#2023 Simming Goals

[belladovah]

2023 Simming Goals

Grow my YouTube Channel: Aiming to average a minimum of 1 video release per month. Plans/Ideas: finish Veronaville 10 Rotations Later Tour, do another Veronaville tour in a different style after 20 rotations, continue Opening Valley LP, mod showcases and tutorials.

Stop sitting on a load of completed mods out of procrastination to write a description and/or take screenshots and actually upload them! Seriously, I've made quite a bit of good stuff I need to share.

Make more mods, particularly traits mods and become a more confident BHAV modder. I also want to make more compatibility patches between conflicting mods.

Make a CC Finds Blog where I can reblog CC I come across. I will most likely unfollow some CC creators on this blog and follow them on the CC Finds blog instead so I can more easily find new mods specifically in my main feed. My content which is mostly mods will continue to be shared here.

Re-do my CC folder completely following my own advice. The procrastination is unreal. Currently I'm not even installing new CC really (hence why I more easily want to find mods in my main feed and not CC) because of how my CC folder currently is. Everything is in huge merges I'm talking like 1000s of pieces of content in merged files up to like 100MB each. This is great for speed - my game loads in just 1 min when it used to be 30. However, its terrible for management - I can't easily add new stuff or get rid of any junk. I just need to start again. The problem is, I'm such a perfectionist that if I'm doing it I'm doing it right - I'm talking editing every item myself to ensure I'm happy with its price and stats etc. This is a long and tedious process. Maybe I need to loosen up on this a little...

Stop keeping loads of newly installed mods in a 'Test' Folder out of procrastination to sort them properly and update my Mod List. As soon as I'm sure a mod is a keeper, put it in the right place and put it on my mod list before I struggle to ever find the download link again!

Keep better track of which mods I edit and how I edit them. I need to indicate that I have edited them in the filename and keep a log of what my edits are so its no longer as difficult to update mods or even overwrite my changes because I forgot I made them. I should also make more patches instead of direct edits so that I can share these patches without re-uploading the original mod.

Make a family tree for Veronaville before 2nd Cousins end up romancing...

Make a website to share my content, tutorials, gameplay guides/rules, etc.

Go through who I'm following on Twitter and unfollow all Sims-4-only accounts so I actually start using Twitter again and see Sims 2 content on my feed.

Bonus: Learn to make 4t2 Object and/or Clothing Conversions.

Bonus: Start streaming.

[anachrosims]

Month of Historical Horror, Day 5: Thin (1980's)

[intercomkris]

❛ i thought she said she was born in 2003 ? ❜ was she really born in 2003?

[mdpthatsme]

2023 2024 Simming Goals

Honestly, I shouldn't make them and just copy-paste last year's because I absolutely did nothing 😆 But, I'll humor myself with a fresh list.

Finish that blasted updated 4t2 clothing tutorial!

Finish the very last chapter of S2BO because for real. Last. Chapter.

Make custom maps for Arda, Lushland, and Misplaced Stream.

Make Tips and Tricks #2 video.

And that's all folks because I'm trying to be realistic.

[frottana-sims]

Simming Goals 2023

Keep it simple:

- play my game and have fun - interact more with this amazing community ♥

[daydreamingdrawerette]

2023 Simming goals

Build some half-timbered lots for the main street (old town) in Veronaville

Trying to finish the Windenburg road layout | version 1 done

Spend more time on Sims character design drawing

Packing my Sims and some simple recolors to share my CCs here

No long-term Simming goals atm because I cannot forecast how my real life will develop further during the 2nd year of the "Post-Lockdown" era (catching up other hobbies?)

[oh-how-i-love-my-fandoms]

He gets it. He gets it.

Which is sexier, a werewolf or a vampire?

Depends if you find it sexier to submit to the will of charismatic evil or to be overwhelmed by animalistic power. And that's not a decision I can make for you.

[akajustmerry]

plenty of Palestinians from Gaza including Bisan Owda have already spoken about this but ICYMI please don't stop sharing and donating to evacuation campaigns just because the IOF have destroyed boarder crossings and stopped aid. even though they are unable to leave right now, Palestinians in Gaza are still needing and using those funds to buy food and necessities that are price gouged due to limited supply, as well as purchasing e-sims for communication, and raw materials required for rebuilding and providing shelter.

please, don't ignore these campaigns just because their primary goal is escaping. sharing and donating to these funds still helps Palestinians and their families survive day to day. the 5 dollars you give might not get someone across a boarder but it could help a mother buy baby food, get a family a tent, provide a battery, buy a day's supply of water, buy material to repair clothes. it still helps. many of the families I've spoken with say the price-hiking on resources in Gaza is why they've had to change the goal of their campaigns. So, keep sharing, even if you can't donate, and donate when you can.

With that in mind, I'd like to spotlight Fatima's campaign, which is currently at 9.1K/10K goal. Occupation forces destroyed Fatima's family's livelihoods and home, and they have been fleeing on foot and displaced 17 times since October 2023. All funds go towards helping the survival of Fatima and Bilal and their young family of five kids. Please, help them by sharing and/or donating. Follow them @save-fatma-gaza3093

[fazcinatingblog]

Happy Sunday y'all

[aharris00britney]

AxA 2023  |  50+ CAS Items  |  Public 10-27

With the goal in mind for this pack being to make a lot of denim, Ayoshi and I have prepared AxA 2023 for you guys with, in my opinion, the perfect mix of cute versatile pieces and some streetwear pieces that blend seamlessly with previous AxA items that we have created. With some AxA necklaces, earrings, and even a Simlish AxA cardigan, AxA 2023 will make sure your Sims are arriving in style to wherever they may be going.

Item Index Preview  |  Download  |  Follow Ayoshi

The item index linked above will show the basic info for the items in this collab. Below are credits + Patreon .zip download of the entire pack

Basic info

All items are BGC and do not require other meshes/packages/versions.

All hairs come in 24 EA Colors

The clothes come in 1 out of 4 palettes ► 30 colorful solids  |   palette used ► 25+ pattern or graphic versions ► 20 denim swatches  |  palette used ► 25 cargo/khaki palette

Report any issues to me through Tumblr DM with images.

Follow my TOU for all items

[episims]

O-kay, let's see.

I posted more Foxfire but yeah, the year was busy af and I only got one round completed. Better than nothing, though! And I'm getting pretty excited about gen 2 antics, which eases the pain of letting go of gen 1... some

Oof the bookmarks sure didn't happen. I even have the links saved somewhere. Really should do that at some point

I did some posing! Still not my favorite thing but I feel I'm starting to get along with it

I finished hella a lot of mods I had plans for!

Milkshape, yep, I count this one completed. I can do minor mesh edits and such, that's enough for me

I absolutely didn't get the Maxis objects categorized *hides under the desk*

2022 Simming Goals

It's a tradition at this point, so~

Post more Foxfire! This will only get harder as the gen 1 is slowly but surely moving away from the spotlight, and I'm very hesitant to let them go (and also because this year won't be any less busy than the last one was)

Add bookmark links for Foxfire rounds, preferably with some nice, pictured buttons

Maybe try to do something decent with posing. Or not so decent

Finish even some of the mods I've started to make or I have solid plans for

Continue getting used to Milkshape

Get those damn Maxis objects recategorized. Seriously.

[taurusdesign]

Lilith Chillin' Areas - Part 2 (Coffee Corner) - Availible for Everyone!

Hi friends! I hope you're all well.

The second set of the Chillin' Areas theme is the "Coffee Corner". Don't you want your sims to have a cozy corner to make tea or coffee for themselves. Maybe you don't want to. But I did it anyway.

Actually, the purpose of the Chillin' Areas theme was that they were mini-sets. So what I was aiming for is to release several sets related to this theme per month. But nothing I planned is working out the way I wanted. This is a problem that I need to solve, and I want to achieve this goal next month. I will also start the baby-related set after the infant update and the new expansion pack are released. At least I'll publish it in full.

If we return to the set, there are currently 31 items on the set. (Twelve of these are decorative versions of Maxis' bakeries.) The rest consists of furniture compatible with the design of the Lilith set and clutters in general. When the set is completed, a coffee, tea and espresso machine inspired by SMEG will be added, as well as extra decorative objects.

If during this time you also come up with something related to this theme, I would like to hear it.

The items included in the set are as follows;

Decorative Bakeries - You can display them at the bakery cabinets.

Coffee Bar - You can put the original tea and coffee machines from Maxis and a lot of decorative items in this bar.

Bakery Cabinet - Left and Right

Decorative Mug

Coffee Cups with Rack

Coffee Decors 1 - Milk Pot and Spoon, Whipped Cream Dispenser and Napkins, Coffee Bag, Sugar Dispenser

Coffee Decors 2 - Coffee Grinder, French Press, Coffee Pot

Coffee Filter Papers

Coffee Filter Papers with Plant

Coffee Syrup - 15 different flavors

Decorative Jars

Decorative Trays

Wall Cabinet

Wall Railing - Left, Middle and Right

Decors for Wall Railing - 3 different styles

You can find everything included in the set by typing "Lilith2".

Thank you very much in advance for your understanding.

I hope you will like it. ❤️

Public Release: March 21st, 2023

DOWNLOAD AT:

CurseForge ⬇️

Patreon ⬇️

UPDATE (03.12.2022) SMEG Coffee Machine, Espresso Machine and Coffee Grinder have been added. Unfortunately, I couldn't make a tea maker because I couldn't clone the tea maker in the base game. There is a small problem in the animation of the coffee machine that I can't fix. I will update if I find a solution. Get Together EP required for the espresso machine and grinder to be functional. All of them have 20 swatches.

[candysims4]

SWEET TOOTH SET

Oh my gosh, I am so excited about this new set and finally releasing it! I seriously can't get enough of these pieces - they're just so cute! Every little detail is lovely, from the bow in the hair to the hearts on the nails.

AS IT’S TOO MUCH TEXT, I’LL LEAVE THE DESCRIPTION OF EACH ITEM PLUS THE CREATOR’S NOTES BELOW THE CUT.

ALL ITEMS ARE:

TEEN TO ELDER

BASE GAME COMPATIBLE

MADE FOR FEMALE FRAME

DISALLOWED FOR RANDOM

360º GIF & THUMBNAILS (HOSTED IN IMGUR)

MY SITE (NO AD.FLY): BONBON HAIR | APPLE PIE NAILS (TWO VERSIONS) | BISCUITS EARRINGS | CHERRY TART DRESS (TWO VERSIONS) Free release on 17th October 2023

PATREON EARLY ACCESS + MERGED OPTIONS

TERMS OF USE | SEND YOUR FEEDBACK | REPORT AN ISSUE

Thanks to all the cc creators that I used in the pic. And thanks to @maxismatchccworld, @simblrcollective, @s4library​, @wewantmods​, and everybody who reblog this post!

If you’re a cc finds and want to be tagged when I post, please, let me know. You can send me an ask or in DM.

With your help, more people can know about my work! 💖 Love you all, XOXO 💖

DESCRIPTION OF EACH ITEM:

BONBON HAIR

HAT GAME INCOMPATIBLE

6.476 POLYGONS

119 SWATCH COLORS - 24 plain colors from EA Color Palette - 95 plain colors from my Candy Color Palette

YOU WILL FIND IN LONG HAIR OR/AND STRAIGHT OR/AND UPDO

APPLE PIE NAILS (TWO VERSIONS) Same colors description for both versions.

1.320 POLYGONS

113 SWATCH COLORS - 55 plain colors - 58 color combinations

YOU WILL FIND IN ACCESSORIES/FINGERNAILS

BISCUITS EARRINGS

360 POLYGONS

10 SWATCH COLORS - All plain colors

YOU WILL FIND IN ACCESSORIES/EARRINGS

CHERRY TART DRESS (TWO VERSIONS) Same colors description for both versions.

5.446 POLYGONS

55 SWATCH COLORS - All plain colors

YOU WILL FIND IN FULL BODY/SHORT DRESS

CREATOR’S NOTES:

Let's start with my favorite item of the set, Bonbon Hair. It's the cutest hair I've ever created, and I'm really proud of it. The bow is adorable, and I was finally able to make a great 3D model of it. I'm really happy with how the hair looks - it's exactly what I had in mind. I hope you love it too! One thing to note is that the bow on Bonbon Hair isn't removable and won't work with hats. Usually, I prefer hairstyles that can be worn with hats, but for this one, I needed more space for the bow's texture. I also drew the bow's shadow onto the hair's texture to give it more depth and a better overall look. I also made sure to keep the polycount low - around 6k polygons. I could have made it lower, but it didn't look as good in movement. So, I kept it at a higher polycount to maintain good movement without too much distortion.

I designed the dress to complement the hairstyle, adding a bow at the back for an extra touch of charm and romance. I used a new mesh from the latest kit that I couldn't wait to franken-meshing with it. My goal was to create a vintage silhouette and style, and while I'm not sure if it was successful, I'm very happy with the final result. At the end of the day, it looks cute, and that's all that really matters.

The nails are a kind of old wip that I finally decided to finish. It's one of the cutest designs I've ever come across, and I was determined to recreate it in The Sims. I love a stiletto design, and for me, one of the best nail art is this one; it matches the nail's format and is so cute. The nail includes two color options but only one spec option. However, I plan to create additional versions in the future, including a glossy and matte finish, possibly as part of a mini set that I'm working on that will have this and other versions of some of my recent clothing designs.

Next up, we have the Biscuits Earrings. These were originally a work in progress meant for a different set, but while I was styling the Sims, I realized how well they matched with the current Sweet Tooth Set. So, I quickly finished them up and included them as part of the set.

By now, it's all. Unfortunately, I've been working very slowly lately; thanks to this heat wave, I feel most of the day like I'm melting. It's scorching in here, guys. I don't understand how a person can say global warming is a lie; really, how?!

[simmer-emsie]

Not So Berry Challenge 3

Couldn’t get enough of the original Not So Berry Legacy Challenge? Already played through Not So Berry Challenge 2? Wishing you could play a challenge with content from 2021 onward? If you’ve been daydreaming about an updated Not So Berry Challenge (2023), look no further!

Welcome to the Not So Berry Legacy Challenge 3, a ten generation rags-to-riches legacy challenge with colour-themed heirs. Note: This challenge requires basically every pack except My First Pet Stuff and Journey to Batuu (…y’all know why).

Thank you to @lilsimsie​ and @alwaysimming​ for the inspiration (and the rules!).

Basic rules:

Each heir must represent the colour of the generation (like hair, makeup, clothing), but brightly-coloured skin isn’t necessary.

The colours of the spouses don’t matter as they aren’t part of the challenge. Unless otherwise stated you can do whatever you please with them.

Cheats can be used, but not excessively.

You may live wherever you please unless something is specified in the rules of a generation.

Every generation is supposed to complete both the career and aspiration of the heir unless explicitly stated otherwise.

Keep the lifespan on Normal.

Generation One: Soil

Well, you’re on your own now and you haven’t got much to your name except a plot of land and a couple of chickens. That’s alright though; animals tend to understand you better than Sims, anyway. Living off the land is difficult work but you’re determined to cultivate a respectable farm with livestock, fruit trees, and even some oversized produce!

Traits: Animal Enthusiast, Socially Awkward, Music Lover

Aspiration: Country Caretaker

Career: None

Rules:

Complete the Country Caretaker aspiration.

Start on an empty lot in Henford-on-Bagley with 500 Simoleons. Hard mode: Start as a teen.

Max the cross-stitch and gardening skills.

Play using the Living Off the Land lot challenge.

Befriend Patchy the Straw Man.

Complete 5 requests for your neighbours.

Generation Two: Sprout

Your best buddy growing up was a farm animal, and now you want to give back to the creatures that meant so much to you. As a veterinarian, you meet a lot of people and make a lot of friends. You spend your free time volunteering and training the animals you bring home with you.

Traits: Cat Lover, Dog Lover, Outgoing

Aspiration: Slumber Party Animal (Child), Friend of the Animals

Career: Veterinarian

Rules:

Complete the Friend of the Animals aspiration.

Max the veterinarian and pet training skills.

Befriend one of your parent’s farm animals as a Child.

Adopt at least one cat and one dog.

Volunteer on weekends.

Generation 3: Blossom

So, your parent was really into animals. And maybe that was a little bit too internalized in you… because now you can’t stop thinking about embracing your primal side and becoming a Werewolf. You still need to pay the bills though, so you work as a Green Technician to protect your territory’s ecosystem. On the weekends, you and your pack go bowling.

Traits: Lactose Intolerant, Insider, Loyal

Aspiration: Werewolf Initiate, Emissary of the Collective OR Wildfang Renegade

Career: Civil Designer, Green Technician branch

Rules:

Complete 2 Werewolf aspirations.

Max the bowling and logic skills.

Become a Werewolf.

Find and marry your Fated Mate.

Go bowling every weekend.

Generation Four: Mist

Uhh… you okay? You were kind of raised by… literal Werewolves. The experience was kind of traumatic, and now you’re trying to live a normal life. You eat grilled cheese as a coping mechanism and as a teen, you start a side hustle so you can move out on your own ASAP. You go to university and get a completely normal job in the city. You struggle to trust someone enough to fall in love, especially after the whole… “Fated Mates” thing your parents had going on. You just really, really want something normal.

Traits: Overachiever, Paranoid, Perfectionist

Aspiration: Goal Oriented (Teen), Grilled Cheese

Career: Any side hustle or part-time job (Teen), Education

Rules:

Complete the Grilled Cheese aspiration.

Max the cooking, baking, and flower arranging skills.

If your Sim is given the option to graduate early, take it.

Get a degree.

After university, move to the city (San Myshuno, Del Sol Valley, or San Sequoia) and get a bonsai tree.

Marry someone with a secret (for example, is an Alien or a Criminal).

Generation Five: Lava

Things were kind of weird growing up, and now you’re healing from your childhood. If therapy was a thing, you’d so be there. But since it’s not, you dedicate yourself to journaling, wellness, and less socially-acceptable coping mechanisms. 

Traits: Erratic, High Maintenance, Party Animal

Aspiration: Drama Llama (Teen), Villainous Valentine (Adult), Inner Peace (Elder) 

Career: Culinary, Mixologist branch

Rules:

Complete the Villainous Valentine aspiration.

Max the mixology, wellness, and writing skills.

Have a negative relationship with your parents.

Have an affair with a celebrity.

Have a child with a married Sim.

Write a tell-all memoir book as an elder.

Generation Six: Ash

You had a fractured family life growing up, but one thing your parents told you about was your ancestor who started a magnificent farm. You want to start anew, just like they did. But, well, you’re kind of a city kid… so you only grow avocados. Also, you’re totally in-tune with the paranormal and commune with ghosts for work.

Traits: Bookworm, Childish, Unflirty

Aspiration: Playtime Captain (Child), Soulmate

Career: Freelancer, Paranormal Investigator branch

Rules:

Complete the Soulmate aspiration.

Max the medium and gardening skills.

Live in an apartment and grow avocados on the balcony.

Marry a Sim that you’ve brought back from the dead.

Generation Seven: River

If there were an award for weirdest upbringing, you’d probably get it. Seriously… one of your parents came back from the dead to have you! The fun doesn’t stop there though. You’re determined to keep having cool experiences and write about them for your whole life.

Traits: Bro, Good, Jealous

Aspiration: Mind and Body (Child), StrangerVille Mystery

Career: Drama Club (Child/Teen), Writer

Rules:

Complete the StrangerVille aspiration.

Max the writing and fitness skills.

Have a child with someone from StrangerVille.

Take your child on vacation at least once every life stage (infant, toddler, child, teen).

Chapter Eight: Ocean

As the heir to a wealthy writer, you’re used to having things handed to you, like jobs and vacations. Now that you’re old enough to make a name for yourself, you want to build your Trendi empire as a Simfluencer. You pick Sulani as the perfect place to make your mark; beautiful weather and beachfront property mean all your followers will be so jealous of you. You love the water more than anyone you know, until one day you see someone a little too far out to sea to be natural… 

Traits: Child of the Islands, Child of the Ocean, Mean

Aspiration: Admired Icon (Teen), Party Animal

Career: Trendi (Teen), Simfluencer

Rules:

Complete the Party Animal aspiration.

Max the entrepreneur and media production skills.

Live in Sulani and become a mermaid.

Sell an outfit on Trendi for 9,999 Simoleons.

Get 1,000,000 followers.

Generation 9: Sand

Your parent always encouraged you to do great things with your life… as long as what you want is to be an Interior Decorator. Your real passion is music and you practice whenever you can. You’ve always wanted to rebel against your parent, but never had it in you to actually do it.

Traits: Creative, Gloomy, Neat

Aspiration: Musical Genius

Career: Interior Decorator (Adult), Entertainment, Musician branch (Elder)

Rules:

Complete the Musical Genius aspiration.

Max the violin and guitar skills.

Have a Strict family dynamic with your parent (you may cheat for this).

Get a Fine Arts degree at university.

If your Sim experiences a midlife crisis, you must complete it.

Generation 10: Flame

As a little kid, your biggest goal in life was to one day become the best parent ever. Your own parent was sad a lot and you acted out because of it, but you want your own kid to have a happier home. You want to provide everything for your children with your own two hands. You like building on the woodworking bench and brewing herbalism concoctions.

Traits: Family-Oriented, Loves Outdoors, Maker

Aspiration: Live Fast (Teen), Outdoor Enthusiast

Career: Culinary, Chef branch

Rules:

Complete the Outdoor Enthusiast aspiration.

Max the cooking, handiness, and herbalism skills.

Have at least three children, one of whom is adopted.

Go on family vacations to Granite Falls as much as possible.

Good luck and have fun!

[cityof2morrow]

CDK: Company Expo Set (Mesh + Recolor Pack)

Published: 9-14-2024 | Updated: N/A SUMMARY Cubic Dynamics by John B. Cube and Marcel Dusims forged the future with furnishings that were minimalist in design and maximalist in erudite pretension. Generations later, the company continues to produce edge-of-cutting-edge designs. Use the Cubic Dynamics Kitbash (Simmons, 2023-2024) collection to set up corporate, exposition, and office environments. Envisioned as an add-on to the Cubic Dynamics set (EA/Maxis, archived at GOS), it features minimalist and retro-futuristic objects. Find more CC on this site under the #co2cdkseries tag. Read the Backstory and ‘Dev Notes’ HERE. The COMPANY EXPOSITION SET includes 20+ items to create a conference/event space for your businesses and corporations. This set doubles as the main MESH PACK for all items in the CDK series.

DETAILS All EPs/SPs. §See Catalog for Pricing | See Buy/Build Mode All files with “MESH” in their name REQUIRED for textures/models to display correctly in-game. Recolors are linked to the Booth Partition (vertical woods, metal), Booth Table (horizontal woods, colors), Booth Wall in marble (256x256 Mm marble), Floor Sign 1 (256x512 vertical images), Painting 001 (256x512 images), Painting 004 (1024x512 images), Pinboard (256x512 pinfabric), Pinboard Poster (512x512 horizontal images), Planter 001 (256x512 paneling/pouf). Objects in Sims 2 are limited to two recolorable parts, so not all items are recolorable in the same way. Several objects in this series are oversized/offset. You may need to shift an object upwards once to level it, and you may need “move objects” and “grid on/off” cheats to place them to your liking. When placing partitions/floating shelves and tables/desks/counters on the same tile, place the partition/shelves first. I recommend using this set with Object Freedom 1.02 (Fway, 2023), which includes Numenor’s fix for OFB shelves (2006), for easier use overall. ITEMS Banner Signs (Regular/Table) (380 poly) Booth Partition (405 poly) Booth Sign Small/Large (124-128 poly) Booth Table (572 poly) Booth Wall (44 poly) Down Low Exhibition Table (116 poly) Floor Signs 001-005 (364-794 poly) Expo Leather Gallery Chair (1079 poly) Pinboard (112 poly) Pinboard Poster (12 poly) Planters 001-002 (178 poly) Stall Small/Large (429-434 poly) Wall Sign  (92 poly) DOWNLOAD (choose one) MESH PACK from SFS | from MEGA RECOLOR PACK from SFS | from MEGA COLLECTION FILE from SFS | from MEGA *collection file last updated: 9-30-2024

COMPATIBILITY AVOID DUPLICATES: The #co2cdkseries includes edited versions – replacements - for items in the following CC sets: 4ESF (office 3, other 1/artroom, other 2/build), All4Sims/MaleorderBride (miskatonic library, office, postmodern office), CycloneSue (never ending/privacy windows), derMarcel (inx office), Katy76/PC-Sims (bank/cash point, court/law school sets, sim cola machine), Marilu (immobilien office), Murano (ador office), Olemantinker, Reflex Sims (giacondo office), Retail Sims/HChangeri (simEx, sps store), Simgedoehns/Tolli (focus kitchen, loft office, modus office), ShinySims (modern windows), SH (reverie office, step boxes/shelving), Spaik (sintesi study), Stylist Sims (offices 1,2, & 3, Toronto set), Tiggy027 (wall window frames 1-10), Wall Sims (holly architecture, Ibiza). *The goal is to link the objects to the recolors/new functions in the #co2cdkseries without re-inventing the wheel! Credit to the original creators.

CREDITS Thanks: ChocolateCitySim, HugeLunatic, Klaartje, Ocelotekatl, Whoward69, LoganSimmingWolf, Gayars, Ch4rmsing, Ranabluu, Gummilutt, Crisps&Kerosene, LordCrumps, PineappleForest. Sources: Any Color You Like (CuriousB, 2010), Beyno (Korn via BBFonts), EA/Maxis, Offuturistic Infographic (Freepik), FlatIcon, Dreamstime, Starline via Free Vector, Cube3d. SEE CREDITS (ALT)

[fireflysummers]

Heroes, Gods, and the Invisible Narrator

Slay the Princess as a Framework for the Cyclical Reproduction of Colonialist Narratives in Data Science & Technology

An Essay by FireflySummers

All images are captioned.

Content Warnings: Body Horror, Discussion of Racism and Colonialism

Spoilers for Slay the Princess (2023) by @abby-howard and Black Tabby Games.

If you enjoy this article, consider reading my guide to arguing against the use of AI image generators or the academic article it's based on.

Introduction: The Hero and the Princess

You're on a path in the woods, and at the end of that path is a cabin. And in the basement of that cabin is a Princess. You're here to slay her. If you don't, it will be the end of the world.

Slay the Princess is a 2023 indie horror game by Abby Howard and published through Black Tabby Games, with voice talent by Jonathan Sims (yes, that one) and Nichole Goodnight.

The game starts with you dropped without context in the middle of the woods. But that’s alright. The Narrator is here to guide you. You are the hero, you have your weapon, and you have a monster to slay.

From there, it's the player's choice exactly how to proceed--whether that be listening to the voice of the narrator, or attempting to subvert him. You can kill her as instructed, or sit and chat, or even free her from her chains.

It doesn't matter.

Regardless of whether you are successful in your goal, you will inevitably (and often quite violently) die.

And then...

You are once again on a path in the woods.

The cycle repeats itself, the narrator seemingly none the wiser. But the woods are different, and so is the cabin. You're different, and worse... so is she.

Based on your actions in the previous loop, the princess has... changed. Distorted.

Had you attempted a daring rescue, she is now a damsel--sweet and submissive and already fallen in love with you.

Had you previously betrayed her, she has warped into something malicious and sinister, ready to repay your kindness in full.

But once again, it doesn't matter.

Because the no matter what you choose, no matter how the world around you contorts under the weight of repeated loops, it will always be you and the princess.

Why? Because that’s how the story goes.

So says the narrator.

So now that we've got that out of the way, let's talk about data.

Chapter I: Echoes and Shattered Mirrors

The problem with "data" is that we don't really think too much about it anymore. Or, at least, we think about it in the same abstract way we think about "a billion people." It's gotten so big, so seemingly impersonal that it's easy to forget that contemporary concept of "data" in the west is a phenomenon only a couple centuries old [1].

This modern conception of the word describes the ways that we translate the world into words and numbers that can then be categorized and analyzed. As such, data has a lot of practical uses, whether that be putting a rover on mars or tracking the outbreak of a viral contagion. However, this functionality makes it all too easy to overlook the fact that data itself is not neutral. It is gathered by people, sorted into categories designed by people, and interpreted by people. At every step, there are people involved, such that contemporary technology is embedded with systemic injustices, and not always by accident.

The reproduction of systems of oppression are most obvious from the margins. In his 2019 article As If, Ramon Amaro describes the Aspire Mirror (2016): a speculative design project by by Joy Buolamwini that contended with the fact that the standard facial recognition algorithm library had been trained almost exclusively on white faces. The simplest solution was to artificially lighten darker skin-tones for the algorithm to recognize, which Amaro uses to illustrate the way that technology is developed with an assumption of whiteness [2].

This observation applies across other intersections as well, such as trans identity [3], which has been colloquially dubbed "The Misgendering Machine" [4] for its insistence on classifying people into a strict gender binary based only on physical appearance.

This has also popped up in my own research, brought to my attention by the artist @b4kuch1n who has spoken at length with me about the connection between their Vietnamese heritage and the clothing they design in their illustrative work [5]. They call out AI image generators for reinforcing colonialism by stripping art with significant personal and cultural meaning of their context and history, using them to produce a poor facsimile to sell to the highest bidder.

All this describes an iterative cycle which defines normalcy through a white, western lens, with a limited range of acceptable diversity. Within this cycle, AI feeds on data gathered under colonialist ideology, then producing an artifact that reinforces existing systemic bias. When this data is, in turn, once again fed to the machine, that bias becomes all the more severe, and the range of acceptability narrower [2, 6].

Luciana Parisi and Denise Ferreira da Silva touch on a similar point in their article Black Feminist Tools, Critique, and Techno-poethics but on a much broader scale. They call up the Greek myth of Prometheus, who was punished by the gods for his hubris for stealing fire to give to humanity. Parisi and Ferreira da Silva point to how this, and other parts of the “Western Cosmology” map to humanity’s relationship with technology [7].

However, while this story seems to celebrate the technological advancement of humanity, there are darker colonialist undertones. It frames the world in terms of the gods and man, the oppressor and the oppressed; but it provides no other way of being. So instead the story repeats itself, with so-called progress an inextricable part of these two classes of being. This doesn’t bode well for visions of the future, then–because surely, eventually, the oppressed will one day be the machines [7, 8].

It’s… depressing. But it’s only really true, if you assume that that’s the only way the story could go.

“Stories don't care who takes part in them. All that matters is that the story gets told, that the story repeats. Or, if you prefer to think of it like this: stories are a parasitical life form, warping lives in the service only of the story itself.” ― Terry Pratchett, Witches Abroad

Chapter II: The Invisible Narrator

So why does the narrator get to call the shots on how a story might go? Who even are they? What do they want? How much power do they actually have?

With the exception of first person writing, a lot of the time the narrator is invisible. This is different from an unreliable narrator. With an unreliable narrator, at some point the audience becomes aware of their presence in order for the story to function as intended. An invisible narrator is never meant to be seen.

In Slay the Princess, the narrator would very much like to be invisible. Instead, he has been dragged out into the light, because you (and the inner voices you pick up along the way), are starting to argue with him. And he doesn’t like it.

Despite his claims that the princess will lie and cheat in order to escape, as the game progresses it’s clear that the narrator is every bit as manipulative–if not moreso, because he actually knows what’s going on. And, if the player tries to diverge from the path that he’s set before them, the correct path, then it rapidly becomes clear that he, at least to start, has the power to force that correct path.

While this is very much a narrative device, the act of calling attention to the narrator is important beyond that context. 

The Hero’s Journey is the true monomyth, something to which all stories can be reduced. It doesn’t matter that the author, Joseph Campbell, was a raging misogynist whose framework flattened cultures and stories to fit a western lens [9, 10]. It was used in Star Wars, so clearly it’s a universal framework.

The metaverse will soon replace the real world and crypto is the future of currency! Never mind that the organizations pushing it are suspiciously pyramid shaped. Get on board or be left behind.

Generative AI is pushed as the next big thing. The harms it inflicts on creatives and the harmful stereotypes it perpetuates are just bugs in the system. Never mind that the evangelists for this technology speak over the concerns of marginalized people [5]. That’s a skill issue, you gotta keep up.

Computers will eventually, likely soon, advance so far as to replace humans altogether. The robot uprising is on the horizon [8]. 

Who perpetuates these stories? What do they have to gain?

Why is the only story for the future replications of unjust systems of power? Why must the hero always slay the monster?

Because so says the narrator. And so long as they are invisible, it is simple to assume that this is simply the way things are.

Chapter III: The End...?

This is the part where Slay the Princess starts feeling like a stretch, but I’ve already killed the horse so I might as well beat it until the end too.

Because what is the end result here?

According to the game… collapse. A recursive story whose biases narrow the scope of each iteration ultimately collapses in on itself. The princess becomes so sharp that she is nothing but blades to eviscerate you. The princess becomes so perfect a damsel that she is a caricature of the trope. The story whittles itself away to nothing. And then the cycle begins anew.

There’s no climactic final battle with the narrator. He created this box, set things in motion, but he is beyond the player’s reach to confront directly. The only way out is to become aware of the box itself, and the agenda of the narrator. It requires acknowledgement of the artificiality of the roles thrust upon you and the Princess, the false dichotomy of hero or villain.

Slay the Princess doesn’t actually provide an answer to what lies outside of the box, merely acknowledges it as a limit that can be overcome. 

With regards to the less fanciful narratives that comprise our day-to-day lives, it’s difficult to see the boxes and dichotomies we’ve been forced into, let alone what might be beyond them. But if the limit placed is that there are no stories that can exist outside of capitalism, outside of colonialism, outside of rigid hierarchies and oppressive structures, then that limit can be broken [12].

Denouement: Doomed by the Narrative

Video games are an interesting artistic medium, due to their inherent interactivity. The commonly accepted mechanics of the medium, such as flavor text that provides in-game information and commentary, are an excellent example of an invisible narrator. Branching dialogue trees and multiple endings can help obscure this further, giving the player a sense of genuine agency… which provides an interesting opportunity to drag an invisible narrator into the light.

There are a number of games that have explored the power differential between the narrator and the player (The Stanley Parable, Little Misfortune, Undertale, Buddy.io, OneShot, etc…)

However, Slay the Princess works well here because it not only emphasizes the artificial limitations that the narrator sets on a story, but the way that these stories recursively loop in on themselves, reinforcing the fears and biases of previous iterations. 

Critical data theory probably had nothing to do with the game’s development (Abby Howard if you're reading this, lmk). However, it works as a surprisingly cohesive framework for illustrating the ways that we can become ensnared by a narrative, and the importance of knowing who, exactly, is narrating the story. Although it is difficult or impossible to conceptualize what might exist beyond the artificial limits placed by even a well-intentioned narrator, calling attention to them and the box they’ve constructed is the first step in breaking out of this cycle.

“You can't go around building a better world for people. Only people can build a better world for people. Otherwise it's just a cage.” ― Terry Pratchett, Witches Abroad

Epilogue

If you've read this far, thank you for your time! This was an adaptation of my final presentation for a Critical Data Studies course. Truthfully, this course posed quite a challenge--I found the readings of philosophers such as Kant, Adorno, Foucault, etc... difficult to parse. More contemporary scholars were significantly more accessible. My only hope is that I haven't gravely misinterpreted the scholars and researchers whose work inspired this piece.

I honestly feel like this might have worked best as a video essay, but I don't know how to do those, and don't have the time to learn or the money to outsource.

Slay the Princess is available for purchase now on Steam.

Screencaps from ManBadassHero Let's Plays: [Part 1] [Part 2] [Part 3] [Part 4] [Part 5] [Part 6]

Post Dividers by @cafekitsune

Citations:

Rosenberg, D. (2018). Data as word. Historical Studies in the Natural Sciences, 48(5), 557-567.

Amaro, Ramon. (2019). As If. e-flux Architecture. Becoming Digital. https://www.e-flux.com/architecture/becoming-digital/248073/as-if/

What Ethical AI Really Means by PhilosophyTube

Keyes, O. (2018). The misgendering machines: Trans/HCI implications of automatic gender recognition. Proceedings of the ACM on human-computer interaction, 2(CSCW), 1-22.

Allred, A.M., Aragon, C. (2023). Art in the Machine: Value Misalignment and AI “Art”. In: Luo, Y. (eds) Cooperative Design, Visualization, and Engineering. CDVE 2023. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 14166. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-43815-8_4

Amaro, R. (2019). Artificial Intelligence: warped, colorful forms and their unclear geometries.

Parisisi, L., Ferreira da Silva, D. Black Feminist Tools, Critique, and Techno-poethics. e-flux. Issue #123. https://www.e-flux.com/journal/123/436929/black-feminist-tools-critique-and-techno-poethics/

AI - Our Shiny New Robot King | Sophie from Mars by Sophie From Mars

Joseph Campbell and the Myth of the Monomyth | Part 1 by Maggie Mae Fish

Joseph Campbell and the N@zis | Part 2 by Maggie Mae Fish

How Barbie Cis-ified the Matrix by Jessie Gender