#Software Documentation Pack

[freezerbunny-sims2]

Fully Underwater Lot Tutorial

@creida-sims @kitkat99

Some warnings and disclaimers

1. This is not a beginner tutorial. I have tried to explain with as much detail as I can, but still, if you just started playing The Sims 2 I recommend trying out other building tutorials first.

2. I have tested it but there's always a possibility that some new problems will come up. Follow at your own risk. Backup your neighborhoods before trying this. Test it first in a new empty neighborhood.

3. These lots are roadless, so they require specific gameplay conditions to avoid breaking immersion (pun intended).

4. They will behave like normal lots in the sense that sims can walk around and do anything as if they were on land. There's one big problem to consider: when sims go fully underwater, their hair and some parts of their clothing might disappear visually.

So this is more useful for structures that sit above the water, shallow water that doesn't reach a sim's head or, with some modifications, small islands surrounded by water. So unless you want bald mermaids, I don't recommend this for sims that live underwater.

5. If you use Voeille's hood water mod, reflections will look glitchy in lot view, because this is technically not a beach lot. The only solution I found is enabling "Lot view ocean reflections" in RPC Launcher. Otherwise you'll have to deal with glitchy reflections.

6. Before following this tutorial, make sure you know the basics of creating, editing, importing and exporting SimCity 4 terrains. Written tutorial by SimEchoes here, video tutorial by loonaplum here.

Software and mods used

The Sims 2 FreeTime expansion pack (required for the modifyNeighborhoodTerrain cheat)

SimCity 4 (required) Hood Replace by Mootilda (required)

Lot Adjuster by Mootilda (required)

Portal revealer by Inge Jones (required)

Voeille's pond and sea water overhaul and RPC Launcher (optional, see disclaimers)

The Sims 2 Apartment Life and Bon Voyage expansion packs (optional, for "walk to lot/work/school" options)

Cheat codes used

moveObjects on/off

modifyNeighborhoodTerrain on/off

1. Creating/editing a terrain in SimCity 4

1.1. You can edit an already existing terrain or create your own from scratch. In both cases, you need to keep two things in mind: If you want the usable area of the lot to be underwater, such as making houses for mermaids or a coral reef, make sure the water is shallow. No more than a few short clicks with the terraforming tools in SimCity 4. This is because The Sims 2 live mode camera won't go underwater, so making the water too deep might make it uncomfortable to build or play the lot.

If you goal is to build a structure mostly above water, like a ship or an oil rig, you can get away with making the water a bit deeper, but not too much. I've noticed that sometimes the lot terrain tools stop working correctly if there a hill that's too steep.

1.2. Once you've created the terrain, you will need to add a small island on the area where your lot will be. I know it seems contradictory, but trust me, it will make sense. Create and name your city. Use the terraforming tools in city mode to make a tiny island of about 6x2 squares.

1.3. On the island, use the road tool to place a straight road that takes up 4 squares. Then, using the street tool (the last option), place two short streets at each end of the road.

Streets will disappear in TS2, only roads translate to roads in ts2, so why do we place them? Well, placing a street at the end of a road will get rid of the rounded end bit in TS2, which can't be used to place lots. This will be important for the placement of the lot and to make sure the edges of the lot are underwater. If this doesn't make sense yet, don't worry, it might make sense later.

1.4. Save the terrain. Don't exit SimCity 4. Copy your new/edited sc4 terrain from your SimCity 4 folder to your SC4Terrains folder in your Sims 2 documents directory. It is usually

"C:\Users\YOURUSERNAME\Documents\EA Games\The Sims 2 Ultimate Collection\SC4Terrains"

1.5. Back in SimCity 4, we're going to make a second version of this terrain. Remove the roads and streets you made before, with the bulldozer tool. With the level terrain tool in Mayor mode, carefully remove the island, so it's on the same level as the bottom of the ocean/lake. Don't change anything else. Save, exit and copy this second terrain to your Sims 2 SC4Terrains folder. Make sure you rename the file to something different from the first one, like adding "no roads" to the filename. You should have two terrains by the end of this step. One with the small island and one without it.

2. Editing the terrain in The Sims 2

2.1. Open The Sims 2 and create a new neighborhood using your new terrain. Something to keep in mind: if you want the terrain to be a subhood of another neighborhood, make it a subhood from the start. You will not be able to move the lot once it's finished, since it will be roadless. I don't recommend decorating the neighborhood for now. Leave it empty until the end of this tutorial.

2.2. Place the smallest empty lot (3x1) on the island.

2.3. In neighborhood view, open the cheat console by pressing Control + Shift + C, and type

modifyNeighborhoodTerrain on

To quote The Sims Wiki:

"This allows you to alter the neighborhood terrain by raising or lowering it. To use this cheat, be in the neighborhood view, then enter the cheat "modifyNeighborhoodTerrain on" (without the quotation marks), and click over the area you would like to change. To select a larger area, click and drag the cursor to highlight the desired area. Press [ or ] to raise or lower the terrain by one click, press \ to level the terrain, and press P to flatten terrain. When you're finished, type “modifyNeighborhoodTerrain off” in the cheat box (again, without the quotations)."

If you use an English keyboard, these instructions will probably be enough for you. If you don't, I recommend first testing the cheat, because the keys for using this cheat are different in other languages. For example, in my spanish keyboard, the question marks are used to raise and lower the terrain and the º/ª key flattens it.

Another aside: When you select an area using this cheat, a green overlay is supposed to show up. Some lighting mods make this green overlay invisible, like the one I use. If that's your case, you kind of have to eyeball it. Remember that one neighborhood grid square in TS2 is equivalent to 10 lot tiles, or the width of a road. I recommend getting a mod that allows you to tilt the neighborhood camera on the Y axis, which will allow you to have a bird eye's view of the terrain.

2.4. Flatten the terrain around the lot so it's at water level. This cheat won't allow you to edit the terrain inside the lot, so you have to edit the terrain around the lot. Make sure there is plenty of flat underwater space around the island. You should end up with something like the picture above. The water will have some holes, but don't worry, those get filled with water the next time you load the neighborhood.

2.5. Enter the lot and place any object on it. Save the lot and exit the game. This is so LotAdjuster recognizes the lot in the next step.

3. Expanding the lot with Lot Adjuster

3.1. Open Lot Adjuster and select your neighborhood and lot.

3.2. Click "Advanced…". Check "Over the road (only enlarge front yard)". Use the arrows to add 20 tiles to the front yard. Click "Finish" and "Restart".

3.3. Select the same lot again. This time, check "Add and remove roads". Uncheck the road checkbox for the front yard. Add 20 Tiles to the back yard, 20 tiles to the left side and 10 tiles to the right side. Check "Place portals manually". You should end up with a 60x60 lot, which is the biggest size. You might want a smaller lot, but unless you know what you are doing, I recommend starting with this size. You can shrink it later. The goal of making the lot this big is making sure the edges of the lot are underwater. Click "Finish" and exit.

4. Moving portals and flattening the lot

4.1. Make sure you have the portal revealer by Inge installed in your Downloads folder before the next step. Open your game and load your neighborhood. The lot should look something like the picture above.

4.2. Load the lot. Delete the object you placed before. Place the portal revealer on the lot near the mailbox/phone booth and trashcan. It looks like a yellow flamingo and you can find it in Build Mode/Doors and Windows/Multi-Story Windows catalogue. You will notice that when you select the object from the catalogue, some yellow cubes appear on the lot, and when you place the object, the cubes disappear. After placing the portal revealer, pick it up and place it again. This will make the yellow boxes visible again.

So what are those yellow boxes? They are portals. They determine where sims and cars arrive and leave the lot. The ones on both ends of the sidewalk are called pedestrian portals, and in the street, one lane has portals for service vehicles (maids, gardeners, etc.) and the opposite is for owned cars and carpools. You can see the portal's names if you pick them up. Make sure not to delete any of them.

Now, since this is going to be a roadless lot, ideally there won't be vehicles in it. This means that the lot would ideally be accessed through walking only. In community lots, this would not be an issue if you have the Bon Voyage expansion pack, which allows sims to walk to lots.

In residential lots, you might run into some problems. Service NPCs always arrive on vehicles, and unless your sim owns a vehicle, the carpool and school bus will always come to pick sims up for work/school. It might break your immersion to have a vehicle show up underwater or on a ship. There are many options to avoid this: having sims work on an owned business instead of a regular job, not having kids on the lot, making the kids homeschooled, avoiding calling service NPCs… it depends on how you want to play the lot. For example, my icebreaker is a residential lot, only adults live there, some sims live in it temporarily and none of them have a regular job.

All of this is relevant because we're going to move the portals. Where you move the portals depends on you. Think about how you're going to use the lot. In my icebreaker, I placed the car portals (which won't be used) underwater, on a corner of the lot. I placed the pedestrian portals on the ship, to pretend that the walkbys are part of the crew or passengers. But for now, just move the portals, mailbox/phone booth and trashcan to a corner of the lot. To be able to pick up the mailbox/phone booth and trashcan, use the cheat moveObjects on. Delete the street and sidewalk tiles using the floor tool (Control + click and hold left mouse button + drag).

4.3. Flatten the island with the level terrain tool. Save the lot. Almost done! Don't mind the hole in the water, this will be fixed. You will notice that in neighborhood view, the island is still there. This is because the neighborhood terrain under the lot hasn't updated. I don't know why this happens, but it does. Normally, moving the lot would fix it, but we can't move this lot using the game's tools. Instead, we are going to fix the terrain with Hood Replace. Don't exit the game yet.

5. Updating the terrain with Hood Replace

5.1. Create a new neighborhood using the new roadless terrain. Make sure it has the same type of terrain (lush, desert, etc.) as the first one. Again, name it "NO ROADS" or something similar. Exit the game.

5.2. Open HoodReplace. On the left column you will select your "NO ROADS" neighborhood. In the right column, select the neighborhood that has the underwater lot. Check these settings: Replace terrain, replace road, and versioned backups. Leave everything else unchecked. Click Copy.

5.3. Open The Sims 2 and load the neighborhood to check if the changes worked. That concludes the tutorial. At this point you can shrink the lot if you don't want it to be so big. Remember to move the portals to their final placement when you're done building the lot. Also keep in mind pedestrians (walkbys) always walk by the mailbox, so keep the mailbox accessible for sims.

If you're going to have multiple underwater lots, I recommend making them first, and decorating the neighborhood after. Doing this in an already existing neighborhood might be more difficult, mainly because, if you made any changes to the terrain using the modifyNeighborhoodTerrain cheat in the past, they might get reset when using Hood Replace.

[roosterforme]

Always Ever Only You Part 6 | Rooster x Reader

Summary: At the Hard Deck, Bradley learns something about the origins of your friendship with Cam that leaves him feeling out of sorts. You call him out on his behavior and reassure him that he's always more than enough for you. Then he takes you away for a Valentine's trip, and he can finally surprise you with something unique.

Warnings: Fluff, smut, angst, swearing

Length: 4700 words

Pairing: Bradley "Rooster" Bradshaw x Female Reader

This was written to accompany my series Is It Working For You? along with a bunch of my one-shots and other series, but it can be read on its own! Check my masterlist for the reading order. Gorgeous banner by @mak-32

Bradley thought he was hilarious with the way he refused to tell you where you and he were going for the night on Friday. He wouldn't even tell you how you were getting there. All he said every time you asked was, "Just pack a bag and find out."

"Infuriating," you whispered to yourself at work on Thursday. When you heard footsteps coming up behind you in the hallway, you turned to see Jake rushing your way. "Seriously? Don't you ever work?"

"Come on, Angel," he whined. "I'm gonna ask her out. I just need one more shot at talking to her."

You sighed and said, "Fine. Come on. We could actually use your help."

A few minutes later, Jake looked absolutely delighted as Cat had him sit down on the stool next to hers. "Ready?" she asked him. "There are a lot of questions."

"I'm ready," he replied, eyes glued to her face as she opened the aviation survey document on her computer. It wasn't like this needed to be completed today. The software was still in the testing stage. But you knew this would be a good excuse to keep Jake in the lab for a little while and let him engage with Cat.

"Name, age, rank and aircraft. Please," she asked him. You tried to sit quietly and work further down the counter, but you were half focused on them. 

"Jacob C. Seresin. Thirty three. Lieutenant. F/A-18." His voice was calm and even as he answered her, but you could see his leg bouncing a little bit. He was so smitten it was absolutely ridiculous. 

"What does the C stand for?" she asked, entering his information.

"That's classified," he told her with a smirk.

She turned to look at him with a smirk of her own. "Your full name is Jacob Classified Seresin?"

You had to press your lips together as Jake started laughing. "Shoulda thought that one through a little better," he drawled with a blush. "It actually stands for Christopher." 

"Where are you from, Lieutenant Classified?" she asked, and he leaned in to look at her screen. 

"Is that actually a question?"

"No," she said softly. "I was just curious about your accent."

Jake's voice sounded smug as hell as he said, "It's not an accent, Lieutenant Coleman. It's a drawl." And then you were forced to listen to their flirtation mixed in with the real survey questions for the better part of an hour. 

When Cat was finally done gathering information about Jake's flight history, you were surprised she didn't also have his phone number. "Thanks for your help," she told him as they both stood. 

"Anytime, Lieutenant," Jake replied. And when he walked past you, he whispered, "I owe you one, Angel."

Once he was gone, you stared at Cat until she looked at you. "If you're interested in big, strong aviators, all you have to do is ask," you told her. "I think he'd happily go out with you."

She scoffed and waved you off. "He's just fun to flirt with a tiny bit. Absolutely none of that was serious." 

"Speak for yourself," you muttered.

"Besides, he would never go for a woman like me. At least not for more than a date or two. Maybe a long weekend, if you catch my drift. And after my ex husband, I'm done playing games. Like I said, Lieutenant Seresin is nice to look at, but under no circumstances will I touch."

"Never?" you asked softly.

Cat planted her hand on the counter and leaned toward you. "He gets around, Lieutenant Commander. Women on base brag about it. And I've seen how he is at the bar. Just surrounded at all times."

Once again, you didn't know how to respond.

"But your friend, Cam?" she asked, giving you a pointed look. "He seems sweet."

You remained silent. Cat was beautiful. If she wanted to go out with Jake, she could go out with Jake. If she wanted to go out with Cam, she could go out with Cam. She could probably get pretty much any guy to ask her out if she wanted to. But if she was just going to flirt with Jake, because she thought it was no big deal, then Jake might end up getting hurt in the process if she moved on with someone else. 

And then your suspicions started to come true. When you went down to eat lunch with Bradley at noon, you saw Cat and Jake at a small table together. So his reputation was terrible, but not so bad that she didn't want to keep flirting? You sat with your head in your hands until Bradley and Nat joined you.

"What's wrong?" Nat asked, taking the seat across from you. "And where's Jake? He told me he was eating with us."

"He's over there," you said, nodding your head in his direction where he was sitting with Cat. "And she's flirting with him."

"Isn't that good?" Bradley asked, dropping down into the seat next to you. 

"No," you groaned. "She likes Cam. She thinks Jake is a womanizer who would never be interested in her. She thinks this is just some harmless flirting."

"Oof, he's about to get shot down isn't he?" Nat asked, and now all there of you were watching across the cafeteria as Cat and Jake smiled at each other. Then Jake leaned in a little closer, and Cat bit her lip. 

"Oh no," you whispered, reaching for Bradley's hand as your heart pounded. "Maybe he is a bit of a womanizer?" you asked. "I've seen that look on his face before. He's asking her out."

Bradley laced his fingers with yours. "He's not doing that kind of thing anymore," he told you and Nat. "He seems to be ready to settle down in a relationship. Been talking about it for months. Oh no, there he goes."

Nat gasped as Jake stroked the back of Cat's hand with his thumb. Her smile faltered and she kind of shrugged and shook her head. Even though you couldn't hear them, you had a pretty good idea of how the conversation was going. Cat's hand slid away from his, and soon she was standing to leave.

"Yikes," Nat whispered as the three of you scrambled to make it appear as though you hadn't been watching Jake get turned down. "That was so surreal. Looked exactly like the day you asked your wife out and she told you no," she added to Bradley, trying not to laugh now. "Remember that, Soul Sister?"

Bradley placed a loud, sloppy kiss on your cheek and said, "She came around eventually. One kiss and she was begging me to take her on a date."

You rolled your eyes. "I would love to dispute that, but it's actually the truth."

"Hey, guys," Jake said, gingerly sitting down next to Nat. His face was completely neutral, and his voice was even. But you could tell he was upset. 

"Hangman," Bradley grunted. And then he and Nat filled up the silence before it became too much while you picked at your food. And Jake just sat quietly. 

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

"Hard Deck night, Baby Girl," Bradley reminded you when you walked inside after work. 

You were tired, and you didn't really feel like going out. The bar would be packed, just like it was every Thursday night, and you were starting to get crampy, which meant your period was coming. "You don't want to stay in?" you asked, pouting up at him. "We could take a bath together."

Bradley ran his thumb along your pouty lips. "We can stay in if you want to, Sweetheart. Let me text Nat and tell her."

Then you kissed his thumb and said, "No, we can go. But maybe we can leave early. I'm exhausted."

Famous last words. At ten o'clock, you were kind of drunk, Bradley's hands were all over you, and Cat was waving you up to the bar. "I'll be right back, Roo," you told him, slipping away before he could keep you with him. Bradley watched you chatting with you coworker, happy you seemed to be getting along with her now. 

"I gotta know, man. How do you grow such a good mustache?"

Bradley turned just in time for Cam to try to lean against the edge of the pool table, miss completely and nealy land on his face. Shit, he was as at least as drunk as you were. 

"Genetics," Bradley said, thinking of nearly every damn photo he had of Goose sporting the same facial hair. Cam had a bit of a baby face, and the idea of him with a mustache was almost laughable. 

Then you walked back over in a state of annoyance. "Oh good, you're here," you said to Cam. "Mr. Popularity."

"What do you mean?" he asked, stroking his bare upper lip. 

"You know my coworker Cat? She just told me Jake asked her out, but that she'd rather go out with you."

Cam blinked a few times and then burst into laughter, leaning on Bradley while he hooted. "That's such a funny joke!"

"I'm serious! Roo, tell him I'm serious."

"She's serious," Bradley said, sipping his beer and trying not to get involved in this conversation. 

"Nobody would pick me over that guy," Cam replied, pointing to Jake. "He's fucking ripped! And his hair is always perfect. And he can do that thing with his mouth and the toothpicks!"

You started laughing and said, "I tried to tell Cat you're nothing special."

"Wow," Cam said, feigning offense, "you're the worst friend ever. Where's Maria?"

"Wait," you said, still laughing while you grabbed his hand. "Just because your repertoire of talents did nothing for me doesn't mean you're not as good as Jake!"

Bradley choked on his beer, remembering what he had overheard you say to Jake. "I'm sorry. What?"

You both turned to look at him, and Cam's cheeks were turning pink. 

"The two of you hooked up?" Bradley asked, wondering why this was something he'd only been hearing about recently. Cam slowly backed away from him, suddenly looking like he was afraid Bradley might hit him. And that's when Bradley realized that his tone definitely sounded a little threatening, but he couldn't take it back now.

"It was ten years ago!" Cam quickly supplied, taking a step to his left once he realized he was standing right next to you. 

"Didn't I tell you this, Roo?" you asked, still smiling at Bradley as you cocked your head to the side. 

"No. Never," he replied, annoyed at himself for being annoyed about this. It clearly didn't matter at all. It had nothing to do with your marriage. But Cam was the same age as you, and in many ways he was probably well suited for you. 

"There's literally nothing to tell," Cam insisted.

"Yeah," you agreed. "It didn't mean anything. We were twenty one. It didn't work for either of us, so we stopped what we were doing and decided to just be friends. Because Cam's moves were decidedly terrible at that age."

"God, you're so annoying," Cam told you with a grin. "You think you had moves? You did not. All you had back then was nice tits."

"Jesus," Bradley growled, pinching the bridge of his nose. Because even though this happened ten years ago, suddenly he was wondering about all the details. 

"There was no penetration," you said casually.

"No penetration of any kind," Cam confirmed. 

"Then what was there?" Bradley asked as you laced your fingers with his.

"Wait, do fingers count?" Cam asked you, scratching his head. "No, fingers don't count, right? Whatever, all I did was feel her up."

"I wasn't good," you added. "Just friends after that."

"Yep," Cam confirmed, giving Bradley some side eye. "She likes big guys. Muscular ones. Mustaches. Which is exactly why nobody who turned down Jake Seresin would say yes to me."

You rolled your eyes and said, "That's so not true."

Bradley wanted all of the details and none of them at the same time as he pulled you a little closer. But then Cam handed you his drink and said, "Really? Watch this."

"Oh no," you muttered, gasping and clinging to Bradley as Cam walked away.

"Sweetheart, why didn't you ever tell me you and Cam messed around? I hate being blindsided by this shit. You hang out with him all the time."

But you weren't listening to him. You weren't even looking at him. Cam was walking confidently over to Cat, and suddenly he was leaning against the bar next to her, occasionally glancing this way. After a moment, Cat looked delighted, and Cam looked completely shocked. 

"He asked her out!" you moaned, burying your face against Bradley's chest. "Poor Jake!"

When Bradley's eyes found Jake, he was glaring daggers from the dartboard over toward Cam and Cat. "Oh, shit," he muttered, wrapping his arm a little tighter around you. "This is a fucking disaster."

"It really is," you whispered.

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

Jake was upset. You could see it on his face. And now Cam looked concerned. When you tried to talk to him, all he said was, "Apparently I have a date on Saturday night."

And before Cat left the bar for the night, she had a smile on her face as she came over to you and Bradley. "Any idea where I might be able to find a good babysitter for Saturday evening?"

"Babysitter?" Bradley asked her, and you couldn't help but see how his expression changed as he asked Cat, "Do you have a kid?"

"Yes," she replied, looking a little surprised. "I thought you would have told your husband. I have a son. He's a year old."

You desperately wanted her date with Cam to suck, and that made you feel like a shitty person all around. So you were suddenly blurting out, "We can watch him." The look on Bradley's face as he registered that he'd get to spend a few hours playing with a one year old, made your heart clench. 

"Yeah, you can drop him off with us," he told Cat, and tears stung your eyes. You had cramps. You'd probably get your period right in the middle of the overnight trip tomorrow night. But you just nodded, because even though Cat was going out with Cam instead of Jake, and even though you still weren't pregnant, you knew Bradley would have fun babysitting.

On the ride home, you were starting to get upset as you sobered up a bit more. You didn't want your mood to make you miserable for your night away. 

Bradley was pretty quiet until he asked, "Why didn't you tell me about you and Cam?"

"Nothing to tell," you replied softly. It was the truth. You'd harbored a bit of a crush on your friend at first; he was sweet and funny and you had all of your classes with him. You had spent a lot of time together, and you trusted him. And one night, despite both of your best efforts, it just didn't work when you tried to hookup. 

"But you spend a lot of time with him now. So what? Your attraction to him just stopped after one night?" Bradley grunted. "You go out to brunch with Cam and Maria all the time for that disgusting avocado toast. Hell, you make me spend so much time with him, I know what kind of pizza he likes and what he orders at the burger shack."

"Oh my god, Bradley. Exactly. He's just my friend! You know what kind of pizza he likes, because I want you to spend time with my friends!"

"But you clearly care about him."

"Bradley! You lived a whole life with other women before we met!"

"I never cared about them! I never loved them! Cam is your friend, and you care about him."

As soon as he parked the Bronco in the driveway, you were unbuckling your seatbelt and crawling into his lap. "What has gotten into you, Roo?" you asked, straddling his thighs and forcing him to look at you. "Cam? You're jealous of Cam in this moment? Knock it the fuck off."

"I'm sorry," he muttered, wrapping his arms around you. "I just didn't like the way I found out about it. Which isn't fair to you at all. Because you're right...about my past. And I know it has to embarrass you sometimes-"

You silenced him with a kiss as you brushed your fingers through his hair. When your forehead came to rest against his, you said, "Don't talk about yourself like that. You want all the details? We did not date. Cam and I ended up in his bed exactly one time. He was hard until I put my hand down his pants. I was excited until he took my bra off. Then we laughed awkwardly, called it quits, and watched a movie with three feet of space between us. So if you can't get onboard with the avocado toast brunches now, I don't even know what to say."

Bradley laughed a little bit. "I love you, and I'm sorry. I've just been... feeling my age recently, Baby Girl."

"What does that mean?" you asked, pressing your lips to his scarred cheek. 

He sighed. "Just trying to make sure I can keep up with you and everything you want."

"I want you."

"I know you do," he whispered.

"Then start acting like it, Bradley. Or I'll call you Grandpa instead of Daddy."

He was silent for a beat as you ran your hand down the front of his body. "You wanna go have some Daddy time right now?"

"It's like you can read my mind."

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

Bradley wore you out on Thursday night, and you were still tired on Friday after work when he drove up the coastal roads to the mysterious hotel he booked for the night. "Will you please tell me where you're taking me?" you asked for the millionth time. 

But he just laughed and said, "The funny thing is, I'm not really sure, Sweetheart. It's some crazy hotel called Le Chateau California, and I'm really only taking you there because they have something I think you'll love."

"What is it?" you asked, suddenly even more curious. 

"I'm not telling. We'll have to experience it for ourselves," he said, reaching for your bare thigh and stroking your skin.

"Are we there yet?" you whined. "How much further? I want my surprise." 

"You're worse than a child," he said with a smile, inching his hand further up under your dress. "We'll be there in twenty minutes. We're having dinner at eight, and you'll see the surprise then."

Bradley was great at teasing you, but this was perhaps his best effort to date. His fingers were just tucked inside your panties, stroking you while you tried to sit patiently, as he pulled up to a colorful boutique hotel on the outskirts of Newport Beach. "What is this place?" you asked him, whining again as he pulled his hand free before the valet could see where it had been. 

"Let's go find out," he said with a smirk. When you strolled into the lobby that looked like you'd fallen down the rabbit hole into Wonderland, Bradley wrapped his arm around your waist. 

"This is so cool," you gasped, still a little wound up from Bradley's fingers on your pussy. 

You were looking up at him with barely concealed lust. He had both overnight bags slung over his left shoulder like it was nothing. And when the woman at the concierge desk asked for the last name on the reservation, your core clenched as he rasped, "The Bradshaws."

As he handed over his credit card, you whimpered softly. His wide brown eyes were on yours as you pressed your lips together. Then he was smiling, but he didn't pick up the pace like you wanted him to. He asked the woman where the restaurant was located. He listened to her tell him more about the history of the hotel. He asked her another question as she handed over the room keys. He forced your hand. 

"Please?" you whispered, pressing yourself to his side. 

When he finally led you across the technicolor lobby toward the purple elevators, he pushed the up arrow and said, "We have dinner in twenty minutes."

You nearly wanted to stomp your foot. "You can fuck me in less time than that."

"You told me I'm never fast," he replied as the doors slid open. "So, probably not, Baby Girl."

"Bradley!" you screeched as soon as you and he were alone in the elevator. "I won't make it through dinner and you know it!" 

He kissed your lips so softly before the elevator stopped on your floor. "I love it when you get like this," he said as you tripped down the hallway next to him. "Go in and get ready for me." He handed you one of the keys, and you ran down the hallway that looked like a multicolored fever dream, barely taking the time to enjoy any of it. 

The hotel room was colorful and spacious with a king bed and a Juliet balcony. There was a view of the beach and some champagne in an ice bucket. But all you were concerned about was getting your underwear off and getting on the bed. 

Bradley strolled in and set the bags down before adjusting the thermostat. He tossed his sunglasses on the nightstand and combed his fingers through his hair before turning to watch you where you were laying on the bed with your dress pulled up to your waist. "Get on your knees," he rasped, and you did as you were told. Then his hands and lips were all over your butt and thighs before tasting you from behind.

"Bradley!" you gasped. You'd never get used to how good it felt to have him surprise you there with his mustache. And then you heard him unzip his jeans before wrapping one muscular arm around you and fucking you hard. You rocked forward onto your hands as he slammed into you. 

"You're so impatient," he grunted. "Can't even make it to dinner and to your surprise unless you're full of my cum."

It was going to be embarrassing how quickly you came for him when he was dishing out the smug dirty talk. But when his fingers stroked you in time with his thrusts, you smiled and bit your lip. The colorful bedding and walls around the room made you feel a little dizzy, but nothing compared to the sensation when Bradley hit just the right spot inside you and gently spanked your clit.

"Fuck!" you squealed, clenching so hard he groaned your name. 

"Shit, Baby Girl," he growled, filling you up with his cum. But you were already there, face planted in the pillows to keep yourself quiet as you came. When you picked your head up a few inches and turned to look back at him while he was still inside you, he rubbed one big palm along your butt. "Sorry I finished so fast. You look pretty with your ass in the air," he whispered. 

You pushed yourself up on shaky arms. "And you look pretty with your cock inside me."

He chuckled and withdrew himself, and then he ran his fingers along your pussy like he was massaging his cum back inside you. "I'm not ovulating anymore, Roo," you reminded him. He could cum inside you all weekend and it wouldn't make a difference. 

"Doesn't matter," he whispered, leaning down to kiss your butt, thighs and pussy once more. "It's not going to make me want to stop giving you creampies all the time." You sighed softly as he finally stood, and you watched him walk around the bed with his cock hanging out of his jeans. "It's almost time for our dinner reservation," he reminded you as he walked into the bathroom. 

You rolled onto your back, legs clenched together as his mess coated your thighs. While you listened to him wash his hands, you closed your eyes and wished desperately that you were pregnant. You thought about everything that would change for you if you were, and you knew you'd be ready for it. 

"Coming?" he asked, reaching out for your hand. Bradley pulled you to your feet and helped you back into your underwear, looking up at you and shaking his head at the sight of his cum everywhere. He wasn't old. It blew your mind that he sometimes thought he was. He was better and sexier and stronger than anyone younger. He was everything you wanted.

"Let's go."

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

Bradley spent almost seven hundred dollars for the hotel room for the night. It was another fifty bucks to valet the Bronco, and the prices on the dinner menu in the swanky restaurant were so high, he thought they must be joking. But he wanted you to have whatever you wanted, so he ordered a twenty dollar beer so you would, too. And he ordered exactly what he wanted to eat so you would, too. 

He'd tapped out his savings when he bought the craftsman for the two of you, including the money his mom left for him. But he'd been working on building up his savings again. The dream of making one of the bedrooms a nursery sometime in the near future was clawing away at his mind. He thought about it a lot: colorful airplanes and clouds on the walls and a crib with a sweet baby that had his hair and your eyes. 

His attention was drawn back to the present as soon as the waiter returned with your beers and a platter of bread and fruit. The colorful overhead light was reflecting blue, green and orange onto your pretty face as you glanced up with a look of wonder at the waiter. Because he was now saying the words Bradley had been waiting weeks for you to hear. It was the reason he wanted to book a room as soon as he heard about this hotel. 

"While you wait for your entrees, feel free to walk around and explore our wall of condiments from around the world, our champagne waterfall, and our hot sauce vending machine."

You lurched in your seat. "Did you say hot sauce vending machine?!"

"Yes," the waiter replied with a smile, nodding to the far end of the restaurant. "Have fun."

"Bradley!" you shrieked. "They have a hot sauce vending machine!"

He grinned as you pulled him to his feet. "I know, Baby Girl. That's why I brought you here."

You wrapped your hands around his neck and pulled him in for a kiss that was better suited for the bedroom, but Bradley didn't care that there was a couple trying to eat at the next table. You were happy right now when there were times recently that you clearly hadn't been, so they'd just have to deal. 

Bradley eventually led you to the vending machine which was enormous and filled with tiny bottles of hundreds of different kinds of sauces. You stood before it in the colorful wonderland of a restaurant, analyzing each one like this was the most important work assignment of your career. 

"That's one's from Japan," you mused out loud, pointing to a green bottle. "I've always wanted to try it. Oh, and that one is made in Maryland! We need to get that one."

"Pick as many as you want, Sweetheart. They come with the meal." You actually jumped up and down and clapped your hands as you pushed the buttons to select twenty two different hot sauces, loading Bradley's arms up with the little bottles one at a time.

Then you stopped at the champagne fountain and got two glasses to take back as well. The waiter brought your dinners and some extra plates for all of the hot sauces, and you lined them up across the table. "I think I'm in heaven," you said, dipping your fork into a sauce and tasting it. 

Bradley watched you enjoy the flavor before dipping the fork again and holding it out to him. Your smile and the expectant look on your face as he tasted it made him happy, too. "I know I'm in heaven."

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

How do we feel about Cam and Cat? How do we feel about Cam and BG? I also have a Cam face grab. The hot sauce vending machine is for @dakotakazansky !Thanks to @mak-32 and @beyondthesefourwalls

PART 7

@hotch-meeeeeuppppp

@swthxrry

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@daisyhollyxox

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[faretheeoscar]

(143)

Pairing: Nathan Bateman x gn!reader

--Warnings: Nothing more than Nathan being a pain in the ass and some sexual innuendos, fluff by Nathan standards--

Also this drabble is so very nerdish from my part, it started as a blurb in my head when I started learning coding lol

A/N: English is not my first language so I'm sorry if there’s any mistakes.

Word count: 600~

Dividers source: animatedglittergraphics-n-more

Blue is reader

Green is Nathan

#include <iostream>

int main() {

    std::cout << "// You work so fucking hard. Lunch?"

    std::cout << "// Nathan, seriously? You hacked into my work just to ask me out?"

    std::cout << "// Not hacking if it's my own software"

    std::cout << "// Whatever, I’m busy" << std::endl;

changeText.addEventListener("click", function() {

  changeText.textContent = "Text has been changed!";

});

    std::cout << "// Come on!"

changeText.addEventListener("click", function() {

 override

changeText.addEventListener("click", function() {

  changeText.textContent = "Text has been changed!";

});

    std::cout << "// Nathan, STOP disrupting my work, please?"

    std::cout << "// I will stop if you have lunch with me"

    std::cout << "// Not gonna even entertain you, I have a lot of things to work on and I have to finish them quickly"

    std::cout << "// You need to stop being so stubborn btw... you’re too tense... you’re gonna have an aneurysm or something if you don’t take a break...and have lunch with me?"

    std::cout << "// NO, let-me-work!!" << std::endl;

    std::cout << "C:\\Users\\Bluebook\\Documents> del \"code_file.txt\"" << std::endl;

    std::cout << "Are you sure (Y/N)?" << std::endl;

    std::cout << "Y:" << std::endl;

    std::cout << "C:\\Users\\Bluebook\\Documents> del \"code_file.txt\" Successfully deleted"

    std::cout << "// DID YOU SERIOUSLY DELETED ALL MY WORK OUT OF SPITE?"

    std::cout << "// Not spite, you needed a break. Now you have one."

    std::cout << "// Unbelievable"

    std::cout << "// Now, lunch?"

    std::cout << "// No, fuck you"

    std::cout << "// Tempting..."

    std::cout << "// ..."

    std::cout << "// 0——->"

.

.

.

   std::cout << "// That was a dick btw"

    std::cout << "// I’m actually quitting now for real…"

    std::cout << "// Like hell you are…"

    std::cout << "// Come on, don't be so sensitive, Jesus Christ" ;

    std::cout << "// You just deleted all my week’s worth job .l. "

    std::cout << "// Stop moping about it, I have a backup"

    std::cout << "// Then restore it" << std::endl;

    std::cout << "// Not until you have lunch with me."

    std::cout << "// I'm calling the chopper and packing my things…"

    std::cout << "// WAIT, fine! I’ll reinstate the code… you big baby."

    std::cout << "// I was just joking, ffs" << std::endl;

 

   std::cout << "C:\\Windows\\System32\\Bluebook\\Documents> rstrui.exe" << std::endl;

    std::cout << "Files successfully restored"

    std::cout << "// Happy now?"

    std::cout << "// Asshole."

    std::cout << "// Is that an invite or a statement?"

    std::cout << "// Take a wild guess."

    std::cout << "// Worth the try…"

    std::cout << "// Now, are we done with your temper tantrum? Can we eat now?"

    std::cout << "// I can’t stand you..."

    std::cout << "// So is that code for Italian or sushi?"

    std::cout << "// Sushi..."

    std::cout << "// I'll tell the droids to start preparing it then"

    std::cout << "// Okay, I’ll be down in 5 minutes just don't fuck with my work again?"

    std::cout << "// I promise, but only if you let me fuck with something else later ;)"

    std::cout << "// Fine…"

    std::cout << "// Can you indulge me in something else?"

    std::cout << "// You’re really testing me here"

    std::cout << "// For science?"

    std::cout << "// Be the sushi table?"

    std::cout << "// I’ll go get undressed…"

    std::cout << "// Fuck yeah! (143) <3 ."

    std::cout << "// I love you too" << std::endl;

    std::cout << "C:\\Windows\\System32\\Bluebook\\Documents> Save" << std::endl;

    return 0;

}

143 in coding means “I love you” btw <3

Reblogs and comments are kindly appreciated!

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[iantimony]

it's tuesday!

last weekend someone taught me how to catch crayfish when wading and this weekend i successfully grabbed one!! proof at the end of the post.

listening: guess (charli xcx, billie eilish): old roommate put this on for me and helloooooo. it's so. yeah. (link is the official music video, warning for flashing) it led me to this playlist cunty trashy slutty skanky which, first of all, excellent playlist name; second of all, what a fucking combination of songs?? something about the juxtaposition of nirvana -> kesha -> korn, etc is. insane in a good way.

last week was bandcamp friday! i last-minute got a few things: finally got sammy rae's "good life" and "let's throw a party", and preordered their newest album "something for everybody". i still need to buy my ticket for their concert near to me this fall. then i got sad snack's full discography for like $5 (the no children ska cover lol), the altogether's "when we were kids" which has been a go-to comfort album for me for a bit, shakey graves "deadstock" anthology, and finally the dear hunter "antimai".

i've been back on the podcast grind, just casually keeping up with stuff like mbmbam sawbones lpotl etc as they come out. most recent mbmbam (episode....730?? jesus christ) has some REALLY funny bits, notably towards the beginning where the cincinnati tornado sirens were being tested and griffin made a comment about the air raid sirens going off again and travis was like ?? dude i'm not in the fucking blitz??? it was very good. there was something else towards the end of the episode that also made me laugh out loud -- oh yes i just went and relistened to the last minute and it's the wish at the end, "i wish my cat would know what it means when i flip him off". so fucking true griffin. i was considering going to one of their tour dates but unfortunately they will be in the nearest city to me when i'm out of town for my second wedding of the fall. ah well

reading: most fallow. lots of little articles for my research.

watching: shane dawson and the art of the constant rebrand - jimmy robins: little retrospective about a guy who i never really liked and haven't thought about in years. i guess he's still around ??? okay. not gonna embed it so you don't get jumpscared by his face.

playing: this is a partial share with watching but last weekend my old roommate and i hung out with one of our friends with the intention of having dinner and crafting. however. we were so tired from kayaking earlier that day that we just ended up watching friend play stray and not crafting at all. it's really cute! i did get Very emotional at the beginning when the cat fell! i was like no!!!

my friend mostly played it but i did do a little bit, it was lots of fun. there was a very funny bit where friend, getting really in the mindset of Being Cat, pulled out a battery pack from a fan and was like "hehe i'm gonna drop it off the roof!" and did it before we could stop her, we were like wait we might need that to solve a puzzle -- but the answer was no it was fine, which is good, because it ended up dropped on a completely inaccessible rooftop ledge below, oopsie.

making: !!! ALL REDACTED !!! i will be able to post some of it next week. i do not know if beloved mutual celestialtourguide reads these regularly but just to be safe. allegedly the glaze kiln WILL be done by wednesday so i will finally know how fucked my guys are. if they're very fucked it'll be like. well, okay, i guess my gift is just money now,

other redacted item is embroidery related!

eating: mostly leftovers from last week, i think im gonna make crisped chickpeas with herbs and garlic yogurt from deb smittenkitchen to use up a zucchini that i have languishing in the fridge. it'll be a nice light lunch.

misc: THE PRELIMINARY EXAM DOCUMENT EXISTS. rejoice. however this comes with the caveat that i don't have a date set yet because i am in the trenches of trying to solve a Very specific problem with my software. the solution is a complete unknown to me as of now. it is in the stage of "putting key words in quotation marks in google scholar and going down the list emailing all the authors like heyyyy help please", which is scary. at least one other person has done something semi-similar - in fact they have my advisor in their acknowledgements thanking them for her editing help lol - so i'm hoping i'm nearly there. because once that is resolved i can FINALLY set a date, which, assuming i pass, also sets the earliest point at which i can give my thesis defense! scary!!

anyway. crayfish proof. it looks like im squishing him way worse than i actually was, he got released and swam away safely do not worry

[weekendviking]

1800 Ghosts, and counting.

So, 1800 or so ghosts live in my brain. I put them there, not on purpose, but they lodged in my mind during the course of my daily work as I found them, checked, referenced, located and georeferenced their ends. Most are pretty quiet, and really only pop up when I do something that specifically reminds me of them. But some of them are quite active, and pop into my head whenever I pass near where they died or touch on some aspect of the subject of their death.

They all died in some sort of landslide, avalanche, debris flow or rockfall, both natural or anthropogenic. Some of them I know next to nothing about. Others of them I know how they died, graphically, medically accurate details in both time, place, physics and biology. At length. Some I stood nearby as they were exhumed. I Smelt them, I stood by as they took their last journey. I looked into the faces of those who had to find, pack, lift and move them. Very occasionally I have to talk to their families. I'm not good at that.

Some of them are close relatives and ancestors of mine, but most are not. They are just people, who were doing the things that just people do.

But having them there, and knowing their story, stories, makes me a bit twitchy. There are some areas of my country, towns, cities, mountains, farmlands, forests, rivers, that I can't be in without thinking of these ghosts. Some of them are so active in my head that certain streets, certain valleys or hills, make me so uncomfortable it feels like there's someone with a rifle focussed on me, just out of sight. Because I know how dangerous the geography is, and who died there, when, and how often. Often in graphic detail.

Most of the time I'm not close in to these ghosts unless there's a major emergency response, which I am part of. Most of the work is dry, digital, old documents, GIS software, geomorphology and weather and rainfall and rock strata and pore pressure and earthquake and clay and Gravity. Gravity.

I _Enjoy_ this work. I do it for public service, because it leads into maps, risks, hazards, fatality risks, etc, making things safer for people in the future. But it leaves ghosts in my head. So I'm a bit fucked up by it.

So I now look at the people who do this day in, day out, for our soulless social media landscape. The contracted mechanical turks behind the trust and security teams, the people who classify images and videos and media behind the term 'AI' (and what an ugly term that is, because there is not yet any AI worthy of the name), as it hoses through our social media feeds straight from warzones and every other zone where something awful happens, and think how much worse this is than what I do, for better money, shorter hours, and with actual recourse to professional medical help when I need it:

Outsourcing the hard bits to where it's cheaper, to where the jurisdiction is more lenient, to where it raises less waves, is not going to help anyone in the long run. It's abdication of our own humanity made possible by corporate structure.

[granulesofsand]

Well yes, but actually no

🗝️🏷️ emotional, RAMCOA

I called the domestic violence hotline earlier today, but I couldn’t get through. They have a text line, so I spoke to someone there who told me to call back in 10 minutes so someone would be free. Terrifying, I want to curl up somewhere dark and simply fade into the abyss. I hope it goes well.

They’re very nice. I had to borrow a phone because mine has RTT/TTY software the can’t get past the keypad redirect. The elevator music while I’m waiting to see if the shelter will take me is vaguely tropical — this is hilarious, the stress making me hysterical.

They’ll take us, but it has to be before 8am tomorrow (it’ll be long passed by the time this goes out). Pack pack pack. I don’t know the address, it’s gonna be Uber to the shelter. Scary. So close. We can stay for 7 days unless we get in trouble, then about a month and a half max if they let us. Wanna puke. The last page of our system notebook has the details of what to do. I have to get ready. Leaving, packing.

It took us 13 hours to get an Uber. The shelter staff wanted to speak to us before ordering it. We told them our address at least ten times, between the hotline that was doing the Uber and the hotline that was getting us shelter. The person said there was no lower bunk for us, then there was no bed on the first floor, then we couldn’t go at all. They told us yes, make sure to get here by 8am. Then they told us yes, we’ll extend it to 11am. Now we have to redo the screening in two weeks and hope it’s still a yes, we have a bed.

It is safe-enough in the dorms. We have a bed and a bathroom (sometimes), and we only get hurt bad once or twice a month. I thought they were taking us anyway, but they were just confused. I have to take the stuff back upstairs, probably unpack and repack if they ever do say yes again.

It stung. The constant inability to secure transportation was stressful, plus already having called a DV hotline. Back to bleak hope. I want to cry. I thought we were leaving, I thought we were safe. They didn’t even stay to talk about getting our legal documents or how to reach a case manager. I feel like they stayed too long and noticed how bad we are.

Two weeks. We have to stay alive and not tell on ourselves for two weeks. If they don’t take us, we’re running on foot. I can’t decide whether I’m angry or ashamed. I hate you, don’t leave me.

Okay. It was a rollercoaster, but we can still get through this. I’m taking the bags up, then I’m taking a nap. It’s been almost two days since we last slept. It’ll be alright. One way or another, we have to keep moving.

[sittiejanimahdisimban]

Week 11: Progress of the Manuscript and Consultation on System Development

by Sittie Janimah A. Disimban

Feedback. Documentation. Details.

This was packed with important milestones as we focused on completing Activity 3 for our Software Design and Engineering course. This activity involved creating a detailed tutorial video that demonstrates how to navigate the user manual and brochure of our developed system. The goal is to provide clear instructions on how users can interact with the system effectively. This is a key component of the user functional and usability testing process, as it allows us to gather feedback from users on the system’s ease of use and functionality. The tutorial video, along with a copy of the user manual, will be shared with our testers to guide them through the process and ensure they can make the most of the system’s features.

Additionally, this week, we had another consultation session with our instructor. The session was incredibly valuable as we discussed the overall progress of our system development, with a focus on refining the processes involved. We also went over the manuscript paper we’re working on, receiving feedback and suggestions to improve the quality of our work. This consultation allowed us to clarify any questions about Activity 3, and we were able to align our efforts with the expectations of the project.

Through this week’s activities, we gained a deeper understanding of how to effectively present our work to users and testers, ensuring that the system we’ve developed is user-friendly and functional. The consultations and the preparation for testing have set us on the right path for the next phase of the project, and we’re excited to move forward. This week has been essential for solidifying the documentation and preparing for the crucial testing phase, and we’re looking forward to seeing how our users will interact with the system.

[mehedihasan96]

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[inkovert]

Things I want to do in 2024

I've never been the type to make resolutions and I know we tend to put more weight on them than they actually are meant to have, hence why we never follow through with them. So! I am attempting to just make a list of things I am hoping to do in 2024. very low stakes. not going to think of these as goals, just things I want to do. and hope that I follow through with some of them.

Health-related

Planning my meals and keeping a food journal: I've been on a health journey for about the past year and I want to try to get back on track with that and be more consistent with it. I've been trying to be more consistent with preparing home cooked meals rather than relying on frozen meals/eating out, eating 3 meals a day etc, and that's been going well so far, but it could be better. I think one way to help myself be more consistent is planning my meals out (not like meal-prepping just literally being like this day I'm going to eat these things so I have a more structured "menu" vs throwing things together in my head the day of). I think I also want to start keeping a food journal. I peeped that iOS added a Journal app to the new software and I might try that out to see how useful it would be for food journaling, doing things like documenting my mood around the times I eat, what I eat etc.

Find a new dentist and start flossing: When I say I've been on a health journey over the last year I really mean in every possible way you can think of lol. Dental health was one of them. I've made a lot of improvements but I'm so prone to getting cavities that I think I could make a few more. I am one of the 60% of people who do not floss every day bc I found it hard/time-consuming/unnecessary. But I started doing it a couple weeks ago and... it wasn't so bad? I was pretty consistent with it until I went home for the holidays and that fell to crap bc I couldn't find the floss I had packed. anywho. I want to continue to be consistent with that and make that a habit, in addition to finding a new dentist bc the last one I saw was a bit too...assertive and I didn't like their staff so decided never to go back there again.

Personal/things that actually make me excited

Decorate my room: lol. Can you believe I've lived in my apt for two years and I've yet to decorate my room (even the bathroom has some stuff hung up on the walls). I literally have the decorations sitting in a pile by my bedroom door collecting dust. So yeah. I wanna actually do that. Tbf what stopped me before was that I wasn't confident I'd be able to stay in this apt for long. I thought for sure after a year they would jack up the price and I would be forced to move. But, we're now going on three years and things have been fine so I should actually properly decorate the place.

✨ Get a tattoo ✨ The sparkles are because this is probably the thing I'm most excited about on this list. I have wanted a tattoo for as long as I can remember. And I finally decided last year that I was going to say fuck it and get one. But unfortunately the finances weren't financing so it got delayed. But it's happening this year!! For sure!!! Hopefully in the next few months!! I need to stop delaying it and just do it!! So yeah. I've made my best friend keep me accountable each step of the way so I can stop procrastinating. So she gave me a deadline of Friday, 1/5 to at least have a list of tattoo artists I'm considering. We're doing this!!!

Actually leave my house and spend time in places I enjoy: Since my two closest friends moved away last year I haven't had a lot of incentive to go out and do things. So I've just been spending a lot of time at home by myself. And solitude is so nice. So comfortable. So blissful. But I need to end that. Or at least cut down on it a little. There are things I actively want to do in my city but every time the weekend comes I end up staying in my house doing nothing for 2 days straight. And it's been great. But I need to push myself to actually go out and do things by myself. Go to live music concerts, hang out at bookstores or coffee shops. Just something to have a change of pace and environment. I know I will be better for it. I'm gonna challenge myself to go out by myself at least once a month. If I do more? great. But we're starting small.

Writing-related

Track my writing: I'm not going to push myself to have word count goals or anything like that because I think that would be counter productive and take the fun out of writing for me. I actually wrote a lot last year (I just calculated it - 174, 817 words according to Scrivener; kinda insane can't remember the last time I wrote that much in a year) so I don't think I have issues with word quantity or writing enough and if it ain't broke don't fix it! But I do want to track my writing a little more closely. I just think it could be fun tracking the stats behind it and looking back at it at the end of the year. and also maybe help me continue this consistency with writing that I've suddenly developed?

Write something for fun: I can't tell you how much it hurts me that I don't have any fun/silly projects that I can work on on the side that I don't care about getting perfect. I think it will be nice and freeing and challenge my writing chops a bit to write something completely out of my comfort zone, totally absurd, and purely for my enjoyment. I've just been too crippled with fear to even try and idk why. I want to do it so badly but I struggle with coming up with ideas (and with working on more than one thing at once). We'll see it if it happens. this is just a list of things I want to do who knows if I'll actually do them.

Finish the second draft of MDE: just gonna throw this one in here out of obligation. refer to the last sentence of the previous bullet point. I wrote half of it in a year, maybe it's possible to write the other half in a year?

If you made it this far, thank you for reading. gonna come back to this in 6 months and see if anything I listed here actually panned out lol

[jmechner]

Karateka Climbs Again

When the Digital Eclipse team told me they wanted to give my early game Karateka "the Criterion treatment" and re-release it in a deluxe remastered edition, I couldn't quite picture exactly what they had in mind. Their enthusiasm and evident passion for video game history inspired confidence, so I said yes. I never in my wildest dreams imagined how far they'd take it.

The photo above captures my dad's reaction as (age 92) he watches himself climbing up onto the hood of our family car forty years earlier. He's wearing a karate gi at my request, in a Super 8 film I shot at age 18 to create rotoscoped animation for Karateka. (This was three years before I pressed my 15-year-old brother into service as the model for my next game, Prince of Persia.)

Digital Eclipse has reconstructed my Super 8 rotoscoping process — from film to pencil tracings to pixelated game character — in their interactive, hands-on "Rotoscope Theater." And that's just one element of "The Making of Karateka." It's packed with audio and video interviews with me, my dad, and game-industry luminaries; a podcast about Karateka's music (which my dad composed); rare original design documents; excerpts from my journals; and 14 playable games — including not only the final Apple II, Commodore, and Atari versions of Karateka, but also work-in-progress builds I submitted to Broderbund along the way, tracking its development from prototype to gold master. All the games are playable on a choose-your-own nostalgic menu of period monitors and TVs, with optional audio commentary and a "watch/play" mode that the Dagger of Time would envy.

As a bonus, they've salvaged and resurrected my never-before-published arcade shoot-em-up Deathbounce (the game I made before Karateka, which teenage me hoped would be my ticket to software success in 1982)… and the one I did before that, an unauthorized Apple II clone of the arcade hit Asteroids. Incredibly, they've not only remastered Karateka, but also remade Deathbounce, using today's technology to reimagine my 1982 prototype as a jazzy twin-stick shooter. All these are included and playable in "The Making of Karateka."

If "The Making of Karateka" were an interactive exhibition in the Strong Museum of Play (from whose collection many of the archival materials came), it would require several rooms and a full afternoon to explore. Now, you can download, play and discover it at your leisure, on your favorite platform. Details and links are on the Karateka page on my website.

With this release, Digital Eclipse has set a new bar for game-development history preservation. I'm touched and honored that they chose Karateka as the first title in their planned Gold Master series. I can't wait to see what comes next.

[michael-jackson-vector-vault]

Michael Jackson Vector Face Drawing Pack

Download Link ↑

The "Michael Jackson Vector Face Drawing" pack is an essential companion for design enthusiasts and artists looking to capture the iconic essence of Michael Jackson through vector drawing. With a wide range of optimized and verified file formats, this pack provides immediate access to SVG, AI, EPS, PNG, JPEG, and PDF, ensuring unparalleled flexibility in the creative process.

Package Contents:

SVG Files: Perfect for scalable vector graphics, ideal for print and web.

AI Files: Compatible with Adobe Illustrator, offering full control over stroke manipulation.

EPS Files: Suitable for import into a variety of vector graphics software.

PNG Files: Transparency included for easy use on various colored backgrounds.

JPEG Files: Ideal for online sharing and high-quality printing.

PDF Files: Optimal for professional printing and document sharing.

Possible Artistic Applications:

T-shirts: Create unique shirts celebrating the music icon.

Murals: Immerse spaces with Michael Jackson's energy through bold and vibrant murals.

Mugs and Cups: Customize your daily beverages with the legendary face of MJ.

Tapestries: Add a touch of elegance to your home with Michael Jackson-inspired tapestries.

Stickers: Decorate laptops, bags, and more with stickers paying homage to the king of pop.

Flags: Display your love for Michael Jackson with custom flags.

Tattoos: Permanent or temporary, carry Michael Jackson's legacy on your skin.

Decals: Versatile decorations for cars, windows, and more.

Glass and Wood: Experiment with different materials to create unique art pieces.

Other Creative Possibilities: Let your imagination run wild and create unique items that reflect your passion for Michael Jackson.

Legal Usage:

This vector drawing can be used for both personal and commercial purposes. While you are free to sell your creations made with this graphic, resale of the source files and design is strictly prohibited, as well as online distribution of the files. This ensures the protection of the original artwork and its creators, preserving its value and authenticity in the creative market.

Final Note:

With the "Michael Jackson Vector Face Drawing" pack, Michael Jackson's artistic legacy comes to life through your creations. Explore the creative potential of this vector drawing and add a touch of the magic of the king of pop to your artistic projects.

[mundagenta]

Thanks for the fun we had, WordPad.

Microsoft has already dropped the axe in its native word processor in Windows 11 26040 Canary, after 28 years since its inception.

A screenshot of Microsoft WordPad running on Windows 10.

After almost three decades, technology giant Microsoft has slashed WordPad off from the list of shipping features in its new operating systems.

Just in case you haven't heard of WordPad (it's probably not worth wallowing for you though), it is a word processor software that was included in Microsoft Windows releases—way back in Windows 95—which enabled users to edit documents with rich text, a subset of its paid counterpart's capabilities.

It sat as a somehow redundant middle ground between the minimal Notepad and the feature-packed Word all through these years, with its almost non-existent relevance gradually diminishing as Notepad and its equivalents close in through that space with more and better features.

As a no-fuss student writer, WordPad has been my mainstay for a decade—setting aside all those context however, I'm not here to write about my approval or dismay regarding Microsoft's decision but I would rather reminisce about my moments with this trusty software.

I recall my first encounters with this 'relic' as I was just scrolling through that classic, glassy Windows 7 start menu—it was way back in 2013, just a year after the disastrous release of Windows 8 which I despised with all my heart, and I was five years old at that time.

I never felt so ecstatic that time as I clicked on that "Windows Accessories" folder, which I stumbled upon about sixteen programs, some of which I have already used like Calculator, Paint, and File Explorer—I inevitably clicked on WordPad out of curiosity.

"What the heck is this?" I said so bluntly as the app interface showed in front of my face, since then, I was left wondering about Microsoft's rationale to include such software until I lost my Office license when I was twelve years old.

To be fair with the 'stagnant' software, I loved using it for every occasion that I find it necessary for—it was my no-fuss, uncluttered word processor for the peace of my mind, and I also found it snappier than my Microsoft Office Suite—which was a bit of a RAM hog and an overwhelming software to encounter for a kid.

During one of my online classes when I was 12, I had to pass a paper due in ten minutes, I can't open Microsoft Office at all and I don't like using Google Docs—there came WordPad, a familiar, hassle-free experience that got my paper passed within the last minute. That wasn't the last time that happened.

It's 2024 now, I'm already turning 16 years old and still sticking to a software that is twice my age— it's still amazing (this article was drafted in WordPad lmao), the experience never changed which have inevitably caused its long-delayed demise.

[gordonramsei]

⟢ ∘ ｡ canva element pack ⦂ CODING TIER GOODIES

⟡  ⟡  ⟡

∘ ｡⟣  briefing .

ever  since  i  started  using  canva  ,  i  now  utilize  elements  for  nearly  everything  .  graphics  ,  themes  ,  even school  projects  !  i  had  gone  through  and  created  5  pages  worth  of  themed  elements  all  free  for  canva  users  and  non  users  alike  .

please  give  this  post  a  reblog and a  like  and  take  care  of  urself  !  keep  hydrated  and  pet  a  cute  animal  today  !

∘ ｡⟣ specs .

u  can  either  use  the  design  tool  in  canva  to  make  ur  designs  or  download  each  element  individually  to  use  with  photoshop  or  the  design  software  of  ur  liking  .

to  download  elements  individually  ,  copy  and  paste  the  element  u  are  using  into  a  blank  canva  page  or  document   (  it  is  easier  to  just  click  add  page  at  the  bottom  and  paste  the  element  there  )  and  download  it  as  a  .png  with  transparent  background  .  make  sure  u  download  the  correct  page  if  downloading  elements  within  the  current  canva  document  .

stuck  on  how  to  download  elements  ?  let  me  know  and  i'll  be  more  than  happy  to  help  out  however  i  can  .

∘ ｡⟣   to  get  access  to  this  collection  of  elements  ,  become  a  patreon  today  by  clicking  the  source  link  ! 

[thesims3help]

Error Codes 12 and 16.

Error Codes can happen when the save file is too big, or the device system has unavailable resources to continue the gameplay. Below we're sharing a few tips to help prevent these Error Codes.

Turn off unnecessary programs through Task Manager. Extra programs eat up the memory the game needs to run.

In-game, always make sure to use Save As, instead of just Save or Save and Quit. Saver is a handy mod that pops up every 30 minutes by default, reminding you to save under a new name. Make sure to save from Map View.

Keep very few files in your Saves folder. Our suggestion is to keep only one or two needed ones.

Regul Save Cleaner to clean up your save files.

Reduce the graphic options in-game.

Reduce gaming time - play for up to two hours. Fully close the game. Remove unnecessary items (generated cache files and Save files except the last one made). Start your game again. This should prevent issues like memory leak.

For Error Code 16, make sure to get Porter to pack up your family, their house and move to a new town for a fresh start.

Notes by SimsPlayer:

–Here's a few more tips to consider: –Check Online Storage: Uninstall, disable or pause syncing with any services you normally use, such as OneDrive, Google Drive or otherwise. These services move your game files from \Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3 to where your game can't see them anymore. And can cause issues like what you've shown. –Before doing anything with OneDrive or GoogleDrive, if you have Sims 3 files there, copy them back to the C:\Users\Username\Documents\Electronic Arts folder. Then turn off, disable or uninstall the service. This way the game will be able to access your Sims 3 files again and won't move them. –Turn off, disable, or uninstall OneDrive: (https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/turn-off-disable-or-uninstall-onedrive-f32a17ce-3336-40fe-9c38-6efb09f944b0) –Ensure Antivirus or security software is not blocking the game/EA App. Add an exclusion to Windows Security: (https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/add-an-exclusion-to-windows-security-811816c0-4dfd-af4a-47e4-c301afe13b26) –Delete the files out of the CurrentGame.sims3 folder. (\Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3\CurrentGame.sims3) if there are any. If files are left in this folder after a crash it will cause continued loading/saving issues. –Move most of your Save-games out of the Saves folder. (Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3\Saves) Either delete them, or move them onto a folder on your desktop or usb key. Reason being having too many save-games in your Saves folder can cause saving issues.

Useful posts and information to consider:

The Most Reliable Guide to Resolving Your Error Code 12 Woes : Sims3 (reddit.com)

"A serious error has occurred while loading [world]" error, now doing the same thing with saves : Sims3 (reddit.com)

How to get rid of Error Code 12? : Sims3 (reddit.com)

Save Errors 12 and 16 - The Sims 3 Guide - IGN

FetusTheEngineer comments on Game froze but animations such as music and plumbob continued. (reddit.com)

FetusTheEngineer comments on Error code 12 Problem (reddit.com)

FetusTheEngineer comments on Sims 3 apaloosa plains lags worse than isla paradiso? (reddit.com)

Does anyone know how to solve error 16? : Sims3 (reddit.com)

Steam Community :: Guide :: How to Overcome Error Code 12

[techbyrish]

Which SBCs are best for your DIY projects

In the world of DIY electronics and embedded system projects, single-board computers (SBCs) reign supreme. Among the top contenders, the Raspberry Pi and the Libre Computer Board stand tall, each offering a unique set of features and capabilities. In this blog, we embark on a technical journey to compare these two titans, helping you make the perfect choice for your next DIY endeavour.

1. Efficiency: Raspberry Pi and Libre Computer Boards Go Head to Head

The Raspberry Pi boasts a reputation for dependability and robust performance, thanks to its Broadcom CPU. With models ranging from quad-core ARM Cortex-A53 to quad-core Cortex-A72, it's a versatile choice for a wide spectrum of applications. The Raspberry Pi 4, in particular, shines with its powerful CPU and GPU performance.

Libre Computer Boards, on the other hand, come in various models and CPU architectures, including ARM Cortex-A53 and Cortex-A72. These boards offer competitive performance and often provide more RAM options than their Raspberry Pi counterparts.

2. Capabilities of the GPU: Graphics Galore

Raspberry Pi models are equipped with Broadcom VideoCore GPUs, optimized for multimedia applications, making them perfect for video playback, gaming, and graphics-rich projects.

Libre Computer Boards offer ARM Mali GPUs in some models, delivering excellent graphics performance. What's more, certain models support GPU acceleration for machine learning tasks, making them a top choice for AI and computer vision projects.

3. Interconnectivity: Ports, Pins, and More

Raspberry Pi boards come well-connected, featuring multiple USB ports, Ethernet, HDMI, and GPIO pins. The Raspberry Pi 4 even boasts a USB-C port for charging and supports dual-monitor setups via micro HDMI ports.

Libre Computer Boards offer a similar array of connectivity options, including USB 3.0 ports, Gigabit Ethernet, and HDMI. Some models, like the Tritium H5, sweeten the deal with eMMC storage for faster data access.

4. Operating System Compatibility: The Heart of the Machine

Raspberry Pi shines with its extensive community support and an extensive library of compatible software. Raspbian (now Raspberry Pi OS) is a highly optimized Linux distribution tailored specifically for Raspberry Pi devices, offering user-friendliness ideal for beginners.

Libre Computer Boards, while capable of running various Linux-based operating systems, may have more limited community support compared to the Raspberry Pi.

5. Price Wars: Budgeting for Brilliance

Raspberry Pi remains an unbeatable value, offering affordable options like the Raspberry Pi Zero and the Raspberry Pi 3A+. Even the higher-end Raspberry Pi 4 remains budget-friendly.

Libre Computer Boards, while slightly pricier than their Raspberry Pi counterparts, often pack additional features and better hardware specs, making them a compelling choice for enthusiasts.

6. The Ecosystem and the Community: Strength in Numbers

The Raspberry Pi boasts a vast and active community, resulting in an abundance of documentation, tutorials, and third-party accessories. This makes it an excellent starting point, especially for newcomers.

While the Libre Computer Boards community is growing steadily, it may not rival the sheer size of the Raspberry Pi community. However, if you're experienced with SBCs, this might not be a deal-breaker.

7. Unique Features: Tailored to Your Needs

Raspberry Pi stands out with specialized add-ons like the Raspberry Pi Camera Module for photography and video projects and the Raspberry Pi Pico for microcontroller applications.

Some Libre Computer Boards bring unique features to the table, such as the ROC-RK3328-CC with PCIe support, allowing you to integrate custom hardware components seamlessly.

Conclusion: Finding Your Perfect SBC Match

Choosing between a Raspberry Pi and a Libre Computer Board hinges on your project requirements and your familiarity with single-board computers.

For beginners and those seeking a vast ecosystem, the Raspberry Pi is a fantastic choice. However, if you require more power and flexibility, Libre Computer Boards won't disappoint.

Consider factors like performance, GPU capabilities, connectivity, OS support, price, and community support when making your decision. Ultimately, both SBCs offer advantages and trade-offs, and your choice will depend on your project goals and expertise.

So, whether you're a Raspberry Pi enthusiast or a Libre Computer Board aficionado, the world of DIY electronics is at your fingertips. Happy tinkering!

Stay tuned for more exciting tech insights and DIY projects! Don't forget to follow us for updates and join our vibrant tech community.