#hi mod not sure if you saw my post but this whole storyline makes me a little uncomfy so please be gentle with me

[fukuzawa-armeddaddyagency]

[Ring ring ring!~ Incoming video call]

Hello?

[wethepixies]

Welcome to the third and final part of our staff interview series! This set of interviews focus on some of our most social staff members - our Discord moderators and our social media team. Once again, these pixies had a lot to say, so we’re tucking all of it under the “Keep reading” link!

WTP’s Discord server is the main place for the community to come together - in fact, we just passed 6,000 members! It’s extremely important to keep the server as safe and friendly as possible, and that’s where our beloved moderators come through. Without them, we wouldn’t have the loving WTP community!

Our moderators are Lila Almondpetal, Gloria Flutterflower, Daphne Moonflower, Anastasia Foxheart, Rose Morningmist, and Kassie.

What are some of your favorite memories about the original Pixie Hollow? And what are some things that you’re excited to see again in WTP?

Daphne: If I had to choose only one favorite thing then it would be shopping in Pixie Hollow especially those GORGEOUS gowns from the Queen's Boutique. It was the luxury store of Pixie Hollow, and the gowns they had were on a whole different level. I used to play Pixie Hollow every day as a kid and I even convinced my dad to get me the annual membership. I was able to make a lot of friends from different parts of the world because of the game. My best memories of the game are of Camp Pixie Dust! As for what I’m excited to see in WTP, I am exhilarated about the Tearoom and Animal Derby coming back since those were the only places you could play with other players. They were always packed with other fairies and sparrowmen and I used to hang out in those two places the most.

In her interview, Daphne sent us some pictures of two of her favorite things in Pixie Hollow - a couple of screenshots of Camp Pixie Dust and her favorite gown from the Queen’s Boutique.

Anastasia: Honestly? As a kid, I spent most of my time attending the parties. The minigames there were always so addicting! Gameplay wise, I loved baking and tailoring! I wasn't as invested in it as other Disney MMOs because I never was able to get a Pixie Hollow Membership, but I still loved to play it! It influenced my decision to play the DS games, as well as the Fashion Boutique mobile game! I will say that my love of the original Pixie Hollow has benefited my life in many ways as without it, I wouldn't have so many memories with friends I've made along the way. Also, I would've never found WTP! I think one of my best memories from Pixie Hollow has to be from the one party where I won almost all of the party games. I was pretty young when I was really into Pixie Hollow, so although it's a bit silly, I just remember feeling super proud and feeling like the queen of the party, haha! As a kid, I never really appreciated the quests (although I did do them), so I am excited for those to come back & relive that experience. However, since WTP will not have a paywall for any of the experiences from the original Pixie Hollow, I am incredibly excited to explore The Wilderness for the first time!

Lila: My favorite part of the original game was honestly how open and free it was! There was always so much to do in the game, but I never felt pressured to do any of it if I didn't want to. I could go crazy one day playing games and doing quests, and then I could spend the next day flying around, just admiring the scenery and doing absolutely nothing in terms of progress. There were no obligations at all - I think that's why I remember the game so well. I was also really invested in it - I actually kept a journal about what I did in the game, can you believe it? I would say it's made my life better in a couple of ways - when the game was still open, it was a fantastic stress reliever, and even now I love thinking about it (plus, it led me to WTP!). As for my favorite memory… well, there are so many! I'd have to say my favorite was the time a Sparrow Man and I flirted in the Tearoom using nothing but those preset Speedchat phrases. I don't know who started it, but I'm pretty sure we were both non-members at the time - maybe we were drawn together by those Arrival Day outfits. We ended up drawing a crowd; I remember seeing a lot of clapping emojis and hearts. It was insane! Sadly, we forgot to add each other as friends, so we never saw each other again. I just got out my old journal to check if I wrote down his name - and I apparently did! Figfig, my guy, if you’re out there, I was either Twilight Olivemist or Karina Lightningflame at the time. As for what I’m excited for, I'm super excited for all of the meadows to come back! I loved just flying around and seeing all of the gorgeous artwork. And multiplayer, of course - Pixie Hollow was such a social game. I loved those little things like sitting on a branch and chatting.

Gloria: My favorite part of the original game was definitely the community aspect! I made a lot of friends in Pixie Hollow that were really special to me. It was so much fun to play games and throw parties with other pixies in the Hollow! I played the original game from January 2009 to its closing in 2013. I was really invested in the game and played very often! It definitely helped me embrace my inner child and hold onto magic longer than a lot of my peers, something I am grateful for. One great memory I have of the game was the events. I specifically loved the Silly Days Event, which allowed users to access the Mermaid Grotto. And Camp Pixie Dust, of course! For WTP, I am super excited for questing! It was a really unique experience every time and led to neat storylines which allowed players to unlock some cool items. I really liked the added structure of quests in game.

Rose: I was mildly obsessed with Pixie Hollow for a good majority of my childhood. I was picked on quite a bit when I was younger, so Pixie Hollow became this sort of safe haven for me, where I could express myself without fear of judgement. I spent a lot of my time roleplaying with online friends, pretending to be waitresses in the Tearoom, or secret agents fighting crime and protecting the Hollow – it was a lot of fun. Some of my first ever story ideas came from some of those roleplays, which lead to me starting a blog and later pursuing a career as an author, so I actually owe a lot to the game and the friends I made there. My favorite thing was probably decorating my home – I loved creating different settings with all the furniture I had, from cafés to ice palaces. It was a lot of fun. I'm super excited for multiplayer – I’ve made so many friends through the PBC (Pixie Blogging Community) and WTP, so I can’t wait for when we can hang out in-game.

Kassie: I played Pixie Hollow starting in late 2008 until it closed! Every day after school I would grab my snack and head to the computer to play for at LEAST an hour. Narrowing down my favorite part of the game is so hard!! But if I had to choose I would say getting creative with outfits and color combos! I loved going to fashion contests and seeing other people's creations- that's actually how I met a lot of my friends. I think Pixie Hollow benefited me as a way to escape from the stresses of the real world. Middle school and early high school were difficult seasons for me and it was nice to venture into a mystical land where I felt people truly cared for me. One of my favorite memories was when I met my friend Strawberry. We were mutual friends with someone and we both went to her house at the same time. However, our friend was asleep (remember the lil z's?) and so we started talking and suddenly we became the best of friends! Over 10 years later we are still friends and catch up with each other once in a while. We don't live far from each other so we hope to meet each other someday! Honestly, I’m most excited to have house decorating in WTP! I remember people would spend HOURS decorating their homes and doing the coolest designs- I always concentrated more on fashion so I'd love the chance to redeem myself and design an awesome home!

How did you first find out about the WTP project and what inspired you to start working as a moderator?

Kassie: A lot of my close friends started up the project and eventually invited me to be a part of it as a moderator! In our friend group I tended to be the one to mediate conversations, so I think it was a no-brainer to ask me to moderate.

Daphne: When I got to know about Club Penguin rewrites, I thought there might be a rewrite for Pixie Hollow as well and I stumbled upon a YouTube video which mentioned WTP. I really wanted to help out with the project in any way I could so that really motivated me to become a moderator.

Anastasia: I actually found out about the WTP project through Teresa, on another Pixie Hollow site where she first posted the Bubble Bounce demo! She even DM'd me about potentially helping out as an artist, which I've always wanted to do! However, due to my schedule being a bit too busy to consistently help out with game art, I never felt like I could apply. However, I've always tried to help out in other ways, such as when I was an Event Manager & hosted movie nights! When it was decided that movie nights were going to take a hiatus, I really wanted to continue helping out in the community, and thus, I became a mod!

Lila: I first found out about We The Pixies when I joined a Club Penguin rewrite. I hadn't thought about Pixie Hollow in years, but then I wondered if someone else had rewritten Pixie Hollow, so I looked it up and found WTP! As for joining the moderation team, I'd been pretty active on the server when the application opened up, and I really loved the community. I figured I'd give it a shot - worst they could say was no, right? Well, I ended up getting the role! It’s been a really great job ever since.

Gloria: I found out about We the Pixies while doing some Google searches and checking out the Pixie Hollow community this year. I definitely jumped at the opportunity to apply to be a moderator because I have so much passion for the project and wanted to help out and connect with others who also had interest. 

Rose: I found WTP through Phoebe Bumbleflip’s blog – she published a post promoting the remake and the Discord back in October last year. I don’t have any skills that can really help with the recreation of the game itself, but I wanted to contribute in any way I could, which is what inspired me become a moderator.

(Phoebe is a member of the WTP Hype Squad, you can find her blog here!)

The WTP community is mostly positive, but have you ever had instances where you felt like server members weren't being the nicest? If so, how do you deal with it?

Anastasia: Since I'm new to the staff team, I've only ever come across a handful of issues involving the members, and most of them resolve with ease. Typically, directing people to the rules and giving them a warning is enough.

Lila: With so many people in the server, it's not unusual to see something that isn't so friendly - usually, if an argument starts up in the chat, reminding people of the rules or starting a new conversation fixes things. If things are really bad, I might talk to someone individually and ask them nicely to be, well, nicer.

Gloria: In my time on the staff so far, we have had a couple trolls and people who haven't complied with the rules, and in that situation, we generally like to calmly message the person and ask them to comply with the server rules. In my experience thus far, this usually sorts out the problem. However, if the issue persists, the moderation team would consult each other and figure out how to deal with it further based on the severity of the behavior.

Rose: They’re very rare, but we have had to deal with some disputes with upset or angry members. Usually us moderators will talk and discuss the issue and then decide the best course of action together.

Kassie: There's always going to be someone unkind who comes across the server every now and then. I think the best way to handle it is to tell them what rule they're breaking and WHY it's important that they adhere to the rule. Ultimately, our rules are about respecting everyone in the community. If we can help them empathize and understand respect I think that's making strides not only in the WTP community but hopefully in EVERY community that individual is a part of.

We've had a few events in the WTP community, how does creating one come about and how do you plan it?

Anastasia: Excellent question! As a former Event Manager, I'm the right Pixie to ask!

It all starts with the approval of administration. Once the admins approve of it (and other staff have no issues with it), you can go forward and begin scheduling a time. We typically don't do events without having a proper schedule or time frame. We also try to accommodate other time zones as best as we can, since we know that WTP has Pixies from across the globe! Then, you need to designate certain responsibilities to people. This was the purpose of the Event Managers, since we were in charge of hosting Movie/Game Night. I have a lot of good memories hosting movie nights with Alchemist (Lavender) and Asteria! With other events, staff members are chosen to have either a leading role or a helping hand in making sure the event goes smoothly. Even if they aren't in charge, it is important to note that all events typically require staff supervision. Now, planning it typically involves a discussion among the staff (and any other WTP players that may be involved in helping out). We usually try to make sure that the community voice is heard, and that they can get involved! Our main goal is always to bring everyone together while having fun, and that is the foundation of all our events.

Daphne: The Hype Squad is the creative mind behind all the events we have. Since we can not have in-game events (which we definitely will once the game is fully developed), the Hype Squad tries to come up with flitterific events to keep us in the pixie hollow spirit while we wait. Our former team of event managers was behind the shorter events such as the numerous game nights and movie nights.

Lila: Starting an event is absolutely a team effort - no matter where or who the idea comes from, we like to talk about it for a while first. For example, I had the idea for Meadow Madness one night out of the blue, and I made sure to run it by the staff and Hype Squad before I started anything up. It ended up being a huge success - we had an average of 200 respondents per round, which was pretty neat for something I came up with in ten minutes.

Rose: There’s quite a bit of planning that goes on behind the scenes for events – a lot of events are actually planned by the Hype Squad (which I am a part of) or our social media team. An idea will be presented by a team member, and then we’ll all discuss it – what our thoughts are on the suggestion, and how we’d go about holding it if it were to become an actual event. If everyone on the team agrees and the staff are okay with it, we’ll then start deciding dates for the event and preparing things like banners and announcement posts. Sometimes we’ll also have one of our members act as coordinator too, to make sure everything is running smoothly during the event itself.

Kassie: I'm personally not one of the head honchos who puts events together, but it comes down to listening to a bunch of ideas and trying to figure out which one best fits the needs and desires of the community!

How do you fit working on WTP into your schedule?

Daphne: I finished high school in April and I can't really start college until quarantine is over, so I pretty much don't have anything to do at home right now so it's easy for me to make time for WTP.

Anastasia: I try my best to moderate whenever I can- usually in my spare time. We get a lot of newcomers each day, so there always seems to be someone who needs help getting verified, or a Pixie who needs some other sort of assistance. That's the thing about having such a large community: we always seem to have some moderating to do!

Lila: I actually have the apps I need for moderation (and social media work) on my phone - now that I'm not in school for the summer, I'm traveling a lot, so I don't sit down and use my laptop very often. I think I use Discord on my phone more than my laptop, actually. Using mobile lets me check the server whenever I have a spare moment, so I can keep up with things wherever I go.

Gloria: I have a really flexible schedule in general as school and life goes, so I am able to make time to moderate and spend a lot of time online.

Rose: Mostly by multitasking – I’m almost always online, even if I’m doing other things, so it’s not too tricky to keep an eye on the server throughout the day.

Kassie: It's hard sometimes, but the easiest way for me to stay connected is to keep my notifications on when I'm not busy with the mandatory things in life like my job, planning my wedding, and investing in relationships outside of the community. Giving myself the chance to walk away here and there leaves me refreshed for the next time I log on!

Two of our moderators, Kassie and Lila, also serve on our social media team, so we asked them a special question:

How do you use social media to grow the community?

Lila: Social media is a great place to post about game updates and community events. I've found that few posts get people more excited than posts about new game features. Update posts also let people know that, yes, we are still up and running! Sometimes people think we've shut down already, and social media helps us keep the project alive.

Kassie: Social Media is all about messages. I think what attracts people to join a community is to send a message they resonate with! In WTP's case, nostalgia plays a huge part in growing our community- we are trying to attract people who are excited about something they wish they had again.

One final question for all of our moderators: what’s your favorite part of your job, and is there a way it’s benefited you?

Daphne:  Definitely talking and getting to know so many people from across the globe. I'm always down for making new friends! For me, the most impact moderating for WTP has had is on my people skills. As a moderator, you have to ensure that everyone is following the rules and sometimes people need convincing to follow a rule. It also involves solving any issues related to the game/Discord server and communicating with the members in general, which really develops your people skills.

Anastasia: Honestly, my favorite part of being a mod is being able to interact with the other staff members. They're a really lovely and creative group of people, and it's fun bouncing ideas off of each other and figuring out what's best for everyone in this community! I wouldn't quit WTP for the world! Working for WTP has benefited me a lot as so far, it's helped me work on the ways I can help organize a community. Also, it is helping me work on my time management skills, as well as my ability to work in a team.

Lila: I think my favorite part of my job is, as corny as it sounds, watching this community grow! When I joined, we had maybe 500 users in the server, and we're well over 6000 now. I never thought that so many people would remember the game, but they do. It's remarkable, really. Working for WTP is probably the best volunteer position I've ever taken up. Moderating has really helped me learn how to think things through and get help when I need it. Working on social media has also been great for my writing and graphic design skills - I've got to say that I've gotten pretty good at color combinations!

Gloria: My favorite part of moderating is helping people in the player server and sparking interest and discussion among users. It's so much fun to reminisce about the hollow with other fans. Though I haven't been on the team for a very long time, it has already been lots of fun and I have really enjoyed connecting with the community even more and getting others interested in the revival project. And the other staff members are very cool people that are really rad to work with.

Rose: My favorite part of my job is welcoming new people to the server! Being a moderator has definitely helped with my problem-solving skills – working out ways to handle situations on the server.

Kassie: Being friends with the staff is my favorite part. It is always a joy to log on to laugh and learn with friends. I wouldn't trade it for anything. Asteria and I have created a pretty strong friendship (hopefully she agrees, haha). We've known each other for about 4 years now. She makes me laugh out loud and we've been there for each other in our victories and failures. Her friendship is one I deeply cherish and I hope we get to meet sometime in the future! I care a lot about connection, community, and friendship, so for me, being a part of this team is a way for me to foster those things and be a part of it! I think I've benefited from WTP by learning how to guide hard conversations and disagreements in a respectful manner. Many people think moderators just manage the community, but a huge part of our job is to aid staff in having constructive conversations. There are definitely ruffled wings here and there, but we always get through and I've really grown through those processes!

__________________

Thank you all so much for sticking with us during our interview series! We had a lot of fun answering your questions, and we hope you had a flaptastic time reading them.

[chaniters]

Marshal Hood

A short featuring Marshal Hood. I couldn’t build a personality for him until Kruk showed me concepts she was working with and one of them made it all click.

Hood shows Ortega around the Ranger’s HQ for the first time, this happens while he’s still got some surgeries pending as the last of his mods are being installed. 

“And this is our training area. I’ve set things up with our team, they’ll make sure you can have the rest of your rehab here”

“It’s… huge…” he said. He was impressed. Of course, It was the fricken Taj Mahal of gyms.

“Do you guys… really use all of this?” he asked nervously.

Hood snorted. “I’m going, to be honest… I don’t think I’ve ever used more than one-third of the devices in there. Wouldn’t even know how to turn them on. The whole place’s more than five times the space we need”

“Really? Then… why did they build this?“ he asked confused

“It looks spectacular in our promos. And each company gives the city royalties for displaying their newest treadmill in our gym.”

“Oh. Promos” he repeated without much enthusiasm. They had already been doing a few featuring him. Building hype. As if he was a product ready for shipping.

“Hey, it’s not all bad. You’ll get used to it, you just have to find your right angle” Hood said doing a camera gesture with his hands. “Mind if I smoke?”

“No, it’s ok,” Ricardo said looking at his watch. Again. “I’m sure my dad’s going to pick me up soon”

“Of course he will” he repeated. He was having some doubts though. It was one hour late already. Not that he minded, he loved showcasing the HQ. And there was always something new he didn’t even know. And the kid was already growing on him.

So they toured, over the common areas, the medical floor, the equipment storages… they went over it all. Not once did Ricardo let him help with his wheelchair.

Time went by until it became really obvious no one was coming to look for him.

“Can I use the phone? Something must have happened”

“Sure,” Hood said putting out his cigar.

A few words… and then listening… and nodding. He could see it in his eyes. Disappointment.

“Uh... I guess my dad can’t make it… he got a call…” he said “I can just take a taxi… Thank you for showing me the whole place!”

Hood crossed his arms and looked at him. “It’s late… Is there someone home to receive you?”

“Well no… mom’s not in town right now. But I’ll be fine. I’ll just call for a taxi right now” he said. He was smiling, trying to make him eat the obvious lie. He had only met his father for a few minutes, but he had struck him like the kind to do something like this. So the kid would have daddy issues, just like he thought.

“But it’s raining”

“I’ll be fine, seriously. I can take care of myself. Not my first day on a wheelchair” he smiled trying to look confident. That was a seriously good trait to have for a new hero, yeah the kid was alright.

“You know what…? No” he said taking the phone from him.

“What?”

“You’re not going anywhere. You’re already authorized to be here and your background check is done. You can just stay the night.”

“But…”

“Look... Your surgery was just a few days ago, there is no way, and let me be clear NO WAY I’m sending you on a taxi all by yourself when there’s nobody home to get you and it’s raining outside. If you really want to go home right now I’ll just have to just drive you home myself. So what will it be?”

“That’s really not necessary…  

“Don’t you want to see your quarter? You already saw how big the gym is…”

That did it. He complained a few more times out of pride more than anything else, but he relented soon enough.

And of course, he went nuts when he saw his quarter… That was bound to happen. Let him enjoy the good parts of the job while he can… something told Hood the kid had already seen more of the bad than most.

“I’ll call your dad later, and if he can’t get here, I’ll drive you home in the morning. That is unless you want to stay. Could get you started with rehab right here”

“I.. uh…”

“Tell me in the morning!” Hood said closing the door.

An alarm went off as he walked the hallways. He rushed to the situation room…

“What do we have?”

“New villain crew… using advanced energy weapons. They’re trying to kidnap a group of Mexican investors” Laura replied lifting her gaze from the screen.

“Well, I’m going... Who else is available?”

“Sentinel will be in the area momentarily. He’s flying there already”

“Sentinel? This will be fun… he’s always stronger when there’s a storm going” he smiled putting on a jacket from the hanger.

He headed outside where the team waited to drive him to the area.

“New jacket?” Shiro, the driver asked him.

“What? No... it’s just my usual…” he took a second look at himself. “Oh shoot… I took the new guy’s jacket.”

“Well It’s the same one he used in the promo, isn’t it?”

“Yeah… I guess this can help build hype for him If I wear it?”

“If you say so… sure why not... whatever” he could see his smile on the mirror

“Fuck you, Shiro. Seriously, do I take it off, or not?”

“How the hell would I know? I’m just paid to drive!” the driver laughed.

“Hmr… you’re no help at all! And now I need a smoke”

“Those things are going to kill you”

“What, you didn’t get the memo?” he grinned. “I’m going to live forever!” he said lighting another cigarette as they rushed through the drenched streets.

——————-

My Fanfics: https://chaniters.tumblr.com/post/181692759294/my-fanfiction-for-fallen-hero

DISCLAIMER: This is a work of fan fiction using characters and the setting of the Fallen Hero: Rebirth and upcoming Fallen Hero: Retribution games written by Malin Riden. I do not claim ownership of any characters from the Fallen Hero wold. These stories are a work of my imagination, and I do not ascribe them to the official story canon. These works are intended for entertainment outside the official storyline owned by the author. I am not profiting financially from the creation of these stories, and thank the author for her wonderful game/s, without which these works would not exist.

[dramallamadingdang]

Now that I’ve dumped stuff in the queue, time for...

REPLIES! :D

For @kayleigh-83, @jellybeanery, @clericalrodent, @acquiresimoleons, @dunne-ias. @sim-boo, @didilysims, @twofingerswhiskey, @penig, @nanashi-sims, @eulaliasims, @zoragraves, @taylors-simblr, annnnnnd @nerianasims...

kayleigh-83 replied to your photo “Steven’s grave got struck by lightning, so he popped out for a daytime...”

What the frick, I have catching up to do! I didn't know Steven died. :(

He did. Came home with a cold one day, went to work the next, and died on the sidewalk when he came home. So sad. Ah, RealSickness... Usually, I like it to hit later, when I’ve got a larger population that’s actually in need of culling. I’m just glad it didn’t kill the whole household, like it sometimes does, because otherwise there’d only be Sharon and Gwen’s daughter Amelia to spawn the third born-in-game generation...

kayleigh-83 replied to your photoset “Up-Front Confession: I am knowingly breaking the creator’s terms of...”

I'm absolutely DYING over their grinning faces in the last picture HAHAHAH

It’s a thing of beauty, isn’t it? :D Although I don’t know why Cyd’s grinning, since he’s got Julien’s face impaling his abdomen. That just can’t be comfortable...

jellybeanery replied to your post “jellybeanery: @dramallamadingdang Do you still have the high-res...”

CuriousB's desert terrain works for me, so I don't think it's the chipset.

Hmmm...Well, I had a look at the uploaded file, and it appears to be the right one. :\ I have no idea what’s going on. Give me a day or two and I’ll make a new file and maybe also make a high-res one, and then you can see if one or the other will work...

clericalrodent replied to your post “Civilization V”

Thought I'd ask - would you like some tips that aren't in the in-game tutorial? Nothing absolutely necessary, but might make your life a bit easier.

Sure! I still haven’t installed the game, but I probably will this weekend since we have no plans and it’s too darn hot around here to do much of anything outside. Maybe send me an ask or whatever with tips?

acquiresimoleons replied to your photoset “Up-Front Confession: I am knowingly breaking the creator’s terms of...”

Omg. This is awesome, thank you, my sci fi hood is gonna get a swingers club now ����

Well, it’s certainly a perfect object for that! :) There’ll be other stuff you’ll probably be interested in for such a club, too. I just need the time to make it...

dunne-ias replied to your photoset “Up-Front Confession: I am knowingly breaking the creator’s terms of...”

I both want this and also would be scared about what would happen if I put this on a commercial lot in my story hood. I have the original, but honestly I think I only used it once, in a Bacc household full of romance sims because I had a rule against TV and well, what else would they do on their days off?

HAH! Sex is better than TV by a mile, so... :) Anyway, the advertising on the thing is set so that if you use this on a community lot Sims don’t get overly obsessed with it so long as there are other fun things of equally-strong advertising around. That’s how I wanted it to be because it’s basically going to be an avenue for Sims to meet people in this wacko neighborhood, but I do want them to do other things when they’re on the lot where this will be, too. 

But yeah, I suppose it has the potential to screw up stories. But it also might give you ideas, too. If you keep the characters for whom you have planned storylines away, others in the population might do interesting things to spark some ideas.

sim-boo replied to your photoset “Will took his boatload of scholarships and headed off to join boring...”

Lol personally id consider it a blessing to not be related to goopy gilscarbo ;)

Heathen! Nah, I kid. I know he’s an acquired taste. You have to like Romance Sims, and a lot of players seem to not like Romance Sims. You also have to like Sims who aren’t conventionally beautiful. I like Romance Sims (They’re my faves, actually), and I like “ugly” but not deformed-looking Sims. So he’s totally win-win for me! :) I do change his outfit, though, because that pixel-man has very questionable fashion sense. :)

I also like Ben Long a lot, but he’s a Knowledge Sim and I find them rather boring in general, so when I play him, I have to do terrible things to him to make him interesting. :)

didilysims replied to your post “Civilization V”

Never tried it myself, though from what little I've seen, it looks like something I could get interested in. All friends who have played it said Civ IV was better though. :P

I still haven’t installed it because there’s stuff for TS2 that I want to get done, and I know I’ll get distracted. But I’m really looking forward to trying it out. And as for the version...Well, Civ V is what was there at the shop. :) And for $5, even if I ultimately don’t like it it’s not like I’m really out much.

didilysims replied to your photo “I just noticed that the binoculars that Sims use to birdwatch have red...”

They always looked like nebulae to me. I figured they were really powerful lenses.

SO POWERFUL THEY REFLECT THE LIGHT OF THE ORION NEBULA!! Yeah, that should be the advertising slogan on those puppies. :)

twofingerswhiskey replied to your post “jellybeanery: @dramallamadingdang Do you still have the high-res...”

could be they have graphics chipsets that are defaulting to the maxis terrain due to inability to store it effectively in the graphics memory?

Apparently not in Jellybeanery’s case. :\ I’m still at a loss. If you’ve got any ideas about what else it might be, I’m all ears. Or eyes, as the case may be. :)

penig replied to your photo “I just noticed that the binoculars that Sims use to birdwatch have red...”

I think it's the light glaring off the lenses.

The light from the red district? :) No, you’re probably right, but...Geez, what color is the sun supposed to be in SimWorld? :)

nanashi-sims replied to your post “@bunsblr asked for a tutorial about how to do this a while back and I...”

Wow this is fabulous! So many objects that need to be recloned, but so worth it!

Yeah, there’s a lot of Maxis stuff that’s used outdoors that ought to be neighborhood-visible but isn’t. Especially when it comes to outdoor-type seating. And I don’t think the telescopes are neighborhood-visible, either, now that I think about it. Once you get used to doing it, though, it goes quickly.

eulaliasims replied to your photo “Steven came home from work the next day and….Oh, dear. Well. That’s...”

Steven! No! D:

I KNOW! I was bummed. Frankly, I could stand to lose Arcadia, but I was hoping Steven would spawn some more, if nothing else. I need more population that “counts,” and he had that convenient Family aspiration... 

sim-boo replied to your photoset “Arcadia and Aaron, as the only two non-infant people in the household...”

usually they cry for sims they have memories of. like if the dead sim taught them to walk/talk, i've seen before that they cry sometimes even if theres no blood relation.

I’ve never seen that happen in my game. In this case, I know Steven taught Will to talk, at least. But, no mourning from him. Now I’m wondering if I’ve got a mod that’s interfering. Hmmm.....

didilysims replied to your post “Aww you almost had the Aristocats in your game <3”

A lot of Disney is overrated. Emperor's New Groove? Seriously underrated. But I got The Aristocats for my birthday as a kid and watched it probably 100 times at least, so it's near and dear to my heart.

I really don’t know why I never saw The Aristocats. I mean, I was a kid when it was made and all, but I only ever saw the older Disney movies from the 40s or so. (Fantasia is another favorite.) I saw the later Disney movies from the 90s and 2000s because I had kids then, so we saw them in the theater, and I got them when they came out on video, and they watched them ad nauseum. (And The Lion King is one of Ethan’s favorite movies; it resonates with him because he lost his dad at an age when he really needed one. So, we watch that one a lot and I bristle because of all the hyena maligning.) But I don’t think I’ve seen any Disney movie from the 70s in its entirety,

Now as for Emperor’s New Groove: I will argue (and HAVE argued) that it’s the best buddy movie ever made. Kronk and Eartha Kitt’s scenery-chewing (She did it SO well, always did) is just bonus. 

zoragraves replied to your post “So, um....”

Now I want to know what those objects are, at the very least :D

Ohhhhh, you probably really don’t. *laugh*

taylors-simblr replied to your post “@bunsblr asked for a tutorial about how to do this a while back and I...”

Thank you so much for this, I might give it a go tonight! I surrounded my campsite with nengi's bigger bourgainvillas and it's been driving me crazy that they are invisible from any other lot ^__^

Good luck with it! I thought those bougainvilleas were already neighborhood-visible, though...Or maybe I made them so. I don’t remember... Anyway, let me know if you have any trouble!

nerianasims replied to your post “re. StarTrek Multi-PT: I'm pretty sure I remember someone creating the...”

What is this Enterprise show you mention? I am sure it does not exist.

I dunno, I heard a rumor about it. Something about a prequel sort of thing, only done way after the other shows were produced. Seems like kind of a dumb idea... 

(Seriously, I really wanted to like Enterprise. I really, really like Scott Bakula. Quantum Leap is one of my favorite shows. And while I enjoyed a few of the episodes, the writers just didn’t seem to know what to do with any of the characters, especially the poor helmsman dude, which is sad because he was a very pretty black man. I mean, I don’t even remember his name... And of course they had to sex up the female Vulcan. *sigh* They get points for destroying Florida, though. No, I’m kidding. Well, sort of...)

[g33khq]

New Post has been published on G33k-HQ

New Post has been published on http://www.g33k-hq.com/culture/artist-spotlight-sara-woolley/

Artist Spotlight: Sara Woolley

BODYMOD: Are you woman enough to survive Bitch Planet?

Imagine a world where women are subject to punishment for being “non-compliant” and sent away to prison, literally on another planet! That is the premise of the smash hit Sci-fi series “Bitch Planet.” In this dystopian universe, when women are seen as being defiant and resistant they are sent to The Auxiliary Compliance Outpost, aka “Bitch Planet.”

  Bitch Planet

I recently started reading the Image Comics series (Bitch Planet by Kelly Sue DeConnick & Valentine De Landro) after first being introduced to Triple Feature issue #4 (contains 3 short stories in one book!) The short stories coexist in the Bitch Planet universe and you can read them without reading the bitch planet series and vice versa. However, it captivated my attention so I am now reading the initial BP series! Check them out Here: 

I’m going to focus on one of the mini stories from Triple Feature Issue #4: Body Mod written and illustrated by the super talented Sarah Woolley.

This original story is a perfect demonstration of an extreme sci-fi extension of today’s society.

Body Mod: Written and illustrated by: Sara Woolley

Triple Feature #4

Bitch Planet Triple Feature #4

RATED M

BodyMod is a sci-fi world where plastic surgery is a norm and done to the max. So extreme that there is literally a Build a Babe! Can you imagine, modifying bodies as a part of everyday life.

This mini story presents some touchy subject matter, heavy themes and can relate to society today, which is pretty disturbing. I think it’s alarming thinking of this world as a reality and potentially something that could be likely in the future when our youth is so heavily influenced by what’s trending in pop culture, social media, and “enhanced beauty”. Today’s beauty standards are already disturbing, and Body Mod demonstrates a perfect exaggeration of today’s society with a sci.-fi twist.

Here Sara takes us into the deranged world of BODY MOD.

1. How did you first get involved with the Bitch Planet series?

I met Kelly Sue DeConnick at Heroescon in Charlotte NC, 2 years ago.  She not only took the time to check out my work, but wrote to me after the fact to let me know she liked it so much she had passed Los Pirineos all around the Milkfed Criminals office.  I love work so needless to say I was totally floored.  It was really very cool of her. I sent her the 9th of april when it came out the next year and maybe a few months later we saw each other at ECCC in Seattle.  She was looking for contributors for the anthology, and asked if I would be interested.  HELL YES!

2. Congrats, as this is your first independent comic that you have both written and illustrated! How did you go about the process of accomplishing this?

When Kelly Sue asked if I wanted to be in the anthology she said “You do it all, right? Write and Draw?”  I said yes… and then panicked a little inside.  This story is my first professionally published solo work.  Up to this point I have always written with collaborators, for example the Los Pirineos Books which I coauthor with my mother.

3. Any issues, you faced or did you have the creative freedom to do you what you wanted with the story?

I definitely had a lot of freedom on Bodymod. Kelly Sue and the managing editor at Milkfed Criminals whom I worked with primarily, Lauren Sankovitch guided me through the pitching and writing process, but they gave me the space and encouragement to come up with and to pursue my own vision.  They had me come up with several different story ideas that would make sense in the context of the Bitch Planet Universe – but made me limit myself to very rough, brief ideas.  So I was able to really be broad about the story generation process without investing too much time into it.  My biggest issue was figuring out how to tell the story I wanted to in 8 pages.  I still feel like there was a 24 pages comic in there somewhere… but I tend to be long winded.  I learned a ton from Lauren and Kelly Sue working on this project.

4. You typically write children’s books, did you find it difficult working on this storyline, and how did it feel crossing over to more mature themes?

I felt absolutely fine with it.  I’m not a child, and I the work I generally read is not aimed at children.  To be honest, it actually felt very freeing.  However, the different content definitely confuses some people.  I’ve had fans of my previous books get a bit freaked out when they find out this is also my work.  I’ve been told that it doesn’t look like my work and seems like another artist did it.  I definitely don’t agree with that, but I can see where they are coming from.  I hate the idea of having to be pigeonholed into one genre of stories and one way of making art.  So… I’m just not allowing that to happen.

5. How did you come up with the premise for Bodymod?

The premise behind all the stories I came up with for the anthology came from the experiences of just being a woman navigating daily life. The premise behind Bodymod in particular comes from my feelings around the social pressures that are omnipresent in our lives every day asking that we conform to an idealized and unrealistic concept of feminine beauty.  Growing up I had my own struggles with body image. I’m 5’10 and just under 200 lbs, and I’ve been this size since High School.  Lets just say the 90’s were not kind to thick girls, and being strong was not thought of as sexy.  The anger and sarcasm present in the story is the current me, who feels great about who I am and what I look like, telling the world world just how little a fuck I give about fitting into a role and size I was never going to be anyway.    (steps off soapbox.)

6.  Although its sci fi, this subject matter touches some heavy themes pertaining to real life. How do some of the themes in the comic tie into issues our society faces today?

The whole premise of Bodymod comes from the idea of redesigning your body to be beautiful to the point of discomfort, in the story its taken to an extreme because the Bitch Planet, sci fi world allowed me to really push it.  However its important to understand that the cultural norms that Julie and Monica are assimilating to are not Sci Fi.  Whats the difference between lotus feet, stilettos that can only be worn in bed, or feet surgically altered to become mermaid fins?  Yes in my story the women essentially turn themselves into helpless pets, but all of them sexualize fettered women.

There’s a spread on pages 2-3 where Julie is on a bus and you see background advertisements behind her.  I had intended to make up some really jarringly misogynistic ones… until I looked them up. There is NOTHING I could come up with that was worse than reality.  ALL the ads on the page, including the magazine cover, are real.  I never stop hating this one ever time I see it:

7. Who has had the biggest influence on you in or outside of the comics industry, and how did they affect your life?

Ok now THATS hard.  I would say my mom has probably had the biggest influence on me, but I’m not sure if that is really what you meant.  She’s a feminist and raised me to be one too.  I wore overalls and did science experiments and was encouraged to be messy and do whatever I wanted to do better than the boys.  I am really very lucky.  She is a role model for me, but she’s also my inspiration, my writing partner and my biggest fan… which since we work on her memoir together maybe that also makes her, her own biggest fan?  hmmm…

8. What’s the most important “big idea” that you’ve learned in life – in or out of comics – and why is it important?

I’ve learned by watching the amazing comics pros that I am proud to call my friends that you must work hard, and I mean REALLY hard, to make comics.  That sounds obvious but its not.  There are a lot good creators out there who make very little work and just peter out.  But the truly brilliant ones work incessantly and when asked how they do it, discipline and tenacity is usually the common denominator.  I know an artist who told me he videos his comics commissions so he can see later where he is loosing time on them by “just fucking around”.  I know another who every time she is asked for advice says “Draw whether you are sick or well.  Draw whether to feel like it or not.”  Now, I’m not saying I’m like that, but I aspire to be.

Also what else can we look forward to from you in the near future?

I’m currently working on the next Los Pirineos book to follow up last year’s release of The 9th of April.

So hopefully by next year’s MOCCA I’ll have that one in hand.  FINGERS CROSSED.  I also have a book of watercolor sketch painting I did while traveling in Thailand for a month this winter.  I’m still trying to figure out the format of it.  Its a mixture of painting people and places on location… and all my meals!  I’m obsessed with food and theres no explaining just how good the food in Thailand is, so I painted it all to help mark it in my memory forever.  I might try including photos and recipes too… not sure yet.

To see more of Sara’s work visit: http://www.sarawoolley.com/  @saritajeanine

MOCCA ARTS FESTIVAL

Also catch Sara at Mocca Fest this Saturday & Sunday table A106

Society Of Illustrators

https://www.societyillustrators.org

http://www.sarawoolley.com/

https://imagecomics.com/comics/series/bitch-planet