I have Simpotence

[Motoki]

is there really anyone out there that doesn't have custom skins etc for their sims?

*looks in Missdoh's direction* LOL

[Brynne]

The only request I would like to make, if we do decide to go with cc, is that the characters I put up for download on my Yahoo group not be used. Not because I'm a big meanie-head or am ridiculously full of myself, but because I am being careful as to who downloads those guys out of respect for the creators of cc in used in their creation, and don't want to lose sight of that. Plus it would freak me out seeing them when I can't play them LOL. But 99.9% of the reason is the former.

That's it from me.

[Motoki]

Here's my feeling on the custom content, and ya'll can throw tomatoes at me if you disagree.

I say we establish a PRIVATE board, group whatever. Everyone MUST absolutely agree to NOT distribute anything posted on the private site anywhere else. EVER.

It's not that I give a flying fig, but I don't have time for the drama and I am really not up to hunting down a bazillion different creators and begging for permission for something that I consider more for fun and personal use. I also have some content that I've frankensteined from multiple sources or modified myself.

Oh and Brynne, I think we can live without your hunks lol. All the sim women will be dissapointed but they'll manage. Besides you can make new hunks, we're going to put you to work as a sim designer. But I get to design the nannies.

[simmiecal]

Here's my feeling on the custom content, and ya'll can throw tomatoes at me if you disagree.

I say we establish a PRIVATE board, group whatever. Everyone MUST absolutely agree to NOT distribute anything posted on the private site anywhere else. EVER.

It's not that I give a flying fig, but I don't have time for the drama and I am really not up to hunting down a bazillion different creators and begging for permission for something that I consider more for fun and personal use. I also have some content that I've frankensteined from multiple sources or modified myself.

Oh and Brynne, I think we can live without your hunks lol. All the sim women will be dissapointed but they'll manage. Besides you can make new hunks, we're going to put you to work as a sim designer. But I get to design the nannies.

I like this idea. There are a lot more things that I'd share but am so paranoid someone is going to get upset because I didn't realize I had some of their content in it. I'm doing better about keeping track of where I get stuff but still.....

Not to single you out Missdoh, but I only remember you posting about not wanting to use custom content. Is there anyone else out there that wants to participate that doesn't want to use custom content (not mods - but custom content like eyes, skin, hair)?

[Brynne]

Oh and Brynne, I think we can live without your hunks lol. All the sim women will be dissapointed but they'll manage. Besides you can make new hunks, we're going to put you to work as a sim designer. But I get to design the nannies.

Okay, lol. My reasons are the same reasons you stated concerning not wanting to beg for permission. I'm really wanting to remain drama-free, too.

I hope I didn't give any the wrong impression by that request...

[Motoki]

I hope I didn't give any the wrong impression by that request...

No, you didn't. So stop apologizing! :p

[Brynne]

I'm sorry. I won't do it again.

[Issy]

Sorry didnt't mean any disrespect for Missdoh.  I just think that maxis made sims look utterly horrible, so please feel free to throw those tomatoes my way if you feel the need to

I'm up for whatever you guys decide on

[simmiecal]

Okay, lol. My reasons are the same reasons you stated concerning not wanting to beg for permission. I'm really wanting to remain drama-free, too.

I hope I didn't give any the wrong impression by that request...

You know, that's the one thing I keep scratching my head about. I'm new to modding and the sim internet community. I've been really floored at how helpful and generous some people have been. Now that I've actually started using custom content, I can't imagine playing my game without it. BUT, on some sites and some modders have a three paragraph dissertation about "you cannot" do this, do that, or do the other, with "their" creation. I don't get that. If you've created something and want to share it, great. If you don't want it shared, don't post it. I understand the courtesy aspect of acknowledging that something isn't yours and giving credit where you can, but Judas Priest, I have so much content that if I have only one item from a modder amongst the thousands of items I've downloaded, I might not remember where I got. I can of course acknowledge that it's not my own creation which any decent person would do. /rant

But I agree. It's best to try and avoid drama where possible.

[eaglezero]

I was thinking, in terms of custom skins and eyes, if there's a set that everyone can agree on that we like, I can make them into replacments for the defaults. Then we can put them up as an optionally download. Those who want them will have all their sims' skin and eyes replaced with them, those who don't will just have the Maxis skin and eyes, and then we won't have to create our sims with custom skin and eyes and they'll also always work normally with genetics.

For other stuff, maybe we could have a small list of approved custom hair and makeup etc. Those could be optional too but with the disclaimer that if you don't download them you may get some sims showing up with odd hair or makeup and may need to use a mirror to change that.

Personally, if we make such a list I would very much like to put Hairfish's eyelid folds and middle age wrinkles on that list.

Hairfish's eye-fold things are a MUST. My male sims look so stupid without them!

I personally use Lyran's default replacement eyes. They're so pretty. I use her eyeshadow and eyeliner a lot as well. I don't know offhand where most of my custom lipstick comes from, but I think a chunk of it comes from Around the Sims.

And I don't think it would be hard to upload the houses, but I don't know. I think it would be absolutely fine if everyone started off with Maxis stuff, or fine if there was custom content (as long as it's allowed by the creators of said content, and so on). A private board or group does also sound good. If you have a livejournal community, you could set it so that no one could join without the approval of the moderators, and then posts with downloads could be friends-only, so just the people who joined and were approved could get them. Seems a bit easier to me to use livejournal than for someone to set up a whole board for it.

I already explained in a previous comment what I think the easiest way to set all of this up would be, because a shared neighborhood with each person playing one house, or a rotating neighborhood, or any of the other suggestions really seem like logistical nightmares. (And the shared neighborhood with each person playing one house just seems kind of boring to me, as well. It would be just like playing regularly. That's what we're trying to avoid!) That's why I think the little setup + background story + wildcards is a good idea. I don't think it would be that hard (with the use of hacks and mods and simPE, of course) to set it up in a way so you could play a little before uploading without meeting any outside the family characters (because, if I understand correctly, they bring some character data with them into a new neighborhood, which then aggravates overpopulation, and could lead to BFBVFOS issues.)

My previous explanation of what I think the easiest way to do this is here: http://www.moreawesomethanyou.com/smf/index.php?topic=1369.msg47801#msg47801
... In case you somehow read the rest of the thread but missed it.

[Ancient Sim]

I've downloaded the Maple Valley neighbourhood mentioned earlier in this thread and so far it looks quite interesting.  Lots of set-up situations (which is what I like - for some reason I find it hard to deliberately set-up warring families and other negative situations, but I'm quite happy to play them if they're already there) and some interesting characters.  Haven't played it yet, am still correcting DNA and the usual stuff I always do to make sure all the details are as they should be.  I probably spend more time doing that sort of thing than playing the game.

[Sandilou]

Well, the good news is that the next truck arrives next week. Maybe Nightlife will be on it.

Is there any way to make sure that it is there?  Is it possible to get telephone confirmation in advance of the delivery? 

[ZephyrZodiac]

He could, of course, threaten the truck-driver with ripped lips if it isn't!

[LynnMar]

I think I am getting sim impotence too,   I had a family who were moving in slow motion and I had to move them out and back in to fix the problem,  then I looked at my sims and said "what's the point?"   
 Then I just started killing some of them off.    I think I will take away all their maids and hacks and just let them do their thing and see how many die off or get the kids taken away by the social worker.   
  The few sims that I really like,  I am going to put them to sleep in  Numenors'  hibernation chamber.    

[Hairfish]

Personally, if we make such a list I would very much like to put Hairfish's eyelid folds and middle age wrinkles on that list.

ANYTHING on my site can certainly be shared among friends.

[ZephyrZodiac]

LynnMar, why not just put the whole neighbourhood into hibernbation (ie save it elsewhere on your hard drive) then let the game generate a new one?

[Oddysey]

Tad late here, with this whole shared neighborhood thing, but figured I ought to throw out this random idea. Probably a seperate thing, but I'd rather float it here than make a new thread.

You know how there's that series of stories on the TS2 website involving all the moderators, in a BBS based neighborhood? And there's something about making all the moderators as superheroes on MTS2? It would be really, really funny to make sims of the more vocal characters here, and on VS, and put them all in a neighborhood togethor. Maybe set up the initial relationships in SimPE. Rentech would hate everyone, but mostly Pescado and the other MTS2 people, the VS people would all idolize Rentech and hate Pescado, Inge, etc.  We could even have a couple of random idiots (max playful, min nice, max outgoing, min neat) who wandered around annoying people. (Ferret1, Ferret2, and Ferret4, perhaps?) And, of course, we would have to use all FFS hacks. Mostly the Fight Club. And give Pescado several "Won A Fight With Mystery Sim!" memories.

If anyone wants to upload a self sim for it . . . no reason why it actually has to look like you, of course. Just reflect your internet persona. Like I said, though, just a random idea. It's my hobby.

[laeshanin]

Hologram form? Now that I really would like to see. Brynne, you're priceless .

Mmmmm...new and improved pixelated hotness...now in full 3D.

Oh my... move over Captain Janeway, you diirrrty hussy, we're gonna get down and down with the holograms. Ah, Trek. It always comes back to Trek. 

I'm really interested in the ideas that are being put forward here, and am anticipating something of interest happening soon. I'll be watching, and who knows, I might even brave the water and jump in.

[Darkstormyeve]

Interesting read this thread as I am abit the same too.

I have actually been inspired by JadeElliott and I have started on the long process of making my own yummy neighbourhood. I have designed it on paper and named all the streets etc. Normally I just plonk a house down and give no thought to house numbering or street names. I am enjoying it immensely. Plus like Jade and Brynne I am focusing more on slow game play and aging off in some instances. Just play the one family.

I am enjoying it alot more - for the moment anyway.

[Brynne]

It is really nice to play the game slowly like that. Your characters really seem to take on lives of their own, and develop fully-fleshed out histories. I love it. I can't imagine playing any other way.

[Darkstormyeve]

For the first time I am really seeing my Sims personalities and have actually been changing their aspirations based on whats happening in their life at the time.  For example, Alec is a knowledge sim and is living with my popularity sim Makayla. She is all about freinds and parties and has never had a job want. Rich parents gave her a small apartment and some cash. Alec just studies and has now reached the top of his business career - CEO. So I changed his asp. to Money sim as he is getting quite used to the highlife money brings.

Makayla has a younger brother James. He is knowledge too and meet his girl Roxie Sharpe at Uni. They are madley in love with her changing her romance asp. to family after meeting and falling in love with James. Roxie is pregnant, to my surprise, by Risky Woo Woo and no pregnancy sound (thanks TJ  ) and so James decided that he should marry her, being the good boy and favourite son that he is.

So his and Makayla's parents just recently moved to Pine Lane to spend their retirement in a flash townhouse (Uptown 4 I think from the TSR - Jade has them in her awesome neighbourhood). I made a whole street of them with lots of trees and they look fab. Its for wealthy sims, career couples etc. and its in the center (Main Street if you like, in my neighbourhood). All my streets are named after flowers or plants.

So James asked his parents if he could marry Roxie at there new townhouse. It was a magic wedding to cut a long sroty short and so now I think older more reckless Makayla would like to settle down and have a baby too. So I have recently changed her to Family asp. but because she played the field at uni, I'm getting marriage wants for Waylon (that guy who wears likes a red smoking jacket and has Elvis type hair) and not Alec! Oh well. I plan to have Alec take her to dinner and pop the question tonight. Alec is hot after a make over at Uni and all the girls swoon over him so I think Makayla better snag him. I swear she looks forlorn when she sees all these girls fanning themselves around Alec. Makayla didn't turn out as pretty as I thought she would (parents are CAS father and townie mother). James is stunning on the other hand and got all the good genes. I have a soft spot for him.

I haven't been playing Roxie much now as I want her pregnancy to last longer than 3 days. So she gets invited to all the parties etc and nice to see her pregnant and content with James while I swear Makayla is looking envious.

Roxie is the girl from the Maxis house at one of the Uni's. Can't remember which one. She is a punk chick and is dating that really ugly dude who lives in the house too. My James has dreadies and funky clothes but he's sweet and a good student. He became very good friends with Roxie's nerd brother (name escapes me...). But she took to James (three bolts) and so cleaned up her act abit to win him. So now she is woddling around in pink maternity gear and has soft blond hair and delicate makeup. She is very pretty.

Anyways, hope I didn't bore you guys. Just thought I would share a story as I love reading other peoples. No pics though. I never take them. If you want to see my sims I will get some pictures tonight.

[baratron]

It is really nice to play the game slowly like that. Your characters really seem to take on lives of their own, and develop fully-fleshed out histories. I love it. I can't imagine playing any other way.

Yeah. I hate the way that "aging off" is a cheat, rather than a normal option that can be found with the rest in Gameplay Options. I wish they'd "legitimise" this form of play by making it a proper option.

My oldest Sims 1 family were still going strong at 280 days. Other families of mine were well over 100 days. I hate that according to Sims 2 logic, they should've been old & dead & buried much earlier. I like the minutae of people's lives, and building friendships day by day. If you only have 20 days of adulthood, how on earth do you get anything done?

Mind you, I am also the person who loves University - because there's no aging, and no kids - just lots of time to enjoy being a young adult with no responsibilities. Exactly the reason why a lot of other players hate it .

[Andygal]

I love the generational aspect of Sims 2. I got bored of Sims 1 after a while because once they got to the top of their careers there really wasn't much else to do with them. And you always saw the same sims walking by and nothing ever changed. Kids stayed kids forever and they couldn't even build skills.

So now I love the fact that things change, they grow up and they die and pass the torch to the next generation. And if you play all the families in a neighbourhood then the sims that walk by are different (except the townies and you can remedy that by moving townies in so they can be replaced by new ones).

Sims 1 just got so damn boring after a while, I could never go back now to play that way. It was so pointless.

[cwieberdink]

I'd love to have in on the shared neighborhood, but I can't guarantee any amount of gameplay.  I usually, but not always, get some time on the weekends, but I've been suffering from Simpotence myself a bit, and the main reason is probably my own fault.  All my downloads make the load times so. slow.

But, I'd like a new idea if I can play at my own pace (slowly!   )

C

[Process Denied]

I just can't get the desire to play the game lately. I think about it, I sort of want to sometimes, but I just can't do it.

I wish I had your mindset about the game right now, Motoki, cause I can't keep my hands off the game and it's keeping me from doing what I really should be doing.  I go through streaks where I can be satisfied with just a few hours of playing to where I can't stop and it feels like an addiction.

Same here.  I wish that I would get bored with it but day in and day out--here I am.  I guess it is because I used to spend hours playing Barbies when I was little--pretty much the same thing.  I can watch movies over and over till I have them memorized.  I guess I am an obsessed person.  But on the upnote,I don't drink,smoke,or swear--does that count for something??