Happy New President Day!
So, we’re all moved into the new apartment. It’s very nice and uncluttered! I would show pictures, but I’m waiting to take those until Andy finishes putting up his junk in his mess of a room. Which will absolutely never happen, by the way, so I guess you’re not going to see pictures. Oh well.
Not a whole lot else going on, except work, which isn’t exciting and still eats up too much of my day. We had yesterday off, which was nice, but now I’m sad because we have no other holidays until March (we get a few days spring break). I should be grateful we have what we do! Andy doesn’t get shit until Memorial Day.
Anyway, it’s about a month until Sims 3 comes out. WHO’S EXCITED? I AM. At least, I hope I am. I got bored to death with Sims 2, so I’m hoping that’s just specific to Sims 2, and not Sims in general.
One thing I’ve been thinking about is a new place to “hangout” for The Sims 3. I will always love the Sims 2 Writers’ Hangout, but the more I click my bookmark out of habit everyday, the more I realize that place just isn’t for me anymore, and I don’t think that will change with Sims 3. If I could go back, there would be a LOT of things I would change about that place that I helped implement when I was helping administrate. A lot. I think the entire structure is just set up to fail and breed drama.
With Sims 3, I’d like a more general social site that has groups you can join/leave that focus on the various aspects of the game. I like writing stories. But that’s not all I like. I liked contests, games like legacy, and even editing pictures for a time. I think with the Hangout, part of the problem was that things weren’t catered to different interest groups very well, and that set the ground for lots of drama over editing and its varying degrees.
I would like a Sims 3 hangout that is more like one of those Ning sites (though not hosted on Ning, I’d like one hosted on a server where I have access to the database and files). These types of sites seem more user driven rather than admin/mod driven where you have to wait for a mod to do everything.
I think we were too strict at the Sims 2 Writers’ Hangout and it led to lots of bitchiness. Too much griping about things being out of place, and too many things being out of place in the first place! That forum just wasn’t very expandable!
If we had a site more like the Ning communities, users could help define the latest sim trends/interests rather than overloading a mod with a million PMs about each idea. And the users could take off with groups, and this would show the mods what needs to be focused on more, rather than a single thread before the idea takes off and then TONS of waiting for all the mods to converse about it, and finally the setup time. I really disliked that about the Sims 2 Hangout.
I also like the Ning sites and how the user profiles are set up with blogs, photo gallery, and other add ons making keeping up with people easier, and making things like intense and distracting forum signatures unnecessary.
Perhaps I’m just too obsessed with the TuDiabetes community as of late, and how wonderful and successful that place is. Basically, I would like a TuDiabetes for Sims, if that even makes sense.
Maybe I’ll do it too. If I like Sims 3 enough to be obsessed with it, of course.
By the way, I hope mentioning this in here doesn’t jinx things, but one of the first things I am going to put out with Sims 3 is a new version of Cornflake Girl. Entirely different–main plot elements the same, but written in a different form that I think makes the story more interesting. Hopefully I will stick with it. As for I Woke Up LA–I don’t know. I lost my place with that story. No plans to continue at the current time. Not until I figure out where it’s going for real, if that ever happens.
Ah Yes, The Lovely Sims 2 Writer’s Hangout. I Lost Interest In That Forum A Long Time Ago. I Must Agree With You Jaclyn, It Was Becoming Way To Dramatic & Quite Unorganized As Well. I To Hope They’ll Be A Better Sims 3 Forum That’s Easy To Handle & Won’t Have So Much Drama & Stress Upon It.
I’m So Flipping Excited For Sims 3 That I’m Going Crazy February Isn’t Here Yet. After All I’ve Seen Of That Game I Really Think It’s Going To Be Awesome. I’m Really Loving The Free Roam Thing They Got Going On In That Game. Where You Can Go Anywhere In The Neighborhood With Out It Loading With Each Place You Visit. It’s Going To Be An Awesome Game & I Can’t Wait To Play It! Did You Order The Collectors Edition Or Just Decided To Get The Original Instead? I Pre-order The Collectors Edition Because I Wanted All The Goodies It Comes With!
Oh That’d Be So Awesome Jaclyn If You Redid Cornflake Girl In Sims 3! I Would Most Defiantly Read That As I Still Love Your Cornflake Girl Series To This Day!^__^ Maybe Someday Something Will Come To You On Writing I Woke Up LA! It Such A Great Series & I’d Love To See You Finish It Some Day!
Hope You Have An Awesome Week Jaclyn! Take Care!
~Celeste
You know, despite being on of the remaining “active” staff there, I can completely see your point about the Hangout. Even now, when we’re trying to refocus and revive, it still feels like it’s not really working. People are excited about the rp thing, but that’s about it. Last I checked, no one had commented at all on Critique Week. And who knows? Maybe I’ll be surprised by the turnout once it gets started, but if not, I don’t know how long I’ll stick around. I really only ever go into two of the forums (other than staff). Occasionally I drop into Sims 2 Story Ideas, but I get so frustrated with people that won’t even put any significant work into a story unless someone says they’re interested in reading it. I wonder, sometimes, how many amazing stories we’ve missed out on over the last couple years because no one noticed the thread for it so the author quit before they started. I don’t know. I think if I were shopping around for a new Sims community, I’d want one more geared toward adults. I don’t mind teenagers sometimes, and some of them can be very mature. But (and I feel old saying this) I just can’t even relate anymore to most of them. I still play my game in random obsessive spurts, but mostly, I’m trying to focus more on my writing and where I’m going with just life in general. I wish all I ever had to worry about was homework and playing games. Being an adult kinda sucks.
Oh, and I’m totally jealous that you got MLK Day off. My days off follow our two big insurance companies that we work with and neither of them got it off. So I didn’t either.
No more IWUILA? I think i might cry…
I left the hangout a loooooooooooong time ago. I lurk over some old-timer’s blogs though. Congrats on the move and stuff! I would love a forum without the drama. I don’t think I would spend much time on any forum like I did in my early teen years, but I do like the idea of having a semi-drama free place. Haha (in my dreams.) I was sad I didn’t get another break from school until around March/April, but then my dog got bitten by a coyote so I’m home today making sure he doesn’t bite/lick his wound, so hooray for me! Poor dog, but hooray I didn’t have to go to school today. =]]]
I’ve been lurking around here for so long but too shy to post. ^__^ I’ve always love your IWUILA. ~ Mat and Jil… And I completely agree with you about the Sims 2 community. (I’m a quiet member in your forums too) It just seems that you see more drama each day and honestly the game essence is gone… Hang-Out is also the first Sims 2 story forums (outside the official site) that I became a member. If not for you, Lisha, Celeste, I don’t feel comfortable going there anymore too. (sorry for the words, I just don’t like what I see there anymore) I won’t repeat what has been said and a lot of older, veteran Simmers know that. I second Deb on the rp-thing and age group thing (nothing against teens, but very few are really mature enough) and then the interest of story writing. Not many good stories in the Hang-Out are being noticed/critiqued anymore… I guess it’s also one reason not too many writers visit that place. (And its called Sims 2 ‘Writer’s’ Hang-out. A better and more organized group with focus on various aspects of the game as you said is really needed to have a happier~easy going group.
There’s no pre-order of Sims 3 in my country but I am very excited about it too. If you ever start a Sims 3 group, I sure am gonna join! ^_^
Though I never told you, I love your pictures and how normal and not heavily edited they are. I am truly waiting for another Sims work from you and Yay to Cornflake girl in the Sims 3. ^__^
~Tictic
…………..okay.
let me soak this in.
Alright, i also lost interest in that forum long ago too, to be honest I went there three or four times, read a tutorial or two, pmed some chick about a contest, got a vague reply and never went back.
(I keep accidentally hitting ‘submit comment’ before finished) As for Cornflake Girl…………………………………………okay. I really don’t know what to think. Is it going to be a sequel or a remake? Just thought I’d ask. And IWULA, I figured that’s what happened. Oh well. If it’s not meant to be, it’s not meant to be. After about five months of waiting I gave up hope anyway. I was thinking about buying sims 3, but probably don’t have enough hard drive space. Whatever. Well, happy new president’s day.
By the way…I LOVE YOU SO MUCH IT”S RETARDED! (Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist)
Celeste: I did order the collector’s edition on Amazon! It was too neat to pass up. I like the plumbob USB key. XD I’m glad you’ll still be interested in Cornflake Girl. I’m not sure what inspired me, but I’ve been really into re-creating it lately.
Deb: Stories somehow got to be too much to muddle through for me on Sims 2. In the first few years I was into it, it was amazing. I could browse the exchange pretty randomly and find gems. But then…too many people who only did it for attention got into it, and it became a mess. Which is similar to the teenager situation. At first, I remember being completely dumbfounded when I’d find out the author to some great story was just 15-17 years old. On the other hand, later on, I became dumbfounded that some of the kids posting drama, misspelling everything, and copying stories were that age and not 12.
Oh, and don’t be too jealous of us getting MLK day off. Because we get that day, we don’t get labor day, which actually would be a better time since we don’t get squat between July 4 and Thanksgiving.
Sar: It’s not 100% certain that I’ll never pick it up again. But at the very least, my plan with Sims 3 is to not put out a story until I’ve written the entire thing. So no more leaving people hanging!
Erin: Sorry about you’re dog! I hope he’s okay!
Tic: I’m glad you decided to post! I’m like you and a bit of a lurker on blogs and such most of the time!
We do need a community for sane people that won’t get invaded in Sims 3. That would be quite dreamy! But if we can’t keep them from coming, I hope a new platform and focus would help things keep in check better.
Thanks, Tictic!
Kendall: It would be a remake. I’ll spill my plan for you: basically, what I want to do is write the entire story in the form of letters written by Malory to Taylor. Kind of a silly twist, and there’s a little more to it that I won’t say yet, but I think it will make the basic plot of that story more interesting. But yeah, I don’t know what went wrong with me and IWULA. I thought I had it all planned out…and then the middle point just completely escaped me. Maybe getting into CFG again will eventually inspire me to finish IWULA.
Good for you Jac, good for you.
I feel like I’m the only one who isn’t all that interested in The Sims 3… I feel so disapointed in myself. I remember saying to my parents when I was a kid still playing Sims 1 that I’ll never get sick of it and years later, I am. But it’s the writing part of the game that killed the actual gameplay for me. Ehh….
As for the Hangout, I feel bad on how downhill it’s gone considering how great it once was. And like Deb said, no one bothers writing their stories because no one is giving advice on their threads.
And for I Woke Up La, I really hope one day you do finished it, but looking at the last chapter, it’s already in a spot where it could be an open ending. After all, we found out who the shower girl was.
Oh I was looking forward to the Sims 3 however my PC just totally died and that one was the 2nd one in the last 4 years so I decided to get a mac. Gahh so no Sims 3 for me now. I’m totally looking forward to seeing your S3 pictures though, Jaclyn, and maybe some videos too? That would be awesome if you made a Cornflake Girl movie or video series
I’m looking forward to your sims 3 version of CG very much.
I mean not until they release the mac version if they do, hopefully.
Your new forum idea seems like a great idea. I can totally see you creating it as well.
I am so looking forward to Sims 3. Perhaps it will be the fresh start that we all need. Too bad it will be delayed. But then that may be a good then cos then I’ll nearly be finished with my degree when it comes out. I loved the hangout and I will always remember it as my Sims 2 home. I agree with your comments about it though. You’re description of a ning type community sounds exciting. Let me know if you ever set that up! And it would be cool to have a more mature type of crowd who are more interested in sharing our love for sims rather than to simply rant about teenage drama. I also look forward to a sims 3 cornflake girl. I’ve played with the idea of recreating Confessions for Sims 3 myself. Haha, shall have to see about that. Keep in touch! Tata!
Lisha! I would be so happy if you came back for Sims 3. That’s exciting you’re so close to done with your degree. It really doesn’t seem so long ago that you started that. I’m disappointed in the delay though. Mostly that they waited until so close to the original release date to tell us. What a let down. Oh well, maybe June will be here before we know it. And if I get inspired to do the community thing, I’ll for sure let you know!
Nicole, you know I’ve always wanted to make a Sims movie but have been too lazy to learn how! Maybe with Sims 3… You know I heard the Mac version is supposed to come out this summer too!
Sam, you have a good point about my stopping place with IWULA. I think part of the problem is that I got past the part that interested me most, and it summed up a lot of loose ends.
Thanks for stopping by, y’all. ^__^
Aha I see what you mean, I think I might actually return my mac and get a PC. Love the simplicity and sleekness of the mac however now that I don’t have Sims and Sony Vegas 8 (which is is my love when it comes to video editing and by the way is easy to get used to
Unlike the Final Cut Express) I am unable to think of anything besides those PC goodies. You should try making vids, I’m lazy however now a days I work on videos when I’m feeling lazy instead of doing what I should be doing. I’m sure you’d become pro in no time.
Or you could put Windows on your Mac using Boot Camp! Then you can choose to boot into either OSX or Windows when your computer starts. I have a MacBook Pro and that’s what I do, because there are just some things I can’t do (easily?) in OSX.
Wait so are you able to play sims 3 and use different window programs on your mac? Dude I wish I knew this before I bought a new PC, at the moment I still have my mac and might return it tomorrow, if you say that its totally possible to play games and programs on the mac with boot camp I think you answered my prayers and then I’ll just return the PC instead of the mac haha. How do I get the boot camp? Do I have to buy the window vista program to install into the mac?
Boot camp is software that comes on your Mac (assuming it’s pretty new?). You will need a copy of Windows. I’ve only tried it with XP, so you might want to research and make sure you can install Vista with Boot camp if that is what you prefer to use!
Sorry for all the questions Jaclyn. I was kinda worried I bought the wrong thing again. I looked up info about boot camp and found out that I’m only able to use one program at a time and for me I undoubtedly always have at to be working on at least 4 things at at time, like if I’m on sims 2, I’ll also be on the internet, writing, and working on a music video. I have a weird case of ADD. I got the new macbook pro so yeah its new, however it’s a little bit on the expensive side and I think I’ll just re-buy a mac sometime in the future when I want/need more than one computer. Now from saving 1000$ I think I might go get some insurance on myself… wooo. Haha sorry sure no one really cares.
Hmmm…not sure what you were reading, but that’s not right. All Bootcamp does is provide a platform for you to boot into the Windows operating system when you turn your computer on, and provides all the hardware drivers for Windows.
It’s still a fully functional version of Windows.
Nobody uses only one program at a time! ^__^
Ah well, they are expensive though, so glad you have something that works out for you now.
We are not a forum, but we are a group of Sims 2 writers that hang out together, discuss writing, blogging, the Sims2, and write and post stories. Check us out! We are all over 18, and our stories reflect that.
Anyone can read and comment on our stories, or at our main blog, The Sims 2 Writer’s Alliance!
I agree too many guidelines can hamper one’s creativity and cause grumbling, that’s why we don’t have any ‘rules’, the only rule, to have fun!
I love that your getting into other games and stuff. However I’ve felt so deprived of not being able to read I Woke Up LA. I’m so sad that you haven’t wrote in a while. I know your trying to decide where to take the store next and by the way you ended chapter 8 I understand how hard it is to continue.
Please think about it as much as possible. I really want to see where it goes next, which is dumb to say because I know that you don’t even know. I love you story and miss Jill and Matt. Please CONTINUE SOON
Jac! Man it’s been a LOOOOONG TIME! I hope all is well. I just stopped by the Hangout today after months and months being away and clicked on your siggy. It’s been TOO long since I’ve lurked your blog! Like most everyone else, just knowing the Sims 3 was in site kind of crushed my lust for Sims 2. Back in June, Ryan and I bought a house, so I haven’t been SUPER active on any forum, or even with game play in that time. I was stoked for Sims 3 February release, and when that got pushed back I was PISSED!
But all in all, I’m kind of glad it got pushed back to June. With work and wedding planning, I’d have less than zero time to spend playing. The wedding is May 23rd, so I have plans for LOTS of simming in June! LOL. Another reason I’m glad it was pushed back is because I didn’t really know where I’d “hang out” online for the Sims 3. What you described seems like an awesome idea! With all of the drama I’ve seen in my 4 1/2 years of Sims 2 play, I’d welcome a nice, grown up forum with lots of facets.
You should get an idea rolling and figure out a way to make it happen. I’d be your number one supporter and an active member! I’ll be blog stalking in the coming months to see. ^_^
Site= sight…yeah It’s been a long week haha!
Hi Amanda! Is sure has been forever! Good to hear from you and congrats on the wedding–less than two months away! Wow! ^__^
Yeah, I think it’s actually turned into a good thing being pushed back to a June release for me too. My after-hours work schedule went insane soon after I posted this blog entry, and I haven’t had much time for anything else myself. But hopefully that will change in the next month and I can start getting hyped about Sims 3 again — and start planning some kind of community idea!
Thanks! Yeah I’m super excited, really busy, but excited.
Keep us all posted on the community. Having a cool place to hang out for Sims 3 would make my century! Oh and congrats on the new place! It’s awesome to have space to put everything!
awww. i guess i should stop looking for updates on woke up la.
I’m super hyped about Sims 3 and kind of dissapointed by all the pictures from the torrents. I have to buy a new Mac to run the Sims 3 anyway, but I kind of enjoy buying it. Weird, I know =]
Anyway, I haven’t seen any new posts around in here in a while, but I’m glad to see you’re still commenting, Jaclyn. I’d love to help with a Sims 3 forum or just be able to enjoy it if you choose to do that. I’ve vowed to myself that I’ll be a little more active with pictures and CC making for the Sims 3!
Oh my gosh….
It has been forever since I have checked out your blog Jaclyn, way too long I’ll admit. I haven’t played Sims since before I started playing WoW again. I was kind of excited about Sims 3 until I figured out I was going to have to buy a whole new PC to run it. Mine is about 5 years old now (gasp). It looks like it has been forever since you have even been on your own blog! LOL, and today is Amanda’s wedding day so best wishes to her! I’m loving my new job, working with the babies and the mommies, it’s definitely interesting. Maybe you should just re-read IWULA yourself, just to be reminded why we all loved it so much. It seems to me that a story with such a dedicated fan-base (it may look small but considering the format I would say it’s HUGE) would be something to invest in seriously. You have superb talent Jaclyn, don’t ever forget that. *hugs*
How come if you aren’t going to update, you’ll accept comments on your sims page that say things such as ‘Omg! Such a cliffhanger! Update soon!’ It gives us false hope that your still active on that account and that you might update.
If you are going to continue, I give you my encouragment (I do love the series!), however if not, please just say in your blog that you aren’t going to update.
This comments makes me giggle a lot. I was going to go into a long explanation, but instead I’ll just say this:
I really don’t pay attention to my Sims 2 page. When I see I have new mail, I accept any new GB signings regardless of what they say (unless they’re spam). I’ve always said to check my website for updates / more information. And if you’ll read the last paragraph of this blog post (from January, by the way), you’ll get your answer about my thoughts on continuing this story.