Shared neighborhood - ground rules

[baratron]

Brynne -- a livejournal community would be far better than a yahoo group. If you set it on moderated membership, people request to join and then the moderators approve them, and I think that's what you are looking for, isn't it? You could then make all of the posts with download links, etc friends-only, so no one except the members would be able to view them. Plus, you can put pictures in, and there are linked comments, so there's none of that yahoo-group "quote someone's entire original post in your reply" nonsense. People could host their pictures wherever they wished -- photobucket, imageshack, their own webspace, hotlink from the exchange if you can do that, whatever.

I use livejournal: http://www.livejournal.com/community/baratronstories/. Only just set it up this past weekend, so only one of my stories is up - but go to this post & click through. It's pretty easy to read, imo. I set up baratronstories as a community, because that allows people to friend the journal (so all entries appear on their friends page), or join the community (so they have it bookmarked from their own userinfo). However, there are issues with this, specifically that you can't make "backdated" entries in a community.

It's really difficult to explain all the ins & outs of how lj works to get to the point where I can explain what a "backdated" entry is without me typing in a lot of text and waving my hands around at the screen a lot . Go to the feature overview & start reading the FAQs. I admit to being a huge fan of livejournal and the lj code (which also powers deadjournal & Greatest Journal & a few other sites). I'm so keen on lj that I actually have a Permanent Account, which I paid $100 US for. However, you can set up an account for free, and these days even the free servers are still pretty fast.

In my community the only accounts that have posting access are mine, everyone else is restricted to comments, which go at the end of the entries and are semi-threaded (it's not brilliant, but it's not a total free-for-all like web forum posts are). You can set up livejournal comments so they are open to anyone (including anonymous), registered users only (must have a livejournal or OpenID account), or friends only. (Where you specifiy who is allowed). Individual tweaking can be done via the console, including banning specific named people or IP addresses.

[Assmitten]

Aww poop, Motoki bowed out for now. I do like the idea of titling it Simpotence. I have a small suggestion--how about the sims have our user names as last names so the family names can carry on.

[Bangelnuts]

Aww poop, Motoki bowed out for now. I do like the idea of titling it Simpotence. I have a small suggestion--how about the sims have our user names as last names so the family names can carry on.

thats a good I dea

[ZephyrZodiac]

I'm going to add my two-penn'orth here.

First, I'm happy to play without most hacks and fixes.  

Second, I agree that aspiration rewards should only be used once, but that should apply to each individual sim as far as the elixir is concerned - otherwise large families would be penalized as against small ones!  I would say that each sim can buy one bottle of elixir, but instead of being able to use it when they are gold, they should have to be platinum.

Third, Aging off should be allowed for three days after a family first moves into the house, but the player gets to choose exactly when, as if there are kids and teens, aging off I find prevents them from improving their grades at school.

Fourth, since I personally feel that the way sims motives fall so quickly is unrealistic, I would like to allow Gnohmon's flamingo of contentment to be used, since it doesn't completely stop sims from being tired, just allows them to have the energy to do a little more in the day.  The other flamingoes however should not be allowed.

Fifth, in order to prevent any copyright issues, I would suggest that anything we may at some future stage choose to share with other sims should only have custom content from file-share friendly sites.   In this respect, since so many of us are, I know, sick to death of Beachy Keen, could I possibly suggest that (in additon to Maxis ones) we all use Juniper Sun's walls and floors, as they are all in this category, and anyone who doesn't have them (and doesn;t want the bother of downloading them from FilePlanet) can PM me with their email address and I would gladly send them the files.

Sixth, I would rathr the rules were short and simple to  follow as some of us (at least one -yours truly) is getting a bit long-in-the-tooth, and remembering a lot of rules is just too difficult.

There, I;ve said what occurs to me but I'll no doubt think of something else later on!

[cheriem]

I like the two tier idea.  I like the idea of having my own hacks and cc once I download the shared 'hood.  I would love to have the wild card though so I can move the game in a direction I might not have thought of going.  So I guess what I'm saying is this is coming along nicely.

[humybyrd]

Yes I like the 2 teir idea as well, gives choice to the matter of what direction you want to take your sims.  Naming it Simpotence is a great idea. I did start a thread for self-sims on Peasantry, with a little bit of info but otherwise sterile sim. regardless of how we decide to handle hacks I'm in, playing my way is getting boring so maybe playing someone elses way will be more stimulating. 

As far as the neighborhood goes make it empty to start and get the lots seperately. Will make it much easier for some to get them than one big package. Pictures of the terrain fully made should suffice as far as what goes where.

Any more thought as to the townies? I still like the thought of each contributing a few and replacing the ones in default.  Even if some are bizzare looking they would be more interesting than the same-ol-same-ol that the game gives to every single one you make.

[ZephyrZodiac]

Can we ban the intentional use of the name Goopy?

[simmiecal]

Can we ban the intentional use of the name Goopy?

And no Marshas! 

[ZephyrZodiac]

Goes without saying!

[MissDoh]

Well the idea of this whole thing seems interesting to me because I am bored with my game and to make it exciting I do need goals or scenario to play those families, it does not have to be rules.  If I don't have that I will not change the way I play and get bored with that within 1 week.

I agree we need to choose the same hood and download houses and families seperately.  Since I don't want extra stuff I would agree that people that have the tools to do so could modify the genetics and look of the Sim the way they want as long as they do not touch the aspiration and LTW the Sim have at the beginning.  Of course we can modify their physical appearance if wewish like new clothes, adding make-up or things like that.  As long as a blonde girl stays a blonde girl I don't personally mind what you do with them after you install them in the neighborhood.  As long as there are not only Barbie's and Ken's in my neighborhood I am happy    Same goes with the house, if you wish to change the wallpaper afterward it is all up to us, nobody here have the same taste so it would be really hard to please everyone.

I am not saying that it can never be change later just that it is something not be touched with from the start.  In some families with certain goals or scenario we could specify if it is allowed or not to use rewards and how to use them.  But for other families it could be a lifetime goal a bit like the legacy challenge but with other types of goals. 

There is so many features I did not try in the game like having gay couples, having romantic sims with tons of lover, having vampires, having at least 5 ghosts on the same lot (which are not Maxis made lots) and the list do go on, hey believe it or not I never even had 1 wedding or birthday party though I play every day.... I am more into house party thing and not very much into the big families thing.

I spend the last 2 months preparings lots and neighborhoods rather than playing with my Sims and when I do, I do the same thing over and over (matching them, make them have a baby, etc), remember I mention I made 7 families find perfect match and then get pregnant, it took me 3 days to do that after the babies were born, I had no idea what to do with them anymore and just place back my back-up... Pathetic lol.  So basically I create families make them do a few things, scrap them and start over... I am sure you understand how boring a game can be that way....

EDIT:  I did not always plays like that, it more lately that I tend to do the same things over, I guess I just want the perfect family which I even find annoying lol

[Bangelnuts]

Well the idea of this whole thing seems interesting to me because I am bored with my game and to make it exciting I do need goals or scenario to play those families, it does not have to be rules.  If I don't have that I will not change the way I play and get bored with that within 1 week.

  hey believe it or not I never even had 1 wedding or birthday party though I play every day.... I am more into house party thing and not very much into the big families thing.

 

I used to do the maxis wedding Party thing but I didnt like that you were limited in time and guests allowed . till Brynne told me how she has such awesome weddings. I downloaded the mods Brynne Suggested and use Inge's teleporter Shrub to teleport in the guests I want at the wedding. I then make all the guests selectable and turn off free will in the house. and the first wedding I did after using Brynne's suggestions was awesome.I dont do the birthday parties. since most kids fear them anyway why bother?

[ZephyrZodiac]

I've never actually gone to that much trouble for weddings - if I have a party, I usually just invite sims who know each other well (ie mostly family members of the sim throwing the party or his/her fiance.)  then, after they've tied the knot, I buy the toasting set and let them get on with it!  It's usually a riot, unless there are plenty of toilets available!

[Bangelnuts]

I've never actually gone to that much trouble for weddings - if I have a party, I usually just invite sims who know each other well (ie mostly family members of the sim throwing the party or his/her fiance.)  then, after they've tied the knot, I buy the toasting set and let them get on with it!  It's usually a riot, unless there are plenty of toilets available!

in my sims case  He has a very large Family and tons of Friends.befor the reinstall he had 17 members in his familythat werent babies or toddlers.so a maxis scenario would have left the majority of his family excluded. there were toasts galore . guests were actually using bushes when the bathrooms were all in use

[ZephyrZodiac]

I can never get mine to do that!  Even the sloppy ones like don L!

[Bangelnuts]

I can never get mine to do that!  Even the sloppy ones like don L!

I think it was Total desperation  after the ceremony and cake cutting I turned free will back on

[Brynne]

Those bladder problems make for some interesting wedding photos, though!

Can you tell what Josh is doing back there at his own wedding? 



...and here's the post-champagne bladder desperation and Joe's brother Jeffrey's wedding:

[Assmitten]

Sixth, I would rathr the rules were short and simple to  follow as some of us (at least one -yours truly) is getting a bit long-in-the-tooth, and remembering a lot of rules is just too difficult.

Yeah, word to this. I have two preschoolers which renders me practically senile at the moment. I am having senior moments at 28. "Now why did I come into this room again?"

Anyway, I also agree to the NO GOOPY. Hee.

[Ancient Sim]

The only problem with downloading the lots separately is that nothing can be set-up between households (e.g., we couldn't have Sim A in Lot 1 have a crush on Sim B in Lot 2, or make Sims in separate lots enemies for whatever reason), whereas if the neighbourhood was downloaded as a whole, we could do that.  It also means there can be no extended families, at least not to start with.  Those things aren't essential of course, but they do add to the overall established storyline feeling.  If one person were to create the neighbourhood, adding relationships like this in SimPE (which would be a surprise for everyone else), then the complete neighbourhood made available for download, I think that would be ideal. 

In other words, a storyline that involved the community as a whole, rather than separate storyilines for each family that only involved that family in isolation.

[witch]

I'm just going to make a link to the other thread where I listed the things that I thought about this project. Don't really want to post it all again, but don't know if everyone in this thread saw it.

http://www.moreawesomethanyou.com/smf/index.php?topic=1400.msg47776#msg47776

I'm still keen on building a home for any family I contribute, plus a posh home if it is wanted.

[ZephyrZodiac]

I'd definitely agree with you  on that one, Witch.  Otherwise, it would just be like any other challenge, and I just wouldn't be interested, I like to feel I'm involved in setting up a neighbourhood.  (Probably why I spend so much time in CAS and housebuilding!

[witch]

I still like a simple idea. We all make a family of interest, add a bit of a story/backline. Family includes selfsim. Put them in a house or not depending whether you enjoy that or not. This is all Maxis default stuff.

Agree on a n'hhod - I still like simmiecal's - nice bare canvas - someone collates lots & families. Someone decorates n'hood - JadeElliot does that well.

Use a thread to discuss who's in love or hates who in the hood. Make the relationships to reflect this.

We all download the hood. We all share stories. I like the idea of wildcards too.

We use own custom contect or hacks we can't live without.

[ZephyrZodiac]

Well, personally I don't EVER play either self-sim or people I know!  Sorry, but I'm afraid I draw the line at that.  when you've lost people you care about in RL, to have it happen (even if it is a game) to others is just not something I care to participate in.

[J. M. Pescado]

Did I just hear talk about DOWNLOADING INHABITED LOTS? Are you TRYING to cause your game to explode in a big fiery ball visible from space?

[ZephyrZodiac]

Well, if we are, then it will be an enormous bfbvfos if they all go together!  

But if we all check in SimPE to make sure we haven't downloaded any unwanted sims, if the sims are created in entirely empty neighbourhoods with no sims other than themselves, the risk is surely minimised?

[Bangelnuts]

Those bladder problems make for some interesting wedding photos, though!

Can you tell what Josh is doing back there at his own wedding? 

Doing what he did in My game all bathrooms occupied  the bush will do the job of relieving bladder desperation