#2. choose a base model and buy it

[miss-k-lovenikki]

Gunpla Nikki

[phoebejaysims]

Boutique Mod - DOWNLOAD

Inspired by the sims 2 shopping for clothes system, I present a sims 3 take on buying clothes, accessories and running a thriving boutique! Set up shifts, keep the racks stocked, and you might find yourself in profit!

Required:

Ambitions

NRAAS Master Controller + Integration Module

Optional:

ITF if you want to use the clothes mannequin and some visual effects.

Late Night if you want the animations for the security guard.

Seasons for extra interactions on the mannequin.

Savvy Seller Set for some visual and audio effects.

Full Documentation is included in the download. I spent a while writing it out, so please read thoroughly!

How Stores Work:

Set up a shift

Hire Employees (bosses count as employees so stores are fully functional with only one sim!)

Link at least one rack to the register

Open for business!

Employees:

Store employees can be given three types of roles: register attendant, sales attendant and security guard.

Employees will do their jobs automatically but you can always manually tell them to do things too like: restocking, dressing up mannequins, helping customers, among other things.

Customers:

Inactive and active sims can browse through the racks and have the ability to purchase items. They'll interact differently depending on if they are shopping at a clothes rack, accessory rack, or at a mannequin.

Inactives won't purchase outfits from mannequins unless you direct them to (or you enable auto-purchasing in the XML). However, they may "fake" buy clothes.

Once finished shopping, customers hold their bags and wait to be rung up! Take too long and they may abandon their purchase.

Shopping:

Adjust prices and restrict customers by age and gender to customise your store!

Clothes Racks:

Buy Clothes for your own sim, sims in your household, or (if you're an employee) suggest clothes for customers.

Employees that suggest clothes for customers can fulfil Ambition Stylist jobs this way.

Accessories Racks:

Choose accessories to be sold by adding them to the XML in the package file. The XML comes loaded with a few base game items already plus a couple modded items (Arsil's Sunglasses and lipstick - that won't be loaded unless you have them installed).

Sell buy-mode items as well as CAS items!

Make your CAS items wearable from your sim's inventory using your own meshes or my dummy accessory (see Documentation and XML for details).

Blacklist certain categories from being shown. If you want a dedicated shoe shop or an opticians, you can have it!

Try on products before buying them to see if they suit your sim. If there's a mirror in the room, they'll check themselves out in it.

Clothing Mannequin:

Try on the mannequin outfits to see if they suit your sim.

Plan different outfits to display and even set them to be rotated through seasonally.

Let your employees be creative and choose a random outfit for the mannequin to wear.

Buy clothes for your own sim, household members, or customers.

Allow or disallow inactives from automatically purchasing display outfits.

Security Gates:

Give your security guards something to stand and look threatening by.

You can try your luck at stealing from the shop. If you're caught, you'll have to pay up. If you get past the gates (or if there are no gates), enjoy your bounty!

Boutique Door:

Cloned from the Savvy Seller doors without the annoying 'kick-every-last-person-out-the-building-come-closing-time' feature.

Link this to a register and let the open and close sign automatically flip itself. Also, close the store or rename it, straight from the door.

Phone Interactions:

Ask for time off work (paid or unpaid).

Call in sick.

Cancel vacation days.

Credits and Thanks:

@dhalsims for adding geostates to the ITF rack for me. Modders, I really recommend her if you need any 3D models made also!

DouglasVeiga for the BG rack with the geostates.

@aroundthesims for allowing me to use her objects in my mod as always!

Sims 4 for all the animations that I converted.

Simstate & merchant mods for the idea to go into a mode to link racks to the register.

The OG shop for clothes mod and pedestal by @anitmb.

Arsil and @zoeoe-sims for wearable CAS items idea that I adapted.

Ani's Candle mod & Amb. Makeover XML which I looked at for inspo on how to do accessory rack xml.

Compatibility:

All new objects so shouldn't conflict with anything really.

Removes the 'plan outfit' interaction from dressers.

Made on version 1.67.

If you would like to donate as thanks, please feel free to do so at: my kofi! I don't take your generosity for granted!

Download: - Simblr.cc - 2t3 Boutique Mod Suggested Extra CC: - Lyralei's TS2 Conversions (incl. clothes changing booth) - More ATS3 Security Gates - ATS3 Friperie Set

Known issues, prop information and the full feature breakdown are all in the documentation.

Please be patient with me if there are bugs to fix. Also, anyone who DMs me "I don't know how to create a new shift" will be immediately fined £150.

With that said, please enjoy the mod and tag me in your beautiful boutiques,

Phoebe :)

[vixonspixels]

EA Male Toddler Hair Catalogue

I've said this many times but again, I am disappointed with how much lack of content we have for base game. Not everyone is fortunate enough to be able to buy all of the packs, or simply don't want to buy them as they aren't keen on the items. Whatever the reason I definitely think EA needs to add a few more base game hairs, not only for toddlers but all age groups!

So with that being said, and me struggling with finding nice toddler hairs to download I decided to pick out my favourite male and female toddler EA hairs and convert them to base game so that everyone can have them if they choose too. I'm fortunate enough that I own all of the packs, including kits but I know alot of others arent.

I'll be personally leaving these in my game as I literally only ever have the custom content tag on in CAS and forget the EA hairs are even there, the same applies with clothes 🤣

I'll be bringing out the female toddler part next week when I have the time

I'll leave a list below of what each hair is called and what pack its from incase you only want to pick out the hairs that you dont have the packs for. The names of the hairs are the ones EA has called them. I'm aware some creators may have brought out some of these hairs, but honestly with how many creators there is in this community its impossible to keep track of who's done what

These are all basegame friendly as I have converted all of them

Model used is kingston with darker hair as blonde hair doesnt show up too great with my CAS background

List below of each hair

1 - Short Curls | Growing Together

2 - Undercut | Toddlers Pack

3 - Waves | Paranormal Pack

4 - Wavy Fade | Highschool Years

5 - Straight Bowl Cut | Seasons

6 - Twists Fade | Cottage Living

7 - Cornrows | Wedding Stories

8 - Long Braids | Growing Together

9 - Short Box Braids | Highschool Years

10 - Short Messy | Snowy Escape

11 - Curly Tapered | Cottage Living

12 - Parterd Wavy | Snowy Escape

13 - Short Fade | Home Chef Hustle

14 - Short Undercut | Highschool Years

15 - Straight Swept Toussel | Tiny Living

16 - Short Curls | Tiny Living

Available for free over on my patreon page here

[thebleedingwoodland]

THE SIMS 3 TUTORIAL

HOW TO CREATE DEFAULT REPLACEMENT MOD USING CUSTOM MESH & TEXTURE FOR SIMPLE OBJECT

⚠️ Tumblr has 30 pictures limit, so I cannot include too many pictures. If you want to zoom in the pictures, click the pictures to enlarge, or save the pictures into your PC, zoom the pictures on picture viewer or zoom in the pictures on your mobile phone. ⚠️

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I create this tutorial to make easier to follow because there are older tutorials available before but scattered on internet and usually only say "Export to replace s3asc" without explaining how to export the edited object properly.

My method is using TSR Workshop instead of exporting the object using Sims 3 Object Export/Import plug in because exporting to replace the s3asc using that plug in always giving error notification "ERR: Model has 1 groups; original had 0" and cannot be exported.

For beginners who are very new using s3pe and haven't created default replacement mod before, better start from simple object first.

Simple objects I mean in-game object that has single MODL and single texture with no morphs, no GeoStates, no presets, no CAS colour channels, and easily cloned from OBJD on catalogue. Usually as utensils that Sims holding in their hand, not buy/build objects. For example: Pencil, pan, fork, spoon.

----------------------------------------------------

Tools to prepare:

s3oc

s3pe

Milkshape 3D for bone assignment (Version I use 1.8.5 beta, discontinued by its developer, therefore feel free to download the full version with its license key provided).

Sims 3 Object Export/Import 1.01 by Wesley Howe (Milkshape plug-in. Download msS3ObjPluginsV101.rar ) 

TSR Workshop (Older version for TS3 only version 2.0.88)

TSR Workshop plug-ins for export.import TSRW Object.

3D Program (Blender/Maya/3dsMax)

Editing images software (Photoshop, make sure you have to install .dds plugin by Nvidia. For free software alternative, you can use GIMP with its .dds plugin)

This tutorial will not teach you how to:

Meshing object ���

Create alpha texture ❌

Change thumbnails in-game ❌

Install programs and plug-ins ❌

This is how I created Chinese chopsticks replacement mod using custom mesh and texture.

In summary, this tutorial has 10 steps:

Step 1. Clone the Object using s3oc

Step 2. Open S3PE to Copy the Original Resource Code and Export the Files

Step 3. Export the Original Mesh as Base Mesh to .obj format

Step 4. Create Your Custom Mesh

Step 5. Bone Assignment & Create Group

Step 6. Create custom Texture

Step 7. Import the .wso of Edited Mesh on TSR Workshop & Export the package

Step 8. Export MODL file from Package saved from TSR Workshop

Step 9. Finalizing in s3pe & Replacing the Original file with Edited File & Correcting the Code As Same As Default Code

Step 10. Test the CC in your game.

-----------------------------------

✳️ Step 1. Clone the Object using s3oc

Before cloning the object, check the Game Folder for in-game object file location. Settings > Game Folders...

Take a look if the Base Game or Expansion Pack for object file you want to clone is in the right folder. For example, my The Sims 3 game are all bought from Steam, so the location is D:\SteamLibrary\steamapps\common\The Sims 3

If you want to clone object from Expansion Pack, make sure input the folder location. For example, the location for World Adventures EP is D:\SteamLibrary\steamapps\common\The Sims 3\EP1

If you are done, close the pop-up box. You can continue click Cloning then choose Normal Object...

Wait until you get the whole catalogue. Click Search...

For example, I clone object from World Adventures Expansion Pack. You can clone object from Base Game or other Expansion Packs as long it is considered as "utensil" that Sim holding on hand. For example: "Pencil" or "Pan"

Search for text: chopsticks

or if you want to clone object from Base Game, search: utensil

Tick check marks for Resource Name, Object Name, Object Desc then click "Search button"

Search result gives you results with name "chopsticks". Here is the object we are looking for: UtensilChopsticks

We need the OBJD file to clone. OBJD = Object Data.

Click "Clone or Fix" at the right bottom. Then you see the next page to determine if you want to clone with renumber or not. If you want to make default replacement, then do not check the Renumber box. Keep it blank.

Tick check box means the s3oc will generate new resource code for new item. Not tick the check means the s3oc will overwrite the same resource code, it is to replace object you cloned in-game.

I am personally a detailed person, so I usually tick as many as I want: tick "Deep clone" "Missing String Tables" and "Include Thumbnail" to include more details. Then click "Start" to proceed.

It will give you file name [CreatorName]_ObjectName_Number

Then save your package file in "DBPF Package" format in your project folder. Always make folder for any file to make everything organized.

✳️ Step 2. Open S3PE to Copy the Original Resource Code and Export the Files

Open S3pe, locate your package file you cloned from s3oc. Find the MODL of Utensil Chopsticks, Right-Click, "Details..."

On Resource Details, click "Copy TGI" to copy the Resource Code. Type, Group, and Instance will automatically be copied on clipboard. Then open Notepad, Right-Click to "Paste".

Click GRID on bottom of the s3pe (I mark it red on picture), it will give you pop-up box with Data Grid. Click "Resources", it will be highlight blue and there's 3 dots button appeared on the right side. Click the 3 dots button. It will give you TGI Block List Editor.

Inside MODL's TGI Block List Editor only has IMG. You may wondering why, but that's how the game coded. Type, Group, Instance of _IMG inside TGI Block List Editor should be the same as _IMG on the package.

Copy the TGI, Group, Instance to your Notepad.

After you copied code of MODL, do the same for the texture image (_IMG), but only copy the code from Resource Details. You cannot edit TGI Block List Editor for _IMG as the Grid button for _IMG is greyed out.

The main task is the code of your edited mesh and texture should be the same as the code you copied now from original package you cloned with s3oc.

Keep the code on notepad. You will need this code later.

Export the MODL file. Right-Click, "Export to s3asc". The file appears in long string such with name for example: S3_01661233_08000001_B619DB2238C3430B%%+MODL_filebase

Do not rename the file. Save.

Export the texture file. Right-Click "Export > To File..." The file will be saved in .dds format. Do not rename the file. Save.

✳️ Step 3. Export the Original Mesh as Base Mesh to .obj format

Open Milkshape. Import the s3asc file you saved before.

More steps click spoiler tag "Read More / Keep Reading" below

File > Import > Sims 3 Object Import v 1.01 by Wesley Howe

Locate the s3asc file, then the original chopsticks mesh appears.

Click the "Joints" tab. It has 4 codes. Check box "Draw vertices with bone colors" It will show Bone Assignment colors on the original mesh. Yellow on top chopstick and light blue on bottom chopstick. The colours are to make the object has rig and movement following the Sim's interaction.

Take a look at the 4 codes on Joints Tab. You can play around to see which colour of the code will appear, after that copy paste the code to Notepad to make it easier to comprehend.

Click Select from Tools menu, Select Options: Face. On "Right/Left/Top/Bottom 2D View", Left-click make selection of one part of chopsticks. While the part of object being selected (Red), click Joints then Choose "Assign".

0x96239247 --> Yellow 0xFEAE6981 --> Purple 0xCD68F001 --> Light Blue 0xD0DECA8E --> Red

Your edited mesh must have the exact same Bone Assignment colour later. Check again if the code and colour are correct.

You can save object mesh as .obj to other 3D software such as Blender or any other 3D software.

✳️ Step 4. Create Your Custom Mesh

Use the original .obj as base model. While you can create longer mesh or any edited version as you wish.

Make sure the scale and position of the edited mesh is same as base original mesh, because the edited mesh will be used on Sim's hand.

If you are done editing the mesh, export the UVmap.

You can export the uvmap in higher resolution, as long as it is Power of 2. 64x64, 128x128, 256x256, 512x512, 1024x1024, 2048x2048, 4096x4096. I export in 1024x1024 pixels to make the size of texture larger and have more details.

Then export the mesh object in .obj format.

✳️ Step 5. Bone Assignment & Create Group

Open Milkshape. Import the original mesh.

Check the Groups Tab. Original mesh has 1 group, "group 00". Group 00 means it is the main mesh. There is no shadow beneath the object.

Import the edited mesh as .obj file.

My edited mesh has one single name "default" name on the Group Tab. While edited mesh may have a lot of file name scattered on Group Tab. Regroup the file name to simplify your edited mesh into one single name. Select > Regroup.

The main task is replacing the EA's original mesh with your edited mesh.

Before you delete anything, you must do Bone Assignment first to the edited mesh you created.

Your edited mesh does not have Bone Assignment, so it appears white.

Remember the 4 codes you copied earlier in Notepad.

Copy Bone Assignment from original mesh to your edited mesh.

This case, your want to Bone Assign Yellow colour.

Select > Face to select one part of chopsticks of your edited mesh. On Joints Tab, double click the appropriate code 0x96239247 in blue highlight then the code box on the right side of "Rename" will appear 0x96239247. Make sure the code is correct. Then you can click "Assign".

Your edited mesh will appear in Yellow colour. Then do the same for another part of chopsticks.

Select another part of chopsticks of your edited mesh. On Joints Tab, double click the appropriate code 0xCD68F001 in blue highlight then the code box on the right side of "Rename" will appear 0xCD68F001. Click "Assign".

Your edited mesh will appear in Light Blue colour.

Then what's the other code for? With colour purple and red?

Leave them. Let the codes have the same exact codes as appear in original mesh and let the colours only assigned Yellow and Light Blue. The colours are to determine rig for interaction in-game, which only use Yellow as upper part of chopstick and Light Blue as bottom part of chopstick.

You can safely delete the original mesh with name group00 until it remains your only your edited mesh.

Rename your edited mesh to group00. Type group00 on the box then click "Rename" on the left side.

Export to TSRW Object in .wso format. .wso is format with bone assignment on object attached.

Save your .wso in your project folder.

✳️ Step 6. Create custom Texture

Import original texture you exported from s3pe to your editing image software.

Look at the original texture made by EA. 32x64 pixels. It is very low resolution, blurry and stretched, because the texture should be compressed as low as possible by game designer. As player you want it has higher detail to look realistic as possible and your PC of course can handle high resolution content, sure you can make the resolution much higher than EA's.

Import the UVMap you saved from 3D software. For example, UVmap I imported has 1024x1024 resolution. Add your custom texture. Then save it to .dds format in the same name as original texture. Save in separate folder, name it "Edited Texture" to keep it separated from original texture.

✳️ Step 7. Import the .wso of Edited Mesh on TSR Workshop & Export the package

Open your TSR Workshop.

Create New Project > New Import >Next...

Then Browse original mesh by EA in package format in your project folder.

On Open file box, you cannot see .package file because the filter is .wrk (TSR Workshop Project). Choose the .package dropdown.

Then you can see .package file.

Open the .package. After the file is located, then Next. On Project Details I usually skip without giving name of Project Name and Title. Next.

You must have seen green land with white blank sky.

Where's the mesh? It is actually there... just being zoomed in too close. You need to zoom out by scrolling down mouse.

You can see the original chopsticks mesh by EA. You can save the project file in .wrk format. After you save the file, import the .wso of your edited mesh. Mesh tab > High Level detail. Click green arrow folder icon to import. Then your edited mesh will appear replacing the original EA mesh.

As you see, the texture is messed up because the texture is still using original EA's texture. But then you check Textures tab and it has blank dropdown...

I cannot change the texture on this TSR Workshop!

Don't worry, we can replace the texture on s3pe later.

No need to change anything other than importing mesh. Click Edit > Project Contents to save as package.

You will see pop up box with number or files DDS, FTPT, LITE, MODL, OBJD, OBJK, etc. Export > To. package. Give name such as "EditedChopsticks_TSRW"

✳️ Step 8. Export MODL file from Package saved from TSR Workshop

Open S3PE, File > Open package "EditedChopticks_TSRW" that you saved from TSR Workshop.

Export MODL. Right-Click, export. It gives you file name with [StringOfNumber] .model .

Save it on project folder. Keep it organized and separated from original MODL. Name the folder "Edited MODL". Do not rename the file.

✳️ Step 9. Finalizing in s3pe & Replacing the Original file with Edited File & Correcting the Code As Same As Default Code

Open s3pe, File > Open original package that you cloned from s3oc. [CreatorName]_ObjectName_Number

Find the MODL. Right-Click > Replace...

Locate to your edited MODL with filename .model .

Then click Open.

The original MODL of the package should be replaced with your edited mesh.

Do the same for the texture.

Locate to your edited texture with filename .dds

Then click Open.

The original texture of the package should be replaced with your edited texture.

Take a look at MODL's Type, Group, Instance. It has the same code as original MODL in the original package cloned with s3oc (because it has been replaced)

Don't forget to see the code inside TGI Block List Editor.

Repeat step 2 how to check the code. Right-Click on MODL/IMG > Details... and click GRID > Resources > TGI Block List Editor.

The Type, Group, Instance of the _IMG are different compared from IMG from original package clone, which means that is the evidence of edited mesh replaced the original.

Rename the Instance with default/original Instance you copied on notepad from Step 2. Type, Group, Instance should be the same as default/original Type, Group, Instance.

Open notepad with resource code you copied from Step 2. Make sure the Type, Group, and Instance are all the same.

If the codes are the same, then your edited mesh and texture will overwrite the default mesh and texture with the same code in the game. Save, Commit, Save the package.

Check again if the texture is replaced properly. Right-Click on _IMG > ViewDDS.

ALTERNATIVES!

Yes, you can delete unwanted files in your edited package, to keep the package clean. Simply Right-Click>Deleted.

The only files needed in package are: MODL, _IMG, _KEY

They are the only files with your edited mesh/texture including codes to overwrite the default codes.

You can Start new fresh blank s3pe. Right-Click>Import from file...

Locate your edited MODL and _IMG (texture) file.

On Resource Details box, tick mark "Use resource name" > OK.

Make sure all the Type, Group, and Instance of MODL and _IMG including in the TGI Block List Editor are all the same as the code in original package.

Save the package.

✳️ Step 10. Test the CC in your game.

Put the package to your CC folder in your The Sims 3 document folder to see if the CC is working or not.

If the CC is working as your intended, with your custom mesh and texture, then test the animation. Are the chopsticks animation working as the same as original EA's? If the animation are working well too, then congratulations!

Your default replacement are working. Give applause to yourself. 👏

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QUESTIONS!

Q:

Can I use this tutorial for making default replacement for buy/build object?

A: This tutorial covers basic method of using TSR Workshop and replacing the default codes (Type, Group, Instance), so you will understand the basic principle of doing default replacement mod.

Keep in mind that different object has different case. Buy / build object has MLOD (not just MODL) more than one, texture images more than one, has presets, and CAStable colour channels.

The TGI Block List Editor for buy/build object has a lot of codes, so have to spend a lot of time to do trial-and-error to make the default replacement working properly, because a lot of times the texture doesn't work (still using default EA's texture), or when the object appears right with your edited mesh and texture, after you choose the presets, the object reverts back to your edited mesh with default EA's texture.

Q:

Help! The texture is black! / still using same EA's texture when tested in the game!

A: The texture codes must be not the same. Check the Type, Group, Instance of _IMG. Do the codes are the same like codes in original package? Check the TGI Block List Editor for MODL, is the _IMG inside has the same Type, Group, Instance as in original package.

Q:

Help! The object disappears when tested in the game!

A: You must be replacing OBJD in your package. Do not replace OBJD. Just MODL and texture only.

[covid-safer-hotties]

Hi! Sorry if this is a dumb question, but what do you know about reusable covid-safe masks? I've never stopped wearing the fabric masks, but I'd like to step up my protection. I'm also just worried about all the trash single-use masks will produce -- I want to be environmentally responsible too -- but a lot of mask resources don't seem to specify much on reusability/washability. I'd be really grateful for anything you can send my way.

First off, reusable filters don't offer enough protection. You need at least n95 rated material, and washing it breaks it down and removes its electrostatic charge, rendering it less protective. There's no 100% earthy-crunchy green way to give yourself adequate covid protection. What elastomeric masks do, however, is reduce the amount of waste in reducing filter size. This also brings the cost of filters down in most cases. Some companies exist that recycle masks too, but I only have links Canadian examples and I don't know where you are.

There's a lot of elastomeric masks out there. 3M has over 3 dozen n95 or p100 models to choose from. There's even forced-air options if you wanna go for the absolute best protection, but in all but the highest risk and research covid scenarios, it's major overkill.

Because I don't know you or your measurements, I can't tell you what mask will 100% fit you. Personally, my everyday wear is a big-nose model Flo Mask, and for high risk scenarios, I break out my MSA Advantage 300. There's dozens of models and levels of protection out there ranging from full face, forced air respirators to the thong-like B99 B2 that only barely covers my mouth and nose. The zero covid reddit might be a great place to ask people for recommendations based upon your concerns with fitting an elastomeric to your specific face type: low/high bridge, shallow/chubby cheeks, and chin size all impact which elastomeric is likely to get and keep a good seal in use. You might have to buy 2 or 3 before you find *the one* is a problem you may encounter, but of all the elastomerics I've seen, Flo Mask has the best general fit and would be a good starting point.

Basically, even disposable masks will prevent you using even more resources and plastics and such by keeping you healthy and out of the hospital. Someone who uses and throws away 2 or 4 masks every couple weeks (depending on your specific needs, could be a little more if you like sweat at work a lot or something) is far less impact than a ICU stay for covid. Also, you could help prevent covid *and* offset everyone's mask waste by eliminating Taylor Swift since she flies two private jets to all her events which spread more covid than any other superspreader event. (For legal reasons, I am joking)

[ace-reviews]

WINTER 2024 ANIME RECOMMENDATIONS

I counted and there are 8.5 blonde ladies in either a lead or primary love interest role this season (8 if you count the one whose hair is sometimes black as half of one). Do what you will with this information. I only share it because it’s something that was ticking me off that I noticed.

Anyway, we’re trying out a new format this season: Instead of only recommending anime we’re not familiar with, we’re each picking one we are familiar with and one we went into completely blind.

ACE’S RECOMMENDATION #1: MR. VILLAIN’S DAY OFF

After the deluge of isekai that try to teach the importance of having a healthy work-life balance by having the lack of one kill off it’s main character in the first five minutes of the episode, it’s really nice to have something that teaches the same lesson by choosing to model what one looks like rather than killing anybody. It’s also got a lot of pandas in it, which is always nice.

ACE’S RECOMMENDATION #2: SENGOKU YOUKO

Satoshi Mizukami seemingly can’t catch a break with anime adaptations of his manga: Lucifer and the Biscuit Hammer sucked and this one is being seriously overshadowed by all the other really good and/or long-looked-forward-to adaptations this season. (Planet With was an anime first so it escaped the curse.)

Anyway, please watch this and have your friends watch this and buy the Blu–Rays and have your friends buy the Blu-Rays so my dream of a (good!!!) Spirit Circle anime can someday come true.

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CHARLIE’S RECOMMENDATION #1: SOLO LEVELING

(for the sake of our more sensitive readers, actual screenshots of the anime cannot be shown at this time)

If you like Cheat System anime, and don’t mind “a bit” of graphic violence (read: so much. There’s just so much violence.) , give this a shot. It’s based on one of the Korean manhua that made the genre what it is today, and as far as I’m concerned, they’ve done a good job being faithful to their source so far - they didn’t even give them Japanese names, you guys.

CHARLIE’S RECOMMENDATION #2: A SIGN OF AFFECTION

(adorable)

It’s cute, and disability rep is always a bonus. I like how they animated the sign language, which seems fairly realistic to me, someone who speaks no sign languages.

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FEN’S RECOMMENDATION #1: LOOKING UP TO MAGICAL GIRLS

This is a series I’ve been following since there were only five chapters out in the manga, so I would like to preface this recommendation by saying I’m the only one who’s actually right about it. I’m a veteran, a true soul who’s stuck with it for the past x years since it first released, and as such everything I say about it is valid and correct and anything people who aren’t as familiar with it says is complete horseshit pulled out of their ass. This is a factual statement.

Mahou Shoujo ni Akogarete, which has been translated for the manga as “Looking up to Magical Girls” (correct) and by vile HIDIVE as “Gushing Over Magical Girls” (bad and wrong) is a trashy, over-indulgent yuri series for weird perverts that is good, actually, (genuinely), and if the adaptation manages to capture Onanaka Akihiko’s remarkably deft hand in weaving the series’ fetish gags with the story’s genuine moments of pathos and surprising character depth then the anime will also be good, actually.

Dude trust me.

FEN’S RECOMMENDATION #2: METALLIC ROUGE

This is an anime original series about super fighting robots on Mars doing a hitman shit on android rebels for the government and also yuri, maybe. ACAB includes Rouge Redstar, watch this show.

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BONUS RECOMMENDATIONS: DUNGEON MESHI AND ‘TIS TIME FOR “TORTURE,” PRINCESS

A recommendation to watch Dungeon Meshi is the most redundant thing on the planet this season, but even so you should still watch Dungeon Meshi. Also, Fen and I had a bit of a back-and-forth over who would recommend Torture Princess since it was something she was familiar with and something I had only heard of and I wasn’t going to recommend it because I thought she would and she apparently chose not to recommend it because she thought I was going to so take it as a recommendation both from someone who is and someone who isn’t familiar with Torture Princess to watch Torture Princess.

[cityof2morrow]

Bella Brand: Bella's Beauties 005 - Signature Collection

Published: 11-7-2023 | Updated: 11-20-2023 SUMMARY “Inspired by the wealth of Bella Goth lore from the Sims/SimCity franchises (aka the “simsverse”), the Bella Brand Series includes more than a dozen sets and 230+ new business-themed items. Lore suggests that the wealth/influence of the Gilman, Crumplebottom, Bachelor, and Goth families increases considerably under Mortimer and Bella Goth, especially the latter. So, this series imagines what a prestigious Bella-based brand might look like…” For the Bella brand’s most loyal customers - a special edition hosiery/display rack and several recolors of the functional hosiery from the Bella’s Secret Remix set (Simmons, 2023).

DETAILS Requires ALL EPs/SPs. You need Mesh Set 001 (Simmons, 2023) and the Display Counter (BellasSecret_Counter_Somedaythesun)from the TS2 Maxis Match Lingerie Store Set (SomedayTheSun, 2023). This set includes a hosiery rack linked to Marble Display 001 from Bella’s Beauties 003 (Simmons, 2023) and recolors of the hosiery apparel items from the Bella’s Secret Remix set (Simmons, 2023) – all of these items are required for all textures to display in-game. Optional recolors of items from the Bella Brand Gift Set 001 (Simmons, 2023) are included as well. The counter uses recolors from the Bosenklavier Model B grand piano (Bon Voyage EP). Find recolors for the counter interior in the Bella Brand: Retail Floor Set (Simmons, 2023). Recolors may include swatches for items in other Bella Brand sets such as signs, packages, cosmetics, etc. Objects in Sims 2 are limited to two recolorable parts, so not all items are recolorable in the same way. Find additional recolors for Bella Brand sets on this site under #ts2recolors, #co2recolors, and #co2bellabrand.

ITEMS Bella Brand Legs & Heels Mannequin (1735 poly, HIGH) Bella Brand Signature Hosiery Rack (788 poly) DOWNLOAD (choose one) from SFS | from MEGA

*A known game bug may disable some shelf slots. If you cannot access more than 2 slots on the hosiery/lingerie racks (the ones with 4 or 6 bars), download ONE these fixes: MORE_Custom-objects-placeable-on-shelves (Numenor, 2006) MORE_Custom-objects-placeable-on-shelves+LOCKEDTILES (Numenor, 2006) Object Freedom 1.02 (Fway, 2023)

Functional Apparel Objects Apparel objects are debug items and show up as “clothing pile” in the catalog (Misc > Dressers). They must be placed on one of the DEBUG displays/shelves or they’ll float. Once purchased, take them out of the sim’s inventory and choose from one of the following: Purchase Clothing. Select an outfit (or several) of any type. Each apparel object is worth §100 towards the TOTAL cost. Sims save more money (and your businesses make more money) if they use one apparel object per new outfit. Sell. Recycle the object for §100 simoleons.  If you exit the Buy Clothing window without adding anything to your shopping cart, §100 will be added to the sim’s household funds instead. Apparel objects are worth §100 regardless of how much sims pay for them on OFB/community lots. Pricing an item below this amount can function like a discount sale (i.e., pay $75 in-store and §100 towards the purchase or a 25% “discount/rebate.” You can decide whether this counts as cheating). Pricing it above this amount is not recommended since sims will end up losing extra money. Debug objects have slots which “catch” fellow clones if you place them too close. To prevent this when trying to clutter them close together, turn “snap objects to grid” OFF and “move objects” OFF.

CREDITS No copyright infringement intended. All trademarks belong to their respective owners. CCA = Creative Commons Attribution. Thanks: @catherinetcjd, @gayars, @gummilutt, @haziewhims, @kashmiresims (Rach’), @somedaythesun, whoward, Easy Shine Removal Kit (PF Forest, 2023), Reducing GUIDs/OBJs Tutorial (HugeLunatic, 2022), Sketchfab and Blender Communities. Sources: SEE CREDITS (ALT).

[rose-learns-japanese]

Japanese Video Games and Your Consoles

Hello! This post is for people that want to play video games in Japanese and want to know which consoles play them, so I'll go through the ones I know about, here. (Not going to talk about sailing the high seas here)

I've been mostly a Nintendo nut my whole life, so most of my info is about Nintendo!

Hopefully this helps someone!

Gameboy Color/Advance

Region Free

The Gameboy, Gameboy color and Gameboy Advance are all completely region free. Your Gameboy models will all play Japanese games just fine.

I recommend:

Pokemon Red, Blue, Yellow, Gold, Crystal, Sapphire, Ruby, Emerald

Pokemon card game and the sequel GR団参上

The Legend of Zelda the Minish Cap, Oracle of Ages, Oracle of Seasons

--------

Super Nintendo

Region Locked, simple devices available

The Nintendo and Super Nintendo were both region locked by the cartridges themselves being of a different shape. You can either buy a Super Famicom (The Japanese equivalent) or buy a peripheral to make your Super Nintendo play super Famicom games. It's not too cost prohibitive to buy what's called a "Cartridge converter". Another option is to buy a Retron system that plays them.

I recommend:

Mario RPG

Final Fantasy

Earthbound

--------

N64

Region locked, easy modification

N64 is region locked based on the shape of the cartridge back. To get your Japanese games to work on yours, switch the back off of the actual cartridge using a 3.8 mm Gamebit screwdriver with the back from any other US cartridge.

I recommend:

Mario Story (Paper Mario)

Mario Party

Pokemon Snap

Legend of Zelda games

--------

Gamecube

Region locked

Buy a Gamecube capable Japanese Wii.

I recommend:

Pokemon Coliseum

Pokemon XD: Gale of Darkness

All the Mario Parties

Fire Emblem Path of Radiance if you can get it (EXPENSIVE)

Legend of Zelda Twilight Princess

Legend of Zelda Windwaker

Battle Houshin

--------

Wii

Region locked

I bought a Japanese Wii, but skipped the WiiU in Japanese.

I would recommend:

Captain Rainbow (Japan Exclusive)

Takt of Magic (This one is FUN! It's Japan exclusive and you use your WiiMote to cast spells by drawing shapes)

Earth Seeker (Japan Exclusive)

Legend of Zelda (Skyward Sword)

--------

DS

Region Free

The DS is completely region free. Any DS game will play on your device.

My recommendations:

Legend of Zelda Phantom Hourglass/Spirit Tracks (You can hold your stylus on a kanji to read it in Hiragana, but it won't show by default! Awesome!)

Any Pokemon Game (You can choose Kanji or hiragana and switch mid-game)

Ace Attorney series - If you want to struggle but skyrocket your reading level, play Ace Attorney, called 逆転裁判. There are a lot of games and they're mostly great. If you can get ahold of the spin off, 逆転検事, I played through the first one and it was a bit slow, but the second one is not released in the US. I've started it, it's supposed to be good.

Kingdom Hearts 358/2 days

--------

3DS

Region locked

Having a Japanese 3DS has been an invaluable tool. If you save up to buy one Japanese version of a console, get this one. However, with the e-shop closed, if you would rather sail the high seas here, this would be... The prime time to do so, but I did not say anything.

Recommended:

Fire Emblem Fates

Fire Emblem Echoes

Pokemon Moon

Pokemon Mystery Dungeon

Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story

Sonic games

Bravely Default (Fully Voice acted)

There is SO MUCH on there

-----

Nintendo Switch

Region Free

The Nintendo Switch will play any region game you put in it! On top of that, the Japanese language track is available on most Nintendo branded games, so if you have the English version, you might already have the Japanese version!

To buy on the e-shop, make a Japanese Nintendo account. You will need to buy gift cards from a third party site like Playasia to purchase.

Recommended:

Get the online pack, then download the Japanese version of the N64 and Super Nintendo apps! I recommend Paper Mario on the N64 app.

Breath of the Wild/Tears of the Kingdom (Has Furigana on all dialogue!)

Mario Odyssey

Princess Peach Showtime

Mario RPG

Luigi's Mansion 3

Pretty much anything you can play on Switch can change to Japanese. (Splatoon not included)

This thing is a learning machine.

-----

PSP

Region Free

PSP is completely region free!

I have played Birth by Sleep on here in Japanese and it was good.

Recommended:

Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep

--------

PS1/PS2

Region Locked

There's a trick to make these region free, but I bought a Japanese Ps2. If you want to unlock your non-Japanese Ps2, you can look into something called Disk Swapping.

My recommendations:

Kingdom Hearts 1 and 2

I haven't explored much by way of Japanese only Ps2 games yet, but I'm going to be getting Endonesia because it's made by some of the same people that made Moon. Look into Moon, it's an awesome game too.

I am aware that the Japanese only library for this particular console is large.

--------

PS3/PS4 (I do not own PS5)

Region Free

PS3 and PS4 are region free, and I have heard PS5 is as well.

My collection of Japanese games for these, however, is low so I don't really have any recommended games. Maybe I'll update this later.

To buy on the Japanese PS3 and 4 shop, you will need to make a Japanese playstation account. After this, you will need to use a third party website to buy gift cards, such as PlayAsia, to add money. You should be able to buy and download as long as you have the money in the account.

[charlesmwa]

How to Pick the Best DJ Headphones for Your Budget

Imagine you’re at the centre of a buzzing dance floor, spinning tracks that get the crowd moving. But there’s a catch—your headphones aren’t delivering the clarity you need to nail those transitions. Whether you're a newbie or a seasoned DJ, having the right pair of headphones is as essential as your deck. But with so many options out there, how do you choose the best DJ headphones for your budget? Let’s break it down, step by step, so you can make an informed choice without breaking the bank.

Why DJ Headphones Matter

First things first—why are DJ headphones so crucial? Unlike regular headphones, DJ models are designed to handle high volumes, block out background noise, and give you a crystal-clear sound. Whether you’re beatmatching or queuing your next track, the right headphones ensure you hear every detail of your mix. Poor-quality headphones can lead to missed cues, offbeat transitions, or even long-term hearing damage. That’s why it’s worth investing in a good pair, even if you’re on a budget.

What to Look for in DJ Headphones

1. Sound Quality

The number one priority for any DJ headphone is sound quality. Look for headphones with a flat frequency response, meaning they don’t overly emphasize bass, mids, or highs. This ensures you hear tracks as they are, not exaggerated by the equipment.

2. Durability

DJs don’t work in pristine conditions—clubs, parties, and events can be chaotic. Your headphones need to withstand drops, knocks, and long hours of use. Check for sturdy materials like metal frames or reinforced plastic, and make sure the ear cups and headband are replaceable.

3. Comfort

You might be wearing your headphones for hours at a time, so comfort is non-negotiable. Look for padded ear cups, an adjustable headband, and lightweight designs. Over-ear headphones are typically more comfortable for long sessions compared to on-ear models.

4. Noise Isolation

When you’re performing in a noisy environment, you need to hear your tracks clearly without interference. Choose headphones with good noise isolation to block out the ambient sound and focus solely on your mix.

5. Portability

If you’re constantly on the move, portability is a key factor. Foldable headphones or those that come with a sturdy carrying case are perfect for traveling DJs.

6. Price vs. Features

Not every feature is essential, especially if you’re working within a budget. Decide which aspects—like sound quality or durability—are your top priorities, and focus on headphones that excel in those areas.

Budget-Friendly Tips for Buying DJ Headphones

Set a Realistic Budget

Determine how much you’re willing to spend before you start shopping. If you’re a beginner, you can find reliable options in the $50-$150 range. Professionals may want to invest in high-end models that go upwards of $300.

Compare Brands and Models

Do your research! Read reviews, watch YouTube videos, and check DJ forums to see what other DJs recommend in your price range. Popular brands like Audio-Technica, Sennheiser, and Pioneer often have models catering to various budgets.

Prioritize Value Over Brand

While big-name brands are often reliable, lesser-known brands can offer great performance at a fraction of the price. Just make sure to read user reviews and verify the quality before purchasing.

Don’t Forget Accessories

Some headphones come with extra cables, adapters, or carrying cases, which can save you money in the long run. Keep an eye out for these perks when comparing products.

Why Buy from a Professional Audio Shop?

Here’s the truth: not all headphones are created equal, and buying from professional audio shops like VIP PRO AUDIO to ensures you get a product that meets your needs. Unlike online marketplaces, where you’re bombarded with endless options and mixed reviews, professional shops offer a curated selection of DJ headphones, often based on expert recommendations.

One of the best things about shopping at a professional store is the ability to test headphones before buying. You can experience the sound quality, comfort, and noise isolation firsthand, helping you pick the perfect pair. Plus, staff members are often audio enthusiasts who can guide you through the technical jargon, ensuring you understand what you’re buying.

Professional shops also stock the latest models, so you’re not stuck with outdated technology. They offer warranties and after-sales support, giving you peace of mind if anything goes wrong. In many cases, these stores also provide repair services, saving you from replacing expensive gear.

Final Thoughts: Invest in Quality

Choosing the best DJ headphones doesn’t have to be overwhelming. By focusing on sound quality, durability, comfort, and your budget, you can find a pair that elevates your DJing experience. And while it’s tempting to order online for convenience, there’s no substitute for the expertise and assurance that comes from buying from a professional audio shop.

So, whether you’re spinning for your friends or headlining a club, make sure you’re equipped with headphones that can keep up with your passion. After all, your mix deserves nothing but the best!

[goldenpinof]

Hi, Kate! Sorry, this ask might sound somewhat cynical. Is the show really that good? Like is it worth it? I'm having a bit of a faith crisis. By worth it I mean that in order to go to Amsterdam I'm planning a whole 2 week trip to France since the plane tickets cost nearly 1000€ anyway, so I'd rather make the most of it.

But then the trip is turning out to be quite expensive, yet the possibilities of sightseeing are very limited cause it's winter. I'm starting to think that maybe I should just give up on the show and simply visit France in spring. On the other hand I genuinely don't know whether we'll all be dead by spring or not 🫠 There's also like a chance I'll get to see the filming of a cool tv show if I go in February.

I'm fairly certain that I do want to go, it's just a very spontaneous decision and I've never done anything like this and idk whether I'm doing something fun and adventurous or just irresponsibility spending money.

I guess my question is: is the show entertaining/meaningful/funny or just kinda cute? How long is the sister Daniel segment? How long do they spend on phan theories and how wild (without spoilering) are they? All I know is that there's boxing, true or false theories and sister Daniel. Are there any other segments? I know people wouldn't be going to multiple shows if it was mid, but I just need some reassurance.

"just irresponsibly spending money" – me in September 😂 still didn't recover from it.

idk, how to answer this, apart from technical parts.

the Sister Daniel part is about 10 mins, maybe a little bit more. theories... idk how much time, and i don't have it in me to listen to the audio recordings. there are 4 pairs of theories, and the audience chooses 1 from each pair. they spend enough time on every chosen theory, but there are definitely some "fans favourites", hehe, and if people don't get those, it's kinda sad. some of the theories aren't even theories, they just say what we already know for a fact (cowards!).

other segments: doll house with dnp eras; 1 minute yap about what the audience yells; role model or no-le model (that's actually fun! in Europe specifically because of the cultural differences); their monologues (as if we didn't hear enough from Dan during WAD, i swear); the song (this. this alone was worth all my money. i wanna learn the lyrics by Amsterdam; i hope the UK, that is going very hard, learns the dance, and someone films the audience during the song). i don't remember anything else, but those are not all segments.

i can't say if you should or shouldn't go, considering the budget you are planning to spend on the trip. it's definitely gonna be adventurous regardless! but it also depends on what you're looking for from the whole experience (travelling + meeting phannies + buying merch + watching the show + discussing the show afterwards). since i was planning to check all 5 boxes, i had a good experience overall even if it had cost TOO MUCH money and nerves. but it could be worse, let's be honest. i was planning to travel Europe with them since WAD, so i was kinda prepared to go wild. the show itself wasn't my toppest priority, i would have travelled even if it completely sucked ass. i would say, Dan has put more into WAD as a show conceptually, although we didn't appreciate it enough at that time (and i say "we", and i will say it again, and i 100% include myself in this; those who were there will probably understand what i mean). maybe it's the problem of production, maybe – of the intent. i'm not ready to analyse this shit. is this show made better than ii? i wouldn't say so. will you regret missing it if you don't go? PROBABLY. it's all about the audience, you know. it adds so much to the experience. and you can't predict if the audience is gonna be good or bad, but the show is based on interactions, so you will participate in it, and that's the difference you don't wanna miss if we compare it to watching the tape when it comes out. also, tapes are usually polished. the beauty of going to the show is seeing them fucking up and improvising, unexpected things happening and them reacting to it (it doesn't happen on every show, but you can be lucky, you never know).

i'd say try to go. if you're not sure right now, you don't have to buy the ticket today or tomorrow. Amsterdam has enough of them for now (but check it after a few UK dates; the Brits may decide to travel after seeing the show). the show is entertaining for sure. meaningful? if you read too much into it (this is MY opinion). funny? sometimes :)

[brotherofmercy]

once again thinking about The Worlds End and Pokemon. This time I talk A LOT about it

So if it's like in the original TV series (aka Indigo League), then I imagine all the kids who want pokemon first get them near the end of primary school, with the choice of the pokemon depending on the whatever the Pokemon Organization TM has decided are the 3 starters for the year. Since the lads grew up in the 80s I say their choices were the og Charmander, Squirtle, Bulbasaur trio

Andy:

I think he would've chosen Charmander. Andy was a feisty boy back in the day and I think he'd be interested in raising a fire pokemon. He would've been very responsible with it and trained it super well. However, that man is so Tauros coded to me---look at the way he charges at shit. I think Andy eventually added a Tauros to his team and came to see it as his main pokemon, maybe he even traded his well-raised Charmander for a good Tauros.

During his Miserable Business Man era, Andy would've made less time for Pokemon. I imagine he donates or sells most of his, and the ones he has a sentimental attachment to he lets stay at home or with a relative or something. That said, I can very much picture him getting rid of the Tauros because it's too feisty and impractical, but then secretly thinking of how sad it looked and regretting it forever. (As Andy is wont to do!)

Steven:

That man is incredibly main character coded, I'm saying he chose Charmander. Because fire is cool. I can imagine that he really thought he'd be a professional trainer at some point, but that he gradually gave up on that dream. However, I don't think he'd be able to emotionally detach from his pokemon very easily. I imagine that he has a small team and puts a reasonable amount of free time into to keeping them entertained, the same way a dog owner in the city takes their dog to the park and buys it toys. I can picture him training them so he can bring them to work when he's on a construction site, like training a Sandshrew to stay out of the way and play in the dirt piles, or training his Charizard to help the workers by flying beams around.

Peter:

I really like the idea of Peter choosing Squirtle. Number 1, shy Peter would've related to the pokemon that can hide in its shell, Number 2 it would've loved playing in his pool. I think Peter would be less invested in training it for combat and instead see it as a friend. I imagine that both he and his parents hoped the Squirtle would, on instinct, evolve fast and help protect him from bullies....but that it instead took after Peter's personality and became more of an emotional-support Squirtle than a protective one.

He'd keep it around as an adult. Since he works in his dad's company, he doesn't have to justify having it there, so he could bring it in all the time. I also imagine it as very well-behaved. Even tho Blastoise looks aggressive AF, Peter's is just a big loaf that's content to doze and watch Peter work. (That said, it would be really cute if Pete had Blastoise use its water cannons to help keep the cars extra clean.)

Oliver:

I say he picks Bulbasaur as his starter because 1) what with his early-model cell phone and fancy suit, I think he liked to seem ~different~ and ~more mature~ than his peers. Picking a plant type over a fire or water type fits this vibe, imo 2) I pictured Oliver watering and manicuring the Bulbasaur's plants like a hedge and I cant unsee it.

Like Peter, I think he'd be uninterested in pokemon fighting, but for Oliver it's because he's already based his personality on becoming a businessman. He wouldn't train his Bulbasaur to fight, but he'd be super meticulous with it. He'd totally try to show off how well he's raising/evolving it.

I can imagine him showing houses and asking Venusaur to stand in certain spots to demonstrate what the place would look like with decor (Venusaur would take this job very seriously). Maybe Oliver would get other Pokemon, too, but only so they can help him with his work---like a Ditto that transforms into whatever pokemon the clients own, so it can demonstrate how comfortable their pokemon would be in the house.

Gary:

I like to imagine that, like Ash does in the anime, Gary shows up late on the day Pokemon are given out and is stuck with whatever pokemon are left. I've also gotten really attached to the idea of Gary having a Psyduck. In most of the games, the Pokedex says that Psyduck uses its "strange powers" when it gets overwhelmed by its constant headaches. Some of the Pokedex entries imply that Psyduck has little to no control over these outbursts. This reminds me of Gary's underlying mental distress, as it occasionally leads him to lash out and is (in some ways) the root of the ""cool"" behaviours his peers admired him for in secondary school.

I like to imagine that Gary was super frustrated with getting one of the most difficult Pokemon to train/evolve. He wanted to trade it, but since he wasn't training the Psyduck well (if at all), no one wanted it. From here, I imagine that he kind of left it behind, keeping it in a pokeball and gradually feeling guiltier and guiltier until he hid the ball out of sight so he didn't have to think about it anymore. He'd try to get other Pokemon, but I think he'd be mostly interested in the aesthetics and never get very good at training, so he never kept a pokemon very long before trading it for a new one.

During his lonely era (after secondary when he's lost contact with all his friends), I think Gary would get more invested in building relationships with his pokemon. I like to imagine he finds a Zorua with shitty stats that kept trying to trick trainers into keeping it by imitating their pokemon. Gary would pick the Zorua because he relates to it, number one, but also because its eagerness to please makes it easy to train. Also, Gary would definitely want to use its transformation powers for deception, theft, and other mischief. I also like to imagine that he gets his hands on a Zebstrika, which he wants 1) for the aesthetic, and 2) to have a getaway method when he's not with his car. I really want the Zebstrika to be as impulsive and high-energy as Gary is, so he's forced to become a more patient trainer. (I want the Zebstrika to remain a bit fucked up tho, still occasionally zapping him or throwing him off even after he trains it)

Eventually he returns to his Psyduck, finally taking it out of the pokeball and feeling really bad about having locked it up for so long. I have a million fluff headcanons about him learning to make the Psyduck happy, like giving it things to cover its eyes and ears with so it doesn't get overstimulated as often. My favorite idea is that it loves to hang out in his car (The sound of the road, the closeness of the space, etc etc... it also makes Gary play its favorite songs over and over, which he enjoys doing)

[inverdade]

GENESIS — misc headcanons

constantly sleeps around and is a serial dater, always a mess for shinra's marketing department to clean up and buy their silence whenever he gets tired of his current civilian ( but "high class", think actors / sports players / models / writers / etc ) partner, although eventually they manage to lean into it by generating their own scandal spreading tabloids.

every commercial sephiroth turned down, he picked up: hair care, facial creams, body wash, perfumes, deodorants, clothes, accessories... for a good 3-5 years it was impossible to go anywhere without seeing his face on at least two different adverts.

there's a divide in his fanbase, those that ignore his ""manufactured"" scandals for his ""real"" self as a misunderstood troubled young man, and those that scorn his ""fake"" posh and pompous persona and love his catty, scandalous behavior because he's "not like the other firsts". his real self lies somewhere in the middle ground, of course.

reeks of cigarette smoke - almost to a nauseating level if you're not used to it. it permeates his clothes, his apartment, his hair, his car - everything about him. started smoking when he was 14 after a dare and it's been downhill from there. says it's for the stress of dealing with idiots all day, is just an addiction he refuses to acknowledge. he does not care for your lungs or comfort, and will just smoke indoors or around you in general. at least 2 packs a day, gets worse as his health gets worse, which doesn't help, but he refuses to stop the "one thing that brings him pleasure". the only place he wouldn't smoke in is angeal's apartment.

leans more towards being a mage partly due to his distaste for dealing with "standard issue" gear. if he couldn't stand out by fighting with the same sword everyone else was using as a 3RD / 2ND class, the he'd stand out by being the most profecient in magic... which was something he achieved. and then, the first thing he did upon being promoted was commissioning the creation of his custom made rapier, that has materia dust used in it's forging. on it's own it has no "magic" but it can be used to channel and charge up spells that he has equipped elsewhere.

it annoys him to no end how "boring" angeal chooses to be, no flair, no identity other than being "a respectable example" as he chooses to remain based entirely on said deplorable "standard issue" gear.

[allstartrekgames]

Star Trek: Fleet Command

Original Release: 2018 Developer: Digit Game Studios Publisher: Scopely Platform: Android, iOS

Playing this game now, it very much has a crisis of identity. The game boots up with USS Voyager artwork and you’re given some of the TNG crew at the start, but then the state of the universe makes no sense and the game doesn’t look right and feels more like the Kelvin universe.

And that’s because it IS the Kelvin universe. Originally, the game had no additions from other shows. The game was about you being an “independent” in the changed world of the Kelvin timeline, dealing with a mysterious AI helping you created by Scotty. The stuff thrown in by other shows have no explanations, they’re just there, and end up making the game look like a mess (just a more marketable mess). It started off as its own coherent universe before just throwing anything in.

Fleet Command is a “press button to do stuff” game. There’s no strategy and very little choice, combat is automatic and missions are extremely repetitive. It starts out promising, looking like a strategy game with in depth base building and complex technology trees, but this is all an illusion as it soon becomes clear that everything has to be done in a specific order. Want to upgrade your drydock for more ships? You need to make sure your Academy is at the right level, which requires Operations at a certain level and so on. The entire game is like this, making it feel like you’re just doing chores for someone else.

The game is all about time management. Everything takes time, and the main collectable are speed up items that skip some of these wait timers. If you run out, you can buy more. Other upgrades, such as new crew, are via lootboxes. The crew screen looks impressive, with a good 3D model of the character, but they’re nothing more than bonus stats for your ship. It’s really baffling when part of the game is looking for Scotty when he’s sitting on on of your ships (the Kelvin universe version, too). Having these known characters detracts from the game, but it appeases those that just want to spend money to collect.

But all these increased stats, upgrades and new ships doesn’t help the gameplay of just choosing locations and going there. This is by far the most boring game I’ve ever played, and the only positive I can come up with are that the graphics are nice, especially the ship models. But even then, you can only get a good look at these in the menu as ships are a tiny dot when playing. These are nice enough that they could be ported to other games, with some nice alien ships, the USS Discovery, and the Titan-A.

You do get one reward for sticking with the game: at a certain milestone, your ship and station is marked for permanent PvP. This means that you’re now at the mercy of those who have played the game for longer and those that have paid money to upgrade their stuff. It’s very much a Pay 2 Win game so this is something that, if you can last through the boredom to reach it, will likely make many people stop playing.

This game is probably the most boring game I’ve ever experienced.

[ashhisemax]

Dev Log One

The aim of the game is to play through the story of RWBY in a fighting game. These Dev Logs will cover the whole process.

These are the details about the Main Menu, and then further details about each option:

Main Menu:

Story Mode: Tells the story of the RWBY show through fights, (similar to the Injustice games), following the main girls. 

Challenge Mode: Following story is an individual challenge/story mode where players select an individual character and play through the story of their fights through RWBY.

Free Play: Choose a character to play as against a single character you choose.

Shop: Gachapon style to spend Lien won during fights.

Collectibles: 3D models of characters, weapons, and arenas from the gachapon machine.

Options: Various options.

Credits: Credits of everything used in the game.

Story Mode:

Gives the option of playing Easy, Normal, Hard. The story mode goes through the story of RWBY from start to finish (whenever the finish is at the point of reaching it). After finishing the first fight involving a character, they’re unlocked for Free Play. After finishing all of the fights involving a character, that character is unlocked for use in Challenge Mode. The only characters controlled are Ruby, Weiss, Blake, and Yang. In between each fight is a short text that explains the story between each fight, why the fight is happening etc.

Challenge Mode: 

Play through a single character’s storyline throughout the world of RWBY from start to the finish of their story. Can choose any costume for the character that has been unlocked and play through the whole storyline in that costume. For example Ruby’s would only follow her fights, so any fights involving Blake from the Story Mode wouldn’t be played (for example against Adam). Depending on the costumes found from the Shop could have extra fights (finding Ruby’s Beacon Outfit would unlock the food fight from Volume 2 in her Challenge Mode, which is otherwise unseen).

Free Play:

Choose any character, select their costume, then select the opponent, select their costume. Select the difficulty, and then select the arena. Then fight. At the end of the fight receive Lien based on how well the fight went, difficulty rating etc (this is the same for all fights, regardless of Story, Challenge, or Free Play).

Shop:

This is where the collectibles are collected. There’s a gachapon machine or some kind of lootbox selector where you buy lootboxes/gachapon. None of this uses real money, it is entirely through the Lien that is earned from winning fights. There are three sets of collectibles: Character Models, Weapon Models, Arena Models. Character Models have a subsection that is under a separate loot table called Costumes. These are separate costumes that do not carry a different moveset, but some of which can unlock fights for the character in Challenge Mode (Ruby’s Beacon outfit will unlock the food fight against team JNPR). 

Collectibles:

View any and all collectibles. There are various different types of collectibles, all of which are collected from the Shop. 3D Character Models, 3D Weapon Models, 3D Arena Models. They are all viewable and also have a small description for each.

Options:

Change various options such as controller layout, keybindings etc. Usual options for video games.

Credits:

View the credits that say who did what, where it came from etc.

As I’m starting from the very beginning, with very little coding experience and zero game development knowledge or experience.

I’ve done a bit of research and know that if I want any chance of actually finishing this game, then I need to start small.

So I’m starting with a Pick a Number game. Then I’m going to follow the below plan (however there may be extra steps added in) to build myself up. 

Hangman

Choose Your Own Adventure

Choose Your Own Adventure (Longer, with more options and possibly multiple endings - or even more multiple endings)

Rock, Paper, Scissors

Pong

Minesweeper

Tetris

Asteroids

Space Invaders

Platformer

Snake

Pac-Man

Moonlander

2D Side Scrolling Fighter (similar to Injustice iOS). This will be an early test-run style of a version of the game.

At some point - not sure at what - I’ll do a test version of the gachapon. 

The entire time, in the background, I will be working on characters, modeling arenas, doing animation, planning, writing the in between texts, I will not stop working on this game.

[cityof2morrow]

Bella Brand: Body By Bella 001

Published: 11-7-2023 | Updated: N/A SUMMARY “Inspired by the wealth of Bella Goth lore from the Sims/SimCity franchises (aka the “simsverse”), the Bella Brand Series includes more than a dozen sets and 230+ new business-themed items. Lore suggests that the wealth/influence of the Gilman, Crumplebottom, Bachelor, and Goth families increases considerably under Mortimer and Bella Goth, especially the latter. So, this series imagines what a prestigious Bella-based brand might look like…” Masterfully crafted to complement a diversity of body types, Body by Bella includes fashionable shapewear and intimate wear for all ages. This set includes decorative clothing mannequins and functional clothing items (packages and hanging clothing) which can be exchanged for simoleons or up to §100 towards a new outfit.

DETAILS Requires ALL EPs/SPs. You need Mesh Set 001 (Simmons, 2023) and the Display Counter (BellasSecret_Counter_Somedaythesun)from the TS2 Maxis Match Lingerie Store Set (SomedayTheSun, 2023) – these items are required for all textures to display in-game. The counter uses recolors from the Bosenklavier Model B grand piano (Bon Voyage EP). Find recolors for the counter interior in the Bella Brand: Retail Floor Set (Simmons, 2023). Recolors may include swatches for items in other Bella Brand sets such as signs, packages, cosmetics, etc. Objects in Sims 2 are limited to two recolorable parts, so not all items are recolorable in the same way. Find additional recolors for Bella Brand sets on this site under #ts2recolors, #co2recolors, and #co2bellabrand.

ITEMS Body By Bella Multipacks 001-002 (173 poly) Body By Bella: The AJ (620 poly) Hanging AJ Bottom (446 poly) Hanging AJ Top (469 poly) Body By Bella: The Deborah (478 poly) Hanging Deborah (526 poly) DOWNLOAD (choose one) from SFS | from MEGA

Functional Apparel Objects Apparel objects are debug items and show up as “clothing pile” in the catalog (Misc > Dressers). They must be placed on one of the DEBUG displays/shelves or they’ll float. Once purchased, take them out of the sim’s inventory and choose from one of the following: Purchase Clothing. Select an outfit (or several) of any type. Each apparel object is worth §100 towards the TOTAL cost. Sims save more money (and your businesses make more money) if they use one apparel object per new outfit. Sell. Recycle the object for §100 simoleons.  If you exit the Buy Clothing window without adding anything to your shopping cart, §100 will be added to the sim’s household funds instead. Apparel objects are worth §100 regardless of how much sims pay for them on OFB/community lots. Pricing an item below this amount can function like a discount sale (i.e., pay $75 in-store and §100 towards the purchase or a 25% “discount/rebate.” You can decide whether this counts as cheating). Pricing it above this amount is not recommended since sims will end up losing extra money. Debug objects have slots which “catch” fellow clones if you place them too close. To prevent this when trying to clutter them close together, turn “snap objects to grid” OFF and “move objects” OFF.

CREDITS No copyright infringement intended. All trademarks belong to their respective owners. CCA = Creative Commons Attribution. Thanks: @CatherineTCJD, @gayars, @gummilutt, @haziewhims, KashmirSims (Rach’), @somedaythesun, whoward, Easy Shine Removal Kit (PF Forest, 2023), Reducing GUIDs/OBJs Tutorial (HugeLunatic, 2022), Sketchfab and Blender Communities. Sources: SEE CREDITS (ALT).

[lgcmanager]

LGC STYLE ( SPRING 2024 )

SCHEDULE TYPE: VARIABLE

LGC STYLE is back and here are our participants to kick off the show's comeback:

AHN JAEHWA

HAN HYUNHEE

KIM JINSEO

KIM JINYOUNG

LEE JIHO

LIM SANGHYUN

MIN SOYOUN

MOON HAYOUNG

MOON JIAH

SEO YURA

SON NABI

this season, the contestants will be grouped up and style a person’s outfit sets for a week ! first however, each contestants have to SHOW OFF some of their favorite items in their wardrobe and showcase their personal style ! after this they will get to meet their partner(s) and receive of profile of their assigned individual.

AHN JAEHWA, MIN SOYOUN and SEO YURA: female, early 30s, office worker, her life is mostly centered around her work, she likes to exercise and is currently single. her date will be her first meeting with someone met on a dating application. since she works a lot, her wardrobe mostly consists of comfortable but classic clothes with few colors outside of white, beige, gray and light blue.

HAN HYUNHEE and MOON HAYOUNG: female, mid 20s, stay at home mom of a toddler. for the past three years, her life has mostly been centered around her child. she mostly wears comfortable and casual clothes for convinience and has a good array of jeans. she loves wearing simple t-shirts with pastel colors primarly. since her child is growing up, she wants to find more time to care for herself and her appearance

KIM JINSEO and LIM SANGHYUN: male, mid 20s, newly integrated the work force in marketing. he has an active lifestyle and been dating steadily for 2 years now. he often meets with friends to play sports. he likes to buy the latest trending outfits though he wouldn't be considered a fashion icon.

KIM JINYOUNG and LEE JIHO: male, early 20s, about to begin university after finishing his military service. since bulking up in the army, he currently has only basic clothes that fits him. he doesn't really follow trends, but would like to have a more trendy look. he has a blind date set up by his parents.

MOON JIAH and SON NABI: female, late 10s, last year of high school. she's a shy girl who likes to draw and paint and plans on going in arts design. though her wardrobe is quite simple, she has a lot of unique and colorful items and accessories in it. however, she's the type to put on whatever without caring about the end result and would like to have a more cohesive yet unique style. she's being dragged by two friends to a group blind date.

each group will have to come up with a FORMAL outfit for an official event, a SOCIAL outfit for a event with friends, a CASUAL outfit for a regular day, a DATE outfit. most items will have to come out of the person's own wardrobe, but contestants will get to buy ONE new clothing item for each outfit. an outfit includes the clothes, shoes and accessories.

 at the end of the week, the person will choose if they LIKED or PASSED on the oufit chosen. teams with more LIKES than PASS will received a SPECIAL REWARD and CASH PRIZE.

** ooc note; the number of like/pass will be based on requirement completion + randomized generator **

REQUIREMENTS

STYLING: write one thread with your partner(s) while the cameras are rolling. the thread can be anything related to picking the outfits; from brainstorming, to studying the outfits they already have, to shopping, to even arguing about their own ideas ! for every four (4) replies (two posts per muns*, 8 lines minimum) you’ll receive +2 VARIETY, +2 MODELING, +2 NOTORIETY for up to +6 VARIETY, +6 VARIETY, 6 NOTORIETY !

MY STYLE : write a 300+ word solo of your muse showing off their favorite item and personal style for +5 SKILLS TO DISTRIBUTE ANYWHERE, +2 NOTORIETY !

* for the group of 3, keep the count of every 4 replies too, which will equal to one reply for 2 people and 2 replies for one person per set. if the maximum is reached, each muse should have 4 replies on the thread.

make sure to use the hashtag lgc:lgcstyle on your threads and solos !  to validate your skill points and collect your notoriety points, please submit the following form ONCE on the points blog before JULY 6, 2024 11:59 EDT.

TITLE: MUSE NAME ∙  LGC STYLE 002 - STYLING +2/4/6 variety, +2/4/6 modeling, +2/4/6 notoriety [ LINK ] - MY STYLE: 5 skills points distribution, +2 notoriety [ LINK ]