@SimGuruSquad/Just About Anyone: Some Questions

Force2reckon

Soooo I have an idea for a mod, I've done some programming in the past and took some basic programming classes in college before I dropped out due to family issues. So I have no experience with Python or with XML but am very willing to learn and can loook up tutorials on this stuff myself BUT, I wanted to ask here first of all, since the mod is for TS4.

Here's the general idea, I want to create a mod which allows your Sim to create and upload video content to "Sim.TV", Through an interaction with the computer you would:
- Choose the kind of content, be it video gaming commentary, mod reviews, funny/dramatic skits, musical pieces, animations, etc.
- Choose the length and number of videos to record as well as how much editing you'll do on them be it turning them into highlight reels or leaving it mostly raw footage.
- Have a community of "Subs" or "Fans" or some such title, similar to livestreaming.
- Gain an amount of simoleans based on the size of your fanbase as well as the growth of that fanbase from videos with similar content and based on the length of videos.

I've actually created a much more in depth kind of rough draft outlining exactly what I'd like to do in notepad++ if anyone would like to look more deeply into the thought.

My question is, what do you think of this idea and, particularly asked of @SimGuruSquad, the more important question, how would you go about implementing this? Or rather where would you recommend I start and how
Could something like this be done using the tuneable XML files and such or should I bypass that step and start looking into python, note that I already have the whole TS4_Custom_Content_Guide folder on my comp, and have looked through the .tdesc files to some extent, noting that much of what I want to do could probably be done through that.

I also plan on adding an aspiration and some traits but those I know I can do through tuneables.

thequux2

I think this is absolutely possible, but it's going to be a lot of work at this stage of tool development. I'm definitely interested in my tools being able to support the kind of mod that you're thinking of, though.

I think you can do it nearly completely using tuning. If you could have a look into how all the tuning fits together and figure out how all the parts would need to fit together to make your mod, I'll take that into account when designing my modding language.

Force2reckon

Awesome thanks :P I just needed to know if it was possible with tuning, with the files that maxis provided I have plenty of examples, it's just a bit messy to look at and since most of my freetime is AFTER I'm drained and tired I haven't gotten much time to go through them, hopefully I can get the time though :3

thequux2

If you'd like to learn some python and want to help out, there will be things you can do to help with my tools soon; I definitely plan to build a browser for all of the items in the game so that we can see how what's there is built. Once we're at that point, I'll post more details.

Force2reckon

Maybe, we'll see, I don't have a lot of freetime really but I'd definitely be willing to help look through stuff xD

Any recommendations for python tutorials and stuff that I should start by reading/watching?

thequux2

I learned from the Python 3 docs, though I've been programming in Python for about 5 years now. You might also try Dive into Python 3, and Learn Python the Hard Way is well worth the $30 that it costs (it only covers Python 2, but Python 3 is not all that much different for the purposes of the book, and Zed would likely be just as happy to help you with either).

And really, any help you can offer would be fantastic. I have a day job that takes up most of my time, so I can't really spend too much time on Sims modding.

Force2reckon

Just like to edit this to make an update, after this post my comp completely crashed, and my family drafted me to help them with the moving of the home, they're moving a long way, unfortunately it's a fixer upper and I'm stucker with the fixer part of it >_>

With my normal YouTube stuff and my job I have next to no time, if anyone figures out anything and wants to make this mod instead than hit me up I'll definitely play it and, if it's good, even do a youtube series featuring it :3