Issue 4 -D Dec 2020 Editors Letter
SulSul Simmers, Welcome to issue 9 of SimmedUp Magazine. As we move into May we are almost at the halfway mark for 2021. Scary how time flies but the things we have achieved not only as a community but in life away from the Sims too is a huge feat in itself. This month we wanted to dedicate our magazine to every single frontline worker out there, that have not only put their own lives at risk to help the most vulnerable in our society but to also thank those of you who still served our coffee, delivered our shopping, or checked on a neighbor, each and everyone one of you deserve so much more than just thanks. News in the Sims, we all love a bit of news and The Sims have just announced we have a game pack being announced soon as well as the kit. What are you hoping for? I personally would like more plant clutter, my Sims green thumb is better than my human one. More news, The community is alive with support, and as always we like to see what is happening within our community, and not only are there currently shell challenges galore, there are new Simmed Saves and competitions, to find these visit our What’s Up Section. Talking about saves, we have created the #HeroesVsVillansSave A simmedUp special save with a Prize for the best Build/Sim and more will be announced as we move through the amazing creations we know you can all create. Visit our website for full rules and links to join our discord chat room. And with that we want to send huge thanks to all our contributors in this month's issue, you all are amazing community members and we are honored to hold you amongst our pages and call you friends of SupMag. Benzi chibna looble bazebni gweb SimSimmerly JoinJoin Our Our DISCORDDISCORD COMMUNITYCOMMUNITY
WeW createde created a safe a safe space space for our for Readers our Readers and and FollowersFollowers to get to get together together and andchat chat about about all all thingsthings Sims, Sims, but but to also to also have have that that space space where where youyou can can go and go and talk talk about about anything anything including including youryour mental mental health health and andwell-being. well-being. TheThe team team here here at Simmedup at Simmedup want want to make to make sure sure thatt youhat you know, know, YOUY AREOU ARE NOT NOT ALONE ALONE. .
WeW alsoe also have have competitions competitions EXCLUSIVE EXCLUSIVE to our to our discorddiscord server, server, Sneak Sneak peaks peaks and challenges.and challenges. WeW alsoe also have have EXCLUSIVE EXCLUSIVE CONTENT CONTENT that youthat you wouldwould need need to join to jointo discover. to discover.
SimmedUpSimmedUp Magazine Magazine YYourour Sims Sims Fix Fix Delivered Delivered
VisitVisit our our website website to join to join today today . . CONMAY 2021 TENTS WHATS HOT!
46CCTOPPICKS 92 BUILD A BETTER LIFE 6 TIPS & TRICKS
48 CC HOW TO 96 ASK THE MOM CAVE 12 #MACHINIMALIFE
56 TITAN ARCHITECTS 99 SUP SHOP 24 INTRODUCING 64 FANART 100 SIMSPIRATION
30 COOKING SIMS STYLE 70 RETRO CORNER 106 SIMTOGRAPHY
37 COMIC INTERVIEW 80 RD.PTRA 110 MAKING A SIMMER
38 RGR GAMING 88 YOUR SIMS 122 FACEBOOK SHOWCASE CONTENTS
128 Private Practice Thank you
134 SIMSCOPES
136 JUST FOR FUN THiS iSSUE iS DEDiCATED 140 WHAT’S UP To all our health workers around the world. 144 MEET THE TEAM Thank you for all your hard work. Tips & Tricks Tips & Tricks
Need help with your game? Sims feeling down or frothing at the mouth? Need some tips on smelling fresh? Need an Itch Scratched? Then everything you need is in our T&T Sims Medical Centre Disclaimer: This is not a real Sims Medical Centre. Please visit a real Sims medical centre for Sim related health queries Twisted MexisT.O.O.L Mod Written By A.Muller Part
Build off lot in the Sims 4: T.O.O.L mod quick tutorial
You can make some dramatic changes to worlds in The Sims 4 by using the popular TOOL mod. Here’s how.
Sims 4 Tool Mod Tutorial Basic Version
Take note: The T.O.O.L mod was updated after the release of the Sims 4 Snowy Expansion update and you First, you have to download it, should make sure you are running the obviously. You can do so on latest version to avoid interface issues and other potential conflicts. TwistedMexi’s Patreon page. Once you have downloaded and installed If you feel like the worlds in The Sims 4 the Tool mod, it’s time to have some fun. lack personality or if you just want to liven things up a little, there is a way to You have to enable cheats to get this cheat working properly (open the build off lots. Yep, you guessed it, it’s cheat dialogue box and testingcheats thanks to a mod. true then hit enter).
TwistedMexi’s T.O.O.L (Take Objects Depending on where you want to make enhancements to worlds in The Off Lot) mod is a player favourite and Sims 4, you might also find the it is super simple to use. We’ll just call it freebuild cheat and the moveobjects the Tool mod from here. cheats useful.
While there is much more to this mod The showhiddenobjects and the debugobjects cheats are always very than what we’ll feature here, this helpful for adding some personality to tutorial will be helpful for Sims 4 players your builds, too. who are new to mods or who only want With these cheats enabled, head into to make some very basic changes to build mode and find the item or items worlds in The Sims 4. you want to place off the lot. Toggle back to live mode (it is okay to keep the game paused) and shift-click the object you want to move. You should see the Tool menu pop up.
We are only going to look at the quickest and easiest way to move objects off lot in The Sims 4 in this That should be that. There are some tutorial. More complicated builds and really clever ways to use this mod to use of the mod will require another enhance worlds in The Sims 4 or to comprehensive tutorial. set up special photos for your Sim’s Select “Toggle Active Object” from family. the Tool menu. It should turn green if Just remember that you use mods at you have done it correctly. your own risk– always make a backup of your game before using mods or custom content, especially if you are new to them.
Also remember to keep your mods and custom content up to date whenever there is a new Sims patch or whenever you add new DLC.
Move to where you want to place the object in the world and click. You will see the object appear in green. Shift click and select “Toggle Active Object” again.
BOX OFFICE
BOX OFFICE #MachinimaLife The MomCave 3b
506 35 Healing Through Creating01.03.2021 and Tips For Creating a VO Machinima: A Conversation WithApril Dark
May is mental health In addition to her contributions to awareness month. When I creating openness in The Sims thought about who I wanted Community about the topic of to interview, my mind mental health, she creates VO immediately went to the (voice-over) machinimas, which are amazing April Dark. April is machinimas utilizing voice actors. a machinmator who has When she first watched my series, been creating stunning she provided me with a wonderful stories in The Sims 3 and wealth of feedback, which I’ve The Sims 4 since 2013, and is best known for already started implementing in my her series Loaded Gun own productions. I currently have and Memories of a my first VO machinima in Siren. April has been production. So, I’m quite excited to open about her own hear more about tips, tricks, and mental health, hacks when creating this type of healing, and through machinima. her stories has shared her journey to TMC: What made you start making mental and emotional machinimas in The Sims? BOX OFFICE wholeness. AD: So to start with, I’ve been outlining and writing stories since I remember. I remember having that one old notebook and later tablet where I could write down all my ideas. But, with every year I felt that this wasn’t enough for me. One day I came across a Sims 3 series created by Showtime - Polish a machinima creator. Sadly, she hasn’t been active for a couple of years, but I learned quite a bit from her. She was my biggest inspiration to start my own works. TMC: How has making machinimas been an outlet for you in your mental health journey?
AD: I think that mainly creating machinimas was a form of expressing myself and my feelings, which was very important to me during my blackest days. A few years ago I was mostly surrounded by toxic people in school who were making fun of me for being “different.” What I mean by that is, I was a super-sensitive, artsy person. I didn’t TMC: What’s the best thing about being a creator on YouTube? What smoke and drink in primary and pre-high is the hardest thing? school. I experienced big mental health problems, which is still a big taboo topic AD:To start with, I think that being a in my country. This has changed some in creator on the YouTube platform is a bigger cities, but when I was younger very challenging thing. You can’t there were no school psychologists at predict when algorithms change and all. If you told someone you were what consequences they will bring. I attending psychotherapy, they thought feel like I tend to publish the most you were eating glass or that you were important videos of mine while the dangerous to others. That’s why I had traffic on the YouTube platform is to pretend to be perfectly okay, not being sent elsewhere. I realize that only in school but also at home. I wasn’t this isn’t something we can change or allowed to talk about anything that was have an influence on. not super positive. What’s even worse is that I wasn’t allowed to cry. My parents My greatest challenge is creating would scream at me for doing that. memorable characters and stories. It has always been a goal of mine to write something that evokes strong emotions in other people. I’m not As I got older, I had to really rethink all going to lie, this is a hard thing to do. those bad patterns I learned On Twitter, I often see other people throughout my life. The sims community talking about other machinima series, helped me a lot with that. I met many being excited with them, discussing in awesome people, not only machinima comments about the plot and the creators but Simmers in general. storyline. My goal is to have this for Moreover, by creating machinimas I was my stories as well. I do feel like I’ve able to finally express myself. I stopped made big progress and grown in feeling afraid about what others may storytelling. However, the amount of think about me. Joining the Sims effort it takes to then make machinima community those few years everything look good is unbelievable, ago was the best decision I could ever and I think that every machinima make. creator can relate to this. The best thing about creating things on the YouTube platform itself is that it is free and is easy to use, once you learn how to use it. In terms of creating machinima itself, I just enjoy that feeling I have while creating anything. I love writing scripts, finding music, AD: Loaded Gun is about a group of working with other machinima creators people with superpowers. The story is or voice actors, and editing. about fighting for power, influence over dimensions; about lots of complicated relationships and intrigues. I was inspired by all those TMC: What helps you when you start legends about Slavic vampires, but to feel discouraged or burned out? they are not vampires. In this whole universe, there are normal humans like AD: I haven’t actually felt that in a us. Normal “Precursors,” who are while. When I experienced that in the badass and have superpowers. They past, I think it was because I didn’t can only be killed by being stabbed in the heart, and even by a simple human. have that much energy as today, and I There are “Precursor’s gods”, May, easily got tired. So, I would stop Arthyen, Connor, and Aoife. They rule recording until I felt like doing that the Earth, which is only one of many again. When I feel like I run out of dimensions. Those gods can be killed inspiration, I listen to Grimes or another only by each other or their natural alternative/electronic artists or search enemies, called Mavi, which is another race living in a separated dimension. more on Pinterest. This helps me feel The background of these characters is inspired to create again. important to know while watching the first episode.
TMC: What is your favorite Sims game, and why? TMC: What have been the biggest challenges of working with voice AD: My favorite Sims game is The Sims actors, and how have you overcome 3 because I can play it for a few hours those challenges. nonstop and it never gets boring. I also AD: I’ve found the experience of find recording machinimas using it working with voice actors to be quite much easier than using Sims 2 or 4. positive. I think that one of the most challenging things that can happen TMC: Tell us about your series when creating a VO series is not being Loaded Gun. What do you want able to find any voice actors willing to people to know about it? work with you. You create a casting call and see zero TMC: What are your top mods that auditions. In my opinion, this often you would be lost without? isn’t your fault. Your casting call may AD: simply not be that popular on the Casting Call Club site. If this happens, Nraas Mods - Help with story I recommend you look for voice progression and game bugs [https:// actors on your own by reaching out www.nraas.net/community/Mods-List] on other platforms, such as Discord, TS3 Pose Player -[ https:// or reaching out directly on Casting modthesims.info/d/438706/pose- Call Club. player-updated-8-22-13.html] TS3 Animation Player - [https://t.co/ VccDqDOBJQ?amp=1] TMC: I’m just now starting my first VO production, Poseidon. It feels a Andrew’s Pose Player [https:// sims4studio.com/thread/2617/ little intimidating at times, being all andrews-studio] of my other productions have been scripted. What are the top TS3 - OMSP(One More Slot Please) suggestions you would give to Mods - anyone who wants to make their [modthesims.info/d/428179/one-more- first VO production or series? slot-please-with-vertical-shifting- update-2-nov-2011.html] AD: The first thing I would suggest is to look at your project’s audio TS3 - Time/Weather Change Mod - volume. I’ve seen some machinimas [modthesims.info/d/481816/time- where the volume of dialogues wasn’t weather-change-mod-new-seasons- consistent. Some characters were version.html] incredibly loud and some of them were super silent. I recommend looking at the audio mixer in your TMC: What plans do you have for editing software. While editing your your channel in the future? machinima keep your dialogues AD: I just would like to publish three to between -9db to -6db. I do up to - four episodes of Loaded Gun per year 3db because I like to add multiple and publish some CAS or LP videos, layers of audio like environmental where I talk about my machinimas and sounds and subtle music. I like to keep random topics. I would also like to publish more collaborations in the environmental sounds or music close future. to -18db while characters are speaking. For me, I find this to be a A Huge Thank You to April for good level. taking the time out to share her experience. Be sure to head over I always make sure to listen to and connect with her: auditions with my headphones before YouTube: AprilDark casting anyone. Some auditions can have an echo or noises you didn’t Twitter: xAprilDarkx notice while listening to through And while you’re at it, why don’t computer speakers. Some of those you buy her a coffee? issues may be problematic while editing the whole machinima later. https://t.co/7qo2msBTzJ?amp=1
DIRECTOR of Pixels
Simplistic Studios - Rock My World Sims 4 Gay Story
Rising to the top in the music industry is no walk in the park. Chris Fujiwara's dream is to become the #1 band in Japan, but he can't do that without a band! But what will happen when he and his unrequited love team up together? Will sparks fly between the two or will it burn him and his dream to the ground. A story of hardships, moving on, and accepting reality that will slowly, but surely rock your world!
Check out Episode 1 on YouTube by Vsiting https://youtu.be/-_hQ2XNrcEQ
Australia Emergency Numbers Help is available, please find contact details below. 13 11 14 If your country is not listed, and you need immediate Lifeline Australia help, Please Call your local emergency services. 1800 55 1800 Kids Helpline
135247 Samaritans Emergency Services: 000
Canada Emergency Numbers Crisis Services Canada 1-833-456-4566 toll free (In QC: 1-866-277-3553)
Mental Health Mobile Crisis Telephone Line 902-429-8167
Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention Association Candienne Pour la Prevention Du Suicide 819-339-3356 – Many links to province specific organisations
USA Emergency Numbers Mental Health America 1-800-273-TALK (8255) HopeLine
Emergency Services: 911 UK and RoI Emergency Numbers UK 116 123 Samaritans 0800 068 4141 HopeLine UK HelpLines Partnership
ROI 116 123 Samaritans 0808 808 8000 Lifeline
South Africa Emergency Numbers 0861 322 322 Lifeline Southern Africa
Emergency Services: 10 177 Help is available, please find contact details below. If your country is not listed, and you need immediate help, Please Call your local emergency services.
Europe Emergency Numbers European Emergency Number: 112 France (English Speaking) 0033 145 39 4000 Suicide Ecoute 01 46 21 46 46
SOS Help Germany Telefonseelsorge Deutschland (National) German speaking: 0800 -111 0 222 English speaking: 030-44 01 06 07 Crisis support line 6pm to 12am daily
Italy 800 86 00 22 Samaritans
New Zealand Emergency Numbers 09 5222 999 (Auckland) 0800 543 354 (Rest of NZ) Lifeline New Zealand
PHILIPPINES Helpline: Mobile phone: 0917 - 854 - 9191 Natasha Goulbourn Foundation (632) 804- HOPE (4673) and 0917-558-HOPE (4673)
Image Credit to Simoleonerita Known Locations of City of Angels Twitter: CityOfAngelsTS4 YouTube: City of Angels Case No: 11.11 Case No: 11.11
SHRIMP COCKTAIL DIRECTIONS PREP TIME: 15 MINS Fill a large bowl halfway with ice and add TOTAL TIME: water to cover; set aside. Cut one lemon 40 MINS 6 - 8 SERVINGS into wedges and set aside.
INGREDIENTS In large pot combine 6 cups water, salt, FOR THE SHRIMP sugar, onion, and 5 sprigs parsley. Halve 2 lb. Ice and juice remaining lemon and add to 6 c. water pot. Bring to a boil, then turn off heat 2 tbsp. kosher salt 2 tbsp. granulated sugar and add shrimp to pot. 1/2 small onion, peeled and halved Let sit until shrimp are pink and cooked 1 tbsp. small bunch parsley, divided 2 lemons, divided through, about 3 minutes. Remove shrimp 2 lb. shrimp, peeled and de-veined from the pot with a slotted spoon or FOR THE COCKTAIL SAUCE spider into the bowl of ice. 1/2 c. mild chili sauce, such as Heinz 1/2 c. ketchup Make the cocktail sauce: Mix all 1 tsp. lemon zest ingredients in a small bowl until fully 2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice 1 tbsp. horseradish combined. 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce Serve shrimp with lemon wedges, cocktail 2 dashes hot sauce, such as Tabasco 1/4 tsp. celery salt sauce, and garnish with parsley. MEXICAN SHRIMP COCKTAIL Method PREP TIME 20 mins Peel, devein, and cook raw shrimp COOK TIME (if using): 15 mins TOTAL TIME If you have pre-cooked, peeled 35 mins and deveined shrimp you can skip SERVINGS to the next step. If you are working with raw shrimp, peel and 4 to 6 servings devein them. If it's tomato season, use freshly If you have a little extra time and chopped tomatoes with their want your shrimp to be extra juices, instead of the canned good, put the shells in 6 cups of tomatoes. cool salted water, bring to a boil, Ingredients then strain the shell stock into a separate pot and cook the shrimp 1-pound medium shrimp, raw or in that liquid. cooked If you want to skip that step, just Salt bring a medium pot salted water 1 cup chopped red onion to a boil (a Tbsp salt for 2 quarts of water), add the shrimp, and 1 cup peeled, diced cucumber cook for 2-3 minutes, until just 1/2 cup chopped celery cooked through. Reserve a cup of the cooking water and chill it. 1 jalapeno, minced Cut half of the cooked shrimp into 1 15-ounce can whole peeled chunks: tomatoes, chopped OR 1 1/2 cups of freshly chopped tomatoes with Cut half of the shrimp into large their juices chunks, leaving the other half whole (for a more attractive 1/2 cup ketchup presentation). 1/4 cup chopped cilantro Toss with other ingredients, chill: Juice of a lime, about 2 Tbsp Put the chopped shrimp in a bowl with the chopped onions, Hot sauce (like Crystal or Tabasco) cucumber, celery, jalapeño, to taste (about 1 Tbsp to 1/4 cup of tomatoes, ketchup, cilantro, lime Crystal) juice and hot sauce. Gently stir to 1 avocado, cut into chunks combine, and chill. Add some cooled shrimp cooking Now just add some sand, water: Once the cooking water has margaritas and a palm tree to your cooled at least to room house and you are ready to enjoy temperature, add a little at a time your stay-at-home beach vacation. to the shrimp cocktail, until the Until next month, happy cooking shrimp cocktail is the consistency Simmers and try not to set the you want (use clam stock or lightly salted water—a third of a teaspoon kitchen on fire. of salt dissolved into a Granny R. cup of water—if you are starting with already cooked and peeled shrimp). Stir in salt, hot sauce, avocado: To serve, add salt and more hot sauce to taste and gently mix in the chopped avocados. Dip the whole shrimp in the cocktail and arrange them on top. Serve in parfait glasses or in small bowls with tortilla chips on the side.
Comissions Available @BLACKDAISIES on Twitter
If you are part of the Sims K8: How long have you been community, you have undoubtedly playing the Sims? And which heard of RGR Gaming. His amazing version is your favorite if you have community lots are innovative and played more than one? always functional. RGR Gaming RGR: Well, I am only at the age of 28, aims to enhance your gameplay in but that question takes me back in ways you never imagined, and he time. The first time I played one of succeeds in his goal. From detailed the Sims games was way back when prisons to operational hair salons, I was 11 or 12 (something like that) at RGR Gaming's creative ideas will a friend's house. We were playing have you questioning how you Sims 2, and I was hooked by the have been playing the Sims this building options in that game. For its whole time. Outside of his time, it was just mind-blowing - the incredible creative talent, RGR possibilities! Gaming provides some much- needed positivity that is always If I need to pick my favorite version, refreshing. it will be Sims 3, the open world, the cars (I am a car enthusiast, hehe), I sat down with RGR Gaming to and many more other things that are discuss his astonishing builds and just soooo much better than even his always optimistic attitude. Sims 4 in its current stage. By K8Simsley
K8: What inspired you to start So actually, in the end, the inspiration sharing your builds on YouTube? for the channel was to combined 2 things that I LOVE to do, creating RGR: Interesting question! Well, not designs and gaming, into a Sims many know this, but I learned interior building channel as a way to inspire design. However, after graduating, I others. still could not say that this was the thing I wanted to do in life, FOR life. K8: You are known for many things. Your positive attitude is one of Now, as a long-time "GAMER" (as you those things, your great can call it) with that LOVE of playing personality, and your creative many games, I was wondering, maybe builds. I have two questions here, I should share my real passion with what keeps you so positive, and others. So, I started a general gaming where do you find your inspiration? channel. RGR:- First of all, thank you so much Sims 4 builds was only one thing I and Well, I was always a positive shared in that channel. person, if you see a glass of wine that is half empty, I will always look at the With time I noticed that many people half-full part and not the empty one. really really loved those builds. I Maybe it's because of my childhood, decided to remake the channel for but I learned the hard way that it can only Sims content and try and inspire always be worse. others to build in the game. I wanted to show what you can do in the game Be happy with the things you do have without CC, to show that anything is and not the things you don't, but I possible with a bit of imagination! don't want to bum out all the readers here right now, hehe Now, in terms of inspiration for my builds? It can be from the most simple things, like a nice car (its shapes, curves) or even a sweet pastry (a croissant, for example, I made a cafe shaped like one, haha). Of course, yes, I do not have shame in saying that even someone else's build can inspire me to build something. Oh, and you can always go for a stroll in Pinterest, I doubt you will leave it empty-handed ;-)
K8: You recently created a prison build in a YouTube video, and it was spectacular. How do you find the time to create such large, detailed builds, and how long do they usually take to complete? flying to the moon in a NASA Shuttle :P RGR: Well, because I decided to give youtube a chance as a "Job" and not Don't get me wrong. Building houses is a "hobby," I invest most of my days fun! But I decided that I want to bring creating, editing, filming... So, I have a something else to the community. Plus, lot of time to spend on the building there are many more other builders process. more talented than me in house building, so I leave them that job, hehe Each build takes something like 1-2 full days of building (not counting editing and recording voice-overs); it can be even more on big scaled projects like K8: We all love Sims 4, but some minor the mall I made, it is draining, but the details are missing that would make it end results are totally worth it! an amazing game. What do you feel is lacking in the game that your wish it had? K8: You build community lots quite often. Do you prefer to create these RGR - I don't believe we have enough types of lots compared to building space on the page for the full answer houses? hehe. So, I will try to keep it simple with the things I believe are the most needed RGR: Oh, totally! I looove retail shops, in the game. First, OPEN WORLD. Fully and even more, I enjoy trying to come open! Just like we had in Sims 3, the fact with new methods of playing the that you could see the Sims walking from game without adding mods or CC the top of the hill in sunset valley to the (kinda my trademark) So, I make many beach and see the day passing by was community lots that the player can sooo amazing! enjoy and feel like the game is a whole new game each time! From Now, of course, CARS! You can't call a taking the player to Paris or Rome up game a "Life simulation game" and keep to giving them the feeling, they are things like that out of the game. builds from real life like the Eiffel Tower, or maybe create a steamboat? The possibilities are endless! So, I just love that this game can bring the best out of the players!
K8: Imagine that you had to get rid of all your packs but could keep one of each type, what would you choose? (e.g., expansion, game pack, stuff pack, kit) RGR: Wow, this is a tough one, but if I had to choose, I would go with these - Expansion pack - Get to work. I just can't build retails without this pack, haha, and the active police career is one of my favorite packs! Game pack - Now, this might surprise people, but the "Journey To Batuu" pack. Yes, yes, I know, many people are not big fans of this pack but believe me, the building items in this As a car enthusiast, I was so pack are MIND-BLOWING! In every disappointed to see they left them out build I make, you are gonna find small, in Sims 4 after the amazing time I had realistic details that come from this with them in sims 3, especially with the pack, and those are the things that Fast lane pack we had! make the builds look amazing! Now, more related to the building Stuff Pack - Tiny Living. Nothing can aspects, I believe we are missing all beat that pack. I love the overall style "rounded" related objects, from spiral of this pack, and the murphy beds are staircases to rounded tables, chairs, just the best for small space-saving and more advanced - windows and builds! walls. Kits - Well, this is tricky. I love the idea I would love to see more ceiling decor of the "Bust the dust" kit, I even made options, like painting them, dropped a "Vacum Commercial" with that kit, ceiling, maybe? Really, the list is sooo hehe, but the "country kitchen" is so long, haha, so I think I will stop here. cool! So many building options in that
K8: What is your favorite thing about the Sims? RGR: I know it might sound like a cliche, but I love that this game gives all the players the way to express themselves the best way they can, from creativity to endless imagination. As a builder, I can go crazy in the building mode. Building kit. I have to go with the Country Kitchen Kit then.
K8: What advice would you give new builders? RGR: DON'T BE AFRAID TO TRY - as simple as it sounds! Many people are afraid to try and build something in the game. They are afraid that they can build "only a box," but if you never try, you will never know, and who knows, maybe after this try, your gonna build something amazing! Don't be afraid to try!
K8: That is excellent advice. What would you say to someone just starting out on YouTube? RGR: DON'T give up fast. Many people start YouTube, expecting to become the next big thing in 1 - 2 I want to see if the Sims team learned weeks. They believe that if they got from the mistakes they made in Sims 4, only a few views in one week, they (and we all know they did). I want to see are not good enough, or maybe what they do isn't good enough. I am not if they change those things in Sims 5... gonna lie; YouTube isn't for everyone. It's hard. It's demanding. But what job So ya, I am super excited for Sims 5, and isn't? If you give up fast, who knows, you might just give up on the greatest job of your life! Remember, even the best YouTubers out there now, started somewhere. It took them years to become what they are today.
YouTube is a marathon, not a sprint!
K8: With all the talk about Sims 5, I have to ask… Are you excited about a new game, or will you miss Sims 4? RGR: Well, I am so craving for a new Sims 5, that I want it YESTERDAY! not tomorrow, hehe. I think that Sims 4 had a good run, but RGR: That's true. I am using the Tool mod by "Twistedmexi" a lot! Until the moment I installed it, I used to have the red shelf mod also, but now I don't need it anymore. Now I do have the "BuildCam" mod, and it allows me to move in camera mode while building. It is super handy! This was also created by the legendary "Twistedmexi."
K8: Do you have any exciting projects coming up that viewers should watch for? RGR: I do have on my wall a board with many building ideas that I am planning to bring into the game soon. A few things I think people need to look forward to being - Golf Club, Beauty Salon, Casino, and many more things! and I won't be missing Sims 4. K8: If the government contacted you because they were sending a time K8: You have been using TOOL a lot in capsule into space and asked you to recent builds. Do you have any other create a build that they could put inside, what would you build and mods in your game? why? RGR: Probably a Gas Station. First of all, to remind us that Sims 4 did not have cars in the game, haha, and second, the way I see it, in a few years from now, none of us will go to gas stations to fill the car with fuel, so that build will be a reminder of what we used to do :P
K8: Lastly, How can our readers follow you and stay up to date on your happenings? RGR: The easiest way is by following me on my YouTube channel - RGR_Gaming www.youtube.com/channel/ UC8VjCCo9njRJuJwZTXqJvXQ And for a more personal feeling and extra Sims 4 shares, I am very reachable on Twitter - @RGR_Gaming
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Pain Pose Pack Creator: Akuiyumi akuiyumi.tumblr.com/
Health & Medical Administration Mod Creator: Lucidoll sims4downloads.net/ tag/lucidoll sims4downloads.net HOW TO C�ea�� CC A Beginners Guide. Written By MaddyCatts
Part II: Your First Recolor! Sul Sul Simmers! Maddycatts here and welcome to Part II of our Absolutely Beginner series. Today your preparation pays off and I will walk you through your first object recolor! I’m excited! So. I hope you all got a chance to review the first part of the series - if not or if you’re new you can grab the tutorial here. Let’s get started shall we?
Make sure you have completely closed out The Sims 4 and open Sims 4 Studio (S4S). Once the program loads the first thing you want to do is give yourself a creator name. Type this name in the empty box in the lower right corner. This S4S will now load every CAS item in the will be the name S4S assigns to all of your game so don’t be alarmed if it takes a creations. Cool huh? Note: You can few seconds to load. When it does you change this ID anytime and as many times will see all of the items neatly displayed - as you need to. you’re now officially a game insider!! After you bask in the warm glow of Our t-shirt, of course, is a CAS clothing item so locate the heading labeled CAS. superiority notice the variety of selection We only want to change the appearance drop downs to narrow down your choices. of the shirt therefore we will select: CAS You can sort by game pack, gender, Standalone Recolor. There is no “ok” or body part etc. So quickly look through “select” button so after you click the categories and become familiar with Standalone just click the CAS heading them while I go grab a coffee. again to tell the program ok. (Soothing instrumental music) Okay I’m back and I bet you already The next screen that opens will be the S4S suspect S4S is going to be a game Studio screen. There’s tons here lol but for changer don’t you? Well you’re right and now we’ll just focus on the task at hand. So you’re going to love it! locate the tabs labeled Texture, Meshes and Categories and make sure you’re in So. We want to select the following the texture tab. parameters: Species: Human Gender: Male Age: Adult Part Type: Clothing Top Game Pack: Base Game Written By MaddyCatts Content: Game Search: t-shirt
All of the shirts that match our criteria are now displayed. Pick a solid, plain solid t- shirt to keep things simple. The color doesn’t matter because we’re going to change it anyway but I do suggest choosing a dark one since the work background in our graphics program will be a light color. Once you’ve chosen your shirt click Next at the bottom right corner. A screen will open prompting you to name and save a new file. Why? Because S4S knows that The Sims 4 uses package files and understands that’s what we want to end up with. S4S is simply creating your package file upfront and asking you to name it. See. S4S already totally has confidence in you!
So. Let’s make sure we are telling S4S to place this package file in the right location on our computer. You will use the folders we set up in the first tutorial:
Desktop\S4S Projects
Now click in the file name field and type: My Custom T-shirt Click Save. Note: Don’t use the following symbols in your filenames because it takes longer for the game to figure out what they are: &, *, [ and ]. I mean honestly do we really need more lag time in the game? There is our lovely, bald Sim just waiting to Now you will give the png file a name. This try on his cool new custom t-shirt. Practice name is not very important and we’ll name it rolling the mouse wheel and holding the red.png. If for some reason I’m working on right mouse down to tilt and rotate the 3D multiple projects I will name my files 111, 222, model. This will give you the flexibility you 333 etc so I don’t get confused. I get confused realllly easily you guys. will need in the future to see your Any hoo name your file and click Save. creations from all angles. Minimize S4S and let’s play with some color!!! PNG Files Open Paint.net and navigate to All digital images have file extensions such File\Open\Desktop\S4S Projects\red.png as jpeg, psd, tiff, gif, png etc that lend themselves to different, specific Double-click thered.png file you just functions. The Sims 4 uses png files for created. textures so that is what we are interested Two things will happen. One, the t-shirt in. texture file will open inPaint.net and two, you will say that’s not a t-shirt holy cow We want S4S to rummage around in that t- what went wrong??! shirt package file, find the Sims 4 png file One, yay! Two, it is a t-shirt it’s just in 2D assigned to it and politely let us have it so render. Everything is okay. You’re okay. We we can recolor it. got this! This is how we tell S4S to do just that: look to the right of our bald Sim and locate the Now I’m not going to lie, sometimes it is panel labeled Texture. At the bottom of super complicated to make sense of some this panel you will see a button labeled thing that we are used to seeing in 3-D laid Export. out like it was just dropped from a plane. But over time it becomes second nature and Click Export some items are super easy to deal with when we work on recolors. Why? Because we need an outside Marching Ants program to handle the custom recolor we InPaint.net selected areas, or areas ready want to create. We need a graphics editor to receive effects/actions are outlined by such as Photoshop, Gimp, Paint.net etc. animated dashes. For as long as I can as you know we will be using Paint.net. remember people have referred to these in Clicking Export tells S4S to hand over the Paint as marching ants and now I can’t un- png file so we can take it with us see it so...yeah. You will eventually be glad temporarily, or “export” it. they are animated because it’s a strong Now that you’ve clicked Export there’s visual cue to let you know what items you another pop-up prompt. This one is similar are about to alter. To stop or turn off this effect simply hit the Esc (Escape) key in the in nature to our first one. S4S is granting upper left corner of your keyboard. our request to have the t-shirt png files - You can go ahead and turn off the ants it just wants to know where to drop them now. off. So. What we want to do is highlight the areas of our flattened shirt that we want to Instruct it to use this directory path: change. In this case we actually want to Desktop\S4S Projects change the entire shirt so we have to use the proper tool to select the area.
There is a small tools icon bar on the left side of the screen and you will eventually use it constantly but since this is your first time let’s use the actual tool menu. In the top menu bar selectTools>Magic Wand.
The magic wand is a very powerful selection tool that lets you fine-tune how little or how much of an object you want to work with. It can pick up subtle shades of difference in color and toned so we have to have a way to tell it to increase “Two, it is a t-shirt it’s just in 2D or decrease its sensitivity. This sensitivity render. Everything is okay. You’re is called tolerance. If you look at the okay. We got this!” options bar at the top of the screen you will see the Tolerance panel. It uses percentages and they can be raised or lowered with a few easy clicks.
We want the tolerance level for this shirt to be around 50% or so so that’s what we will set it to now. That means it will grab all of the color in the shirt. Once you have said this number to 50% now go down and click inside the first box. Here come the marching ants lol. Go ahead and hit Esc to turn off the ants.
Adding Color This is actually the easiest part because Paint has a built in color palette as well as lots of options for custom color inputs. We are going to use a custom color for our shirt, a lovely cheerful red that I’m really into at the moment. The hex code assigned to this color is:9a0200. Locate the Colors panel in the lower left part of your Paint.net screen. Click the More tab. In the Hex field enter:9a0200 Now. Take your magic wand and click inside the t-shirt texture box again. Make sure you click on the shirt and not the checkerboard background. Hit the backspace key. Oooh! Nice right? One awesome thing about this program is you can use the magic wand to select multiple areas by holding down the Ctrl (Control) key and then selecting your desired areas. Select all areas of the t-shirt. Once the ants are marching around them all release the control key and hit the backspace key. Use the mouse on the model to turn, All the areas have now been recolored! rotate etc to see the shirt from all views. Now select File>Save to save your work. This is where you will see if you made any A pop-up box will appear but nothing in it mistakes such as accidentally adding color is relevant to this project so hit OK and outside of the t-shirt mesh in Paint. This will result in red color ending up on your Sims minimize Paint. skin or hair in CAS. Not cool. Bring up (maximize) the S4S window. The plain old black shirt is still there If something doesn’t suit your fancy or looking bored but we know we have some you want to make changes simply minimize cherry red goodness to explore so let’s S4S and go back into Paint. Make your tell the program that we want to import changes, SAVE them and go back into S4S our cool new graphics. and click Import to see those changes. You can do this as many times as you Just below the Export button we used need to. earlier you will see a button labeled Import.Click Import. When you feel that everything is perfect Why? S4S is ready to take our new, and you are ready to retrieve your red.png t-shirt file and add it to our package simply click Save at the bottom package but it needs to know where to go right. S4S will now finalize your My T-shirt package file with new red png file safely find it. tucked away inside. Direct it to: Desktop\S4S Projects\red.png You will see a pop-up notification telling anddouble-click red.png. you that your package has been Note: After the first project S4S will successfully saved. Click OK. Now you can remember where you save things. safely close S4S and Paint. So now S4S is off and running. It is opening Navigate to your new package folder: the package file, tossing the png file for Desktop\S4S Projects\My Custom T- shirt.package the black t-shirt in the trash, replacing it with our new red.png file and telling the 3D Grab your new package file and head model to try it on so we can see how it over to your Mods folder. Open the looks. folder we created last month: Follow me on Twitter @maddy_catts
A huge thank you to all Our Front-line workers, not over to your Mods folder. Open the folder only has your dedication Documents\ElectronicArts\TheSims4\Mods\TestCC saved many lives, it has Paste your new package file there. Run your game, head to CAS and try your meant a comfort to those new t-shirt out on your Sim. It looks amazing in a time of need right? Of course it does and YOU did it!!
Making your own content for a game you love playing is the best feeling in the world and the best part is there is so much more to explore. Next we will cover how to add our own graphics and images to a clothing item. Yes! We are totally going to make a custom logo hoodie!
So I will see all of you guys back here next month for another installment of the Absolutely Beginner series here at SimmedUp Magazine! In the meantime practice making some gorgeous clothing items in every color of the rainbow and I would absolutely love to see what you come up with so feel free to share and show off by tagging us#SupCCHowTo.
This month we bring you LaarStudio on Instagram for our Titan Architects. Maria joined our team this year and has amazing talent not only in website design but also her Sims builds and her community spirit is off the charts. With May’s magazine being dedicated to our brave health workers out there Maria brings us a space that will take you away from all the stresses and strains and let you and your Sims sit back and relax in this awesome and relaxing meditation and massage therapy space.
Hi Maria, it is so great to chat with you remember exactly what my first build was today about your builds and of course but it must have been just a box with a yourself. Even though you are part of door in the Sims 2, because funnily our team sometimes I don’t think we get enough back then I was so fascinated with enough time to just sit back, relax and gameplay that I didn't pay much attention have a good old chin wag, so I thought to building, until recently. why not take that time right now and we can share a few insights with our readers So does that mean you speak more than at the same time. Can you tell everyone one language? I know you are multi- where you are from? When you first talented with an MSC in “Computational started playing Sims and can you and Data Journalism" and its UI/UX remember what your first build was? Design or Web Design, and Web Development, but your also a bit of a Hi Sami, it is a pleasure being featured this graphic designer as well as writing for month in the magazine, thank you for the our magazine, how did you get started opportunity to have a taste of what it's in website management? like to be on the other side. I am from Ukraine, I was born in Hungary but family It does indeed! I was lucky to be brought returned to Ukraine when I was 1, so I don't up with two languages - Ukrainian and remember much of Hungary. Most of my Russian, since I've been to around 12 life I would travel between the UK and schools in the UK I have picked up English Ukraine (and other countries in between) along the way. I also love the sound of so I have stayed in the UK for some years French so I took that up during university. now. I started playing Sims in the Sims 2 My transition from Data Analysis to Web era, not long after that Sims 3 came out Design and Development was definitely so I am predominantly Sims 3/4 girl. I don't not planned, I wanted to carry on Data Analysis in my masters after my Filter bachelors and Computational and Data so that is definitely much more Journalism sounded very cool haha little enjoyable. I miss the pattern and colour did I know I will need to design and build choices the Sims 3 had where the same my own website pages to publish my pattern can be applied to anything and investigative journalism articles on... I everything, imagine an all tiger pattern just fell in love, I enjoy it so much that I living room. If that was in the Sims 4, the started freelancing in UI/UX to build up designs would be out of this world! my experience alongside my other job, There has been a lot of controversy this is where I started to get a bit of a around the Sims with Skin Tone taste for graphic design too as a lot of updates, as well as requests for things my clients needed some tweaks to like Disabilities added into Sims Play graphics or just enhancing images to and More Gender choices which has add to their sites, which is where I am the community split. EA did bring us today. These skills made me somewhat the new skin tone update enabling useful to SimmedUp also, so I enjoy what simmers to portray their true I do more, every day. simselves do you think disabilities and gender choices should be added to the Sims? What did you think about You said that Sims 2 was when you the skin tone update and if you could first started playing the Sims, what chose to create a pack for the Sims would you say that EA has improved what would it be and why? on the most since you first started playing, and what would you say EA I believe every person in the world should have included but did not in deserves to be represented especially Sims 4. in a game which tries to mimic the world. I would say I don't have much place to I would say the biggest improvement of say anything about these things EA is definitely the graphics, the build because I have not come from a mode looks almost real with just a little disadvantaged background or an
underrepresented community, so I can only imagine how frustrating it must be for them. In general, I do believe the Sims just need more of everything. More varied Sims, disabilities, more hair colours and hair types... From a UX Design perspective they have failed in one very important aspect and that is allowing the user to customise their game as they wish. They do not need to choose what to add and what not to add, or even try and think from another groups perspective - just allow people to customise the skin, the hair, anything, the way they want. A colour wheel would solve a lot of their problems in this regard, in my opinion. They did it before, how can they say they “ I think EA is extremely good at can't? In the digital world there is no such just throwing out packs at Simmers thing as "can't" but there is a "won't". And to patch up discontent that is something the Sims community should ” stand up against. If I had the option to create anything for the Sims it would not be a pack, I think EA is extremely good at just throwing out packs at Simmers to patch up discontent. I would work on efficiency of the game, fixing all the bugs, adding features to the game that allows players more freedom of customisation. Yes they need to invest quite a bit and it will not bring them millions but in the long run everyone would want to play, which is when, their effort in making new packs would pay off hundreds of times more than now. “For those experiencing negativity towards them, all I can say is don't dwell on it, the problem is not with your work or your mind-set but with the other I do agree that EA need to work on the persons behaviour” ‘bugs’ of the game, I hadn’t really experienced them until this year! So where I was more ‘give me game packs’ now I am in the ‘fix the game’ corner. Talking about customisation in game, we are always thankful for our MOD and CC creators who do indeed fill the gap that EA has missed. Do you use Mods in your gameplay? If so which ones and why? What CC do you use if any and who would you recommend as your 'go to' CC Creator at the moment? I don't use much of gameplay mods, I just think they are a little tricky to handle and I am used to the way my game looks so anything that may alter some way I expect something to work just annoys me hehe I as I do on twitter and for me I just did however download the "slice of life" decided to not engage in mod by KawaiiStacie and it adds quite a conversations... Yes it is a sad solution lot to the game without that to avoid negativity and stress I have changing much of the original to not participate but that is what I had aspects. Of course the Tool Mod to do since even for a harmless comment and Red Shelf are a staple at this or idea people get so much hate. Also I time I even forget they are mods had kept myself very busy juggling 3 jobs sometimes! My go to CC creators so I did not really have much time to would be the Peacemaker and dwell on negative comments etc. but I Ravasheen, I predominantly can imagine what it's like for the Simmers download Build&Buy CC as I just who have this as a full time job and to love decorating homes and I also constantly see insults and hate towards want my game to look like Sims, so their ideas or work even if they try very maxis match with just more detail and hard. So my advice to everyone is, I flair is what those creators are very understand you may be bored and the good at! Sims is the only thing to do, but pressurising content creators and becoming increasingly demanding and There is a lot of mental health aggressive is not going to do anyone discussion amongst the Sims any good, or speed up the process of community at the moment, you getting your wanted CC item or knowing that others out there are whatever else. For those experiencing going through the same thing as us negativity towards them, all I can say is and especially in a time such as a don't dwell on it, the problem is not with world-wide pandemic a lot of your work or your mind-set but with the people’s mental health has other persons behaviour so my advice suffered. How have you kept would be to ignore or if you just can't yourself upbeat throughout and then respond in the nicest way possible do you have any wise words or sometimes people realise they are just inspiration you can share with our embarrassing themselves. readers who may be having a hard time or even just need a little boost? So if you could choose only one social media outlet to use for the rest of your Yes this has definitely become a growing Sims creating life, would you choose issue recently, I have seen a lot of Instagram? What is the community and content creators taking a break response to your creations on from their content and leaving Instagram like? social media for a while and I always asked myself why now, Yes I would choose Instagram, it is more since the job itself has not really focused on showcasing creations and changed so why do Simmers feel less on debating which in general creates so much pressure now? And I have a different atmosphere I believe. The noticed why when I created a community on Instagram is lovely, of twitter account and I saw how course there are some instances but many demands and opinions they don't last long and are quickly some people in the community forgotten. I personally haven't are aggressively putting out experienced any negativity towards my there, while insulting people who work but I did witness others, yet the have a contradictory point of view to community is very supportive if only the them. I don't see it as much on Instagram algorithm worked in favour of organic growth it would be perfect. Very last question and I thought why not add a little fun to the interview. So tell us what are the next steps for Aliens have invaded the planet, they yourself and your Sims, I know you heard about the Sims and decided recently run a Shell challenge, do you they want to turn all humans into a real have any more coming up in the life simulation game where they control future? And can you tell our readers us. You have to decide which townie how they can find you. you are going to be and you get one Mod and One piece of CC to use. Tell I am a little occupied right now with many us who and what you would choose and jobs at the same time until I actually find why. a job in UI UX, a lot of interviews a lot of Ohhh dear that is very scary to be rejections a lot of tests at the moment controlled for the rest of my life haha I so I don't have a schedule and I never would like to be Nancy Landgraab I think, had a schedule I post where and when I not many problems in her life, income is feel creativity or have some cool idea sorted, great family and loving husband, life in a sunny world... Seems good to me for a build or challenge which is my hehe I would like the Tool mod for sure so advice to everyone too, to not try and I can decorate my house, in which I will be force posts just to post everyday it stuck forever, anyway I want! And as CC really is not very good for mental health I'd choose to have eyelashes!! Because... and your creative flow. well, to look slightly human...
This month we feature Amelettes, yeah sure I'm not making videos, not only a fantastic artist but a but I'm able to tell a story with my community member we are proud lovely little pixel dolls to the to be able to showcase and world and I just think that's introduce to our readers. awesome (:
Izzy: Hi Amelette, thank you for Izzy: When did you start agreeing to do this interview, can editing/your simblr? you take a moment to introduce Amelie: I started my simblr in the yourself to everyone. summer of 2020! Amelie: Hi there, first off I'm already going to excuse myself because I'm utterly horrendous Izzy: How did you get into when it comes to having to speak editing? about myself. Now that that's out Amelie: I got into editing of the way, I'm Amélie (Amelettes because I was inspired by the on tumblr). I'm 27 and stem from work coming out of the Germany. I have loved the Sims community and wanted to give from an early age, it has always my own shot at it, that's why I helped me to express my created a simblr too! imagination and with being an only child for a long time it helped with boredom too. Recently though it Izzy: What has been your has revealed itself as a new outlet favorite piece so far and why? for a passion I've always had and Amelie: My favorite piece so far that's photography. I've been was the two-day event I held for playing since I was 10 but it wasn't my Throuple's union/wedding until last year that I started taking ceremony! I had so much fun in-game shots and working with the putting everything together and cinematic mode, but boy do I love especially the question game I it now! I remember sitting in my did where I had everyone send room when I was 13/14, surfing things in for them. A lot of hard, hard work went into all of that. YouTube, and watching all the Honestly, as I was posting it, I was videos that simmers would make having mini panic attacks with the Sims 3. because they meant so much to I would think to myself how much I me and I just wanted everyone to like them . wish I could do cool stuff and now looking back at all that I sort of Izzy: What is your main feel like I have arrived there? inspiration? Amelie: My main inspiration.. hmm.. Izzy: Do you have a favorite sim? life? Haha. I mean I primarily am a Either your own or that's already in casual gameplay/story blog and so game? everything that I put into my story is things that either someone close to Amelie: Yuli, who I chose for my edit, me or I myself have experienced in one way or another.I don't try to fancy will forever be my favorite Sim. Before I things up in my story - I try to make made her and her brother Jun, I would everything as damn realistic as I can just blaze through generations so given my limitations within the Sims. quickly and get burnt out. But I have somehow managed to play only one
Amelie: I honestly just use reshade. Sim for almost 6 months and that's Um... sometimes I crop stuff? Hahaha never happened before. Izzy: What is your favorite Sims game?
Amelie: SimCity! Closely followed by Sims Medieval!
Izzy: Do you use CC? And if so what's Hi I am Izzy, thanks your favorite kind? for reading my first article for SimmedUp Amelie: I use SOOO much CC, haaaa. Magazine. But my favorite would definitely have to be hair, though.
Find Amelie on Tumblr Amelettes.tumblr.com Covering Your Old School Favourites From The Sims Franchise.
Generations have been inspired by the Sims Franchise since it was first released in the year 2000. Since then we have gone from the original version through 2/3 and now in 2021, we are currently playing the Sims 4. With May celebrating International Nurses Day, here we decided to celebrate by going back to Strangetown Sims 2 with Mel on PC and Sims 2 on the PSP with SarcasticBrit.
Medicine has only really developed into a I’ve always stuck with Pleasantview and later, more hands-on career in the latter Sims Belladonna Cove. Stangetown and games; The Sims 3 Ambitions saw the Veronaville were two neighbourhoods that branch of the medical career include never really appealed to ten-year-old me. activities that the player could However, only recently through the release participate in, whereas The Sims 4 Get to of Strangerville and reading hopes and Work had a separate Doctor career path dedicated to performing emergency surgery, making house calls, delivering babies, and ultimately saving lives. Interestingly, The Sims 2 introduced rewards for reaching certain levels in careers such as the TraumaTime "Incision Precision" Surgical Training Station, which is unlocked at Level 4 of the Medicine Career.
Furthermore, the game introduced a town Strangetown in all its mysterious planetary glory investigating alien abduction, a dreams that this Game Pack would in some spacecraft accident, cross-species, and medical experimentation. For someone way relate to Strangetown did I begin to who claims to have so much experience in really appreciate and explore the depth and the retro area of The Sims franchise, I can lore behind the original neighbourhood, and honestly say that I never really delved deep into the mysteries of Stangetown in particularly the mysteries surrounding the The Sims 2. Beaker Family. Contextually, Beakers are commonly used within laboratories to measure and/or hold liquids. The Beaker Family includes Circe and Loki Beaker, and their adopted son, Nervous Subject. They reside in 1 Tesla Court,
Spaceship Crash
As forementioned in my first article of SimmedUp! Magazine, reviewing The Sims Bustin’ Out, the developers do enjoy adding humour to the franchise, whether 1 Tesla Court that be a play-on-word with Sim names, or place names– there is always something *a Victorian, red-bricked factory somewhere, and Strangetown is no combined with a slightly medieval take exception. After all, it wouldn’t be a with a castle turret placed on the exterior. “strange town” if there weren't some Perhaps this is to reflect the different elements of farcical dark humour styles of torture Circe inflicts on Nervous? implemented now, would it?
Originally, I thought 1 Tesla Court was a reference to the car and clean energy company, Tesla. However, it is more likely that this refers to Nikolas Tesla, a Serbian- American inventor, electrical and mechanical engineer, commonly recognised for his work on alternating- currents (AC) using his invention, the Tesla Coil. This medieval– also includes a laboratory, *cough* torture chamber *cough* featuring numerous unlockable career The Beaker Family rewards such as the SimSanto Inc. Biotech Station, the SensoTwitch Lie Finder, and Ironically, this scientifically eccentric TraumaTime "Incision Precision" Surgical household are named the Beaker Family. Training Station. 47 Surely if Nervous wanted to reach out for assistance to his rescue he could do so easily? There is no door to the basement either, which is also strange as if Nervous was Circe‘s subject (pun intended), then shouldn’t he be kept in this basement like a rat in a cage? Unless of course, this is just a room for respite for when Circe is exhausted from her experimental work, but I’ll let you be the judge of that one.
The Beaker Laboratory According to her bio, “Circe knows 238 different ways to make someone scream, and none of them are nice,” hinting that some of these different ways were discovered torturing Nervous Subject with those different career rewards.
Below is a basement, presumably Nervous Subject’s bedroom, with one bog- standard bed, plants, bookshelf, and lights. However, the alarm clock is positioned on an end-table further away from the bed. Perhaps this is to force Nervous to physically get out of bed and
Nervous Subject
The dark irony of this character is laced throughout his life, starting with his adoptive name, Nervous Subject. Obviously, this is a pun made by the developers, but to be adopted by two mad scientists and to be subjected (pun not intended) to constant experimentation growing up would make anyone nervous. Mysteriously, we will never know what Nervous Subject’s birth Nervous’ Room? name was, or when this changed, presumably when he was adopted. But this could have also been used as a cruel game curated by Loki and Circe. However, as we search deeper into his Bizarrely, his room also includes a character, we find that Nervous Subject is computer in fact 13 is an unlucky number, and combined with the pun, “Dead End Lane” further adds to the theory that Nervous could be the Grim Reaper’s child, and live an unfortunate, unlucky life.
Through his appearance, it is obvious that A different Nervous? Nervous has not inherited any of his the son of Olive Spectre. Therefore, this mother’s features and upon further makes him the cousin of Ophelia Nigmos investigation through SimPE, he appears who, at the beginning of the game, to be a clone of the Grim Reaper. As 13 doesn’t know of his existence. However, Dead End Lane is full of tombstones, the Olive has a memory of giving birth to a Grim Reaper visited quite a few times, thus different Nervous Subject, as their forming a relationship with Olive Spectre, portraits do not match in-game. so this theory is not unusual. In addition, Nervous doesn’t have a father on his This suggests to me that his features were family tree, and Olive has memories of either severely disfigured by Loki and only woohooing with the Grim Reaper, Circe through experimentation pre- making him the likely father of Nervous release, or similarly to Bella Goth, the real Subject. What is strange, is that Olive was Nervous Subject is “missing” and replaced an elder when she gave birth to Nervous, with a slightly altered clone instead. It is and this cannot be done under normal suggested that his personality is also gameplay. modified as his, “hobbies include twitching and blinking a lot.” Ultimately, Nervous Subject’s backstory remains a mystery, allowing us to form our According to his family tree, Nervous own opinions and judgements on just what Subject has no father. However, as happened to him earlier in life. I do enjoy onomastics (the study of history behind analysing different Sims and their and the use of place names, given names, backstories in The Sims 2 as so much and surnames) is a pretty big thing in the thought and effort has clearly gone into game, it would be no surprise to me if them. The authenticity and originality of Nervous Subject was related to the Grim these backstories must be praised highly. Reaper as “Spectre” is a synonym for Ghost, Apparition or Spirit, and Olive I just wish the current Sims team would put resides in a mass graveyard known as 13 this amount of effort into the backstories Dead End Lane. Most of us know that of Sims in The Sims 4. If you would like me to explore another family in The Sims 2, please let me know! Until next time, Happy Simming! Melissa
Grimmy 13 Dead End Lane SARCASTIC BRIT a huge welcome to Sarcastic Brit who has joined our team. We look forward to more Snippets from the Sims2 on PSP as they take you on a trip down memory lane.
The Sims has been a long standing title This style of gameplay and storytelling is within the gaming community now since not the only unique game within The Sims its conception in the year 2000, and series, and can be found within; The Urbz, has since then grown through The Sims Bustin Out, The Sims 2 on DS, numerous titles, expansions, concepts and The Sims 2 Castaway. The latter and directions. For those of you who being a personal favorite. have recently joined the family of Simmers you may not remember the But the focus of this article will be upon strange and now retro games of The the introduction of the Sims past. world, gameplay and storytelling ability of When it comes to abnormality within The Sims 2 on the the series, few stand out to me as PlayStation Portable much as some of the console and through briefly looking handheld-console games. In 2004 I at the games manual, would learn this the hard way with the so without further addition of the PlayStation portable introduction let’s head version of The Sims 2, a game unlike right in and begin the what we see now with later additions adventure together. like The Sims 3 and The Sims 4 that are more about the creation and As some will remember, simulation of virtual lives and a virtual there was a time when neighborhood. people read the manuals that came with How might one ask? The Sims 2 on the case and game, it PlayStation Portable was focused upon had been a while since a single character that you as the I have personally player would control in third-person, played something rather opposed to the usual gameplay without a digital of being able to control multiple Sims download so checking within a household from a free camera. out the manual was a must for that true nostalgic feeling, not Only one more entry about saving and only was it informative, but it also held loading follows before you’re met with SARCASTIC BRIT that novelty of the past. what I remembered to be one of the Sprawled upon the very last page are a biggest parts of this game. Uncovering couple of phone numbers that someone the secrets of Strangetown, that is of course where this game is based, but may call for “Hints and Cheats” the the system of gathering secrets around number for the “Official EA hintline!” even the world of The Sims and the came with its own serial code. inhabitants of Strangetown does not Alternatively someone could register come without its difficulties. Gathering online using another code on the back for secrets can be done through world the following benefits: Exclusive access to exploration and collectibles found in a free hint or cheat for your game, News hidden areas, or through socializing with on your favorite EA games, and finally Full other Sims. technical support. Socializing with another Sim on different levels can reveal to you some of their Personality, Aspirations, Mood, and deepest secrets, by becoming a friend Character Creation with someone they may feel within The Sims comfortable enough to disclose a 2(PSP) seems to secret about themselves, alternatively read just as you’d you can intimidate other Sims into telling you one of their secrets. But, what are imagine they were these secrets for? going to play, one warning that Keeping secrets for Sims can be a contained an valuable way to show trust and build a insight into just the relationship, and apparently to the kind of game manual there are rewards for the you’re in for came collection of a full set of secrets. What if as; Exercise caution you don’t want to keep a secret around ravenous though? In this version of The Sims 2 one way to make those Simoleons you’ll robots, come up need, you can sell all or some of the for air in the secrets that you find to certain Sims who sensory have different interests. Selling secrets deprivation tank comes with a warning of course, that and be sure to once a secret has been sold, it’s out and keep your Sims it’s everywhere, so don’t bother trying hunger sated. to sell it to someone else. Now, one of the things I do remember brief introduction of this function being from around this era of The Sims, was the following; some of the more let’s just say interesting mechanics for a life “Has someone else’s Sim caught your simulator, mini-games. Not only are your eye? You can import that sim and ways of making money listed in the replace one of your dateable NPC’s.” manual limited to selling items and “Your friend’s Sim is now in your secrets, but also by playing mini-games. game, with exactly their looks, Social interaction is also a mini-game if personality and clothing.” you want to do one of the three following; Chat, Flirt, Intimidate. With such a feature I can only begin to imagine both the good and the heinous The mini-game for your social ability that EA had given to their players. interactions in the game consist of the Sim you are interacting with displaying a Join me next time for when we truly symbol when they speak, and then you press the button on your handheld that begin to delve back into this classic, matches one of three pictures on exploring the secrets of Strangetown display for you to select. There is both and the joy of a retro game from the a timer for this interaction, and only a past, minigames, story, gameplay and set amount of turns for you to fill a even some of the more comical writing I progress bar to advance your have experienced from The Sims. relationship in the desired direction. Until then, keep on Simming. I’ve never personally been opposed to games that involve button mashing, The Urbz being another game that did something similar with their gameplay was another personal favorite. However, in a portable game on a handheld console, the game sometimes stutters loading the next turn which causes you to miss that all important sweet spot for maximum social gain, which can be frustrating enough to get myself sent to Strangetown for a ‘holiday’.
Before I put the manual down there was one last attraction to read, one that I had no recollection of as a feature because it was one I simply never used. That being the multiplayer that this game had to offer, limited to two ways of conducting interactivity between players. The first is the ability to trade and swap perks, secrets or rare items between players. Though the second is something named Cloning, with the I WILL NOT POST ON A SCHEDULE
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WITH THANKS TO JANAILLUSTRATIONS ON INSTAGRAM FOR SHARING THIS QUOTE WITH US Your Advertisement Could Be Here Get Seen with SimmedUp Magazine Your Advertisement Could Be Here Get Seen with SimmedUp Magazine R D P T R
A Interview By Maria - LaarStudio Hi Ardi, thank you again for agreeing to this interview and allowing us, our readers and your fans to get to know you a little more as a person behind the simstagram, that is @rd.ptra. It is a pleasure having you with us today! You are known in the Sims community as a creator, who takes the Sims game and does something with it– that just blows everyone’s mind. We are extremely eager to find out what goes on in that mind of yours that turns the game upside down and thinks outside of the box. Your pop-up build change which we had pleasure featuring in our past issue and your portal challenge are just some of the awesome examples of your creativity. Your more realistic creations also give another meaning to the game for many people, for example the Opticians Shop or theAll-day Buffet restaurant.
So, without keeping everyone Haha! It’s actually a simple story, I waiting any longer, let us know a recently broke my prescription glasses little about yourself. What do you do and I just got a new pair from the when you are not playing the sims? optic. And if you are a glasses user, What inspires you on a daily basis? you know how exciting it is to go to Hello, my name is Ardi and I’m from optic stores and get new glasses. Indonesia. I’m a freelance illustrator and voice dubber. What inspires me? How have you coped during the Movies, TV shows, music videos and pandemic? Did you fully throw memes. Back when I was younger I yourself into the Sims or are there didn’t really go out a lot because of any other hobbies you are focusing my disability, so, I have a significant on? knowledge about pop cultures, and Yeah! That’s exactly it! I’m fully that’s what inspires me most of the throwing myself in the Sims, I’m on the bottom of Sims sea! And I’m 100% times. happy about it! I didn’t do much for the past eight months other than playing the Sims and eating snacks. I In this May issue we are highlighting bloated like hot balloon, I can’t even the front-line workers that risk their see my neck anymore, so I’m starting lives every day to keep us safe, to exercise nowadays, ooh and I therefore, I’d like to ask you what started to play other game too. inspired you to create the Opticians Shop? I can only imagine how much attention to detail and work went Why did you decide to create a into that piece. simstagram account for your work? What are some of the big goals you Before I answer this question, I’d like to would love to achieve using the skills thank the cc maker for this build: you have? Simscredible! And Righthearted I have a commitments issuesandI without their glasses CC, I wouldn’t be want to fix this. So, I challenge myself able to make this build. to build a whole new build for a year. Interview By Maria - LaarStudio I used to send the builds to my friends, and they encouraged me to open a Sims account just so that I can document my progress, I did and now I’m few weeks away from that one year challenge.
Can you tell us a little how you came about to play the Sims and what you love about the game most? What was the first Sims game that you played, which is the favorite? My dad is an architect, so I grew up with blue prints, and house mock-ups. So since a young age, I’m really fascinated with house building and at the same time, I’m not a skillful gamer due to my only one good arm, so I was looking for a game that doesn’t require me to play the game with two hands. And then my friend introduced me to the first Sims game, the The Optic Shop - Created by RD.PTRA Sims Hot Date to be exact! And I fell in love with the ability to build our own house feature. My favorite Game from the series would be the Sims 2 open for business. It’s just so much fun.
Do you have any Sims creators that have inspired you so far and from which you have learned when you started? Do you have any advice for the sims creators who are just starting out? I used to watch James Turner’s videos back in 2016-2017. And I was fascinated by his builds! Especially his tiny house builds. And then, my education distracted me from playing game until last year. My advice would be, don’t be lazy to scroll through debug objects. There are many random things you can find there. If you were hired by EA tomorrow and assigned as the lead designer and developer of a completely new expansion pack for the game what would you create? A pack where disabled sims exist. And any music or concert pack. I did a simschella stage last year, and it’ll be amazing to see if the Sims can actually hold a concert and the crowds.
If you could change one thing about the Sims 4 game, what would it be? The ceilings. Why are they so plain? It looks so plain; it makes my mineral water looks more tasteful. And round walls, more world to play in, And Vlad.. can he just go The Optic Shop - Created by RD.PTRA somewhere?
Ardi is known to be a very positive person, from our perspective, how do you keep the mojo up? Do you encounter negativity online and if so how does that impact your work? Thank you! Ah, I just received a mean comment this week (I only received some DM’s that compared me with other builders before), it was amazing to receive my very first mean comment! I mean, there’s no way we can satisfy everyone, everyone entitled to their opinion, and we should be respectful even to mean comments. I think some negativity can help me to be an even better builder. I mean, just be grateful. Do you have any other social media accounts except Instagram? I do actually! I just turned my personal twitter account to Sims account, I’m so sorry for self- promoting, but it’s @rdptra1 and Patreon for anyone who wants to support my works. I’ll start to upload speed build videos after my one-year build challenge end too.
Is there anything else you would like to tell your fans? Any big dark secrets? A lot of my builds are not functional. I’m so sorry.
Ooh and I’d like to thank to everyone who has been supporting me in my journey, and all of my friends that I befriended (SimpleTierra, Simmnice, Arialsims, Coki.Creative, Booledsim, Plumbobkingdom, howtoliiv, thesimsweekendbuilder, Jenbuilding24, Palakoslip, Plummysims, Yasmin.gmt.sims, Simslinea, and many more) within this community, and thanks to Maria and everyone from SimmedUp for the opportunity to tell my story.
What do you think of the new update, its features, bunk beds? Did it meet your expectations, if not what would you have liked to see? Well.. I personally am not a bunk bed believer, so I don’t have any expectations at all, but I’m glad that it’s here! The platform update is the best one in years! I wish it would be more flexible though Find Ardi on Twitter/Instagram & Patreon @RDPTRA
ELDER JYMM
"I've been playing the Sims since '89 when I first saw them in SimCity. Started playing The Sims a few years later. I love to create both builds and characters. AND I love to share what I do!" YouTube: Jymm Instagram: elderjymm Twitter: elderjymm ELDER JYMM
"I've been playing the Sims since '89 when I first saw them in SimCity. Started playing The Sims a few years later. I love to create both builds and characters. AND I love to share what I do!" YouTube: Jymm Instagram: elderjymm Twitter: elderjymm I am so Proud of Jesi D. Admin Sims4 Challenges. FB Group you Emily Every single day This one is an emotional subject for me, because my sister is a doctor who had just started her residency program when x Jesi x the pandemic started. She has been working in one of the hardest hit areas to fight Covid 19, for well over a year now.
Recently, she and I were talking about the vaccine and what that might mean for people. She explained that because of it, she has been able to hold dying patients hands, where their own families have not been able to be in the room with them. I don't intend to start any discussions about the vaccine or supply issues, because I know there are problems world wide with it, but just more to explain why I created what I did.
In typical Sims fashion, my Sims did not want to do what I wanted them to do, so I did the best I could there. I have made my sister as a doctor, a patient and his family. The photos here are her in CAS mode (my sister) and the patient's family in the waiting room, and the patient and doctor talking on his bed.
You CAN do this Never Give Up! BUILD A BETTER LIFE
Creator Burnout and The Importance of Getting Help: With Special GuestViking Sims
Here at SimmedUp, we decided it The Mom Cave: Thank you for was important to dedicate this coming and being willing to be edition to all of the wonderful interviewed. May is the month we front-line healthcare workers. As we stretch into the second year of will be celebrating healthcare a global pandemic, the professionals. I wanted to talk importance of these unsung heroes today about you and how The Sims becomes more apparent. In this has been an outlet for your own issue, I would like to call special attention to mental health mental health journey and healing, professionals. and how being a creator has created some challenges. I was One of the things I’ve found hoping that we also would be able important for my mental health is to find that small group of people to talk about how therapy has with whom I can confide. These are contributed to your healing. One people with whom I share a of the things I hear a lot from common interest and can have fun clients is the stigma around with. This is the inner circle of support. These are the people I seeking professional help when can reach out to and say, “I feel we’re struggling. But, before I get like hot garbage with my mental started I have to ask, how long health today,” and they will sit with me while I work through it. No have you been playing The Sims? judgment, just presence. One of those people for me is Viking Sims. Viking Sims: I started playing The She and I laugh a lot, joke a lot, Sims when I was about eight or nine. and also talk a lot about mental I have a friend who I played the Sims health. We took some time on a with for hours and hours. I have been recent Zoom call to talk about burnout and our experiences in playing it for a good chunk of my reaching out for help. Here are life. I’m having a good time and I some excerpts: can’t believe this is my life. The Mom Cave: That’s how it goes once you start making content, especially machinima. You’ve talked in your other podcasts about how you started your channel. What I would like to know a little bit more about is, how has having your channel contributed to being an outlet for your mental health?
Viking Sims: It’s one of those things that feels weird to talk about in a sense because not a lot of people talk about it. In the beginning, I didn’t know that it would be significant enough where The Mom Cave: Or, maybe you’re people would come back, even if feeling validated for the first time it’s just a few. My mental health because you’ve found someone has been affected at times who feels the same way, is because I do get that impostor experiencing similar emotions and syndrome where I feel like people you can now be real and release shouldn’t be liking my content. But what you’ve held back for so long. I then you come back and tell me think what’s important for the that you do. I’ve fallen into these community to understand is that we various “pits” where I start to get can build these deep connections. into a deep depression, thinking These connections are built by being real with each other about that, “My channel isn't growing. how we’re feeling. These Nobody is watching my content. relationships are built by being What’s the point?” This caused a involved in each others lives like you battle in my brain where I would and I have done. At the same time say, “Well, if no one is enjoying it, that we are joking and being wild I’ll just do it for myself.” It was a with content, like The Quarantine back-and-forth struggle. Then I Games, we also are talking with connect with people like Lilith and each other offline about the really Faith, and we’re crying together hard things. We are building trust and thinking, “We’re all depressed through sharing real-life here.” experiences. What can happen when we open up The Mom Cave: If you were to sit our true selves for the first time is it thoughtfully about disconnect can feel very emotional. Because, for between Viking Sims and Geena, many of us, we may have been what would you say is the biggest pushing that down for fear or barrier to embracing the “Viking because of shame. When we take on Sims,” or that authentic self? this internet presence, even if for a few people, we can feel like we have Viking Sims: The first thing that comes to be a certain persona all the time. to mind is mostly fear. With Viking Sims, But, when we realize we can be real, it’s almost in the sense where this a lot of emotion can be felt and character is almost fearless. She’s more released. lighthearted and fun, and spunky. But then there’s Geena, walking through a Viking Sims: With that impostor store. There is no Viking Sims there. syndrome, and getting support, it can There’s just Geena, who is quieter, feel way bigger when you start learning new things about herself and building your community and your learning and growing as her own being. viewers. It’s almost like going through It’s like she’s trying to be like Viking grief because you can get to this point Sims. But, when she looks at Viking where you lose yourself. You can start Sims, she gets that little bit of fear, to feel like you don’t know who you are anymore. You start to question, because she’s not known to be that “Am I Geena or am I Viking Sims?” Am I spunky outgoing person. the fun, happy, into talking about mental health Viking Sims? Or, am I Geena who is just there and on the back burner. The Geena who feels like she is looking from the outside in. It’s almost like I don’t know how to get back to her. It’s sometimes like I don’t know which of those are truly me. With Viking Sims blooming and becoming this whole person, it kind of leaves Geena feeling out here just on my own in the dark. I don’t know how to grab The Mom Cave: Let’s talk about my own hand, and pull myself up and therapy. What has your therapy figure myself out. journey been like, and why has it been important?
Viking Sims: I have been in therapy since I was 13. For me, my therapy journey has been about learning about emotions, how to process them, and to figure them out. I started to feel better, and that I was “just fine.” But then, this pandemic hit and I I am so incredibly thankful and realized that I was starting to have a appreciative that a group of people has full-blown panic attack. It was at that taken the initiative to sit down and listen time that I reconnected with my to others. Without them, without my own therapist and said, “I need help.” When therapist, without you, people would I got into my first session this second not be getting the help they need and time, it was a lot. the help they deserve.
The Mom Cave: Thank you for sharing that Geena, and normalizing that even when we have gone through therapy, it doesn’t mean we Thank you Viking Sims for taking the won’t need or benefit from therapy time to talk about your journey. You again. It’s not a process where you can listen to the full Skeleton Podcast get healed and are healed forever. on her YouTube channel [VikingSims] Life doesn’t always work that way. on May 5, 2021. This is especially true when we have an experience early in life, we grow I want to extend my heartfelt thank and develop more and then have a you to all of my fellow healthcare new loss or experience that re-opens workers, and especially those in the parts of that “wound” that had mental health. You’re doing special not healed yet. work as you hold space for the I’d like to close with a final question. hurting. If you were standing in a room full of Be Well mental health professionals, anyone in the healthcare field specifically TO FIND OUT MORE focused on mental health, and you VISIT MOM CAVE ON: were able to tell them one thing as TWITTER far as your gratitude towards them, YOUTUBE what would you say? TWITCH Viking Sims: I would say that I AND INSTAGRAM commend them for their work and all YOU CAN ALSO FIND that they do. It is one of the toughest THE MOM CAVE jobs because some are managing their ON OUR WEBSITE own mental health experiences while WWW.SIMMEDUP.CO.UK listening to others day in and day out. THE MOM ASKCAVE Ask The Mom Cave: that remains online poses significant TW/Sensitive Content - Grooming, challenges. Sexual Harassment, Bullying, Sex Most important in any relationship is to assess Q: Hi Mom Cave I am a little worried but how you feel in the relationship. How excited at the same time, that I might finally authentic can you be with your partner? How get an answer to my problem. I have a crush, authentic are they with you? How much it is getting really serious and they responded mutual intimacy is felt between the two of back to me many times. you? How free and safe do you feel Do you think online love can work? I am so communicating with each other about difficult tired of being alone and you can never tell topics? How satisfied are you being in a who is real anymore. What if I jump in and they digital relationship? I would encourage you to are not who they say they are? Am I talk these questions through with a trusted overthinking it? friend or counselor. I wish you all of the love you deserve. Thank you
A: These are all excellent questions. The first Q: I am worried about what to do. There is a thing that comes to mind is safety. So, before [person] in the community that has been addressing the other questions, it is important to messaging me sexual messages. I asked remember that it takes time to really get to know them to stop and they said if I tell anyone someone. This can create several challenges they would cancel me. Do you think they when we talk about relationships that start could cancel me? Nobody believes me even online. A few things you can do to keep yourself though I have proof, they just get their safe are: friends to DM me and post comments on my timeline. • Never give out your personal information, address or phone number. Use Discord or A: I want to thank you for having the courage another voice app. to reach out. I can only imagine how terrifying • Meet via video first before meeting in person. this must be for you. Most important is for you And even after you’ve done this, it’s best if to know that this is not appropriate behavior you take safety precautions before meeting on their end. It is especially important to them. For example, letting someone know the understand that, if you are under the age of location you’re going and when. Even better, 18, this is not only inappropriate it is also a take them with you. crime. If this is true for you, it would be • You can find some other great safety tips on important for you to talk to a trusted adult sites likehttps://www.safety.com/10-online- right away and tell them what has been dating-safety-tips/ happening.
That being said, my short answer is that I truly No one is allowed to make sexual advances believe relationships can work if we take time to towards you without your consent, whether it make them work. I would imagine a relationship be in person or online. In fact, even as an adult, this can be considered a stalking crime in you are feeling fulfilled in your relationship with some regions. The fact that they are threatening him. If not, it doesn’t necessarily mean there isn’t you with mental and emotional manipulation is any hope. If your boyfriend and you are able to abusive. The other thing that I hope to convey is talk honestly about how you’re both feeling and that any group that “cancels” someone for doing why, this would be a great first step to building the right thing is not a community. It is instead greater intimacy between you. You mentioned more likely a group of people engaging in very this is your first serious relationship with another toxic behaviors. As difficult as it can feel to get guy, and so having a point of reference for out of a group where you once felt like you yourself, and for what you need may feel belonged, staying in the situation can be even difficult. And, that is ok! more emotionally damaging. Here are a few resources that I would encourage you to look into: An exercise that might help you would be this:
CCOHS Tip Sheet on Internet Harassment:https:// • Get something to write on, or to take notes www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/psychosocial/ on. cyberbullying.html • Find a quiet place where you can really sit with your thoughts without being interrupted. Harvard Business Review on Combating Online • Now, close your eyes and imagine someone in Harassment: your life who you love and who you want the https://hbr.org/2020/06/youre-not-powerless-in- best for. Even better if you feel protective of the-face-of-online-harassment them. Can you see them in your mind? • Now, make a list of all the attributes that you Twitter’s Policies About Unwanted Sexual Behavior: would expect in a partner for them. Who https://help.twitter.com/en/rules-and-policies/ would be “good enough” for them and why? abusive-behavior • Read the list back to yourself and answer this question, “What is it that makes me not I hope you take the time to protect yourself, take worthy of these things too?” Hint: You are your power back and report those who are worthy of them. harassing you. You deserve better. You deserve safety. The point of this exercise is this: You likely wrote down what you value most in a partner. Even better when your boyfriend takes some time to Q: Is it normal for your boyfriend to masturbate do the same and you can compare notes. Finding every day? I know he is watching porn when I what you both value together, and what you am at work. I just feel unloved and when I bring value as individuals can be a great first step in it up, he tells me it’s not about me, but if it’s building a solid relationship. Most important not about me why does he not spend that time would be for you to have an honest conversation with me instead? This is my first serious about values, both individual and shared. You relationship with another guy, but my other both deserve love and you both deserve boyfriends didn’t do it every day, even I don’t happiness. do it every day.
A: Thank you for taking the time to ask these All questions posed to The Mom really painful questions. Feeling unloved is one of Cave are kept in the strictest the most awful feelings we can experience, confidence. Even if you do not especially when we are invested in a relationship. wish to share your email or name, In terms of the sexual relationship between you we have you covered. Visit our and your boyfriend, it would be quite beneficial website and click on and important to consider seeking licensed help, such as individual and/or couples counseling THE MOM CAVE and/or sex therapy. What I can address as a Here you will find a link to the behavioral health coach, however, are some of question form, which can be kept the feelings you’re having towards your completely anonymous. relationship. I wonder if the important first simmedup.co.uk/the-mom-cave question for you to ask yourself is whether or not simmedup.co.uk simmedup.co.uk >Simspiration< Enhance Family Game Play With Memories and Sentiments. Report By K8Simsley How to Improve Your Sims Mental Health!
It is no secret that the Sims is like a wild roller-coaster of emotions. Sims can go from laughing to crying in the blink of an eye, and these quick shifts in emotion can even kill them if you are not careful!
While many have complained about the unrealistic emotions in The Sims 4, it seems that these bipolar shifts are here to stay. Still, you can help your Sims stay level with some helpful tips and tricks…
Pick Traits Wisely: Get Those Emotion Out:
The traits that you assign your The Sims 4 offers plenty of options for dealing with negative Sims can have an impact on the moodlets. For example, you can way they behave. While some Ask for advice, Complain about problems. Or Cry under the covers. people have complained that the If your Sims are feeling negative trait system is lacking, having a emotions seek out interactions hotheaded sim is sure to inspire that help them release any pent- up feelings. anger on a regular basis. Get Some Mods: Choose traits wisely if you want to There are a plethora of mods out create a calm, cool, and collected there that will improve and sim. enhance your Sims emotional stability.
Some of my favorites include:
● Have Some Personality Please – PolarBearSims
● Meaningful Stories – roBurky
● Slice of Life– Kawaiistacie
A google search of “Mods to improve Sims moods” is sure to yield an endless list to choose from. Pamper Your Sims at The Spa: Work Off Some Steam: If you own the Spa Day expansion, Working out, (just like in real this can be an excellent tool for improving mental health and life) is a great way to improve promoting positivity in your Sims. your Sims mood. When Sims workout they tend to get energized and their angry or upset mood will quickly shift. Get to the gym and run on the treadmill or lift some weights to lift your Sims spirits.
(Serenity Spa is Available on the gallery - #K8Simsley) Try joining in on a Yoga Class to stretch away your stress,
Run Away:
Going for a jog is another way to help your Sims feel better if Explore Meditation and clear your they are down. Luckily, in the cluttered mind, Sims, this is easy to do. Simply click on your target and choose ‘go for a jog.’ The Sims will automatically change into their athletic clothing and away they will go. Much like the gym, this action often leaves them energized and all their worries Or Get a Massage to help your Sims forget their fears will temporarily wash away. Be Active in your Sims Lives:
Sims sometimes need to know that someone is out there, so be active in helping them get through the hard times as they arise. If your Sims has lost their job or ended their relationship, let them know that you are there for them by setting up an existing outing that they can enjoy. While they may still end up being sad again later, it is sure to help in the moment.
If All Else Fails:
If your Sim is still miserable, try to entice them with some Woo-Hoo… After all, no one can be unhappy after a good roll in the hay, right?
Send us your Sims.
Each month we love to showcase your Sims in our magazine in our dedicated ‘YOUR SIMS’ section.
If you would like to see your Sims featured. Send your images, Have a Simtacular Day! Small Bio and Links to social K8Simsley media to: [email protected] The Skeleton Closet Podcast
Welcome to a video series/podcast dedicated to talking about taboo topics, deep thoughts, and everything in between. It's going to get messy, it's going to get sad, it's going to get real, and it's going to get vulnerable.. but it's also going to be a fun time to just get honest and have a conversation. So please join me and let know what you think in the comments on my YouTube Channel. Also, please be nice and add to the conversation. Constructive criticism is welcome. Hateful commentary is not. Thank you in advance and I can't wait to see what y'all have to say.
Twitter: VikingSims @glm_creative YouTube: https://youtu.be/ OEZBEDAHGmI https://extratime.media/ With Minraed
Hi, I am Linday, your nurse and hostess for today’s lesson. It has been a wildly emotional roller coaster for those of us In health care this past year so for this lesson we are going to focus on some tips for capturing emotions in your pics without the use of mods or poses.
Sim by iamlinday - Nurse
The multitude of in-game animations provides an almost endless range of opportunies for capturing still shot pics of facial expressions that can be used to create specific emotions in your stories. The key is to be patient with the process, to be prepared to take a lot of images, and to slow down and really see what each frame of the animation has to offer. By using pause/play to slowly click through each frame of the animation you are capturing you will discover so many different Sim by DahliaSims4 - Senior Dental Nurse expressions. A commonly used technique in film is known as a “dirty single”; where the camera looks over the shoulder of one character while capturing the action of the other character in the scene. While this works well in stories, sometimes you don’t want the distraction of the sim who’s back is facing you, but they are in the way of capturing the sim you really want to focus on. This is where you can use the often annoying game- produced effect of “fade objects” to your advantage.
What you see in the image above left is in live mode where the closer sim is visible in the shot. In the image above right, as you slowly move in with the camera the sim closest to you fades and you are left with only the far sim visible. At this point, when the distracting sim has faded you can hit TAB for cinematic camera mode (which would almost always be recommended for taking photos), and freely move the camera around without that closer sim coming back into view. Now you have your money shot.
Sim by DahliaSims4 With just a few new tricks up your sleeve I hope you will be inspired to seek out new possibilities for your story images. Here are a number of examples during my gameplay. Each of these used a combination of stop and start to go frame by frame through the animations and/or using the fade objects trick to get rid of the computers, sims and other obstacles that were getting in the way.
Above - aprehension “Um, where are you sticking that swab exactly?” Examine patient animation.
Above - dismay “I just can’t...” Give fake bad news animation
Above - exasperated “When is this going to end!” Randomly generated while talking. ----- Left - hesitant “Back off, it is lunchtime.” Closing the fridge after getting food. Left - helping hands “Come with me, let’s talk. It will be ok.” Receiving a gift animation. ---- Below - exhaused “One more coffee and I’ll be good to go.” Walking while very tired.
Left - infuriated “I can’t keep up with this caseload.” Arguing with another sim. Sim by Minraed - Diabetes Educator Dietitian
Thank you to all of the healthcare workers in our Sims community and on the Simmed Up Mag staff. Thank you to the community for being here for us and for giving us a place to unwind and escape. Share your emotions photos with us. Tag #SUPsimtography and #simmedupmag You can find me on Instagram as @minraed and on Twitter as @minraedarzhel where I will be sharing more from this series of photos. Hospital Central Universitario by casmar at The Sims Resource Mix together carefully One Heart One Brain Plenty Of Guts
Add A Dash Of Creativity Patience Spirit Must Include Sarcasm Thick Skin Opposable Thumbs
Photo Credit: Barewalls WRITTEN BY SULZISIM
For this month’s Making a Simmer, we sat down with Miss Unfortunate to find out how she made it to where she is now.
Tell us more about yourself and how a play on words, the name derived from a you came upon deciding on your champion in the League of Legends name, Miss Unfortunate. universe. That champion's name is Miss Fortune, so I took her name and changed My name is Starlynn, but I go by Star! I it to Miss Unfortunate, as it would seem a chose the nickname Miss Unfortunate lot of unfortunate things tend to happen mostly because I use this name as to me, but I embrace it as it is. almost all of my gamer handles! I play a I started my game obsession long ago lot of different games like League of when my step mom introduced the NES to Legends, Vailhem, Pokémon, Ark me. Next was the N64, Then finally the Survival, Elder Scrolls, Fall Out, the list first ever PlayStation, to which we played goes on! The name Miss Unfortunate is Sims on for the first time! I was addicted! It eventually evolved into PC gaming when World of Warcraft finally came out and I have been a pc gamer ever since! I do own a switch and some consoles, but PC is where it’s at for me! Now I reside in the small town of Lubbock, Texas with my family. I have been in my current relationship for over 7 years! Myself, Mom, and sister run a business together here and I do YouTube and Twitch streaming on the side! Life has never been better!
What is your favorite kind of thing to do in the Sims? Gameplay, CAS or Building?
I would have to say building, but gameplay is right up there with it! I love opening up a blank lot and getting to work on a new concept! I look at a blank lot like an artist would a blank canvas! Gameplay is very very fun as well but it can get boring after a few hours, I do love some drama in my Sims life!
What kind of building style do you prefer to build in the Sims 4?
I love building anything that I consider WRITTEN BY SULZISIM unique. It is nice to build a normal family home from time to time but I like builds that stand out and you really gotta ask yourself if it is from the sims game or not! With that being said, I love building medieval style, sometimes a cute and cozy build or something out of this world! I have been a tad obsessed with modern lately as well!
This month we are highlighting people in the medical field. Do you know anyone in your life in the medical field and how does it affect your life?
My grandfather was a doctor, a radiologist. He actually helped start up the first ever radiologist clinic in Austin,
Texas which is huge! He was a very kind for being so amazing and uplifting! man and was willing to help his family anytime we had questions about a Do you have any advice for an up and random thing that might be wrong with coming Sims player that wants to us. He also saved lives and changed expand their Youtube channel? them while he did it! He is no longer with us anymore, sadly.. But I hope wherever I have a TON of advice! But the most he is, he is resting! important one is to always take time for yourself and try to have fun with what How did you get started with Youtube you are doing! The moment YouTube and Twitch? starts to feel like a job is the moment you need to take a step back and regroup I procrastinated for almost a year! because I can assure you that you did not Maybe even more! Every time I brought start this journey just for the paycheck! up the concept to my boyfriend, he Because Youtube is no “get rich fast” would shoot it down and remind me how scheme, it is one of the most difficult busy I am already with my family careers to be successful in and one MUST business. I never felt like he was not understand that it takes a lot of hard supporting me, just being realistic. Well work and patience. one day after we moved to our new house in Lubbock, Texas, I decided to NEVER compare yourself to another just go for it! It was such a relief! I had Youtuber/streamer either. It will DRIVE you wanted to do it for so long and finally mad! You have no idea what that person doing it made me feel so much better is doing to get the results that they are and more confident! getting. For example I literally made a lot of selfish sacrifices to get to where I am Twitch was hard to start because I have today. I have ignored old friends, skipped some major anxiety issues, but I am out on dates with my partner, and currently working on myself and trying stopped hanging out with my brother. I to find inner peace and in doing so I started to slack in my business duties, have calmed my anxiety down a bit. This thank goodness my mother understands allows me to stream better and more my passion and was willing to take over a confidently. I wanted to do Twitch, lot of my work and STILL pay me for it! I though, because I feel like it is the best had a lot of sleepless nights editing, and way to connect with your audience! worked on YouTube ALL day, only stopping to eat, use the bathroom, and What is your favorite part of the Sims sleep. This was my life the first few community? months all the way up until the first of January. Then I knew something had to I owe it to everyone in this community change. for my skills that I have gained over the past few months since starting I have since then recovered all of these Youtube! I was a very simple builder and aspects and I am learning how to balance once I got to see everyone else’s them. I resumed my business work, creations, I started to be more playing games with my brother and dates explorative and open minded! Soon I with my boyfriend. It is hard to do all of was able to use the terrain tool that I these things while running a channel BUT was so afraid of before and debug because I ran myself so hard those few items, the list goes on! I owe my talent months, I can now edit and build very to the community's talent! Thank you all very fast! I do not recommend it though. One of the most important things to share your creations on Instagram, remember/know is that you HAVE to put Twitter, Reddit, Facebook, and TikTok. in the work to gain visibility. One cannot Everyone has an audience that wants to simply post videos to YouTube and watch you out there, but you have to hope for the best, no way! How is help them find you! anyone going to find you in the sea of I hope this helped! It was an honor to other content creators? You might as speak here today, so thank you all! well be a billboard in outer space! You MUST start up social media,
M I S S U N F O R T U N A T E
PHOTOBOMB RULES: CREATE A HERO BASE OR HERO SIM/S EVIL LAIR OR VILLAIN SIM/S LOTS WILL BE ALLOCATED TO BEST BUILDS WORLDS ARE BASED ON REAL COMIC WORLDS, BUT PLEASE USE YOUR IMAGINATION TO CREATE YOUR OWN. CC CANNOT BE USED FOR THE SAVE, BUT FEEL FREE TO SHARE PICTURES OF CC SIMS IN OUR DISCORD. CONTACT US ON Twitter, Instagram, FB or our website to get lot allocated or join our Discord chat room where you can also chat with others participating. USE HASHTAG #HerosVSVillainsSave when uploading to the gallery.and #simmedupmag if you are happy to share your build/Sims in the magazine or our website. www.simmedup.co.uk ACEBOOK SHOWCASE The Simming Spoonie I am a 40 something gamer, who lives in the UK, I have been playing The Sims since the very first game in the series. I am a builder at heart and part of the DNA Request team on the forums. DNA consists of a group of Simmers who take on requests for both builds and Sims, which is how this build came into being. I also help to admin The Sims 4 Challenges on Facebook, where we create a whole host of challenges from creating Sims to builds and rooms, alongside some game-play challenges. I am a proud furbaby mum of three adorable cats, each of whom has me wrapped around their tiny paws. Indigo Manor ACEBOOK SHOWCASE
Simming_Spoonie aka Faith of Kaela Twitter:twitter.com/Simming_Spoonie Facebook: thesimmingspoonie Gallery ID: Simming_Spoonie Page Number 128 Mod Reviews
Test Subject 032 Written By SueSimming
Picture Credit: katemangostar This mod for The Sims 4 brings a Remember to plop down a clinic in lot more to the game than you one of the worlds for your Sims to could think. I tested the free visit. You can build your own or website version and it’s been a use one created for this mod. blast. I’ve had a lot of fun Here is a list of things this mod building my own clinic and I really can do. A small reminder that this enjoyed the more realistic mood is only for the free website effects. version. There is also a Patreon version with infections, allergies, simrealist.com/private-practice and more. Mod Overview: The goal of this • Health Checkups for all Sims mod pack is to rework the Health that have access to a phone. system of the Sims 4. Exploring the ability to take care of your Sims • Health Vital Points that allow Health all under the same roof if users to measure their Sims' you wish. health like weight and blood Pressure If you’ve installed the mod correctly this message will appear as soon as you start your game.
• Blood Pressure Hidden Factors: Now your Sims can be susceptible to High/Low Blood Pressure in varying degrees • Blood Pressure Reward Traits for the ultimate Health Story Customization • Health Sciences Careers • Nies' Cooler Sickness Mod - Scripted • Get to Work Illnesses with new, visible moodlets with strong mood effects. • Longerlasting Illnesses that don't disappear with travel. • Ability to call out of work when sick with these moodlets. • Off-screen NPC illness progression Picture Credit: katemangostar • Basic Exercise Tracking for BP Affects. • Fame perks and biology degrees now give their benefits to the health sciences career • Private Practice Lot Trait - enables all objects for this mod. • Non-rabbithole Health Check Up Appointment • Appointment Scheduling System with auto-days off Yes, you read that right. Your Sim has to • New Private Practice phone app called pee in a cup. I laughed when this popped MyHealthApp up as it wasn’t something I expected but fits perfectly with the quirkiness of The • Custom Clinic Objects like this medicine Sims. dispenser. You can travel to the clinic UPDATED to get medicine rather than just HEALTH ordering it off the computer which RESULTS: You adds to the realism. This mod is brought can see your to you by SimRealist after all. Sims Diagnosis after an appointment in their MyHealthPortal App.
• DEBUG INTERACTIONS: There are several debug interactions. You can access them by Shift Click -> Private Practice.
I haven’t found any bugs as yet with this mod. It runs smooth and I enjoy the many • Medical Billing features it adds to the game. I would • Blood Pressure Medication highly recommend checking out the other mods on SimRealist’s website. • SICK VISIT APPOINTMENT: If the illness is something that is pushed by this And since we are busy overhauling the mod, your Sim can get a diagnosis of health system, I’ve found a few career what ails them as well as get mods on Mod The Sims to change things medication to cure it. up. • MULTIPLE SICK VISIT SUPPORT: You Obstetrics and Gynecology Career by can also send multiple Sims to the Clinic QuietPriestessmodthesims.info/d/651948/ to see if they are sick. obstetrics-and-gynecology-career.html • AUTONOMOUS EVENT GOALS: Your Health & Medical Administration Career by Sim will autonomously go about their lucid0llmodthesims.info/d/646371/health- event goals except for the Check-In, amp-medical-administration-career.html Pee in a Cup, and Check-Out goals. If the Sim should ever deviate from their Doctor Career Job Titles Replacement by directions, you can still self-direct them d_unitmodthesims.info/d/617900/doctor- through each goal. career-job-titles-replacement.html
Aquarius - Whatgoesinmustcomeout,orsothesayinggoes. Lock-down doesn't mean that you cannot spend time outside, you really need to get a new perspective on things before it’s too late. Sometimes just going with the flow, isn’t enough.
Aries - It’s a hard life for you right now, not knowing where to turn or who to talk to. But that isn’t the truth is it, it is not that there is no one to talk to, it’s the fact, YOU don’t wish to talk just yet. Be honest and seek the help you need, asking for help isn’t a weakness.
Gemini - We can’t judge everyone by their past mistakes, and right ow someone is incorrectly judging you for your past and not your hard work to get you where you are today. You do not need people likethat in your life. Time to put your foot down.
Leo - Hip Hip Hurrah, Time for celebrations is at hand, something you have been waiting for is just about to land on your doorstep, but be quick because opportunities like this don’t hang aroundfortoolong.Nomatterwhatanyonesay’s,itisnot‘jumping on the bandwagon’ this is your time to shine, believe it!
Libra - Don’t take everything to heart, and not everything people says is so serious, time to find the humor in situations you never thought about before, sometimes laughter is the best medicine, if your just willing to try to. Start your day with a smile, it genuinely helps.
Sagittarius - You are gorgeous, no matter how much you try to pick faults with yourself, the truth of the matter is and always will be, that you are unique, there is only one of you, and that makes you precious to the universe. Be proud of who you are, the universe is proud of you. Pisces - May is going to be one hell of a month for you. Time to let go of 2020 and breath in the fresh air of 2021 yes you have been holding that breath for far too long and time to refresh and rejuvenate yourself. Get ready for a huge change and it is for your benefit, remember that.
Taurus - You are a deep thinker and stubborn as an ox, sometimes the two are not productive or a benefit to your own mental health. Bite the bullet and emerge from your mental cave, do something spur of the moment (and safe of course), stop thinking about it and have some real fun for a change.
Cancer - Times like this we often sit back and wonder why we ended up where we are today and look at the results negatively. The past has made you who you are today, wiser and stronger and that should be celebrated not dismissed.
Virgo - Innocence can be considered in a variety of ways, and just because something may ‘seem’ innocent, a little bit of investigation never hurt anyone. Make sure to read everything before you sign this month, as not everything is at it seems.
Scorpio- It’s not always about acting the way people expect you to, you can be yourself too and people will love you anyway. Take off that mask you have been wearing and show people the real you. Those who stay were meant to be and those who leave, do not cry over them, they were never worthy of you anyway.
Capricorn - Let the good times roll. Everything is making sense to you this month and for those things that eluded you, now you can see everything for what it is. Just make sure you understand what you are getting into before you do, adventures and fun awaits, if you dare. A MOTHER HAS 6 GIRLS AND EACH OF THEM HAS A 1 BROTHER. HOW MANY CHILDREN ARE THERE?
JIMMY’SMOTHERHADFOURCHILDREN.SHENAMED THEFIRSTMONDAY.SHENAMEDTHESECOND TUESDAY, AND SHE NAMED THE THIRD WEDNESDAY. WHAT IS THE NAME OF THE FOURTH CHILD? 2
3 WHOISBIGGER:MR.BIGGER,MRS.BIGGER,ORTHEIRBABY?
Cardiologists Surgeon Ambulance Counsellor Paramedic Dentist Doctor Xray Psychologist Health Carer Midwives Pathologist Nurse Hospital PRACTICE SIMLISH
Benzi chibna looble bazebni gweb/ Nothing is impossible if you believe
Turkey nurbler?/ Does that feel better? Fleny Fleny/ Get out, I really gotta tinkle!
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