Strangetown HWC Extras: Alien Eyes and Veronaville Sims

[strangetomato]

I keep flip-flopping on my alien eyes lately (I'm doing the same about skintones, but that's another story). I really love Pixel's alien eyes, but I also love Phobia's, and they match my default eyes (which are Josh's edits of Phobia's recolours of Sarhra's eyes *takes breath*). I'm leaning towards Phobia's lately, even though I had a sentimental attachment to Pixel's eyes because they remind me of Pixel, who is easy to miss. Either way, I'll still have those for Jack. They are HIS alien eyes, and would be my one exception for consistency. I wouldn't alter one of Pixel's most beloved sims, because I know she loved him as-is.
 

 

Here are Phobia's eyes on Helena Summerdream in Veronaville. She's also wearing the Zombie Jill eyeshadow that's become the official Summerdream costume makeup in my game, since it's very mask-like. I'm also playing with some masks from Parsimonious, which I love. The Summerdreams are fun. The makeup is for everyday (for those who like to rock it - Titania and Helena mostly), while the masks come out at parties. I've seen people wondering why everyone in Veronaville is wearing a goofy mask or face paint, but I would imagine it's because they are all at that party at the Summerdreams house when the game begins. I don't think they're meant to be wearing them all the time.

Well, maybe the Summerdreams are.








I'm having a lot of fun with Helena. She's probably my favourite sim I've adopted from someone else's game.




I love this outfit on her, and her makeup matches both her hair and the trim on her sweater dress. Helena is one stylin' chick. I always dress her in green, because she transitions into it without fail. I did pick this outfit, though.

You can see a child Morgan there in the background. The Summerdreams have expanded their family to include quite a few other adopted children, and even one biological child. I'm going for the "have 10 kids" impossible want (I have the hack that counts adoptions towards it, as the game should). Since most are adopted, it seems more possible for them than most sims.

Playing such a full lot is crazy, but fun. I finally had to download that "lot full of sims" hack. Their place is a zoo, I tell you, a ZOO.




Here they are. Only one more child to go to reach ten. It's so crowded, those on the far left get cut off by the edge! I'm super distracted by playing this family lately, as you can surely tell, but I do need a pic of them for the next update, so it's not completely off-track.

The family now consists of Titania, Oberon, Puck, Bottom, Helena, Hippolyta, Nuala, Morgan, Lorelei, Doli, and Mab.

The last three are all half-siblings by Cale Mustardseed (previously Peet - dothesmustle's founder challenge sim). He's a faery romance sim, and I have some half-formed ideas about changelings and such which would explain how he ended up with so many faery children to pass on to the Summerdreams. Most of the other children's parents met terrible ends, had to flee the faery territories for Faerie, or go on some other sort of adventure that would be dangerous for children.

Some of this info will be revealed in the story when Vidcund visits Veronaville, but some of the details of Veronaville (which I'm playing as a whole) will remain mostly in the background. I'll mention things here and there, as I am with Pleasantview.

If my next update is late, now you know why. :P



 

Comments

[barbsbookfreak.livejournal.com]

Your Helena looks great<3

Like all your Summerdreams^^

There is a hack that counts adoptions as children??
I need it...I really need it.
Would you tell me where I can get it?

Thanks:)

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Oh, sorry about that! I should have liked in the post (I'm lazy today). It's found under the TwoJeff's Same Sex Mods at Simbology.

I use all of those, except the Preg For all Genders. While I may possibly need some same-sex pregnancies, due to the way aliens work in my story, I've been burned by that mod a couple of times now when I wasn't careful. The Round Robin legacy was a good example. I'll just use InSIM instead.

Same Sex Marriage is probably my most essential hack, next to the ones that stop "what's this?" and the phone hack. "Joining" just doesn't cut it for me.

Also, thanks. ^_^

[barbsbookfreak.livejournal.com]

Thank you:)

I have the Preg for all genders..it's really funny to use it.
Before I got it I used the InSim too^^

Great that there is the same sex marriage hack to...joining is a bit unfair I think...

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

You're welcome. ^_^

I liked Preg for All Genders too, and it created some fun surprises, but they don't really work in the story (to say the least). Unless aliens are involved, I can't really explain same sex pregnancy. I suppose I COULD, but I've already set it up that way now, so I'll stick with it.

Joining is better than nothing, and I can understand why they kept it as that, with the feelings around that issue in the U.S., but I want my sims to enjoy the rights they should be granted in real life. I'm so happy that it's a reality in Canada now too.

[barbsbookfreak.livejournal.com]

Ok you're right joining is definetly better than nothing.^^

And I understand them to that they still say joining...but I'm used to it that every couple is allowed to marry since it's legal in Germany for some years now.

But I think this is a difficult topic for some people...

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Yes, it's controversial to some, but I think (hope) that we will look back on it as such an obvious violation of human rights one day.

I felt a lot better about getting married myself once it became legal in Canada. It would have been sad to think that 1/4 of our wedding party would have been involved in a ceremony that was not an option for them.

[cameoflage.livejournal.com]

I must be tired. I read that and I had to go through it twice before it sunk in that you just meant that there were lots of gay people in your wedding party, rather than that you, yourself, were one half of a same-sex married couple. (Since I know you're female, and you've consistently referred to your significant other with male pronouns, it threw me off.)

[hannahspring.livejournal.com]

She looks *so* good! I think that mask suits her very well, she could be wearing it all the time. :) I've never had so many kids in my game, it must be so hard to take care of all of them. BTW, where's that cute fish outfit from?

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I really like the mask makeup. I think she'll probably wear it on stage with The Shifting Paradymes. I'm liking that hair better than the K&B hair I use on her too (though I do like the green headband, so maybe I'll use both).

I did the ten kids impossible want before, but never with the lot full of sims hack. I had to have the oldest kids move out before the youngest were born. It was hard.

That outfit comes from one of the most recent sets from the Sims 2 Store, and it's available at MATY.

[hannahspring.livejournal.com]

Thanks for letting me know! I'll have to get it soon. ^_^

[xel-squirgle-ox.livejournal.com]

I've grown so attached to Pixel's that my aliens just don't look right without them. They're so simple, you know? However, I do like Phobia's too, I have the custom version and I've never used them on anybody yet.

It really sucks when you have to make a decision like this- especially since both creators aren't around anymore and both are sorely missed. D:

Helena's makeover is awesome, by the way. I have so much of ZombieJill's makeup but I barely use it! Maybe I'll head on over to the Summerdream's house so I can abuse it to my heart's content. XD

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I'm pretty fond of them too, and the simplicity is the key. I like the eyes to be all black, but Phobia's are still very black, but with just a hint of what would be pupil definition (so they're slightly more expressive). And they're quite similar in the highlight area anyway. It's a tough call - I love them both.

Yeah, Phobia is gone too, isn't she? :( I wasn't even thinking about that. She'll also be missed.

Thanks. ^_^ I love that makeup, but it doesn't work for everyone. The Summerdreams are the perfect place to break out the odd clothing and makeup. I'm having a ball playing them.

[simgarooop.livejournal.com]

You know, I'd never considered that the Veronavillains' face make up had a purpose besides being a product of Maxis' quirky character designs, but your theory makes perfect sense.

I don't remember where I read it, but if you're planing to play Veronaville following the storyline set by Maxis, you're supposed to begin with the Summerville lot, all set for a big party (which might become a disaster). So, some of the guests would be in costume for the celebration! (Or in the case of Puck, half in costume, because his original outfit definitely clashes with the party atmosphere). I love it! :)

Helena looks so cute with that makeup. I used to have thaose Zombie Jill eyeshadows, but I never found a reason to use them so I got rid of it! She rocks that haircut too! (I also like the headband she has as an adult).

I never used Pixel's eyes, just the confutati ones from Rensim, but I was a bit turned off when I realized I couldn't edit or share my sims with them according to her TOU. I definitely love Phobia's eyes, not only do they match with the other eyes, they are very expressive too!

It's a pity that both Phobia and Pixel disappeared. I didn't have time to get to know them well.

Playing the Summerdream's must be insane! So many sims in a lot is very hard (and I'm talking from experience, no more double heirs for me!).

I like how you show the fun you're having with your sims. It's nice that you're not only playing for the sake of posing or continuing with the story, but it's also a game too! ^^

[snootcb.livejournal.com]

Wow, I never thought about the Veronaville kookiness that way-- but it totally makes sense that all of the characters are dressed a little oddly because you're supposed to open the game at the Summerdreams' party.

Do you find it difficult to control all those kids? Or do you just leave them on free will and hope for the best?

[kin-thalas.livejournal.com]

WEEEEEE, where did you get the dots from???

[showercapfrog.livejournal.com]

WOO I love playing with crazy large families. Except I stop being able to micromanage them as much as I'd like, but I tend to say that that's what things would be like for kids in a really big family anyway - they'd need their older siblings to do things their parents would normally do, and often it isn't done as well as parents would do. (I'm the oldest in a huge family, and I remember making TERRIBLE sandwiches for my younger siblings, and thinking about how good the sandwiches my mum made were).

Are Hippolyta's eyes the same ones as Helena's? I'm still not convinced on which eyes to use either - so I have pixel's as defaults, and Phobia's in as contacts, and swap around when I feel the need (which is often).

[smjoshsims.livejournal.com]

I've had the same problem as you. I decided to keep Pixel's though, I like them justabit more than Phobia's.

I miss Phobia too. :(

OH MY GOODNESS SO MANY SIMS. X_X I love how you have so many delicious combination's too- red headed aliens, S3 and Red hair, FIERCE. I love Titania's makeover too.

And, CC question, where'd you get Helena's hair? It's delicious.

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

I think I'm leaning towards Phobia's eyes, to be honest. Look how cute they make Jayne:



See those lines in her mouth? You know your sim's genetics are too extreme when you get things like that. D:

Yeah, I like the genetic diversity too, but I have this idea that faeries are mostly redheads, so I went with that. My favourite part of Titania's makeover are her peacock feather earrings, but you probably can't them in this pic.

Helena's hair is one of Simgaroop's recolours:

http://simgaroop.livejournal.com/71399.html

It's a lot like my own haircut right now. ^_^

[smjoshsims.livejournal.com]

She looks precious! Phobia's eyes are gorgeous. I have them here on my desktop, just in case. :( I haven't seen her around for a while, how dare she just show up and smile as if nothing happened! >:(

That sucks! I've never seen that. Maybe you customized John too much? But her moth is so cute! D:

Thanks for the linkage! I can't believe I didn't download this one!

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Yeah, John was tweaked within an inch of his life, but damn, he looks like Morrissey. ;)

You don't always see the line. Just sometimes.

I get to show Jayne again in chapter 32. I could have shown her in 31, but it has too many balls in the air already.

(P.S. I'm not posting an update tonight, and maybe not tomorrow either. I have to work a show.)