Waffle

[dicreasy2]

Yeah I feel like waffling on about what I've been doing in game lately, so bear with me.

Where to start?  Well I guess the first thing I've been doing is faffing.  I've got a few things I want to do with regards to downtown.  For ease I used the normal downtown template when I rebuilt, and although I've altered a few lots, I've not really done much there at all.  I'm getting fed up with going to the same community lots so I'm working on making the other lots fit into the era.  I'm also working on the look of downtown as a whole.  My idea is that this is Simdon, the major city so I'm rearranging it all to look like a city.  I've also built the first of several facade lots which will hopefully give the impression of a busy and crowded city. 

One of the big things I've been doing with all lots is replacing the ceilings.  For months I've been using JG White's ceiling tiles, but with AL and the new ceiling feature, I've extracted the textures for the tiles I use most often and made them into floors using Homecrafter.  I'm now putting in these ceilings.  There's some clipping of curtain meshes, but the colours are lighter and they are easy to place, so It's not that bad a task actually.

I've also been doing some research on the Bastardy Laws of the nineteenth century as preparation for part of my plan for Joe.  To me they are fascinating because they say so much about society's attitudes at the time, especially since they seem to have been aimed at the poor and not the rich.  For example as part of the Poor Law Amendment Act of 1834 all responsibility for bringing up the child, financially or otherwise, was placed on the mother.  Partly this was because the Act was passed to decrease the amount of money the rich were paying in poor relief and so by removing the father from the equation and placing all blame on the mother the theory was the shame would reduce the number of illegitimate children and thus the amount of money paid out. Partly is was because both the mother and child were thought of as being morally deficient, the father not so much.  This is why I'm afraid that Joe's parents probably won't want to get to know their grandchildren.  I see Maria as a Hyacinth Bucket, always trying to move up socially, and so she would not be happy that a 'little slut' had given birth to Joe's bastard children.  What can I say?  She's a bitch and I think you can see why Joe was motivated to act as he did trying to make a good marriage.  She's great to have in the story in order to explain some things, but I don't like her as a character very much.

Speaking of Joe's punishment I want to see if I can get some of the short term bits done this weekend. It should be fun to do, but I do need to build something for part of it

The urge to open up PSP and do some mucking about has also struck me.  As you can see I've made a new avi for here and Boolprop.  Actually I've made several for here:

    

I've got plans to make more once I find the pictures I want.  Oh and I've made my new banner for Boolprop.  I'll put it up once I've uploaded the first chapter with Eddie at the helm.

 

The thing I've been doing most of though is just playing.  I've finished the rotation in the main house, and I have to say that Eddie is a fantastic father.



This picture just makes me squee.  Beth and William are also fantastic grandparents.  I've caught Beth tucking Bertie in and William is always the first one there to feed him or change his nappy.  I know I shouldn't be surprised, but it is so nice to see.  As for Marielle...well she was the worst pregnant sim ever and she is the worst mother I've had in game too.  I know Bertie isn't very old, but she has not been in contact with him since he was born.  Honestly, she has not even walked into the nursery, she'd rather play the piano or read.  Now part of me is doing a dance of joy about this because it is as if she has read the script and is on the same page as me.  The other part would quite like her to at least make the effort.  Especially since she will soon have two kiddies.   Ho hum.

Another picture that makes me squee is this one:



Totally autonomous whilst they were visitors.  They are so happy, I love it.  I just need to shoot a few scenes with these two and then I will have everything I need for the next update.  I'm still thinking about doing a recap chapter first though, so I've got plenty of time to get what I need.  I was rather sad to finish this rotation in the main house since the next couple of rotations I've got to get plotty and start putting things into motion.  This one was nice and relaxing: just playing and getting the next generation on its way.

With the main house hold done I popped over to the Skinners where Harold and Emmy got old, and their youngest left for uni, before going to the Harrisons.

I'm thinking about putting up pictures of Theo and Doc's honeymoon here, because I doubt they will all make the update and I have some beautiful or funny ones I want to share.



Once they were back a sad event did occur.  Thomas didn't get to meet his great grandchildren I'm afraid.  I did think about speeding up Doc's pregnancy to get round this, but the Harrison houshold is one of the ones I play the full 5 days in rather than using InSim to change the ages, and I like the fact the twins are the same age exactly as Bertie.

SimNerd gave birth to two boys Andrew:



and Peter:



It looks like the tattoo skin lives on and I can't wait to see the boys grow up.

The last family whose rotation I've finished is Charlotta's.  Elle moved back from the Acadamie and married Joshua Ruben. 



As you can see the gardener managed to change into her formal wear but Elle's mother didn't.  It's  a good job I love Charlotta.

A few days later Elle gave birth to Helen.  I did try to upload a picture, but Photobucket now keeps crashing Firefox, and all babies look alike, so I'll just tell you that she has black hair, brown eyes and S3 skin.  I cannot wait to play the next rotation when these babies, and probably more that aren't even born yet, will grow up

I'm now playing Anne's house and I do have a ways to go, but this rotation is going well.  Not sure when the next update will be, I want to get this rotation done and Joe's ST punishment finished too before the next proper chapter.  If I do a recap then that might be out sooner.  I will probabaly keep you up to date with what's going on here though.

Comments

[leaths.livejournal.com]

What is up with Firefox and Photobucket anyway? I was just having some problems myself, although not with crashing. The code links for copy pasta'ing kept disappearing and it took me forever to copy and paste my code for something. :P

Anywho, I love your new avi pics. I noticed Eddie over on boolprop but the other ones are great too.

Yay for Alexandra and Anthony!

[dicreasy.livejournal.com]

Gah tell me about it. I also noticed this evening that the little box below the pictures in Photobucket that contain all the different codes wouldn't stick. It was there when I rolled the mouse over it, but gone as soon as I moved it off. Very annoying, and then it started crashing on me. Thank goodness for LJ's restore from draft feature otherwise I would have sworn loudly.

Thanks, I felt like making a few to use here too.

Big yay for Anthony and Alexandra, I can't wait to get back to their house. I have much love for them.

[docnerd.livejournal.com]

Photobucket's been funky for me for a few weeks now. It used to be that all you had to do was click on the code and it would copy, but not anymore. And when I went to upload Whedonari, the Bulk Uploader was busted, so I ended up uploading those pictures in smaller batches. But the organization option came in handy.

At least you go to your community lots! I rarely do. I look forward to seeing what you do with your downtown.

Joe shouldn't get to see his kids. He Did Wrong, and that's his punishment! But it's funny thinking of his mother as Hyacinth Bucket. I eagerly await the rest of Joe's punishment.

I noticed your Eddie avatar yesterday! The Theo one is nice too, and Stanley with his cup-smash.

It does not surprise me that Marielle is not a good pregnant Sim or mother. Her parenting style seems a bit like PseudoBruty's which is to say, "If I ignore them long enough, someone else will take care of them." I exaggerated neither her total neglect of Larch and Cypress nor her complete disinterest in the people around her.

Nice to see Alexandra and Anthony are still sweet together without ACR in the mix. It seems like you're a bit happier without it. And pictures of Theo and SimNerd are always welcome, as are currently adorable SimNerd babies. Since they're boys, I hope they look more like Theo!

[dicreasy.livejournal.com]

I noticed the auto copy wasn't working a couple of weeks ago, but that's the only thing that hasn't worked until today. After it crashed Firefox for the second time I just gave up.

I never used to go to community lots, especially before I upgraded my RAM. Now I like using them for a change of pace, but I'm bored with going to the Palisade and Londoste all the time. It'll be nice to have more variety.

Yeah I don't really want Joe anywhere near those kids. He just doesn't deserve to be a father. I hope his punishment will make people cheer.

I felt like a change, so I grabbed some of my favourite pictures of my favourite sims. They've turned out pretty well I think.

So true, I think that Marielle has been taking lessons from PseudoBruty. It'll be interesting to see how she reacts to the new baby, and Bertie as he grows up. I don't think that she will change, but I still want to see.

I am definitely happier without ACR at the moment. My sims are still romantic and stalkery, just not to the point that they would rather starve and make out than eat.

Alexandra and Anthony make me very happy, as do Theo and SimNerd. I really am edging towards putting up pictures of the honeymoon here. I had a real blast playing it. I can't wait to see what the babies look like. I did some experimenting in CAS and whilst some boys were...interesting, others were jaw droppingly gorgeous.

[docnerd.livejournal.com]

Between the CC-cull, the Compressorizer, and deleting a couple of neighborhoods, I'm hoping I can cut down on some of the load times. It wasn't so bad sending Becca back and forth, but I was only using Finn's Fins and the House of Stuff, so no insanely detailed Downtown lots or anything. SimNerd still does not appreciate public WooHoo in her photobooth.

PseudoBruty never changed. She never spent much time with Larch and Cypress, never dropped what she was doing when they came up to interact with her, and never did that for her grandkids, either. She was one of the more useless Sims I've ever seen.

The girls wear the SimNerd features better, I think. Especially the chin. It looks downright bizarre on the guys. Amusingly enough, that's not even MY genetic chin/jaw. Many years of expensive orthodontia FTW. But without her realizing that I was playing my SimSelf, my mom plopped down on the couch, looked over my shoulder, and went, "Hey, that's you! Damn, you really got your chin and nose there, didn't you?" so I am at least confident that she looks like me! Even if she will eff up your genetics for generations to come.

[dicreasy.livejournal.com]

Culing CC does seem to help. My AGS where my dummy hood lives loaded so much faster before I put all the CC in.

I really doubt that Marielle will change. It's so funny because I was full prepared to feel bad about where the plot is going and to actually like her once I played her, but I really don't. She is just so annoying, and I HATE her want panel. She is constantly in low green because I refuse to indulge her want to make out with 3 sims and flirt with sims she has just met.

One of the best looking of the boys in my little experiment did have SimNErd's chin. He looked a little odd from the side, but from the front he was gorgeous.

My Dad came and stood over my shoulder the other day as I was here on LJ. He took one look at my avi and said "that looks just like you." There are features that I think I got spot on with my simself: her chin and mouth are uncannily accurate, but for him to recognise her as me from that little picture she must look more like me than I thought.

[docnerd.livejournal.com]

My CC situation now is sort of, "I'd like to try Di's skins, but I HAVE NO ROOM." I got rid of most of fanseelamb's male shirts, because they have neither texture nor bumpmap and I was sick of them looking painted on, and the CC I got that I needed once, and am in the process of going through some of the furniture and getting rid of it (SimCredible bathrooms, yay, bedrooms, not so nice in-game), and went through and got rid of the badly-meshed or otherwise oogly hairs, and I STILL have more than I probably need.

...Even Archie's Want Panel isn't that bad. Becca's almost is, though. I loved when she was on a date with one guy, and rolling Wants for the LAST guy she was on the date with. That is not how we get Dream Dates, Rebecca!

It might depend on the other features--I know the male Sims who've inherited SimNerd's nose and chin look a bit odd. Not Cassius-odd, but odd.

[dicreasy.livejournal.com]

I sneakily keep all my genetic CC apart from hair in my saved sims folder, because then I can pretend that it doesn't count towards my CC total. :P

I really must do a cull soon. I've got some windows I don't use and same with the hair.

Hehe oh Becca, Becca *shakes head*. Anne used to do that too and it always made me laugh.

[docnerd.livejournal.com]

I was smart enough to keep all my Whedonari CC separate, so at least now I don't have to go through and delete the crappy siding, broken windows, boarded-up windows, beaten-up makeup, grungy wallpaper, etc. one-by-one. Didn't actually delete it, just zipped it and moved it to another folder.

[orikes13.livejournal.com]

I've never used the Compressorizer. Does it seem to work?

[docnerd.livejournal.com]

It's definitely shrunk the file sizes. I haven't gone through all of my CC yet, though, and it hasn't caused anything to break, so that's a plus.

[themorganlegacy.livejournal.com]

Man, I thought you were going to make us all waffles or something. *sadface* I just ate dinner but now I'm starting to get hungry again.

Yay for new graphics! I like all of the icons, and the banner, very much. I was actually wondering yesterday about when you'd change that banner.

Yaaaaaay for Doc/Theo baybeez! Especially since they have the tattoo skintone! ^_^ I can't wait to see how they turn out.

[dicreasy.livejournal.com]

Aww sorry I got you all hungry and then you ended up with me rambling on instead.

Thanks, I fancied a change. I'm not the best at graphics, but I'm really pleased with these. I tend to change the banner when there's a new heir in charge. I was hoping that it would be before now, but I tend to play very slowly at times.

I was very pleased to see the skintone carry on. I'm also still hoping to see it reoccur in the main house. Lots of babies growing up next rotation makes me excited to get there. I love the baby to toddler transition.

[docnerd.livejournal.com]

The baby/toddler transformation is even more fun in an Uglacy. It's like "cute cute cute cute SPIN OMG MUTANT CHILD!"

[dicreasy.livejournal.com]

See that is one reason why I think I'd love to do an uglacy. Face 1 to ARGHHH in a second flat.

[docnerd.livejournal.com]

You learn not to be drinking when that happens. I mean, it's HILARIOUS.

[dgjamie.livejournal.com]

Eddie looks like the sweetest Daddy ever! Hopefully he'll make up at least a little for what a crappy mother Marielle is going to be!

Recessive DocNerd Babies FTW!

Am so looking forward to your next update Di!

[dicreasy.livejournal.com]

Oh he is. He is constantly doing things that make me heart him even more. I'm determined that Bertie will have a good upbringing despite his horrible mother.

I'm looking forward to seeing all the kiddies grow up.

Next update will be forthcoming, I'm just not sure when.

[dgjamie.livejournal.com]

Also I meant to say "It's Bouqueeeet darling" :D...sorry...

Can I smack Maria in the mouth? I feel it would be ungentlemanly of Anthony to do it if she starts smack talking his wife, but if you need someone to and all...
Or maybe Anne could pay her a visit.

[dicreasy.livejournal.com]

Hertbeat (my local radio station) are currently playing an advert for a blinds company that features Hyacinth Bucket, and every time I hear it I think "The Bouquet residence, the lady of the house speaking. No not 'bucket' it is pronounced 'bouquet'."

Maria does need taking down a peg or two. Hmm...

[orikes13.livejournal.com]

Yay for waffling! I think that's a good thing, right? At least it got us some cool pictures. :)

I love the new icons. I've been waiting for the new banner as well. It's probably about time for me to redo mine as well, but I'll probably wait until the 2nd anniversary.

I'm glad Marielle is turning out to be a horrible mother. I don't want to end up liking her for any reason. She's wrong for Eddie even if she is making pretty babies. You owe him some happiness in his twilight years, Di. I demand it. ;)

The research into the bastardy laws is pretty interesting. I knew that there was a lot of class discrimination, but that's pretty brutal. Were women still prohibited from owning property at that point, or had those laws been changed by that point?

[dicreasy.livejournal.com]

Waffling is very good, I waffle a lot in real life.

In some ways I'm quite sad that I'll be getting rid of the old banner, but it is a new era in the legacy now. I love the banner that you have, but it would be nice to see a new one, and I like the idea of you changing it for the anniversary.

I was so worried that I would really like Marielle once I started playing her and then find what I have to do difficult, but I don't like her much. She's making it very easy for me.

I was surprised at how discriminatory they were actually. I knew that the rich felt that being poor was the poor's fault and that there was something morally lacking in them, but I've really not found anything so far pertaining to illegitimacy and the upper classes.

As for property rights, married women couldn't own money until the Married Women's Property Act of 1870, and property until 1882. Unmarried women could own property before those Acts however, but it was mainly inherited property.

[orikes13.livejournal.com]

I knew in the time frame Jane Austen's stuff is set that women couldn't own property. If I remember right, that was one of the key issues in 'Sense and Sensibility'. But I also knew that was before the Victorian Age.

Y'know, sometimes things may suck, but I'm really glad I'm a woman at the beginning of this century than any of the previous ones.

[dicreasy.livejournal.com]

I couldn't agree more. The era fascinates me but I would not like to live like that if you paid me. I'm so happy to be living in the twenty-first century.

[omgzdani.livejournal.com]

It doesn't surprise me that Marielle's not the best mother ever, although she does look good on the new banner! :)

Anthony and Alexandra FTW! (once again)

And I'm excited for all the babies. So much genetic potential, haha.

[dicreasy.livejournal.com]

No she is not a good mother at all. Pretty, but doesn't seem to care about her son.

I love Anthony and Alexandra. I really can't wait to get to their house.

I am so looking forward to seeing all the children grow up. Chris and Bethany will age not long into this rotation and I am so looking forward to seeing if they take after their mother.

[thepiepers.livejournal.com]

It looks as though you've been pretty busy the last little while. But I must tell you that all this picspam is making me anxious about another update. I can't wait to see how you've started to develop Eddie's storyline. While terrible parenting is never a good thing, I do agree that it is sometimes nice when are sims do just as we think as it makes getting the right shots so much easier.

Great new avatars and banner too! They look fantastic.

Angela.

[dicreasy.livejournal.com]

Yup, I've been busy, but I still have so much that I want to do.

Exactly. I was so worried that I would like Marielle, but I really don't. She is making this easy for me.

Thanks. I'm not that good at making graphics, but I am really pleased with them.

[docnerd.livejournal.com]

"Not that good at making graphics?" Your stuff always looks cool, Di!

[dicreasy.livejournal.com]

Aww thank you. I must admit since I've been using PSP my graphics have got better. I completely redid the banner and chapter backgrounds, and the difference in quality is amazing.

These are the first set of avis I'm really happy with.

[lauriempress.livejournal.com]

Baby pics are fun! Thanks for posting them. You could see right through Miss Marielle couldn't you. ;)

I will say though you threw me off with the title. Where I'm from waffling means that you're going back and forth on an issue, or aren't sure if the path you've chosen is the right one and you're rethinking it. Similar to someone sitting on a fence and trying to decide which grass really is greener. I thought you were having second thoughts on what you were doing to poor Eddie.

But, Bertie is a doll, an absolute doll. And I have a feeling Andrew will be as dreamy as his father. I do like blond hair and brown eyes.

Lauri

[dicreasy.livejournal.com]

Baby pics are always nice, even if they all look the same.

Waffling here means to talk aimlessly about a subject. I do it a lot, and since no one I know in real life has any interest in the sims, I use my LJ to waffle on about them.

I really do hope that Theo and Nerd's babies are gorgeous. It's not that I'm completely shallow, it's that I think that two such good looking sims should have good looking children

[avidreader7.livejournal.com]

Aww! Why am I not surprised that Eddie is a great father? Probably because he's awesome. And I'm kind of glad that Marielle continues to be made of fail.

I love your new avatars, and your new boolprop banner. And woo, so many babies! I can't wait to see your next update. :)

[dicreasy.livejournal.com]

Yeah Eddie is just fantastic. The more I play him, the more I love him. It's the opposite with Marielle. She has not rolled a single want for Eddie since they got married.

Thanks. I knew you would like the Eddie one, and I actually can't wait to get to use the new banner.

[gintasticnecat.livejournal.com]

I LIKE THE NAKED STANLEY ONE!

I also still like Alexandra and Athony, 'nuff said. Kind if funny that Mariella is exactly how you want her to be, I love it when Sims obey our wishes without us having to ask :)

Just sort of reading around, I'm with Doc in that I hardly ever go to community lots due to laggy lag lag.. But I really do need to sort my CC, but then again it's the most dis-organised pile of mess in the world and makes me cry whenever I try, so mebbe not.

I always say Lisa as a bit of a Hyacinth Bucket, so I agree with your dislike of Maria!

[dicreasy.livejournal.com]

that is such a Stanley picture, I just had to use it somehow.

I have much love for Anthony and Alexandra. I was smiling so much when I spied them making out and flirting in the morning room when they should have been eating.

It really is as if Marielle has read the script and is acting exactly how I want her to.

When I did the rebuild I went organising mad with myy CC. Unfortunately it is so organised I still can't find anything because I'm not sure if I put it in say, general building or the Victorian building. Oh and speaking of CC I'd like to know where you got your bid sword from please.

Down with evil Hyacinth Buckets! Making everyone's lives a misery.

[regacylady.livejournal.com]

Funny you mention Simdon, because I've been builing MY Simdon lately. =D

Aww, Eddie is such a good daddy! Marielle...grr.

Love the new avatars!

[dicreasy.livejournal.com]

Simmouth burnt me out, but just recently I've felt like doing a bit of building so Simdon is finally getting sorted. I can't wait to see your Simdon.

Eddie is just wonderful, and Marielle is a PITA. I'm really starting not to like her.

Thanks, I'm pleased with them and it's nice to have a few to choose from here.