Simmedup Magazine Dec 2020 Issue 4
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SIMMEDIssue 4 -D Dec 2020UP XMIRAMIRA Talks to Alaeryn Show Us Your Builds Making A Simmer Holiday Edition Retro Sims Dive In: Island Paradise CC WITH MMOUTFITTERS & SIMMEDUP SHOP Mobile Sim Gurus Reveal All Snowy Escape SulSul Readers, Here we are in December, after what can only be described as a year of 'Turmoil' for many. Not only has the entire world been battling Covid-19, we have lost many lives along the way. We here at SimmedUp have not been 'unaffected' by what has been going on, and being scattered across the world, we have seen this disease hit us from all sides and different points of view. The one thing we can all agree on, is that, Family is worth safeguarding and each one of our readers ARE our extended family. In August of this year, SimmedUp was formed. Not only did we have a vision, we wanted 'something', that could help us all 'give back' to the community which has supported us over the years. This was when our amazing team of dedicated writers, mod reviewers & Sims lovers was formed. EDITOR’S LETTER ..........................................................3 In 2020 many Simmers have felt 'let down' by EA for the lack of interaction with us that love the Sims. By JUST FOR FUN & RESULTS PAGE .............................. Missing graphics like lack of skin tones and the ever present bugs and glitches that plague some of us to 4 distraction. There is light at the end of this tunnel though! In September of this year, EA announced they XMIRAMIRA .................................................................... HAVE been listening and we ARE getting new and improved skin tones, as well as a slider so that we can 6 now have the Sims we want, and that includes many of us that weren't able to create our own sim selves GRANNY RUTH SAYS ................................................... 12 because of this simple factor. There were a lot of cheers when this was announced within our team, as well as the community. FANART ............................................................................ 16 In November we had the new expansion pack Snowy Escape hit the shelves, this came with more much INTRODUCING ...............................................................18 anticipated game play, including snow depth, activities, amazing builds buy items and more (Please read SIMS MOBILE ................................................................. the review by Niz inside for information about this pack) so we can say, EA ARE listening even if it does take 22 them a while to respond. CC WITH MMOUTFITTERS ........................................ 24 So with this our last magazine issue for 2020, we look forward to 2021 with hope, not only are vaccines SIMMEDUP HUMAN SHOP.......................................... being created for Covid-19, life IS slowly returning back to normal and once again we will be able to feel the 26 arms of our loved ones around us. We will continue to grow in relationship between EA and us the REVIEW: SNOWY ESCAPE ..........................................32 consumer,on things that we feel need to be discussed and fixed. Let's hope 2021 will bring us so many more opportunities to become the person we are meant to be. RETRO CORNER .............................................................38 On that note, we wish you all a Happy Holiday, Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Yule Blessings and TIPS & TRICKS ..............................................................47 Greetings and Best Wishes for every holiday celebrated at this time of year, or if you do not celebrate any SHOW US YOUR BUILDS ............................................48 holidays at all, may your days be filled with joy. ELF ON A SHELF .............................................................. Much love to you all 52 The Team MAKING A SIMMER ..................................................... 56 x YOUR SIMS .....................................................................58 MODS REVIEWED: DIVE IN: ISLAND PARADISE SIMS 3 ...................60 TINY MODS FOR YOUR STOCKING ..................... 66 3 A MAN DESCRIBES HIS DAUGHTERS, SAYING, “THEY ARE ALL BLONDE, BUT TWO; ALL BRUNETTE BUT TWO; AND Just 3 ALL REDHEADED BUT TWO.” HOW MANY DAUGHTERS FORFun DOES HE HAVE? I’M LIGHT AS A FEATHER, YET THE STRONGEST PERSON 1 CAN’T HOLD ME FOR FIVE MINUTES. WHAT AM I? ? ? WHAT THREE NUMBERS, NONE OF WHICH IS ZERO, GIVE THE SAME RESULT WHETHER THEY’RE ADDED OR MULTIPLIED? 2 PRACTICE SIMLISH Whippna Choba Dog! / This is cool! Bum Bum / Woah! This is fun CRANBERRY Awasa poa / I'm bored ? CAROLS FAMILY MRS CLAUS HOLIDAYS? CINNAMON EGG NOG LAST MONTHS ANSWERS: SOCKS REINDEER O YOU KNOW THE ANSWER? SEASONS D CHOCOLATES 1. A ONE STORY HOUSE HAS NO STAIRS. SIMS SNOWMAN 2. THE WOMAN IS A PHOTOGRAPHER. MERRY ELVES 3. DAVID ? GIFTS ROBINS SLEIGH YULE GUESSTHECAS! ? TURKEY? QUEEN ELIZABETH It is difficult to measure the entire length and breadth of Xmira’sinfluence on not only the Sims as a franchise but also on the Black gaming scene. Known for her unwavering commitment to representationingaming,Xmiraisatitansymbolofchange,advocacy,andsteelyresolve. Isatdownwith XmiratodiscusstheoftenharrowingrealityofbeingBlackina worldthatdiscounts,overlooks,and,at worst, rejects the truths of the Black experience. While the trials of blackness can feel nearly insurmountable in many social circles, this experience is particularly heightened in the gaming community,whichoftenprovesheavilydominatedbywhitemen. XMira,courageousandunapologetic, carvedaplaceforherselfandotherswholooklikeherinthegamingcommunitybycommittingtonot onlyhighlightingthegargantuanissuesshefaceseachday,butalsoworkingtirelesslytobethechangeshe wants to see in gaming. Streamer,content creator,and adviser to EA,Xmira is unmatched and at the pinnacleofhergame. Alaeryn:Let’sbegin with the basics.You’refrom New York!What part? Howhas lifein the BigApple shaped youasaperson?Asagamer?AsaSimstylist? Xmira: I'm from Bushwick,Brooklyn.Growing up I was a stoop kid (HeyArnold reference), not really allowed to leave the stoop, so I ended up spending most of the time inside on my game and playing with mydollsandtoys.Maybemenotbeingallowedtohave freedom outside pushed me moreinto gaming,I don't know. Al:I think many of our generation grew up absolutely surrounded by video games. Many of us have been gamers since we were toddlers, and you are no exception.Tellusaboutyourfirstgamingexperience. XMira: My first gaming experiences are foggy.I was Al: IsawthatyouplayabitofApex,afarcry four and I got my first console which was a Super from a sandbox game likeThe Sims.What Nintendo. I remember playing super Mario, Goof other games do you play?What are your favouritekindsofgames? Be The Change Troop,ToyStoryetc.andjusthavingsomuchfun 7 Al: There is more to you and your identity of much more. Can you speak more about how course than hailing from the Empire State or even essential it is to normalise the everyday gaming;Simmersknowyoubestasthecourageous, experiencesofBlackwomen? clevervoicethatoftenkeepsgamingcompanieslike EAaccountable.Ina worldthatoftendiscountsand overlooksthevoicesofblackwomen,whendidyou Xmira: At a certain point in mylife,I began to findyourspineofsteel? pay attention. How black women are treated, disregarded,disrespected,castasideforeveryone and everything else. I pay attention to the Xmira: It wasn't necessarily a spine of steel as verbiageandthedescriptorsusedtodescribeus [much as] it was realising that I can do something with our everyday behaviours and compare about it. One thing a lot of racists like to do is pull them to how everyone else is described and the victim-hood race card.You can't pull that when treated.It's disgusting really.I listen to the stories we (people of colour) are out here working and and do my research; I take a close look at my activelycreatingthechangewewanttosee.Iwould discussandcreate,workandcreate;IcreatedwhatI peersandthepeoplearoundme,andIrealisethis wantedtoseewhileencouragingotherstodosoas Al: Has Maxis consulted with you about the Al:Beforeshifting the subject a little and to stamp is a part of why representation is so important: well. incomingskintoneandmakeupsliders? theissueforourreaders,whyisskintoneavailability, how we are portrayed in media, video games, accurate representation,so crucial to a game like movies,books,and more plays into how we are Sims?What do you say to people who might treated in the real world.This is also why in the Al:Youfamouslycreatedyourfirstcustomcontent Xmira:Yes,theyhaveconsultedwithmeabout mutter,“It’sjustagame?” Sims I play are so many different types of black skin-tone pack for Sims 4 called“Melanin,”after not theskintoneandmakeupsliders. women and black people from all ends of the only noticing the dearth of realistic, flattering skin spectrum.Normalisingthefactthatwearenota tonesinSims4butalsonoticingthatsamedearthof Xmira: We know representation is important monolith and we deserve respect and love like realistic,flattering skin tone custom content in the Al: On that note,you area consultant for EA,a buttheproblemwiththisgameinparticularisthis: anyoneelseinthisworld. larger Sims community.You decided to “be the Game Changer for the Sims, and a Twitch how can we not depict LIFE in a LIFE change”youwantedtosee.Whatwasthisprocess partner. Do you feel your many roles are SIMULATION GAME? It's one thing if it was a like for you? Had you created cc before?What impactful enough? What frustrations and storygamethatfocusedonaparticularcultureand Al: Your site "The Black Simmer"connects technicaldifficultiesdidyouencounter?