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"It's Done!" - Charliimai's The Lost Dancer

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    OJennOJenn Posts: 8,429 Member
    Congratulations @CathyTea!!!
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    CathyTeaCathyTea Posts: 23,089 Member
    Thanks, @OJenn !
    Cathy Tea's SimLit Anthology

    Do you also play The Elder Scrolls Online? You can find me there as CathyTea, too!
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    Julyvee94Julyvee94 Posts: 6,694 Member
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    CathyTeaCathyTea Posts: 23,089 Member
    Julyvee94 wrote: »
    Wow @CathyTea congrats on the huuuuuge accomplishment :) that's amazing

    Thank you! It feels amazing! :)
    Cathy Tea's SimLit Anthology

    Do you also play The Elder Scrolls Online? You can find me there as CathyTea, too!
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    ra3reira3rei Posts: 2,418 Member
    So @CathyTea - A few starter questions for you.

    1. 10 generations, Any tips and tricks to help others keep motivated for all 10 generations?
    2. What generation was the hardest to (play or write)?
    3. I would say there's a kind of mystical-science-loving trait with your family. What would you say the quintessential "Bough" trait is (not a exemplar or game trait).
    Check out Raerei's Fortress for Builds, Short Stories, and maybe some longer stuff.
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    CathyTeaCathyTea Posts: 23,089 Member
    edited December 2015
    @ra3rei ! Awesome questions! Thanks! I'll ponder them while files save, and swing back and answer maybe one at a time as I get a chance.

    EDIT: Super busy time for me with Purple Day and etc. so I'll keep pondering and then post my responses as I'm able to this week! Feel free to add more questions, anyone, too! :)
    Post edited by CathyTea on
    Cathy Tea's SimLit Anthology

    Do you also play The Elder Scrolls Online? You can find me there as CathyTea, too!
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    CathyTeaCathyTea Posts: 23,089 Member
    Yay! Finished my Goofy Love Purple Day post--which really feels like a wrap-up--so now I've got some free space for these awesome questions! Thanks, @ra3rei ! :)


    1. 10 generations, Any tips and tricks to help others keep motivated for all 10 generations?

    If you've played legacies before and have stalled out, then my biggest tip is to identify possible reasons for the stalls and see what you might do to help create a different outcome this time.

    For me, with my TS2 legacy (which stalled out in gen 5) it was the complications of playing that in TS2-style, which usually included a neighborhood rotation for spares' families and various friends. There just got to be too many Sims to keep track of for me to be able to have forward movement. With TS3 and TS4, the Pinstar rules don't allow playing other households, so this wasn't an issue.

    With TS3, I had two legacies stall out, at gen 4 or 5. These stalls were due to corrupt save files. And also, if I examine my own motivation, I realize that I simply didn't have the heart to go through any more visits from Grim. So I was relieved to have them stall.

    In TS4, to meet the challenge of possible corrupt saves, I always made a back-up save. I also saved each generation to My Library once during major life stages, so that, if needed, I could start brand new with the same Sims. If I'd been really responsible, I would have made copies of saves onto an external hard drive or thumb drive.

    To meet the challenge of getting through Grim's visits, I just became brave. I'm 56. My lifetime boyfriend (whom I've been with since I was 20) just turned 69. I've lost my dad and all grandparents. My mom and siblings are getting older. Moving forward in life, for me, involves coming to terms with mortality--and through playing the legacy, I often felt that I had even made friends with mortality. It's an unexpected gift.

    So as a tip for others, I would encourage you to be brave if you see that the game introduces life themes that are personally or emotionally challenging. Since this is a life simulation, playing the game will often present to us exactly those themes which are potent to us at the time. In that way, it's a gift and opportunity to move through them, exploring these themes and seeing what we can learn from them in our approach to life and our own development.

    My biggest tip is to stay curious! And also, fall in love with your Sims! <3 Curiosity about what the game will present, who our Sims are, how adaptive artificial intelligence works, and a host of other questions can really help to keep the legacy game as fascinating at gen 9 as it was in gen 1--if not more so, for as you learn more, you'll have more questions!

    Writing the story also provides tremendous motivation! (At least it did for me.)

    What are your tips, @ra3rei , @Jes2G , @Meggles , and @friendsfan ? (And any others who have completed a 10 gen legacy)

    2. What generation was the hardest to (play or write)?

    Gen 3 for sure! Before gen 3, there was always a point-of-view character that I could easily identify with and understand, one who felt like a true friend to me. Cedar and Acacia filled those roles. Then in gen 3, I couldn't really identify with any of the Sims! I found them fascinating and I liked them, but my perspective couldn't enter into any of them. This was really neat and probably helped to develop some of the stronger characters, for Palo Verde and Manzanita resulted out of this! Both of them were very much All Them--and not much of me, at all!

    3. I would say there's a kind of mystical-science-loving trait with your family. What would you say the quintessential "Bough" trait is (not a exemplar or game trait).

    Oh, cool! I didn't pick up on the "science-loving" part, but I can see how you might identify that.

    I feel that there are two quintessential Bough traits:

    One is sincerity. With the exception of Manzanita (who loved to keep her true feelings hidden), all of these Sims have been entirely sincere. Even when they yell at someone, it's sincere! They really mean it! Their conversations are always earnest. And they all express their feelings and thoughts honestly and with sincerity.

    The other is what I call "seeking commitment within freedom." When Cedar said to Timothy, "In my love, you'll find you're free," I cringed a little--for it's so corny. But it is sincere! And it truly expresses what I feel about real love--even if it sounds hokey or is a cliche.

    And that sort of became the theme for all the generations, this "open palm" love. Then this feeling of finding commitment within freedom carried through to all aspects of their lives--to being Sims within a legacy. How free can they be? How can they make a commitment to completing the legacy and fulfilling its requirements, while still having the freedom they crave? What is there that we want to commit to while living with freedom? Each of the Boughs has explored this theme, and now that the legacy's over, they'll continue to explore it, for form always presents structure, and there is always something worth committing to, and within the space of freedom, those commitments are always possible.
    Cathy Tea's SimLit Anthology

    Do you also play The Elder Scrolls Online? You can find me there as CathyTea, too!
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    ra3reira3rei Posts: 2,418 Member
    It's DONE! It's been a year in the making but....(as you've no doubt suspected). My final legacy post is today!

    It's a pinstar compliant legacy with a final score of 83. Strict Equality, Strict Traditional, Creative Exemplar.

    Here are some handy links.
    Read the Overview (Need to update last generations's bio)
    Start at the Beginning: Generation 1: Lemongrass Pigglewiggle
    Or skip to the more story driven stuff: Generation 5: Dylan Pigglewiggle. Not that my first generations aren't bad, but I feel like I figured myself out around Gen 5.

    And finally a "tree" of heirs (I'm still working on the fully family tree)
    pigglewiggles.png
    Check out Raerei's Fortress for Builds, Short Stories, and maybe some longer stuff.
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    OJennOJenn Posts: 8,429 Member
    Some good tips up there @CathyTea for me I kind of miss the ability to "check-in" on the other sims. That is the part that actually has kept me motivated before. You and @ra3rei are an inspiration to all Legacy writers!

    Question for @CathyTea and @ra3rei How do you keep the story fresh?

    I find that my sims sometimes develop their own little stories but did you ever have generations that you had to offer a little extra push to get things moving?
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    CathyTeaCathyTea Posts: 23,089 Member
    RAEREI I'm so excited! And I'm all teary-happy, too! I love your Sims! I'm thinking we should collab something with our gen 10 heirs! Imagine! Plus... what super Sims! I'm sort of in love with Betta and I'm TOTALLY in love with Ari. There's just something so beautiful and unique and special about her. Really, for me, the most amazing thing about legacies are the incredible Sims that come through them.

    And... I posted this in the Writers' Lounge, but I'll post it here, too, because Yay! And wow!

    rae.png
    Cathy Tea's SimLit Anthology

    Do you also play The Elder Scrolls Online? You can find me there as CathyTea, too!
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    CathyTeaCathyTea Posts: 23,089 Member
    @ra3rei - Questions for the completer of a ten-gen Pinstar Legacy (who kept score! Woot!)

    1) How does it feel to have finished?

    2) What challenges did you encounter writing the legacy? And how did you grow as a writer?

    3) Did keeping score have any influence on the story you told?

    4) What are some of your favorite memories?

    5) What tips and advice do you have for those starting a Pinstar legacy?
    Cathy Tea's SimLit Anthology

    Do you also play The Elder Scrolls Online? You can find me there as CathyTea, too!
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    ra3reira3rei Posts: 2,418 Member
    Heh. Nice questions. Let's see....

    1) How does it feel to have finished?
    Good. Although I feel a little lost as well. The legacy has been a part of my life for over a year now and whenever I wondered what I "should" do - the legacy was the answer. I'm working on how to start up another story again.

    2) What challenges did you encounter writing the legacy?
    And how did you grow as a writer? I think I grew a lot - some of it was just getting back to writing again and remembering what I was doing. Most of it was reading other folks stories and legacies and getting ideas. The first few chapters of my legacy are very "instructional" and not very story. I hope I have learned to write story from sims.

    3) Did keeping score have any influence on the story you told?
    Some. For example I often picked careers that I hadn't completed or new aspirations that I needed to "collect" and not always what the sim might have picked. Early on there was a multitude of choices, but near the end there were only a few left. I'm not sure Bane would have been a businessman - it was such an 'indoor' job for and outdoorsman which suited his gardening aspiration. But story wise - I think it was good that I was experimenting with different things and reaching outside my comfort zone. People are full of contradictions and I think sims make better characters and better stories when they're full of contradictions as well. Although there were some thing (such as collecting all the death) that while I knew would make the story better, I refused to do. Those I identified early on and just knew the points were lost to me.

    4) What are some of your favorite memories?
    I remember the first chapter I wrote in first person from the sims POV. Dylan Pigglewiggle popped out of her crib and her voice just shouted at me. (Bane did the same thing when he aged up to young adult). I remember when Lemongrass (my founder's) first child had to sleep outside under an little awing because we couldn't afford walls. I remember when Bane planted his first cowplant berry. There's a lot of good memories in the legacy. It's fun when folks start reading it and then they comment on the early chapters. I get to go back and read what was happening back then and relive their lives just a bit every time.

    5) What tips and advice do you have for those starting a Pinstar legacy? I found the rules and score-keeping helped keep me on track. The only other legacy I tried was an TS3 immortal legacy that I purposely didn't follow the rules or anything. It got to the 2nd generation. So scoring might help you stay focused. If you do score, figure out early on how you will keep track especially for the party points as they're a pain to remember. Also as much as I loved my first generations - I adored each generation even more than the previous so remember that it's okay to let go and meet the next generation.

    I had so much fun with this legacy - my first serious attempt at a legacy. I'll be trying again sometime. Although potentially with more mods and so less focus on being pinstar compliant. :D
    Check out Raerei's Fortress for Builds, Short Stories, and maybe some longer stuff.
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    CathyTeaCathyTea Posts: 23,089 Member
    @ra3rei Really great answers! They give me a lot to think about! I share your sentiments of feeling a little lost after it's all done. I was looking through screenshots for one of onezero to use for Aurora's birthday card, and I started feeling so sentimental! We really devote so much of ourselves to the legacy families for that year plus, and they become such a huge part of us! I'm looking forward to seeing more of the Pigglewiggles! And if you have an in-game celebration, CT would love to come!
    Cathy Tea's SimLit Anthology

    Do you also play The Elder Scrolls Online? You can find me there as CathyTea, too!
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    CharliimaiCharliimai Posts: 1,773 Member
    @CathyTea Thanks for Adding Letters from my simself to list. Thanks for compiling the list too I love reading other Simmers stories but all too often find them Discontinued midway though. I now have a new reading list :) Bookmarked :star:
    cSXsPD.jpg

    Read my Legacy story's or atttempt one of my Sims 4 challenges.
    Charlii Mai's Blogs and Challenges

    Read All of my Latest stories all in one place.
    RainbowPlumbob (Wordpress)


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    CharliimaiCharliimai Posts: 1,773 Member
    Hi @CathyTea I have a completed story I would love if you could add it to the list it's not a legacy though it's more of an interactive story.

    Have it your way a sims4 story

    Thank you :smiley:
    cSXsPD.jpg

    Read my Legacy story's or atttempt one of my Sims 4 challenges.
    Charlii Mai's Blogs and Challenges

    Read All of my Latest stories all in one place.
    RainbowPlumbob (Wordpress)


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    CathyTeaCathyTea Posts: 23,089 Member
    Charliimai wrote: »
    Hi @CathyTea I have a completed story I would love if you could add it to the list it's not a legacy though it's more of an interactive story.

    Have it your way a sims4 story

    Thank you :smiley:

    Charlii, what a great story! I've added it to the listing! @mastressalita here's a great one for your list of completed stories!

    So, it took me about six tries, but I got to the happy ending! Wow! What a lot of work you put into this--really nice job!

    (I'm going over to the Lounge to share this with all my friends there--it's so awesome!)
    Cathy Tea's SimLit Anthology

    Do you also play The Elder Scrolls Online? You can find me there as CathyTea, too!
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    CharliimaiCharliimai Posts: 1,773 Member
    Thank you @CathyTea it was fun to make. So glad you liked it. I've had the idea for choose your own story in my head for so long. i just had to give it a try. i'm not the best writer but i really just tried to have fun with it.
    cSXsPD.jpg

    Read my Legacy story's or atttempt one of my Sims 4 challenges.
    Charlii Mai's Blogs and Challenges

    Read All of my Latest stories all in one place.
    RainbowPlumbob (Wordpress)


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    CathyTeaCathyTea Posts: 23,089 Member
    Charliimai wrote: »
    Thank you @CathyTea it was fun to make. So glad you liked it. I've had the idea for choose your own story in my head for so long. i just had to give it a try. i'm not the best writer but i really just tried to have fun with it.

    You did an amazing job with it! How did you plan it out? How did you keep all the endings straight? Did you flow chart it?

    And how much time did this take? So many details!
    Cathy Tea's SimLit Anthology

    Do you also play The Elder Scrolls Online? You can find me there as CathyTea, too!
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    CharliimaiCharliimai Posts: 1,773 Member
    honestly not a lot of planning took place. I tend to over think things and put myself off so i just got a notebook and started writing possible endings first then went back to the begining and wrote the first page i made sure to keep it short so i didnt get too confused.

    getting the pictures was the hardest part for me. Max accidentally died a couple of times. And little secret if you look very carefully at the pictures Max isnt always female. she had a standin in the form of her twin brother.

    It took me around 3 days of writing playing and setting up the blogsite. but its been an idea that had just been driving me crazy. :)
    cSXsPD.jpg

    Read my Legacy story's or atttempt one of my Sims 4 challenges.
    Charlii Mai's Blogs and Challenges

    Read All of my Latest stories all in one place.
    RainbowPlumbob (Wordpress)


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    CharliimaiCharliimai Posts: 1,773 Member
    driving me crazy for months. grrrr typing on tablet sorry :s
    cSXsPD.jpg

    Read my Legacy story's or atttempt one of my Sims 4 challenges.
    Charlii Mai's Blogs and Challenges

    Read All of my Latest stories all in one place.
    RainbowPlumbob (Wordpress)


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    CathyTeaCathyTea Posts: 23,089 Member
    Charliimai wrote: »
    honestly not a lot of planning took place. I tend to over think things and put myself off so i just got a notebook and started writing possible endings first then went back to the begining and wrote the first page i made sure to keep it short so i didnt get too confused.

    getting the pictures was the hardest part for me. Max accidentally died a couple of times. And little secret if you look very carefully at the pictures Max isnt always female. she had a standin in the form of her twin brother.

    It took me around 3 days of writing playing and setting up the blogsite. but its been an idea that had just been driving me crazy. :)

    I DID notice that Max was a guy in some... (I chose one of those false endings) And I was like, Huh. Was I just seeing things? It fits, though, in a way, once we figure out the entire plot. Very fun!
    Cathy Tea's SimLit Anthology

    Do you also play The Elder Scrolls Online? You can find me there as CathyTea, too!
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    TwiggyTwiggy Posts: 995 Member
    Charliimai wrote: »
    Hi @CathyTea I have a completed story I would love if you could add it to the list it's not a legacy though it's more of an interactive story.

    Have it your way a sims4 story

    Thank you :smiley:

    Such fun! I just kept on trying to find out what happened to Max. Great job!
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    CathyTeaCathyTea Posts: 23,089 Member
    Amazing and epic--we're nearly at the end of the Pruett Family Legacy!

    This is a great time to catch up on @Jes2G 's Pruett Legacy so that you'll be ready for the final chapter in a few short days!

    And start thinking of your questions! We'll be having a long conversation here about the amazing ten-generation journey of this family all next week! :)
    Cathy Tea's SimLit Anthology

    Do you also play The Elder Scrolls Online? You can find me there as CathyTea, too!
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    Jes2GJes2G Posts: 13,032 Member
    If someone can actually catch up in three days, I will fly to wherever they live and kiss them LOL.

    I was telling Amanda that I actually want to do something like this via video! After the epilogue, I'm going to solicit questions to read (for the first time) and answer on video. I figure people might enjoy the candor of the unscriptedness. ;)
    forum_final.png

    Read Delicious Dishes & Dreams and more Stories By Jes2G!
    Origin ID: Jes2G | Forum Thread | Twitter | Tumblr
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    CathyTeaCathyTea Posts: 23,089 Member
    Jes2G wrote: »
    If someone can actually catch up in three days, I will fly to wherever they live and kiss them LOL.

    I was telling Amanda that I actually want to do something like this via video! After the epilogue, I'm going to solicit questions to read (for the first time) and answer on video. I figure people might enjoy the candor of the unscriptedness. ;)

    Awesome! We'll embed the video here, if that's ok with you!
    Cathy Tea's SimLit Anthology

    Do you also play The Elder Scrolls Online? You can find me there as CathyTea, too!
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