, the setting or close-ups can be very important without the characters speaking. For example, in image D, this screenshot can sum up the atmosphere of a whole weekend's holiday, without adding to it.

> YOUR COMPUTER SCREEN AND POST-PROCESSING

For Tumblr, consider the size of your computer screen when decorating. Because your screenshots will take the shape of your screen. As you can see, I have two computer screens: one more square (Images A & B) and one very horizontal (Images C & D).

My sims are naturally more discreet in my horizontal format, which is a landscape format. Whereas the square screen displays the sims better as it is closer to the portrait / small screen format.

You can adjust the format of your screens by cropping your shots with a software (some use Photoshop... I only use the Windows image gallery for my part, or the Pixelr site which is free).

For my last portrait (Image E), I had to crop to portrait size (Image F below). Otherwise my emperor is too much crushed by the background.

Further down, I took a closer screen, zoomed in (Image G). Result: considerable gain in sharpness. Cropping can cause a loss of sharpness, you have to be careful not to abuse it.

> CURIOSITY IS WELCOME EVEN FOR SCREENSHOTS

My main advice is to look with interest at the work of simblr that you like, but also at official films or portraits etc. Understand the intentions and the means used to achieve them. Informed work always makes a difference in terms of quality of rendering. When I like a post, I always take several readings and re-readings of the means used. There is a lot of creativity! There's no shame in taking inspiration from other creators (in Tumblr or outside Tumblr), it's the best way to forge your own style.

Mind you, I'm not talking about comparing yourself to others. Inspiration is an element of curiosity, not comparison, it shouldn't make you feel bad. Nor should it lead you to plagiarize.

> COLOURS IN THE SCREENSHOT

When I set up a set and dress my sims, I pay attention to the colours given to each of them. The colours are also a way to emphasize an intention (colour symbolism), or/and to bring balance to your screenshot.

It's a soft and bright family picture with green/blue/beige colours (Image H). A bright colour would have brought a certain imbalance, either on the sims or the decor.

Bad editing to illustrate! (Image I) It seems a bit obvious when we talk about it here like this, but colour harmony is subtle and sometimes a bit forgotten. Breaking the harmony can be an intention of course, but it's still a dosage!