I've always been a Book Worm. I love to read, and quite frankly many of the players' stories I have read show a great deal of creativity and talent. I can get involved in a story, especially if the characters are intriguing. Many of these non premade Sims are intriguing. I also enjoy getting that glimpse into how others play this game. I rarely play premades. In fact, I only* did so when playing Pinstar's Legacy Challenge. Rules are your Founder and subsequent heirs must marry a 'Townie' as we used to call them.
*I tried, once, to play the Beaker family, but that was only while I was awaiting the release of Sims3. I guess I realized I was moving on at that point. It was okay, but I really couldn't get into them, like I can characters I create.
I also believe I should give before I expect others to give to me. As in we read each other's stories. I make comments from time to time, but then I am a writer in RL and have been a part of a few Writer's Groups where critiques are expected.
I have not participated in it but I do read and comb through it. I also go through the creative corner thread for stories and legacy story plays.
I love to read up on players stories of the premades and really enjoy new stories that come about with them in it.
I like to read. I am a fan of fiction and really enjoy fantasy, sci-fi, and period pieces. There are some amazing simmers out there with some amazing stories their telling. The plus side of reading these stories is the screenshots. Like picture books or graphic novels.
The Second reason is that I don't get to play as often as I did when I was younger and had the freetime to. So it allows me to still see what's going on in game and see what others are doing in their games with the sims.
I don't have interest in these types of threads either, so it is interesting to learn what it is people get out of it. I honestly thought people just wanted to share their own sims and stories and probably didn't read other people's.. lol
I like hearing what a person is doing in their game, but I don't have enough time/interest to read a whole story, or keep up with it over months. If there was a thread that was like, "what did you do with The Pancakes," and people just gave a small overview with a few pics, I would be into that!
Features I'd like brought back from the dead.
| Picture in Picture mode | Custom Paintings | Preset scenarios for resident sims | Placing my own lots |
| Saving my own Buy Mode collections! | Saving an outfit in CAS | CaSt. Smaller is ok | Open World |
I don't really participate those threads, but I read some stories on blogs and twitter. The storylines can be really good. I write my own simlit blog and share a more gameplay focused legacy on twitter. Being a part of the communities it's interesting to see what others write instead of just posting my own stuff.
I have to admit I'm awfully curious about simmers who post regularly but never share their gameplay. Of course that's their choice but I'm always eager to see how others play.
I have to admit I'm awfully curious about simmers who post regularly but never share their gameplay. Of course that's their choice but I'm always eager to see how others play.
I have before but generally on the Sims 2 subreddit https://www.reddit.com/r/sims2/ It's one of the most active places along with Twitter for sharing and talking about the Sims 2. I find this forum focuses on the Sims 4 or the franchise as a whole (the latter of which I'm most interested in)
I have to admit I'm awfully curious about simmers who post regularly but never share their gameplay. Of course that's their choice but I'm always eager to see how others play.
I am one of those that only posts a pic occasionally. Mainly because some of the reasons mentioned above by other posters.
My sims are all pretty much, aesthetically, in line with the pre-mades - many of which I play pretty much 'as is' in the game. Any CC I use is Maxis Match. So what any player sees in their game is pretty much what is happening in mine.
It would be very difficult for me to convey how I play the game visually as it is all in my head.
Awake.
Shake dreams from your hair
My pretty child, my sweet one.
Choose the day and choose the sign of your day
The day's divinity.... The Ghost Song - Jim Morrison
I have to admit I'm awfully curious about simmers who post regularly but never share their gameplay. Of course that's their choice but I'm always eager to see how others play.
That is so interesting to me. I think it is awesome there are so many different directions and ways a Sim player can enjoy the game. I have never shared pics of my sims or shared what is going on in my game (other than a brief description relating to a thread topic), and I have been playing since the first Sims. For me it would feel weird because I know I am not going to read stories, so it feels very self involved to share mine (even if I do think mine are amazing, lol).
Features I'd like brought back from the dead.
| Picture in Picture mode | Custom Paintings | Preset scenarios for resident sims | Placing my own lots |
| Saving my own Buy Mode collections! | Saving an outfit in CAS | CaSt. Smaller is ok | Open World |
I don’t look at the stories much, but I do love seeing people’s builds and basic story premise ideas to inspire my own.
This is pretty much me as well. I actually really like to hear the premise or outline of other's stories. And I love to see their builds. I just am to involved in my own game to keep up on the whole story. But I like to get a glimpse of their imagination and creativity.
Features I'd like brought back from the dead.
| Picture in Picture mode | Custom Paintings | Preset scenarios for resident sims | Placing my own lots |
| Saving my own Buy Mode collections! | Saving an outfit in CAS | CaSt. Smaller is ok | Open World |
Frankly, I do understand why simmers share, but I do not understand why EA updates those old lore families as I would expect that most simmers moved ioin long ago.
It's kind of the opposite for me. I'm just getting started with the premades. Until recently, I never played the premades. I always made my own sims and played them. The premades were just Sims to me.
It wasn't until the release of TS4 that I even knew about the Goths and Landgraabs. My first experience with those families (and The Sims franchise as a whole) was TS3 when Bella & Mortimer were children. I had no idea little Bella Bachelor was supposed to marry Mortimer, have two kids, and disappear.
I guess I did things backwards. I love the lore...not so much in TS4 because alternate time-line or whatever. I enjoy learning about all the things I didn't know before.
As for the original question, I have to agree with most on here. I like to follow a few stories because I like seeing how others play their games. It's a good way to gain ideas when you're in a simming slump. I used to watch Let's Plays on YouTube for the same reasons.
I'm currently playing TS3 again and playing the premades in Lunar Lakes. That was an idea I got from watching one of Marticore's TS2 Let's Play on YouTube. It was recommended to me on the YouTube home page and I'm glad it was because I would still be in a simming slump.
I find it fun to share and see how others play. I know that I've gotten so much better at both building and taking screenshots since I started sharing things. I've also become more attached to my Sims. Sometimes my posts are quite long. I don't expect everyone to read them (even people who actively participate in the same threads). Everyone is so diverse in how they play, I know that most people won't be interested in what my Sims do at all and other people will only be interested in the pictures--which is okay with me. I personally don't like having the premades in my game, but I don't mind seeing them or reading about them in other people's games. I've actually learned about them through others' gameplay.
For me it would feel weird because I know I am not going to read stories, so it feels very self involved to share mine (even if I do think mine are amazing, lol).
@Chaotic_Moira I totally get where you're coming from. I love the condensed version of the what happened thread and occasionally post little snippets of my gameplay but I mostly stay away from the serialized what happened thread. I usually don't have time to read those stories on a consistent basis and keep up with who's who and I would feel uncomfortable posting and then not responding to the other stories.
I like to see short descriptions about what happens in others’ games because sometimes it’s fun to see what they did with the same premades or it’ll remind me of features that worked well into their lives. Photos are fun, but not too many because the thread jumps around when loading them on my phone and I have to scroll to find where I left off. I guess putting the photos behind spoilers helps, but just a few photos are all I need.
I don’t read the long-winded stories (which sometimes make their way into regular threads) because they often no longer resemble a Sims game; there’s too much projection or things that make me think, “but that doesn’t happen in the game”, so it does nothing to inspire me, personally. If I wanted to read a story, I’d pick up a book or something.
I don’t read the long-winded stories (which sometimes make their way into regular threads) because they often no longer resemble a Sims game; there’s too much projection or things that make me think, “but that doesn’t happen in the game”, so it does nothing to inspire me, personally. If I wanted to read a story, I’d pick up a book or something.
I think I know what you mean. I'm pretty gameplay based myself and sometimes I feel I'm not "storytelling enough" to be a part of the storytelling community. I prefer handling the game as a game rather than projecting too much real life stuff. But each person interprets differently what can happen within the game. For example in one of my strories the grandchildren get sent to an orphanage. I have an orphanage in my game and I played them bringing the kids over (used manage household to transfer them). So for me that's something that can happen whereas other may percieve it too much or something.
I don’t read the long-winded stories (which sometimes make their way into regular threads) because they often no longer resemble a Sims game; there’s too much projection or things that make me think, “but that doesn’t happen in the game”, so it does nothing to inspire me, personally. If I wanted to read a story, I’d pick up a book or something.
I think I know what you mean. I'm pretty gameplay based myself and sometimes I feel I'm not "storytelling enough" to be a part of the storytelling community. I prefer handling the game as a game rather than projecting too much real life stuff. But each person interprets differently what can happen within the game. For example in one of my strories the grandchildren get sent to an orphanage. I have an orphanage in my game and I played them bringing the kids over (used manage household to transfer them). So for me that's something that can happen whereas other may percieve it too much or something.
Your example of an orphanage is something easy for me to imagine is in the game without it being too much of a stretch. I suppose everyone will have their limits on how much they want to rely on their imagination when playing this game. I’m mainly thinking of stories that are very much about what’s in the characters’ heads and just don’t get down to the point. Or if something happens that I can’t imagine faking in the game, I just can’t get past that. It’s cool that others may see it differently, though.
I like these threads because I like all kinds of stories. I always have. A Sims save is, to me, simply another kind of story, one in which I can direct some of the characters and shape the story in certain ways. At the same time, the events of the game can take the story in countless other directions--and that's one of the things I enjoy most about the process. Taking part in sharing those stories is fun for me.
Because I like stories, I read them on this forum, and I'm trying my hand at writing one. I've discovered that almost all the stories I enjoy most are written in a style that allows me to "see" the gameplay behind them. I enjoy it when I can sense the actions the writer/player took within their save. I've enjoyed a few Simlits that don't really fit that description--they seem to be "inspired" by the game, rather than "directed" by it--but they're so well-written that I would enjoy them anyway.
I hope this makes some sense. It sounds a whole lot better in my head.
I might not always comment when I visit a story/screenshot thread and enjoy it, but I do try to remember to give the poster an Insightful, a Like, or an Awesome--whichever seems to fit best.
I have to admit I'm awfully curious about simmers who post regularly but never share their gameplay. Of course that's their choice but I'm always eager to see how others play.
I would love to post screenies of my merfolk and mixed occult families and weddings someday, but I don’t know how/where to host screenies here.
I have to admit I'm awfully curious about simmers who post regularly but never share their gameplay. Of course that's their choice but I'm always eager to see how others play.
I would love to post screenies of my merfolk and mixed occult families and weddings someday, but I don’t know how/where to host screenies here.
I use Imgur. It’s easy to use, free, and doesn’t have limits on how many pictures you can upload. It generates the links that you copy to your posts.
I have to admit I'm awfully curious about simmers who post regularly but never share their gameplay. Of course that's their choice but I'm always eager to see how others play.
I would love to post screenies of my merfolk and mixed occult families and weddings someday, but I don’t know how/where to host screenies here.
I use Imgur. It’s easy to use, free, and doesn’t have limits on how many pictures you can upload. It generates the links that you copy to your posts.
Oh, thank you!! I will definitely check Imgur out, then!
(I used to use photobucket a lot, but the space was limited and then photobucket recently started doing a subscription or charge for a certain amount of space, so I wasn’t able to add more screenies to it.)
I actually did a little research (for my uni studies) about the creative adaptation of the Sims. While this happens with other games too, with Sims it like... explodes. In fact, some people who answered my survey didn't even "play" it anymore but only used it as a creative tool e.g. as means to visualize different things like characters and scenarios for creative works. Then there were other people who did play the game but created these story driven universes in which each sim had kind of a role to play. And all sorts of other things.
That creativity is one of the reasons why I like seeing what other people do with their Sims game. There's just so many ways to express yourself with this game.
Though I must admit I personally am not the type who can easily get invested in some long-winded story formats (exceptions happen). Mostly I just like seeing screenshots with some added context. Not only are they a fun way to see how other people express themselves with the game (some use it as creative tool, some reflect their actual rl preferences, some do both, some experiment), they are also a nice source for inspiration and being notified of things I might have been unaware of. I've gotten some really nice ideas for challenges for example.
I hope our longer-form storytellers on here won't feel bashful about continuing to share their stories whether in the What Happened... threads or in the story section threads, as a result of some of the comments here. I really enjoy reading your work.
As for people who don't enjoy reading or writing longer-form stories, that's cool, you don't have to read the What Happened... threads or the story section. I don't spend time reading sections of the forum that I'm not interested in either. That's the nice thing about a well moderated forum, you mostly know where you can find things that will entertain you and others, without having to wade through stuff you don't want to read.
I hope our longer-form storytellers on here won't feel bashful about continuing to share their stories whether in the What Happened... threads or in the story section threads, as a result of some of the comments here. I really enjoy reading your work.
As for people who don't enjoy reading or writing longer-form stories, that's cool, you don't have to read the What Happened... threads or the story section. I don't spend time reading sections of the forum that I'm not interested in either. That's the nice thing about a well moderated forum, you mostly know where you can find things that will entertain you and others, without having to wade through stuff you don't want to read.
@mightysprite Yeah I agree and I think it's a good thing you brought attention to the fact that people shouldn't feel discouraged about sharing their "long-winded stories". I love that people express their creativity. It's just a "me problem" if I currently don't feel like investing further but like, my opinion shouldn't matter because we all play this game like we want to. The ways people can express themselves with this game is remarkable.
I like to see how others play their games. I am often amazed at the stories and ideas people come up with. It's also a good way to discover things I haven't discovered before. I love it when a sim does something unexpected or funny.
I get an empathic hit from seeing other people be happy. It makes me feel happy too.
I like reading about funny situations and weird game glitches, like when Sims get their heads stuck in the ceilings, or when Vlad is sweet and timid, or when Nancy Landgraab walks by in a swimsuit and galoshes.
Comments
*I tried, once, to play the Beaker family, but that was only while I was awaiting the release of Sims3. I guess I realized I was moving on at that point. It was okay, but I really couldn't get into them, like I can characters I create.
I also believe I should give before I expect others to give to me. As in we read each other's stories. I make comments from time to time, but then I am a writer in RL and have been a part of a few Writer's Groups where critiques are expected.
http://www.getfreeebooks.com/star-trek-original-series-fan-fiction-trilogy/
I love to read up on players stories of the premades and really enjoy new stories that come about with them in it.
I like to read. I am a fan of fiction and really enjoy fantasy, sci-fi, and period pieces. There are some amazing simmers out there with some amazing stories their telling. The plus side of reading these stories is the screenshots. Like picture books or graphic novels.
The Second reason is that I don't get to play as often as I did when I was younger and had the freetime to. So it allows me to still see what's going on in game and see what others are doing in their games with the sims.
I like hearing what a person is doing in their game, but I don't have enough time/interest to read a whole story, or keep up with it over months. If there was a thread that was like, "what did you do with The Pancakes," and people just gave a small overview with a few pics, I would be into that!
| Picture in Picture mode | Custom Paintings | Preset scenarios for resident sims | Placing my own lots |
| Saving my own Buy Mode collections! | Saving an outfit in CAS | CaSt. Smaller is ok | Open World |
Updated with Werewolf Diaries (1)
I have before but generally on the Sims 2 subreddit https://www.reddit.com/r/sims2/ It's one of the most active places along with Twitter for sharing and talking about the Sims 2. I find this forum focuses on the Sims 4 or the franchise as a whole (the latter of which I'm most interested in)
I am one of those that only posts a pic occasionally. Mainly because some of the reasons mentioned above by other posters.
My sims are all pretty much, aesthetically, in line with the pre-mades - many of which I play pretty much 'as is' in the game. Any CC I use is Maxis Match. So what any player sees in their game is pretty much what is happening in mine.
It would be very difficult for me to convey how I play the game visually as it is all in my head.
Shake dreams from your hair
My pretty child, my sweet one.
Choose the day and choose the sign of your day
The day's divinity....
The Ghost Song - Jim Morrison
(She/her)
That is so interesting to me. I think it is awesome there are so many different directions and ways a Sim player can enjoy the game. I have never shared pics of my sims or shared what is going on in my game (other than a brief description relating to a thread topic), and I have been playing since the first Sims. For me it would feel weird because I know I am not going to read stories, so it feels very self involved to share mine (even if I do think mine are amazing, lol).
| Picture in Picture mode | Custom Paintings | Preset scenarios for resident sims | Placing my own lots |
| Saving my own Buy Mode collections! | Saving an outfit in CAS | CaSt. Smaller is ok | Open World |
This is pretty much me as well. I actually really like to hear the premise or outline of other's stories. And I love to see their builds. I just am to involved in my own game to keep up on the whole story. But I like to get a glimpse of their imagination and creativity.
| Picture in Picture mode | Custom Paintings | Preset scenarios for resident sims | Placing my own lots |
| Saving my own Buy Mode collections! | Saving an outfit in CAS | CaSt. Smaller is ok | Open World |
It's kind of the opposite for me. I'm just getting started with the premades. Until recently, I never played the premades. I always made my own sims and played them. The premades were just Sims to me.
It wasn't until the release of TS4 that I even knew about the Goths and Landgraabs. My first experience with those families (and The Sims franchise as a whole) was TS3 when Bella & Mortimer were children. I had no idea little Bella Bachelor was supposed to marry Mortimer, have two kids, and disappear.
I guess I did things backwards. I love the lore...not so much in TS4 because alternate time-line or whatever. I enjoy learning about all the things I didn't know before.
As for the original question, I have to agree with most on here. I like to follow a few stories because I like seeing how others play their games. It's a good way to gain ideas when you're in a simming slump. I used to watch Let's Plays on YouTube for the same reasons.
I'm currently playing TS3 again and playing the premades in Lunar Lakes. That was an idea I got from watching one of Marticore's TS2 Let's Play on YouTube. It was recommended to me on the YouTube home page and I'm glad it was because I would still be in a simming slump.
@Chaotic_Moira I totally get where you're coming from. I love the condensed version of the what happened thread and occasionally post little snippets of my gameplay but I mostly stay away from the serialized what happened thread. I usually don't have time to read those stories on a consistent basis and keep up with who's who and I would feel uncomfortable posting and then not responding to the other stories.
I don’t read the long-winded stories (which sometimes make their way into regular threads) because they often no longer resemble a Sims game; there’s too much projection or things that make me think, “but that doesn’t happen in the game”, so it does nothing to inspire me, personally. If I wanted to read a story, I’d pick up a book or something.
I think I know what you mean. I'm pretty gameplay based myself and sometimes I feel I'm not "storytelling enough" to be a part of the storytelling community. I prefer handling the game as a game rather than projecting too much real life stuff. But each person interprets differently what can happen within the game. For example in one of my strories the grandchildren get sent to an orphanage. I have an orphanage in my game and I played them bringing the kids over (used manage household to transfer them). So for me that's something that can happen whereas other may percieve it too much or something.
Updated with Werewolf Diaries (1)
Because I like stories, I read them on this forum, and I'm trying my hand at writing one. I've discovered that almost all the stories I enjoy most are written in a style that allows me to "see" the gameplay behind them. I enjoy it when I can sense the actions the writer/player took within their save. I've enjoyed a few Simlits that don't really fit that description--they seem to be "inspired" by the game, rather than "directed" by it--but they're so well-written that I would enjoy them anyway.
I hope this makes some sense. It sounds a whole lot better in my head.
I might not always comment when I visit a story/screenshot thread and enjoy it, but I do try to remember to give the poster an Insightful, a Like, or an Awesome--whichever seems to fit best.
Exie hay, cavero, mabza meeah vendarzo.
Yevsas mairzeemo!
I would love to post screenies of my merfolk and mixed occult families and weddings someday, but I don’t know how/where to host screenies here.
(She/her)
I use Imgur. It’s easy to use, free, and doesn’t have limits on how many pictures you can upload. It generates the links that you copy to your posts.
Tales From The Myst
The Blue Moon Jukebox
(I used to use photobucket a lot, but the space was limited and then photobucket recently started doing a subscription or charge for a certain amount of space, so I wasn’t able to add more screenies to it.)
(She/her)
That creativity is one of the reasons why I like seeing what other people do with their Sims game. There's just so many ways to express yourself with this game.
Though I must admit I personally am not the type who can easily get invested in some long-winded story formats (exceptions happen). Mostly I just like seeing screenshots with some added context. Not only are they a fun way to see how other people express themselves with the game (some use it as creative tool, some reflect their actual rl preferences, some do both, some experiment), they are also a nice source for inspiration and being notified of things I might have been unaware of. I've gotten some really nice ideas for challenges for example.
As for people who don't enjoy reading or writing longer-form stories, that's cool, you don't have to read the What Happened... threads or the story section. I don't spend time reading sections of the forum that I'm not interested in either. That's the nice thing about a well moderated forum, you mostly know where you can find things that will entertain you and others, without having to wade through stuff you don't want to read.
@mightysprite Yeah I agree and I think it's a good thing you brought attention to the fact that people shouldn't feel discouraged about sharing their "long-winded stories". I love that people express their creativity. It's just a "me problem" if I currently don't feel like investing further but like, my opinion shouldn't matter because we all play this game like we want to. The ways people can express themselves with this game is remarkable.
I like reading about funny situations and weird game glitches, like when Sims get their heads stuck in the ceilings, or when Vlad is sweet and timid, or when Nancy Landgraab walks by in a swimsuit and galoshes.