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The Freezer Bunny Club - A Reading Circle

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  • AdamsEve1231AdamsEve1231 Posts: 7,035 Member
    Thank you everyone for your well wishes. I'm feeling much better. I caught up on @_sims_Yimi's story. I look forward to answering questions tomorrow.
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  • AdamsEve1231AdamsEve1231 Posts: 7,035 Member
    edited June 2020
    @_sims_Yimi

    Cats or dogs?
    At first I thought you were talking about The Sims 4 Cats and Dogs expansion... which I love... it's one of my favorites. That and Get Together just for Windenburg and clubs, which are surprisingly useful. I love cats. I'm a total cat lover. I have four fur babies of my own, 2 kittens under a year, and 2 adults that are about 2 1/2 years. Go cats!

    Fun... this reminds me of an icebreaker.

    General Thoughts
    I'm writing a dissertation. No seriously, I am enjoying your story. Your characters are well-defined and I understand their basic motivations. I also love the build-up and the suspense of the mystery of the kidnapping and poisoning and the general politics behind the scenes.

    What do you think of my writing style? Are the sentences clear? Too short? Too long? Am I saying the same words repeatedly?
    I love your writing style. You are an entertaining writer, and there's so much depth to your worldbuilding and character development. I'm a huge fan of well-written dialogue and I find your writing clear and easy to understand, and your dialogue believable. I can hear Morgana's voice in my head when I read your story and I have an inkling of what Gawain and Arthur sound like also. I don't think you use too much repetition. If you did, I didn't notice.

    I sometimes switch between points-of-view as the story is going on. Is this confusing to read? Should a writer stick with one pov, or is it all right to peek into multiple people's heads in the same chapter? What do you think?
    I, for one, love it! I personally switch between POVs fairly regularly in my stories. I have a habit (others can whether it's bad or not) of caring too much for my side characters. I believe all Sims, regardless of who they are, deserve to have their story told. I spend a good bit of time developing each character's back story, personality, and voice and I can see you have too.

    A writer should do what they feel inspired to write. I know there is some advice out there about writing for your audience, but you do need to be true to your style. The right audience will love it! If you want to write different perspectives, you should go for it!

    I often switch POV when I'm stuck and experiencing writer's block. I used to just play the game when this happened and write the little side stories for myself, but then I realized it would be fun to share. In Kass's story (KCLKF), these side stories are called Interludes. They can theoretically be skipped by those readers who want to continue with the main story, but they are there if you want. In my Livin' A Simmin' Life story, they're called Side Tracks. I got the idea for those when I sent my protagonist and her spouse on a honeymoon and they took a train.

    I also like to write interludes and side tracks when I feel another character has something important to say or deserves a moment to explain their side of the story. That's why I loved your chapter from Uther's perspective. It helped me understand where he was coming from as a king and a father and even a husband. It gave depth to his personality and meaning to his actions/choices.

    My chapters tend to hover around 3,000 words, with some longer and some shorter. What do you think about the length? I sometimes have trouble hitting the right story beats with fewer words per chapter, but I realize that too long a chapter can overstay its welcome.
    I have epic long chapters too. I don't mind the length at all. I think it's perfect the way it is. The way I operate is I write until the chapter feels done. Sometimes I break chapters up into parts, but most of the time I leave my chapters long so the story flows better. I've tried the shorter chapter thing and it never seems to work for me.

    What do you think about the main characters (Arthur, Gawain, Morgana)?
    Gawain - I love Gawain. How could you not love him? He's got such a good heart and he's kind. He wants to protect his friends. He's courageous as he demonstrated going up against a full grown adult kidnapper. I'm enjoying his budding friendship with Arthur.
    Morgana - I think we've spent the most time with Morgana. I love that she's a sorceress/spellcaster. She seems to care deeply about her family, particularly her brother, as demonstrated by her willingness to risk revealing her true nature to save his life. She also seems to care deeply about her friends as she demonstrates by helping Merlin escape and defending Gawain and asking her brother to train him. I like seeing the manipulative side of her. It gives her character so much depth and makes her intriguing.

    Morgana in the Arthur legend is devious, but here you have written a complex, likable, realistic persona for her as a child, one capable of making adult decisions (even if she shouldn't have to as a child), one capable of commanding servants (and possibly armies) like she does with the spy, one capable of playing politics (like she does with Richard). She strikes me as someone who will do whatever it takes to protect those she cares for and loves, and her heart is in the right place, even if her methods are not. I like that her father takes her seriously and actually indulges her desire for a spy instead of treating her like someone who will marry the right person one day and look pretty.

    Arthur - At first, he strikes me as a spoiled prince, but the more you write him, the more I like him. I think he is childish in a lot of ways, but I feel like that's acceptable since he is a child. At the same time, he's the crown prince so he does need to act responsibly. I was so worried for him with the poison and I'm glad Morgana saved his life. I also like how he chose to help Gawain after the other boy saved Morgana. I think this speaks to his character - that he can be kind and good to others around him. Same with his desire to get/make Morgana a gift.

    I imagine the pressure of being the crown prince is difficult. Even if he isn't as shrewd as Morgana, I do think he's capable of playing politics as well, as demonstrated with how he speaks about the classes and the way things are in the kingdom. I look forward to seeing how his character develops.

    What do you think about the side characters (Uther, Richard, Gaius)?
    Uther - Like I mentioned above, I loved his chapter. I felt like it gave depth to his character and explained his motivations. He definitely strikes me as a shrewd king, albeit paranoid. He also seems cruel at times like when he killed the sorceress.

    He seemed to enjoy Morgana taking command of the spy, but I'm glad he indulged her instead of treating her as a frilly female. I like that he takes his daughter seriously. He seems like a good father, kind and indulging to his children. It was sweet when he sat on Arthur's bed and told the story of how he met his wife. He obviously loved Igraine very much and that love spills out for his children. He also wishes his children to be wise and to be on their guard when in the presence of other royalty. He doesn't shelter his children from politics, but actively encourages it. I have mixed feelings about that.

    Richard - I think I made a comment about this over on the blog. He's either going to be an incredible foil to Morgana, possibly very dangerous, or he will be a strong ally. I have no clue how I feel yet about his "seeing through" Morgana. What else does he know?

    Gaius - We haven't seen much of him, but I like his character. I'm grateful he decided to protect Morgana. She is the crown princess, but I think it's more than that. He obviously has a soft spot or a kindness toward sorcery, and views it as useful when his practical medicine fails. I look forward to learning more about him and I hope his choice to protect Morgana doesn't backfire on him.

    What is your favourite moment in the story, and what is your least favourite? Why?
    Oh I have many favorite moments. I enjoyed Morgana's banter with her father when playing the card game. I thought it was funny she beat him with the royal flush. I enjoyed Arthur attempting to "make" things for Morgana simply because Gawain unwittingly "dared" him to do so. It made for an amusing story, but also it shows Arthur does care and has a good heart and he tries. I enjoyed the tension/excitement of the kidnapping scene. The screenshots were beautiful and vivid, depicting the action. It also cemented my love for Gawain. The poor kid just wants to protect people. It's endearing.

    Least favorite? Uther's cruelty in the opening scene when he kills the witch. Let me clarify. The scene catapults us into the action and is the catalyst for the story. It was well written. But it made my heart sad that he ignorantly cast aside magic/sorcery.

    Pretty much any scene with Agravain. He is aggravating. Even his scene where he gives "good" advice to Arthur about not lying about oneself bothered me. More so about his character than the way you wrote him. I think he has too much power. I think he might be negatively influencing Uther and propelling the "hatred" against sorcerers. I think he isn't to be trusted. I also wondered if his whole speech about not lying about oneself as that is the worst thing one can do isn't tragic foreshadowing. Again, it's not my least favorite because it wasn't well written. More like I don't trust the man.

    Where do you think the story is headed? Where would you like to see it go?
    So many things to resolve! I would love to see Arthur and Gawain's friendship blossom even more. I'd like to see Morgana learn more about the incredible powers she possesses.

    I'm super curious and have all sorts of theories about the kidnapping and the poisoning. I could be completely off base, but I have a feeling they might have been instigated by two different people with two different motives. Kidnapping is very direct and obvious, whereas poison is deadly and effective, but more subtle and shadowy (and in essence, cowardly).

    I have two theories about the kidnapping. One I mention in my answers below. The other? Merlin sent the kidnapper to save her! Haha... I could be totally and completely wrong, but she is a sorceress and the king (her father) has been putting them to death. On the other hand, the kidnapper was intent on killing Gawain, which does not soften me toward him, unless it was implied that he protect Morgana at all costs, even if it means eliminating witnesses. I don't know. The more I type, the more I realize that this is crazy conspiracy la-la land. :lol:

    Poison, on the other hand, is an assault against the king, a desire to eliminate him. A rival? A political threat? Someone who was angry about his order to kill the witch? Or someone who wants to hurt him in retaliation for something done to them?

    What do you think about the pictures taken? I have a habit of showing close-ups to showcase their emotions. Are they too close, or do you like them this way?
    I love your close-ups. I do think it's nice to see their emotions and it helps enhance the narrative. Honestly, I read the story/words first and then I go back and look at the pictures more closely.

    What do you think about the size? They're now 1200 x 675, and 1100 x 612 in the next chapter. Are they too big?
    I tend not to pay attention to the size. I do a lot of reading on my smartphone unless a picture is super detailed. Then I want to see it on my computer. I don't think I can give you good feedback on this. I know people say photos should be a certain size, optimized for your reader, but I honestly care little for specs and I don't want to take the time to fix them. That's probably a flaw on my part. :grimace:

    In TS3, we could tilt the camera to give dynamic angles to our pictures. I cannot for the life of me figure out how to do that in TS4. Did they remove the option?
    No clue! I am curious about this. I'll have to read others' responses next.

    For purposes completely unrelated to the story *cough* I need magic. All the magic. Do you have any good CC for visual effects? Alternatively, is it worth buying the Realm of Magic game pack?
    I love Realm of Magic. My next generation in my legacy story will take place in the Realm of Magic. There's also a lot of amazing CC out there. I've only recently downloaded a bunch of outfits, accessories, and enhancements for ROM. Depends on what you want. Having ROM would certainly help sell the credibility of Morgana as a sorcerer/spellcaster. It would allow her to learn different things in game. Plus the ROM realm is beautiful. It would be neat to see her travel there as a teenager or adult. I can look at what I have and get back to you.

    The white pose statue and I are at war after I spawned him at the bottom of a pond by accident and forgot about him for a week. He has sworn watery revenge. I need allies. Are you with me, or against me?
    Why was the statue at the bottom of a pond by accident? Haha. That's pretty sad. Poor statue. I love the watery revenge idea. It could be a whole story all in itself. Or at least a short. How the game rebels against the gamers! :lol: But I'm with you!

    I like having my cast comment on things out-of-story. If you want, you can ask questions of them, and I'll write the answer from their POV (they may not be completely truthful, though :wink:
    Oh I love this idea! How fun! Okay, I've got some questions...

    Morgana, what is your favorite and least favorite thing about being a princess? When did you first learn about your spellcasting abilities and how do you feel about them? Feel free not to answer the last one if it isn't safe. How do you feel about the future of your kingdom? How did you and Merlin become friends? You and Gawain? Do you have personal goals, separate from your role as a princess? Okay now a silly question... I'll ask you, Morgana... Cats or dogs?

    Arthur - What is your favorite and least favorite part about being a prince? How do you feel about being a crown prince and the responsibility that comes with it? Where do you see yourself in the future when you become king? If you could change one thing about the kingdom, what would it be and why? Do you remember your mother? If I'm remembering correctly, she died after giving birth to Morgana... but I could be confusing the legend and your story. What's your favorite sweet?

    Gawain... you're so precious! How did you and Morgana become friends? What is behind your desire to protect people? Is something motivating you? How do you feel about the future of the kingdom? I now realize that last question is kinda heavy and I've asked that of all the children.

    Uther - what is your favorite and least favorite part of being king? How about being a father? How do you see the future of your kingdom? Any politicking you care to share with the class - like some more context that Morgana and Arthur may not know or understand?

    Agravain, why are you so aggravating? Jk... jk... okay, sort of serious. How did you come to be in your role? How do you like your role? Is there anything you dislike about your role?

    Gaius - how did you know Millicent? Again if it isn't safe, feel free to decline to answer. Did you always know you wanted to be a physician? How did you end up in your role?

    Richard - how do you like being a prince? Is he a crown prince like Arthur? What is your favorite pastime... beside spying on Morgana? Lol.

    I have some questions for you...
    1. What made you decide to write about the Arthur legend in TS4? What inspired you? What about this story is different from the original legend? I can tell you what I see, but I'm curious about the author's perspective.
    2. How do you develop your characters and your world? Do you keep notes? Do you outline? Do you do character sketches? How do you plan your worldbuilding or does it just happen in story?
    3. How much of the game influences your writing? Are there things that happen in game that you decide to include in story? Or is the game just a tool to tell the story for you? Do you use custom traits for your Sims? I think I noticed it and wondered in the character bios.
    4. What about Igraine? Will we learn what happened to her?
    5. In the original Arthur legend, Igraine is the mother of Arthur by Uther, but the mother of Morgana by Gorlois. Does this mean that Morgana isn't Uther's biological daughter in your story? Or that Gorlois hired the kidnapper to bring Morgana, his daughter, back? Does this explain what happened in the month of May ten years ago when Morgana was a child? I realize you might not want to answer these questions yet or you'll eventually reveal more in story and that's fine. I can wait, I think... haha! :grimace:
    6. Will we learn why Uther despises sorcery and magic? Was his wife killed by magic? Or was he betrayed by her magic? If my theory holds that she is a sorceress too...
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  • DuvelinaDuvelina Posts: 2,619 Member
    @AdamsEve1231 I love that you came up with your own questions to ask @_sims_Yimi!

    I want to do the same thing.

    Who is your favourite character to write about and why?
    Whose story arc are you the most excited for (without spoiling)?
    How far ahead are you with taking pictures and writing?
    Will we see the characters in adulthood soon or are you planning on continuing with them as children for a while?
    Are there any comments from the readers here you're surprised about or simply didn't expect?
    Do you plan on writing more stories after this one is finished? Do you think they'll be medieval as well?

    I think that's it for now.
  • AdamsEve1231AdamsEve1231 Posts: 7,035 Member
    edited June 2020
    Skeilah wrote: »
    - For purposes completely unrelated to the story *cough* I need magic. All the magic. Do you have any good CC for visual effects? Alternatively, is it worth buying the Realm of Magic game pack?
    I have the Realm of Magic game pack and I'm using it for my SimLit 'Wizardry Academy' but I'm not really far enough in the story to let you know how the magic is shown :D. Now I'm wondering... How on earth did you do Morgana's magic?

    @Skeilah @_sims_Yimi I wondered that too! It was amazing!!!


    @everyone I've actually never (*gasp*) used the white pose statue in TS4. I just let the moves happen organically, I guess. I used pose player and all sorts of poses with TS3 all the time, but I haven't attempted in TS4 yet. I'm a little nervous. I don't know why. Any tips?
    Both, though I lean towards cats. My family used to have 5 dogs and 1 cat. All of them are strays we rescued from the streets. I used to be closer with my kitty until I developed cat allergies. After that it was hard for me to give her cuddles and kisses and she couldn’t understand why I can’t have her nap on my lap anymore. :sweat_smile:

    @mercuryfoam Aww... yay for adopting strays! All my kitties have been strays and I think it's wonderful to give abandoned cats some love. (Abandoned dogs would get my love too... I'm not heartless). I actually have cat allergies too and I have four cats. :sweat_smile: Go figure! It's not too bad and I can use a nasal spray to help. I vacuum and clean a lot and the husband does their litter to help with that part.
    Depends on how you want your magic to look like. I wanted the magic in my story to be relatable to readers, hence I have ROM (it’s 50% off now) And I use ‘Studio Effects player’ mod to extract in-game special effects and pose them wherever I want. That’s how I used to construct all my magical scenes in my story. I only added small special effects like cracks in the shieds, but the shields themselves, the crimson beams, god rays, and devilish lightning balls are all in-game effects.

    Edited to add that Natalie Auditore has an amazing amount of magic/fantasy CC. There's god rays, ring of fire, weather effects, shattered glass, just so much fantasy cc. Haven't used any but downloaded heaps and they are amazing! It's not very maxis match but give it a go.

    Thanks for sharing, @mercuryfoam.
    I've been looking for something like Studio Effects for my LASL Gen 2 in Realm of Magic. This is perfect! Also I have some of Natalie's stuff in my game too.
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  • AdamsEve1231AdamsEve1231 Posts: 7,035 Member
    edited June 2020
    Duvelina wrote: »
    Misc.

    I also have a discussion question for the group. How would you write a nuanced morally grey villain, a villain with a soft side? You don't want people to dislike them outright. You want to create some likability so it's hard to hold on to a grudge even though you really want to. He/she does some evil stuff one moment, but shows a vulnerability you can't ignore the next. How do you write someone like this in a subtle way so it doesn't seem wildly out of character?

    Great question! I have several villains in my stories. I actually attended a writer's conference back in February this year and took a class on villainy! I'll share some of my notes...

    Villains must...
    • be an opposing force
    • have their own code
    • be more powerful than the protagonist
    • be unsympathetic
    • have bad motivations
    • make it personal

    Not my list... from my notes by an author named Jason Henry Evans. He also shared a quote from C.S. Lewis
    People do evil as a shortcut to a good end.
    Jason shared how pain drives all villainy.

    Now my thoughts... villains need to be an opposing force... otherwise, there isn't much of a story. A villain and an antagonist are not the same thing. An antagonist acts as a foil. But a villain is an opposing force who acts as a catalyst for change (whether good or bad). The hero must overcome a true obstacle when facing the villain.

    Villains need to be more powerful than the protagonist, otherwise, it's too easy for the protagonist.

    Unsympathetic and bad motivations are pretty straightforward and self-explanatory.

    Making it personal is important too. In terms of writing a good story, it's the villain's job to make us dislike, even hate them, and there's no better way than to not play fair, cross the boundaries, and make it personal.

    I'll spend some time talking about the "villain code." Because you have a one-dimensional villain if the villain doesn't believe they are doing the right thing. Something, somewhere motivates them to act the way that they do and make the choices they do. It may not be for the right reasons. It could be for terrible reasons. Unjustifiable reasons. But they believe they are doing the right thing for them. And they have their own standards.

    A code gives a villain depth and meaning and purpose. It helps them distinguish themselves from the "real" bad guys... or the person/people they think are "really bad." It's wrong, but it's how they view the world. The code is what gives the villain three dimensions.

    This is why I always try and figure out what is motivating my villain. What their backstory is (and it's almost always tragic). Somewhere in their history someone wronged/hurt them (the pain motivator) and it influences how they view themselves and the world around them. It helps them justify their actions and choices.

    Now a sympathetic villain, morally grey villain, or a villain with a soft side is when a character gets really interesting to me. Mostly because we, as the readers, can find ourselves relating to them. Had our lives turned out differently, had situations been more difficult, we, ourselves, may find ourselves sliding down a similar path. I think that's why the character that starts out a hero and slips into villainy over time is the most intriguing character in my opinion and it's fascinating to watch the descent. You almost don't blame the character for doing what they're doing. At the end of the day, is their villainous behavior justified? No. Absolutely not. But it's the morally dubious choice isn't so far-fetched.

    That's why pain is always at the root.

    Is your villain angry about something that was done to them? Anger manifests because it was painful. It was wrong. It deeply hurt the villain. And they choose to act out of that pain.

    Is your villain heartless? Someone was probably heartless to them, or a situation was so painful, they chose to close themselves off and become cold to protect themselves from further pain.

    Do they want others to suffer? Probably because they, themselves, suffered at one point or another.

    Pain is a great motivator.

    Your hero feels pain and you, the reader, want justice. You want them to not feel pain again. You want them to triumph over the pain.

    But pain for a villain? It can increase sympathy, and deepen understanding. A villain who overcomes/triumphs over pain and makes the "right" decision at the end of the day might become a tragic hero. But more often than not, the villain...
    a) comes face to face with their pain again, essentially being "broken" by the hero and may even feel remorse, but they still believe they made the right choice,
    or b) chooses to bury the pain even more so, inspiring more hateful and disturbing acts as a twisted way of coping and feeling better about themselves.

    A morally grey villain might experience A, making them more sympathetic, or they may manifest as B. The difference between a truly dark villain and a morally grey one is we, the readers, would need to see the villain continue to be victimized in some way so that we continue to feel sympathetic and understanding, even if we can't justify their actions.

    In reality, a truly dark villain is rare where evil is their only motivator and we, the readers, don't get to see it any other way. Like Sauron in Lord of the Rings. It's almost too far-fetched and unbelievable - the embodiment of evil is pretty distant from the way us humans function.

    Say a villain continues to kill magical beings on the orders of the state. A morally grey villain might wrestle with their orders and feel sympathetic toward their victims, but ultimately carry out their duty because they are afraid of the state - perhaps they are afraid of the pain they might experience if they defy the state (i.e. perhaps having to leave a spouse and family behind and flee, or perhaps they will be tortured and killed, or their family will be tortured and killed with them).

    You might call the morally grey villain a pawn in some respects, a tool used by an even greater or even institutional villain. But something about them makes them really detestable and unsympathetic at the end of the day, and that's the point they always take too far. Perhaps they decide to prove themselves to the institution (the state), they will go above and beyond their duties and begin hunting down and killing even more people, or stoop to killing the families of their intended victims (the nasty things that we always cringe at as readers and feel that horrible pit in our stomachs).

    I have so many more notes from this conference and class I attended. I'm happy to share more, but this has already grown quite long.
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  • DuvelinaDuvelina Posts: 2,619 Member
    @AdamsEve1231 This is awesome and so so helpful. I'd love to read more! Sounds like an amazing class, honestly.
  • ajamkeevinajamkeevin Posts: 278 Member
    @AdamsEve1231 that was a fantastic! I really feel like I've learned from your notes. Thank you for sharing! Makes me want to take a writing course again, argh!
  • ajamkeevinajamkeevin Posts: 278 Member
    edited June 2020
    @_sims_Yimi I will definitely post a picture of my Pickle Princess one of these days! Gotta get her to pose for the camera :wink:
    Yes, definitely! Please keep writing these asides for side characters, they really add a lot to the story. About Morgana's traits and flaws, well, I feel like I've always felt that she has a very strong spirit, but it's true that in this latest chapter I think I can more accurately and confidently point out some of her flaws. Namely, her almost childlike (well, she is a child after all...) curiosity and her desire to learn more about things, even if it puts her at risk. I also think that it was very interesting how her strong willed personality is echoing her own father's, and I could see this becoming a flaw if she takes her satisfaction at having power (her enjoying being called "Mistress", her necessity to turn the tables on Richard, etc.) to a more intense level.

    Arthur: I've been trying to resist you! Stop being charming, you snooty git :angry:

    And yessss, I love this little anecdote! It's very cinematic, I love when things in the game line up like that and you end up with powerful screenshots like that. That's awesome! (And creepy, that Sim played his role perfectly :neutral: )
    About the disclaimers and avoiding direct graphic scenes: truthfully, I tend to read a lot of very dark and occasionally very graphic literature (I don't think that would be obvious from my own Story, heh!), so I tend to be OK with stories that have these elements. However, I also really appreciate your disclaimers because, even if I'm used to dark themes, sometimes it's better to be prepared for these things. (And this is just speaking for myself!) So, thank you for this.

    And some thoughts on Morgana's iconic answers to my questions~
    Yessss Morgana, rock those PJs! I like how she seems more childlike here, it's refreshing to see~~ And The Watcher is so pretty!♥
    I enjoy reading Morgana's responses to my questions. I think it's great to get some insight from her that goes beyond what the story presents, and it's super interesting to see what she says about her motivations for her spying on Richard and the May Day investigation. I believe her... for now... I'm super intrigued to see if Merlin is indeed with the Druids! That was a great answer. And finally, I'm intrigued by her answers to the Magic question. Having some insight into her conflicting inner thoughts about it makes me even more excited to see how she's going to deal with her eventual developing powers.

    And. SCREECH. Poor Sarah :cry: I cackled at the dry "Why?" haha, it was amazing. Still, Stan Sarah!

    Thank you, Morgana, for gifting this commoner with some thoughtful answers :blush:
  • AdamsEve1231AdamsEve1231 Posts: 7,035 Member
    @_sims_Yimi Loved the asides with Morgana and Arthur.
    Arthur is a cutie. He really is going to be a handsome young man. And Morgana appeared so much more childlike in her pajamas. It was cute. I loved her answers. No, Sarah! She deserves time off! I absolutely agree.

    Eek! I just realized you kinda answered some of the story about Ygraine in the chapter about Uther. I was really tired last night when I was reading and somehow missed some connection. Also opps... I mispelled her name up above in one of my posts. And I realized you answered some of my questions too in your shorts here in the forums. Drr... okay, makes note to read more thoroughly first.
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  • DuvelinaDuvelina Posts: 2,619 Member
    @AdamsEve1231 I don't know how posing in TS3 worked, but it's very easily accessable in TS4. You put the teleporter statue down from Build/Buy wherever you want you sim to pose. You can put it in tables/chairs/beds without needing to type in moveobjects. Then you click on the statue and it will say 'teleport' and 'summon'. You can summon someone or teleport them into that exact spot. So the sim you're looking for doesn't have to be on the lot already. You can put multiple statues in each other for group poses. You summon/teleport everyone in separately. You do have to put all the teleporters down in one spot at the same time. If you add one in later, then all the sims you've already posed jump up. That gets frustrating if you do it wrong one too many times. After they're in the spot you want them to be in, you can click on your sim (with the pose player installed) and you can click 'pose by pack'. You will see all of the pose packs you have and can comfortably navigate through them to find whatever you need.

    Pose packs will often state how you need to place the teleporter statue so do pay attention to the posts you download from. For the chairs at a table poses, you might need to put the teleporter statues in the table in a specific direction to get whatever angle you want but the post would probably state that.
  • SkeilahSkeilah Posts: 1,762 Member
    I’ve been frustrated with that posing way too much now.... It SHOULD be easy but if you do one thing wrong you can start all over again :”)
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  • mercuryfoammercuryfoam Posts: 1,156 Member
    edited June 2020
    @AdamsEve1231 Oh wow thank you for sharing your notes on villanry. <3 It's so helpful. Your sharing may be long, but when it ended I really wished there was more. :smiley:

    Also @AdamsEve1231,
    Aww... yay for adopting strays! All my kitties have been strays and I think it's wonderful to give abandoned cats some love. (Abandoned dogs would get my love too... I'm not heartless). I actually have cat allergies too and I have four cats. :sweat_smile: Go figure! It's not too bad and I can use a nasal spray to help. I vacuum and clean a lot and the husband does their litter to help with that part.

    I don't use a nasal spray but I take pills for my allergies. I've visited a friend with 4 cats and experienced severe asphyxiation. Since then, I've been wary so even with medication, my psychological barrier is up :sweat_smile: I'm glad my sharing of magic helped in some way. :blush:

  • DuvelinaDuvelina Posts: 2,619 Member
    @Skeilah Absolutely. I don't have very much trouble most of the time, but when I tried to put two people on two chairs placed diagonally at a table, I almost lost my marbles.
  • mercuryfoammercuryfoam Posts: 1,156 Member
    edited June 2020
    @AdamsEve1231 @Skeilah

    One thing frustrating about posing in Ts4 is how you can't just enter buy mode, pick up your sim and place them wherever you want. You'll have to pose them as Duvelina elaborated, and if you put them slightly off the mark and their hands clip the backrest of the chair/bed/etc, you'll have to redo the entire scene.

    But, there is a way to do just that. (Picking up your sim and place them wherever you want WITHOUT starting all over.)

    I say take the plunge and try it out as how Duvelina suggested because her explanation is awesome and covers everything. And then once you get the hang of it, and if you're like me who gets meticulous about clipping and want your sims to be at the perfect position and angle down to decimal points (35.67degrees is possible), the T.O.O.L mod lets you do that. It's also the mod that lets you pick up your posed sim and put them wherever, even suspended in the air.

    So for example,
    You can see in the below images that I've posed my sims at the top of the lighthouse in Brindleton Bay. Teleportation statue is limited in that you can only place the statue in a lot. So posing them at the lighthouse, having them lookout towards the horizon while leaning perfectly against the handrails is impossible. By using T.O.O.L, I set their coordinates and elevation to be the same height as the lighthouse, then rotate my sims to have them face the direction I want. It's a game changer for storytellers. Download link is in the explanation of video :smile:

    1211-1.png?w=1024

    1212.png?w=1024
  • _sims_Yimi_sims_Yimi Posts: 1,747 Member
    @AdamsEve1231 Thank you for the feedback! I'm glad to hear you're feeling better :smiley:
    Fun... this reminds me of an icebreaker.
    That’s because it was. ^^
    Pretty much any scene with Agravain. He is aggravating.
    Agravaine aggravates oh gods XDDDDDDDD And your hunch about his speech against lying about yourself being tragic foreshadowing is very sharp. Well noticed! =D
    Merlin sent the kidnapper to save her!
    Now that would be a twist! I like the way you think. =D And no worries, crazy conspiracy la-la land is where the best ideas come from, in my experience!
    Why was the statue at the bottom of a pond by accident? Haha. That's pretty sad. Poor statue. I love the watery revenge idea. It could be a whole story all in itself. Or at least a short. How the game rebels against the gamers! :lol: But I'm with you!
    MUHAHAHAHAHA. Yimi: 5, Statue: 0! My victory will be sweet, it will be sweet indeed. *evil cackling*
    Oh I love this idea! How fun! Okay, I've got some questions...
    Oh dear, that’s a lot of questions XD it will take some time to answer all of them, haha. I hope I can do it before the week ends!

    Questions for me:
    1. What made you decide to write about the Arthur legend in TS4? What inspired you? What about this story is different from the original legend? I can tell you what I see, but I'm curious about the author's perspective.
    I’m fascinated by magic fantasy, as well as all things fey, and the legend of Arthur and Morgana has always intrigued me. There’s many versions of it stretched out over history (and the culture of that time) that portray them as anything from wicked to virtuous to fairy-like and even gods, in some versions. I wanted to show them as human, and relatable.
    2. How do you develop your characters and your world? Do you keep notes? Do you outline? Do you do character sketches? How do you plan your worldbuilding or does it just happen in story?
    I have a document full of notes and a rough outline of where I want the story to go. Some chapters just happen as I write, though. Gawain was never supposed to become so prominent, and the chapters of Arthur trying commoner things basically came out of nowhere. Those are my favourite, though.
    3. How much of the game influences your writing? Are there things that happen in game that you decide to include in story? Or is the game just a tool to tell the story for you? Do you use custom traits for your Sims? I think I noticed it and wondered in the character bios.
    So far, the game is a tool to provide extra visuals. I actually end up butting heads with the sims a lot, especially when the characters randomly decide to sit down in another room in the middle of a conversation! I do have custom traits, but the ones that I’ve found are not good enough for me (most of them give bonuses to skills etc. instead of showing differences in behaviour), so I made up my own.
    4. What about Igraine? Will we learn what happened to her?
    I’m planning on it! Not in the near future, though. But there’s definitely more there than you would think at first glance. I’m glad you’re so interested in her, though!
    5. In the original Arthur legend, Igraine is the mother of Arthur by Uther, but the mother of Morgana by Gorlois. Does this mean that Morgana isn't Uther's biological daughter in your story? Or that Gorlois hired the kidnapper to bring Morgana, his daughter, back? Does this explain what happened in the month of May ten years ago when Morgana was a child? I realize you might not want to answer these questions yet or you'll eventually reveal more in story and that's fine. I can wait, I think... haha! :grimace:
    You are correct – in the legend, she’s Arthur’s half-sister. In this version they are full siblings. =)
    6. Will we learn why Uther despises sorcery and magic? Was his wife killed by magic? Or was he betrayed by her magic? If my theory holds that she is a sorceress too...
    Eventually, yes! There will be hints sprinkled throughout the chapters here and there, though. I wonder how fast you’ll put the puzzle pieces together! One thing I do have to point out, that I haven’t been able to put into the story – the hatred for magic didn’t start with Uther, but was already there. But the man definitely dialed it up to a hundred.


    @Duvelina Oh dear, some of these really made me think!
    Who is your favourite character to write about and why?
    My favourite so far is a tie between Gawain and Morgana… but my favourite to write? Arthur. I love his smug, better-than-thou behaviour, and taking pictures of him is hilarious – the kid is always always ALWAYS making some kind of weird face.
    Whose story arc are you the most excited for (without spoiling)?
    All three of the main cast, I think. They are very strongly connected to each other, and everything that’s about to happen will affect all three of them.
    How far ahead are you with taking pictures and writing?
    Not far at all. I have an idea in my head, but it always needs to simmer for a while before I’m happy with what it turns into. Then I take pictures, and the writing comes last. I think I have Morgana’s next chapter figured out, and am about halfway through the pictures now. As they take the longest time to set up, I want to make sure I don’t have to redo them if I change my mind at the last second.
    Will we see the characters in adulthood soon or are you planning on continuing with them as children for a while?
    My original idea was for 10 childhood chapters, after which there’s a timeskip and they become teenagers. So… soon. Very soon.
    Are there any comments from the readers here you're surprised about or simply didn't expect?
    Well, the questions for me surprised me, haha. I’m also genuinely surprised that people seem to enjoy it so much. I’m not that confident about my own work, so it’s been a bit of a ride xD
    Do you plan on writing more stories after this one is finished? Do you think they'll be medieval as well?
    I don’t know yet. My goal, for now, is to actually make it to the end without crashing the game and/or losing/corrupting my data. That’s what killed my previous story.
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    Hosting D&D sessions on the side. Interested in playing through some fantasy-themed shenanigans? Send me a message 😘
  • DuvelinaDuvelina Posts: 2,619 Member
    @_sims_Yimi I'm so sorry about your data being corrupted! I've had it happen to me many times in the past with TS2 and TS3. It always managed to kill my love for the game a little and it takes me the longest time to get back into it. None of those were stories though, so I can imagine how much more frustrating it must be when you're writing and people are following along with your story.
  • _sims_Yimi_sims_Yimi Posts: 1,747 Member

    @Duvelina I don't remember much of TS2, but TS3 was a real nightmare with that 0.o So many bugs. And the amount of work it took to get everything back to what it was just killed all of my motivation, just like you said yeah :sweat_smile: Rest in peace, stories killed by game bugs. Rest in peace.

    @AdamsEve1231 I'm running out of time, so forgive me for recycling some pictures (and completely forgetting about Gawain. I'M SO SORRY MY LITTLE CINNAMON ROLL)

    Morgana
    Morgana, what is your favorite and least favorite thing about being a princess?
    06-26-20-4-01-33-PM.jpg
    “Hmm… I like telling people what to do. I really like playing social games with Father and the other nobles… as long as I win. I think we both hate losing. Arthur does, too, but not as much, I think.”
    06-26-20-4-01-55-PM.jpg
    “I hate how I can’t go wherever I want without people noticing. Father won’t let me go down to the village anymore, and he has guards following me all through the castle. But people notice even without the guards. There’s always someone watching. It gets very tiring sometimes.”

    When did you first learn about your spellcasting abilities and how do you feel about them?
    06-26-20-4-01-55-PM.jpg
    ”My father took Arthur and me on a hunting trip. They were hunting a deer. I think they shot it, but it got away. I remember staying behind because I was too small – father wanted me to come, but he wouldn’t let me hunt yet.
    I think I wandered off to a pond… and the deer was there. I remember it bleeding really badly. It’s… a bit fuzzy in my head, but I remember feeling really sad for it, and wanting to give it a hug. The wound closed when I touched it. I thought that it did that on its own, but… Millicent told me it was magic. She was there, that day. They always take a doctor or healer with them on hunting trips, in case someone gets hurt. Gaius was always busy, so he’d tell Millicent to go. She was watching me when I found the deer. “

    06-28-20-6-13-42-PM.jpg
    ”She called me a fairy child.”


    How do you feel about the future of your kingdom?
    06-28-20-6-08-27-PM.jpg
    "Um… I haven’t really thought about it. It would be nice if people didn’t have to hide their magic anymore, but that probably isn’t going to happen. Father hates it, and grandfather hated it, too. I don’t think Arthur will be much different… but we can hope, right?"

    How did you and Merlin become friends?
    06-26-20-4-01-33-PM.jpg
    “He was there that day in the forest, when I healed the deer. Millicent always brought him with her when she went somewhere. I don’t know what happened to his parents, but he lived with her and Gaius. He said he could do magic, too. He made a flower bloom. It was so pretty.
    Millicent wouldn’t teach me magic, but she did teach Merlin. And he taught it to me. Father used to need salves for his battle wounds, and Merlin would bring them over to the castle. We’d sneak out together on those days.”

    06-28-20-6-09-01-PM.jpg
    “I hope he’s okay.”


    Do you have personal goals, separate from your role as a princess?
    06-26-20-4-01-55-PM.jpg
    I… I know I’m supposed to grow up and marry and give my husband a son. But I don’t really care about that. I know it’s silly… but I want to look after Arthur. He’s a ponce, and he plays games, too, but he’s not as good at it as me. He’s going to be king when he grows up. Father has uncle Agravaine to help him… and I want to be like that for Arthur. Not with the preaching, and the angry sermons. But I want to watch his back. My brother is a total mymmerkin… but I know he’d do the same for me.


    Okay now a silly question... I'll ask you, Morgana... Cats or dogs?
    06-26-20-4-03-36-PM.jpg
    "..."
    "Morgana?"
    "...cats."

    Arthur
    What's your favorite sweet?
    06-25-20-7-01-28-PM.jpg
    “I really like cinnamon rolls.”

    Arthur - What is your favorite and least favorite part about being a prince?
    06-25-20-7-02-07-PM.jpg
    “I love being able to boss people around. I can carry a sword, and the captain of the guard is training me every week. They know I’m going to be great when I grow up.”
    06-25-20-7-01-07-PM.jpg
    “I don’t like how father forces me to study so many boring things. I already know about history and religion, okay? What does it matter who the duke’s third wife was over a decade ago? If I can’t remember, I should have servants to tell me who they are.”
    06-25-20-7-01-28-PM.jpg
    “Hmm… maybe I can rope Morgana into remembering it for me…”

    How do you feel about being a crown prince and the responsibility that comes with it?
    06-25-20-6-52-18-PM.jpg

    “Okay… look. I know I can come across as a ponce, as Morgana puts it. And I hate being told to do things. But I know why father is so strict with me. Being king is really difficult, and if you don’t do it well, you’ll get killed. It’s the first thing I remember father telling me. So… I know it’s hard, okay?”

    06-25-20-7-01-07-PM.jpg
    “I just want to enjoy being a prince while I still can.”

    Where do you see yourself in the future when you become king? If you could change one thing about the kingdom, what would it be and why?
    06-25-20-7-01-28-PM.jpg
    “I don’t know. If I become king, that means that father will be dead. I don’t want to think about that yet. But I think he’s a very fair king. He only goes after bad people. I want to be a fair king, too.”

    Do you remember your mother? If I'm remembering correctly, she died after giving birth to Morgana...
    06-28-20-6-33-31-PM.jpg
    “…Arthur?”
    “I’m done answering questions.”

    Uther
    “Right, next batch of questions. Uther-“
    06-28-20-6-23-10-PM.jpg
    “You will address me with ‘My Liege’ or ’Your Majesty‘.”
    “… You do realize that I’m your creator, right?”
    “Did I stutter?”


    "Fine. Your majesty - what is your favorite and least favorite part of being king?
    06-28-20-6-24-04-PM.jpg
    “My favourite aspect of being ruler is being able to control the future of a nation. Britain is a magnificent country with a bright future, and I intend to do everything I can to rid her of magic and help her realize that future.”
    “My least favourite would be the limitations placed upon us by the Watcher. King or not, my body is mortal, as are those of my loved ones. I am the most powerful man in our kingdom. Yet for all my power, I still wasn’t able to keep Ygraine with me.”


    How about being a father?

    06-28-20-6-24-41-PM.jpg
    “I greatly enjoy watching my son and daughter mature. They become more resourceful every day. I worry for Arthur, as he is fated to become king when I pass, but I also believe in him. I need to be strict with him for his sake, but I really am proud of the boy. In a way, I envy him. In time, Arthur will become my equal, and then he will surpass me.”
    “As for Morgana… they say a man must love his sons more, for they will continue his legacy. But I sometimes envy Arthur, where for Morgana, I feel only love. She reminds me so much of her mother.”


    How do you see the future of your kingdom? Any politicking you care to share with the class - like some more context that Morgana and Arthur may not know or understand?
    06-28-20-6-23-10-PM.jpg
    “No. If Arthur and Morgana do not understand the fine workings of our politics, then I highly doubt that any of you would.”
    “You do realize that you are speaking to the literal gods of creation here? Are you sure you want to belittle them? Beings who build and destroy universes as they see fit, toying with sim-lives and plunging generations into chaos for their own amusement?”

    06-28-20-6-23-26-PM.jpg
    “Did I stutter?”

    Agravaine
    Agravain, why are you so aggravating? Jk... jk... okay, sort of serious.
    06-28-20-6-26-28-PM.jpg
    *Icy silence*

    How did you come to be in your role? How do you like your role? Is there anything you dislike about your role?
    06-28-20-6-26-16-PM.jpg
    “My past is my own. I can tell you how I became who I am in Camelot, though. I grew up with the Watcher, performing my priestly duties in Cornwall. When king Uther visited, he and I bonded. We had written contact for a long time, and when he came back the following year, I made sure that Ygraine and I left with him. My current status is a reward for my loyalty.”

    Gaius
    Gaius - how did you know Millicent? Again if it isn't safe, feel free to decline to answer.
    06-28-20-6-29-42-PM.jpg
    “No, no, that’s all right. Millicent is… was… my wife. We opened our clinic together, although she kept her magic hidden from all but me. I actually spent years examining her healing abilities, to see if we could replicate them through alchemy somehow. Natural healers are rare, even among druids. If we could replicate their magic, we could find cures for many ailments that medicine cannot overcome, even when no healers are nearby.
    I… never did figure that out. And it’s too late, now.”

    Richard
    Richard - how do you like being a prince? Is he a crown prince like Arthur? What is your favorite pastime... beside spying on Morgana? Lol.
    06-28-20-6-36-38-PM.jpg
    “Hey, has anyone seen Richard? I can’t find him. He’s up for questioning.”
    “I think he went off to sim school, Watcher.”
    “Oh, for Llama’s sake.”


    Okay, I think I've got most of it :sweat_smile: Thank you so much for all the feedback this week, guys. I learned a lot, and I think I'll be able to make ToC a better story now!

    Now to see whose turn it is next week... I'm very excited to find out!
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  • DuvelinaDuvelina Posts: 2,619 Member
    @_sims_Yimi TS2 was probably the worst in terms of corruption out of all of them. Every little thing could corrupt the game. It's ridiculous. You have to be extremely careful not to.

    I think Morgana's reaction to the cats or dogs question was pretty interesting. I wonder why she fell quiet. Also, poor Arthur on the last question! I imagine that must have been a hard one for him. Uther made up for that sad moment though. That first pose cracked me up. 'Did I stutter?' Iconic.

  • ajamkeevinajamkeevin Posts: 278 Member
    edited June 2020
    @_sims_Yimi another round of amazing answers! When I say I was cackling at some of the answers... one of the things I really adore about having your characters answer our questions like that is that it really helps to bond with them beyond the story! I mean, we all know I'm not a huge fan of Uther's but I loved his answer section. He made me laugh harder than I ever expected him to! I hope that you won't mind if I borrow this idea when my round comes around because I love, love, love how this helps with the character building, and it also seems like such a fun way of writing using the characters beyond the constraints of the story :love:
  • ajamkeevinajamkeevin Posts: 278 Member
    Also! This has been a fantastic week once again, thank you so much @_sims_Yimi for the awesome questions and the excellent responses. Also, I enjoyed reading through everyone's thoughts, so thank you so much for being so great, I'm super pleased to be a part of this reading circle with y'all.♥

    I've pulled out a name from the magical imaginary (internet-based :P ) hat once again, and I'm thrilled to announce that this week we'll be discussing Too Good at Goodbyes by @Duvelina ! Duvelina, feel free to post some discussion questions whenever you're ready. I'm really looking forward to reading your story and I'm excited about the discussion, y'all~

  • DuvelinaDuvelina Posts: 2,619 Member
    edited June 2020
    Woooo! Exciting. I loved reading @_sims_Yimi's story and I'll gladly keep doing so. I'm happy it's my turn. Not just because I'm so hyped for you all to read and answer my discussion questions, but also so I can slowly keep catching up on @AdamsEve1231's story. 😇

    I do have one question though. Who has started the story and who hasn't? How far are you? Is it realistic to read everything up until what's published now? My chapters are always under 1.000 words, oftentimes much less. There are currently 30 chapters. If you'd assume they were 1000 words each, that'd mean you'd have to read 4 chapters a day to catch up. Otherwise I'll look through my chapters and see where I'm going to put down the line.
  • AdamsEve1231AdamsEve1231 Posts: 7,035 Member
    @_sims_Yimi Oh you didn't need to rush to finish in time for the week. It would've been fine, in my opinion, to take a little longer. Correct me if I'm wrong anyone. If you want to take some time and answer for Gawain, I'd love to read it.
    I love Morgana. Can I just reiterate that? She's such a cutie. I love her facial expression when she says... cats! Haha. I wonder if she'd ever stoop to using a disguise when she goes out.

    Arthur likes cinnamon rolls... and you call Gawain cinnamon roll. :hushed: Is there a connection? Lol... jk... jk... no pressure Arthur.
    What does it matter who the duke’s third wife was over a decade ago?
    I agree... Arthur... for once, I'd ask the servants.

    Poor Arthur... sorry, didn't mean to traumatize you, little prince.

    Uther... okay, my leige! I LOL'd for reals at that.

    Agravain, just how I expected you to answer. So I kinda insulted him with the question... haha! My own fault, I guess.

    Gaius.... nooooo! :bawling: I'm so sorry for your loss. That's so tragic!

    Haha about Richard!

    @Skeilah read your latest chapter!
    I can understand the frustration when trying to stagger every other generation male and female. Haha. Welcome to little Ella though! Oh and the high chair never works for me either.

    @ajamkeevin Glad you announced who's next. I'm on a roll with reading and writing this weekend. :) I was looking to start @Duvelina's story next.

    P.S. Thanks for all your replies about villains. I will be happy to share more of my notes. I need to remember to try some of the things I wrote myself. I'm about to write a scene with the big bad in KCLKF. :# And I was struggling to figure out motivation, but last night when I was writing, I figured something out in the middle of writing very go-with-the-flow. I won't say anything else since you're not caught up! :smiley:
    With these forums closing down, stay connected.

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  • ajamkeevinajamkeevin Posts: 278 Member
    @Duvelina I have plenty of time to read all your story this week since the chapters are only around 1000 words, so I’m OK with going through the whole thing! (I probably will do it regardless :p ), but I’m also cool with the discussion focusing on only a portion of the chapters if the others don’t have quite enough time to read all the way through!
  • mercuryfoammercuryfoam Posts: 1,156 Member
    @Duvelina I'm in a pretty good spot to catch up. I can't wait to answer your questions. :blush:
  • _sims_Yimi_sims_Yimi Posts: 1,747 Member
    @Duvelina I'm all caught up, so no problems here! :smiley:
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