Updates and rambling on about various things

[strangetomato]

It's a grab bag of topics, folks...


So, what is this... Wednesday? *scratches head* Could I post the next chapter by the end of the week? I haven't actually taken any photos for it yet, but maybe I could put it together in a couple of days.

I'm thinking of taking a different approach to some of the upcoming chapters, and making them more centrally focused on one character or group of characters. The next chapter will have two parts (was originally going to be one, but I thought I'd add a little look at Erin and Circe before I got to Nervous - that side of the plot needs to catch up with itself). After that, I'm going to take all the college kids up to graduation (well, not Buck, Jill, etc.), but I think I'm going to tackle them seperately. There'll be a chapter on the trio, one just about Frances, one about Tank (yeah, I could combine those, but maybe not...). There'll be some overlap there with events in those sections, but I think this will work. I'll probably send Vidcund to Veronaville in there somewhere too.

So... it's good to have a plan of action. Next up: get some momentum back.

 

Oh, and squirrel_tamer has been feeding my creativity in a big way with some new drawings, and she REALLY outdid herself on the latest one. (Seriously, I'd like to print this out and frame it... and maybe I will.) It really captures the whole J/R/O thing so well for me, and it's a gorgeous drawing. Scroll up for some other sketches, and she posted this set recently too - also very cool. (I'm pretty sure those are the only ones I haven't linked to yet.)

Thanks a BILLION for these, ST (hey, we have the same initials. How... confusing). ^_^ You're super cool. I liked your suggested soundtrack for that latest drawing, but I'd also like to suggest Illuminated by Weird War. Have a listen (it's on Youtube)... I think it really works. *adjusts nerdly glasses*

Speaking of nerds,  If you'll allow me to nerd out about characterization a little here, I love how she's drawn their bodies in this one. It really exaggerates the differences in heights and builds in the way I imagine they differ. Ophelia is so cute and pear-shaped. And short... or, at least, she's short compared to Johnny. Johnny is tall (I think of PT as being tall too, so perhaps it's an alien thing) and thin. He's athletic, and not really underweight, but maybe bordering on it. Ripp probably tells him that he needs to eat more meat. *snicker* I really like the image of Johnny as this willowy, green, vegan athlete. It's pretty kickass to me. 

Ripp is physically average, but has a hint of those solid "army guy" genetics, and you can tell he could be really well built, like Tank is, if he bothered to try (though, of course, he doesn't). He's somewhat broad-shouldered and it all looks pretty good, but get closer and he feels... kinda flabby.

I told you this would be nerdy. ;)

I also sometimes think about how their voices would sound, and I've made reference to it here and there in the story (same goes for those body types too - I've mentioned it a couple of times). Some characters give off really definite "voices" like that when I'm writing their dialogue. I'll spare you the details for now... unless you're really interested.

 

I've been playing with Apartment Life a little, and I do enjoy a lot of the new features. There are some issues with it, of course, but MATY has provided some fixes (be sure to get the critical fix and the updated notownieregen - that fixes an NPC spawning issue similar to the one from BV - both hacks are in the updated Director's Cut). I'm happy to have the Director's Cut again, since there are some real sanity-savers in there, though I always spend some time weeding out all the hacks I don't like. Traditional Marriage? Umm, no thanks... I can decide who's name gets taken myself.

Speaking of the Director's Cut, there are always a number of hacks that are unlisted in the hack description thread. Does anyone know how to find information on those? I know it's part of the whole "director's cut" thing and I don't get to know what they do because I'm not "awesome" enough, but most actual director's cut dvds come with hours of commentary that over-explain the movie in question. I don't see why we can't get a simple one-liner about what those mystery hacks do.

But anyway... I'm lucky to have the Director's Cut at all, aren't I? I shouldn't complain.


 

Comments

[cindyanne1.livejournal.com]

Okay... you know that piece of art did something to me because I think Ophelia looks ADORABLE in it! OMG believe it or not it actually is making me a bit excited for Sims 3, because maybe... just maybe... we'll be able to re create all of our Strangetown characters in it and make them look more like that. Seriously. I completely agree with your body-type assesments of them. I see Ophelia as being sassy and not exactly fat, but roundish with some boobage and boot-ay on her, and Johnny... yes, yes yes on the tall willowy perhaps bordering on underweight (for a human) and Ripp having a decent body without even trying because of his genetics, but letting it go just a bit from laziness. :D Perfect!

I would love to know how you hear their voices. :D

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Isn't it a great drawing? :) I love it.

That's something I really look forward to in Sims 3. I don't think we get an option for height though, which is a shame. I'd love to try to recreate these guys, and other characters, in Sims 3. They'd really be my version of them after that. People could take the Maxis sims in so many different directions that way.

*snort* Now I'm thinking about that Date-rape Don Lothario again. One example of a very bad character recreation. :P

You like those ideas for their builds? :) It's fun to think about those details that can't be added with the game. Some of the characters just give off a vibe to me (and some of it is based on the way I have styled them, etc.). The shape of the face can sometimes suggest a body type too. I see Nervous as being pretty thin too, since his face is so long and thin. It make him look gaunt.

Heheh. The voices. Maybe I'll save that for another time. ;)

[meetme2theriver.livejournal.com]

That is a pretty awesome drawing. :D

I'm excited that you're getting into your story again! I've missed it. All those topics sound quite interesting. I was wondering when they would all graduate. :)

I always take out the Traditional Marriage, too. Ugh. I use the last name chooser from MTS2 instead. Other than that, I keep most things in, except for a couple which I can't remember right now. :p Usually you can find out what the mystery hacks do if you dig around enough in the various threads on MATY, but it's not always easy. Any in particular you wonder about? I may (or may not) know.

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

I'm excited to start back with full chapters too. :) It's seems like it's been such a long time since I updated.

The graduation has been a long time coming, hasn't it? There was just so much I wanted to cover during their college years. I didn't even really get to do all of it, but I'm satisfied with what I have at this point. I can clue it up and do everything I need to do before they move on. Things change after college (much like in real life). I'll miss it.

Sometimes I type in the name of the hack in the search function at MATY, but that doesn't always give me results. I don't know which ones I was wondering about offhand, but I could compile a list later. I'd love to know what some of them do, that's for sure. I don't want to be preventing things I like from happening, like when the romance mod was keeping Johnny and Ripp from dancing together. (I mean, I know they probably shouldn't bump and grind, but still...)

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Oh, and these are a couple of the hacks I'm not sure about:

nodiningwithscum
darwincowplant
rpshack
antibagthrow
snapdragonpets

Do you know them?

[soniabigcheese.livejournal.com]

Oh wow. That main picture is so intense. It speaks volumes without saying anything (if you know what I mean).

Thanks for the little 'tasters' too. I'm looking forward to hearing more from our little community of Sims. I can't really say Strangetown community now, as they're scattered from far and wide.

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

I know exactly what you mean. There's a lot of emotion in that drawing, which I really love. I think she's captured a lot of pretty accurate emotion in it too, but I won't say too much more about that, since you'll find out soon enough.

I like doing the drabbles and short things. It's fun to give those little glimpses and extras, and it keeps things moving. It can be great for developing characters and ideas too. Feel free to add a prompt to the drabble list if you want (though I think you already have, if I recall...).

Yeah, the story is spread out over the whole Maxis "world", really, but the heart of the story is always in Strangetown. Or goes back there.

[cindyanne1.livejournal.com]

Okay, I'm hopelessly failing at finding which version of the DC I should d/l at MATY. Ughhh... that website should have a warning on it: Do Not Try To Find Anything If You Have An IQ Of Less Than 200 Because YOU WILL FAIL.


Nevermind... I found it. It was like, AT THE TOP. Sheesh.
*is embarrassed and crawls into a hole*

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Heheh. I was just about that say that.

Don't worry... I feel the same way at MATY most of the time, and I think my IQ is decent... though sometimes I do wonder about that.

[tanathir.livejournal.com]

I love the way you nerd out about the characters. It shows a real caring and attention to detail, signs of a good writer. And I really like your idea of a threesome. I recently started work on an OT3 in the Matrix fandom, and ever since I've been fascinated by the group dynamics of a triad as opposed to a traditional couple. If done right, it's a beautiful thing to read.

I still have plans to go back and read your stuffs from the beginning, BTW. It just seems too great not to.

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Well, good. If you like the nerding, you've come to the right place. :P I could go on and on... I find it fascinating and entertaining to work out character details. The right detail can just add so much when you just drop it in the story at the right place. I love that sort of thing when I'm reading something.

I agree. Any relationship is interesting, and the dynamic between three close friends can be interesting enough without the trouble that love can add to that mix. With three different relationships at work (and six different points of view), and varying degrees of romance and/or intimacy involved, it's very fascinating. The thing about three is that one will often (always?) feel like the apex of the triangle, while the other two are having a moment. That's why these things so often remain as love triangles or fracture and fall apart. It's hard to find a balance there, but sometimes it does work.

Thank you. :) I really appreciate that you'd go back to read all that. I know how hard it can be to catch up on a back chapters. I'm glad you've been enjoying what you've read so far.

[a-gates.livejournal.com]

THe dynmaics in a couple compare to a trio is so much more intense that is why I'm so addicted to the J/R/O. I can't wait to read more just because of it. I love anything you do, so take your time and don't pressure youself, these drabbles and updates are fine by me until you decide what to produce. I'll wait because I know that it will be magnifescent.

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Yeah, there's definitely something to the trio thing. I'm really drawn to it. Intensity is a major factor, like you said. There's so much potential for something to go wrong.

Thank you so much. :) That means a lot to me.

[swhedonberry.livejournal.com]

No need to feel too nerdly about intense characterization. I do it all the time, even down to how their voices sound in my head. My characters are very real to me and I take how I write them very seriously. Damn, I hope that I don't sound creepy now. Changing back to the subject at hand...

I love in the artwork that Ophelia's hips are so round. Though we have pictures of her, that's always how I've seen her. The emotion of it is really beautiful and really shows off Johnny as the awkward father figure of the three. In so many ways, Johnny strikes me as the father that Ripp always wanted. He's someone who cares enough to be tough with him, but loves him enough to accept him for who he is.

I'm wondering how many returning characters we'll see in Sims 3. Strangetown is easily my favorite of the existing hoods, but I've heard rumor that I'm in the minority.

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

It's nice to know I'm not alone in my obsession with character detail. I often wonder if I take things too seriously, since I don't want the story to get weighed down by these things, but I don't think it ever hurts to have your characters well thought out. I like it when writers take their characters seriously. It's up there with respect and love for their creations. It's important for me to feel that the author cares deeply for their characters. I even want to see sympathy (or at least understanding) for the villains.

Character stories appeal to me more than other types of stories. The events in the plot, the world-building, and the overall concepts... none of those things are as important to me as the characters. Not everyone would agree, of course, but that's the reason I read things.

So, yeah... I don't think you're creepy at all. ;) I'd say you're a good writer.

I've always imagined Ophelia like that too. It's funny how, even though the game doesn't allow for much actual variation (though I suppose I could just use the fat morph for more curves), we can see things in the characters, based on overall impressions or styling.

That's a great assessment of Johnny's character. I do think there is an element of that in how Ripp relates to him. He's something like an older brother too, but in the household, Johnny falls into a parent-like role more than the other two do.

From what we've seen so far, it doesn't seem like any of the characters will be carried over. They might just make a clean break, and that would be okay too. If anything, I'd put my money on Pleasantview, since that carried on from the first game. It will be interesting to see what they do with it.

[leskuh.livejournal.com]

Ah, I'm super excited about potential updates. I love them so. Though, I also really love all the little drabble-y bits as well.

Thanks for the shout-outs once again. I always appreciate it. Also, yay music suggestions! I'll definitely have to check that one out.

I really tried to bring around the body types this time. That really was a focus of this. I know we've definitely discussed before how we see each of these guys physically and I wanted to try and bring that out. I also have this weird theory that (and this is ignoring the fact that sims don't actually have body hair) the aliens are almost completely hairless or that the hair on their arms and such is just tiny little bits. I'm not sure why, that's just how I see them. Whereas I imagine Tank and Ripp have manly arm hair, it seems to me that Johnny... wouldn't.

Yum yum voices. Do tell. Hmmm. Any specific (voice) actors in mind? I do that with my own characters all the time.

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

I'm going to need to come to you for more Buck paintings at some point too. I'm thinking... (yeah, I'll just say it out here where people can read it)... I'd like some paintings where Jill is posing nude. They'd do figure studies in class, but I think Buck would do some on his own time too. Jill wouldn't have any issues with being a model.

Well, a shout-out is the least I can do. It's so awesome that you make these artworks. I get so excited over them. They're gorgeous, and I hope you're inspired to draw many more. ^_^

I love how the body types look in that drawing. It's very much like what we discussed before. I love being able to see them with those differences from the game.

Did we talk about the hair thing before too? If not, you're being a psychic again. :D Though maybe you remember it from the story (it was pretty obscure, though)... Ripp made fun of Johnny at one point and told him to "grow some facial hair" and Johnny defended himself by saying it was "an alien thing". It's part of the whole androgyny of the (full) aliens, and it carries over to the half aliens too. They don't have much body hair, and they never have facial hair.

The Grunts would have manly arm hair, I agree. And manly chest hair. All sorts of hair, I'd imagine. Probably even some *gasp* back hair. :P

I haven't isolated any specific voice actors, but I could think about it. I've been imagining Ripp's singing voice as being similar to the main singer of Animal Collective, if that tells you anything. It has a slightly nasal quality to it, and it's not overly deep. I always hear Johnny's dialogue with a voice that's similar to one of my close friends (from whom I borrow a lot of Johnny's high-strung tendencies and dramatics). He's kind of musical and dramatic when he's "up" and clear and level when he's "down". Both Johnny and Ripp would have this way of talking like they're on stage, especially if they're carrying on, or a third party is listening. Ophelia would be soft-spoken, of course.

[orikes13.livejournal.com]

I never use the director's cut. There's things in there he changes that I actually like in the game. One thing I can suggest for finding out what something does, though, is look it up in the non-DC directory and see if it's there. If it's there, it should have its own RTFM.

I know he's got some stuff in the DC that's not in other places, but hopefully you can find out what everything does. :)

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Thank you. That's a useful suggestion for getting those extra hack descriptions. I've never thought of it. (leaths also linked to a full list in a comment here.)

I don't ever use the DC as-is either, but it does have most of the hacks I use in it, so it's a good starting point for getting the hacks set up again.

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Oh, don't feel awkward. :) It's very nice to meet you! Thanks for following the story.

Thank you for that link. That's very useful.

[pixelcurious.livejournal.com]

I'm such a fan of squirrel tamer's drawings, and that one is a masterpiece. LOVE it.

I think it's a good idea to focus chapters on one character or group. Probably easier both to shoot and to write. Also, though I like the long chapters, you can probably make these a bit shorter so they don't become onerous chores to complete.

I'd almost forgotten about Erin and her clones. That's an amusing and intriguing part of the plot, though, so it will be neat to see more. And Nervous... I've been wondering how his story will work in with the rest. It seems like there's a slow fire burning there, plot wise, that eventually will blow like a volcano... though maybe I am reading too much into things. :)

I'm also curious about the Curiouses, and Lola/Chloe. But I understand you can't give every character a chance in the limelight. Some of them have to remain on the sidelines.

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

It really is. ^_^ She's getting better all the time, and that's very exciting. I really look forward to seeing her work.

It will definitely make it easier to shoot and write those chapters, though I'll miss out on some of the interesting things you can do with paralleling the scenes. It will provide a nice opportunity to show things from a variety of different points of view, though. I can mention something with one set of characters, then some it from another viewpoint in the next chapter. That has potential.

The chapters have been getting really long, and I'll be happy to shorten them a little. They do take a while to do, and I don't want them to become onerous chores to read too.

I have a number of things in store for Nervous, but much of it has to coast along in the background for a while. The clones will link us back to other parts of the plot. You'll see what I mean soon enough. ;)

(Hint: It's the Beakers. It's always the Beakers.)

I do hope to give most of those side characters a little chance to shine. I don't want to have too many balls in the air, but the nice thing about doing a serial story like this, as opposed to a coherent novel, is you can do a little tangent story about a minor character.

The Curiouses aren't really minor characters, anyway. My focus is on how the younger generation has to grow up with the situation that has been created by those earlier generations (particularly that "alien vs. normal" tension that has been created between the Smiths and the Grunts), but that whole family plays into main storyline.

I say all that like I have a really coherent plan for this. :P

[simgarooop.livejournal.com]

That's an amazing picture! I really liked it, and I agree with what you say about their body differences. I wish we could change the height of our sims and I hoped that'd be available for Sims 3 (not that I'll actually get it as soon as it comes out, I don't think my laptop will run it and there's still a lot to enjoy with the Sims 2 for me). Everytime I make my self-sim, I wish I could make her really tall, as that's one of my recognizable characteristics. And I also imagine some of my Brokes with different heights :P.

It seems you have a path to follow for the next chapters. Sometimes is really challenging (and fun) to change the direction or use a different point of view. Right now I'm trying to add bits from the future as a prologue of my current chapters and it's been refreshing too. I hope you get back your momentum ^^

As someone above said, there is a document with all the hack descriptions. Some of them are very interesting (or fix annoyances I never noticed). I usually take out the romance mod, the traditional marriage, the harder jobs, the no dormie respawn (I use clean templates, so I need some dormies too) and the "BFF are for 12" hacks (I LIKE that feature!). I don't remember the rest pretty well.

I'm happy to have the Directors cut! And now that Squinge is finally updating his hacks, I hope I'll get an improved Hula Hack (the most overused mod I have) too! And the Insim is almost ready too. So this time it's been easier to make the transition between FT and AL for me ^^.

[dragancaor.livejournal.com]

Squinge is what?!?!? O.o
I knew Dizzy had reworked some of Squinge's hacks for FT & AL but WOW! Awesome!!

[a-gates.livejournal.com]

What strangetown likers are in the minority? But I love strangetown!

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

According to a poll on the official Sims 2 site, Strangetown was one of the least favourite neighbourhoods. Seems funny when you're involved in the livejournal sims community. I guess ALL the Strangetown fans congregate here.

[dragancaor.livejournal.com]

Those pictures are fantastic! She has a brilliant style =D

I wouldn't say you're being too nerdy. In depth characterisation like that is what keeps a story strong. Likely one of the reasons yours is so damn good =)

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

I agree. It's a great style. I love the contrast between that and the version my SO did too. Such very different takes on them, but still "right" in different ways for me.

Well, I'm not saying that being nerdy is a bad thing. ;) But it's nerdy all the same to be so intensely devoted to pursuing one thing. I just wanted to make a fair warning to those who might not want to hear me ramble on about my writerly activities.

And thank you. :)

[80sfiend.livejournal.com]

Awww what a great picture. She's so fabulous for doing those. :)

Also, totally agree that Johnny is all willowy green alien guy. :) Totally fits him! And ditto for the other two.