#I also really really improved on my color mix and matching

[skullzy20]

Yes it's a 5 year difference but still the improvement is INSANE

[ssspringroll]

DL (sfs, no ads)

The originals have been revamped. All meshes have been completely redone from scratch. I have fixed some chunkiness, wobbliness, and other strange issues that have been present in the originals since 2019. I also went ahead and made at least 1 new shape for each family while I was at it (plus a bonus shape for Classic that I made as a personal edit, years ago, and forgot about until now)

You may notice a folder labelled 'OLD VERSION' when you click on the download link. These are the original 2019 files, and they are still available if you prefer or need them for any reason whatsoever. You can have both editions in your game at the same time. Any sims wearing the old version will have to manually update to the new ones once you install them.

They are available on the following slots:

Acne

Brow Scar (Occult Brow)

Face Birthmark (NEW!)

Forehead Crease

Hat

Right Brow Ring

You can have any combination of the slots installed in your game, or all of them at once (there is an all slots merged package for your convenience, in this case). If you have multiple slots installed, you can mix and match different antennae on different slots to make your own unique combos!

So what's new?

All the meshes have been remade to look a little smoother, while still staying as close as humanly possible to the shape of the originals.

They have all LODs now!

The placement of the UV maps has changed as well, and as you may be able to see from the Irked images, they can pick up some patterns from your sims' faces now in addition to just colors! (They can all do it, but on my models, Irked is the only shape that really demonstrates this. Play around with antenna/skin overlay combos and see what you get!)

There are also better weights now! The longer antennae especially, as seen below the cut, needed improved weighting. They bend with the body now, instead of clipping through it so much. But, there will still be come clipping issues on larger sims and in some animations. There's only so much I can do

And, perhaps the biggest quality of life improvement, they only take up 1 thumbnail spot in CAS. Simply change the swatches as though you were changing colors to access all of the unique shapes!

Some before/afters and additional previews of longer shapes below the cut

[pyreofsunflowers]

How to make the Sims 3 look its best in 2022

so simming is a long time pastime of mine, and I've - in my humble opinion - perfected the look of the game without turning it into a yassed out modeling agency. (if you've ever looked for cc you know what I'm talking about) so in this first of probably many posts - here is a complete list of all my graphics mods!

Firstly, though, I should note that I have a very strong pc with a very strong graphics card. Please please please don't overload your computer, and explore options that will work best with your specs. What looks best for me might not look best for you.

Ahem, with that out of the way let's start with my default graphic settings.

This keeps my game looking beautiful while running smoothly (hence the low reflection and edge smoothing)

Now let's get into the mods!

Lighting and Environment

Burnt Waffles' Moonrise Kingdom Lighting - Self explanatory, textures for the skybox, weather overlays, and general lighting. Make sure you pick the water that matches your world!

Simsi45's Reworked and Improved EA Lights - tones down the brightness of some lights, fixes directional lighting for covered lamps, light colors made more consistent, and other such fixes.

dDefinder's Outdoor Lighting Tweaks - removes that nasty blue hue at nighttime, adds more dynamic shadows, adds new weather types and can make nighttime darker!

Neim's Sims Blog's Default replacements for Garden Bushes and Orchard Trees - Replaces the textures for plants like tomato vines, apple trees, and onion plants - creating a much more lush looking garden.

Aminovas' Plant Retextures - softens the bright, garish colors of EA plants to be more appealing. In two parts, and available as non-defaults.

CAS + Create-a-Pet

Kurasoberina's Primer Skin + Buhudain's You are Real - my skin mod and a default replacement pack with upped realism. The skin was designed to be used with You are Real, just a heads up.

I don't use any nudey mods out of personal preference - but I hear good things about Cmar's and Geck.o's work. Here is a link to a bunch of nsfw sims stuff, if that's what your into. I also don't really use sliders outside of the hat slider, a glasses slider and a height and posture slider. this is again out of personal presence, as I am generally making an entire neighborhood's worth of sims at a time and don't have the energy to be nitpicky with sliders on every single sim. That being said, OneEuroMutt complied a really nice list of CAS sliders AND a list of animal sliders if your interested in that.

Bloom's Sexy Feet and Cyo's Cute feet for children - realistic foot retexture, the op is long gone so this is a forum post. May not work unless sim detail is set to high!

Shady's Loney Eyes - subtle eye retextures available as both a contact and a default replacement. I'm currently not using any eyelash retextures - mostly because I haven't found any that work. If anyone has suggestions, let me know!

MaryJane's, Firefox's, AND Agnelid's Hair Replacements - replaces defualt hair with much better looking CC from other creator's - I mix and match between the three. Note that these are far from complete, and I still work with pleanty of EA hair.

I like teh Sims CAS overhaul - less shine, and hides rather than deletes mostly unused items (i always have this weird paranoia that deleting them form CAS will delete them in gameplay...)

One Euro Mutt's Less Shoe Shine - self explanatory, fixes that weird shine that's on so many default shoes.

Simple Life's Lipstick, Blush, Eyeliner, Beards, Eyebrows, and Age Details - Simple Life is my go- to for facial updates, do note however the textures may look funky if your sim detail isn't set to high. (They don't have individual pages for each item, so you'll have to scroll - my apologies)

Ketheira's Freckles and Moles - self explanatory, more realistic face marks.

Eternal 2nd Kira's Insect Wing Replacements for Fairies - replaces the EA textures with high-def insect wings, I just think it looks neat mostly.

Brinwood's HD Dog Coats and Eyes - Also includes more colorable options for dog coats, such as inner ears and individual paws.

Lazy Duchess' cat and dog addons - adds whiskers, primarily, but also edits some face textures and adds more facial markings

Kale and Traelia's HD cat skin and eyes - better meshes for cats.

Dimitri Dane's and Elin Fredriksdotter's EQHD - a FULL retexture and remodel of EA horses with better textures of coats and eyes, and optional stallion junk if that's what your into (I'm not... lol). you will have to download custom saddles, bridles, tack, and poses as EA meshes will be incompatible - but I will probably make a separate post with all my horse CC... lol.

Misc. Textures

Pretty obviously, I use the No Build Sparkles and No Intro mod that everyone gets when they set up there CC folder for the first time. These little details make a big difference!

JustMiha's Clean UI reskin, which is currently still in development (hence the default graphic menu... lol)

Velocity Grass's remove stencil tool to remove any unwanted stencils from cabinets, beds, or toyboxes.

Simsi45's Tileable Items Fix - you know how you go to place a row of bookshelves and there's the lighting gets all messed up on a few of them? yeah this mod fixes that.

Jane Sambroski's Wood Grain re-textures - fixes a lot of the EA woods to have much nicer looking grains, and fixed an issue that caused the grain to become pixelated when zooming.

Plastic Box's Doorway Lighting Fix - fixes lots of the broken lighting with doors and archways, so now all glass doors will cast light through them and all arches of similar size will cast the same amount of light through them

Aminovas' Cow Textures - retextures the cow in the Milkin' It Corral store item to be more realistic. That's it.

And that's it! Yes, I know it's a lot, but I like my game GOREGOUS.

[dollsorwhatever]

Creeproduction Spectra

Figured this would be valuable to post here as well since these are so new lol Despite spending almost an entire day complaining about Creeproduction Spectra having the wrong head sculpt and polypropylene hair, I did actually buy her from Paulmart the day she was first listed because Spectra is one of my favorite MH characters (along with Cleo ofc, and Wydowna- please make a collector or G3 Wydowna Mattel I am begging you) and because I was curious to compare her with my original Sig Spectra that came from the very first batch and is slightly different from later batches of Sig Spectra lol Original on the left, Creepro on the right!

Some things of note: -Can confirm she has poly hair! Appalling. I get that kanekalon is discontinued, but there are nearly identical saran matches for Spectra's original hair colors, so this was purely a result of Mattel being incredibly cheap. Mattel has recently made a pretty significant effort to make new saran batches of g3 dolls that originally had poly, so I really do not understand why they would do this for a reproduction doll that is primarily directed at adult collectors lol It's also horribly layered in a way that I find baffling? Sig Spectra has always had weird layers but the creeproduction has, like, a mullet. I'm not even bothering to style it because she's getting a reroot ASAP.

-Creepro uses the less detailed Spectra sculpt with less prominent cheekbones that was introduced with the final batch of Signature Spectra and used for most of her subsequent dolls until 13 Wishes. It also sits a lot lower on the neck than the original sculpt, which is why she looks slightly less relaxed than my original.

I honestly hate that they chose to reproduce this sculpt instead of the original (her HC doll also lacks cheekbones btw) and she would have been lesser compared to my original even if she didn't have poly. Spectra's original sculpt is one of my favorite MH heads they've ever done so it's pretty annoying to see them using the simplified version for her new dolls, especially considering they made switch in the first place because corporate allegedly thought the original was "too scary" for children. Despite my disappointment at her lack of cheekbones, I do actually really like her face and I find it a little hilarious that I managed to get such a good one after all the complaining I did lol

-While Creepro Spectra has a shorter neck than her original doll, she has a longer neck than the other Creeproductions; this is because the other Creeproductions (both waves) have shorter necks than their original dolls, but Spectra's original doll already had a much longer neck than the other characters. I guess she had some extra neck to spare compared to the rest lol (it's more accurate to say that the neck length is still the same, but all of their heads sit lower on the neck knob than their original dolls for some reason) -Her screening is mostly based on the version used for the late batch of Sig Spectra, but interestingly has a side glance! The only other version of Sig Spectra with a side glance is a variant from her second or third batch (with cheekbones) so it's interesting that they chose a side glance for the reproduction.

-Her earrings match the first batch Spectra (black chains instead of silver like subsequent batches), but the rest of her outfit is more reminiscent of the batches that came after. For example the belt on the first batch is much more simple than the one used on later batches, and the creepro comes with the more detailed belt. -Skirt is slightly shorter and her boots are also darker (improvements imo) -The silver necklace and bracelet shackle are made of a much more transparent plastic than the original (not an improvement) -Her top is mostly the same but the construction is slightly less fitted and the pleather feels a bit cheaper.

As much as I actually sincerely like her, I think it's overall a mixed bag; the poly is the worst part imo. I can look past the sculpt being wrong because she is really gorgeous despite that, but it's unacceptable for any doll to be rooted with polypropylene, and especially not a reproduction. And I can't help but think about how amazing she would have been with her original sculpt. Luckily I can reroot and I look forward to giving her knee length saran hair..... but I shouldn't have to do that! According to the retailer who first got these, they will get a wide release on Amazon exclusively in April of 2024 and he only managed to get them directly from Mattel because they hadn't decided to make them Amazon exclusives until after he ordered stock. So keep an eye on Amazon in a few months! Also according to a very reliable inside source on Reddit, there will also be a new batch of wave 1 Creeproductions in 2024 as well!

Don't buy from scalpers!

[adobe-outdesign]

Good morning, are you still looking for neopet suggestions? If so, have you talked about Chomby? Adore that little guy, it was my first (and possibly only, I can't remember 100%) neopet!

Thanks to the presence of Tyrannia, we have a few different species of dinosaur-based 'pets. Out of them, the Chomby is probably my fav. It's mostly just a simplified stegosaurus, though it only sports a singular row of plates and no thagomizer (tail spikes). It also has an upright neck and overall body shape that's closer to brachiosaurus, and a row of spots that exist to break up the body. I like how the spot shape matches that of the plates, and the overall body has a good shape to it.

One thing the Chomby struggles with a bit is the color proportions and usage, as you can see a fair amount of variation just in the base colours alone. For the record, I prefer the handling of the yellow Chomby for the base colours, wherein the spines are an accent color that matches the eyes while the spots are a secondary shade.

The Chomby had some massively dated art that was in bad need of an update, so for the most part the customized version is a good improvement. My only issues with the converted art is that the eyebrow looks really weird, and the mouth and eyes almost go a bit too far back on the head.

Favorite Colours:

Darigan: I really like the way the Darigan Chomby plays with the base design. Fro example, the back spines have been changed into spikes and the markings have been given a sharper, more bat wing-like shape. I also really like the addition of an underbelly and how it runs up to the jagged mouth, and the semi-transparency effect on the wings. My only nitpick is that the black fin-like structures on the head feel too busy when paired with both the horns and spikes, and I would've liked the wings to be just a little bigger. Great colour overall though.

Camouflage: Probably vaguely based on stegosaurus interpretations, the naturalistic markings on the camouflage Chomby look really nice. The markings contour with the body properly, and the countershading with the darker green elements on the back adds a lot of contrast and richness to the design.

Oil Paint: Oil paint is just an inherently pretty colour, but I really like the use of it here. Like the camouflage Chomby, it carefully contours the body in a way that makes sense, and there's both a good amount of detail in the brush strokes and a nice texture. The actual color palette is also lovely, using a mix of dark purples and blues to contrast with birght oranges and yellows. I just wish the eye had also been painted, as it looks out of place compared to the rest of the design.

BONUS: The Halloween Chomby has it all, with skeletal elements in the head and back spines (which have been given a slightly different shape as well), a striped tail, bandages, and a cloak with an eye on it. None of it should work together, but it surprisingly comes together well due to the muted greenish-gray base combined with black, red, and white accents.

The only reason this one is a bonus is because the base colour is pretty mid. The tail wasn't made a wearable so it just suddenly becomes striped out of nowhere, and it's left with skeletal back spines despite the skull being removable.

[kaiaden]

New Ninja Designs (with head cannons)

Okay, so I improved my art style and changed some of my techniques, so now they all have their own face shape instead of looking like carbon copies.

My height HC’s:

Zane: 6’8”

Cole: 6’5”

Kai: 5’8”

Nya: 5’7”

Lloyd: 5’4”

Jay: 5’3”

Yes, I know that Lloyd and Jay are rlly short, it’s purposeful, okay? It’s my head cannons anyways, it’s not like I draw them like twinks, personally, my head cannon is that Jay might be lean, but he has muscle and can still kick ass, same with Lloyd.

I personally made Jay short and Nya tall because I like that dynamic, it’s not seen a lot, I just love it, I feel like Jay gets insecure over his height, and that he’s not taller than Nya, but Nya always reassures him, and makes him feel good about himself, they’re both emotional and mental support for each other.

For Lloyd, I just couldn’t help it, I laughed at the thought of Lloyd being shorter than Arin and Sora, and like, one day, Sora pokes fun of it, and Arin kind of just chuckles, and Lloyd’s like ‘oh yeah?’ And wins in a monitored fight with them easily.

Close ups:

I changed his ears, I kind of just grew out of his old ones, and I like these ones way better, I also added scars on his face, and slight eye bags (bcuz of season 2 of DR), the chocker covers a scar on his neck that he gets slightly insecure of, him, Kai, and Nya have matching ones that the two sibling bought for Lloyd. I only gave him one horn cuz, I dunno 🤷🏻‍♀️ . I personally head cannon that Misako is fully Japanese, and of course, Garmadon is Oni and Dragon as far as we know.

Kai didn’t really change much other than his choker tbh, my head cannon is that Ray is fully Hispanic, while Maya is half Polynesian and half Chinese, Kai looks Hispanic mixed with some slight Asain features, while Nya looks more Polynesian.

The marks on her face are lighter than the rest of her skin.

I changed Jay’s irises, his human looking eye is blue with a regular pupil, while his other is from season 1 when he nearly got turned into a serpentine, the color of it is yellow. His bio mom, Libber, is white, and his bio dad, Cliff, is Korean. He also gained a chin scar from a time where he fell and cut his chin of a sharp piece of metal when he was building something.

Cole didn’t change much either, only his eye shapes. My HC is that his mom was black, while his dad is Japanese.

Was originally going to draw him smiling, but it looked weird. He was designed to look human, but the race he looked more like ended up being Asain, which I kind of just toss Korean around when asked.

Eyes:

Lloyd’s eyes are like a cat, he gets it from the Oni.

Kai’s eyes are brown, but when he uses his powers, you can see hints of orange and red.

Nya’s eyes are a grey, but can look very light blue while indoors, or in shade, if you look long enough. (Jay was the first person other than Kai to figure this out)

Zane’s eyes are just an unnatural icy blue color.

I kept the eyebrow slit, I couldn’t help it, also, when he uses his powers, you can see hints of what looks like lightning.

Cole’s eyes are brown, but when using his powers, you can see hints of orange.

Hope you like it :D

[genericpuff]

Weird thing I’ve noticed:

Rachel seems to be deathly afraid of giving her characters facial hair- even tho that was like, a staple for a lot of male Greek gods and deities

Well, except for the “unattractive” ones

In Rachel's defense on that one, I can attest that it's difficult to give these characters facial hair when they're all painted neon colors LMAO like, I LOOOOVE drawing facial hair, but even I haven't really bothered giving the male cast facial hair because they're so ethereal/non-human looking that if you gave them something like a mustache or beard, it would start to tip them more towards the 'human' look and it could clash with the colors and enter uncanny valley territory. Like, the characters would either have to have full stylized cartoon beards-

-or nothing at all.

(that's how I get away with it with Dionysus, because his beard is basically just a big 'ole berry bush, so it's able to color match his face and not be distracting with its stylization).

That said, I've seen some great edits of LO panels where characters have facial hair, so that's not to say it can't be done! I just don't know if it's something that Rachel is capable of doing.

Because straight up, Rachel also just doesn't know how to draw men. Or rather, she only knows how to draw one type of man. Most of her portfolio pre-LO consists of drawings of women, many sharing the same body types (though there are some variations around 2010-2014). And just like with the women, when she does draw men, they've all got the same facial structures and body types:

(from The Doctor Pepper/Foxglove Show)

Like, you've got 6 guys here, six, and not a single one of them has facial hair or any extremely varied hairstyle. Half of them look like Hades. I get the sense that Rachel basically learned how to draw one "type" of male and one "type" of female and has just been drawing from those same templates ever since while swapping out minor details like nose shape and hair type.

Shit, here's an actual Hades drawing from back when she started doing Hades x Persephone sketches around 2016/2017:

Like, that's just a guy from The Doctor Pepper Show. He looks like a mix of Donovan and Shifty Ricky LMAO And it's not like she doesn't have mortals in LO either who aren't colored with highlighter marker, but I don't think she ever really gives them beards either. The only guy I can think of off the top of my head is Psyche's *future husband:

And that has the exact kind of stylization/structure that I was talking about before that Rachel would likely have to do if she gave the gods facial hair to keep it from looking silly. Case in point, that time Hermes grew a mustache:

All that said, I do think it's a combination of Rachel not knowing how to draw men (she's even admitted in past AMA's and interviews that she's bad at drawing men and that doesn't seem like something she's tried to improve judging by how the men look in LO) and LO's art style just not mixing well with more human features like beards and body hair. It could wind up looking like a Barbie doll with marker scribbled on it LMAO

(*edited because that's not her dad, that's the man she was married off to , my bad LOL)

[neopuff]

Do you have tips on what makes a good amv editor please

hmmmm well the most important things for me are

clip choice! choosing clips that go with the lyircs (literally cuz its fun or emotionally to make me crazy) is imperative. amvs where theres no thought put into what goes where aren't as fun to watch. i'm still mad at an old amv of mine where the lyrics mentioned punching a wall and i didnt use a scene where the character punched a wall cuz i forgot about it lol (this also ties to amvs with really inappropriate songs for the character/ship...like if youre editing a ship positively but use a song about abuse or breaking up, it just doesnt work)

timing! an amv is most engaging when the video moves along with the beat of the song. not every beat needs a clip change but its nice when something happens on the beat, and if theres a big moment where the song goes from soft->loud then there needs to be visuals to match. the video should vibe with the song every step of the way

those are my top things for sure

aaand then theres, like, littler things that are very preferential but ill go into it 'cause i have other things i need to do and thats when im most talkative

knowing your strengths/weaknesses: for example, i dont love doing typography nor am i very good at it - so i limit it! i dont go crazy and fill my amvs with nonstop typography. but i dont use none 'cause you can't improve without practicing lol. sometimes as practice i will stare at typography from other amvs that i love and just imitate it as best as i can, see if i can figure out how they did it and try to incorporate the style into my own editing

moderation: overlays are a good example. overlays are fun! they can really enhance an amv. but too many overlays can become headache-inducing or just take away from the actual footage you're editing with (another moderation example) sometimes you'll see a well-edited amv but there's soooo much zooming in and out back and forth that it can give you a headache. i obviously love adding zooms but its good to take a step back and try to decide if you're relying so much on the zooms that you're not letting the footage play its part

coloring: not every amv needs to be colored but even just a little bit of levels adjustment can make your footage stand out more. that being said - its also important to pay attention to how the coloring fits each piece of your footage. you don't wanna whitewash dark skinned characters or make things so dark you cant see whats going on. coloring a Generator Rex amv can be difficult because the show utilizes a lot of Bright Whites and Dark Blacks which is nice but also makes you think more

balance: this is hard because, yknow. its subjective. but like...i like to use a lot of parallel imagery/typography in my amvs, but its also good to have a lot of variety and mix things up. it really depends on the song/the vibe youre going for/the type of amv.

i am happy to talk about editing stuff any time if you want me to talk more lol

[ludiharambasha]

God I hate the late Naruto Shippuden/ Boruto anime style...

Why does everyone's face look like it's made of gum? Why do they all have the exact same baby face? Like Naruto looks older in the first arc of Shippuden than in the last one! It isn't even accommodating to the evolution of Kishimoto's art, which changed drastically and only improved with time.

This is not me trashing their skills, as these artists are all clearly talented people. I am criticizing the art direction from their executives and managers whose orders they have to follow. They have to be rather minimalist when it comes to coloring and shading, have to lessen the detail of facial features to make the characters easier and cheaper to animate, and have to churn out episodes weekly... like this schedule was bound to make the art deteriorate, but boy, was it sad to witness.

Let's compare

The manga version

The anime adaptation

and the animated reboot

On the surface, the newest version seems more similar to the original than the first animated adaptation. But I think it ultimately fails in capturing the original, and in improving on the adaptation as well.

I am not certain whether this is a fish-eye perspective or a close-up high angle in the manga, but it is used to draw more focus to Sasuke's eyes, as they appear larger in this perspective. Because Sasuke is shaded completely, his eyes and his expression really pop- the eyes against a dark background really stand out. Kishimoto used a very similar composition when Sasuke beats Naruto in VotE1. He uses several techniques to make sure that what is most important is emphasized properly. When Sasuke says "Crush Konoha", we are not only meant to focus on his expression of hatred (which is incredibly important and beautifully conveyed) but on his Sharingan specifically - as a testament to the Uchiha legacy's perseverance- an ideology Leaf tried to crush coming back to haunt it.

While the first adaptation didn't deliver on many of these fronts, it matches his expression of singular hatred and determination really well. His eyes are also disproportionately large and look as if they are to fall out of their sockets, and while there isn't much focus on his Sharingan, Sasuke's emotion is conveyed really well. They also take other liberties, showing Sasuke as "illuminated" by this revelation (the lighting). The color palette is absolutely stunning, with blues and purples (Sasuke) against a yellow and orange background- complementary contrasts. It is not the same perspective but it makes sense. Some liberties were taken, and while I don't think these choices are better than the original, they are far from bad choices.

Now the last adaptation does not emphasize Sasuke's eyes well, nor does it convey the same emotion as the other two. Sasuke just looks confused, and while the other two iterations also have a hint of this emotion, they are mixed with Sasuke's anger, sorrow, and determination. The colors are ALL rather dark, without proper contrast. His eyes wouldn't stand out at all had it not been for the color of his Sharingan that clashes with everything else. The perspective makes no sense, as it is an eye-level perspective, but his nose and mouth are turned downwards.

I wish more thought was put into artistic direction, along with more artistic liberty. This also stems from my being critical of my own art of Sasuke, much worse than any of these three.

[quirrelli]

Quick and dirty Kiriko redesign

Main issues I tried to address:

The shilouette is pretty meh. It's not dire but at a glance/distance there is potential for confusion. So I tried to exaggerate notable features (hair, mask ears, hakama) and added a spear, like she has in some of the concept art. For one thing it looks cool and for another, it's been established through the Shimadas that these animal spirits are tied to a weapon and a spear fits in very neatly with a sword and bow.

The design is bland. (Which at least makes her fit in with the other OW2 default skins lmao). The first time I saw her I literally thought it was a D.Va skin. The idea, I would guess, was to merge traditional japanese clothing with modern day hip street fashion vibes and it just doesn't come together at all. Instead of enhancing them, all the aspects that should have visual impact are watered down. From her leggings to her face, there is no flavor; except in that trash garbage mask-visor nonsense. So I leaned into the traditional clothing, since leaning into the "hip young person" would just make her even less distinguishable from similar characters. I also tried to add some bits and bobs for flair (like the seals on her arms), just can't be bothered to really go into texture and detail atm.

Generic personality. This is more of a vibe thing than a character design thing but I want her to, at least at first glance, come across as a bit more cool and confident, maybe a little mysterious and just more interesting than the knock off Tracer/D.Va she turned out as. She can still be a bit of a goofball behind the mask but I feel her protector role demands that she can be at least a tiny bit intimidating.

That trash garbage mask-visor nonsense. My least favorite part by a goddamn mile. It just looks so fucking dumb and there's no way to make it cool; with its teeny kitten ears, dumbass white eyebrow triangles and perfectly flat bottom cut off. Again it's like mixing two things (naruto style ninja headband and kitsune mask) and ending up with the worst of both worlds. And you just know the reason she doesn't have a full or even half mask is because god forbid you can't see a female characters cute, utterly indistinguishable from the other cute 20-somethings, face. Fuck you, she gets a whole mask and it's badass.

Color. Her color palette has powerful "I'm 14 and this is my OC" energy. Actually, everything about her kinda has that, but the color palette especially. Now, I'm the first to admit that color isn't my strong suit either but even I can see some very obvious improvements. Like, why are her normal healing and her ult different colors? To me that's unnecessarily confused and looks bad, simply put. On top of that, they're yellow and cyan respectively, aka the most overused colors for glowy things ever. So I picked a yellowy orange bc it matches the fox motif and sets a nice contrast with the Shimadas' blue and green, just like the red in her outfit does. I incorporated some of that orange into her clothes as well, you know, for cohesion, and kept the green hair as a nice complementary to all the warm colors.

Feel free to make suggestions for improvements, might do a V2 eventually

[aurorangen]

sims get to know me tag!

@akitasimblr @oasivy @duusheen @druidberries thank you so much for tagging me ❤️

1. What’s your favourite sims death? getting eaten by a cowplant!!

2. Alpha CC or Maxis Match? maxis mix! and i have a lot of alpha hair too. i can't help it, they all look so pretty...

3. Do you cheat when your sims gain weight? not for weight but for the muscle. idk but it seems funny that they go buff so fast even if you've not made your sims exercise for long

4. Do you use move objects? it's on as soon as i enter build mode

5. Favorite mod? mccc and ui cheats. but for gameplay wonderfulwhims.

6. First expansion/game/stuff pack you got? get to work! and then i got that bundle with parenthood and vintage glamour/bowling night.

7. Do you pronounce “live mode” like aLIVE or LIVing? now that i think about it i've called them both ways.

8. Who’s your favorite sim that you’ve made? so i made this gorgeous sim in cas and he just became my favourite right there. he will eventually make an appearance in tjol posts, but my favourite sim you've seen it's bryce of course!!

9. Have you made a simself? yep! once i saw that simstrouble hair i had to make myself! but i've only shared it to my good friend @oasivy!! maybe i'll show you all in the future.

10. What sim traits do you give yourself? lazy, foodie and hot-headed. nooo those are awful traits but it's true....ok if i had 5 traits then it's also clumsy and perfectionist!!

11. Which is your favorite EA hair color? i love all the blond hair swatches!!

12. Favorite EA hair? when i saw that outdoor retreat hair, the one wavy hair parted in the middle i used it on all my females! it was my favourite at the time, but now i only use cc hairs.

13. Favorite life stage? has to be YA. i always have lots of plans with them and get the most gameplay at that stage (as you can tell).

14. Are you a builder or are you in it for the gameplay? definitely gameplay, but my building is slowly improving! i rarely go into cas unless it's to create a new sim for my legacy

15. Are you a CC creator? nope! no skills or patience lol

16. Do you have any simblr friends/a sim squad? yes! i have talked to a lot of wonderful people here, simblr would not be the same without you guys!!

17. What’s your favorite game? sims 4!! but sims 3 for the nostalgia.

18. Do you have any sims merch? no.

19. Do you have a YouTube for sims? no.

20. How has your “sim style” changed throughout your years of playing? i was an on/off sims 4 player since 2015 and back then i was completely vanilla, then i found out about cc in 2018! only in 2022 i started using more skin details and gshade. but one thing's for sure, i have always been a legacy player!!

21. What’s your Origin ID? same as my simblr, but there's nothing on my gallery. i changed it bc it used my real first name and i upload sims for ppl to download on simblr, but ive not done that for a very long time.

22. Who’s your favorite CC creator? there are too many creators that i have downloaded everything of. i love everything from pralinesims!!

23. How long have you had a simblr? this simblr is almost a year old! i started posting on the 13th July 2022!

24. How do you edit your pictures? i completely rely on my personal gshade/lighting mods and don't really edit, i just sharpen on photopea or add the moodlet stuff when needed.

25. What expansion/game/stuff pack is your favorite so far? when cottage living came out it was my absolute favourite!! i made all my families live there including nsb pink gen, gen 4 of another legacy and my 100 baby challenge! by the time i started my postcard legacy i played with too much cottage living so i decided to start on freegan.

26. What expansion/game/stuff pack do you want next? honestly it would be great if the sims team improves the older packs, i feel mostly everything from previous games have been included. but it was family gameplay i wanted before growing together was released.

i'll tag: @weindenburg @raiiny-bay @bloomingkyras @glowbloom @igotsnothing but feel free to ignore ❤️

[lightbarebunnies]

Hello hello! I saw that there was one more matchup slot open and was like “hey, don’t mind if I do!”

So… about me. I’m a 19y.o. transmasc person (he/they). I’m a Pisces (cusp Aries) sun, Aquarius moon, and Capricorn rising, my MBTI type is ENTP, and my enneagram type is 8w7. I stand at 160cm (5’3”). I have shoulder length naturally wavy (I straighten it) strawberry blonde hair that I highlight with platinum blonde. I also have hazel eyes, pale skin and freckles.

Generally I dress in a mix of business casual and gothic aesthetics, combining stuff like your typical button-up shirt/dress pants combo with combat boots and long jackets/trenchcoats. Also tying bows around the neckline of collared shirts in the place of a tie, or wearing a bejeweled tie. I’m also quite the fan of blazers haha. In terms of jewelry, I usually wear cuff earrings (my favorite being a silver snake that slithers up my ear), and finger armor style rings, or ones that are designed to bend with your finger. I also do wear makeup, but usually it’s only eyeliner, and then a bit of eyeshadow and some rhinestones near my eyes in a color that matches my outfit.

I’m a sophomore in university, majoring in music with a concentration in vocal performance. I’ve been taking private vocal lessons since I was in elementary school, and music has been my passion for as long as I can remember. I’m also an amateur composer (although my teacher does say I’m a mature writer for my age, which is something I’m definitely proud of, hehe.) I’ve also been an actor since I was small, so I spent a lot of my formative years on a stage, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Although, I will definitely say, growing up in the entertainment industry and around so many people I grew to idolize made me a bit of a perfectionist in regard to my own work. I hold myself and anything that I make to a very high standard, but that’s because I want to see it be what I know it can be. I’m also a bit of a busybody since I’m almost always performing, composing, or working on college work. I do love it, though! Every day I’m always improving my craft, and working closer to finally being the musician I know I can be.

Outside of my professional life, though, I’m much less uptight, especially regarding myself, although music is still my lifeblood. I was on my debate team in high school, too, though. In terms of non-music related hobbies, I enjoy roller skating (I go every week), drawing (markers are my main medium), writing (I’m working on a gothic horror duology, but I also roleplay, literate to advanced lit), playing games (I also play Magic: The Gathering biweekly), dancing, and visiting museums (art exhibits or historical houses, there’s some preserved mansions nearby the theater where I work and perform nearly every day, and they’re my happy place, I go on my birthday nearly every year). I also read tarot, and I have a collection of crystals that grows by the day haha.

Some favorite bands/artists from outside of Ensemble Square would have to be Laufey, Frank Sinatra, Kaya, The Mechanisms, Evanescence, Dreamcatcher and Ali Project.

My love language is primarily compliments and acts of service, especially as I’m growing more comfortable around a person, since it takes me a second to be comfortable with being vulnerable without the safety of the stage lights and a role to feel safe behind. I’m more comfortable with hugs once I know someone well and we’re both clearly comfy with the idea of it. (Also, late night texts, usually driven by creative ideas.)

Hopefully this isn’t too much 😭 I did get a bit carried away, I was like “what else can I say” haha. I’m really curious to see how this goes!

Hi, hi! Your result will be under the read more to maintain the surprise surprise, while my thought process will be displayed below – it is entirely skipable <3

Initial Thoughts: Ah, ENTP… the dream partner MBTI /j I think Pisces-Aries cusps are incredibly interesting given how drastically different the individual signs typically are, but you being an 8w7 matches your sun sign perfectly? I love that for you!

Basically, 8w7 desires freedom and a feeling of self-control, while also not stomping those around them into confirming to them. You would get along best with someone slower paced, to build friendship before you move on to partnership – a sense of trust needs to be built so you can feel secure.

Initial Selection: Rei, Shu, Eichi, and Tatsumi are the four I ended up picking to examine further.

Rei: Old man no.1… He’s definitely the type who needs time to get close to someone before opening up about his true self at all. Rei is an INFJ, which may seem like an opposite to ENTP, but in reality they gel well together because their differences are so complimentary. You’d be able to give Rei new perspectives, while also keeping him from getting to deep into his own head.

Shu: INTJs tend to get along exceptionally well with ENTPs, providing deep and meaningful discussions and generally understanding each other far more than other MBTI types do. As a 1w9, he can relate to being an advocate for others to maintain their individuality and freedom (… I mean, look at how he gets frustrated with Mika for not embracing his own unique sense of creativity) but he also might nag you for not having as much ‘tact’ as he does.

Eichi: Eichi is a Capricorn, which gives him that strong ‘get things done’ work ethic as well as a general sense of passion and tenacity. Pisces-Aries cusp is unique in that it’s basically a more determined version of Pisces. You’re both able to be honest, and Eichi won’t absolutely dominate your personality with his own – while you both have your individual passions, you can appreciate the other’s.

Tatsumi: The layers of Tatsumi Kazehaya are not meant to be pealed back by just anyone, which is why I think the two of you would make a pretty good match. Like Rei and Eichi, he’s an INFJ. The biggest difference between the others is that he’s a type 7, which is your wing. You’re both more cooperative, warm people who are generally pleasant… so forming that initial bond will be easy and eventually you’ll get to a mutual sense of trust and comfort.

With all of that in mind…

I'd match you with Shu!

It’s definitely a slow burn, but once that fire starts it’s going to be impossible to put out. Even if you do something to absolutely infuriate him, he’ll be adamant on letting you know rather than ignore you or brush it off.

Music will definitely be the place your bond begins. He loves your creativity, especially in the various mediums that you enjoy, and the passion you have for music as a whole will spark that initial attraction. When hit with an idea that he can’t quite get out properly, he’s going to want to talk it out with you. Your varying perspectives will be more than enough for him to trust you with having a part in his creative process.

Given your similar need for time to develop a full relationship, things would progress slowly but surely. Museum trips for inspiration slowly start turning into dates, he’ll start to reach for to your hand when in a more populated areas, you might catch him looking at you more than the art.

Once you’re properly together and have established your romantic relationship, Shu is going to want to do more for you. He’ll offer to do your make-up, make you accessories to match a certain outfit you particularly like, and… if you’d let him, he’d certainly want to make some sort of matching attire for the two of you to wear. He’s proud of you, of being yours, and he’d like others to know that much.

[cidthesquid]

Blog Update +Style Savvy: Trendsetter Extra Photos

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Hello all! As previously mentioned, I plan to start playing "Style Savvy: Styling Star" Sometime in June!

Along with starting the new game, I'm thinking about making some changes to how I write my blog entries. No huge changes, but'll give a more detailed update after the photos.

(I forgot just how much fun this game can be! Finally Got Elite too! I played an extra hour today just to take a few more screenshots) -_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

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Ok, so updates/changes:

I'll be keeping this a bit short, as I injured my arm recently, so typing is a bit difficult. This may also delay my first post for styling star a bit, But I still do plan to start playing it in early June.

I mainly play Style Savvy on my phone via an emulator, and since the games can be played almost entirely using the touch screen, it should be still fairly comfortable to play:

(And I'll still be able to use the onscreen buttons for other actions)

As for changes to the blog's content, again the base format will remain the same.

A mix of fun screenshots, my thoughts on the game up to that point, and some personal stories that I feel are relevant.

But after I recently had some tests done that gave me confirmation on a few things including an anxiety disorder, it's become clean that some of the issues I've mentioned in the past may be unresolved issued fueled by that, and until I can find a resolution for the core issues, the area's it branches off into can't really be solved.

Sorry if this sounds a bit vague, but in short, No, I won't stop sharing personal stories in these blogs. But in an attempt to keep the tone a bit lighter and upbeat. (Always my original intention) I'll likely start only sharing things that are more relevant to what's happening in the game, or what it reminded me of, and I'll also try to only share topics that I've already worked through, or at least understand to a meaningful degree.

I personally think this will be a better balance for everyone, but it's by no means set in stone, it's just the plan going forward. -_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_- Here's a (real) example how the 'new style' of sharing could be handled: For a while I've been thinking about trying to 'get better' at designing outfits, style savvy has taught me some of the basics when it comes to clothing styles, and I've been trying some really early color matching. But I still feel there's so much I don't understand, such as accent colors, how pattern are used, layering amounts, seasonal colors, etc. On one hand, learning about all this could help me make way more dynamic designs, But on the other, adding all these extra 'rules' may remove some of the 'fun' I have when just throwing together an outfit.

It can also be a bit difficult to tell if I feel I need to improve my designs, because I actually 'want to', or if it's some felt obligation, because "that's what you're supposed to do". As everyone else, naturally gets better at something by just doing it a lot. But my 'natural progress' is generally much slower (and less noticeable) so it may be time to supplement that. I've been having quite a bit of fun with my 'fairly basic' outfits/designs, just looking for fun yet expected/traditional pairings, and fairly monochromatic color matches. (it may sounds silly, but it;s more like a science than an art to me) ...I don't think there's anything 'wrong' with my current approch, (even if it may not always feel that way) ..but I've decided to at least be 'open' to the idea of advancing, even if it's not as natural to me, as it is to others. So the plan will be to start slow, research, and try applying a few ideas at a time, to see how i feel about the results. By taking it slow, I think I'll be able to learn what I actually want!

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But anyway, Thanks for reading! I had a lot of fun making this, so I hope you had fun reading it as well. [Next Post]

As always, all comments, questions, and suggestions are welcome!

You literally can't bother me, (unless you go out of your way to be a jerk), so post whatever you need to say!

[leidensygdom]

For the good part of your art:

I love how you make color block on drawing and how pleasant you make such color to see. Not overly blended, you can clearly see where the color change and interact with other colors around it. As someone who can't look at bright colors for long you present them well enough that it doesn't irritate my eyes.

For thing that can be improved of:

I find that your designs look to have the same motifs or silhouettes to some parts of their body. Examples Borrasca and the Polycule have the motif of branches and they don't seem to be related (if they are ignore what im saying for this point.) I see that both have the same kinda leaves as well. I think it would benefit from have attached leaves or other stuff found on branches to make them more distinctive such as moss, lichen, flowers, burls, galls, ect. You could also vary the color range that these branches can grow into, currently usually blue with a light blue or standard blue. Perhaps they should end in more purple and turquoise or even bluish green would at least stay in the range of blue. I've also seen crystal growing in the same areas as other character could mix this around to other places.

For silhouette, while you are very good at doing this, I mainly looked at the hair. Specifically this drawing https://www.tumblr.com/leidensygdom/742494865737285632/and-once-the-fight-is-over-we-will-get-to-hug?source=share If you just color block the hair of Yxala and Onirist they would look the same, or at least very similar. Both have ponytail tied back, some hair in front of the ear, some hair behind the ear.

On a lighter note:

I think some of the most distinctive designs would be the clothing exchange cloths you made. They look well around the character and fit their body quite well.

I also think that Argyros is one of the most distinct design you have made. It really doesn't compare with all the other design you made, outside of a very game version of Onirist.

If there is a specific lore reason for any or all of this you can ignore it. Its just my two cents.

Oh the branch thing is definitely intentional! Relent and Borrasca are siblings, and I wanted them to have a similar aesthetic. The curse of having a lot of characters who are related I guess. Tephra also picked up these branches since she's Relent's kid lmao

For the other drawing, Yxala actually did actively try to change her hairstyle to match Uri's. She started wearing braids because of them, she gifted them the X-shaped hair piece she was using previously, that stuff. She'd be doing that with Relent too if Relé had hair and not smoke lmao

But I get you! A lot of times having related characters who do this stuff makes it harder to practise outside of it. I have to do a bunch of NPC tokens for the coming campaign, and I wanna use it to get a much wider scope of looks and such. They're gonna be busts, so I better get ready to trying very different motifs and hairstyles!

and Yeah argy is a very different kind of character. I have like so many doodles of her. she's a shapely beast. she's a creecher. i need to have more creechers

[adobe-outdesign]

Neopet review: the Zafara! Last in the alphabet of neopets, but certainly not last on how cool they are!

I always enjoy a good abstract creature that's still a believable animal, so unsurprisingly, I like Zafaras a lot. They've got a really unique body shape amongst Neopets that's vaguely like a kangaroo, but that's where the similarities stop. I really like the feathery structure to their tails, their long ears, and that random set of spines they have along their back.

Visually, my only nitpick is that I'm not a big fan of the base color's palettes—most PB colors fix this, but the base colors have a weird mix of beige, pink, blue and black going on with their accents and none of it goes together. I feel like the back spines should've been black along with the nose, or the spots should've been beige instead or black, etc etc.

I'd argue Zafaras mostly benefited from customization as their old art was getting very dated by the time the conversion happened, and they likely would've received a redraw even if customization didn't become a thing. Plus a lot of the updates look really good, such as the tail tip shape being improved, fluff being added to the chest so they don't have a weird shape jutting out there, the feet being lengthened, etc. The only downgrade are the fists, and that's just a standard thing for customization.

My only other minor nitpick is that old Zafara eyes were almost pitch black and it gave them what I can best describe as a sopping wet meow meow vibe that gets lost nowadays. Even when they had color in their eyes, it was more of a crescent shape and overall cuter. Granted, though, the new eyes are more in line with other Neopets, so I get the change.

Favorite Colours:

Christmas: While most Christmas pets are just the standard reds and greens, the Christmas Zafara goes in a completely different direction by being an angel with a very pretty white and yellow color palette and a nice get of wings. It's super simple but very pretty. I also like how they fixed the color balancing that I mentioned above by changing the ear spots to yellow and making the tail tip match. (I do kind of wish the nose were black or something, but that's an extreme nitpick.)

Maraquan: I am 100% cheating by including this one because I usually try to stick to only pet colors you can obtain in the present day, but with UC styles becoming a thing I'm hopeful we'll be getting the old design back one day.

Because yeah, I absolutely love the pre-customization design; making it a sort of sea horse/leafy seadragon cross works perfectly with the Zafara's body shape, the pose is lively, and I love the bright pink fin accents to contrast with the teal body striping.

(The converted is... okay, but the concept was completely lost by changing the pose, the striping was reduced too much, and the body has this bizzaro lumpy shape instead of being a smooth curve like it should be.)

Water: Technically speaking this isn't too fancy, but I just think they did such a nice job with this one. There's so much gorgeous detail in the shading along the head and tail splashes, and the artist really did a good job at capturing that watery look. The choice to make the head tuft and tail splashes in the first place was a great choice, and I especially love how the ear spots are water bubbles. Super pretty all around.

BONUS: I really like burlap pets and think it's an underrated color, so I figured I should give the burlap Zafara a shoutout for being one of the best burlaps out there. The colors are kept muted, the uncanny valley vibe is present, the way they handled the fur tufts looks great, and I like the various slate blue patches on the body, which match with the back spines, spots, and eyes.

[eggysimblr]

Sims Tag

I was tagged by my awesome friend @deathpoke1qa, Thanks!

1. What’s your favourite sims death?

Hard to say, removing pool ladder is a classic everyone loves, but I really loved Mummy Curse Death from TS3 World Adventures, as it has to be one of the most forboding and ominous.

2. Alpha CC or Maxis Match?

I go with a mix of both, don't really care.

3. Do you cheat when your sims gain weight?

My sims rarely gain weight.

4. Do you use move objects?

Of course I do, everybody does!

5. Favorite mod?

Deaderpool's MC Command Center is a must. I'm also a big fan of Coolspear's and Sacrificial's work, and lately I fell in love with new custom skills by JaneSimsten.

6. First expansion/game/stuff pack you got?

That's gotta be Hot Date for Sims 1. Yeah, I'm that old.

7. Do you pronounce “live mode” like aLIVE or LIVing?

Since English isn't my native language, I tend to alternate between those, but I usually go with Live, as in LIVing.

8. Who’s your favorite sim that you’ve made?

Oh, that has to be Lord Professor Ebenezer Vincent Ignatius Laurence von Charlatain III, the gentleman you see in my avatar.

9. Have you made a simself?

Yes, it was for a contest at Sims of History Discord, where you had to make a sim of yourself in historical setting. So, I made myself into an early 18th century Mercenary:

10. What sim traits do you give yourself?

Genius, Lazy, Geek.

11. Which is your favorite EA hair color?

It has to be the brown and gray one, I just love the contrast.

12. Favorite EA hair?

The wavy long hair from Cats and Dogs EP.

13. Favorite life stage?

Yound Adults to Elders.

14. Are you a builder or are you in it for the gameplay?

I mostly spend time in CaS. But I also like building.

15. Are you a CC creator?

Kinda? More like cc Editor, but if you're interested I've got some stuff for download at my Simblr.

16. Do you have any simblr friends/a sim squad?

Everyone from Sims of History, especially @javitrulovesims, @simstomaggie, @simverses.

17. What’s your favorite game? (1, 2, 3, or 4)

Let's see: Sims 1 was awesome, but now is really dated, and build mode is limited and obnoxious to use. Sims 2 is a fantastic game but it's so buggy and prone to save corruption. Sims 3 Would be the best, due to the open world and so many fun lifestates, if you didn't had to wait an eternity and a half for it to load. Also, Twilight sparkly vampires. Ew. I kinda like Sims 4 the best, not only it has the best versions of lifestates (maybe except the furry-ass werewolves), but also the Best QoL improvements to CAS and Build mode. Give it some time, and I think it will be the best sims game ever.

18. Do you have any sims merch?

Sadly, no.

19. Do you have a YouTube for sims?

Nope.

20. How has your “sim style” changed throughout your years of playing?

It really didn't change much, except I rarely now deliberately kill my sims, as I get attached to my pixel dolls. Back in my TS1 days I would torture my sims in the most fun ways.

21. What’s your Origin ID?

Sir_Eggyslav

22. Who’s your favorite CC creator?

So many good cc creators, my all time favourites are @natalia-auditore, and my good friend @strangestorytellersims but I also really miss @acanthus-sims.

23. How long have you had a simblr?

I can't honestly remember, and too lazy to check, but about 2016?

24. How do you edit your pictures?

I don't. I don't have the skills and I'm too lazy to learn.

25. What expansion/game/stuff pack do you want next?

Any pack that would bring back Cars, Genie lamps and Pool tables.

25. What expansion/game/stuff pack is your favorite so far?

Vampires, Jungle Adventures and University.

I'm tagging anyone who would like to join he fun.