Bella is also Spanish for beautiful. But Bella was definitely not meant to be black. She seemed to be meant to be more mediterranean, you can also see this from looking at her TS2 and TS3 family tree. There is a grandmother with a Spanish name in there, Enriqueta. Her mother's name Jocasta is Greek.
I thought beautiful in Spanish was hermosa or bello?
Bello is the male equivalent. Bella is used to refer to a woman.
Google says you're right. Never knew that before, obviously. I took French in school. My son took Spanish. Lol.
I don't know if it means anything because there are lots of people walking around with the name Isabella and Bella who are neither Spanish or Italian but here's her bio from Bustin' Out:
Her name in Italian means "beautiful" and it fits her better than her red leather corset. Descended from a long line of occultists, mystics and decadents, she has thrown convention to the wind. Her disdain for the pedestrian and normal is only matched by her sense of ennui and isolation. She distracts herself from this world with a little organ practice and exotic gardenings of the lethal variety.
On Spark'd, I gather they have to make Sims and houses? Is there a running storyline with the ones that continue, or do they have to do new ones each episode?
I thought beautiful in Spanish was hermosa or bello?
Bello is the male equivalent. Bella is used to refer to a woman.
indeed, bello is masculine and bella is femenine, they can also be used to compliment things like a house, a car, a place, something abstracte, etc. it's like saying beautiful
hermoso & hermosa are synonyms, there's lindo/a, bonito/a, etc.
I thought beautiful in Spanish was hermosa or bello?
Bello is the male equivalent. Bella is used to refer to a woman.
Google says you're right. Never knew that before, obviously. I took French in school. My son took Spanish. Lol.
I don't know if it means anything because there are lots of people walking around with the name Isabella and Bella who are neither Spanish or Italian but here's her bio from Bustin' Out:
Her name in Italian means "beautiful" and it fits her better than her red leather corset. Descended from a long line of occultists, mystics and decadents, she has thrown convention to the wind. Her disdain for the pedestrian and normal is only matched by her sense of ennui and isolation. She distracts herself from this world with a little organ practice and exotic gardenings of the lethal variety.
I don't think they'd mention it if it didn't mean anything! I'd always imagine Bella and Nina and Dina Caliente to be from either Italy or Spain. I wouldn't describe them as black either.
I thought beautiful in Spanish was hermosa or bello?
Bello is the male equivalent. Bella is used to refer to a woman.
Google says you're right. Never knew that before, obviously. I took French in school. My son took Spanish. Lol.
I don't know if it means anything because there are lots of people walking around with the name Isabella and Bella who are neither Spanish or Italian but here's her bio from Bustin' Out:
Her name in Italian means "beautiful" and it fits her better than her red leather corset. Descended from a long line of occultists, mystics and decadents, she has thrown convention to the wind. Her disdain for the pedestrian and normal is only matched by her sense of ennui and isolation. She distracts herself from this world with a little organ practice and exotic gardenings of the lethal variety.
I don't think they'd mention it if it didn't mean anything! I'd always imagine Bella and Nina and Dina Caliente to be from either Italy or Spain. I wouldn't describe them as black either.
in google, it says the calientes have arab, hispanic and alien ancestry lol
I thought beautiful in Spanish was hermosa or bello?
Bello is the male equivalent. Bella is used to refer to a woman.
Google says you're right. Never knew that before, obviously. I took French in school. My son took Spanish. Lol.
I don't know if it means anything because there are lots of people walking around with the name Isabella and Bella who are neither Spanish or Italian but here's her bio from Bustin' Out:
Her name in Italian means "beautiful" and it fits her better than her red leather corset. Descended from a long line of occultists, mystics and decadents, she has thrown convention to the wind. Her disdain for the pedestrian and normal is only matched by her sense of ennui and isolation. She distracts herself from this world with a little organ practice and exotic gardenings of the lethal variety.
I don't think they'd mention it if it didn't mean anything! I'd always imagine Bella and Nina and Dina Caliente to be from either Italy or Spain. I wouldn't describe them as black either.
in google, it says the calientes have arab, hispanic and alien ancestry lol
Caliente is also Italian/Spanish. Arab comes from the maternal grandparents side with the Al Mahmoud last name and one of their grandparents is an alien. All from TS2 family tree.
We totally did. I tried re-directing it back with questions or comments about Spark'd on some of my posts... but I gotta say discussing beloved Sims is so much more interesting to me. Lol.
On topic, is there a running storyline that each of the competitors starts at the beginning that runs through the show, or do they have to do a new thing each time?
I thought beautiful in Spanish was hermosa or bello?
Bello is the male equivalent. Bella is used to refer to a woman.
Google says you're right. Never knew that before, obviously. I took French in school. My son took Spanish. Lol.
I don't know if it means anything because there are lots of people walking around with the name Isabella and Bella who are neither Spanish or Italian but here's her bio from Bustin' Out:
Her name in Italian means "beautiful" and it fits her better than her red leather corset. Descended from a long line of occultists, mystics and decadents, she has thrown convention to the wind. Her disdain for the pedestrian and normal is only matched by her sense of ennui and isolation. She distracts herself from this world with a little organ practice and exotic gardenings of the lethal variety.
I don't think they'd mention it if it didn't mean anything! I'd always imagine Bella and Nina and Dina Caliente to be from either Italy or Spain. I wouldn't describe them as black either.
in google, it says the calientes have arab, hispanic and alien ancestry lol
Caliente is also Italian/Spanish. Arab comes from the maternal grandparents side with the Al Mahmoud last name and one of their grandparents is an alien. All from TS2 family tree.
We totally did. I tried re-directing it back with questions or comments about Spark'd on my posts... but I gotta say discussing beloved Sims is so much more interesting to me. Lol.
On topic, is there a running storyline that each of the competitors starts at the beginning that runs through the show, or do they have to do a new thing each time?
lmaoo i forgot this thread was about sparkd, sorry for derailing it
I thought beautiful in Spanish was hermosa or bello?
Bello is the male equivalent. Bella is used to refer to a woman.
Google says you're right. Never knew that before, obviously. I took French in school. My son took Spanish. Lol.
I don't know if it means anything because there are lots of people walking around with the name Isabella and Bella who are neither Spanish or Italian but here's her bio from Bustin' Out:
Her name in Italian means "beautiful" and it fits her better than her red leather corset. Descended from a long line of occultists, mystics and decadents, she has thrown convention to the wind. Her disdain for the pedestrian and normal is only matched by her sense of ennui and isolation. She distracts herself from this world with a little organ practice and exotic gardenings of the lethal variety.
I don't think they'd mention it if it didn't mean anything! I'd always imagine Bella and Nina and Dina Caliente to be from either Italy or Spain. I wouldn't describe them as black either.
in google, it says the calientes have arab, hispanic and alien ancestry lol
Caliente is also Italian/Spanish. Arab comes from the maternal grandparents side with the Al Mahmoud last name and one of their grandparents is an alien. All from TS2 family tree.
But we're getting off-topic here. 😅
but caliente is not an italian word though
True, but one of their grandparents is called Flamenco which is a Spanish style of dancing, so some Spanish there.
@lisamwitt From what I understood, it's something new each time. Which is better with the judges' being so critical of previous storylines.
I thought beautiful in Spanish was hermosa or bello?
Bello is the male equivalent. Bella is used to refer to a woman.
Google says you're right. Never knew that before, obviously. I took French in school. My son took Spanish. Lol.
I don't know if it means anything because there are lots of people walking around with the name Isabella and Bella who are neither Spanish or Italian but here's her bio from Bustin' Out:
Her name in Italian means "beautiful" and it fits her better than her red leather corset. Descended from a long line of occultists, mystics and decadents, she has thrown convention to the wind. Her disdain for the pedestrian and normal is only matched by her sense of ennui and isolation. She distracts herself from this world with a little organ practice and exotic gardenings of the lethal variety.
I don't think they'd mention it if it didn't mean anything! I'd always imagine Bella and Nina and Dina Caliente to be from either Italy or Spain. I wouldn't describe them as black either.
in google, it says the calientes have arab, hispanic and alien ancestry lol
Caliente is also Italian/Spanish. Arab comes from the maternal grandparents side with the Al Mahmoud last name and one of their grandparents is an alien. All from TS2 family tree.
But we're getting off-topic here. 😅
but caliente is not an italian word though
True, but one of their grandparents is called Flamenco which is a Spanish style of dancing, so some Spanish there.
@lisamwitt From what I understood, it's something new each time. Which is better with the judges' being so critical of previous storylines.
also, flamenco is the spanish word of flamingo!
back on topic: my thoughts on this reality, well i've said it before but, i think it's pure circus. i haven't seen it but many people just commented on their disappointment about the show. honestly i wasn't expecting nothing about it but what i've read has left me even more disappointed.
it amazes me how ea has the resources to make amazing games, the resources to make a decent tv show (if it was necessary for them) yet all they deliver is mediocre.
this is my opinion yes, but i see a lot more people that is unhappy and sad about this show and the way this game is turning out to be.
poor sims
I liked a lot of these episode 1 team results and was critical in order to compare the teams against each other. Super talented simmers all around. Love 'em all.
@SimGuruNinja So you agree? You think The Sims is a game about comparing Simmers to each other to find out who plays the game better or worse?
Hmm, Maybe you need a Will Wright in your team.
I think there are lots of ways to play and enjoy The Sims.
The more the merrier.
That is one of the main reasons I love this game so much; simmers' play styles range far and wide.
Hi, just a thought. Maybe stop with this whole game changers, and Spark’d reality nonsense that only sparks controversy and highlights your racism and just focus on making a great life simulation game?
Current game is full of bugs, expansions that don’t even interact properly with one another, gameplay that is more shallow than a kiddie pool and has the worst iteration of babies since TS1. Also slow dancing is still not officially in the game. A modder beat you to it.
Like many other simmers, I do feel Spark’d vs The Sims seems like a case of conflicting messages.
But not because Spark’d is a competitive show. It’s because it’s a reality show. A reality show that is supposed to be fun, but takes itself too serious. It’s supposed to showcase talent, but instead, it showcases drama which ultimately has nothing to do with the game, or the contestants.
In other threads I’ve already babbled enough about my problem with reality shows, their purpose and the way they’re edited. No more of that here. However, I’d like to add something to this:
I personally don’t think there’s anything wrong with a bit of lighthearted and healthy competition. I never participate in sims challenges, but I can understand why others do and would even love a bit of a contest.
I’m not sure if a 100 baby challenge has ever been set up as a competition in which the result had to be gained within a certain amount of time. The winner would get the honor of winning the challenge. No money involved, or at the most a give away code for a DLC.
Interestingly, I watched a Guru Garage once:
An in game obstacle course was set up.
The participants had to follow a given amount of rules.
Goal: the longest surviving Simself would be the winner of the team.
It’s ridiculous, but it could be fun. Typical, Silly Sims comedy.
I can imagine a combination of gameplay that is managed by the ai simulation mechanics of the game ( big challenge there!) plus building and CAS to make for an interesting, but lighthearted and comical show. But it would not be a TV reality show where a panel of judges is present.
It would be a game show called ‘Sul Sul’ where the only judge is time and the game itself.
I posted this one of the other threads, but it might fit this conversation better, so I'm adding it here.
I have a few thoughts I'd like to add to the conversation here.
I think it's important to remember that we're talking about a competitive TV show. All contestants and judges most likely had to agree to certain disclaimers and freedoms of editing. Because that's the key to shows like this...editing. It's quite possible that Ninja also had a lot more nice things to say as well but they were edited out because they weren't "dramatic". Clever editing can completely change the perspective of reality. In TV land, any time a human shows emotion, it will be amplified in close-ups and focused on to sensationalize a moment. Sometimes the show producers will encourage soft scripting if the cast's behaviors seem too unnatural or, in show biz perspective, "boring".
Shows like this in the US live for creating drama where it doesn't exist. It's kind of unfortunate because standard viewers often thrive on seeing people struggle and/or be nasty to each other and it boosts ratings. So again, I have a feeling what we saw was more about what the channel wanted us to see, rather than how the contest actually ran. No doubt there was some honesty in there, but many chosen moments were most likely exacerbated and/or exaggerated to make it "worth" viewing.
That said, I did feel sympathy towards the contestants. It gave me a feeling that some hadn't really anticipated what they had signed up for and couldn't back out, while others made it much larger than it was and it caused high levels of stress for them. All of them have a current following and live in the spotlight, but they are all used to being able to control that environment and this was probably very different from any previous EA visits that they've experienced. Being on national (and international) TV with no control of your situation can be not only highly stressful, but also embarrassing, depending on the turnout of the competition. I hope they all come out of it okay. I really do. American television can be cruel and EA can't protect them from the public evaluation and condemnation that we see on a regular basis in this day and age.
And on that note, there's something else I feel like I need to say. This is about EA/Maxis and the general marketing image of The Sims.
Up until now, there has a been a focus on inclusivity, embracing all players, building a better world, and creating your perfect "safe" environment in The Sims 4. They have pushed and pushed this Utopian paradise, always promoting to do better, be kinder, show empathy, and be free to tell your stories of personal struggle and how it ends in happiness. There has been a strong message portrayed of sensitivity to the players as people, who struggle with various issues and who use the game to overcome those issues. A portrayal that the game is a tool to better yourself at your own pace, where culture and diversity blossom, and where everyone is equal and unprosecuted.
And this is why I think players have a problem with the sudden switch to competition and pitting Simmers against each other. Watching that show and seeing some of these familiar faces welling up with tears and struggling with anxiety and hearing harsh criticism suddenly makes the Sims 4 message seem superficial and false. It can make players feel betrayed that their inclusive paradise is suddenly up for criticism, can be picked apart, and pitted against others. Competition and inclusivity don't really go hand in hand. It muddles the message and cheapens the nature of the game, reducing it to just another contentious push and pull for who is better than whom, like we see in most other games; the very thing that Simmers try to avoid while playing the Sims.
I think that people were really expecting the competition to have a more friendly and positive tilt, in staying true to the marketed perception of The Sims 4. They aren't going to see through the show's fabricated drama to take it lightly. Sims players are well known to be very passionate. It might be helpful to keep this in mind and maybe add a "behind the scenes" on EA's site at the end of each season to give some real insight and see some "nicer" moments.
So much this. You have worded it so well. You either have competition or inclusivity, can't have both. Like a developer friend of mine would say to someone who was competitive, "Do you want to be right or do you want to be loved? Because you can't have both." If Maxis is going the competitive route both with their future games and the show, then I rather have it admitted so those of us who "aren't worth the investment" of making games for can move onto something else if we haven't already. If I wanted to play a competitive game, I would play Fornite which many that were in the Sims community did exactly that. I actually talked about it with other Simmers how we use Sims for that. I know James got called someone who doesn't like women too like Doc did but by his community until he got together with Deli, so the responses about Doc made me think of that too. Realized Doc only has 4 kids, not 6, but they are all so adorable especially his little girls.
I do prefer shows from other countries. Like Japanese Iron Chef was so much better.
“Although the world is full of suffering, it is full also of the overcoming of it.” –Helen Keller
I posted this one of the other threads, but it might fit this conversation better, so I'm adding it here.
I have a few thoughts I'd like to add to the conversation here.
I think it's important to remember that we're talking about a competitive TV show. All contestants and judges most likely had to agree to certain disclaimers and freedoms of editing. Because that's the key to shows like this...editing. It's quite possible that Ninja also had a lot more nice things to say as well but they were edited out because they weren't "dramatic". Clever editing can completely change the perspective of reality. In TV land, any time a human shows emotion, it will be amplified in close-ups and focused on to sensationalize a moment. Sometimes the show producers will encourage soft scripting if the cast's behaviors seem too unnatural or, in show biz perspective, "boring".
Shows like this in the US live for creating drama where it doesn't exist. It's kind of unfortunate because standard viewers often thrive on seeing people struggle and/or be nasty to each other and it boosts ratings. So again, I have a feeling what we saw was more about what the channel wanted us to see, rather than how the contest actually ran. No doubt there was some honesty in there, but many chosen moments were most likely exacerbated and/or exaggerated to make it "worth" viewing.
That said, I did feel sympathy towards the contestants. It gave me a feeling that some hadn't really anticipated what they had signed up for and couldn't back out, while others made it much larger than it was and it caused high levels of stress for them. All of them have a current following and live in the spotlight, but they are all used to being able to control that environment and this was probably very different from any previous EA visits that they've experienced. Being on national (and international) TV with no control of your situation can be not only highly stressful, but also embarrassing, depending on the turnout of the competition. I hope they all come out of it okay. I really do. American television can be cruel and EA can't protect them from the public evaluation and condemnation that we see on a regular basis in this day and age.
And on that note, there's something else I feel like I need to say. This is about EA/Maxis and the general marketing image of The Sims.
Up until now, there has a been a focus on inclusivity, embracing all players, building a better world, and creating your perfect "safe" environment in The Sims 4. They have pushed and pushed this Utopian paradise, always promoting to do better, be kinder, show empathy, and be free to tell your stories of personal struggle and how it ends in happiness. There has been a strong message portrayed of sensitivity to the players as people, who struggle with various issues and who use the game to overcome those issues. A portrayal that the game is a tool to better yourself at your own pace, where culture and diversity blossom, and where everyone is equal and unprosecuted.
And this is why I think players have a problem with the sudden switch to competition and pitting Simmers against each other. Watching that show and seeing some of these familiar faces welling up with tears and struggling with anxiety and hearing harsh criticism suddenly makes the Sims 4 message seem superficial and false. It can make players feel betrayed that their inclusive paradise is suddenly up for criticism, can be picked apart, and pitted against others. Competition and inclusivity don't really go hand in hand. It muddles the message and cheapens the nature of the game, reducing it to just another contentious push and pull for who is better than whom, like we see in most other games; the very thing that Simmers try to avoid while playing the Sims.
I think that people were really expecting the competition to have a more friendly and positive tilt, in staying true to the marketed perception of The Sims 4. They aren't going to see through the show's fabricated drama to take it lightly. Sims players are well known to be very passionate. It might be helpful to keep this in mind and maybe add a "behind the scenes" on EA's site at the end of each season to give some real insight and see some "nicer" moments.
So much this. You have worded it so well. You either have competition or inclusivity, can't have both. Like a developer friend of mine would say to someone who was competitive, "Do you want to be right or do you want to be loved? Because you can't have both." If Maxis is going the competitive route both with their future games and the show, then I rather have it admitted so those of us who "aren't worth the investment" of making games for can move onto something else if we haven't already. If I wanted to play a competitive game, I would play Fornite which many that were in the Sims community did exactly that. I actually talked about it with other Simmers how we use Sims for that. I know James got called someone who doesn't like women too like Doc did but by his community until he got together with Deli, so the responses about Doc made me think of that too. Realized Doc only has 4 kids, not 6, but they are all so adorable especially his little girls.
I do prefer shows from other countries. Like Japanese Iron Chef was so much better.
I have to disagree you can have competition and inclusivity and sometime you can be right and also have love
if you can't then I think you need to find new friends who can accept they aren't always right and won't always win
they can just try harder next time and if your friend wins you should be happy for them
@Scobre I 100% agree with you, and I think people have really said what I wanted to say. I have a few final thoughts.
A contest is not the same as a competition. People submitting movies and builds and characters and having one selected - no one has a problem with this. This is not really competition or, at least, it's not reality TV competition. We're artists, artsy. When you watch someone like Simlicy carefully craft a Grandmother's apartment or FreezerBunny design a gothic orphanage or any of the other great builders, you get this awe of that reality that you are dealing with real artists here. They're set designers, placing each wall and door just so, adding a cereal box in just the right corner of the kitchen counter to make it feel like a child was just there, just ate. Imagine if the Sims had hired an interior designer to judge on the show, who looked at the builds and assessed them saying "I think the flow of this space feels too restrictive" or "I wonder if this palette really suits who you're saying lives here." Imagine a fashion stylist examining the CAS creations and saying "I like the use of stripes on the shirt, but the flair on the pants feels contradictory to the character's personality" or "Was this really the best hairstyle for the shape of the character's face?" Imagine an author saying "The story has potential, but it's missing meat. Your character's motivations feel too flat. How can you better show the conflict of your character's desires?"
There's nothing wrong with time-limits, either, but there have to be realistic ones. You just can't expect good results - or even engaging results - with five hours to make a build, design a character, AND tell a story.
Also, how and why are they going to pit storytellers against builders? What is this show trying to prove? Who's the top simmer? What would that even mean?
This just isn't a Reality TV crowd. We may be dramatic, but we don't like drama in the community. We're sensitive and artsy - we want to express ourselves and create beautiful fashion and architecture. For heaven's sake, we chose knitting over a haunted pack. We chose knitting, a sedentary, calm, relaxing hobby over a Grim Reaper Career/Paranormal Investigator/Etc.
ALSO... if the Sims REALLY wants competition.. Much Better reality TV show idea: hire an architect! Give popular Sims builders a limited time to create plans based on real building codes in actual states and have them compete to see whose plan the architect buys and possibly even builds! Bam!
Why I do agree .I will say to remember that this is not just a competition show, but it's a challenging show. Meaning this show was always going to have hard challenges.The game changers are adults .There not kids that need their hands held.Why I do think they should had more time in the elimination round.Especially with that twist.They we're stillon a game
it saddens me that such things are going on behind the scenes, brings a sour taste in my mouth and makes me see the people in charge and over the game chargers in a different light, and not a good light.
Same. I am happy that some that were given event privileges left the program because they didn't think it was fair to the rest of the game changers. I have discussed the short time limit thing for content with someone that used to work for Maxis and they thought it was unfair towards Twitch Simmers too and seems to exclude anyone who isn't a Youtuber. I just worry about those still in the program because one did have their discords hit with racists comments and violent images which thankfully their mods took care of. There is just something not right with how the program is being handled allowing things like that to happen within a discord that is supposed to be professional and business owned, yet modded by Simmers that allow racism to continue. Sims was always meant to be inclusive and a way to escape, but when their own marketing is an exception in what it means to be apart of a community and be inclusive, it really reflects badly on the show and their products.
" every single time myself and a few other Simblr Game Changers brought up concerns in the Discord about certain things (eg. racism within the program, favouritism, “high value” Game Changers bullying smaller ones, Game Changers acting inappropriately or taking advantage of their titles/power, the insane amount of stress put on us to produce content within such a tight timeframe for early access) we were either told “this isn’t the place to discuss this”, told to “calm down” when we were speaking politely, told to shut up and warned that if we kept going we’d be punished, or just flat out ignored and spoken over."
"There were even several occasions where a certain group of GCs (some of whom were mods in the Discord) would provoke one particular Simblr because they knew she would only put up with so much before she would get angry and they hoped she would eventually say something to get herself kicked out. But every single time this happened, the Simblr was the one who was warned that if she kept being “aggressive” she’d be removed from the program. It’s gotten so bad that there are people who are actually scared to speak at all in the Discord because they’re afraid they’ll be removed from the program for having a difference of opinion or not agreeing with the “High Value” people. Honestly, if people knew even half of what was said within that Discord, if they knew how some of their faves behaved behind “closed doors”, they’d be even more disappoint than I am."
Not all the GCs are, but makes me hesitate of who to trust in the community. DeeSims who appeared on the show did say this when the skin tone update came:
I am still waiting for those to be updated in the game. But yes if that is being done in the discord, what hope do we have for the game to be inclusive if marketing can't be?
In sorry but I really hate how Dee Dee worded that .Demanding then hiring someone.Make them very sound entitled .
I posted this one of the other threads, but it might fit this conversation better, so I'm adding it here.
I have a few thoughts I'd like to add to the conversation here.
I think it's important to remember that we're talking about a competitive TV show. All contestants and judges most likely had to agree to certain disclaimers and freedoms of editing. Because that's the key to shows like this...editing. It's quite possible that Ninja also had a lot more nice things to say as well but they were edited out because they weren't "dramatic". Clever editing can completely change the perspective of reality. In TV land, any time a human shows emotion, it will be amplified in close-ups and focused on to sensationalize a moment. Sometimes the show producers will encourage soft scripting if the cast's behaviors seem too unnatural or, in show biz perspective, "boring".
Shows like this in the US live for creating drama where it doesn't exist. It's kind of unfortunate because standard viewers often thrive on seeing people struggle and/or be nasty to each other and it boosts ratings. So again, I have a feeling what we saw was more about what the channel wanted us to see, rather than how the contest actually ran. No doubt there was some honesty in there, but many chosen moments were most likely exacerbated and/or exaggerated to make it "worth" viewing.
That said, I did feel sympathy towards the contestants. It gave me a feeling that some hadn't really anticipated what they had signed up for and couldn't back out, while others made it much larger than it was and it caused high levels of stress for them. All of them have a current following and live in the spotlight, but they are all used to being able to control that environment and this was probably very different from any previous EA visits that they've experienced. Being on national (and international) TV with no control of your situation can be not only highly stressful, but also embarrassing, depending on the turnout of the competition. I hope they all come out of it okay. I really do. American television can be cruel and EA can't protect them from the public evaluation and condemnation that we see on a regular basis in this day and age.
And on that note, there's something else I feel like I need to say. This is about EA/Maxis and the general marketing image of The Sims.
Up until now, there has a been a focus on inclusivity, embracing all players, building a better world, and creating your perfect "safe" environment in The Sims 4. They have pushed and pushed this Utopian paradise, always promoting to do better, be kinder, show empathy, and be free to tell your stories of personal struggle and how it ends in happiness. There has been a strong message portrayed of sensitivity to the players as people, who struggle with various issues and who use the game to overcome those issues. A portrayal that the game is a tool to better yourself at your own pace, where culture and diversity blossom, and where everyone is equal and unprosecuted.
And this is why I think players have a problem with the sudden switch to competition and pitting Simmers against each other. Watching that show and seeing some of these familiar faces welling up with tears and struggling with anxiety and hearing harsh criticism suddenly makes the Sims 4 message seem superficial and false. It can make players feel betrayed that their inclusive paradise is suddenly up for criticism, can be picked apart, and pitted against others. Competition and inclusivity don't really go hand in hand. It muddles the message and cheapens the nature of the game, reducing it to just another contentious push and pull for who is better than whom, like we see in most other games; the very thing that Simmers try to avoid while playing the Sims.
I think that people were really expecting the competition to have a more friendly and positive tilt, in staying true to the marketed perception of The Sims 4. They aren't going to see through the show's fabricated drama to take it lightly. Sims players are well known to be very passionate. It might be helpful to keep this in mind and maybe add a "behind the scenes" on EA's site at the end of each season to give some real insight and see some "nicer" moments.
So much this. You have worded it so well. You either have competition or inclusivity, can't have both. Like a developer friend of mine would say to someone who was competitive, "Do you want to be right or do you want to be loved? Because you can't have both." If Maxis is going the competitive route both with their future games and the show, then I rather have it admitted so those of us who "aren't worth the investment" of making games for can move onto something else if we haven't already. If I wanted to play a competitive game, I would play Fornite which many that were in the Sims community did exactly that. I actually talked about it with other Simmers how we use Sims for that. I know James got called someone who doesn't like women too like Doc did but by his community until he got together with Deli, so the responses about Doc made me think of that too. Realized Doc only has 4 kids, not 6, but they are all so adorable especially his little girls.
I do prefer shows from other countries. Like Japanese Iron Chef was so much better.
I have to disagree you can have competition and inclusivity and sometime you can be right and also have love
if you can't then I think you need to find new friends who can accept they aren't always right and won't always win
they can just try harder next time and if your friend wins you should be happy for them
That was the point he was making no one will always win or be right and in sports it is called a fair weather fan. True about shows but it is rare. One of the few that have friendly competition and allow for creativity is a show called Making It which is a show formula that would have worked better for Spark'd. There is nothing friendly about that formula for a show. I rather watch a telenovela for spicy drama, not just another boring 80s teen drama script. Maybe Sims is really stuck in a past older than Maxis' lifetime. I am curious what Will Wright thinks of the show being that he has been in some good competition shows himself. I think part of it has to do that is a competition about intangible Barbie dolls makes it come off as childish as the game itself. At least baking and crafting tangible products makes sense. I told some friends about it not in the Sims community and they thought I was pranking them. I was like nope it is real. They kept laughing. So interesting finding out an outside perspective too in other communities.
“Although the world is full of suffering, it is full also of the overcoming of it.” –Helen Keller
100,000 is nothing compared to money spent on tickets to the show. If I understand what this is correctly. I imagine they’re getting capital for development.
This game needs more Sailor Moon!
Hold SHIFT while using the FRIEZE tool to apply it to a single wall, and not an entire room!
I posted this one of the other threads, but it might fit this conversation better, so I'm adding it here.
I have a few thoughts I'd like to add to the conversation here.
I think it's important to remember that we're talking about a competitive TV show. All contestants and judges most likely had to agree to certain disclaimers and freedoms of editing. Because that's the key to shows like this...editing. It's quite possible that Ninja also had a lot more nice things to say as well but they were edited out because they weren't "dramatic". Clever editing can completely change the perspective of reality. In TV land, any time a human shows emotion, it will be amplified in close-ups and focused on to sensationalize a moment. Sometimes the show producers will encourage soft scripting if the cast's behaviors seem too unnatural or, in show biz perspective, "boring".
Shows like this in the US live for creating drama where it doesn't exist. It's kind of unfortunate because standard viewers often thrive on seeing people struggle and/or be nasty to each other and it boosts ratings. So again, I have a feeling what we saw was more about what the channel wanted us to see, rather than how the contest actually ran. No doubt there was some honesty in there, but many chosen moments were most likely exacerbated and/or exaggerated to make it "worth" viewing.
That said, I did feel sympathy towards the contestants. It gave me a feeling that some hadn't really anticipated what they had signed up for and couldn't back out, while others made it much larger than it was and it caused high levels of stress for them. All of them have a current following and live in the spotlight, but they are all used to being able to control that environment and this was probably very different from any previous EA visits that they've experienced. Being on national (and international) TV with no control of your situation can be not only highly stressful, but also embarrassing, depending on the turnout of the competition. I hope they all come out of it okay. I really do. American television can be cruel and EA can't protect them from the public evaluation and condemnation that we see on a regular basis in this day and age.
And on that note, there's something else I feel like I need to say. This is about EA/Maxis and the general marketing image of The Sims.
Up until now, there has a been a focus on inclusivity, embracing all players, building a better world, and creating your perfect "safe" environment in The Sims 4. They have pushed and pushed this Utopian paradise, always promoting to do better, be kinder, show empathy, and be free to tell your stories of personal struggle and how it ends in happiness. There has been a strong message portrayed of sensitivity to the players as people, who struggle with various issues and who use the game to overcome those issues. A portrayal that the game is a tool to better yourself at your own pace, where culture and diversity blossom, and where everyone is equal and unprosecuted.
And this is why I think players have a problem with the sudden switch to competition and pitting Simmers against each other. Watching that show and seeing some of these familiar faces welling up with tears and struggling with anxiety and hearing harsh criticism suddenly makes the Sims 4 message seem superficial and false. It can make players feel betrayed that their inclusive paradise is suddenly up for criticism, can be picked apart, and pitted against others. Competition and inclusivity don't really go hand in hand. It muddles the message and cheapens the nature of the game, reducing it to just another contentious push and pull for who is better than whom, like we see in most other games; the very thing that Simmers try to avoid while playing the Sims.
I think that people were really expecting the competition to have a more friendly and positive tilt, in staying true to the marketed perception of The Sims 4. They aren't going to see through the show's fabricated drama to take it lightly. Sims players are well known to be very passionate. It might be helpful to keep this in mind and maybe add a "behind the scenes" on EA's site at the end of each season to give some real insight and see some "nicer" moments.
So much this. You have worded it so well. You either have competition or inclusivity, can't have both. Like a developer friend of mine would say to someone who was competitive, "Do you want to be right or do you want to be loved? Because you can't have both." If Maxis is going the competitive route both with their future games and the show, then I rather have it admitted so those of us who "aren't worth the investment" of making games for can move onto something else if we haven't already. If I wanted to play a competitive game, I would play Fornite which many that were in the Sims community did exactly that. I actually talked about it with other Simmers how we use Sims for that. I know James got called someone who doesn't like women too like Doc did but by his community until he got together with Deli, so the responses about Doc made me think of that too. Realized Doc only has 4 kids, not 6, but they are all so adorable especially his little girls.
I do prefer shows from other countries. Like Japanese Iron Chef was so much better.
I have to disagree you can have competition and inclusivity and sometime you can be right and also have love
if you can't then I think you need to find new friends who can accept they aren't always right and won't always win
they can just try harder next time and if your friend wins you should be happy for them
That was the point he was making no one will always win or be right and in sports it is called a fair weather fan. True about shows but it is rare. One of the few that have friendly competition and allow for creativity is a show called Making It which is a show formula that would have worked better for Spark'd. There is nothing friendly about that formula for a show. I rather watch a telenovela for spicy drama, not just another boring 80s teen drama script. Maybe Sims is really stuck in a past older than Maxis' lifetime. I am curious what Will Wright thinks of the show being that he has been in some good competition shows himself. I think part of it has to do that is a competition about intangible Barbie dolls makes it come off as childish as the game itself. At least baking and crafting tangible products makes sense. I told some friends about it not in the Sims community and they thought I was pranking them. I was like nope it is real. They kept laughing. So interesting finding out an outside perspective too in other communities.
I must of misunderstood I thought he was saying agree with me or I won't be your friend anymore
I can't stand it when people do that and I get that for some people the game is a safe space but I'm sure
the people playing new what was coming explaining the contest was for the people watching not the players @Scobre
I must of misunderstood I thought he was saying agree with me or I won't be your friend anymore
I can't stand it when people do that and I get that for some people the game is a safe space but I'm sure
the people playing new what was coming explaining the contest was for the people watching not the players @Scobre
Oh no. He wanted us to test a new area since he was making products for a shop, so there was a competition of who could beat the new boss first. We got second, but sadly the girl I was in a group with was so competitive about it, ending up losing friends in the process. Winners which was neat ended up being the ex-fiancee of a developer for the game. I mean I'm all for new players and know when I joined forums how scary the fake sides debates were. I just don't support contestants being called LGBTQIA+ hate names, that's all. It is a very demeaning term for that community I know. Didn't like how women were portrayed in the show either, but was nice seeing both DrGluon's and Xmiramira's communities band together and say how each other were portrayed in the show wasn't right and how they support each other. DrGluon was really sweet saying how much he enjoyed the experience getting to know the community better. I just see his kids on streams sometimes, so puts his family of four females down including his cute baby girl. Then again I noticed there has been a huge disrespect towards veteran Simmers during this iteration too, so can't say I'm shocked since society supports youth and if they get old they get discarded like trophy wives like so many male celebs do. I don't know if the show was going that route, but yeah I felt very disrespected as a woman by it. Sad it has become a shallow stereotype women have to deal with everyday, so I hope that if they do future seasons, they will have veteran female contestants too.
“Although the world is full of suffering, it is full also of the overcoming of it.” –Helen Keller
Comments
Bello is the male equivalent. Bella is used to refer to a woman.
Too Good at Goodbyes forum thread
Too Good at Goodbyes blog
Oh okay 😁
Google says you're right. Never knew that before, obviously. I took French in school. My son took Spanish. Lol.
I don't know if it means anything because there are lots of people walking around with the name Isabella and Bella who are neither Spanish or Italian but here's her bio from Bustin' Out:
Her name in Italian means "beautiful" and it fits her better than her red leather corset. Descended from a long line of occultists, mystics and decadents, she has thrown convention to the wind. Her disdain for the pedestrian and normal is only matched by her sense of ennui and isolation. She distracts herself from this world with a little organ practice and exotic gardenings of the lethal variety.
On Spark'd, I gather they have to make Sims and houses? Is there a running storyline with the ones that continue, or do they have to do new ones each episode?
indeed, bello is masculine and bella is femenine, they can also be used to compliment things like a house, a car, a place, something abstracte, etc. it's like saying beautiful
hermoso & hermosa are synonyms, there's lindo/a, bonito/a, etc.
I don't think they'd mention it if it didn't mean anything! I'd always imagine Bella and Nina and Dina Caliente to be from either Italy or Spain. I wouldn't describe them as black either.
Too Good at Goodbyes forum thread
Too Good at Goodbyes blog
in google, it says the calientes have arab, hispanic and alien ancestry lol
Ah yes, can't forget good ol' Pollination Tech #7. I re-spawned the missing tombstones in Pleasantview and his was one of them.
Caliente is also Italian/Spanish. Arab comes from the maternal grandparents side with the Al Mahmoud last name and one of their grandparents is an alien. All from TS2 family tree.
But we're getting off-topic here. 😅
Too Good at Goodbyes forum thread
Too Good at Goodbyes blog
We totally did. I tried re-directing it back with questions or comments about Spark'd on some of my posts... but I gotta say discussing beloved Sims is so much more interesting to me. Lol.
On topic, is there a running storyline that each of the competitors starts at the beginning that runs through the show, or do they have to do a new thing each time?
but caliente is not an italian word though
lmaoo i forgot this thread was about sparkd, sorry for derailing it
True, but one of their grandparents is called Flamenco which is a Spanish style of dancing, so some Spanish there.
@lisamwitt From what I understood, it's something new each time. Which is better with the judges' being so critical of previous storylines.
Too Good at Goodbyes forum thread
Too Good at Goodbyes blog
also, flamenco is the spanish word of flamingo!
back on topic: my thoughts on this reality, well i've said it before but, i think it's pure circus. i haven't seen it but many people just commented on their disappointment about the show. honestly i wasn't expecting nothing about it but what i've read has left me even more disappointed.
it amazes me how ea has the resources to make amazing games, the resources to make a decent tv show (if it was necessary for them) yet all they deliver is mediocre.
this is my opinion yes, but i see a lot more people that is unhappy and sad about this show and the way this game is turning out to be.
poor sims
Hi, just a thought. Maybe stop with this whole game changers, and Spark’d reality nonsense that only sparks controversy and highlights your racism and just focus on making a great life simulation game?
Current game is full of bugs, expansions that don’t even interact properly with one another, gameplay that is more shallow than a kiddie pool and has the worst iteration of babies since TS1. Also slow dancing is still not officially in the game. A modder beat you to it.
Thanks. Again just a thought.
But not because Spark’d is a competitive show. It’s because it’s a reality show. A reality show that is supposed to be fun, but takes itself too serious. It’s supposed to showcase talent, but instead, it showcases drama which ultimately has nothing to do with the game, or the contestants.
In other threads I’ve already babbled enough about my problem with reality shows, their purpose and the way they’re edited. No more of that here. However, I’d like to add something to this:
I personally don’t think there’s anything wrong with a bit of lighthearted and healthy competition. I never participate in sims challenges, but I can understand why others do and would even love a bit of a contest.
I’m not sure if a 100 baby challenge has ever been set up as a competition in which the result had to be gained within a certain amount of time. The winner would get the honor of winning the challenge. No money involved, or at the most a give away code for a DLC.
Interestingly, I watched a Guru Garage once:
- An in game obstacle course was set up.
- The participants had to follow a given amount of rules.
- Goal: the longest surviving Simself would be the winner of the team.
It’s ridiculous, but it could be fun. Typical, Silly Sims comedy.I can imagine a combination of gameplay that is managed by the ai simulation mechanics of the game ( big challenge there!) plus building and CAS to make for an interesting, but lighthearted and comical show. But it would not be a TV reality show where a panel of judges is present.
It would be a game show called ‘Sul Sul’ where the only judge is time and the game itself.
I do prefer shows from other countries. Like Japanese Iron Chef was so much better.
I have to disagree you can have competition and inclusivity and sometime you can be right and also have love
if you can't then I think you need to find new friends who can accept they aren't always right and won't always win
they can just try harder next time and if your friend wins you should be happy for them
A contest is not the same as a competition. People submitting movies and builds and characters and having one selected - no one has a problem with this. This is not really competition or, at least, it's not reality TV competition. We're artists, artsy. When you watch someone like Simlicy carefully craft a Grandmother's apartment or FreezerBunny design a gothic orphanage or any of the other great builders, you get this awe of that reality that you are dealing with real artists here. They're set designers, placing each wall and door just so, adding a cereal box in just the right corner of the kitchen counter to make it feel like a child was just there, just ate. Imagine if the Sims had hired an interior designer to judge on the show, who looked at the builds and assessed them saying "I think the flow of this space feels too restrictive" or "I wonder if this palette really suits who you're saying lives here." Imagine a fashion stylist examining the CAS creations and saying "I like the use of stripes on the shirt, but the flair on the pants feels contradictory to the character's personality" or "Was this really the best hairstyle for the shape of the character's face?" Imagine an author saying "The story has potential, but it's missing meat. Your character's motivations feel too flat. How can you better show the conflict of your character's desires?"
There's nothing wrong with time-limits, either, but there have to be realistic ones. You just can't expect good results - or even engaging results - with five hours to make a build, design a character, AND tell a story.
Also, how and why are they going to pit storytellers against builders? What is this show trying to prove? Who's the top simmer? What would that even mean?
This just isn't a Reality TV crowd. We may be dramatic, but we don't like drama in the community. We're sensitive and artsy - we want to express ourselves and create beautiful fashion and architecture. For heaven's sake, we chose knitting over a haunted pack. We chose knitting, a sedentary, calm, relaxing hobby over a Grim Reaper Career/Paranormal Investigator/Etc.
ALSO... if the Sims REALLY wants competition.. Much Better reality TV show idea: hire an architect! Give popular Sims builders a limited time to create plans based on real building codes in actual states and have them compete to see whose plan the architect buys and possibly even builds! Bam!
In sorry but I really hate how Dee Dee worded that .Demanding then hiring someone.Make them very sound entitled .
Hold SHIFT while using the FRIEZE tool to apply it to a single wall, and not an entire room!
** SailorCeti's Builds **
If you download one of my builds, by all means, leave me a message and tell me what you did and did not like about it.
It doesn't even credit SimGuruNinja in the cast with IMDB.
I must of misunderstood I thought he was saying agree with me or I won't be your friend anymore
I can't stand it when people do that and I get that for some people the game is a safe space but I'm sure
the people playing new what was coming explaining the contest was for the people watching not the players
@Scobre