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The Freezer Bunny Club - A Reading Circle

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    DuvelinaDuvelina Posts: 2,619 Member
    edited June 2020
    General
    1. What were your first impressions on Liz?
    She's really pretty! I also like how you took the colour red and implemented that with her hair. I get that it's hard to recreate the look of the trophy, it being a guy and all. It helps that Liz comments on situations happening in the story, so you get to know the real her more and build a connection with her as a character. So, overall, my first impressions are good and I like her.

    2. What do you think about the concept of my Legacy Challenge? It's not a normal Legacy Challenge but one related to the MySims Trophies.
    I actually encountered your story before we were in this club together and I'd already read the challenge rules and thought they sounded so interesting. I loved playing MySims back in the day and it's cute to see all these iconic characters coming back as a placeholder for a challenge. I haven't spoiled myself on all the different characters. I know some of them are in the collection, but I don't know others so it will be cool to see which character is the next generation and so on. I'm not a huge fan of legacy challenges in general though, I feel like it's mostly focused on getting married and having kids as quick as possible and that's not my favourite way of playing. It's why I put my own Not So Berry on a hiatus because it felt like much of the same was happening (although there are different goals to achieve as well), but the ultimate goal is to get married and have kids anyway. But what if I the character I had in mind doesn't want kids? I don't know, I just like some more room to create my own personality for my character instead of a challenge telling me who they're going to be. I hope I worded that well!

    3. What do you think about the way I write my chapters?
    I actually like it a lot. It's more of a descriptive way of going about things, breaking the fourth wall a lot, instead of writing a story from the perspective of your characters. But you do insert some little comments from Liz sometimes and that makes it even more fun!

    4. My Chapters are classified in Sim days. Do you (dis)like that?
    I don't have much of an opinion on it, but I feel like it might make it harder for you as a player to make an update interesting if not a lot happens in one day.

    Chapters
    2. Which parts in the available chapters did you (dis)like? Why is that?
    I had to laugh in the beginning when you encountered Brant and Brent for the first time. I really got into The Sims on a later date and got Cats and Dogs pretty early on, so had no idea Brent and Brant were together either. I got to know them through the MCCC notifications pop-up and thought it was hilarious how two guys with basically the same name got together. But since I already knew them now, my first thought reading about Liz going to date Brent was: 'Oh, no, poor Brant!'. I'm glad you ended up realizing though and made a note to yourself to check for single people, haha. You can easily see it with MCCC by clicking on them and then opening MCCC. It says whether they have a spouse or not, in case you didn't know.

    Oh, one part I'm not sure if I liked or not was when Liz and Brent were playing chess in the library and you wrote something about them maybe getting married tomorrow. On the one hand, it feels like a satire on the Legacy Challenge but on the other hand, my feelings about legacy challenges, as I described above, were validated.

    I loved the part where Liz started drinking alcohol while pregnant and you yelling at her. Super funny.

    3. How do you like Ninja and Brent joining the Ridley family? What are your thoughts on these characters?
    I love Ninja. Bernese mountain dogs are probably my favourite breed ever. They're so cute! Such a tiny puppy turning into a huge beautiful dog makes my heart happy.

    I don't have big feelings about Brent. He cheated on his husband and then left him, so that doesn't make me like him particularly.

    4. Does everything in the story make sense for you?
    Everything mostly makes sense, but I do have some opinions. I was a little surprised when Liz asked Brent to marry him right after a dinner party but I could get over that. But then they got married in her bathroom (?) even though Liz needed a shower. I'd go all-out and make it a special occasion instead (or I don't know, not stinky in the bathroom? 😂).

    5. Is the story easy to follow? Do you need more information or less?
    I think the amount of information is great! It's very readable and easy to get through. I was done in a jiffy with all of the chapters already out.

    6. What are you expecting for next episodes? (they are already played and written but not yet published but I like to see your thoughts about this)
    You're either really ahead or the first baby is going to be boy, looking at your banner, so that's my prediction there. I don't know anything about the goals you need to achieve so I can't say anything about that, but I think Liz is going to get through all of them rather fast. Certainly seems like she is doing great right now.

    7. Any questions for me?
    Do you find it challenging to achieve everything within the normal lifespan your sims have? That was my biggest problem with Not So Berry. Not necessarily for the adult challenges (although getting to the top of a career can be pretty challenging with a sim without any skills too), but more for younger age groups. I had to get a kid all scouting badges while she was a child and man, eight days is so SHORT.
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    ajamkeevinajamkeevin Posts: 278 Member
    edited June 2020
    I agree that some weeks might be busier than others and some stories may take a little longer to catch up on. So yeah, I think that communicating about when we feel like we might not be able to fully discuss during a difficult week would be a good thing and we can definitely add more time if necessary. When I think about my story, it doesn't seem to have many chapters but that's deceiving as, aside from the first, each episode has two parts (to allow for a voting period in the middle), thus making a 13-episode season actually have 25 parts. Also, my episodes tend to be... rather long (some more than others), so when my turn comes around I definitely won't ask for y'all to be fully caught up because that would require a loooot of binging and might affect the discussion. I will also focus the discussion on just a few episodes and that would be great for me. (This is also good because I tend to take quite a while to write the episodes, so already having many ready for discussion is kind of a relief for me.)

    @Skeilah I will be catching up with your story today! I've written down your questions so I can take notes and everything :tongue: And I love that the Ridley Residence is repping the Freezer Bunny Club :wink:
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    SkeilahSkeilah Posts: 1,762 Member
    edited June 2020
    @Duvelina Thanks for your input!
    General
    2. Yeah, I also still have that aspect of 'getting married' and 'have kids' but I try to keep that to a minimum and just get it over with so I can continue the actual story :') But then you get things like marrying in the bathroom while you actually need a shower really bad HAHAHA. Sorry for that.

    Chapters
    2. I started playing with MCCC when I started this challenge, so I still had a lot to learn about it (and probably will keep learning about it right now). Back then I indeed didn't know you could see that stuff with MCCC. Of course, now I know and I check it often. I felt really stupid when I found out about Brant and Brent HAHA but I didn't want to loose any more days so yeah. Don't blame it on Brent, blame it on me. This was my fault :') My meaning behind what I said in the library was actually a mix of a satire on the legacy challenge and the fact that marrying is just a thing in legacy challenges.

    3. Yay for Ninja! <3 I'm sorry to hear you don't particularly like Brent. I hope this will change. I actually opened a thread about this situation asking everyone if what I did was wrong because I felt so sorry for Brant. But on the other hand, it's still 'the Sims' and I know for a fact that other people had done way worse things than this. Luckily everything also ended well for Brant, with his new wife in Chapter 1.8 <3.

    4. I'm so sorry for that marriage :') That was a mistake :D

    Do you find it challenging to achieve everything within the normal lifespan your sims have?
    Of course, it's challenging, but it's doable and fun. I also implemented the rule that I may use the Potion of Youth once, so that also makes it a little more easy to do. There are no rules for the younger age groups and although Liz started the challenge as YA, the next heir can actually start his goals as soon as he turns into a teenager, so that gives him even more time than Liz had. I can imagine that your situation is way more difficult than mine, having child challenges and stuff.

    @ajamkeevin Take your time :) I'll wait patiently :P I'm exited to see your input!
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    DuvelinaDuvelina Posts: 2,619 Member
    @Skeilah
    It is The Sims, but these events are also a part of writing and storytelling. Besides, I don't know if it's because of the mods I have but my sims have the hardest time flirting with people who are already in a committed relationship, so I think I can blame Brent a little for going along with Liz's avances!
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    SkeilahSkeilah Posts: 1,762 Member
    @Duvelina
    At first he was rejecting like you said and I just thought “if I make them really good friends now, maybe he won’t reject anymore” without thinking he could have been in a relationship :”) but I get your point. Although I may have triggered it a little from the start, he actually gave in in the end.

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    AdamsEve1231AdamsEve1231 Posts: 7,035 Member
    I write really long chapters (some are shorter than others) but as you can see in my Table of Contents, chapters are broken down by section or arc.

    I have an idea for what to suggest but my story is ongoing and I'm at 120 chapters, not including multiparters and interludes (chapters about side characters or related backstory). :# Yeah it's long. I hope you don't mind. It'll be impossible to catch up in a week. Just dropped a post today. I'm getting really close to finishing this story (before I'll go on to write the next in my series).

    If it's a good week, I post 3 times. Sometimes I skip weeks at a time. I'm sporadic in my updates, when inspiration strikes and I have time to write. Otherwise with all my other stories, I tend to binge post and then I take a break with a certain story for months. It's a weird little system that works for me.

    @mercuryfoam I like the 3 chapters idea. I don't know if I'll read that way but it gives me a good goal.

    As a side note to new readers, I refer to the story as KCLKF in shorthand. All my Sims stories take place in the same universe in a star system called Daleth, primarily on the planet Simterra. I'm obsessed with worldbuilding so you'll see lots of hints of that in my stories. I've got a whole blog dedicated to worldbuilding content.

    Also I post trigger warnings if a post contains darker or adult content but I always try to be tasteful with images. Triggers don't happen till much later in the story and I'm happy to recap what you miss if you decide to skip.
    With these forums closing down, stay connected.

    Find me elsewhere:
    My EA App ID: livinasimminlife
    Livin' A Simmin' Life Stories
    My Worldbuilding Blog
    Simblr
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    DuvelinaDuvelina Posts: 2,619 Member
    edited June 2020
    @AdamsEve1231 Sounds super exciting, honestly. I can't wait to get to your story in the rotation!
    Post edited by Duvelina on
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    mercuryfoammercuryfoam Posts: 1,156 Member
    edited June 2020
    @AdamsEve1231 Ah..! Thanks for the reminder about arcs. I was able to track down where I last read in your story.
    The 3 chapter sequence was a guide so I don't get overwhelmed. Seems like I didn't need it this time. :smiley:

    @Skeilah
    Looks like I didn't need my guide after all! :smile:
    General
    1. What were your first impressions on Liz?

    I think she has a confident personality and is opinionated. She loves animals and is good-natured. She’ll be the friend you want, the kind that stands up for you and tell you the truth instead of what you want to hear.

    2. What do you think about the concept of my Legacy Challenge? It's not a normal Legacy Challenge but one related to the MySims Trophies.
    The legacy challenge that you’re doing is definitely unique to the others. I personally am not a collector so I know I’ll be very entertained following your story since I don’t know much about the trophies.

    3. What do you think about the way I write my chapters?
    It’s very personal as if you were speaking to your readers. It’s fun to read and encourages banter between writer and reader. I eradicated whims from my game so its intriguing to see it given so much attention. :smile:

    Personally when I read legacy challenges, I know that the writer is trying to achieve certain in game goals. Thus I am loving it that you have the goals pinned at the side of your blog so I can reference it all the time.

    4. My Chapters are classified in Sim days. Do you (dis)like that?
    Its a very clear structure. I’m not too concerned about the nitty gritty of details, as long as I know what to expect structure-wise. (Story-wise, go ahead and surprise me lots!)

    Chapters
    2. Which parts in the available chapters did you (dis)like? Why is that?

    Hm… I think I like moments when they interact with each other, such as dialogues, taking the dog for a walk, or any interaction. It gives me a sneak peak into how they think or what their personalities are.

    3. How do you like Ninja and Brent joining the Ridley family? What are your thoughts on these characters?
    -I like animals. Watching pet shenanigans are always fun. He was really cute at the beginning so I didn’t expect him to grow into such a huge dog! Still cute though, especially adorable when he followed Liz to the bed and watched her sleep. Aw <3
    -I personally don’t give much weight to premade backstories so your sim getting married to Brent is fine with me. It’s a game after all. Brent is endearing because who doesn’t like a man who likes dogs? <3

    4. Does everything in the story make sense for you?

    Its about a woman who aspires to become a masterchef and we’re following her life’s up and downs as she journeys towards it right? Unless I’m missing something.

    5. Is the story easy to follow? Do you need more information or less?

    The story is easy to follow. Everything is clear and milestones are available for reference. Writing style is communicative and not complicated. It’s a very relaxing read for me. I

    6. What are you expecting for next episodes? (they are already played and written but not yet published but I like to see your thoughts about this)

    Hm.. I’m expecting us to get to know the toddler. Liz will be working on her aspirations and Brent will be Brent.

    7. Any questions for me?
    Is it possible to have a post that outlines everyone’s traits, even ninjas? As a reader I like getting to know the characters and their personalities. :smile:


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    AdamsEve1231AdamsEve1231 Posts: 7,035 Member
    Duvelina wrote: »
    @AdamSim Sounds super exciting, honestly. I can't wait to get to your story in the rotation!

    @Duvelina Thank you. Opps... you tagged the wrong person. I'm @Adamseve1231. But I go by livinasimminlife almost everywhere else.
    With these forums closing down, stay connected.

    Find me elsewhere:
    My EA App ID: livinasimminlife
    Livin' A Simmin' Life Stories
    My Worldbuilding Blog
    Simblr
    My Sims Pinterest
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    AdamsEve1231AdamsEve1231 Posts: 7,035 Member
    @AdamsEve1231 Ah..! Thanks for the reminder about arcs. I was able to track down where I last read in your story.
    The 3 chapter sequence was a guide so I don't get overwhelmed. Seems like I didn't need it this time. :smiley:

    Yes, I find the arcs help people find where they picked up easier. Plus you can read content in a certain section and safely stop without needing to binge, if binging is overwhelming.
    With these forums closing down, stay connected.

    Find me elsewhere:
    My EA App ID: livinasimminlife
    Livin' A Simmin' Life Stories
    My Worldbuilding Blog
    Simblr
    My Sims Pinterest
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    DuvelinaDuvelina Posts: 2,619 Member
    @AdamsEve1231 Oh, sorry! Seems I misclicked when I tried to tag you.
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    AdamsEve1231AdamsEve1231 Posts: 7,035 Member
    Duvelina wrote: »
    @AdamsEve1231 Oh, sorry! Seems I misclicked when I tried to tag you.

    No problem. It happens. I've done it too. It's easy to do.
    With these forums closing down, stay connected.

    Find me elsewhere:
    My EA App ID: livinasimminlife
    Livin' A Simmin' Life Stories
    My Worldbuilding Blog
    Simblr
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    AdamsEve1231AdamsEve1231 Posts: 7,035 Member
    @Skeilah read 2 chapters and commented. Liz is a pretty Sim and I already love this challenge. I'll share more/ answer suggestions once I've read a bit more.
    With these forums closing down, stay connected.

    Find me elsewhere:
    My EA App ID: livinasimminlife
    Livin' A Simmin' Life Stories
    My Worldbuilding Blog
    Simblr
    My Sims Pinterest
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    SkeilahSkeilah Posts: 1,762 Member
    @mercuryfoam Nice :D Thank you so much for your input! You've given me a lot to smile about.
    Chapters
    4. You've got it :D

    Is it possible to have a post that outlines everyone’s traits, even ninjas? As a reader I like getting to know the characters and their personalities. :smile:
    I can do that, yeah :) Do you want it here, in my actual thread, on my blog, ...? What would be the most efficient?

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    SkeilahSkeilah Posts: 1,762 Member
    @Skeilah read 2 chapters and commented. Liz is a pretty Sim and I already love this challenge. I'll share more/ answer suggestions once I've read a bit more.

    Hehe, opening my comment section again was a good thing :P
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    AdamsEve1231AdamsEve1231 Posts: 7,035 Member
    Skeilah wrote: »
    @Skeilah read 2 chapters and commented. Liz is a pretty Sim and I already love this challenge. I'll share more/ answer suggestions once I've read a bit more.

    Hehe, opening my comment section again was a good thing :P

    I like putting comments on everything I read if I can. It also makes finding where I left off easy. :)
    With these forums closing down, stay connected.

    Find me elsewhere:
    My EA App ID: livinasimminlife
    Livin' A Simmin' Life Stories
    My Worldbuilding Blog
    Simblr
    My Sims Pinterest
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    SkeilahSkeilah Posts: 1,762 Member
    Skeilah wrote: »
    @Skeilah read 2 chapters and commented. Liz is a pretty Sim and I already love this challenge. I'll share more/ answer suggestions once I've read a bit more.

    Hehe, opening my comment section again was a good thing :P

    I like putting comments on everything I read if I can. It also makes finding where I left off easy. :)


    That’s actually pretty smart. Maybe I also need to do that. Normally I write everything down in my notebook :)
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    AdamsEve1231AdamsEve1231 Posts: 7,035 Member
    If I can't comment, I usually try to at least like a post.
    With these forums closing down, stay connected.

    Find me elsewhere:
    My EA App ID: livinasimminlife
    Livin' A Simmin' Life Stories
    My Worldbuilding Blog
    Simblr
    My Sims Pinterest
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    mercuryfoammercuryfoam Posts: 1,156 Member
    @AdamsEve1231 ah thats what I do with likes on blogs. I like the work ofc thats the reason why Im reading it, but it also doubles as an excellent tracking system to where I last read.

    @Skeilah
    you could let me know here,or if you think others want to know you can put it in your story. Ive seen it being used as a checkpoint in another legacy after a significant event. (Like a reflection point. "after the wedding xxx joins the household. He's a creative, love outdoors and autonomously heavy drinker") I've also seen it being weaved naturally into the story as it unfolds. Then there's also some which doesn't prioritise in game traits at all. Whether traits are made up or based on game I just like getting to know them a little more personally. :smile:
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    SkeilahSkeilah Posts: 1,762 Member
    @mercuryfoam I'll update it in my story so everyone can see these traits, but here they are:

    Ninja
    - Adventurous
    - Hunter
    - Smart

    Brent
    - Dog lover
    - Romantic
    - Goofball
    - Bonus trait: Muser

    I'll make sure you get to know everyones traits in future chapters :)
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    DuvelinaDuvelina Posts: 2,619 Member
    I posted it in the Writer's Lounge as well, but I think it could be fun to put it here too. This asks about your storytelling method. I'm wondering, you can reply here or there, but do you guys plan your story or interpret your sims' actions? I can imagine the stories with poses are mostly planned and a legacy challenge mostly isn't, but maybe there will be a surprise in there. I already commented on the thread.
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    mercuryfoammercuryfoam Posts: 1,156 Member
    edited June 2020
    @Skeilah oh wow Brent is totally dad material and I'd adopt Ninja in a heartbeat <3 Did you know all his traits before Liz got married to him? She be laike, oh yess big fish. :tongue:

    @Duvelina Thanks for sharing. I had fun reading everyone's responses.
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    _sims_Yimi_sims_Yimi Posts: 1,753 Member
    edited June 2020
    @Skeilah Those traits of Brent couldn't have been better in terms of husband material! I predict much future happiness for Liz :smiley:

    @Duvelina It's probably no surprise, but I rigidly plan mine, to the point of the game getting in the way sometimes :sweat_smile: I do have a family whose story I adapt on the fly based on in-game events, but there's no record of them. They're game-only. Lots of random accidental deaths in that one :D
    J6AKQqX.jpg
    Hosting D&D sessions on the side. Interested in playing through some fantasy-themed shenanigans? Send me a message 😘
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    SkeilahSkeilah Posts: 1,762 Member
    @mercuryfoam I only didn't knew the bonus one. They had lots of conversations and got to know each other pretty well :) I would also adopt Ninja in no-time!

    @_sims_Yimi Yeah! They are happy together! Luckily Brent is only mean towards me, the game player. :')
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    DuvelinaDuvelina Posts: 2,619 Member
    I'm looking into blogging platforms which I could host my story on. I can see everyone here has a blog. Which one would you guys recommend? I have a bit of experience with the Blogger platform, but I don't think that's what I would want to use here. I am pretty interested in Wordpress, but I want to make sure I'm making the right decision and not missing anything.
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