Jayce's Hood: Pacific Beach

Jayce wrote:

What, you think this is a game or something?!

My sentiments exactly!

I'm all for Simon taking his time to find the right match. He'll need someone who's attentive without being clingy. He's a busy guy. She'll need to have her own stuff going on, but finds time to be supportive of his career. A spouse can make or break a professional career. You know what I'm sayin?'

But myyyyyyy he's fine. Look at how he's rockin' that pink tie. Could not possibly be more manly!

When did I start liking suits?! I used to like the long-haired, unshaven, leather-jacketed guys. What happened?!

Though, I think what I like about Simon is that he has a rugged face, and a little stubble, and his wardrobe has a touch of rebel...so he's kinda workin' for me on a lot of levels.

Thank gawd you explained that thong reference, 'cause that is information I could just not deal with!!!

Jayce wrote:

Thank you, Lady T, O Wise Cluttery One and Patron Saint of Sims!

M'Lady is fine [read with snobby accent]

Jayce, darlin', I promise I will get caught up in Pacific Beach NEXT.
I am officially caught up with Jean's and Mac's game antics.
Tomorrow, I intend on putting a bunch of time aside to read the last 5 pages of this thread.

Please continue to be patient with me.
I am definitely making progress this week! WOOT!

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Jayce, darlin', I promise I will get caught up in Pacific Beach NEXT.

No rush, Sugah. I'm all about the relaxed beach lifestyle, just drop by whenever you like!

Toni, I'm so glad that you get Simon!

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I'm all for Simon taking his time to find the right match. He'll need someone who's attentive without being clingy. He's a busy guy. She'll need to have her own stuff going on, but finds time to be supportive of his career. A spouse can make or break a professional career. You know what I'm sayin?'

I used to think it was an arrogance and vanity of Simon's that he never seemed interested in a serious relationship.
Mind you, I think I gave him a lot of freedom. As you may have noticed, there's some hot, unattached ladies in Pacific Beach!

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But myyyyyyy he's fine. Look at how he's rockin' that pink tie. Could not possibly be more manly!

What a great observation! Only a man content and secure in himself can pull off sartorial statements like this without being self-conscious about it...

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When did I start liking suits?! I used to like the long-haired, unshaven, leather-jacketed guys. What happened?!

What's made Simon so interesting to play (alongside his house-mate, Daniel) is that, while I gave them both the secondary Family aspiration at exactly the same time, only Daniel popped those thought-bubbles of entwined rings and baby-dummies in a major, noticeable way.
Daniel had been in a committed, monogamous relationship with Brigitte for some time. Though they still don't live together yet, they spend, I'd say, 5 or 6 nights of the week together.
They're both in Business and often carpool to work together and return home to either house I'm playing.
They're comfortable with the respective housemates (Daniel is quite paternal and protective of Courtney when it comes to visits from scruffy, musician-types like Anthony!) and cook at each others' houses like it's their own kitchen.
In fact, playing either of them feels kind of homely and relaxing!
I guess Daniel and Brigitte are like any real-life professional couple who're moving inevitably towards something more traditional and officially-sanctified like the institution of marriage!

Interestingly, over time, whether through his observations of Daniel and Brigitte, or watching friends become couples (Connor and Lauren, Jack and Jessica, Erin and Scott) and the previously unheard-of occasions in Pacific Beach known as engagement and marriage, Simon's "family and children" thoughts became less random and abstract (the way they segue into something totally unrelated, what?! ) and more focused. At least to my mind. I mean, I'd hate to think this was the actual game messing with my emotions or anything....

Anyway, I put the squeeze on Simon last week!
I let him spend some time in the company of his various lady friends, until I felt there was some clear, definite indication and that certain "spark" that stands out.

You've seen a glimpse of her before. She's one of my new apartment residents, Natalie Hawkins.



Yes, I finally finished "Pacific Sands," my fake apartment-block!



Gawd, it just took so long to get it even half-way how I wanted it to look! To be honest, I think the original apartment-block I was playing (by keef1973 at MTS) looked much better.
But I really wanted more space, so I copied some ideas from his layout but ended up with the apartments as single-story (I have all sorts of emotion problems about not being able to photograph properly!) and, in my quest for space, the apartments somehow ended up the size of houses...

Anyway, come meet (from left to right) Aiden, Beck, Liam, Natalie and Lawrence at their new home...


Hmmm, Toni, what were saying about the long-haired, unshaven type?


Liam Brady was the first to move into the other apartments, so he ended up with the dubious honour of having to pose in photos like this.




Which he would morally oppose on the grounds of being an artist with integrity!

Liam, how about you paint something that doesn't look, um, basically foul and putrid before you get all snotty with the gallery?
Just a suggestion, dude...

I'm glad to finally move Natalie into a place of her own.
I've been teleporting her and Aiden from the "neighbourhood ethers" for ages.


One real advantage of this is getting a real sense of Natalie before decorating her apartment.


There's a pool in the apartment complex. I'd never made my girls walk around in bikinis for no good reason...


Yes, I really have to have a damn good reason for Beck to be wandering around like this...


Beck Gladstone.....


This apartment, which Natalie shares with Aiden, is the biggest on the block (two bedrooms) and where they all tend to gather for meals.


Maybe Liam and Lawrence are a little slow on the uptake. Aiden is the first to notice Beck in more than a "howdy-neighbour" way!


Damn, they just seem so cute together already, I might have to abandon some of my other plans!


Aiden, I love. He's so manly, with these beautiful expressions...


When Lawrence scooted up the coconut palm...




.... Aiden was severely underwhelmed!


Lawrence has got this serious, smouldery thing going on I think some of my single girls are going to like!




More next time. And another engagement!

Jayce wrote:

There's a pool in the apartment complex. I'd never made my girls walk around in bikinis for no good reason...

Oh, right! (Actually, any reason is a good reason)

I need a cold shower after all that hawtness! WooooooooooooWheeeeeeee!

The ladies are divine. Love Natalie's sophistication, but there's something so smolder-y about Beck. I feel as though she has a long, languid stride, that gives all the boys lots of time to watch her walk by.

The boys are all gorgeous (specially like Aiden's cheekbones, and expressive face), but I'm so taken with Lawrence. He's got the most perfectly sculpted nose and mouth. Mama mia!

Your commentary is hilarious!

Oh my oh my...*fans self* My good senses left me for a moment there. One order of Lawrence please.

Jayce, dear, have you been able to work any on what I said I'd help you out with?

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Oh, right! (Actually, any reason is a good reason)

Cap'n Mac, you just cut right to the heart of the matter!


Strange.


Don't ask me why, I had this feeling that those newbies down the street at "Pacific Sands" might get a nice neighbourly welcome here, too!
Particularly, the boys...

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I need a cold shower after all that hawtness! WooooooooooooWheeeeeeee

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Oh my oh my...*fans self* My good senses left me for a moment there.

What a lovely reception for my apartment-dwellers!

Firstly, to give credit where it's due, all of the folks you saw are downloads I've had for ages that I finally dusted off.
The only one who is virtually straight out of the box (Jayce gleefully ripping the cellophane!) is Aiden.

If I was ever going to spruik a download, it would be him. He's perfect. The detail on his skin (hands, lower abs, hip-bones, upper vertebrae) and what Toni observed...

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specially like Aiden's cheekbones, and expressive face

... and his soulful eyes, he just has such a presence in my game.



I think his creator, Cruzy, at URBANc imagined him a bit more "street" than beach. But Aiden Garrett is a beautiful addition to the surfing community at Pacific Beach.
As with Natalie, who I've been (guiltily) playing for months without a home to call their own, Aiden is carving out his own destiny now. And I have plans for him!

Is it just me or can you see something going on here between Aiden and Beck?


The irony with Lawrence...

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I'm so taken with Lawrence. He's got the most perfectly sculpted nose and mouth. Mama mia!

... I didn't even like this download!
I hated everything he came with and ignored him for over 14 months!
I changed pretty much everything, except his facial structure.

When I went back to look at him - really look at him - I started liking the potential that first caught my eye. Namely, his mouth.
Don't ask me what makes a sim compelling. I can't do "bone structure" to save my life and I'm squiffy on enlarging/shrinking features.

Of course, now I can't imagine my apartments and my game (translate: my life) without him!

Aiden's doing that thing with Beck again!

Another reason I like playing "Pacific Sands" is bringing someone like Simon out of his normal environment.


I loved being able to decorate outside of the normal perimeters I'm used to.
In this area of Pacific Beach (on Cape Atlantic Esplanade, named for the Cape Atlantic lighthouse you sometimes see in my posts), even the beaches have a different, more municipal feel.
Don't worry, Aiden still surfs the coral-reef breaks under the lighthouse!


Actually, just down from the apartment block (to Aiden's right when he walks out the front door), there's a surf-break that really gets rolling when it's stormy like this.
On the far left, you can see Mark (the gregarious wedding guest, Seraphina's boyfriend) cheering on Jessica, Chris and Jason.
I told you Jess has been mopping the floor with those surfer boys!


The apartment-block site was just an empty block on the other side of that fence when Erin and Scott were becoming friendly last summer.


A journalist colleague of Georgia's, Erin had been Lauren's quiet anchor when she broke up with Jack.
I admire that element of total support and understanding in female friendships in real life and my girls definitely reflect this!


For Scott, being a male model may have suited his "pretty boy" looks...


... but not his soul.


He wanted a woman like Erin in his life.
Their attraction was something that suprised me. I just never figured these two would hit it off they way they did!


When these two both popped "Get Engaged To" and "Get Married To" wants (as in to each other), I started planning another wedding!



Enough tangents!

Another thing I'm liking at the apartment-block.
Playing careers that are actually "new" to me again!

Like artist Liam.


And architect, Beck.


What was that, Jean?

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One order of Lawrence please.

Did you want fries with that?

I'll need a few minutes to recover from that shot of Lawrence's offerings before I can comment in any intelligible way about the rest of the update.

ilikefishfood wrote:

I'll need a few minutes to recover from that shot of Lawrence's offerings before I can comment in any intelligible way about the rest of the update.

Cheeky, cheeky!!!

Jayce wrote:

What was that, Jean?

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One order of Lawrence please.

Did you want fries with that?

Fries and shake honey buns!

I like Scott hopefully he will get happy with Erin.

The pond looks lovely.


And Lawrence..

Thanks, Ulli!

I'm so glad you like Scott and Lawrence!

The pond is meant to be tranquil, but being a community beach, the place is usually over-run with surfers!
I had to banish some of them so Erin and Scott could have a romantic moment together....

A nice change of pace (and scenery) for my newlyweds.



Having always wanted to create my own Vacation Destinations, I used the recent double wedding of the Stone brothers, Mike and Chris, to their long-term girlfriends, Angelina and Georgia, as a good excuse and a serious motivation to get started!

I just had to make the "Mountain" destination first, because I wanted snow so bad!
Much as I love the surf-beaches and tropical thunderstorms, the Pacific Beach climate doesn't exactly support winter.

I can't wait to show you my version of the "Beach" destination! I'm nearly finished...

I figured my folk live in the tropics and they'd want to go somewhere different. Really different!
Think Egypt, the Red Sea, ancient ruins in the desert...

These are quite ambitious little projects. For me, anyway!
I set myself the challenge of making all my own houses there.
Normally, I don't build at all, because past results often turned out, well...
But patience has been miraculously granted to Jayce (about time! ) and doing my fake apartments gave me some practice and confidence to try some more.

I've started being a little less "slap-dash" with the designs, also, because Sugah has asked me (sooo sweetly!) about doing some real-estate.
A couple of weeks ago, I took Angus, my computer, to his doctor for a little surgery. I had a go at packaging and uploading a sim and it worked!
Beautiful Jean kindly helped me out by testing a couple of my sims in her hood, so I could be certain everything did what it's supposed to.
Hehe, I don't call her the Jean Genie for nothing! Thanks again, Jean. You're a kiss from sweet baby Jesus, as far as I'm concerned!

I'm truly pouring some serious love into my little presents for the next update...

Anyway, shut up, Jayce, and let's go on holiday!


Btw, has anyone made a "gentlemen carry all the luggage" mod?

This is Angelina and Mike's place. Complete with horses and chickens!




Finally, some well-deserved time to really relax!




Mike (a plastic surgeon) and Angelina (a psychologist) always talk about work. Even on holiday...
Don't worry, Angelina keeps her doctor-patient-confidentiality. There's no way she'd discuss her latest, and probably most interesting, patient with her husband.
She's helping Anthony "get in touch with his emotions" (yeah, good luck with that, Angelina )
Actually, I think if anyone can help Anthony break down some of the "too-cool-for-you" walls around him (Courtney is really trying...), it's Doctor Stone.

You can see Chris and Georgia's cabin on the neighbouring property through the window there.
These are the only two properties in this valley. The rest of the real-estate development is happening over the other side of the mountains.
Yep, the Stones literally own this valley! Well, they're Fortune-types. You know how they are...

I love this picture! To me, it's like they're discussing what's important to them and kind of planning the future.
Which is good. And timely. Because, by the end of their honeymoon, they've got a little "announcement" to make to their friends when they get back home!


One of the things Angelina loves about Mike is that he's so domestic. He's always been sensitive and considerate about her.
She puts in more hours at her private-clinic than he does at the surgery. You'd think he'd be busier (man, some of those townies really need to book an appointment with him!)


I love these horses!!!


Mike and Chester. Great, now I'm naming decorative objects...


I always try to go for realism.
Uh, Mike, since you're so domestic mate, I guess you better grab the shovel...


Lucy and Ginger (I kept the original names given by their creator, Dragon Slave)



And, yes, Mike puts the horses in the stables at night.


Stupidly, I forgot to adjust the neighbourhood seasons when I got there....

By the time I changed it to winter and it looked like snow might be on the way, it was time for Angelina and Mike to go home!
At least Chris and Georgia would get some real mountain valley snow anyway.
Btw, I did do some "vacation" stuff on a community-lot (axe-throwing, tours, etc..) so they could all have the experiences and memories.

Chris and Georgia's cabin.




Chris is a Marine and a bit of a rugged, outdoorsy kind of guy. (Yay, finally, snow!)


Even at home, he spends a lot of time outside...(He's handy around the house, too, girls! )


I just knew Chris was going to love it here!




For Georgia, nature is something occasionally in the background of photo-layouts in the fashion magazine she's the Editor-In-Chief of.
In Pacific Beach, she's responsible for having discovered models (Lauren, Jessica, Scott, Freya) and promoting Sarah's fashion-label.


The concepts of wide-open spaces and fresh mountain air didn't take too long to grow on her, though...


"Chris! What do I do with this thing?!"


One of the many reasons I love these two so much is that they are quite different, temperamentally and in their careers and social circles. In their case, opposites attracted big time!


Georgia might be a high-powered, influential career woman, but she wanted a strong, dependable man like Chris.
Call me old-fashioned but you don't send in a boy to a man's job!
There's no way any of those beer-swilling, lazy-arse surfers would cut it with Georgia!


Chris landed some real beauties before the pond started to freeze!




Inside the cabin.




Hmmm, Chris seems deep in thought about something.


Maybe something him and Georgia had been talking about...




Could you think of any reason Chris would be up in the middle of the night making Georgia something she's got an insane craving for?


Well, I gave you a big enough hint with Mike and Angelina, too!

Yes, it's true. Mike and Angelina and Georgia and Chris are expecting!

We couldn't be happier in Pacific Beach!

I'm finally catching up on all the goings ons!

Well wow, and double wow over those cabins and horses and troughs and all manner of rustic stuff! Well done Jayce!

I totally got the big old, thinly veiled hints you threw out at us. Are you ready for the whole baby thing? It'l change your life as a player, I promise you!

Loving the cabins, especially the floor-to-ceiling windows in Mike and Angelina's place and that rug (faux I hope!) I Chris and Georgia's. Chris is a totally dish!

With such stunning simmies, I can't wait to see what your next gen looks like.

I have one word for you.......MOAR! (Yes! It's a word! )

PS) Oooooooooo...can't wait to see your beach destination either!

Toni wrote:

Well wow, and double wow over those cabins and horses and troughs and all manner of rustic stuff! Well done Jayce!

PS) Oooooooooo...can't wait to see your beach destination either!

I DO hope you and your family are okay, Jayce.
Haven't heard from you in awhile.

Take good care and keep in touch.

Thanks, Toni and Sugah, for your kind words!

It really is time to update my poor, neglected thread. There has been so much going on in my life, as well as my game, over the past couple of months!

Firstly, Santa gave me a new computer for Christmas!

My beautiful Papa wanted to thank me for looking after him and helping out around the place. Love that guy!
He knows how I love my game! I mean, he doesn't get it, he's utterly mystified. But he got a huge kick out of lugging out this huge, festively-wrapped box on Christmas morning and seeing my face!

If I thought my game looked good before....

It's way too much for TS2 requirements (NVidia GE Force with Cuda) and, after I installed the games and expansions (yes, I did travel with a disc-folder containing them and a portable HD of saved games, just in case: it was the first thing I packed in my bag!), I had to really muck about with my settings. I think I ended up disabling the 3D-type graphics, which kept trying to automatically kick in (I guess operating on the assumption I'm playing a more-recent game?).

Anyway, everything looks so bright and shiny!

I installed Pets, which I haven't had in my game for ages!


When I used to play my old CC-less game a couple of years ago (I couldn't get internet where I lived in the country), I used to get a bit "emotionally disturbed" seeing the strays and, of course, my sims would pat the dog and chaos would then ensue. Eventually, I just uninstalled it altogether. Parts of the basic game are just so... stupid (sigh). I never got around to putting it back into the game you see posted here.

I keep a folder on my desk-top called "I Might Need This One Day" which has many downloads I've horded that haven't ever actually made it into my game. I was going through it, looking for some Pets-like "no respawn" mod or other from MATY and some default-replacement eyes I had, when I re-discovered the "Empty Templates" folder I tucked away....

That got me thinking...


For those who don't know (I guess most of you do?), these, basically, give you a stripped-back game. Provided you install them with certain anti-spawning/regenerating mods, you'll start with a fresh game with no characters. No townies. NPC's like plumbers, professors, etc will be generated if and when you need them. Otherwise, it really is empty. As in tumbleweeds blowing down the street.

Long story short, I decided to re-create my hood on an empty template. I figured if I made it real nice, I might just be able to entice my sims to relocate!

It's been a massive undertaking, starting from scratch again! I did wonder if I was a little tapped in the head. I mean, I didn't really need to do this...
I had expecting couples in the hood and a next generation waiting in the wings.

There's so many reasons I wanted to. Not least because I hate townies! I never wanted to hurt them or anything, I just didn't want them there!

I experience escalating levels of townie-hatred. I'm now convinced that the more you try to ignore them, the more they resemble The Children Of The Dammed.
Crunch-time really came at a community beach lot with townies standing over Jack, staring like psychopaths while he's having a BBQ with his mates after a surf.

"Oh, you want to greet Jack? Well, that's great. Could you maybe step a little away from him, so he can breathe? Personal space! Can he finish his burger first? No? Can you... just back up? This would be a nice photo, if you weren't in it, staring like a death-row inmate at my Jacky boy. Do you want to greet him or stab him in the face with scissors? You are so out of here!" (cue Sim Manipulator) "Oh, my God, here's another one...That face, I can't take it..." (dry-retching)



I know the Visitor Controller has a "townie begone" option. But it horsed around with some other mods I use (to control certain visitors, welcome wagons etc), which I happen to really like, so I ended up taking it out after a couple of sessions.

Yes, I'm a precious little bugger. You can break my spirit very easily by limiting food and depriving me of sleep, I chuck tantrums like a six-year-old!
But I digress...
Building a new hood has been an almighty labour of love. I'm glad I did it, though.
I ended up with something "same but different" with all my beloved folks and some new characters who've taken my hood in an interesting direction. I really like where it's going!

Next time, I'll post some photos I saved, which I'm sorting through on this lap-top I borrowed while I'm here. But, seeing as I mentioned that holiday destination in my last post months ago (and I know Toni was hankering to see it), I thought we'd go there first!



I'm definitely re-creating this destination!
When I decided to whisk Daniel and Brigitte away on a romantic holiday, I wanted them to go far away from the tropics to somewhere that felt more "desert" and ancient...


I was trying to capture an "on the edge of the Red Sea" feel....




I think Daniel was totally overawed with the monument!


To be honest, these two didn't do much more than relax and enjoy each others' company.


But that's what holidays are supposed to be about!




They took some time for sight-seeing, of course, and enjoyed some local delicacies...


It's always so lovely to see my hard-working Fortune-simmies enjoying a break!


You know Daniel's not the kind of a guy to beat around the bush....


I know, in an "official" sense, this is where they declared their love for each other and got married!


But I'm sure this is when Daniel proposed...


I always loved playing these two and I'm enjoying seeing them notice each other all over again.

Jayce wrote:

There's so many reasons I wanted to. Not least because I hate townies! I never wanted to hurt them or anything, I just didn't want them there!

First of all, congrats on your new computer! When I ordered my most recent computer (and just maybe my last) I got lots of HD, lots of RAM, a really fast CPU, a muscle graphics card, and a 22" monitor - all (primarily) for the sims. It looks so good with the high-end graphics enabled. Good for your dad! He may not have understood your addiction , but he was a good guy to feed it!

I fear I must disagree with your opinion of the townies. Sure, many of them are pretty awful looking, Goopy is, well, goopy! I haven't experienced townie sims mobbing a playable sim. On the other hand, once in a while one comes along that I incorporate as a playable sim. There now have been several. In my hood, Nerissa Broadswood-Smythe is my all time favorite femsim, and her daughter, Simone, now an adult, is DDG! Another offspring, Toni, now a child, will soon become a teenager, who knows? Yes, some of them keeeeep walking by, but I regard them as "Easter Eggs", often dropping some benefit on one of my playable sims and, on rare occasion, becoming one.

On the other hand, your 'hood is so full of beautiful people, who needs Goopy!

Thanks, Mac!

Your computer sounds like The Business! It does make such a difference. The water and the reflections on it have changed the beach lots hugely (I brought most of my lots over, as well as my sims!).

I don't doubt that if I hadn't given the townies more time (and compassion ), they may have been more bearable. I've always found them a bit creepy!
But then, I've played an "enclosed" kind of game from the start. I never played any of the hoods attached to the game or ever engaged in any way with the pre-made characters.
Townies never seemed that interesting to me. When one of my sims brought home a townie from work one day, the guy used the toilet and didn't flush it!
Haha, maybe I just never recovered from that!

I think I had so many fully-formed characters already in my head, it didn't take long for a hood to develop.
Mostly, I simply never liked the way townies look! Man, some of those heads are really rough!

I remember Simone being stunning!

Jack seemed to hold a particular fascination for them. Maybe they follow the pro-surfing circuit?

Actually, I think it is in some part due to him going to community-lots to surf and them recognizing him from his last visit.
You know that feature that was introduced with (if I'm not mistaken) Apartment Life, where they have this "social status" rating, I can't remember what it's called. Another surfer, Jason, had everyone getting excited when they see him, because his rating increased. All he did was say hi to a couple of my newer sims he'd never met before and shoot the breeze with them. Oh, and sleep with Karen!

I started making townies. I liked them so much, I turned all of them into playables...

Jayce wrote:

I simply never liked the way townies look! Man, some of those heads are really rough!

I'm always on the lookout for guys since I have an excess of femsims in my 'hood, but some of the guys look, frankly, simian!

I thought that having families might even up the gender ratio but I don't see it happening. Already had 2 sets of female twins!

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some of the guys look, frankly, simian!

There's certainly some "interesting" facial features in the game that could use a little "dialing down" or just plain switching off completely!

Is having a gender imbalance favouring the ladies really all that bad, Mac?

Jayce wrote:

My beautiful Papa wanted to thank me for looking after him and helping out around the place. Love that guy!
He knows how I love my game! I mean, he doesn't get it, he's utterly mystified. But he got a huge kick out of lugging out this huge, festively-wrapped box on Christmas morning and seeing my face!

Jayce wrote:

If I thought my game looked good before.... Anyway, everything looks so bright and shiny!

I'm torn between being jealous and really excited about seeing your new hood! I think I'll go with excited!

Jayce wrote:

"Oh, you want to greet Jack? Well, that's great. Could you maybe step a little away from him, so he can breathe? Personal space! Can he finish his burger first? No? Can you... just back up? This would be a nice photo, if you weren't in it, staring like a death-row inmate at my Jacky boy. Do you want to greet him or stab him in the face with scissors? You are so out of here!" (cue Sim Manipulator) "Oh, my God, here's another one...That face, I can't take it..." (dry-retching)

I've not had mine be too stalk-y... I can largely ignore them.

I too started clean with no townie respawn. But I created my own townies using Inge Jones teleporter. It allows you to make simmies into townies, downtownies, and any of the social groups. I do this will peripheral simmies that I'm not interested in playing; siblings of simmies from boring familes who've grown up for example. I want them in the game, but I don't want to play them...so I turn them into techies or socialites or whatever.

I've also added new default CAS faces, so when the game does generate an NPC they're normal looking...some are exceptionally attractive, and completely relationship worthy.

Jayce wrote:

I know the Visitor Controller has a "townie begone" option. But it horsed around with some other mods I use (to control certain visitors, welcome wagons etc), which I happen to really like, so I ended up taking it out after a couple of sessions.

The Visitor Controller mucks with the welcome wagon? Are you using the ones by TwoJeffs?

TJ has a welcome wagon mod too, and it wont' conflict with the VC which is also by him. None of his mods conflict with each other.

None of his conflict with any by Pescado's either (the two of them used to work together)....as long as TJ's load last. Folders load alphabetically, so if they're each in their own folder Pesky's will load before TJ's.

What're you using to determine conflict? The hackconflict programme?

I can't live without the Visitor Controller. I use it to keep strays zapped from my lot, and supernatural creatures from my community lots (I play a natural game).

Jayce wrote:

Yes, I'm a precious little bugger. You can break my spirit very easily by limiting food and depriving me of sleep, I chuck tantrums like a six-year-old!

Jayce wrote:

Building a new hood has been an almighty labour of love. I'm glad I did it, though.
I ended up with something "same but different" with all my beloved folks and some new characters who've taken my hood in an interesting direction. I really like where it's going!

Totally worth it!

And while you're got a new and improved, clean lean game, you have the perfect opportunity to avoid glitchiness. May I recommend BO's No sim loaded

It will, on loading a lot, do miraculous things like:

• Trash Controllers, including: Scenario Controllers, broken or expired Pregnancy Controllers, Lost Fishing Spots and stuck Move-outs, Fridge-tiles, and kickybags
  fried Tokens, including: Token - Sim - Loaded, Attraction Markers and ALL Attraction Memories (both visible and invisible).
  denied Rumours, being Gossip.
  fixed Sim states, being Invisible Sims and Frozen Visitor Motives.
  In background mode, it will kill the dreaded "*DEBUG* - Super Duper Hug"

It's just wonderful to see Daniel and Brigitte....and your ancient desert destination is to die for!!!

I'm loving those two so much.

Love what you did with the course-sand on the beach for the "Red Sea" feel. Well done!

I'm completely smitten with these two.

Can't wait to see piccies on the new hood. Same sub-tropical, beach theme? Same homes, or have you started all over again?!

Toni!

As ever, my beautiful cluttery friend, you are a diamond-mine of information and so encouraging!

I've never seen the expression "peripheral sim" before, so I'm going to chalk that one up as a Toni-ism.
Thank you for outlining how you rank and file those characters I see wandering in the background in the Harbour. Very enlightening!

Some of them really have just become a version of clutter, haven't they?

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siblings of simmies from boring familes who've grown up for example. I want them in the game, but I don't want to play them

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The Visitor Controller mucks with the welcome wagon? Are you using the ones by TwoJeffs?

TJ has a welcome wagon mod too, and it wont' conflict with the VC which is also by him. None of his mods conflict with each other.

None of his conflict with any by Pescado's either (the two of them used to work together)....as long as TJ's load last. Folders load alphabetically, so if they're each in their own folder Pesky's will load before TJ's.

Oh, straight away, just reading what you said, I think it's dawning on me why some things didn't work properly in my game!
I never put the Two Jeff's "Welcome Wagon" one in, mainly because I already had a mod functioning which already did that. Except (and I'm fairly certain of this), it's not by either TJ or Pes.

I wish I had my game computer here so I could check it's exact name and description for you. It basically removed all of the lot/hotel/dorm etc visitors and the welcome wagon.
And especially... the Garden Club.
If they ever set foot on one of my sim's lawns ever again...


Functionally, it's a bit, well... brutal. But that's what I liked about it.
Undoubtedly, that's just a personal thing with me....
I wouldn't be all that impressed if complete strangers or some neighbour I just said hello to casually wandered into my house like they owned the place.

Doctor Toni (visualizing cute white coat), what do you prescribe for this condition? Remove and replace this mod, perhaps?

I have been (I hope ) otherwise careful by observing the loading order you mentioned and B.O's No Sim Loaded has been in there a while. I never experienced anything squiffy or glitchy in Pacific Beach. I'm using virtually the same download folder in this game, except added anti-spawning mods, name/facial template replacements and well, OK, maybe there's a few more clothes in there...

Any time I've run Palladin's hack utility, I never saw anything significant in to warrant any concern, just a few "usual suspects" you'd expect to see there. I'd removed the Visitor Controller by that stage, figuring it was doing some "negatively-charged ions" caper.
Removing it instantly fixed the shocking and quite traumatic experience of seeing a Garden Club member ("I thought I told you..") and also Mister Humble. Yeah, he doesn't dare show his face in my hood, either!

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It's just wonderful to see Daniel and Brigitte....and your ancient desert destination is to die for!!!

I'm so pleased you liked it...

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Love what you did with the course-sand on the beach for the "Red Sea" feel. Well done

Well, I may have just sprinkled a little extra sand there for you, Toni...

Some pictures next time, my cluttery and (ahem) somewhat impatient friend...

Jayce wrote:

Firstly, Santa gave me a new computer for Christmas!
My beautiful Papa wanted to thank me for looking after him and helping out around the place. Love that guy!
He knows how I love my game!

Awwww ... How lovely!
Your beautiful Papa sounds like a dear heart. And I'm thinkin' the acorn (yes, that'd be you) does not fall very fall from the tree.

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...everything looks so bright and shiny!

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Not least because I hate townies! I never wanted to hurt them or anything, I just didn't want them there!
I experience escalating levels of townie-hatred. I'm now convinced that the more you try to ignore them, the more they resemble The Children Of The Dammed.

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You can break my spirit very easily by limiting food and depriving me of sleep, I chuck tantrums like a six-year-old!

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I think Daniel was totally overawed with the monument!

Me, too! Wow!

Lady T wrote:

It's just wonderful to see Daniel and Brigitte....and your ancient desert destination is to die for!!!

LOVE their place on the Red Sea.
The shot of the couple on the beach, champagne in hand, with that fabulous abode behind them is TOTALLY COOL!!!

How wonderful to have you back sharing your Sims with us, Jayce.
You truly were missed while away.

Here's hoping we don't have to wait long til you return to us once again.

Hey stranger :p *giggles* ^-^ J/K

First off, kudos on your daddy helping you get another computer. Awesomesauce! I plan to get myself a gaming computer for my Christmas present; I've been doing some research. One thing I do know - sims will not run well with Windows 8 I've heard - so if you have a computer, have anything BELOW that. If I could keep Vista on mine, daggone I would, but I'm sure that's not an option anymore ;-; I'm scared of W7!

Speaking of simmies, I still have yours in my safe keeping and as soon as I redo my Uberhood neighborhood, I'm sure they'll be making an appearance thereabouts along with a few other recognizables, heheh ^^v

Unfortunately, Jayce, you're going to have townies no matter what you do. One hack I have in my game is 'notownieregime' which reduced townies from being spawned REPEATEDLY by the game and cluttering up your game arteries. I've used the Visitor Controller hack and I had to take it out b/c I noticed it wouldn't allow my sims to WALK to lots. They'd disappear and I couldn't even use the batbox to get them back. One thing that helps me deal with the townies better is having better face templates. That way at least I have PRETTY townies to look at for the most part instead of the crap EA stuck us with :p It even makes most of them look better too. Can't say anything for them dress-wise, but whatever :p LOL! I don't deal with that part. I usually plunk anywhere from 15-40 downloaded townies from people I'd gotten into my game and they end up showing up just as much if not if not more than the generated townies, but you don't do the same neighborhood I do so I have to deal with them nonetheless, but just not AS MANY of them, heh.

Nah, don't feel bad about redoing your hood; I'm redoing everything in my game soon after I finish a couple more things - including my downloaded items. My hacks and DR (default replacements) I'm leaving alone for the time being. You're not 'tapped in the head' as you say - I'm sure simmers get this urge once in a while. I'm looking forward to seeing your new and shiny hood and your new pairings - or whatever you decided to do with the current ones.

Isn't the Boiling Oil site the best? I downloaded so many of their hacks from there and my game runs awesome with them. I especially enjoy the 'No Trash Memories' and 'No Naked Emitters' which keeps sims from yelping every time they see another naked sim even if their own spouse/lover. I had another hack, but it didn't work worth a darn! :/ Don't you just hate that, but hey...I found a solution around it, hee hee ^-^v

Anyhow, I can't dilly-dally. I've got lots of work to do myself in-game Behave! lol

@butterflyunion

Don't be afraid of Win7, it is just a better version of Vista. I run Win 2000 Pro, XP, Vista, Win7, Win8 and Win 98SE. Yep, I have that many working Computers, plus a few more.