#Early civilization sims

[kyriat-stories]

- ... and then she spat the polenta straight into my face, and giggled!

Noor was sharing the adventures of trying to give her newest grandchild, little Simadhne, solid food.

- Like mother like daughter, Eira said, because I remember Areth doing exactly the same a long time ago.

- Well, to my defense, I don't like polenta, Areth tried to say.

- You ungrateful child, Noor laughed. Little Simadhne will teach you a lesson or two about the injustice of the world, I'm sure. Now hush off and get your vegetables so I can have a private talk with your auntie.

- She will become a wonderful mother, Eira commented. She is so much like you. It must be wonderful to have her so close.

- Yes, things have turned out so well for our family. I'm really happy for her. How are things with Khara? Any hope for a grandchild?

- Not that I know of, but you know, it's still early, they just got married.

- Do you think they might stay? Or do you think she will follow Samuel back to Kastanea?

- I don't know. Samuel is now the rightful owner of Kyria Figélia's house, but he will still need to work. They can't live on his savings forever. So I am a bit worried.

- And Bansabira, any news there?

- Nope, still single and living at home. She is filling her days with artwork and studies, but she needs a family. I've suggested a few candidates, but she is not interested. I worry about her.

- Hmmm.

- Is that what our lives going to be from now on Noor? Worrying constantly about our children? Even as grown ups?

- Probably, Noor laughed. But at least Areth and Phaidros are doing well and are both married with children now. Tychon is still living at home, but he is surprisingly popular with the ladies, despite the fact that he is a real slob. I honestly don't understand what they see in him, but I will not be surprised if he gets married early. And he has a good job in construction, so he will be all right.

- And Myrto?

- Oh Myrto, my little heart. Eira, she is really special. Of course they all are, but she is one of a kind. So lighthearted, so funny and quick-witted. Still innocent, yet open to the world. She reminds me of myself at her age. She is a dreamer, but she is still young, she will be fine. I hope. At least at the moment I'm not worried about her. But...

- But what?

- Honestly, I am really worried about Teo and Mpatíni. I can't put my finger on it, but there is something going on between them.

- We've all experienced some marital disagreements, don't you think it will pass?

- No, this is not a simple marital quarrel. The don't talk, they seem to avoid each other. It's been developing over years now. Ever since Iliouloùsta came to us, but I don't believe it has to do with her. They both seem to love her very much. We all do.

- Whatever it is, there is not much we can do about it, is there? They will have to work it out for themselves.

- You are right of course. I'm just sad to see them so unhappy.

- What about you Noor, are you happy?

- Me? Yes of course! What kind of question is that?

- I mean, we've been talking about our children back and forth now, but what about you, are you happy with your life?

- What do you mean? Why shouldn't I be happy? All my children are doing well, well most of time anyway, so...?

- Yes I know, but what about your life? Do you feel satisfied with what you have achieved? Do you think life is worth living?

- Eira, you always complicate things! Of course life is worth living, what a silly thing to say! I'm fine, the family is fine, you are fine. It's just small worries. It's normal. Hey, wait! Are you not feeling well? Is there something wrong with you that you are not telling me?

- No, no, I'm okay. It's just... Well sometimes I feel that something is missing in my life. Never mind, maybe it will be better if I get grandchildren. Something to focus on. At least Polykarpos is dating

- Oh is he now?

- Yes there seems to be a new girl every week, so I don't know if he will settle down or anything like that. We will just have to wait and see. I had hopes for Khara and Samuel, but...

- What about Yousif?

- Yousif? Kyrios Eláïom? What about him?

- Are there any news?

- No, he is still in Kastanea according to Samuel. I don't think he will ever come back here. The long journey... And he is not a young man after all.

- You miss him.

- Miss him? I really don't... Okay he is a nice man, and I miss the conversations.

- Eira, surely it must be allowed to admit that you like him? Even if you're well into adulthood, it's okay to fall in love, isn't it?

- No, my goddess, in love?! Ugh, how embarrassing. That's for young people. Stop teasing me.

- I'm not teasing. You are in love, you miss him and you want him in your life. That's why you are asking all these silly question about life worth living and such high-flying philosophical stuff. Be honest! If not with me, so at least with yourself!

- Don't be silly!

- Just think about it. Send him a message! Maybe he feels the same? Maybe he will give up everything in Kastanea just to be with you?

- Oh Noor, you are such a romantic dreamer. That will never happen.

- Sister, have a little faith. Contact him. What is there to loose?

- I'm just realistic.

- More like fatalistic.

- Look! There is Kyria Anaktoría! Let's say hello!

- The fact that you are avoiding the topic proves my point.

- Phff..

.

Previous (Chapter 11) | Index | Character overview | Next

[kyriat-sims]

Kastro Daskalió

A visit to Kastro Daskalió will be a visit to remember! This is a build made for my Early Civilization save, but can easily be adapted to more modern times if you are not stuck in the past like me 😁.

More info, photos and download link below the cut

The shape was inspired by the pyramid shaped ancient Daskalió, a small islet west of Keros in Greece. It's has really fascinating history, going back almost 5000 years, and the archaeologists are still excavating. Read more here.

I built this on the Chieftain's Villa lot in Sulani, but you can place it wherever you want. It's CC heavy, and will not look good without it. As always I've included a list with links for all items used.

Info about this lot Residential lot Lotsize: 40x30 Bedr/bath: 10+5 Value: 214.100 Lot traits: Good Schools, Natural Light, Sunny Aspect, Quake Zone Fully furnished and decorated (a couple of rooms are empty) 4 playable floors Ground floor: Entrance, WC, Dining room, Throne room, Kitchen, Office, Living room, bedroom, bath, empty room, 1st floor: Art studio, bedrooms, baths 2nd floor: Bedrooms, bath 3rd floor: Gym, Workshop, Weaver room

Several packs and kits are used for this build. More details here.

The lot contains some of my own recolors/CC, and I've also used CC from the following creators:

@ameyasims - Angela - @aroundthesims - @balkanikabg - @blackyssims4zoo - @dravenxivsims4cc - @ellemant - Esmeralda - Evi - Freeasabird - @serenebluesims - @gleamer - Hahhasims - @historicalsimslife - @hamburgercakes - @kardofe - @kerriganhouse - @lilis-palace - @lina-cherie - @linzlu - Mammut - Mxims - @myshunosun - @peacemaker-ic - Philo - @pilarcr - @ravasheencc - @satisimbuilds - @satterlly - @irinaseverinka - @simcredibledesigns - @simsnowtato - @simverses - @siomisimsvault - @soloriya - @srslysims - @syboubou - @thesims4versaillescollection - @xmasmonkey - @zx-ta

A PDF with details and links for all CC is included.

Thanks to all the wonderful creators for making the game more interesting! 💕

📥Download (SFS)

More of my stuff at my blog: My cc - lots - sims - saves. Always free!

Hello @allhistoricalcc - @anitasims - @emilyccfinds - @itsjessicaccfinds - @mmfinds - @public-ccfinds - @simshistoricalfinds - @sssvitlanz

Thank you for sharing!   💕

[partheniasimblr]

Mythos March - Day 9: Demeter

@samssims

pose by  @akuiyumi   Thanks to all cc creators  @plasma-jane  @natalia-auditore

[accomplisheddoubt]

Generation 2: Early Civilization

Early Civilization 600 B.C. - A.D. 476

Heir Name: Arya Gnuuknuad Life State: Sim Aspiration(s): Friend of the World Traits: Slob, Erratic, Childish Cause of Death: Old Age

Achievements Earned: Smooth Talker

Goals: ✔️Reach level 10 charisma. ✔️Have 8 good friends and 3 despised sims outside the household between all sims.

Arya lived during the early civilization time period and married Circero Gnuuknuad. The couple produced 6 children, 4 of which survived past adolescence.

[abbysimsfun]

Sims In Bloom: Generation 2 Pt. 68 (A House Fire with No Fire on Spooky Party Day?!)

While Heather and Conrad got ready for guests to arrive, Malcolm sent a few pictures of Ash dressed in his bunny costume. Going trick or treating in the building today, he reported. Heather smiled.

Glad you're all having fun, she wrote back. Civility with her son's father could be nice.

Focused on the party, Heather was determined to redeem herself after her botched attempt to throw a Spooky Day party back in high school. This time, she made sure to note it was a costume party, and all her guests confirmed they'd show up dressed accordingly!

Her youngest sister, Hazel, arrived early with her fiancee, Nicola. They were staying the night in the upstairs guestroom, excited for a short getaway on the coast before their upcoming wedding.

"The decorations look great!" Hazel gushed. "Spooky record player!"

"Does anyone smell fire?" Nicola sniffed the air. "I hate fire."

"I don't smell anything," said Conrad. The only thing he smelled was his spinach and cheese omelet.

They went about the afternoon and finished setting up for the party. Conrad left for a short walk with Gord, and the fire Nicola smelled finally materialized in the bedroom! Heather, Hazel, and Nicola ran toward the flame, screaming incoherently, until Heather finally grabbed an extinguisher and put out the blaze.

From the delayed fire, they suffered damage to a bathroom countertop, mirror, Heather and Conrad's bed, and a bedside table. A cluster of wall hangings also burned, but considering how long the flames had burned invisibly, they were grateful the damage hadn't been any worse!

(I assume the lack of a visible fire for so long was a glitch, but I'm also at a loss as to how it started. They lost a decor hairdryer in the blaze, but it doesn't even plug in. Sorry for walls down in the second shot when the fire finally showed up, but I was kinda flabbergasted!

The fire actually looks like it started in the bedroom - I thought bathroom at first, so we could blame the Scare Seeker lot trait which was on when the fire began! Also yes I bought a bassinet in anticipation before they lost the baby and it's just sitting there waiting. Didn't burn!)

They managed to replace the damaged furniture, clean up, and get changed into their costumes before guests arrived. Conrad had time to finish the spooky cookies, and Heather handed out candy to a few trick or treaters. One in particular made her smile.

"What planet are you from, Master Yoda?"

"Everyone knows Yoda's home planet has never been confirmed," scoffed the masked child. Impressed, Heather gave her extra candy.

Just like in high school, Heather painted herself blue to dress as a Twi'lek, determined this time to get at least one picture of herself for all the effort. She was all dressed up and prepping some last minute treats in the kitchen when Conrad the Sexy Mailman walked in.

"Say, there, sexy alien lady. Did you have any mail you need delivered?" He shook his hips in his tight bicycle shorts, and Heather nearly abandoned the stove to drag him to the bedroom.

"Don't tempt me. This blue paint will get everywhere."

Instead, they posed for a couple photos to send back to Malcolm.

Tell Ash we say hi. Happy Spooky Day!

Heather carved pumpkins as guests arrived, while Conrad challenged one of his coworkers to a game of chess. They'd invited all Heather's siblings, but Kris and Holly were busy with their newborn daughter, Tetra, and couldn't make it.

But Uncle Karl arrived in a gladiator suit with his husband Mortimer. "They send their love and asked us to bring home some spooky cookies and candy!"

Heather's high school friend, Dylan, arrived with her husband Gavin, and Heather greeted them with a smile. Gavin's rented spacesuit made for an awkward hug, and Dylan showed up in the same Twi'lek costume and blue body paint as Heather. "I'm so glad you could make it. And you got my text!"

"I don't know why you were afraid to wear such a revealing costume by yourself. You look great! But I have come all the way from the planet Ryloth to join you here on Simlandia for the evening's festivities. I look forward to observing human behaviour in such a strange environment."

Heather laughed. "How's life with two kids under four?"

"Way harder than life with just Pearl," said Gavin. "Whenever Darrell cries, she starts crying, too. Thank goodness her mom agreed to watch the kids tonight. If Dylan and I don't let our hair down a little, we might go insane."

"He's exaggerating...kinda. We love them, but we're happy to get out of the apartment for a while," said Dylan, sipping her Spooky Day-themed 'blood' cocktail.

River and Cass showed up with her mother Bella Goth, and Everett danced the night away with Spencer. Even Heather's parents, Daisy and Neal, stayed until late.

Taking a break from dancing to Latin Pop tunes blasting from the Grimophone, Everett joined Heather outside. She was carving a pumpkin and enjoying the temperate evening, and Heather's costume nearly knocked him over with nostalgia. "You still look incredible in blue paint. Hope you got some pictures this time."

"This was a much more successful Spooky Day party than my first attempt, thank you very much."

"You and Conrad are great hosts."

They caught one another up on their sons and laughed together in the moonlight, but after everything they'd been through, and where they were in their lives now, their high school kiss under the stars was a distant memory.

"It's funny, you and Malcolm both dressed up as pirates this year. And Malcolm Landgraab as a pirate is just...there's this old story about a pirate queen who cursed the Landgraabs," she said.

(I put Malcolm in a pirate costume on purpose, Everett just appreciates giving me symbolism with Heather's two past loves dressed in the same costume that happens to remind her of the curse she fears will harm her son!)

"I'm not a fan of Malcolm Landgraab, but I trust in the Watcher far too much to put any stock in curses."

Heather shook off the conversation. A priest couldn't talk to her about curses or raising the dead. For the first time in her life, she couldn't talk to her best friend. She glanced through the kitchen window, where Conrad was chatting with Bella Goth. These days, he was the person she could tell everything.

Before he stood to head back inside, Everett smiled. "It's nice to know you know how to throw a costume party, after all," he teased. Heather laughed to herself.

Though she'd worn the same costume as she did back in high school, she was such a different person now. ->

<- Previous Chapter | Gen 2 Start | Gen 1 Summary | Gen 1 Start

[ethicaltreatmentofcowplants]

Asylum Challenge: Day 12

(Nothing to see here - just Vlad very excitedly browsing through Trendi by the looks of his current get-up)

This was the first of three days where Wicked Whims... kind of got out of hand until everyone figured out what they were into, I guess 🤔. Also I realised that I'd set the lot to the FLIRTY trait for one day and forgot about it which was... a chaotic combination to put it mildly.

So while nothing explicit will be shown, just something to keep in mind, I guess?

Look at her, look at her, she's no good at yoga. I had considered a Spa Day pack aspiration, since Lilac will likely need the inner peace going forward, but then I saw how grindy they all were.

So... Lady of the Knits!

Level One: Humble Knitter

❌ Knit for 5 Hours (2/5) ❌ Start 3 Knitting Projects While Inspired (0/3) ✅ Knit on a Rocking Chair

No, she isn't Whims related below the waist - it's just flesh toned underwear. (I had to take a second look too.)

Another early riser (easy for someone who doesn't need to go to bed) was Vlad. Along with Rory. The two... well, one occult heavyweight, and one tissueweight, actually managed to have a civil moment, perhaps with music loving Rory appreciating Vlad's skill on the piano.

Oh wait, L. is up. There goes the ceasefire, if not the entire neighbourhood.

Meanwhile the Roswells had a moment over breakfast. Could a GOOD traited Sim and her EVIL husband ever make their marriage work? Now that they're played Sims, apparently not.

While Lilac took a THOUGHTFUL SHOWER to get those creative juices flowing (takes on a whole new meaning with this mod 😬), Jacques woke up in a sad mood thanks to those voices in his head.

Clearly whatever leftover gourmet dish that Raj made the night before was the only cure.

Meanwhile Ted apparently tried to enlist Vlad in order to sway Meredith over to their EVIL ways, but as Vlad was seemingly more interested in having Ted's opinion on his potential Trendi buys, it wasn't working. Thanks to their POSSESSED late night strolls and chats, Ted is the one person in the household other than Lilac who has a positive relationship with Vlad.

As unlike L., for the most part Vlad is actually trying to be cordial to most of the household, the Watcher does lowkey feel sorry for him about this.

THOUGHTFUL SHOWER did the trick, and Lilac was able to start her three inspired knitting projects! Since that glitch where you can't resume projects is still hanging around, she wasn't able to finish them, but we'll take any loophole that we can get.

Rory started a new freelance career as a programmer (great way to work on her handiness too being a werewolf I guess 👍) while Meredith apparently didn't get the memo that On Wednesdays, We Do Crafting Hour.

Lilac kindly pointed out that mixology with the globe bar just over there would count as a creative skill. Perhaps as a result of her less than stellar relationship with Ted, Meredith appears to have decided that yes, actually a drink sounds real good right about now.

Ted literally could have gone and done anything else in the house, but instead he goes and plays Road Warrior or whatever near where Rory is trying to work, and freaks out because he's next to a transformed woof-woof. I don't think that Rory's the problem here...

Raj seemingly did not appreciate the Watcher telling him to make himself useful and to take out the trash.

It must have frozen over in Tartosa and the gameplay hell that is the My Wedding Stories pack, because L. was actually nice to Lilac! Oh right, the Watcher got her to 'scope the surroundings,' and Lilac is apparently 'very attractive' to her too.

The Watcher set the one person in the household who doesn't need to eat on the task of cooking dinner, mainly so that he's close by so that I can cancel his autonomously eating it when he has the vampire weakness where food makes him sick. Because he has a knowledge related aspiration, he's actually at a decent culinary level.

Looks like L.'s niceness allotment for the year is about to expire.

Ted and Jacques were impressed with Raj's alleged unaliving of a workplace rival, offered to recruit him to the round table of villainy. He said that he's good, thank you.

Yup, L.'s niceness streak aged like warm milk. And a reminder that she thinks Lilac is hot too!

While Vlad wisely stayed out of things by doing the dishes (he acquired the NEAT trait at some point, which is very useful to have in the household's vampire), Rory must have taken issue with L.'s meanness, because next minute they went outside, Rory was walking in with a spring in her step and L. was bruised and battered.

Just how long is it going to take these apparent occult geniuses to learn not to forbidden word with Rory?

Lilac must have been especially appreciative of her shieldmaiden in furry armour, because well. This was the one animation it was safe to show you. In fairness, it's a pretty cute one.

In less exciting news, Lilac is now on the second stage of the Knitting aspiration.

Level Two: Thread Setter

❌ Achieve Level 4 of the Knitting Skill (3/4) ❌ Knit While Listening to Music ❌ Sell a Knitted Object on Plopsy

My head is feeling full and gluggy so I may post the next couple of days in a few hours.

[theroyalsims]

BREAKING: NOT YOUR ORDINARY BUILDER - GUS IS A SELF-MADE MAN AND ANYA’S ELUSIVE FIRST LOVE

There’s more to him than meets the eye! More details of Anya’s latest love have emerged and it looks like he’s not just a regular builder, contrary to what was earlier reported.

“Gus” is actually Baris Gustavo Aslan, a licensed Engineer and owner of Aslan Builders, a construction company operating in Rennaux, Tartosa, and Champs les Sims. He graduated from the Université Royale de Rennaux with a degree in Civil Engineering. He also holds a Masters in Engineering from the same university. If that university sounds familiar, it’s because it happens to be the very same school that The Crown Princess attended. While they were, indeed, schoolmates, the pair reportedly first met as children. Gus also served in the Rennaux Army (Rennaux has mandatory military service), and prior to moving permanently to Tartosa, was a volunteer firefighter in his neighbourhood's fire brigade.

(Above: Anya's new -old- beau is her first love and childhood sweetheart, engineer Gus Aslan.)

Gus is the eldest child of Lucia, a native of Tartosa, and Emir Aslan, who emigrated from Ekhkare, a country located north of Al-Simhara. He has two younger sisters, Dilara and Gül. His dad was a train conductor, while his mum worked at the Rennaux Palace gift shop as the store manager. It is there that Gus reportedly first met Crown Princess Anya. Anya, along with her siblings Eleanore and Alistair, used to "work" at the gift shop during their summer vacations in Rennaux. A source reveals:

"They first met as children. The Queen's oldest kids, Anya, Eleanore, and Alistair, used to 'work' at the gift shop where they would be paid in cakes and cookies. It was something they looked forward to during their summer trips to Rennaux. That's when Gus and Anya first met. They were maybe, seven, eight years old? At that time, the Aslans were living in Rennaux. Gus' mum was the shop manager.

Gus and Anya became quick friends, and their friendship lasted throughout their teens. They secretly started 'officially' dating right before they both entered uni. I think Gus was a major factor why Anya chose to study in Rennaux. However, they broke up shortly before graduating from uni."

(Above: Gus and Anya were spotted having a lunch date in Rennaux over the weekend. Rennaux has become their "middle ground" as of late, meeting halfway to make time for each other despite their very busy schedules.)

Although it was common knowledge that Anya was seeing someone when she was studying in Rennaux, not much was known about the Crown Princess' elusive "first love." The radio silence was attributed to rumours of an NDA and threats from both the Rennaux and Brindleton royal families. Further, Anya's godfather, the Duke of Fjord, owns television and radio networks, as well as major publications in Rennaux - making it completely possible to bury any news about young Anya's relationship.

Why Anya's past with Gus was kept hidden is unsure. However, what's certain is the fact that they're giving their relationship another go. The two reportedly rekindled their romance last year when Anya traveled to Tartosa to purchase a villa. The source further reveals:

"Anya had her eyes set on this beautiful villa, so Anya made a few early trips to Tartosa to see the place. She loved it, but it needed a bit of work. When she returned during her hiatus, she was introduced to a 'contractor' who specialised in restoring historic houses. Of course, that contractor turned out to be Gus.

These two were inevitable. They were like two magnets drawn to each other. I'm convinced Anya tried to fight it because I genuinely think that Gus was her biggest heartbreak - him being her literal first love and all. Gus, too, was a bit apprehensive because he's had his heart broken before. But things just clicked into place. They started talking and hanging out again. Anya extended her stay and they spent more time with each other. When they were apart, they stayed in constant touch via video calls and text. Gus flew in a few days before Winterfest. Anya made stealthy trips to Tartosa during the holidays. By then, they both knew that they wanted to be with each other."

(Above: These two only have eyes for each other! Anya loves being in Rennaux because unlike in Brindleton, she can go around town -with bodyguard in tow, of course- without making too much of a fuss.)

As for Gus being a "measly" builder, the source further spills:

"To begin with, there's nothing 'measly' about the job. Being a builder is honest and decent work, and Gus knows that - that's why he's not at all afraid to be hands-on with his projects. He could very well just sit in a comfy chair, wear a tie, and boss his people around, but having come from very humble beginnings, he knows the value of hard work. He's well-loved by his people and he treats everyone as his equals. He's not Mr. Aslan. With his team, he's simply 'Gus.' But don't let the tattered hat and muddy boots fool you. He's very well-off. He's a self-made millionaire who lives very comfortably - he just doesn't like to show-off."

The case of Anya's Mystery Man is officially solved! A second chance love - who'd have thought? You know what they say - love is sweeter the second time around. Hopefully that saying rings true to Anya and Gus! And can we just say, these two make a very beautiful couple! Here's hoping we see more of our new favourite lovebirds soon!

[elderberries-and-honey]

As I understand it, the old family is abandoned and we will not see a continuation of Winifred and Lawrence?

I wouldn't say they are abandoned as much as they are just archived. I'm in the middle of finishing up my last English credit, and beginning a dental hygiene program after that which is an extremely difficult and surprisingly competitive field to get into, while also planning my wedding, and working full-time.

Playing the game for an hour or two each day, or something close to, and spending five or ten minutes editing vs spending an hour just finding poses, then writing the story, setting everything up in game, and editing in a way that satisfies me are very different energy levels.

It is my ultimate goal to be in a good headspace, with a healthy balance for leisure, studying and having financial stability, but right now, that's difficult to come by. I miss The Baudelaires every single day but their story also deserves to be told the right way, especially the more sensitive parts that require more research and figuring out how to present it in a palatable way. And again, especially when you consider that the Baudelaire's are living in, what today, is considered Northern Ireland in the early 1900's and there are significant moments in history quickly approaching that I must tell correctly and would feel wrong to just gloss over simply because I'm pressed for time and rushed through it just to get a post out.

I think it's easy for us to look at these historical events through a lens of academia and perhaps even through rose tinted glasses in some respects. But, for me at least, it feels so much deeper when you are telling it through a personal narrative perspective. For example, the suffragette movement. Yes it was a movement that gave women the right to vote but it also was extremely prejudice and by and in large excluded women of color. Yet, I rarely see that ever presented or shown in the stories written here. Now, I do understand that perhaps people feel they shouldn't share that history out of respect but I also think it's important to be honest about the fact that even the "progressive" women of the time were not all that progressive by today's standards. Or even the various wars that are coming quickly, like The Great War and the Irish Civil War. Civilians are always the ones who suffer the most when it comes to war, and again, I personally would feel wrong not showing that or mentioning it, at the very least.

But again, that also requires a lot more research on my part, while also staying true to who my characters are at their core and considering how these significant things would shape and bend their moral compasses, and impact their relationships with each other (because, spoiler, it will definitely have an affect on their interpersonal relationships within the family).

Now, that isn't to say I don't put as much love and care into the Flores Legacy because I still adore them as well or that I won't try to present these things where I can! But it is different in terms of perfectionism because of the fact that it's mostly gameplay and the game helps to steer their story in some ways whereas The Baudelaires are completely directed by me alone, if that makes any sense.

I apologize for the long rambling answer but I needed to get my point across that The Baudelaires are my babies. I have been playing them for years at this point and Winifred in particular is my favorite Sim that I have ever created in my 20 years of playing the sims franchise, and it was not an easy decision to put their story on hold. But I miss playing the game, and I miss historical simblr, so I decided to do something a little different, even if that's disappointing for some or even for myself.

Tl;Dr: they're not abandoned so much as they are just simply archived for right now.

[everygame]

Sid Meier’s Pirates! (C64)

Developed/Published by: Microprose Released: 05/1987 Completed: 16/07/2024 Completion: Took down the treasure fleet, rescued my sister and retired early ending up a mere sergeant.

I recently polished off the second season of Our Flag Means Death, the now sadly cancelled piratical comedy that ended up as a really delightful, sweet show after a slightly wonky start, and I was struck by an urge to keep the seadog vibes afloat, which gave me an excellent excuse to boot up Sid Meier’s “seaman”al [“seminal”--Ed.] pirate sim.

Now, the interesting thing about Sid Meier’s Pirates! (which I’ll just refer to as Pirates! from now on if you don’t mind) is that in my own gaming history it doesn’t factor. The first Sid Meier game to blow me away was Civilization–the first game of any to truly get its hooks into me–and then it’s Covert Action that I’d pick up and adore (actually, I played quite a bit of Railroad Tycoon too, now I think about it.) I’m sure I played Pirates!, here and there, but if I remember it at all, I remember being a bit nonplussed by the game’s completely open-ended beginning. Civilization has a supremely clear beginning: find the best place for your first city, and start growing your empire. Covert Action has “solve this crime.” Pirates! says: “You’re a pirate now. Do that?”

What that ultimately means is a few simple things. To start with, there are four countries busy colonising the Caribbean setting: the English, French, Spanish and Dutch, you select one as your nationality, and can quite happily pirate from one or all. You can sail your ship around and get into random encounters with other ships–choosing to attack, ignore, or sometimes you'll be attacked yourself. You can go to different towns and settlements–if they’re friendly, you can meet with the governor, hire crew at the tavern and trade; if they’re unfriendly, you can attack them by sea or by land. And if you’ve managed to find any treasure maps, you can hunt for treasure.

All of this is done via a simple and clever menu-driven system, or extremely simple action games. Sailing and sea battles are simple–viewed from overhead, your main issue will be dealing with the unusually realistic wind, slowing your ship to a crawl generally at the most annoying moments. Land battles are… baffling, and I’m unclear why anyone would ever do them when you can attack settlements from your ship (I think a small number of settlements are inland?) but they’re real-time strategy adjacent; you can move your whole crew or split it up into parts as you try to attack the town’s fort–though you’ll take heavy losses. In both battles, it often concludes in a one-on-one fencing game–as you see your troop numbers deplete, you must force your opponent to yield via the ferocity or skill of your attacks. Lose any of these modes and it’s not game over, but you are imprisoned for a length of time, lose all the loot from the current expedition and lose your crew; a serious punishment considering the short life of a pirate and that the game makes you weaker as you age.

With prison an ever-present threat, the game invites you to push your luck. You can choose to end your pirate expedition whenever you like and “bank” your ill-gotten gains, but at the cost of having to rebuild your crew and fleet–but you may have to anyway, lest your crew get tired and mutiny. After every expedition you can start at a higher difficulty to push your luck ever further–or simply retire and see where you end up.

If you have any familiarity with Sid Meier’s oeuvre, you can see him absolutely in this open-ended game design, and it should work, right?

Right?

Above, you’ll notice I mentioned my love for Covert Action. Covert Action is legendary not because people especially like it. It’s legendary for Meier’s own “Covert Action rule”:

“One good game is better than two great games.”

This rule occurred because of Meier’s belief that the separate modes of play in Covert Action–infiltrating a base, or code-breaking–interfered with the metagame (solving a crime.) In many ways, he isn’t wrong, but I’ve always found Covert Action a terrible example of it, because I never struggled with understanding how the mini-games fit into the narrative whole! In fact, they only enhanced my experience of the story I was telling via my play.

Meier maintains that Pirates! doesn’t break the Covert Action rule because the mini games, ultimately, are so slight, and the narrative so simple. And I guess he’s correct, but I’d have to argue for a “Pirates! rule” in place of the Covert Action rule:

“Several crappy mini-games don’t equal one good game.”

Sorry. Sorry. I know this is sacrilege. Pirates is a key text. But I realised in playing it now, as an adult, that the reason it never stuck as a kid is because it’s boring.

Sailing is tedious. Sea battles are slow and often anticlimactic. Fencing is sloppy and generally played by just attacking as much as possible. They simply aren’t fun! And any moments of narrative don’t feel anywhere near rewarding enough. They all just lead to… maps. Capture a pirate, get a map. Rescue a family member? Cool, another map.

Unlike a game of Civilization, or Railroad Tycoon even, there’s not enough going on in the world to react to, to give you a story worth telling. It’s neat that the colonisers scuffle and declare war on each other, but that’s about the limit of it. While researching this I was surprised to discover that Zzap! 64 gave it a middling review (a mere 68%!) and you can see that they just couldn’t, really, see the point in playing it once you’ve got the basics down. And I agree!

It’s a shame, really, because the entire thing is dripping with theme. The manual is beautiful, and much the way that Civilization locked terms like “phalanx” into my mind, the recreation of the Caribbean here should do wonders to my score on Pointless when it comes to geography rounds.

I just don’t want to play it!

Will I ever play it again? “Sea” [“see”–Ed.] above.

Final Thought: So, something you may quibble with here is that I chose to play the C64 original rather than any of the later versions, which I chose because it’s Meier’s own preferred version (and one that he largely coded himself–using Basic of all things for the menu system, which is incredible, even if you feel it in how slow the game can be.)

I don’t think this was a bad decision; I wanted to really see what Pirates! was at its core, and it remains quite charming visually (if, as I’ve said… slow.) If there’s one thing I’ll say, it’s that I possibly haven’t given it a fair shake in the context of mid-1987. I can’t, at this moment in time, compare it to, say, EA’s Starflight, or Cinemaware’s Defender of the Crown (which both came out in 1986!) so I’ll have to just take Zzap 64’s word for it.

Still. As much as I wouldn’t play this version again, I’ll admit that I’ll probably fire up Pirates! Gold, or the 2004 remake, the next time I’m feeling the nautical itch [“crabs”–Ed.].

Support Every Game I’ve Finished on ko-fi! You can pick up digital copies of exp., a zine featuring all-exclusive writing at my shop, or join as a supporter at just $1 a month and get articles like this a week early.

[sagescented]

Yesterday I could barely get out of bed. I was so swollen all over, and in so much pain. But we had to get up early and go meet with a Financial Advisor that my Father in Law had connected us with as kind of a free 101 meeting.

I really didn't want to go anymore, given how much pain I was in. But I'm really glad I forced myself to go now. I have a much better understanding of investing, IRA Accounts, and all that kind of stuff, and it's going to be so helpful as we move forward in our life. We think we've also figured out, finally, how we want to handle his inheritance- and the best way to do it that'll give us a good future while also leaving something available in case of emergency (for the first solid time in our lives).

We also decided that we're going to sell our portion of the Farm; his brother ended up inheriting the Farm House that we were restoring, and so there's no point in moving forward with that project. Towards Winter we'd already kind of realized how ridiculous it was anyways, though, and already decided to nix it- and that was before everything went down with all of the health problems, and then my Mother in Law passing. So it's not a loss to us. We get more out of the undeveloped land we wound up inheriting anyways.

After the meeting, though, we had his brother's birthday party to do. We had to stop by the store and pick up some Icecream and a Card, though. I decided to take my Rollator out finally for the first time, and oh my God I am so glad we splurged and bought it. I still think it'd be nicer to have a Wheelchair eventually, but the Rollator was perfect for yesterday; it was so nice to be able to sit down and rest while he picked out a card, and it felt much more stable to walk with my full body pain, than trying to hold myself up with just my Cane. I'm so thankful for having it.

The party itself wasn't horrible. We got Head Country like usual- which is always great. But his brother actually managed to not be an asshole for the first time since my Mother in Law passed; he's had a bad attitude with everyone since. But yesterday he actually managed to be civil and was conversive. So the day wasn't a wash.

I did bow out early, though, and took a nice long soak in the bath with a double scoop of my Pain Soak. It helped a lot; today I'm still in pain and just kind of vibing with Sims. But it could be a lot worse if I hadn't taken the Ketorolac and Flexeril, or had the soak.

[spriteysims]

During the dead of winter, as a freeze swept across the isle, Seraphina went into labor in the wee hours of the night.

Like her pregnancy, the labor was difficult. After a long and painful night, Seraphina gave birth to a beautiful baby girl whom they named Melaena, meaning "dark," like the night she entered the world.

Previous | Next Chapter

*and with that, we've reached the end of early civilization!! ;u; at the time of writing this, I have a bit less than a week of scheduled posts so hopefully there isn't too much of a hiatus bc I have all the lots built but I do have family in town and I have to makeover like 60+ sims lol!! and we'll definitely have a bit of a time skip to give the world a believable amount of time to grow but I'll recap on any important things that happen during the time skip

*there's been a significant influx of followers and notes in the past few weeks so I just wanted to say how much I appreciate every single one of you and thank you for caring about my sims <3 I started this blog strictly for myself to better keep track of events/sims/etc but it means so much to me that others are enjoying it too ;u;

[kyriat-stories]

The agreement was made, and the wedding became expensive, just as Queen Alkmini had predicted. There were many prominent guests, and even the big throne room filled up.

The bride and groom didn't seem overjoyed, but perhaps they were affected by the seriousness of the moment.

The King of Koiláda Chalkoú was invited but did not come to the wedding. He was probably still a bit crossed, even though he had received a handsome compensation, in form of horses, cattle, gems and precious metals. However, he did send his sister to represent him at the wedding, the incredibly beautiful Princess Amphiera.

Other honorable guests were of course Prince Heraklis and his family. It was the first time little Myrrhini was attending publicly, but she seemed more interested in the birds outside than in the wedding ceremony.

The bride's family were also there, even if it was quite a long journey for them, and for that reason little prince Philokratis was left at home. Queen Laonome was not feeling well, it was possible that she was expecting again, so they took a more discreet position in the throne room, to be able to slip out to the private chambers if necessary.

The distinguished ladies of Manthos were all there, of course, and Kyria Figaleía wouldn't miss it for the world.

It truly was a grand celebration, and everybody agreed that it had been a fabulous ceremony.

Except maybe for the bride and groom.

.

Previous | Index | Character overview | Next

[kyriat-sims]

Ancient cooking or modern rustic cousine? This kitchen fits both! Meshes by Balkanika and Linzlu. More info and download under the cut.

Full credit goes to @balkanikabg and @linzlu who made the meshes and to Maxis for most of the textures. You will need the meshes for these recolors to work in your game.

Note that the stone patterns doesn't fit that well on the counters, some sharp edges and refractions are quite noticeable. (You can always delete those swatches in S4S, if they bother you.)

I did a small tuning update in Linzlu's Antique Basin mesh, to give it the new functionality for sinks (where you can choose kitchen or bath or both). I've included this altered mesh in the download file. If you prefer the original mesh, just download it from the link provided below.

You will find these objects in game where you normally find this kind of objects, or by searching for Manthos Balkanika, Manthos Lekanh or KyriaT.

Manthos Balkanika Stove

Mesh: ❗Ancient Roman Stove by Balkanika

Found in Appliances - Stove

28 swatches

Price 545 $

Manthos Balkanika Counter

Mesh: ❗Ancient Roman Stove by Balkanika

Found in Surfaces - Counter

30 swatches

Price 150 $

Manthos Lekanh Sink

Mesh: ❗Samantha Antique Basin by Linzlu (included)

Found in Plumbing - Sinks

24 swatches

Price 74 $

All recolors made with Gimp and The Sims 4 Studio.

My TOU - Happy simming! 💕

📥Download (SFS)

Also available on Patreon and CurseForge.

More stuff at my blog: My cc - lots - sims - saves. 💕

@allhistoricalcc - @anitasims - @emilyccfinds - @itsjessicaccfinds

@mmfinds - @public-ccfinds - @simshistoricalfinds - @sssvitlanz

Thanks for sharing 💕

[partheniasimblr]

Mythos March - Day 10: Hermes

@samssims

pose by  @harperelya Thanks to all cc creators  @clumsyalienn  @plazasims   @pralinesims

[veovis-of-kveer]

Post-Riven Ideas

Been thinking about what kinds of games I'd like to see from Cyan after Riven's launch in a week. Cyan mentioned at Mysterium that they'd like to make smaller more experimental games in the Myst universe partially to revive the franchise but also to avoid too much financial risk. For instance Firmament had a rough launch and stretched the company thin and many of the devs I spoke to mentioned their frustration with the project and the backlash it received. What was also mentioned to me was Cyan's interest in rekindling the magic of the early Myst games in the same way Star Wars: Andor did recently for Star Wars.

They also mentioned that a smaller more Myst-sized game or even smaller would be much less of a financial risk compared to say a massive sprawling epic like Firmament. Some ideas that were tossed around at Mysterium were: Pre-Fall D'ni Post-Fall D'ni A stylized Myst game A Myst horror game Anything involving new characters and time periods A Myst dating sim (not joking)

Here are some of the ideas I'm interested in:

A game about Veovis and his downfall featuring Anna and Aitrus. Set on K'veer and maybe some small ages. Could be either post-Fall or pre-Fall. It would allow us to explore the whole island and read his journals and explore his personal rooms and inspect his belongings. If set pre-Fall we could interact with him as a character along with Ti'ana and Aitrus and uncover his dark plot right on the eve of the Fall while delving into his not-so-subtle romantic love-triangle with the other main characters. The point is it would allow us to finally explore K'veer in its entirety. Bonus would be also remnants of Gehn's stay on the island if set post-Fall.

A game set on Releeshahn centered around Marrim. This would take place after Revelation but before Uru, roughly sometime in the mid to late 1800s. A new cast of characters with occasional Atrus and Yeesha cameos but ultimately centered around Marrim and her uncovering of the secrets of Releeshahn. Book of Marrim would be the tie-in novel for this game. This might be a bigger project since it would be set on Releeshahn and might require several years of dev time so maybe not the first thing Cyan focuses on after Riven but I know its a story Rand and RAWA had planned for a long while.

Garternay and the Exodus or alternately the origins of the Art. This could be a weird one and possibly unlikely one but it could be a really deep dive into the story of Ri'neref and the founding of D'ni or alternately the origins of the Art and how the bahro were enslaved. Did the bahro create the Art initially? How was the tablet made? Etc. I know Robyn Miller has a whole design document for a TV show pitch he did a few years back that would have focused on Garternay and from what was posted on his site and twitter we can see that Garternay was most-likely a barren scorched age in the final days of its red giant sun. There's a lot we could delve into here. We also know that Gehn's timepiece likely shows the planetary map of Garternay possibly before its sun went red giant, although this is something Gehn was told when gifted the timepiece so it's not 100% verifiable. In any case Garternay could be an interesting left field game to produce but I honestly doubt Cyan would reveal that much. Maybe if Robyn is involved.

D'ni Renaissance era. New D'ni character drama set at the height of D'ni civilization. This could be smaller game set during the height of the era of Kings during the reigns of Rakeri or Kedri or maybe one of the bad kings like Tejara or Ti'amel. I'd like to see another heavy character driven narrative but set in this peak period of D'ni civilization. Maybe the story of an exiled Writers Guild Master who's been framed for murder wanting to reconcile with his best friend who now wants revenge etc. I'd like to see more human stories about people in this universe and their personal and interpersonal struggles a la Myst/Riven/Exile with a clear goal in the game to resolve these issues.

Ok but I do really want a D'ni dating sim where you get to romance Veovis and maybe some other D'ni guild master hotties >:)

[abbysimsfun]

The Sims is love. List 5 facts about a favorite sim couple of yours, and why you love them so much. Then pass this on to 5 others, whose sim couple(s) you also love. 💘💕

Thank you for the tag @matchalovertrait!! I was totally going to do a Heather and Conrad post for this, but we're living their love story right now and new history is happening with them every day, so instead I decided to throw back to my In Bloom Legacy Gen 1 powercouple, Daisy (Darden) & Neal Nesbitt.

FACTS: 1. Neal was a gallery sim I made no edits to whatsoever, chosen because I liked his look and he had the Loves Outdoors trait like Daisy (challenge requirement). His WCIF post is here. 2. Daisy was created by mashing the random button in CAS until I had a blonde because I had only seen the challenge start with pretty blonde Daisys and sometimes I'm a trend follower. I picked her original last name, Darden, because it rhymes with garden. I'm the CAS-laziest, I've said this!

(Also I'm not actually keeping the Nesbitt name for every gen, which in a way makes this not really a Sims legacy at all, but I felt like the obvious last name for the challenge, Bloom, was too expected, and since I play with so many premades I'm curious to see where the main-line surname goes and who marries in, etc.) 3. Daisy maxed out the botanist career in early adulthood and then joined the Sims Aeronautical Space Agency (SpaceY) as an astrobotanist testing plant life in space. After obtaining a UFO fruit and achieving the gardening collection plaque, she quit to become a florist but by then I was ready to start Gen 2 so didn't really play it (I have the chance later in this legacy challenge though so Daisy's just enjoying being semi-retired now! 4. Neal maxed out the Civil Design career (Eco Branch only), but his great career move was inventing Nesbeets - a plant-based meat substitute grown on a vertical garden wall. The success of Nesbeets put him on the map enough that the Goths and Landgraabs were both aware of his success in business when each family's story became entwined with the Nesbitts. As an elder, he invented Buttercups all-natural pet treats, inspired by his daughter's quest to end her business contracts with greedy conglomerate Landgraab Corp. 5. As Neal and Daisy raised their four children, their favourite vacation spot was Granite Falls. Daisy loved to fish and meditate in the forest, and Neal, a sustainable living hobbyist who outfitted their home in numerous contraptions to save on water and power consumption, maxed the herbalism skill and the Outdoor Enthusiast aspiration.

Collage Template: Canva (free)

top row: Daisy takes off to outer space as an astrobotanist, Neal and Daisy's wedding day middle row: Neal and Daisy and Luke and Leia for Halloween (Ep 4 before they knew they were siblings so it's fine right?! 😂, Neal and Daisy share a pregnancy cuddle, selfie in Granite Falls, Neal and Daisy as elders after more than 25 years of marriage bottom row: Neal's Nesbeets garden wall, Neal and Daisy with their four children - Heather, Hazel, River, and Holly