@BabyDollAnne Hi Anne! I've always found letting my game dictate my characters behavior enhances my story. I usually set my file up and play for awhile before I even start writing. I like to let my sims interact naturally because often they do unexpected things and like @Meggies said if you snap pictures while you are playing you already have some pics for the story. Then you have unexpected things to add to your story that happened in the game and the sims are acting like the sims in your game when you write them because you have in mind how they behaved in the game as you are writing.
Hey guys, would anyone like to test read the first part of the first.. (just kidding, 4th.) draft of my new story? I'll give you a little breakdown of what its about so it'll make sense aaaand you get a sneak peak (and i'll love you forever, I normally get Candace to test read it but she's rather unwell at the moment.)
Hello @rednenemon ! Things are going really well for me, minus the challenges of college course. @CitizenErased14 Reading your stories is a favorite past time of mine
I really want to have my legacy be gameplay driven FOR ONCE after I get the story kind of set up.. Does anyone have advice? I'm so used to story driven I keep slipping into that >.<
Ohmygosh! I adore gameplay driven stories and games!
Here are the guidelines I use when doing game-driven stories. (I've started calling them Sim-driven stories).
1) Remember that this is your Sims' lives. They have the right to choose: who they love, what profession they get, if and when to have woo-hoo, kiss, make-out and so on. It's their digital bodies, their digital lives. When you watch and listen, they will show you what they want.
2) With number one in mind, value patience and observation. The Sims will live on their own time schedule, not necessarily yours. They know when they want to do things. Sometimes, they need to play the computer for a bit before they clean the sink. When you watch and observe them, you'll learn so much about who they are--and out of this comes interesting stories and rounded characters.
3) Trust that there is a story in there asking to be told. It may not be the story that you think up or feel like telling (this happens to me ALL the time), but it's the story that the game is presenting and that these Sims are expressing.
4) Welcome surprises! Sometimes the very best characters and plots come from the unexpected and from those tangents that simply don't fit with what you were trying to say. That's ok! Remember Guideline #1.
I really want to have my legacy be gameplay driven FOR ONCE after I get the story kind of set up.. Does anyone have advice? I'm so used to story driven I keep slipping into that >.<
Ohmygosh! I adore gameplay driven stories and games!
Here are the guidelines I use when doing game-driven stories. (I've started calling them Sim-driven stories).
1) Remember that this is your Sims' lives. They have the right to choose: who they love, what profession they get, if and when to have woo-hoo, kiss, make-out and so on. It's their digital bodies, their digital lives. When you watch and listen, they will show you what they want.
2) With number one in mind, value patience and observation. The Sims will live on their own time schedule, not necessarily yours. They know when they want to do things. Sometimes, they need to play the computer for a bit before they clean the sink. When you watch and observe them, you'll learn so much about who they are--and out of this comes interesting stories and rounded characters.
3) Trust that there is a story in there asking to be told. It may not be the story that you think up or feel like telling (this happens to me ALL the time), but it's the story that the game is presenting and that these Sims are expressing.
4) Welcome surprises! Sometimes the very best characters and plots come from the unexpected and from those tangents that simply don't fit with what you were trying to say. That's ok! Remember Guideline #1.
5) Have fun!
I just copied and saved that into a file, hope you don't mind me keeping it for reference my darling
@BabyDollAnne - My legacy is mostly gameplay driven. Examples of this include the fire in Lee's generation and the love interest of my gen 3 heir, Rhea.
@BabyDollAnne - My legacy is mostly gameplay driven. Examples of this include the fire in Lee's generation and the love interest of my gen 3 heir, Rhea.
It's so interesting to me when gameplay-driven stories, like your legacy and @ra3rei 's Arturo legacy develop the feel of fiction! I'm really entranced by what goes on in your minds in-between the playing and observing and the telling of the story, for you both craft it together into something that reads like writer-directed fiction. I'm in awe.
I really want to have my legacy be gameplay driven FOR ONCE after I get the story kind of set up.. Does anyone have advice? I'm so used to story driven I keep slipping into that >.<
Its hard if you go purely game driven my story is about 80% game driven and %20 planned.
If you do %100 game driven oftentimes your story will not have clear concise story archs. Some chapters will be more boring than others, but for the most part doing game driven is fun!
If you do try it, the game does throw twists in there that you would never have thought up. So I like to do a bit of a mix. All my chapters so far have been game driven, except for the chapter I just released last night. Last nights chapter had a couple sets and story planning because I needed it for my characters. If I need to have certain scenes, I'll make a set, but mostly it's just the game.
*bursts into discussion about game-driven stories to drop off a 100% story-driven update*
Prelude chapter for Gen 3! The "real" Gen 3 of my legacy starts tomorrow! For today, This chapter kind of helps to bridge the enormous gap between the last chapter of Gen 2 and the start of Gen 3
I really want to have my legacy be gameplay driven FOR ONCE after I get the story kind of set up.. Does anyone have advice? I'm so used to story driven I keep slipping into that >.<
I find that when I want to have a section of my story gameplay driven I literally just play that save file and screenshot 'moments'. With Lily, for example, after such a long and thorough story with her mother I just let her do her thing. I took photos of things that might be relevant, like a keg stand at university and her first kiss but other than that I let it play out. You just have to take a huge backseat with screenshotting and it kinda falls into place, I find at least.
Ahh, I like that idea. I have a large set up for the beginning of the story you know a lot of behind the scenes stuff to set up before it starts. I think once it gets to the generation i'll let them take over
That's exactly how I do it, they've got the right idea.
You just put them in the right places for the kind of scene you want and let them do what they naturally do, maybe guide them a bit, but mostly you're just snapping pics of what they're doing with your general story in mind.
When you're done, you come up with what to write for each photo instead of trying to create what you need 1st and then making what your writing line up with the pictures, it's much easier the other way around.
BabyDollAnne - My legacy is mostly gameplay driven. Examples of this include the fire in Lee's generation and the love interest of my gen 3 heir, Rhea.
It's so interesting to me when gameplay-driven stories, like your legacy and ra3rei 's Arturo legacy, develop the feel of fiction! I'm really entranced by what goes on in your minds in-between the playing and observing and the telling of the story, for you both craft it together into something that reads like writer-directed fiction. I'm in awe.
For me, it's about having fun while playing and finding a story. Our sims are quite good at telling their own stories visually. And when I am observing I experience so many things. Sometimes shock due to decisions made by my sims and happiness at the potential for storytelling based on those decisions.
@BabyDollAnne As others have said taking lots of pictures is key, because you never know when something interesting might happen.
What I also find helpful in terms of having the chapters remain interesting is playing a bit with timelines and their presentation when writing(flashforwards or backwards, focusing on the meatier parts and skipping over lull periods). Also I find that being ahead in gameplay lets me portray the story more consistently, because I know what's coming so I can set up for it a bit in writing.
@BabyDollAnne As others have said taking lots of pictures is key, because you never know when something interesting might happen.
What I also find helpful in terms of having the chapters remain interesting is playing a bit with timelines and their presentation when writing(flashforwards or backwards, focusing on the meatier parts and skipping over lull periods). Also I find that being ahead in gameplay lets me portray the story more consistently, because I know what's coming so I can set up for it a bit in writing.
Btw I love your current avatar!
My avatar? That's the mother of my story! Well, in her younger years. She's rather stunning in my opinion.
@BabyDollAnne As others have said taking lots of pictures is key, because you never know when something interesting might happen.
What I also find helpful in terms of having the chapters remain interesting is playing a bit with timelines and their presentation when writing(flashforwards or backwards, focusing on the meatier parts and skipping over lull periods). Also I find that being ahead in gameplay lets me portray the story more consistently, because I know what's coming so I can set up for it a bit in writing.
Btw I love your current avatar!
My avatar? That's the mother of my story! Well, in her younger years. She's rather stunning in my opinion.
So guys, quick discussion about MC Command? How do you all have your settings done? Personally I lowered the potential for making a baby even when trying for baby, make slightly more realistic. Anything you guys have done that changed things a lot?
BabyDollAnne - My legacy is mostly gameplay driven. Examples of this include the fire in Lee's generation and the love interest of my gen 3 heir, Rhea.
It's so interesting to me when gameplay-driven stories, like your legacy and ra3rei 's Arturo legacy, develop the feel of fiction! I'm really entranced by what goes on in your minds in-between the playing and observing and the telling of the story, for you both craft it together into something that reads like writer-directed fiction. I'm in awe.
For me, it's about having fun while playing and finding a story. Our sims are quite good at telling their own stories visually. And when I am observing I experience so many things. Sometimes shock due to decisions made by my sims and happiness at the potential for storytelling based on those decisions.
I love doing gp driven stories .. they are so much weirder than I can come up with. I am selective with traits .. so mixing the simmy cocktail is important
My blog has been updated (a couple of times) I had not posted because I already worry that I am spamming group with my chatter. BUT for any who would like to go read I purpose to keep my stories short and sweet so they will not take up much of your time So if you get a minute (literally) stop by and give it a read. I might also add that I am not thin-skinned (I hope) so if there is critique please let me know. It is better to "hurt" my feelings and give me an honest opinion so that I can improvehttps://lisabeesims.wordpress.com/.
@friendsfan367 that is awesome .. how do you stay encouraged?
the other day i didn't. my drafts got stuck. so that wasn't encuraging at all. i stay focused because of jes. this is how that works.
her write more words
me but the picture tells you what happend.
jes more wrds would be nice though
then she stops reading my blog for a few weeks and comes back to alot of words.
TY @friendsfan367 .. it is def a pastime that can lead to a few dark moments. Last night was one of those times. Even tho I am new in here I have been writing stories for a few year (viewed in FB groups). @VIRTUALEE encouraged me to blog them. I have discovered a few emotions in this area that I did not know I had Also need to thank @SilverDaybreak for inviting me in to the forum.
I really want to have my legacy be gameplay driven FOR ONCE after I get the story kind of set up.. Does anyone have advice? I'm so used to story driven I keep slipping into that >.<
Ohmygosh! I adore gameplay driven stories and games!
Here are the guidelines I use when doing game-driven stories. (I've started calling them Sim-driven stories).
1) Remember that this is your Sims' lives. They have the right to choose: who they love, what profession they get, if and when to have woo-hoo, kiss, make-out and so on. It's their digital bodies, their digital lives. When you watch and listen, they will show you what they want.
2) With number one in mind, value patience and observation. The Sims will live on their own time schedule, not necessarily yours. They know when they want to do things. Sometimes, they need to play the computer for a bit before they clean the sink. When you watch and observe them, you'll learn so much about who they are--and out of this comes interesting stories and rounded characters.
3) Trust that there is a story in there asking to be told. It may not be the story that you think up or feel like telling (this happens to me ALL the time), but it's the story that the game is presenting and that these Sims are expressing.
4) Welcome surprises! Sometimes the very best characters and plots come from the unexpected and from those tangents that simply don't fit with what you were trying to say. That's ok! Remember Guideline #1.
5) Have fun!
This is a perfect guide for game/sim driven stories. very well said, couldn't have said it better myself. I often try to roll with surprises if it fits my storyline and sometimes if it doesn't my storyline adapts to fit the surprise!
@friendsfan367 that is awesome .. how do you stay encouraged?
the other day i didn't. my drafts got stuck. so that wasn't encuraging at all. i stay focused because of jes. this is how that works.
her write more words
me but the picture tells you what happend.
jes more wrds would be nice though
then she stops reading my blog for a few weeks and comes back to alot of words.
TY @friendsfan367 .. it is def a pastime that can lead to a few dark moments. Last night was one of those times. Even tho I am new in here I have been writing stories for a few year (viewed in FB groups). @VIRTUALEE encouraged me to blog them. I have discovered a few emotions in this area that I did not know I had Also need to thank @SilverDaybreak for inviting me in to the forum.
i do have fun. my sims do weird non directed things.but sometimes i pick on jes because thats fun too.were actually both really nice when we read each others stories. but for some reason we like picking on each other here.
Comments
Hi, Anne! How are you?
I'm good! Just sipping coffee and getting ready to write a chapter of my new Wonder Child story!
Do you also play The Elder Scrolls Online? You can find me there as CathyTea, too!
WOOOT! I'm SO excited for you! What are you doing for the party?
(Should we start a Blogaversary list on our first post here?)
Do you also play The Elder Scrolls Online? You can find me there as CathyTea, too!
@CitizenErased14 Reading your stories is a favorite past time of mine
Rebuild | Rebuild Vol. 2
Ohmygosh! I adore gameplay driven stories and games!
If you're looking for inspiration through reading, I really recommend @Rinellie 's My Experiences With Autonomy and @Julyvee94 's Vee is for Vortex
Here are the guidelines I use when doing game-driven stories. (I've started calling them Sim-driven stories).
1) Remember that this is your Sims' lives. They have the right to choose: who they love, what profession they get, if and when to have woo-hoo, kiss, make-out and so on. It's their digital bodies, their digital lives. When you watch and listen, they will show you what they want.
2) With number one in mind, value patience and observation. The Sims will live on their own time schedule, not necessarily yours. They know when they want to do things. Sometimes, they need to play the computer for a bit before they clean the sink. When you watch and observe them, you'll learn so much about who they are--and out of this comes interesting stories and rounded characters.
3) Trust that there is a story in there asking to be told. It may not be the story that you think up or feel like telling (this happens to me ALL the time), but it's the story that the game is presenting and that these Sims are expressing.
4) Welcome surprises! Sometimes the very best characters and plots come from the unexpected and from those tangents that simply don't fit with what you were trying to say. That's ok! Remember Guideline #1.
5) Have fun!
Do you also play The Elder Scrolls Online? You can find me there as CathyTea, too!
I just copied and saved that into a file, hope you don't mind me keeping it for reference my darling
Rebuild | Rebuild Vol. 2
It's so interesting to me when gameplay-driven stories, like your legacy and @ra3rei 's Arturo legacy develop the feel of fiction! I'm really entranced by what goes on in your minds in-between the playing and observing and the telling of the story, for you both craft it together into something that reads like writer-directed fiction. I'm in awe.
Do you also play The Elder Scrolls Online? You can find me there as CathyTea, too!
Its hard if you go purely game driven my story is about 80% game driven and %20 planned.
If you do %100 game driven oftentimes your story will not have clear concise story archs. Some chapters will be more boring than others, but for the most part doing game driven is fun!
If you do try it, the game does throw twists in there that you would never have thought up. So I like to do a bit of a mix. All my chapters so far have been game driven, except for the chapter I just released last night. Last nights chapter had a couple sets and story planning because I needed it for my characters. If I need to have certain scenes, I'll make a set, but mostly it's just the game.
Oh! New chapter out everyone!
thefoxsims.weebly.com/love-like-a-snail/chapter-12-hedys-betties-hedy-buys-a-jazz-club
Prelude chapter for Gen 3!
That's exactly how I do it, they've got the right idea.
You just put them in the right places for the kind of scene you want and let them do what they naturally do, maybe guide them a bit, but mostly you're just snapping pics of what they're doing with your general story in mind.
When you're done, you come up with what to write for each photo instead of trying to create what you need 1st and then making what your writing line up with the pictures, it's much easier the other way around.
the other day i didn't. my drafts got stuck. so that wasn't encuraging at all. i stay focused because of jes. this is how that works.
her write more words
me but the picture tells you what happend.
jes more wrds would be nice though
then she stops reading my blog for a few weeks and comes back to alot of words.
For me, it's about having fun while playing and finding a story. Our sims are quite good at telling their own stories visually. And when I am observing I experience so many things. Sometimes shock due to decisions made by my sims and happiness at the potential for storytelling based on those decisions.
Rebuild | Rebuild Vol. 2
I think maybe have the penguins invite some of my characters for a party.
What I also find helpful in terms of having the chapters remain interesting is playing a bit with timelines and their presentation when writing(flashforwards or backwards, focusing on the meatier parts and skipping over lull periods). Also I find that being ahead in gameplay lets me portray the story more consistently, because I know what's coming so I can set up for it a bit in writing.
Btw I love your current avatar!
Story Blog | Forum Discussion
My avatar? That's the mother of my story!
I agree!
Story Blog | Forum Discussion
I love doing gp driven stories .. they are so much weirder than I can come up with. I am selective with traits .. so mixing the simmy cocktail is important
My blog has been updated (a couple of times) I had not posted because I already worry that I am spamming group with my chatter. BUT for any who would like to go read I purpose to keep my stories short and sweet so they will not take up much of your time
LisabeeSims
New readers can visit here first: In-a-NUTSHELL
#EAgamechanger
TY @friendsfan367 .. it is def a pastime that can lead to a few dark moments. Last night was one of those times. Even tho I am new in here I have been writing stories for a few year (viewed in FB groups). @VIRTUALEE encouraged me to blog them. I have discovered a few emotions in this area that I did not know I had
LisabeeSims
New readers can visit here first: In-a-NUTSHELL
#EAgamechanger
This is a perfect guide for game/sim driven stories.
i do have fun. my sims do weird non directed things.but sometimes i pick on jes because thats fun too.were actually both really nice when we read each others stories. but for some reason we like picking on each other here.