Rambly rambles

[dicreasy2]

I'm in the mood to ramble at the moment, some of it will be about sims, some of it won't.  In fact lets start with a rant not related to sims in any way, shape or form. 

I've had a pretty average week all told, but it did get off to a spectacular start thanks to a stupid cow of a driver.

I work in Hertford and part of my journey involves driving down St Andrew Street.  It's a lovely street with the newest buildings dating from the 1800s, but  a few are medieval.  There are traffic lights at one end, where it comes to a junction with Old Cross and Mill Bridge, and every morning I sit there waiting for the lights to change.  There are a couple of 'keep clear' signs on the road the nearer you get to the lights to stop traffic getting completely grid locked if someone wants to turn into the drives that lead behind the shops. 

Monday morning I was stopped behind one of these keep clears that is opposite the entrance to a car park on the right hand side of the road.  As I'm sitting there, I'm aware of this Ford Ka that has come up the righthand side of me on the wrong side of the road.  It's not unusual for drivers to drive down the queue of traffic if they want to turn into the car park, so I didn't think much of it, expecting her to turn in once the oncoming trafffic had cleared (which had slight difficulty getting past, since she was on their side of the road).  She didn't, in fact she started edging forward.  By this time I'm thinking, "you ain't gonna make the turn if you continue forward.  You had better not be doing what I think you're doing."  She continued edging forwards.  As the lights changed to amber, she stuck her left hand indicator on, now I KNOW she is going to do what I think she's doing.  The lights go green and she cuts me up and pulls in front of me.  The cow has driven down a queue of traffic stopped at a red traffic light, on the wrong side of the road, and cut into the queue when the lights changed.  I was steaming, in fact I didn't call her a cow, I called her another name beginning with 'c' that I very rarely use.  GRRR!  Luckily by the time I had got into the office I was more amazed that she had had the balls to do it and was laughing about it, otherwise I would have been in a really foul mood all day.

Now I've got that off my chest, let's talk sims.

I've got 60 odd slides of day 3 of the BC written, so I'm well on course for getting it uploaded this weekend barring nothing unexpected happening or the exchange going down.  I am out all tomorrow evening, so I might not get it all done before Sunday, but it will be there.

Since I'm nearing the halfway point I'm thinking of posting some out takes and some original footage from the scenes I had to re-shoot.  I've not got that many out takes really, I think because I'm just going through and documenting what happened.

Legacy wise, I think that the last two years of the boys at uni will definitely be split in two.  I have 400 pictures already and I've only shot half of what I need for their third year.  There will be two major storylines happening and I want to be able to do them justice.

Because what I am doing there is so plotty, I've not felt like trying to do it whilst sorting and writing the BC in the evenings, so I've been doing some building instead.  I had a slight panic last week when I realised that I needed to build homes for a few sims who will be graduating before the boys.  So I'm trying out some of AL's new building features.  I'm currently building a short terrace of expensive townhouses and it's exhausting.  I've decided I'm not going to furnish the house my playables will live in because I really don't want to have to furnish it again when they move in.  Their neighbours will be getting basic furnishings, no more.

I'm also doing something I've wanted to do for a long time.  One of the essays I wrote during my final year at uni was on how the changing structure of British society during the Victorian era affected the development of the British sea-side resorts.  I got a very high mark for it, and enjoyed researching it immensely.  Sooo I know quite a bit about the British sea-side during the 19th century and I've always wanted to build one for my sims to enjoy. 

When I rebuilt I gave them Twikii Island because it was easy, but I wanted Will to buy a cottage by the sea as a wedding gift to Edward and I couldn't see the sort of cottage I wanted to build fitting in with the tropical Twikii Island.  I decided now was the perfect time to start building Simmouth.

So far I've built the cottage and stuck in a couple of downloaded lots I need to tweak for the theatre and botanical gardens.   I've also made a good start on the pier and I'm rather pleased with it.  The roof of the building at the entrance needs a bit of work I think, but overall it looks pretty good.











I'm actually really looking forward to seeing the waves lap the shore under the pier.

I've got ideas for quite a few more lots and I'm going to attempt to build bathing machines at the bathing beach, so that will be fun.  i think that I will probably get the basics in and then add to it as and when I feel like it.

That's a lot of words so I'm going to sign off now.

Aaaand my spellcheck has stopped working so this will be full of spelling mistakes since I have real trouble proof reading on a computer screen and rely on the red squiggles to tell me where I need to pay attention.
 

Comments

[docnerd.livejournal.com]

Hate idiot drivers. Hate them.

BC Sunday? Hooray!

That pier looks AMAZING! I can see it full of Sims in their Victorian clothes, with little parasols and top hats...

[dicreasy.livejournal.com]

I very rarely loose my temper like I did at her on Monday. I've just not seen that level of idiocy on the road for a very long time.

I can see it full of Victorian sims too. I'm going to try using a teleporter to get the locals to Di's house and then use the townie gun to change their clothes and give them make overs. I'm not sure if it will work, but it's the best idea I've come up with.

[docnerd.livejournal.com]

You could use the Summoner (or teleporter) to get them onto the lot, get the coatrack that gets you free clothes, get the ones you want, make the Townies selectable, and have them Change Appearance.

Or have someone with a clothes shop (non-Legacy) Summon/teleport the Townies in and have them Suggest Outfit For the Townies, then Dazzle it to them and they'll change into it automatically when they leave. Obviously it can't be a business owned by the main family if you're going to do it that way, but it makes for a fairly lucrative business for someone else. I use the House of Stuff for that on occasion; when Townies come in, I'll sell them new clothes and makeovers, which is how Chester Gieke and Gilbert ended up in new clothes. You can do it with Outerwear and Swimwear too, if you've a mind to.

[dicreasy.livejournal.com]

I've tried making townies selectable before, but all they get is an empty wardrobe screen, even if the household owns loads of clothes.

I've just tried summoning someone and using the townie gun and that did work, plus Di does own a clothes shop anyway. It'll take a bit of time, but I think I can change most of them before I send someone to the seaside.

[orikes13.livejournal.com]

That doesn't actually work, Doc. I've tried having townies come over, made selectable and then get clothes from the clothing rack (or any other means of selecting new clothes). They're not available for the sims.

The only way I ever found to change a sim's every day outfit if they weren't a playable was to have them come to the clothing store and have Matthew or one of the others suggest an outfit. If they accept the interaction and buy the outfit, they'll change into it after they buy it.

Then just a trip to the salon chair and I can change their whole look.

[docnerd.livejournal.com]

Hmm. I thought I'd done it like that before. At any rate, getting them into a business is the most lucrative way to change outfits. There's always a few who are a pain to sell to, but you can usually manage to squeeze something out of them.

[gintasticnecat.livejournal.com]

Aha, that's so cool! I was actually getting annoyed the other day that why were the only beaches tropical in the game - it's supposed to rain at the beach in my experience! I was going to try and build a seaside town thingy, but I don't think I could ever do it half as amazingly well as you can Di. Your building skills never fail to amaze me, that pier is superb! A cottage there would be a fine wedding gift from father to son methinks :)

That stupid woman and her stupid car! I can't believe someone would actually have the nerve to do that. Unless she had to go and ger her cat out of a tree or something. I don't drive (failed three times, the whole thing just depresses me now) but I can imagine how fumed that would have made you. Grr indeed!

[dicreasy.livejournal.com]

Yeah it's something I've wanted to do for aaaages. My experience of the seaside is the same. The rain, the wind, those windbreaks and old people sitting fully clothed in deck chairs, the men with knotted hankies on their heads.

I've got big ideas for it, I just hope I can pull it off.

I know, I was just so amazed at it by the time I was walking down the road from my car park, that I was no longer as mad about it. I failed three times too and had to be really talked into getting back in a car at one point. I'm glad I persevered: I failed my tests because of nerves rather than poor driving, and I do actually love driving. It's just the other idiots on the road I hate at times.

[thepiepers.livejournal.com]

I can't believe the woman in the car actually pulled a stunt like that. Granted, I have thought about jumping to the front of the line before, but I would never have the guts to do it. Some people really have zero patience. Just the other day as I was turning left (of course here in Canada that means crossing over the lane of traffic that is moving in the other direction), the guy who was following behind me honked his horn at me for no reason. What made me mad was that I was purposely trying to not slow down too much around the corner so he wouldn't have to slow down. Talk about ungrateful. Perhaps I should have tried taking the left at 80 kilometres an hour and took out the person who was waiting to turn onto the road I was coming off of. Who knows? Look, now I am rambling :)

I just love the seaside cottage you have created. The pier is absolutely amazing. I know I have said this before, but I wish I could live in your neighbourhood. All the buildings look so wonderful.

[dicreasy.livejournal.com]

I know. We all get fed up sitting in traffic, but there is usually a good reason for it, in this case a red traffic light. I'm awful if someone beeps me, I tend to wait for an even larger gap that I would normally to keep them waiting there.

Thanks, I've got to change the roof because I'm not happy with it, but I do think the pier looks good. I can't wait to finish the other buildings I need to do and send Eddie there on his honeymoon.

[orikes13.livejournal.com]

The pier looks absolutely fantastic! I can't wait to see it in the game. :)

[dicreasy.livejournal.com]

Thanks Orikes. I'm really looking forward to sending Eddie there for his honeymoon.

[avidreader7.livejournal.com]

Wow, those pictures look amazing. They kind of make me wish I could walk around in your game. :)

[dicreasy.livejournal.com]

Thanks Denise. I've been working on it some more between writing day 3, and I'm much happier with the roof now. I've also been planning some formal flower beds so that I can create the illusion of it being at the end of the promenade.

You might not be able to walk around in my game, but SimDenise certainly does. I might send all the simselves to the seaside to test all the lots out.

[moonshadowed.livejournal.com]

Hate hate hate idiot drivers that think the rules apply to everyone but them!

And love, love, LOVE your building skillz! Simply amazing!

There are so many amazing sim writers out there...and you and Docnerd are a few I *always* check to see if there's an update from! :)

[dicreasy.livejournal.com]

Pfft I know, what did she think we were all doing? That we had decided to stop our cars there for fun?

I've about finished the pier now, this is what it looks like:



I'm much happier with the roof. I'm now starting on the row of shops next door.

Thanks for that *hug* I enjoy playing and writing my story and I do get a kick out of hearing that people like to read it.

[tatdatcm.livejournal.com]

Wow! Your building skills are very impressive. I'd vacation there in a heartbeat!!

Crazy drivers are crazy! I just remind myself that since I am the one that pays my insurance, I can take the time I need to get where I'm going. If they would like to pick up the insurance tab, I'd be more than happy to drive like a maniac.

[dicreasy.livejournal.com]

Thanks Annie. The building is actually pretty simple, but I've tarted it up quite a bit.

I still can't believe she did that. I've not seen such idiotic driving for goodness knows how long!

[lauriempress.livejournal.com]

That cottage is amazing! I want that! Are you thinking about uploading it before you move playables in? If so let me know, please? Or any of your houses I do love them!

Lauri

[dicreasy.livejournal.com]

Thank Lauri. I am thinking about getting a box.net account so that I can upload a ton of sims and buildings from my legacy and keep them there without fear of them getting culled.