500 characters or less (gallery descriptions) «12...Next Go

Netzspannung

I enjoy making sims, for which I get my ideas from pretty much anywhere. One of the things I enjoy most about uploading them is sharing their little stories in the description before uploading them to the gallery. The gallery allows for 500 characters, which sometimes seems restrictive, but also forces me to not ramble and stick to what is important.

This is my newest sim and I had the little backstory in me head for a while. I worked on this sim for about a week, saving and coming back to her because something was missing or not quite right.



I would like to know how you feel about the descriptions and whether you care or don't care about them when uploading or downloading a sim. Do you create a sim with a story in mind or do you write a story for the sim you created? Perhaps you would like to share some of your favourite 500 characters or less?

MDianaSims

I love descriptions and back stories, it's what makes a sim genuinely unique. All my Sims have back stories, I really enjoy thinking them up and writing them.

Nik24X7

I usually read the descriptions in the Gallery, but I download the Sim to fit into my own story.

DivieOwl

Nik24X7 wrote: »

I usually read the descriptions in the Gallery, but I download the Sim to fit into my own story.

This for me, too, with some exceptions. Sometimes a sims "pre-story" (pre- as in 'before my story') will resonate with me and I'll stick with the story they come with but they usually are a supporting character in my story in that case.

Nik24X7

I should add that oftentimes I download a Sim from the Gallery to be the spouse of a Sim in my game. This happens when there isn't a suitable Sim for him or her to marry. Then, I do try to follow what the Sim's back story is when playing that Sim going forward. So I do think it's worth posting a back story in the Description.

So_Money

If I'm browsing the Gallery and I see a sim with a well-written description, most times I'll check out the creator's profile and often I'll follow that person. It shows that they're spending a little time and effort, and they're not just throwing more junk on the Gallery.

FWIW I always write descriptions for my sims--even if it's only for my own personal immersion.

AfterMidnight

I might skim bios occasionally but tbh I usually don't read them. With the exception of my rotational save, I don't make or follow stories with my sims. I do that enough when I write and rp, so I stick to playing challenges in TS4.

Netzspannung

Thanks to everyone who commented. It made me realize some things about my download behaviour. If I download from the gallery I look for sims with an interesting backstory, which sometimes can be hard to find in the masses of uploaded creations. I always read the descriptions and actually do not download creations that do not at least offer some context or are only made up of hashtags. I agree with So_Money it does make me feel like the creator cares.

karizzles

I try to at least most of my sims to have a background or just an overall description of them. That is a beautiful sim though!

rosemow

Hello
The background details that you have written for your sim are very special She is very pretty both inside and her outer looks.
It is very nice reading the background details that simmers write for their sims on the Gallery.

Netzspannung

@karizzles Thank you, I would also consider her beautiful, but we are conditioned daily to associate beauty with physical perfection depending on whatever the standard of beauty is at that particular moment in time. As most people she has imperfections that make her feel insecure. Sometimes it can be hard for us to see our own beauty, because we try to find it by looking at the mirror in search of perfection.

@rosemow Thank you! I think it is great that you also like to read the descriptions. The Sims have always been a device to tell stories, whether just for amusement or because they are meaningful to us. The gallery has certainly become a part of that.

HowGreatThouArt

When I see well-written descriptions, I assume that the creator has done more than slap together a couple of pretty defaults and call it a day. I'm expecting a more unique-looking Sim, so I usually download those over the #omg #sexy #beautiful #handsome #model Sims that all basically look the same.

GalacticGal

I'm not in the habit of uploading my Sims, nor do I find myself in search of Sims. But were I of that desire, I would appreciate the back-story. I used to enjoy reading about the Sims in the neighborhoods, even though I rarely played the premades. Having a back-story helps to flesh them out a bit. I love your Scarlett, by the way.

Hermitgirl

I'm going to be the odd one out. If I happen across a good story it tickles me and if the sim looks interesting and not cookie cutter I might get it if it fits at the time what I'm looking for. The gallery doesn't really make it easy to find those types of gems so I'm usually looking for a hashtag or character type. I'll try not to be stereotypical here but I write in whatever I can think of that will fit that character and hope I come across something. I use a lot of fiction characters and almost caricature looking types in my games too now so if I find someone that I love their sims (and they don't use cc I wouldn't have) I try to keep a sim of theirs in my library for reference (the drop down of the following system bugs me when I'm playing).

Netzspannung

HowGreatThouArt wrote: »

When I see well-written descriptions, I assume that the creator has done more than slap together a couple of pretty defaults and call it a day. I'm expecting a more unique-looking Sim, so I usually download those over the #omg #sexy #beautiful #handsome #model Sims that all basically look the same.

I agree with this, hashtags are widely used generically, which makes the use of hashtags seem, well, less useful. Which brings me to your comment:

Hermitgirl wrote: »

I'm going to be the odd one out. If I happen across a good story it tickles me and if the sim looks interesting and not cookie cutter I might get it if it fits at the time what I'm looking for. The gallery doesn't really make it easy to find those types of gems so I'm usually looking for a hashtag or character type. I'll try not to be stereotypical here but I write in whatever I can think of that will fit that character and hope I come across something. I use a lot of fiction characters and almost caricature looking types in my games too now so if I find someone that I love their sims (and they don't use cc I wouldn't have) I try to keep a sim of theirs in my library for reference (the drop down of the following system bugs me when I'm playing).

I agree that it is difficult to work with hashtags. As many other, I try to use them with forethought - what would I be searching for if I wanted to find this sim (or this build) - but it seems like also a lot of uploaders don't. So even when searching with a hashtag it can still be a vast forest that makes it seem impossible to find that one tree your are looking for. And when I search with a hashtag I always think of all the great creations I may not be seeing, because someone might not have thought of using one or the one I am thinking of.

GalacticGal wrote: »

I'm not in the habit of uploading my Sims, nor do I find myself in search of Sims. But were I of that desire, I would appreciate the back-story. I used to enjoy reading about the Sims in the neighborhoods, even though I rarely played the premades. Having a back-story helps to flesh them out a bit. I love your Scarlett, by the way.

I understand that. It is not often that I download sims. When I do, they have backstories that I feel can take my story into a direction I haven't even thought of yet. And thank you, I look forward to placing Scarlett into one of my saves on the weekend and see her story unfold.

seungdo

I don't need any story for my sim.

Karlia

I rarely post sims on the gallery but when I do they all have backstories in their description as well as related hashtags. I always make sure that the backstory is actually somewhat open-ended, sometimes I even end them with a question like "Will she find the love of her life or will her future show a different path?" Something along those lines just to make it clear that it's up to the person downloading her to decide in which direction her life will go. If I do download sims, and I almost never do, I will look for the same in other people's descriptions, relevant hasthags (by which I search) and an open-ended backstory.

Woolenhat

I ALWAYS forget to write a discription and then I can't edit it!!

Netzspannung

@Woolenhat If you notice this shortly after uploading, you could still remove the sim from the gallery, edit the description and upload again. Of course it is kind of a tough choice, when your upload has already been downloaded or even "favourited". I sometimes have to make that choice when I notice that I have made a mistake in the description.

Netzspannung

@seungdo That sounds like you play without any story at all. How does that work? Do you prefer a goal-based playstyle?

Omri147

I always add a description when I make my own sims, it's what makes them interesting!

I do miss personal bios though, sometimes you don't have enough space to describe every member of the household, and the bios were a great way to give a more personal info about them.

sunblond

The main household in my current play includes a single parent dad with a toddler, I specifically choose him to download as a potential husband for the unmarried single female sim I was playing at the time. The creator had included a bio for him to the effect that he he had fathered a child who's mother did not want to be in the picture after the birth. Since the sim I was playing had started out as a 100 baby challenge, she had two children by different fathers in the game and I thought the two stories had a common thread.

So, I have to say that an interesting bio makes me download one sim over the other more often than not. Plus, I use gallery sims as townies a lot, otherwise I would have a population of evil,mean, children hating, non committal, slobs.

stilljustme2

I usually have the story in my head, but forget to write the description since I don't usually upload my Sims to the Gallery.

DevilNDisguise

I'm neither a regular uploader or downloader of Sims, but I do download them more often than I upload... and when I do, I always seek out the ones with backstories, because my main-save consists of over 200 Sims - each of them with their own story.
The backstories, for me, will always win over what the Sim may look like. To me, they seem more special that way, and like they aren't just another random Sim. They're ones that the creator took time to come up with, and give their own little legacy. I love it.

Which is why I hate that there's such a limit to descriptions in the gallery. I feel that it should be expanded a bit, and perhaps be given a separate section for hashtags alone.

Trowicia

I write stories out in the description box for my households every once in a while. Essentially, all of my households' stories are already written on a Word/Notepad document and I just didn't get around to simplifying it for the description box.

tinacolada00

I enjoy creating sims but I am not great with writing back stories. I use hashtags and rarely make a story for my uploaded sim. It's nice to know most people enjoy stories, I may give it a shot. Thanks for your post!