Sims talk: funny sims dream and possible story recap

[strangetomato]

Last night I had a dream about cheating on my SO with some guy I recently found attractive. While we were trying to work out the logistics of it all (damn "woohoo" dreams never really work out for me that way), my SO walked in and caught us in the act. Then, to determine how serious the situation was, I checked his relationship panel.

*blinks*

Umm, what? That can't be a good sign...

In other news, I'm thinking of doing up a story recap, since it was recently suggested by Petchy as something that might help potential newcomers to the story, as it grows ever more complicated and unwieldy by the update, to the point where even I occasionally need to be reminded of my own plot points (no, really...). The problem is, I'm feeling way too lazy to do it. There's just so much of it to summarize at this point, and it feels like a chore (and honestly, part of me feels like they should just read the back chapters if they want in on the story, but I know how daunting it must be, and I want to be welcoming instead of being a dick about it).

Also, how should the summary even be organized? Should I do it by character? By plot arc? By household? I have no idea. I'm okay with some of the plot points being mostly forgotten and dropped, since I now see them as questionable missteps, and maybe rehashing it all will just draw attention to all the plot holes? Should I just go ahead and draw attention to them so we can all laugh at them? Again, I have no idea what to do.

Any suggestions? Do you think I should do this? I already have a bit of a chapter-by-chapter summary in the story directory, but that doesn't cover all the little details. Do people really need to know these details? Is there anything you, personally, are confused about? Lay it on me, dear readers and friends.

Comments

[madame-ugly.livejournal.com]

I say re-cap only if you're revisiting a major plot point you haven't visited in a while. And keep the summary brief (like a few sentences). That way a newbie won't feel totally left out, but if they want the full experience they can do the leg work (if you feel nice, a link to where they could find the info could be included). Summaries of relationships and such will be too long and involved (and really, to get the full experience you need to just read all the stuff).

Your summaries could just happen right before a new chapter (if the chapter contains stuff that needs refreshing).

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

I think I will start a little note in the header that links to other relevant chpaters with a sentence or two to explain why. I have done that on the past with multi-parters that were spaced out, but maybe it's a good idea overall.

I'm still thinking a little one-shot summary would go a long way for some people, though. I'm liking the timeline idea, because it's pretty brief, but it explains a lot.

[madame-ugly.livejournal.com]

You said you've already done little synopses when you do link round ups, right? (like "CH#: synopsis")

Maybe just a big post with links to all the lists of links (linkity goodness) would do it. I know you were saying you were bored by the idea of basically making cliff's notes for the story, so using what you already have might make it easier.

And if in the course of rounding up the links you see something's lacking, you could note it in the BIG POST.

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

I have synopses in the story directory (there's a link on the sidebar). I don't do link roundups other than that, unless it's a brief mention in the notes at the end of a story post.

I think I'm going to just go all out and do this in a one-shot post if I do it at all (which is a fairly big if). Maybe I'll use what time I do have this summer to do things like the recap, a resource post, and updating my sim download page. I usually avoid such chores.

[pnkpnthr334.livejournal.com]

I honestly think that your story is too far in and too complicated to be summarized by a little re-cap. Anyone new to the story that would just read that, then jump into the newest chapter will still likely be confused or missing something down the line. Then they'll have to go back and read past chapters anyway to understand the new stuff.

I came into the story pretty late and I went back and read through every last chapter, and I have the attention span of a squirrel!!! So I know if I can do it, anyone who really wants to get into this story can do it.

But if you really want to be welcoming and do re-caps I think you could do it by every X number of chapters. That way you can do it in stages rather than a huge summary.

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

I certainly agree with you on that. It's been around for a while now, so there are a lot of details to sum up. I'm considering the timeline option, which would give a sense of the overall plot movement, but not go into details. I'm thinking the only sensible way to handle details would be character by character, and that's still an option, but not one I want to take on just yet.

Thank you for reading all of that! ^_^ I'm always very flattered when someone reads through the entire thing. I know it's a lot to get through, so I really appreciate it.

[cindyanne1.livejournal.com]

I agree with Madame. A re-cap of a major plotline that you're getting ready to develop and haven't touched on in a while might be helpful... but I don't think you need to do a complete Clift's Notes version of the whole story. That just sounds like way too much work.

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

I actually prefer the idea of doing it all one-shot instead of every time I post a chapter. I'm working on a way to condense it without going all Cole's Notes on it (that's a Canadian brand, btw).

I'm liking timeline idea that someone suggested. I'm going to try that out.

[petchy-14.livejournal.com]

Mmmm, I had no idea that it would entail so much work for you D: My bad! (LOL)

you see, most of the time, a reader can simple pick up the story and just read the chapter or two, because your writing is *so* versatile and natural, its simple to just go along with the flow. However, sometimes as one does this, you can feel a smidge left out of he "plots" so to speak - I mean, its easy enough considering (as you said yourself before) S,HWC doesn't *have* a main plot. it does, however, bumbles along, which is what makes it so popular! - and the character developments. It gets even more difficult when characters appear which aren't actually in the game - your own creations, or offspring that have occurred in your playing - because it just goes a liiiiitle confuzzling xD

Maybe, you could post some handy links in the chapters to the main "plots" and to "biggies" in the characters - I mean, if you posted a link in "Chapter XXX.IV" that included characters which first appeared in Chapters "X.V" and last appeared for a reason in chapter "XX.II" then a link would suffice instead of rewriting it all out, CMD?

I agree that you shouldn't really need to rewrite the *whole thing* out - that is just silly - but.. I dunno, Maybe a little summary of the main characters that can be archived and updated when something *major* happens and a little note at the end of chapters? *shruggles*
I'm ~terrible~ at putting my ideas into realistic and practical proportions, aren't I? *smiles*


If the whole thing is just too overwhelming for you, then don't worry. I'm sure that most new members would just reread it all anyway - I've read most of it.. But I still keep up with the current affairs! *grinz*

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

I'm impressed that you somehow managed to compliment me and say my story "bumbles along" in the same sentence. :P All in all, it's a pretty honest assessment of the story, I think.

I like the idea of linking to relevant chapters at the beginning of new chapters. I'll probably start doing that. As for the characters, I think I'll do a separate character profile update at some point (in theory, anyway... we'll see how it goes).

I'm looking at the maybe doing up some timelines for the major plots as a compromise from a complete recap. Sim time and aging can be odd, but at least that would show when everything has been happening and it'll show it all in one easy to understand format.

I'm sure it's not hard to pick up. I tend to rehash all the major conflicts and relationships quite frequently. Someone who hasn't read from the beginning will miss some little things, but I think they'd be okay overall.

[petchy-14.livejournal.com]

What Chapter are we on now.. 32.5? Right. Ok then. I just wondered because on my Re-starting/Reading streak, I'm just at Chapter Seventeen. LOL

I found that your directory of sim-stories were really helpful, so thanks for that! *smiles* You updated it recently, methinks? *grinz*

~


Yea, I agree with you that all major things are relooked at and so newer readers get a feel quite quickly - its how I got hooked! - but as I said, new characters and/or your own spin on the game means someone who hasn't been here since the beginning is slightly out :) It would be nice to also have sort of a World-check IYGWIM. Kind of a brief overhaul of what is in the story, and what isn't - like how Pleasentview was described as a TV program, not a neighboring village, for an example! LOL, I loved that dream sequence!!

You just work on it as you feel like it, Its probs me just overreacting because I started a story on the middle page and not at the start :)

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

What does IYGWIM mean? I sort of like the idea of going through all the "what if?" scenarios the game sets out and specifying which direction my version took. Like who won the fight between Johnny and Tank, etc.

Pleasantview is both a town and a soap opera based on the town. :P Just so you know. It's explained as such in the chapter which introduces Beau for the first time.

Heheheh. Dirty Dream sequences are fun.

That's what you get for starting in the middle. *tsk, tsk*

[peasant007.livejournal.com]

If you were to do a recap, arc by arc might be the best way to go. At least the major arcs. Heck, it wouldn't even necessarily be for new readers, as even a recap doesn't get into all the details; some old readers might need a refresher on some stuff that's happened but hasn't been touched upon in a while.

[peasant007.livejournal.com]

To clarify, I wouldn't mind a recap chapter, and I DID do all the legwork by reading from the beginning. But, a "massive sit down and read for an entire night" session leads to some details being forgotten :)

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

I definitely understand how something like this would be helpful, even for those who have been reading from the beginning. It's been a long time. I remember when Simgaroop did a recap of the Broke Legacy and it was in point form. That seems like another very doable option.

Maybe a timeline which details all the major arcs, with some added point form factoids on the various families? That might be the easiest way to pass on information.

[ikichi.livejournal.com]

I think by arc would be easiest for all involved. You can always not who's involved in it. (Also, I go back and reread often, and I navigate by what was going on at the time more than who else was around).

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

I agree. And I'm liking the timeline idea too. I thing it might be more image-based than anything, when I get around to it.

Really? I'm very flattered that you'd reread it, and that does explain why you're usually very aware of all the factors in play at any given time.

So do you use the chapter directory to find things? The character tags would isolate all chapters that are relevant to each character, so that's another way it's organized already. I quite often use that to find some image or piece of info I need on one of the characters.

[ikichi.livejournal.com]

I'm sadly obsessive like that. #^__^# (There was a time when I could give you an issue # for any event in SiP.)

I'd been using the character tags, first, and then sorting from there since there's usually a scene/moment I'm looking for. I mean, I'm navigating by something that happened to say, Jill- I have an idea of when it was, so I start there and work through her entries around the time I think it was.

But honestly, my way of searching doesn't make any sense.

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Well, I'm sure that obsessiveness comes in handy. It's nice to know something inside and out, like when you're writing a story, for instance.

That sounds like the way I search them myself, actually. I sometimes have to check a couple of chapters before I hit the right one, depending on how much was happening at the time.

[leskuh.livejournal.com]

I say just recap this latest arc, remind people of how the timeframe is working. IDK, I feel like it'll be near impossible to condense the story in a way that it wouldn't end up being convoluted and back-tracky?

If you feel up to recapping the WHOLE story, I'd definitely go arc-by-arc. Or maybe try and put major events on a timeline?

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

I like your timeline idea, because I could do multiple timelines for the various plot arcs that are all moving along at the same time. I could also keep it fun that way, by making it image-based and adding some random stuff in there.

It's more appealing than having to somehow retell it in condensed form. Like you said, it'd get prety tangled, pretty fast.

[purpleseas.livejournal.com]

LOL, I've had Sims controls pop up in my dreams before, as well as actual Sims. I've also tried to click on my cats to see what they're doing when they make noise in the middle of the night, and I don't even play with Sim cats. XD

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

I think it'd be very useful if we could view the needs panels of pets and babies. Someone needs to invent something that does that.

[petalbrook.livejournal.com]

I wanna know what was in your SO's relationship panel!

I started reading at the beginning, as I do with every story I read, otherwise it's just way to confusing for me.

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Oh, he was angry. I was more amused by the fact that I checked it and he had one. :P

That's always a good idea. I can understand when people don't, though, because I often pick something up and read/watch it before catching up on all the backstory. I often do that with TV shows.

[purekickass.livejournal.com]

Umm... I almost always have a relationship panel and pause button in my dreams. Does this mean I have a problem?
Also, yes I do think a recap would be a good idea. Especially for first time readers and people (like me) who might be confused with the order of some events. In my opinion, going by plot arc would be your best bet. By character might be a bit much, simply because there are a lot of them. And by plot arc, it's a simpler, more linear method of recapping.

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Well, maybe we play sims too much? ;)

The problem with the order of events is that there are definitely some weak points in the organization of it, and also there are no "dates" to base it around (but maybe I can use a central event). I'm sort of interested in doing a timeline, but there are a number of places where it would be a bit dicey. It's probably a pretty good way to sum it up, though. I might give that a try.

[smjoshsims.livejournal.com]

I have no idea how you would do a recap, soul. I guess you were k9issing when you asked me to do it.

I'd just do it by chapter, filling in the details revealed in other chapters- fpor example, with the Don thing, you could mention all of the things that happened to him when you recap the first chapter he appeared in, etc.

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

What does k9issing mean? Is it a typo or am I missing something?

I was just joking about paying you to do it for me, but just barely. :P I kind of wish I didn't have to do it, but I can see the need for it. I'll have to suck it up, I guess.

I think I'd rather do a stand alone recap, but the short blurbs might be a good idea too. Maybe just a link to the other chapters? I don't know. I already feel like I repeat myself enough that it shouldn't be too much of a problem. If I don't mention it much, it's because I'm trying to keep it hush hush, usually.

[smjoshsims.livejournal.com]

LOL, I meant kidding- I have NO idea how that turned into k9issing. D:

Yeah soul, you will. Recaps are a pain to do.

Hehe, you think you are sneaky. :P

[swhedonberry.livejournal.com]

I find that recaps are the most interesting when they are done as a sort of sub-plot within themselves, using a few minor characters who are loosely connected to "gossip" about what's been going on. I've seen it done as an actual gossip section, aliens making observations about human subjects, evil masterminds explaining the course of events to minions, and even a historian taking notes for a future book.

That's my two cents. Hope it helps.

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

I did consider the option of making a story out of the recap, but I'm not sure if it would be the most functional method of getting the job done. But yeah, it might be a way to make it less of a chore.

Thanks for the suggestion.

[zepheera.livejournal.com]

I'd say maybe expand a little bit on the blurbs you have in the master list, and have a little header at the beginning of each story directing the reader to the appropriate parts of the story that it would be best to read before starting the current chapter.

Such as

Chapter 32.5 continues the story arc of Jaxy and Zoe from Chapter ...

That way people could get the information that they need to follow the chapter without you having to type up a detailed recap every time you post a new chapter.

You have enough work to do churning out the new chapters without having to retell the entire story as you go.

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Hmmm. The problem with adding to the blurbs is that I don't actually want to spoil the story in those, just in case someone wants to read about it as they go.

If I do a recap, it'll be some sort of one-shot that's there as a completely optional thing for people who don't care to read all the back chapters, or they just want to make sure they aren't forgetting anything.

I have no intention of rehashing it in every single chapter, but I like your idea about linking to other relevent chapters. I have been doing that a little when multi-part chapters were spaced out, and sometimes I link to drabbles in the notes, but a note below the warnings would be a good idea, I think.

Thanks for the input.