Strangetown, Here We Come.

Oh internet! How I have missed you. *rubs it all over body*

We finally managed to get our connection all fixed up today, when they sent someone over to replace the modem. Now it's as good as new. It was frustrating to be cut off from the net at home, and not just for livejournal and sim stuff, but it was also a nice break in a way. I must admit that I was dying to download cc the whole time, though. Am I really such an addict? (Oooh, there are new OMSPs in more subtle height increments. Awesome.)

Thanks to everyone who read and commented on my latest update. I will try my best to reply to your comments, though it might take a while to catch up, since I'll be out of town for the long weekend.

I did a little work on the next update while I was offline, but mostly I've been playing random households in various Maxis neighbourhoods. I've been having lots of fun with Alex O'Mackey (one of my favourite sims in the newer hoods). When I was younger, I created a character named Alex who was a female pirate (she didn't take no crap from nobody), so I guess it makes sense that I'd like her.

I spent quite a bit of time in Belladonna Cove, and I've noticed a couple of trends there. Almost every female toddler and child is wearing makeup, almost every personality is 4/10/6/4/3 (or close to it), there are a lot of really odd facial designs, a large number of Johnny Smith needle-noses, and the character bios are WAY longer than the older ones and a whole lot less interesting. Where are all the little details like clipping coupons and having an "unnatural fondness" for African violets?

( But I did find one character I really liked... )

I've had these images for a while now, with the intention of writing this little piece, so here it is. I'm also testing out semagic as I post this. I may as well be productive while testing it, right?

( A little scene with Bottom and Puck... )

Verdict: Semagic is pretty easy to use, and convenient too. I'll probably stick with it, I think. Thanks for the suggestion, aledstrange!

Oh, and a tip o' the hat to Neil Gaiman. I'm borrowing pretty heavily from him here. Bottom and Puck have a bit of a Nuala and Cluracan thing going on.

I was playing around with the OFB side of the game today, setting up Beau's dreamcatcher stall in Bluewater Village (I used the new Surfside Walk lot by devagirl2 at MTS2 as a starting point - his shop's on the far left). I love playing businesses, and it's also a blast to see playable characters acting on their own while playing a community lot. I love seeing what they buy, and how they interact with each other.

One thing I learned today: Helena is a home wrecker. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised that she's one hell of a romance sim, since I saw that in simgaroop 's game, but I didn't expect her to be quite this successful. She's something else.

( I mean, just look and see for yourself. )

I've been picking away at the next update (Yeah momentum!), and I'm seriously tempted to run in here and show off every little thing before I post it. I'm not going to do that, but it's so tempting when there are cute sims doing ridiculous things. I am, however, going to share a couple of things I made in Photoshop for the chapter, both involving Beau. If you'd rather wait to see it in the chapter, just ignore this.

( Otherwise, come see the ridiculous stuff I've been making. )

This small outtake from the photoshoot for my TSS recolours just proves what I've always suspected...

( Ripp will take ANYTHING he can get )

Something strange is happening to Johnny. He's really letting loose these days.... letting loose a little too much. I've been "playing up" all my college kids (I'm thinking of playing ahead of the story, and just coming back for the photos - it'll give me more perspective on it all), and I was expecting to see some ACR antics from Ripp, but Johnny's giving him a real run for his money. And this... this I didn't see coming.

Warning: somewhat obscured sim nudity

( Johnny Smith does what he wants. )