strangetomato: (Default)
Strange Tomato ([personal profile] strangetomato) wrote2008-08-25 04:50 pm

Just whining...

So I finally have a stretch of uninterrupted time to work on the story this evening, but the scenes I need to shoot are just too involved. I don't feel like doing it. I need to create sets and get the right clothing, etc., and it's just feeling like too much hassle. My brain feels like mush; I can't even figure out how to get the bunkbeds out of the Grand Trianon Collection (I could have sworn there used to be metal ones there, but I can't find them). This is a bad sign. Maybe I should work on some of the scenes that are more immediate. Where's my focus? It's gone. Brain = mush.

I wanted to use Gunmod's Radience Light System for one of the scenes, but I have to confess that the instructions for installing it just confused me and I think I'm chickening out. What if I can't take it back out? I guess I'll have to just leave the beautiful and dramatic sim photography to the people that are actually good at it and settle for being competent but unremarkable.

Verdict for today: massive fail all around. I might as well get out a raft and float down the street to pass the time instead (yeah, it's raining like crazy here). Whhheeeeee!

[identity profile] abbycat900.livejournal.com 2008-08-25 07:51 pm (UTC)(link)
That would be AWESOME. Floating down the street in a raft, that is. Unless you ran into a parked car, which really isn't fun...

Well, at least you're better than me! My brain seems to be mush most of the time. I never read instructions right, so I try to avoid downloading hacks like the one you mentioned. I don't get them at all ;_;

[identity profile] pearkiwi.livejournal.com 2008-08-25 08:03 pm (UTC)(link)
Atavera is the one who has the metal bunk beds, I believe.

Today is indeed massive fail all around; right now I should be working on adding 8 months worth of data to my family's accounting books, but I just can't seem to step away from the internet. I blame the fact that it's Monday, and data entry is freakin' boring.

(Anonymous) 2008-08-25 08:36 pm (UTC)(link)
I hope you'll keep the normal Light System because it's one of the reason I love your story. Everything is not shiny and too-realistic. You're one of the rare simmers who uses the real sims ! Please keep it simple and don't bother yourself with this Gunmod's thing. Your pictures are always so great, what the point improving what's already great ?

At least, that's my point of vue...

gab75

(Anonymous) 2008-08-25 09:38 pm (UTC)(link)
Well I don't know about everyone else but I never noticed the furniture. I doubt I'd notice if someones bed changed. If you can't find it you could always have somebody say they got a new bed. As far as lighting is concerned, you're pictures always seemed well lit and I don't fully understand what this thing would do. From the pictures it looks like it might make things darker. while that may be more realistic I'm not sure it's desirable. If you're going to give up on something, I think it would make more sense for it to be the mod and not the chapter or the scene. Thanks for all your hard work though.

[identity profile] pixelcurious.livejournal.com 2008-08-25 09:42 pm (UTC)(link)
You only have one scene that you want the lighting mod for? I wonder if it's something that could be more or less replicated with the photo filters in Photoshop (the ones that are under Image>Adjustments).

I can so relate to the brain=mush and too much hassle. Just don't wind up like me... :p

[identity profile] madame-ugly.livejournal.com 2008-08-25 10:04 pm (UTC)(link)
*pats shoulder* Ahhh, don't you love when that happens? The whole "I have to do this scene for the story but I just don't WANT to".

That was my song for a good MONTH then all the sudden, I just wanted to do it. Like I couldn't WAIT to do it. And, despite my thoughts that it would be a huge pain in the butt, it was a fun shoot.

While I waited for the muse, I just effed around with other stuff in Peculiar. I'll use all of it eventually.

(hey, here's an idea, do the storytellers challenge *snicker* at least SOMEONE will)

[identity profile] hannahspring.livejournal.com 2008-08-25 10:32 pm (UTC)(link)
Oh gosh, I had the same problem yesterday! I was working on my story but the stupid pictures were getting blurry again (*garr*)and I was just too discouraged by that. I was so into the story but this is getting me mad.

I guess we need to be in mood to create. So, I took a day off, maybe you should do that, too. :) Things will probably get easier tomorrow... or soon, lol.

[identity profile] music-simbol.livejournal.com 2008-08-25 10:52 pm (UTC)(link)
You have noooo idea how much I'm in the same boat as you. (Or maybe raft, I should say :P) I haven't touched my Assassin story since June. It's been over two months. I still think about the story, but I honestly have no motivation to doing it anymore. At least at the moment.

I'm pretty sure the reason I haven't gotten Gunmod's Light is because it looks complicated, just like you said. Competent and unremarakble? You? Are you kidding?!?!?! Stop putting yourself down. Anyone can make a pretty picture. It's the story and writing behind the picture that makes it worth something. :)

Taking a break could be a good idea. You ever just play the game just to play the game? I swear I only play sims I plan on posting about. It's nice to just play for the fun of it every once in awhile. :D

[identity profile] vega-pleiades.livejournal.com 2008-08-25 10:55 pm (UTC)(link)
To be honest, there's only one thing I liked about the Radiance Light System, and that was how it looked at dawn/dusk. *So* beautiful, and I would love it if it were possible to just have those changes without anything else. Radiance Light System makes it nearly impossible to play the game without a great deal of lighting, which is a HUGE hassle. Night is almost completely pitch black. It may be more "realistic" but it also makes building a huge hassle.

[identity profile] cindyanne1.livejournal.com 2008-08-26 01:15 am (UTC)(link)
Send some of your rain our way, would you? Drought = bad for crops. D:

I've had days like what you're having a lot. Well, nights. :D I'll make coffee... everyone will be in bed... I'll have the entire night of uninterrupted bliss stretched out before me, and I end up getting sleepy and can't focus. It's a bummer!

Those lighting hacks, like what Jaydee used in her new video, are three shades of awesome... but I know, just know I'd hate them in my own game. Just like the uber-realistic skins and eyes other people have. They look really good in other players' pictures and movies, but if I put them in my game I hate them. I'm sure any lighting mod would be the same way. *shrugs*

This was my day to fail at housework. It's TOM (time of month) for me and it's been awful ever since my tubal ligation (sorry if TMI) so usually the first couple of days I don't do much around the house but the bare necessities. Ugh.

Here's to all of us getting our focus back soon!

[identity profile] simgarooop.livejournal.com 2008-08-26 02:22 am (UTC)(link)

It's also raining like crazy over here. I just had to take a shower because I got soaked on the way back from a work meeting. And I'm also literally twitching because I had to drink four cups of strong coffee to stay away at said meeting. I have a lot of paperwork to do for both my job and graduate school process (all due this Friday) and just can't focus, so I'm not sleeping well. And I had a very tiring day at school, because the kid was cranky and it was nearly impossible to make him pay attention at class and...

Goodness, this is Failday indeed! *Twitches*

I've had the same issues as you with my story. I quickly get bored and distracted when I have to pose my sims for a "complicated" scene (I'm more a "take pics as I play" kind of "simmer"), and there have been entries that required constant posing from me. So annoying, but that's what I get for being such a freaking perfectionist.

But then there are days like yesterday when I'm eager to try a "complicated" idea as soon as I get it, no matter what. And somehow I get them done very quickly too! Too bad that's not as often as I wished.

I once installed that light mod, waaaay back before I even thought about making a story with my sims. I had just discovered MTS and was like a kid at a candy store trying out all the "OMG SHINY!" stuff in there. Maybe that's an useful mod for stories, but I hated it as a gamer. When I realized I was placing 6 windows and 10 lamps per room just to make the game bearable, I took it out forever.

I second the use of photoshop (I fail at filters, but I found a tutorial to get effects like this one, maybe it's similar to what you need?) or maybe ummm... you could place a couple invisible tiles in the roof to let the light down. I have no idea if that'd work, though.

Anyway, I hope you get back your inspiration! As I always say, you need to have fun and enjoy this above everything.

And I should shut up now because caffeine has made me verbose again :)

[identity profile] a-gates.livejournal.com 2008-08-26 04:45 am (UTC)(link)
Perhaps rainy days makes for lazy days? We had rain here as well, which is quite shocking. It was one of those late summer thunderstorms which I absolutely love andjust makes me want to sit quietly and watch the afternoon pass me by. I also haven't been writing lately which just makes me feel shameful. LOl.

[identity profile] meetme2theriver.livejournal.com 2008-08-26 08:30 pm (UTC)(link)
Mondays suck. That said, I think your pictures are wonderful and not unremarkable at all. You don't NEED any light mods. You did awesomely even without the camera mod.