Ah-hahaha! I love how four out of the five kids are either glaring into the distance or simply have their backs turned on the rest of their family. And I know this is purely default Sim style, but I can't help but imagine some extra forced happy obliviousness in Mary Sue and Buzz' facial expressions. I love it. :D
Yes! XD And meanwhile Buck is at the edge of the group, arms spread, invisible thought bubble: "Just a few more steps and I'm free. Just a few more steps and I'm FREEEEEE!" I have to say, though. I'm rather fond of Mary-Sue, but I kind of wish Maxis had made her adoptive parents breed out a daughter. I mean, have you looked at the Oldies? Herb's a hottie but somewhat generic, whereas his wife is very unique.
Cute little Buck is always so cheerful in the loading screen. He tries too look on the bright side (but why is he so dramatic? He's supposed to be shy).
I haven't taken a really close look at the Oldies, but I will, now that you've mentioned it. They'll be at the wedding, so I'll have plenty of opportunity to examine them during that. Now... who else should I invite? The Goths? I suppose the Burbs should come, even though it would be a bit awkward. (This is so much fun!)
Hmmm. Definitely the Goths and the Burbs. Dirk and Dustin as well, in case you're keeping them the girls' boyfriends? Plus, since Daniel and Dustin have a mutual hate/hate thing going on Mary-Sue might invite the trailer trash kid just to spite her ex further. :D
Only time will tell. ;) I have some ideas, but I'm going to plan the whole thing out before I post anything, and I'll allow for some random game occurances too, I think.
I'm excited to even just rearrange the bedrooms to fit everyone! It's going to be a tight squeeze, and the twins will have to share a room. Not good. *snicker*
That's one, big Happy (I said happy, dammit)Family! LOL! I think what makes me chuckle the most about it is that, the teens are mostly pouting, angry, the adults look like they're trying to ignore all the pouting, and there's Buck, out there in front,"Yay! Everybody's together! Everything will be fine! I'm so happy!" I think Buck is the eternal optimist. His glass is always half full, no matter how empty it really is.
Happiness! I demand happiness! *snicker* Just a little of that patented Army-issued cheer. (Oh, man... Buzz is a General and Mary-Sue is in politics. Could they be any similar, or more humourless?)
I totally agree. Buck really is the eternal optimist, at least as a child.
Ripp: The glass isn't just half empty, Buck - it's completely empty!
Buck: No, it's full! Full of wonderful, fresh air!
Buck: No, it's full! Full of wonderful, fresh air! Yes! That's my little optimist! LOL!
Buzz is a General and Mary-Sue is in politics. Could they be any similar, or more humourless?) She is politics? And she's sleeping with the Army? That can't be good! If she's anything like The General I could just see all the kids running away from home. Well, half of them, anyway. Tank wouldn't and neither would Buck.
Yeah, that's the career that Mary-Sue is following, if she doesn't lose her job on the first chance card (I was lucky enough to just get her demoted instead). That's why she wears the beige power suit, I guess. It's the exact same colour as the General's khakis.
I have yet to see Lilith run away from home in my game. What has to occur for it to happen?
Teens have to have a low relationship score with everyone in the house (I want to saw -20 but that seems insane). I've never had it happen, but I think Lil's already low with Mary-Sue and Ange.
For a teen to run away they have to have a very low social score with every one in the house. Ripp ran away from me this time. He was in the minus with his father and Tank. Buck and his relationship was in the positive but the numbers had gotten kind of low. He just got up one day and took off. I forget what the message was I got but I can paraphrase and say it was more or less, "Fuck this shit I'm outta here!" I did have the general call the police and he was brought back later in the day. If Lilith gets a low enough score with her parents she might run off.
Oh wow. I'm looking forward to this one since I'm far more familiar with the Pleasantview characters than the Strangetown ones.
Am also waiting with bated breath for the next Strangetown installment. I'm hoping Nervous and Pascal show up again really soon. (I found this in the first place because I was looking specifically for stories about Nervous Subject--he's my favorite Strangetownite.)
I've actually played with the Pleasantview characters more too. I've played them through a couple of times, up to the next generation, but this is my first real play-through of Strangetown (to play all of the characters, anyway).
I'm glad to hear that you're looking forward to them. :) I'm really going to try to post the next Strangetown update before I head out of town for the weekend. There'll be more Pascal and Nervous in the second half (it picks up right where it left off, with Pascal arriving at the Specter Estate), and the next chapter should also feature Nervous quite heavily, if I don't decide to switch the order of the next few chapters. I've been considering it, but I don't think I will, so there should be plenty of Nervous to go around.
Nervous Subject was the first Maxis sim to capture my attention, and he remains one of my favourites (though he has some competition from several others - especially a certain Grunt). Nervous retains the honour of being featured on my user icon, though, since he's just so... iconic.
Ha. I love Buck there in the middle all happy. :D Lilith and Angela look so young! Mine are married adults with kids in my game. ;) I've never liked Mary-Sue (she died from old age in my game) but I'm looking forward to see how you characterize her. :)
Yeah, Buck seems to make the most of any situation. Either that, or he's too clueless to notice the drama unfolding right behind him, the poor little thing. *snicker*
I'll have to give Mary-Sue some thought, since I'm not fully sure about how I'll handle her character. Her bio depicts her as an optimist, but her career ambitions and political leanings give me the impression that she doesn't take crap from anyone. I guess that's why Daniel was shown to the door (and his little maid too).
Butting in just to agree. Mary-Sue's bio seems a bit disconnected from the actual character. I think that's part of the reason why many players (myself included) have a really hard time getting a feel for her. She's kind of cardboard cutoutish: Overly Driven Career Woman #186818(c)(tm). ' On the other hand, she's as far as I can recall the only career woman in Pleasantview at the start of the game! Unless you count the NPCs and Townies. 's kind of sad.
I took another look at her personality, and she's a LOT like Buzz. The only major difference is that she's in the middle of lazy/active, while he is very active. They're both outgoing, serious, and grouchy. Sounds like a perfect match.
You're right. Not many of the Pleasantview women work for a living, do they? Does Cassandra have a job at the beginning? I don't recall. Kaylynn Langerak has a job! ;) The naughty maid service.
In Strangetown, almost all of the women work, aside from the Singles (who are in the bin anyway, so they can't have jobs). Circe is all about her job, Olive is still a professional party guest in her old age, and Jenny is the only working member of the Smith family.
Oh, man. I have dialogue in my head to go with all of them there!!
Buzz: There. Everyone's together. Isn't it nice? Mary-Sue: Yes, dear. It's certainly very nice. Kids? Tank: Yes, sir, ma'am. It's nice. *thinking* Just keep smiling, maybe they won't notice you're uncomfortable... Angela: Oh, definitely, Mom. Completely awesome. *thinking* If by 'awesome' you mean horrible. I want Daddy. Ripp: *grumbles intelligibly* Why the fuck couldn't I just move in with the Smiths when the General decided to move. But noooo, "we're a family." Whatev. Lilith: No. You suck, he sucks, Angie sucks, Tank sucks. Ripp and Buck are okay, but this sucks. Buck: YAY! FAMILY PORTRAIT TIME!
*snicker* I really pay attention to load screens now (since seeing Pascal holding BOTH babies--speaking of, he held them both even after Abe moved in).
Bonus: Aggie and Paul's load screen (now with toddler girls) neither of them are hold a toddler. And one toddler (forget who) is BEHIND (and complete obscured by) the dogs!
*snort* That loading screen with Pascal holding both of the babies cracks me up. He looked so ticked off too. What a hard worker!
Weird. Why aren't they holding them? And the kid being buried in dogs is too funny.
This is making me want to post a little extra showing all of the household loading screens for Strangetown at this point in the story. I always giggle a little at Erin and the clones (sort of like Snow White and the seven dwarfs). She's standing right in the middle of that one too.
Yeah, I'll get that together to include with the next outtakes. I'm due for another round of those fairly soon. I love outtakes.
That's right. Once they're married, they get all touchy in the loading screen, don't they? But I thought they still held the babies... I'll have to keep an eye out for that in the future.
That's odd. I thought that the toddlers HAD to be held. I've even seen a teen holding the toddler, if the parents were preoccupied (with the groping, babies, etc.).
*snrk* I love watching my load screens. My Veronaville-university dorm - the home to the Montys, Capps, and Puck Summerdream - has everyone standing around posing while Juliette, of all sims, has her ass plopped on the ground. If she had a little handheld game, she's look just like she does every time I play the lot. I swear, the girl does nothing but play video games.
And in my Alterna-Strangetown, the Grunt lot currently shows the two older boys still at home and Buzz holding baby Moss with this "okay, now what do I do with it?" look on his face.
Oh, I love when one of the sims is on the ground for some reason! It only seems to happen for me where there is a big crowd on the lot. And I love the look of fear (or is that wonderment?) in the parent's eyes as they hold the newborn baby. Too cute.
Yes, so very, very functional. This is not The Brady Bunch. (Though it has a very similar composition, doesn't it?) Some of these kids are SO angry! Heheh.
Yeah, this will be an short story that deals with this specific family crossover, which was surely not intended by Maxis, but works almost seamlessly with the backstories. This really could happen if the Grunts happened to move to Pleasantview (and military families DO move around a lot, so it really could happen). It will be a stand alone story - completely removed from Strangetown, Here We Come, though there may be some similarities.
I've always wondered if Maxis didn't "do" the loading screens according to personality. (shrugs) Like I've noticed Pascal, when he gets married, always is in that "rabbit ears behind the head" pose, and Lazlo is always in the "arms around each other" pose, same as Johnny. Vid always takes my least fav married couple pose, the "bent-over-kiss-on-cheek" (grumbles)
Also if the sims aren't married and they have infant twins, one sim is always holding both of them. Even if there are other adults/teens in the house. Poor thing! But if they're married, one parent will each hold a twin. Even if they're not the bio parents.
Loading screens are interesting. I'm still trying to figure them out, lol!
There is going to be SO much screaming in that house. SO many fights too(verbal and physical). That loading screen just screams difficult situation. I'd hate to be Buzz and Mary Sue.
I've had a few odd loading screens. I once had an ex-husband stuck with the twins his ex-wife had with another man. In the loading screen he was holding them both and he looked so pissed. I later moved the twins in with their mom and now both babies are sitting in the floor. It's absolutly horrible to look at.
They look *so* happy! *dies* I cant wait for this though, I think its PERFECT! Mary-Sue is so much like The General, and Oh, I love your family dynamics, so I really can't wait!
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strangetomato) wrote2008-04-08 12:35 pm
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I know. Don't they seem a little TOO happy? I guess Buzz and Mary-Sue are both pretty used to keeping up appearances.
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I have to say, though. I'm rather fond of Mary-Sue, but I kind of wish Maxis had made her adoptive parents breed out a daughter. I mean, have you looked at the Oldies? Herb's a hottie but somewhat generic, whereas his wife is very unique.
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I haven't taken a really close look at the Oldies, but I will, now that you've mentioned it. They'll be at the wedding, so I'll have plenty of opportunity to examine them during that. Now... who else should I invite? The Goths? I suppose the Burbs should come, even though it would be a bit awkward. (This is so much fun!)
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Indeed, it does. I´m curious what you´ll do to them ^_^
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I'm excited to even just rearrange the bedrooms to fit everyone! It's going to be a tight squeeze, and the twins will have to share a room. Not good. *snicker*
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I think what makes me chuckle the most about it is that, the teens are mostly pouting, angry, the adults look like they're trying to ignore all the pouting, and there's Buck, out there in front,"Yay! Everybody's together! Everything will be fine! I'm so happy!"
I think Buck is the eternal optimist. His glass is always half full, no matter how empty it really is.
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I totally agree. Buck really is the eternal optimist, at least as a child.
Ripp: The glass isn't just half empty, Buck - it's completely empty!
Buck: No, it's full! Full of wonderful, fresh air!
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Yes! That's my little optimist! LOL!
Buzz is a General and Mary-Sue is in politics. Could they be any similar, or more humourless?)
She is politics? And she's sleeping with the Army? That can't be good! If she's anything like The General I could just see all the kids running away from home. Well, half of them, anyway. Tank wouldn't and neither would Buck.
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I have yet to see Lilith run away from home in my game. What has to occur for it to happen?
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I did have the general call the police and he was brought back later in the day. If Lilith gets a low enough score with her parents she might run off.
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Am also waiting with bated breath for the next Strangetown installment. I'm hoping Nervous and Pascal show up again really soon. (I found this in the first place because I was looking specifically for stories about Nervous Subject--he's my favorite Strangetownite.)
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I'm glad to hear that you're looking forward to them. :) I'm really going to try to post the next Strangetown update before I head out of town for the weekend. There'll be more Pascal and Nervous in the second half (it picks up right where it left off, with Pascal arriving at the Specter Estate), and the next chapter should also feature Nervous quite heavily, if I don't decide to switch the order of the next few chapters. I've been considering it, but I don't think I will, so there should be plenty of Nervous to go around.
Nervous Subject was the first Maxis sim to capture my attention, and he remains one of my favourites (though he has some competition from several others - especially a certain Grunt). Nervous retains the honour of being featured on my user icon, though, since he's just so... iconic.
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I'll have to give Mary-Sue some thought, since I'm not fully sure about how I'll handle her character. Her bio depicts her as an optimist, but her career ambitions and political leanings give me the impression that she doesn't take crap from anyone. I guess that's why Daniel was shown to the door (and his little maid too).
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On the other hand, she's as far as I can recall the only career woman in Pleasantview at the start of the game! Unless you count the NPCs and Townies. 's kind of sad.
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You're right. Not many of the Pleasantview women work for a living, do they? Does Cassandra have a job at the beginning? I don't recall. Kaylynn Langerak has a job! ;) The naughty maid service.
In Strangetown, almost all of the women work, aside from the Singles (who are in the bin anyway, so they can't have jobs). Circe is all about her job, Olive is still a professional party guest in her old age, and Jenny is the only working member of the Smith family.
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Buzz: There. Everyone's together. Isn't it nice?
Mary-Sue: Yes, dear. It's certainly very nice. Kids?
Tank: Yes, sir, ma'am. It's nice. *thinking* Just keep smiling, maybe they won't notice you're uncomfortable...
Angela: Oh, definitely, Mom. Completely awesome. *thinking* If by 'awesome' you mean horrible. I want Daddy.
Ripp: *grumbles intelligibly* Why the fuck couldn't I just move in with the Smiths when the General decided to move. But noooo, "we're a family." Whatev.
Lilith: No. You suck, he sucks, Angie sucks, Tank sucks. Ripp and Buck are okay, but this sucks.
Buck: YAY! FAMILY PORTRAIT TIME!
I know. I'm weird, aren't I?
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Bonus: Aggie and Paul's load screen (now with toddler girls) neither of them are hold a toddler. And one toddler (forget who) is BEHIND (and complete obscured by) the dogs!
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Weird. Why aren't they holding them? And the kid being buried in dogs is too funny.
This is making me want to post a little extra showing all of the household loading screens for Strangetown at this point in the story. I always giggle a little at Erin and the clones (sort of like Snow White and the seven dwarfs). She's standing right in the middle of that one too.
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(Paul and Aggie can't hold the girls because they're pawing one another!)
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That's right. Once they're married, they get all touchy in the loading screen, don't they? But I thought they still held the babies... I'll have to keep an eye out for that in the future.
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Sitting toddlers look freaky.
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And in my Alterna-Strangetown, the Grunt lot currently shows the two older boys still at home and Buzz holding baby Moss with this "okay, now what do I do with it?" look on his face.
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Awww, such a nice, fluffy and functional family!
I'm really laughing at all their faces! They remind me of that old TV show, Step by Step. So many strong tempers mixed in the same house, yikes!
So this is an original story? That sounds neat! I wonder how did Buzz and Mary Sue meet and fall in love?
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Yeah, this will be an short story that deals with this specific family crossover, which was surely not intended by Maxis, but works almost seamlessly with the backstories. This really could happen if the Grunts happened to move to Pleasantview (and military families DO move around a lot, so it really could happen). It will be a stand alone story - completely removed from Strangetown, Here We Come, though there may be some similarities.
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I've always wondered if Maxis didn't "do" the loading screens according to personality. (shrugs) Like I've noticed Pascal, when he gets married, always is in that "rabbit ears behind the head" pose, and Lazlo is always in the "arms around each other" pose, same as Johnny. Vid always takes my least fav married couple pose, the "bent-over-kiss-on-cheek" (grumbles)
Also if the sims aren't married and they have infant twins, one sim is always holding both of them. Even if there are other adults/teens in the house. Poor thing! But if they're married, one parent will each hold a twin. Even if they're not the bio parents.
Loading screens are interesting. I'm still trying to figure them out, lol!
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I can't wait to see more of this!
Eep!!
I've had a few odd loading screens. I once had an ex-husband stuck with the twins his ex-wife had with another man. In the loading screen he was holding them both and he looked so pissed. I later moved the twins in with their mom and now both babies are sitting in the floor. It's absolutly horrible to look at.
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I cant wait for this though, I think its PERFECT! Mary-Sue is so much like The General, and Oh, I love your family dynamics, so I really can't wait!
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