@WagonFruit To be fair, I had more questions! ...And I think they might be the same size. We might have to compare.
If only I could do a Saul/Daya spinoff without actually having to write it and take all the screenshots. ROFL.
I am so eager for my first Sims 4 expansion release. (I got the game in December so Vampires was the first gamepack that came out afterward and Bowling Night was the first stuff pack.) Pets would be a really cool expansion to have as my first day 1 release!
1. What drew you to this story? Were you already a fan of Fangs for the Memories or did joining PNR circle cause you to read?
She read my story before I joined the circle so I thought I would return the favor. And because of that I joined the circle.
2. Who is your favorite character and why?
Graham. I really like his manipulation and voice. He's deliciously Slytherin
3. We have discussed motivations a bit in general in our circle. Focus on one or two characters in Fangs for the Memories and tell us who and what you think their motivation and flaws are.
Even though Byron is old, he's very naive about the world and people...that's his flaw. I think his motivations are to be independent and essentially to "grow up" and to be taken seriously by people.
4. Who's voice are you most familiar with? What does LadyLobster do to make this voice distinct?
Bianca. She's very proper and elegant with a touch of wistfulness when it comes to romance.
5. Who do you ship? What draws you to this pairing?
Non-canon I ship Daya and Byron. They would have an interesting dynamic.
Canon, I love Penny and Byron. She's very dominant and he's "innocent" (we all know what he does in his coffin.)
6. We've done W/M/K/BFFAE a few times in LL's thread, but let's do it here too! (try not to use previous answers...stretch yourself)
W: Graham
M: Daya (I love her so much.)
K: Orlando
BFFAE: Bianca
7. Ask LadyLobster a specific question about her story/process/idea pool etc.
How are you so good at comedy?!
@DreamsInPixels I'm glad you like Graham and Daya so much! Graham is a lot of fun to write, and of course Daya is Daya.
7. How are you so good at comedy?!
I'm...not sure how to answer this? Ha! But thank you. Initially, I didn't intend for Fangs to be a comedy--it was going to be darker and much more serious, but you can see how that turned out! My thought process while writing this story has basically been: "Okay, what are the worst things that these people can bring on themselves--that I also find hilarious?" And that's about it!
@DreamsInPixels I loved your question!! Though I had a feeling it was going to be one of those situations where you cannot really explain how you do something.
You can explain an outlining process or what pov provides you with the character insight you're hoping for but I find writing comedy gold (as our dear @LadyLobster does so effortlessly) is sorta like trying to explain how an author writes compelling drama or how they build interesting and unique characters that we love or love to hate. It's. Bit more fluid I think and like mercury probably not something LL can easily impart to all of us!!
Oh how I would love to be more comedic I wish she could just teach us the tricks!!
Your story is a drama. A one liner or a chuckle here and there can be expected but if comedy isn't your genre I wouldn't consider not being able to write it a downfall.
Your story is a drama. A one liner or a chuckle here and there can be expected but if comedy isn't your genre I wouldn't consider not being able to write it a downfall.
It would be a nice balance to be able to write both. A comedic buffer between dramas. It's my downfall because it emotionally drains me after a while. That's why I needed a week break between parts.
1. As I am unfamiliar with Dynasty challenges, can you tell us what is your favorite part of the Dynasty?
2. What is the most challenging part of a Dynasty to write?
3. Does this being a vampire Dynasty make this challenge more or less difficult?
4. How has your play changed with the three children and changing to a rotational style?
5. Who's voice is the easiest for you to write? Conversely, who is the most challenging?
6. Did the B/A romance spring in game? Or did you help it along?
7. Early on we see Vlad manipulate Zoe to the highest possible degree. I know you've said you didn't really want the reader's attention diverted to being sympathetic to her...how did you try to combat this?
8. The most recent chapters have led to a shocking discovery! Did that really happen in game that B was born female and you gender switched?
Questions to the readers:
Note, these questions are identical to the last three weeks reader questions!
1. What drew you to this story? Were you already a fan of The Straud Dynasty or did joining PNR circle cause you to read?
2. Who is your favorite character and why?
3. We have discussed motivations a bit in general in our circle. Focus on one or two characters in The Straud Dynasty and tell us who and what you think their motivation and flaws are.
4. Who's voice are you most familiar with? What does MVW do to make this voice distinct?
5. Who do you ship? What draws you to this pairing?
6. We've done W/M/K/BFFAE a few times in LL's thread, but let's do it here too!
7. Ask MVW a specific question about her story/process/idea pool etc.
My answers to the Questions to the readers:
1. What drew you to this story? Were you already a fan of The Straud Dynasty or did joining PNR circle cause you to read? My first exposure to the Straud Dynasty was when MVW knocked on our door and asked to join! I'm so glad she did! 2. Who is your favorite character and why? I think Vlad was for a long time, his dry sense of humor over this obligation and his blog and answering his fan mail was hilarious. I also loved when Vlad had all his progeny present their dark forms and he critiqued them! 3. We have discussed motivations a bit in general in our circle. Focus on one or two characters in The Straud Dynasty and tell us who and what you think their motivation and flaws are. I'll go with Nadia - I believe she wants so much to please her father, she's also got the heart of a romantic as well. This is her primary motivation. In her chapter "Nadia's Museum" she was trying to make some headway getting to know Malcolm and while she was at least a little reluctant to become engaged with him, she knew her father wanted this to happen. I feel so bad for her knowing that her marriage today is so unhappy that she's actively wishing her husband would get abducted. I remember that sweet moment with Johnny Zest talking about his trailer and Nadia's wistful thought he was so much nicer than Malcolm. 4. Who's voice are you most familiar with? What does MVW do to make this voice distinct? I'd say just because we had nothing but Vlad the entire first generation I'll go Vlad. He's arrogant and old fashioned. He loves his children but also propriety is a big part of his life. This generation I'd say Nadia (as I mentioned above) her wistfulness as a teen and what appears to becoming bitter is so engaging. 5. Who do you ship? What draws you to this pairing? Alexazar4Lyf! I loved that Balthazar was attracted to Alex early and that the two really found love in one another. I must admit I also have liked Gretchen and Paolo from the start, but I worry about their housemate a bit. Paolo is Partihaus afterall...and we all know what they get up to! 6. We've done W/M/K/BFFAE a few times in LL's thread, but let's do it here too!Woohoo - Vlad. I know, he's old (ancient really), but I bet he's got skills and being evil... Mmmm - Marry - Hmmm I'm honestly not sure on this one. Paolo is hot, but again as I said, he's possibly got a wandering eye...walking around in skivvies in front of house mates?? Certainly not Malcolm...far too outside my own personal beliefs...I'll pass on this one Kill - Def Malcolm (I would have said Vlad in G1 for what he did to Zoe...) BFFAE - Nadia - girl needs a friend. She needs to stop trying to be Daddy's perfect girl to gain his affection. 7. Ask MVW a specific question about her story/process/idea pool etc. How much is game driven and how much is pre-planned for your story?
Good questions! Preliminary apologies for the wall of text.
1. As I am unfamiliar with Dynasty challenges, can you tell us what is your favorite part of the Dynasty? A couple of acknowledgements here: Metropolis Man from Carl's Forum came up with the idea for the first dynasty challenge -- the TS3 Immortal Dynasty, which involved a bunch of requirements that your Sims had to fulfill to end up with a household of 8 elders, kept alive with ambrosia. His subsequent Townie Decadynasty Challenge, along with @Lynnwood's revision of the ISBI challenge for TS4, were the two sources for the Ten-Gen Townie Dynasty Challenge that I posted back in November 2016. It is a multi-generational challenge, and my favorite part is probably placing each heir's portrait in the Museum when the next generation is ready to move out.
2. What is the most challenging part of a Dynasty to write? Toddler and childhood years, because nothing much exciting happens, and it's a lot of skilling. But also the quarterly stats; they take about an hour to pull together from my notes, and are dull reading, but I do get a sense of satisfaction from doing them.
3. Does this being a vampire Dynasty make this challenge more or less difficult? The initial intention was to make the Ten-Gen Townie challenge easier. I had a problem with empty towns around Generation 5. When the Vampire pack came out, people on Carl's wanted to know if vampires would be allowed. In the discussion, I realized that you could have a vampire founder turn each of ten premade Sims and ensure that there would be spouses available for all the ensuing generations. The only thing that's hard with vampires is that you have to keep your Sims away from community lots during daylight hours, as you never know who might show up and fry.
4. How has your play changed with the three children and changing to a rotational style? Originally I intended to play only one heir, but when Nadia showed up with that face, I knew I'd have to play her, too. I loved playing several families in TS2, hated that I couldn't do that in TS3, and wrote an article on Rotational Play and the Rival Dynasties Challenge for Carl's for TS4. The main thing is that I play each family a week at a time, switching around midnight Sunday morning.
5. Whose voice is the easiest for you to write? Conversely, who is the most challenging? Vlad has definitely been the most fun to write -- arrogant and erudite, bossy and resentful of being bossed by the Watcher. So far Gretchen has been the most challenging. She's a great Sim to play -- active and goal-oriented -- but she's fairly happy and contented with Paolo and her 3 children, so she doesn't complain much. And complaining Sims generate the most words.
6. Did the B/A romance spring in game? Or did you help it along? No, it didn't spring in game, but it's fairly easy to get a romance going with some flirty interactions once two Sims become good friends. Al and Bal were friends in childhood, but by the time Bal became a teen, that had deteriorated. I think the game has been tweaked so that autonomous romances are less frequent. In Partihaus, for example, both Eva and Marcus have the romantic trait, but no pink bars with anyone.
7. Early on we see Vlad manipulate Zoe to the highest possible degree. I know you've said you didn't really want the reader's attention diverted to being sympathetic to her...how did you try to combat this? By not paying much attention to her. Somebody (Napoleon, I think) said that history is written by the victors, and in any story there are characters that are virtually silent, villains especially, but also victims. Tip to budding novelists -- you can get a lot of mileage out of a side character in a classic, a la John Gardner's Grendel and Ephaba in Wicked.
8. The most recent chapters have led to a shocking discovery! Did that really happen in game that B was born female and you gender switched? Yes. When Balthazar was born, I'd already played 4 or 5 girl toddlers and wanted to do a boy for a change. Also, both Vlad and I really wanted someone to marry into the Goths, and Cassandra was the vampire spouse. So the only baby picture I took of Balthy was the angled one in the bassinet where you only see a little of "his" yellow onesie (it's shown again in Chapter 31).
And I want to thank @cshaner again for her questions. Are you studying journalism, by chance? Because you'd make a great interviewer.
Her question was: How much is game driven and how much is pre-planned for your story?
I'd say that it's nearly all game-driven in that I have to figure out someway to get each heir through his or her part of the challenge. Also, all the traits and lot traits are somewhat random so that's something to work with. That said, I do get ideas for the story as I play -- Balthazar's situation is one, and so is Nadia's desire to have Malcolm abducted, although I always knew that I'd have an alien abduction sooner or later.
1. What drew you to this story? Were you already a fan of The Straud Dynasty or did joining PNR circle cause you to read?
I was initially drawn by Vlad himself, and I just loved the humor instantly. It was such a fun read, and I loved her take on this evil old vampire that came with the pack! Of course, I had already been in PNR for a while by then, but I was so happy to see her join.
2. Who is your favorite character and why?
I think it may always be Vlad! He's just such an entertaining villain--unapologetically evil. I may sympathize far more with and be more invested in Balthazar and the other heirs, but sometimes I just really enjoy a good villain. Okay, evil villain. His narration and shenanigans were absolutely hilarious. I still love seeing him babble with the toddlers.
3. We have discussed motivations a bit in general in our circle. Focus on one or two characters in The Straud Dynasty and tell us who and what you think their motivation and flaws are.
Balthazar is a really fascinating character to me, and it's no wonder MVW currently enjoys writing about this particular heir so much right now! I think Balthazar is motivated not only by love (for Alexander, and his own family), but by a sense of belonging. Balthazar expressed in the past that his face should've been switched with Nadia's to make everyone happy, and then finds out that that's really not the case at all. He wants to please his father by marrying Cassandra, despite being so deeply in love with Cassandra's brother.
His flaw might be worrying too much about his father's wishes, though Balthazar has definitely put his foot down lately. But I think Vlad's treatment of him really messed with his head (and heart) as a child.
4. Who's voice are you most familiar with? What does MVW do to make this voice distinct?
Vlad's, definitely! His boasting language, the way he addresses his adoring fans (former fans, alas)...he definitely sounded like an old vampire who's more than a little in love with himself and his own evil genius. The speaking to the fans approach was a brilliant way of letting us really get a feel for his voice and personality.
5. Who do you ship? What draws you to this pairing?
Balthazar and Alexander! I'm so interested in what decisions they'll make for the future and how everything will pan out for them. I want them both to be happy!
6. We've done W/M/K/BFFAE a few times in LL's thread, but let's do it here too!
Woohoo: Vlad. Surely he's learned a few things over the years?
Marry: Paolo. He seems to be such a good husband to Gretchen!
Kill: Malcolm. He reallly was cruel to poor Balthazar.
BFFAE: Nadia. She was so ready and willing to help Balthazar and get back at her evil husband!
7. Ask MVW a specific question about her story/process/idea pool etc.
Can you see yourself doing a similar challenge with future supernaturals, or maybe incorporating them into this one?
@Lady Lobster, thanks for the kind words! To answer your question,
Can you see yourself doing a similar challenge with future supernaturals, or maybe incorporating them into this one?
Yes! I'd love to get witches before I finish this challenge, and with 10 generations, that could be a possibility. Witches would continue the rivalry begun in this story's Prologue (it's a witch's curse that causes everyone to have one disagreeable lot trait), and I could see working in a Romeo-Juliet story, or maybe a vampire's son or daughter who wants to be a witch, that sort of thing. I didn't like werewolves in TS2 or 3, but then I didn't like vampires either, so I might work in a werewolf or two. And if only the aliens will cooperate, I'd like to get an alien baby.
@MVWdeZT I didn't like vampires in TS3 either!! I always thought there could have been so much more. I really like the treatment they've received in TS4 and while I don't love spending $20 every time a new supernatural pack comes out, if they are all so well thought out...I'll be happy to dish out the money.
@MVWdeZT@cshaner If other occult lifestates get the same care and depth as vampires in TS4... *drools* I love your ideas for witches, MV! I'd love to have them in my story too--I kind of do, actually, but I'd love to have actual magic spells and all that. I had fun setting people on fire in TS3. ...With magic, I mean.
Here we go! I def didn't forget about you @MVWdeZT ! I'm really curious about your answer to my question!!
1. What drew you to this story? Were you already a fan of The Straud Dynasty or did joining PNR circle cause you to read?
I was a fan of her 'Stardew Valley' sim-spinoff already, and I think I started reading The Straud Dynasty when MVWdeZT joined PNR...or maybe just before? Vlad was one of the most charming evil sims! I found myself instantly rooting for him (and his blog).
2. Who is your favorite character and why?
I'm going to have to pick Vlad as well I'm afraid! I just love an unabashedly evil character, especially if they can manage to be charming and a bit lovable as well...and I really liked that despite himself, Vlad was so enamored of his nooboos. He also reads as a very dry wit, and I enjoy that sort of humour a lot!
Lastly, I love a good nose! (So much so that it bears mentioning 100%)
3. We have discussed motivations a bit in general in our circle. Focus on one or two characters in The Straud Dynasty and tell us who and what you think their motivation and flaws are.
I'll go with Zoe for this one...at first the unwitting peon and incubation chamber for Vlad's glorious offspring, eventually evolving into a bit of a momma bear!
I feel like her primary motivation is love; she wasn't given any say in how her life turned out, but she clearly feels love for her children despite the circumstances surrounding their birth, and in a way, that love has been transcendent for her. It feels like her love for her family has pushed her towards growth, given her more courage, more strength than she might have been able to muster for herself alone; that love lead her down the path of defiance towards her oppressor, from taking her kids aside for secret pep talks, and culminating in an all out dressing down of The Vlad himself in recent canon.
I would select complacency as the flaw that has most plagued Zoe throughout her journey; even when she knew that certain things were unacceptable, she allowed them to go on without protest to keep the peace.
4. Who's voice are you most familiar with? What does MVW do to make this voice distinct?
Honestly Vlad's the one I'm most familiar with, but I'll mix it up a bit and go with Balthazar, as we've spent quite a bit of time in the Heir's head as well...while Balthy's voice is not as distinct (yet) as Vlad's (because youth), I feel like there's the potential for a very powerful voice; I'm seeing a lot of inner strength already, small acts of defiance, blossoming self-awareness, determination...I feel like Balthy will be a strong Heir upon taking over. But there's also compassion, tenderness, a sense of wanting to do right.
5. Who do you ship? What draws you to this pairing?
I totally ship Bal and Al...but I also ship Gretchen and Paolo, who were my first real ship of the story! I loved the way he was with her as a teen, giving her his time, not trying to take advantage...not a lot of guys would do that! And then Gretchen clearly smitten with him just a little (and who wouldn't be /swoon).
And then it all culminated when she aged up and he was clearly very smitten too, and I just love a happy ending! /wistful sigh
6. We've done W/M/K/BFFAE a few times in LL's thread, but let's do it here too! Woohoo Woohoo: Bal & Al (m/m/f or f/f/m...I feel like this would be a memorable experience!) Marry: Paolo (because yum, and /swoon) Kill: Vlad (for what he did to Zoe and Balthy) BFFAE: Nadia (she's got 🐸🐸🐸🐸; I admire the initiative she takes for her family)
7. Ask MVW a specific question about her story/process/idea pool etc.
If you were to hybridize this challenge with another, which one would you choose and in what ways would it change the story?
@WagonFruit, some great answers! I think you're right about Zoe -- she doesn't want to upset the apple cart (fruit wagon?) so she puts up with too much, but in the end, she is moved to anger (and probably surprised herself as much as anyone).
Why am I not surprised that your W choice was both Bal and Al, no matter what Bal decides? And apparently everyone wants to be Nadia's best friend. I like her too, although she seems to have inherited Zoe's clumsy trait.
If you were to hybridize this challenge with another, which one would you choose and in what ways would it change the story?
Interesting question. It's already a hybrid of the ISBI challenge and the Townie Dynasty one. But I could have mixed in elements of the Amazon challenge. Instead of making it women as the ruling race, though, it would have been vampires. Vlad would have been only too happy to have sacrificed his baby mamas after they delivered, and he would have kept the vampires (both sexes) as heirs and tribe members and made the non-vamps slaves. Something like that. I think he wouldn't have been liked at all, though. But I'll file it away in my brain for when I'm ready for another challenge.
Hey all! I am going to have CT remove me from the PNR thread on the Reading Circles thread. I prefer that we have more people in the NOT thread and this thread is sorta died out anyway.
My thoughts may be to even dissolve this circle all together because all of us are in the NOT thread anyway and having fun discussions there.
Hey all! I am going to have CT remove me from the PNR thread on the Reading Circles thread. I prefer that we have more people in the NOT thread and this thread is sorta died out anyway.
My thoughts may be to even dissolve this circle all together because all of us are in the NOT thread anyway and having fun discussions there.
Yeah, I think that it would be wise to dissolve it entirely, considering it doesn't seem like Ichigo is coming back and we're all in the NOT circle now anyway! Guess I'm out too~ *flounces dramatically*
Comments
I know! My answers could never be as prolific as yours Lobster-Darling.
I'm super excited to see how you meld in the next good expansion to FftM!
Also, I would read the plum out of a Saul/Daya ANYTHING spin off
If only I could do a Saul/Daya spinoff without actually having to write it and take all the screenshots. ROFL.
I am so eager for my first Sims 4 expansion release. (I got the game in December so Vampires was the first gamepack that came out afterward and Bowling Night was the first stuff pack.) Pets would be a really cool expansion to have as my first day 1 release!
She read my story before I joined the circle so I thought I would return the favor. And because of that I joined the circle.
2. Who is your favorite character and why?
Graham. I really like his manipulation and voice. He's deliciously Slytherin
3. We have discussed motivations a bit in general in our circle. Focus on one or two characters in Fangs for the Memories and tell us who and what you think their motivation and flaws are.
Even though Byron is old, he's very naive about the world and people...that's his flaw. I think his motivations are to be independent and essentially to "grow up" and to be taken seriously by people.
4. Who's voice are you most familiar with? What does LadyLobster do to make this voice distinct?
Bianca. She's very proper and elegant with a touch of wistfulness when it comes to romance.
5. Who do you ship? What draws you to this pairing?
Non-canon I ship Daya and Byron. They would have an interesting dynamic.
Canon, I love Penny and Byron. She's very dominant and he's "innocent" (we all know what he does in his coffin.)
6. We've done W/M/K/BFFAE a few times in LL's thread, but let's do it here too! (try not to use previous answers...stretch yourself)
W: Graham
M: Daya (I love her so much.)
K: Orlando
BFFAE: Bianca
7. Ask LadyLobster a specific question about her story/process/idea pool etc.
How are you so good at comedy?!
7. How are you so good at comedy?!
I'm...not sure how to answer this? Ha! But thank you.
You can explain an outlining process or what pov provides you with the character insight you're hoping for but I find writing comedy gold (as our dear @LadyLobster does so effortlessly) is sorta like trying to explain how an author writes compelling drama or how they build interesting and unique characters that we love or love to hate. It's. Bit more fluid I think and like mercury probably not something LL can easily impart to all of us!!
Oh how I would love to be more comedic I wish she could just teach us the tricks!!
SimFluence - Where Sims Influence the Story
Blood that Binds: A Vampire Coven Challenge Updated 04/22/2017
Life Under Construction: A Drifter Challenge House 001 Completed 1/29/17 | Orphan Challenge: Harkins Family Completed 11/12/16
Origin ID: cshaner07
Your story is a drama. A one liner or a chuckle here and there can be expected but if comedy isn't your genre I wouldn't consider not being able to write it a downfall.
SimFluence - Where Sims Influence the Story
Blood that Binds: A Vampire Coven Challenge Updated 04/22/2017
Life Under Construction: A Drifter Challenge House 001 Completed 1/29/17 | Orphan Challenge: Harkins Family Completed 11/12/16
Origin ID: cshaner07
It would be a nice balance to be able to write both. A comedic buffer between dramas. It's my downfall because it emotionally drains me after a while. That's why I needed a week break between parts.
@MVWdeZT you . are. up! The Straud Dynasty!
List Order Reminder:
1- @Yushika (Done)
3- @LadyLobster (Done)
6- @MVWdeZT
2- @DreamsInPixels
4- @cshaner
Questions to the author:
2. What is the most challenging part of a Dynasty to write?
3. Does this being a vampire Dynasty make this challenge more or less difficult?
4. How has your play changed with the three children and changing to a rotational style?
5. Who's voice is the easiest for you to write? Conversely, who is the most challenging?
6. Did the B/A romance spring in game? Or did you help it along?
7. Early on we see Vlad manipulate Zoe to the highest possible degree. I know you've said you didn't really want the reader's attention diverted to being sympathetic to her...how did you try to combat this?
8. The most recent chapters have led to a shocking discovery! Did that really happen in game that B was born female and you gender switched?
Questions to the readers:
1. What drew you to this story? Were you already a fan of The Straud Dynasty or did joining PNR circle cause you to read?
2. Who is your favorite character and why?
3. We have discussed motivations a bit in general in our circle. Focus on one or two characters in The Straud Dynasty and tell us who and what you think their motivation and flaws are.
4. Who's voice are you most familiar with? What does MVW do to make this voice distinct?
5. Who do you ship? What draws you to this pairing?
6. We've done W/M/K/BFFAE a few times in LL's thread, but let's do it here too!
7. Ask MVW a specific question about her story/process/idea pool etc.
My answers to the Questions to the readers:
2. Who is your favorite character and why? I think Vlad was for a long time, his dry sense of humor over this obligation and his blog and answering his fan mail was hilarious. I also loved when Vlad had all his progeny present their dark forms and he critiqued them!
3. We have discussed motivations a bit in general in our circle. Focus on one or two characters in The Straud Dynasty and tell us who and what you think their motivation and flaws are. I'll go with Nadia - I believe she wants so much to please her father, she's also got the heart of a romantic as well. This is her primary motivation. In her chapter "Nadia's Museum" she was trying to make some headway getting to know Malcolm and while she was at least a little reluctant to become engaged with him, she knew her father wanted this to happen. I feel so bad for her knowing that her marriage today is so unhappy that she's actively wishing her husband would get abducted. I remember that sweet moment with Johnny Zest talking about his trailer and Nadia's wistful thought he was so much nicer than Malcolm.
4. Who's voice are you most familiar with? What does MVW do to make this voice distinct? I'd say just because we had nothing but Vlad the entire first generation I'll go Vlad. He's arrogant and old fashioned. He loves his children but also propriety is a big part of his life. This generation I'd say Nadia (as I mentioned above) her wistfulness as a teen and what appears to becoming bitter is so engaging.
5. Who do you ship? What draws you to this pairing? Alexazar4Lyf! I loved that Balthazar was attracted to Alex early and that the two really found love in one another. I must admit I also have liked Gretchen and Paolo from the start, but I worry about their housemate a bit. Paolo is Partihaus afterall...and we all know what they get up to!
6. We've done W/M/K/BFFAE a few times in LL's thread, but let's do it here too! Woohoo - Vlad. I know, he's old (ancient really), but I bet he's got skills and being evil...
7. Ask MVW a specific question about her story/process/idea pool etc. How much is game driven and how much is pre-planned for your story?
SimFluence - Where Sims Influence the Story
Blood that Binds: A Vampire Coven Challenge Updated 04/22/2017
Life Under Construction: A Drifter Challenge House 001 Completed 1/29/17 | Orphan Challenge: Harkins Family Completed 11/12/16
Origin ID: cshaner07
2. What is the most challenging part of a Dynasty to write? Toddler and childhood years, because nothing much exciting happens, and it's a lot of skilling. But also the quarterly stats; they take about an hour to pull together from my notes, and are dull reading, but I do get a sense of satisfaction from doing them.
3. Does this being a vampire Dynasty make this challenge more or less difficult? The initial intention was to make the Ten-Gen Townie challenge easier. I had a problem with empty towns around Generation 5. When the Vampire pack came out, people on Carl's wanted to know if vampires would be allowed. In the discussion, I realized that you could have a vampire founder turn each of ten premade Sims and ensure that there would be spouses available for all the ensuing generations. The only thing that's hard with vampires is that you have to keep your Sims away from community lots during daylight hours, as you never know who might show up and fry.
4. How has your play changed with the three children and changing to a rotational style? Originally I intended to play only one heir, but when Nadia showed up with that face, I knew I'd have to play her, too. I loved playing several families in TS2, hated that I couldn't do that in TS3, and wrote an article on Rotational Play and the Rival Dynasties Challenge for Carl's for TS4. The main thing is that I play each family a week at a time, switching around midnight Sunday morning.
5. Whose voice is the easiest for you to write? Conversely, who is the most challenging? Vlad has definitely been the most fun to write -- arrogant and erudite, bossy and resentful of being bossed by the Watcher. So far Gretchen has been the most challenging. She's a great Sim to play -- active and goal-oriented -- but she's fairly happy and contented with Paolo and her 3 children, so she doesn't complain much. And complaining Sims generate the most words.
6. Did the B/A romance spring in game? Or did you help it along? No, it didn't spring in game, but it's fairly easy to get a romance going with some flirty interactions once two Sims become good friends. Al and Bal were friends in childhood, but by the time Bal became a teen, that had deteriorated. I think the game has been tweaked so that autonomous romances are less frequent. In Partihaus, for example, both Eva and Marcus have the romantic trait, but no pink bars with anyone.
7. Early on we see Vlad manipulate Zoe to the highest possible degree. I know you've said you didn't really want the reader's attention diverted to being sympathetic to her...how did you try to combat this? By not paying much attention to her. Somebody (Napoleon, I think) said that history is written by the victors, and in any story there are characters that are virtually silent, villains especially, but also victims. Tip to budding novelists -- you can get a lot of mileage out of a side character in a classic, a la John Gardner's Grendel and Ephaba in Wicked.
8. The most recent chapters have led to a shocking discovery! Did that really happen in game that B was born female and you gender switched? Yes. When Balthazar was born, I'd already played 4 or 5 girl toddlers and wanted to do a boy for a change. Also, both Vlad and I really wanted someone to marry into the Goths, and Cassandra was the vampire spouse. So the only baby picture I took of Balthy was the angled one in the bassinet where you only see a little of "his" yellow onesie (it's shown again in Chapter 31).
And I want to thank @cshaner again for her questions. Are you studying journalism, by chance? Because you'd make a great interviewer.
Her question was: How much is game driven and how much is pre-planned for your story?
I'd say that it's nearly all game-driven in that I have to figure out someway to get each heir through his or her part of the challenge. Also, all the traits and lot traits are somewhat random so that's something to work with. That said, I do get ideas for the story as I play -- Balthazar's situation is one, and so is Nadia's desire to have Malcolm abducted, although I always knew that I'd have an alien abduction sooner or later.
I was initially drawn by Vlad himself, and I just loved the humor instantly. It was such a fun read, and I loved her take on this evil old vampire that came with the pack! Of course, I had already been in PNR for a while by then, but I was so happy to see her join.
2. Who is your favorite character and why?
I think it may always be Vlad! He's just such an entertaining villain--unapologetically evil. I may sympathize far more with and be more invested in Balthazar and the other heirs, but sometimes I just really enjoy a good villain. Okay, evil villain. His narration and shenanigans were absolutely hilarious. I still love seeing him babble with the toddlers.
3. We have discussed motivations a bit in general in our circle. Focus on one or two characters in The Straud Dynasty and tell us who and what you think their motivation and flaws are.
Balthazar is a really fascinating character to me, and it's no wonder MVW currently enjoys writing about this particular heir so much right now! I think Balthazar is motivated not only by love (for Alexander, and his own family), but by a sense of belonging. Balthazar expressed in the past that his face should've been switched with Nadia's to make everyone happy, and then finds out that that's really not the case at all. He wants to please his father by marrying Cassandra, despite being so deeply in love with Cassandra's brother.
His flaw might be worrying too much about his father's wishes, though Balthazar has definitely put his foot down lately. But I think Vlad's treatment of him really messed with his head (and heart) as a child.
4. Who's voice are you most familiar with? What does MVW do to make this voice distinct?
Vlad's, definitely! His boasting language, the way he addresses his adoring fans (former fans, alas)...he definitely sounded like an old vampire who's more than a little in love with himself and his own evil genius. The speaking to the fans approach was a brilliant way of letting us really get a feel for his voice and personality.
5. Who do you ship? What draws you to this pairing?
Balthazar and Alexander! I'm so interested in what decisions they'll make for the future and how everything will pan out for them. I want them both to be happy!
6. We've done W/M/K/BFFAE a few times in LL's thread, but let's do it here too!
Woohoo: Vlad. Surely he's learned a few things over the years?
Marry: Paolo. He seems to be such a good husband to Gretchen!
Kill: Malcolm. He reallly was cruel to poor Balthazar.
BFFAE: Nadia. She was so ready and willing to help Balthazar and get back at her evil husband!
7. Ask MVW a specific question about her story/process/idea pool etc.
Can you see yourself doing a similar challenge with future supernaturals, or maybe incorporating them into this one?
Can you see yourself doing a similar challenge with future supernaturals, or maybe incorporating them into this one?
Yes! I'd love to get witches before I finish this challenge, and with 10 generations, that could be a possibility. Witches would continue the rivalry begun in this story's Prologue (it's a witch's curse that causes everyone to have one disagreeable lot trait), and I could see working in a Romeo-Juliet story, or maybe a vampire's son or daughter who wants to be a witch, that sort of thing. I didn't like werewolves in TS2 or 3, but then I didn't like vampires either, so I might work in a werewolf or two. And if only the aliens will cooperate, I'd like to get an alien baby.
SimFluence - Where Sims Influence the Story
Blood that Binds: A Vampire Coven Challenge Updated 04/22/2017
Life Under Construction: A Drifter Challenge House 001 Completed 1/29/17 | Orphan Challenge: Harkins Family Completed 11/12/16
Origin ID: cshaner07
I was a fan of her 'Stardew Valley' sim-spinoff already, and I think I started reading The Straud Dynasty when MVWdeZT joined PNR...or maybe just before? Vlad was one of the most charming evil sims! I found myself instantly rooting for him (and his blog).
2. Who is your favorite character and why?
I'm going to have to pick Vlad as well I'm afraid! I just love an unabashedly evil character, especially if they can manage to be charming and a bit lovable as well...and I really liked that despite himself, Vlad was so enamored of his nooboos. He also reads as a very dry wit, and I enjoy that sort of humour a lot!
Lastly, I love a good nose! (So much so that it bears mentioning 100%)
3. We have discussed motivations a bit in general in our circle. Focus on one or two characters in The Straud Dynasty and tell us who and what you think their motivation and flaws are.
I'll go with Zoe for this one...at first the unwitting peon and incubation chamber for Vlad's glorious offspring, eventually evolving into a bit of a momma bear!
I feel like her primary motivation is love; she wasn't given any say in how her life turned out, but she clearly feels love for her children despite the circumstances surrounding their birth, and in a way, that love has been transcendent for her. It feels like her love for her family has pushed her towards growth, given her more courage, more strength than she might have been able to muster for herself alone; that love lead her down the path of defiance towards her oppressor, from taking her kids aside for secret pep talks, and culminating in an all out dressing down of The Vlad himself in recent canon.
I would select complacency as the flaw that has most plagued Zoe throughout her journey; even when she knew that certain things were unacceptable, she allowed them to go on without protest to keep the peace.
4. Who's voice are you most familiar with? What does MVW do to make this voice distinct?
Honestly Vlad's the one I'm most familiar with, but I'll mix it up a bit and go with Balthazar, as we've spent quite a bit of time in the Heir's head as well...while Balthy's voice is not as distinct (yet) as Vlad's (because youth), I feel like there's the potential for a very powerful voice; I'm seeing a lot of inner strength already, small acts of defiance, blossoming self-awareness, determination...I feel like Balthy will be a strong Heir upon taking over. But there's also compassion, tenderness, a sense of wanting to do right.
5. Who do you ship? What draws you to this pairing?
I totally ship Bal and Al...but I also ship Gretchen and Paolo, who were my first real ship of the story! I loved the way he was with her as a teen, giving her his time, not trying to take advantage...not a lot of guys would do that! And then Gretchen clearly smitten with him just a little (and who wouldn't be /swoon).
And then it all culminated when she aged up and he was clearly very smitten too, and I just love a happy ending! /wistful sigh
6. We've done W/M/K/BFFAE a few times in LL's thread, but let's do it here too! Woohoo
Woohoo: Bal & Al (m/m/f or f/f/m...I feel like this would be a memorable experience!)
Marry: Paolo (because yum, and /swoon)
Kill: Vlad (for what he did to Zoe and Balthy)
BFFAE: Nadia (she's got 🐸🐸🐸🐸; I admire the initiative she takes for her family)
7. Ask MVW a specific question about her story/process/idea pool etc.
If you were to hybridize this challenge with another, which one would you choose and in what ways would it change the story?
Why am I not surprised that your W choice was both Bal and Al, no matter what Bal decides?
If you were to hybridize this challenge with another, which one would you choose and in what ways would it change the story?
Interesting question. It's already a hybrid of the ISBI challenge and the Townie Dynasty one. But I could have mixed in elements of the Amazon challenge. Instead of making it women as the ruling race, though, it would have been vampires. Vlad would have been only too happy to have sacrificed his baby mamas after they delivered, and he would have kept the vampires (both sexes) as heirs and tribe members and made the non-vamps slaves. Something like that. I think he wouldn't have been liked at all, though. But I'll file it away in my brain for when I'm ready for another challenge.
Hmmm very interesting!!
SimFluence - Where Sims Influence the Story
Blood that Binds: A Vampire Coven Challenge Updated 04/22/2017
Life Under Construction: A Drifter Challenge House 001 Completed 1/29/17 | Orphan Challenge: Harkins Family Completed 11/12/16
Origin ID: cshaner07
Come check out my Sims 4 legacy story! We're on generation one currently.
It's Just Another Story
Everyone else, Chapter 33 -- Hoist Again is up.
My thoughts may be to even dissolve this circle all together because all of us are in the NOT thread anyway and having fun discussions there.
SimFluence - Where Sims Influence the Story
Blood that Binds: A Vampire Coven Challenge Updated 04/22/2017
Life Under Construction: A Drifter Challenge House 001 Completed 1/29/17 | Orphan Challenge: Harkins Family Completed 11/12/16
Origin ID: cshaner07
Yeah, I think that it would be wise to dissolve it entirely, considering it doesn't seem like Ichigo is coming back and we're all in the NOT circle now anyway! Guess I'm out too~ *flounces dramatically*