#sim city societies

[13thpythagoras]

seeking video game beta testers - "Is progress just a myth? Can we abstain from total destruction?"

Developing a video game to be released on this blog under this name

This game contains a package of minigames that govern the overall game. Educational and mysterious, free form and non-dual.

13th Pythagoras's Abstainment & Advancement, is the game's working title

Graphic design styles to work with

Definitely in graphic designer co founder search mode

[simssocietyinfo]

🚕 Taxi Life: A City Driving Simulator Review

[greatmotivation]

Amidst the rubble of a disaster-stricken town, a volunteer tirelessly dug through debris, searching for signs of life. With each rescue, he embodied courage and compassion, igniting a spark of hope in the darkest of hours. Through his selfless acts, he showed that even amidst destruction, humanity's light shines brightest.

[gollancz]

The synopsis says: “It’s the hottest summer on record and London is dying. Prices are high, pay is low, and stressed commuters are packed on to London Underground trains again like the pandemic never happened. To add to the misery, the temperatures underground just keep climbing and climbing, the heat trapped in the clay with nowhere to go. 

“Five travellers on an unlucky tube carriage find themselves bound together one morning as witnesses to a single horrific event – an event they can’t quite seem to remember. They make an unlikely team: weary tube driver, a disillusioned civil servant, an ambitious city trader, an overwhelmed hotel worker and an unhoused young man just trying to get by – but now they must come together to confront what they have seen and stop it in its tracks. Because there’s something lurking in the stifling darkness and labyrinthine tunnels that run below London… something old, something vicious, and something very, very hungry.” 

I couldn't be more excited to be working with @jonnywaistcoat on his next two novels! This is just more of what he does best - pulling apart the very seams of society and giving me very specific new sleep paralysis demons, and somehow getting me to say thank you afterwards.

And if you're near London next month, why not pop along to Gollanczfest to hear him chat all things horror with Joe Hill and V. V. James? Tickets are still available:

[cardinalargie]

I'd wake up 2 hours before school, listen to music and play these games... Simpler times

Old Facebook games -- Which ones did you play?

[m0ckest]

🥀 Goth

The Goths have a long history dating back to the Old Country as a dreary yet influential family. Imaginative but shy, Cassandra's dreams of musical fame feel undistinguished next to her elegant stylist mother, charming entomologist/writer father, intelligent younger brother, and her aristocratic grandparents. Even with the boundless support of her family, will she find the confidence to make a name for herself or will she shrink away from the pressure?

Vanilla makeover of the premade Goth family in Willow Creek, including the additions of Cornelia & Gunther Goth as well as their cats Hecuba & Menelaus.

Includes one of each outfit, hand-picked preferences, skills, careers, and more. CC skin details used in the preview pics but sim downloads are CC-free. Available on the gallery at m0ckest or tray files below.

⤷ simfileshare • patreon

Bella Goth

A graceful and compassionate woman who owns a personal styling agency with a devoted clientele among the wealthy and famous. She's a supportive—though sometimes disengaged—mother who passionately loves her husband and children. However, she frequently disappears without notice to board flights to her clients around the world. Life is beautiful for carefree Bella; it seems to always work out in her favor.

Mortimer Goth

An entomologist known for his fictional writing, particularly his novels heavy with somber insect imagery. Despite the dismal themes of his books, he's inherited his father's personable Old World charm (Bella loves his subtle Transatlantic accent) which wonderfully complements his wife's sociable tendencies. He's extra lenient with his children, partially due to his proclivity of becoming engrossed in insect research or novel-writing for days at a time.

Cassandra Goth

A reserved teen musician who is struggling with the decision to either follow the family's traditional expectations by working toward a professional seat on the Sim City Symphony Orchestra or to break away from the mold and pursue an independent career. Between staying on top of her studies and her after-school job at the local alternative clothing store, she always looks forward to experimenting with music with her more-experienced best friend, Ophelia.

Alexander Goth

An observant and quick-witted bibliomaniac who is already enjoying writing novels like his father—though he has an unexplained inclination toward science fiction stories. As his parents are often busy and his older sister has no interest in his endless extraterrestrial theories, he takes amusement in playing chess against egotistical adults at the park after school as well as playing piano (which he proudly boasts of his sister's exceptional skill).

Cornelia Goth

An aristocratic painter who was the founder of the elite Sim City Bridge Society as well as co-founder of Pleasantview but is more proud of her legacy as Cassandra and Alexander's loving grandmother. They look forward to their weekly afternoon and high tea times where she shares life stories of rebelling as a young socialite in prim and proper circles. She moved to Willow Creek to live her with her son after a fire claimed both her husband and her mansion.

Gunther Goth

A tremendously influential former college dean and town co-founder of Pleasantview from the Old Country. While his persistent community-based work and ability to selflessly compromise with anyone was admirable, he spent many of his years focused on matters outside of his family until he retired and was able to repair his relationship with wife, Cornelia. After perishing in a house fire, he now chooses to give advice to his descendants as well as warn them to avoid his own life mistakes.

Hecuba & Menelaus Goth

A set of twin Siamese cats raised by Cornelia and Gunther. When she's not verbally demanding attention, Hecuba enjoys concocting plans for other ways to get it. She considers herself much smarter than her brother. Menelaus also believes he's smarter than his sister but can't be bothered to move from his spot on the couch to explain why. They enjoy sharing fish cakes served by the butler.

[whyeverr]

popping in from my accidental semi-hiatus to share something that’s been on my heart lately…

my sims story / gameplay / whatever-you-want-to-call-it — the world I’m building in Rebuild A City — is about picking through the bones of society post-collapse and rebuilding something better. (sorry if you actually thought it was about zombie townies! it was socialism all along 😩)

I started this save because I was in a place where I didn’t feel a whole lot of hope, and I wanted to spend my free time and creative energy on something healthier for me than what I’d been doing previously (that is, killing sims slowly, on an island, with Nietzsche). I wanted to reinforce my faith in the best of humanity — mutual aid, community care, imagination, perseverance — and my belief that a better future is possible, in stories and in real life, even when the idea collapse starts to feel more and more inevitable…

and you know what, friend? I think it’s working 😳

and here’s the thing… in the endless discourse™ about the US election — and all the ways our candidate may or may not fall short of our own ideals as individuals, mine included! — I hold tightly to this hope I’ve worked to nurture, this feeling of promise that I’m excited about, but I refuse to let fantasies of building a better society from the ashes — in my silly sims story or in some hypothetical American future —to cloud the truth that we don’t have to burn it all down to begin with in the first place!

when voices say there’s no hope, or there’s no substantive difference between Trump and Kamala, or there’s no point in voting because we’ll keep arming Isr*el either way, or that we should all vote third party to “send the Democrats a message,” or that it’s actually somehow better if Trump wins because the US will collapse faster… look at who is saying these things 👀 perhaps a white person in a blue state…? someone speaking from a place of privilege, using their platform to accelerate their political revolution fantasy at the expense of minoritised and vulnerable people living in red states across the country? too many people my age made this same mistake in 2016 and we are still reaping the consequences today.

say no to accelerationist thinking. say no to purity tests, say no to voting third party as idealist self-expression or political aesthetic.

say yes to mutual aid and community care. say yes to voting as harm reduction, and organizing under a president who doesn’t want to outlaw political protest entirely. say yes to protecting people with uteruses, trans folks, queer people, disabled people, people of color, living in red states.

say yes — deep breath — to the reality that you as an American were born in (or decided to move to and become a citizen of) a powerful, expansive, and deeply flawed empire, and accept your collective responsibility to vote strategically. and the only acceptable strategy — the only strategy that does not lead directly to the outcome of a second Trump term, doubling down on the worst political outcomes here and abroad, and the promise of the end of free elections in the US — is voting for Kamala Harris on or before Nov 5. 🇺🇸🗳️

[ironunderstands]

How this singular Gold and Gears occurrence might change everything we know about Dr. Ratio 

…He might be thousands of years old, oh boy.

Ok, where to begin? Well probably with the occurrence that started it all:

Mechanical City, “Cogito Hair Salon”- Intellgencia Guild 

This is where things get complicated.

You see, the Mechanical City is old as hell

This took place around the time of the First Mechanical Emperor’s war, who created the machine empire, which included the Mechanical City, something which occurred soon after the Borderstar Trade War. 

Then, the Rupert 1 (the leader of this empire) sleeps, and this caused his empire to crumble, presumably the city alongside it:

Which according to these Xianzhou records, happened at this time

Then Polka Kakamond fought Rubert for a few more Amber Eras until she eventually succeeded in killing him, marking the end of the First Mechanical War.

Which resulted in the collapse of its empire, and presumably, the Mechanical City alongside it, Nanook, the youngest aeon, also ascended during this time due to the mess of the Emperor’s War and the remnants of the swarm.

Now, for the sake of my sanity, and this first scenario, I am going to assume that the Mechanical City fell alongside Rubert I when their empire collapsed about years ago, as although it’s likely Rubert II could have revived it, as you will see, it’s not necessarily relevant to this discussion (there are actually only two possible paths this situation could lead to). 

If Amber Eras are on average this long

And the current year we are in is

Which is about this in Xianzhou years 

Meaning that disaster in the Xianzhou happened around 3500 years ago (if Xianzhou years are the same length as Trailblaze ones, if they aren’t I’m not gonna think about that <3). Then, Polka Kakamond was alive around this time, and it took her several Amber Eras to finally kill Rubert, which I’m going to interpret several as ~5 and the length of these Amber Eras to be averaged out to be around 158 years long each, meaning Rubert died about 2700 years ago, give or take A LOT OF TIME because of the inconsistency of Amber Era lengths, the amount of Amber Eras, the fact that we don’t know when exactly Polka Kakamond decided to start trying to kill Rubert, or even when she was alive, etc. 

SO, when you put it all together Dr. Ratio must be at least 1000 years old if he were to be able to be alive during this period of time to attend the Mechanical City within this occurrence.

Which changes everything, because presumably Dr. Ratio is a normal human and he should not be that old.

Oh dear.

However, before I ponder the implications of THAT, let’s explore the other possibilities.

This never actually happened.

This is by far both the most boring and most likely one for a lot of reasons.

a) There is an occurrence that definitely takes place in the preset exactly like it 

This is Mechanical City, Cogito Hair Salon: Genius Society 

And based on its description, it was clearly put in here to help the trailblazer navigate the Simulated Universe through the Intra-Cognition function, and the 4 Genius Society members depicted (Ruan Mei, Herta, Stephen Lloyd and Screwllum) absolutely did not travel back in time for this to happen, rather they seem to habe implemented it themselves. 

Therefore, the occurrence with Dr. Ratio could be something similar: an event made up for the sake of navigating the Sim Uni, and not something that ever actually took place, I believe this and another solution I will introduce later are the most likely explanations for this situation.

b) The occurrence with Dr. Ratio is uh, weird 

For lack of a better explanation in this, Dr. No5 is uh, tweaking. Meaning, the events taking place around him might not even be what’s happening in reality.

Or, the Trailblazer is in the Mechanical City, but Dr. No5 isn’t and the sim uni kinda just meshed the two together. 

What also complicates things is that it seems like after he killed himself, No5 turned into a mechanical spinning top, meaning the Anti-Organic equation might have been the cause of his death? And I’m not sure if it’s still active in modern times.

Either way, the sheer levels of delusion radiating off of Dr. No5 leave to believe this scene isn’t entirely real, however I don’t think this explanation is all good honestly, it’s just something I wished to point out before moving on.

That’s not our Dr. Ratio

Apparently in the original Chinese, the characters used to denote Dr. Ratio are different to the way he is typically referred to, meaning that whoever this Dr. Ratio is, it might not actually BE him.

Now, I know absolutely nothing about how Chinese works, but based off the discussions I’ve seen around this particular detail, I think the general consensus is that the Ratio in this is more of a surname, and our Dr. Ratio either named himself after/is a descendant of this one.

Which would be interesting, and would mean we (I) would now have to scour future updates for his mention, but for now I’ll leave this option at that because like I said, I don’t know how any dialect of Chinese works at all, much less the original used in the game.

If someone reading this does, I would really appreciate clarification/confirmation/your opinion on this, so thanks in advance.

Finally, for my favorite explanation (and the one I think is what really happened), that being:

The Mechanical City still exists, and Ratio is in fact, some dude with a normal lifespan.

Let me cook.

So, based on what I showed you earlier, it’s heavily implied that the Mechanical City fell with Rubert during the First Emperor’s War around 2000 ish years ago alongside him.

However, what if I told you that isn’t necessarily true:

The IPC took it over.

Although this passage doesn’t mention the Mechanical City or even allude to it, it does mention thin how the IPC, with the aid of the Intellgencia Guild, began taking over areas across the universe, especially areas of inorganic life, following Nous’s prophecy, with the methodology of “Colonization Under the facade of development,” (the game straight up calls them colonizers LMAOOO).

Anyways, the IPC HATES inorganic life due to the Emperor’s Wars, and were about to pass an order to eradicate all inorganic life when Screwllum gained Nous’ approval and joined the Genius Society, and as we saw in the screenshot, they were, well, colonizing those areas and making it into their own.

So- who’s to say they didn’t do it to the Mechanical City? Why wouldn’t one of the most defining features of the Mechanical Empire now be under IPC control, even to this day?

Besides, inorganic life forms have no need for hair salons- they don’t have growing hair! But in a Mechanical City repurposed for people, yeah, a hair salon would make sense.

Thereofore, Ratio isn’t some thousand year old entity, rather he’s just in a location run by the IPC and Intellgencia Guild that happens to have thousands of years of history behind it.

Moreover, it just wouldn’t make sense for Ratio to be that old.

He has plenty of media about him documenting his life, and based on how recent those media are and how this passage is worded, I’m led to believe that Ratio aged like a normal person, and his middle school years didn’t somehow last an exponential amount of time. 

Also, I feel like if he WAS that old we would have some actual clue pointing to it beyond a singular occurrence that would only ever point to that once you do all this digging.

Therefore, I conclude Ratio is not in fact immortal, and the IPC likely just colonized the Mechanical City, which is why it is still around today.

Finally, I sincerely hope you enjoy me going insane over this one stupid occurrence, and I would like to disclaim that I am no lore expert when it comes to the simulated universe, so if something I said in here was misinformation, please tell me! It seems as though Dr. Ratio is never beating the “just some guy” allegations lmao.

[abbysimsfun]

Sims In Bloom: Generation 2 Pt. 59 (Celebrating Holly & Kris' Good News)

On one of Ash’s weekends with the Landgraabs, Heather and Conrad finally pulled themselves from work in Brindleton Bay to visit her sister Holly in San Myshuno.

"Holl, you look great!" Heather said, smiling down at her large baby bump. "I'm so glad we could get back to the city to see you before you and Kris are knee-deep in diapers!"

"You make it sound like it'll be a bad thing, but we can't wait!" She grabbed her stomach and laughed. "Oh! She's kicking! Want to feel?"

Heather excitedly placed her hand over Holly's stomach, grinning as she felt a baby's foot against the palm of her hand. "I bet she can't wait to come out and meet you. It won't be easy, but at least you and Kris will have Mortimer and Uncle Karl around to help out."

Karl smiled. "I never thought I'd ever get to be so hands-on with a baby, but I think being Great-Uncle Karl will be pretty neat."

Mortimer smiled. "I'm already looking forward to when my grandson Michael can meet and play with his cousin Tetra."

"Tetra?"

Kris returned from cleaning plates in the kitchen. "Yeah, I mean, Holly loves fishing, and Tetra's a really cool name."

If Holly and Kris wanted to name their children after fish, Heather didn't care. "Whatever her name is, I'll love her the same."

Mortimer mixed non-alcoholic cocktails to toast Holly and Kris' impending parenthood, while he and Karl chatted with Conrad about his work.

"So, Conrad, how's life as a detective on the coast? Do you see many smugglers in the area?" wondered Karl.

Conrad shook his head. "I'm told it can get worse in the spring and summer, but the docks are pretty quiet this time of year."

"Smuggling was a lot worse before, but Brindleton Bay's starting to pull itself together," said Mortimer. "When Bella and I moved there after we got married, the place was pretty lawless. It fed right into Bella's depression and had us paying two nannies at a time to watch the kids. But the clinic really started turning things around, and the historical society pitched in to fix up the school and museum. One day, the town might even have a mayor!"

"Still, law enforcement can be a dangerous profession," said Karl.

"Brindleton Bay's a much sleepier town than San Myshuno, and it's a good team there," said Conrad. "I trust them."

"I think he just worries about any of it ever touching his niece," said Mortimer, with a loving glance to his caring husband.

Conrad smiled. "Only our dog ever comes to work with me. I'd never put Heather or her son in harm's way."

"Uncle Karl watches a lot of true crime documentaries," offered Holly with a groan. "Lots of stories about organized crime coming after cop's families."

"I'm not working any organized crime cases in Brindleton Bay, but if it came to it, I'd lay down my life for both of them."

"It'll never come to that," said Heather quickly. She made a mental note not to tell her uncle about her trip through the flame portal to learn from the dead, nor that they still intended to pull out Bella Goth's Grimophone to summon the Reaper himself, when they finally felt ready. "This celebration turned dark awful fast!"

"Sorry, sweetie. It's just nice to see you with someone who takes his responsibilities as seriously as Conrad."

They all knew he was slighting Malcolm but didn't bother to voice it, spending the rest of the weekend enjoying each other's company. ->

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

[literallyjusthereformods]

Mod folder's cooked still, sharing photos of my sims from my gallery.

Not my preferred method, but I'm dying to share them! So anyways here's a mega photo dump.

Cade E Cherrypop! (Normal/Ruined)

My love for sentient entertainment animatronics is one that will forever remain unshaken. Cade E Cherrypop is the sentient android mascot of Cade E Arcade! (Thx to the new chibi preset by @sdmsims, another little mascot will be along shortly as a friend)

After society collapses due to a zombie-apocalypse-plus, the arcade falls into ruin, and Cade E eventually reawakens in the ruins in her second withered form, sun-bleached, dirty and damaged.

Xelleen Wisher

Xelleen Wisher's a gaming streamer in this world's analog to Twitch! Despite his anxiety disorder, he does his best to put up an optimistic and energetic persona for his audience. He really loves cute things, especially cats and small collectibles! He's also very, very good at videogames, dabbling in speed runs and challenge runs.

Xelleen was created by me as a very positive character. He combines physical traits that are painted as a stereotypical "neckbeard" image (acne, overweightness) with features of the "gamergirl" aesthetic (cute clothes, makeup, lots of pink.) He stands as his own person, defined by neither stereotype.

The bottom/last pic of the three shows his face without his makeup on!!

Steelie Buzzkill

(Wouldn't Be Possible Without @sdmsims's Anime Mod!!!)

Ordered as an Incarnate (an Incarnate is a special type of android commissioned to be a real-word version of a fictional character) of somebody's OC, Steelie's shipment was intercepted after the law recognizing android sentience was passed. His company dumped him and his peers on the side of the road near a rural town.

Since he was freed before artificial memories were programmed into him, he doesn't know what character he's intended to be, and he really doesn't WANT to know.

He works at IHopTopic, the compound store that exists because in this universe, IHop and Hot Topic had some sort of business deal from hell that led to a combined location.

(Between you and me, his design SOMEBODY's fannon ship child OC, but I won't say more than that, nor do the medias his parents are from exist irl.)

The rest will just be character images with short descriptions. I'll likely make individual posts later on going in more depth!!

Torren's a model! He models both clothes and makeup.

Torren's photographer, and general voice of reason. They're bascially buddies.

Aniyo loves hanging out in malls and drawing fanart for their favorite animes. Above all though, they love animals!! Their aspiration is to be a rescue caretaker for animals that need them.

A small trunked rodent I created called a 'rummager.'

It's too bad I'm missing the cc for this one, because I'd love to show their whole design in CAS. I really like this one. They have a lot to do with a certain collapse plotline.

Owner of a tattoo shop. VERY supportive of their artists, and probably one of the best bosses ever.

Tattoo artist working for Crim.

Another one of Crim's hired tattoo artists!

Third tattoo artist out of four in Crim's tattoo shop. (The fourth one's too short to show in gallery, sorry.)

Runaway teen after something really bad happened at home. Navigating the post-collapse hellscape with her horse.

Apex Zombie who's territory spans an entire abandoned city. It's antenna syncs up to the abandoned traffic cams, giving it eyes all over the urban ruins. As a side effect, the old digital billboards flicker to life in monochromatic imagery when it approaches.

@ssspringroll because I definitely used some of your CC in this. Idr where, but I DEFINETELY did. Also, you're one of my favorite creators, thank you for existing <3

[auroraeternal]

Me? Making something "spicy"? With proper previews? No way! But still, here we are now. I know that the characters I use for previews only have their appearances developed, but there hasn't been a convenient moment to work out anything else (since I actually play very little), so today's pictures will be with a some backstory. They depict Ingrid's flashback involving her ex-boyfriend. She was only able to realize her true feelings and desires long after her breakup when she moved to another city and met Christie. She thought for most of her life that she loved men, because of the society's dictated norms, but attempting relationships with them only hurt her. After she admitted to herself who she really loved, she felt so much better and had a truly normal relationship for the first time. Well, I'll try to reveal more about my sims and my game as time goes on. Now moving on to pixel clothing:

Original ts4 items by @sentate here

Only for Young-adult females

Disallowed for random

Low poly (painted-on texture + bows)

2k textures

5 presets/1 recolorable channel

TOU

DOWNLOAD | ALT | SIMBLR.CC

Unedited previews + presets:

@katsujiiccfinds @wanderingsimsfinds @xto3conversionsfinds @pis3update @matchsim @kpccfinds @satellite-ccfinds @nightoccfinds @bloodys-s3ccfinds @ninthcirclets3cc

[lemonswoop]

Stray is one of my top 10 games of all time, so I decided to do a little replay to remind myself why I love it so much.

Full journal entry under the cut

Stray

Start date:8/18

End date: 8/27

Platform: Steam Deck

Hours played: 14

Rating: 5/5

On the day I finished Stray I sat back and said "I can feel this game is going to be very special to me." It's an odd game to be in my top 10 games of all time. I knew the simple concept of playing as a little cat (with me being a huge cat lover) would be an instant favorite, but I didn't expect that the message of the game would hit a particular soft spot in my heart.

What I thought would be a silly little cat sim set in a cyberpunk city turned out to be a twist on the classic dystopian future filled with hope, love and the beauty of the human spirit.

The game starts off with a cat falling into a walled slums of a domed society where humans have been dead for thousands of years. Our tiny cat protagonist meets the very last known human in existence, B12, a scientist whose consciousness gets uploaded into a tiny drone. Disease and plague ravaged the futuristic city, leaving nothing but memories and the robot companions programed to serve its lost inhabitants. But something special happened;

In the forsaken slums, gritty and filled with despair, hope thrived before the humans passed. When energy was capped, rebellion lit up the city with neon lights. When things seemed bleak, humans created art, tended to thriving plants, and hugged their loved ones tight. They went to bars to get sloppy drunk and laugh off the dark times with friends.

They Lived.

"Humans often said that making art is important in desperate situations. There are certainly desperate times."

Humans may have passed, but humanity lived on in the companion robots who gained sentience. The only models they had was what humanity had left behind for them. In the lowest levels of society is where the beautiful parts of humanity survived. The robot citizens didn't need to eat, wear clothes, love one another, but they did so because of the examples that were left for them. They fostered a community to protect one another all while dreaming of it all being better somehow.

The main goal of a small group was to open up the domed city, see the blue sky and go back to the long abandoned outside. It's what the humans would have wanted, and a place the robots have only ever heard about in stories.

One of my favorite aspects of the game is that while it reaches far beyond the scope of a little cat plot-wise, the cat represented a larger theme of hope for better still existing and it was time to start trying to reach it again. The cat inspired brave and bold actions in the robots, all resulting in finally reaching the top of the walled city. A sterile place where the rich and powerful operation controllers all lived; now gone. And in that city no culture, no art, no humanity survived. The robots were just robots, forever following the last directive they were given before humanity perished.; A pristine wasteland.

B12, the last human, sacrifices himself to take down the system and open the walled city to the bright blue sky. No longer did B12 feel the need to carry the weight of humanities past because they never left. They just belonged to a new society lovingly passed down. A future existed where our best qualities as a collective are what survived.

Sometimes I feel as if the beautiful message of this game gets overlooked, which is a shame when its a message I feel we all can use when the world at large feels bleak.

Nothing is ever wasted or in vain. The beauty of humanity is in what we leave behind. Even the small and whimsical things that only exist to bring us joy; they all matter.

Making music, art, reading, tending to a garden, hugging a loved one, holding onto hope... and yes, loving and finding companionship in a little cat.

"But I see a future in the companions, and in you."

[absolutebl]

Leaving GMMTV aside, what were youre favorite shows this year so far? I'll have more free time coming up and im way behind and out of the loop, so some recs would be appriacted, wise sage. Especially for those shows that didnt get the attention they deserved in your opinion! Thanks a lot!

Top 10 BLs of 2023 So Far

Our Dating Sim

(Korea) 10/10 Viki

If you haven't watched this, it's a must. I actually handed out a 10/10. I NEVER do that. It's a perfect short form KBL, an office set reunion romance featuring geeks that really suits 8 eps with no fluff and no chaff. Just comforting and yummy. I adored every aspect from the casting to the pristinely simple premise to the quietly smooth execution. Sure it’s low stakes, but that makes it high domesticity and extremely warm and gentle. This is a fuzzy blanket of a story - a cozy BL. It lives in my rewatch pile and you know what’s best about it? Every single episode is in that pile. There’s no skipping with this one, it might be good natured and calmly sweet but it’s tight and the pacing is excellent. Full review here.

My School President

(Thai) 9/10 YouTube

GMMTV gave us a classic high school set Thai BL with tropes like messy boys singing their feelings that made this one Love Sick for the modern age with all the gentle sweetness and pining ache, but none of the dated damaging tropes or issues. Yes, we’ve seen it all before, but I still ADORED this. And there is a lot to be said for the classics being re-executed perfectly. Who let my BL be this wholesome and funny? This show was fantastic, it’s only flaw was the singing (and that’s my baggage). My favourite GMMTV BL offering to date. And yes, I've watched them ALL.

(you said no GMMTV but I have to include it)

The Eighth Sense

(Korea) 9/10 Viki

One of the longest BLs Korea has given us and (like Blueming) it feels more atmospheric gay coming of age romance than strictly BL. It’s got a bit of an age gap, country boy/city boy, stellar acting, complex characters, and leads with great chemistry and tension. It’s a bit chewy and sticky and less perfect than most KBLs (do I detect a touch of Taiwan?) This one deployed BL tropes (messy eater, shoulder sleep, protective seme, there’s even some hyung-slinging) but front loaded them with painful backstory and tons angst drives the 2nd half. This isn’t in the KBL bubble, there’s sharp edges and lots of triggers. For a BL the darkness of the content left me feeling unsettled (which is the only reason it didn't get a perfect score) but it does have a glorious ending and that counts for a lot.

The New Employee

(Korea) 9/10 Viki

So good, SO QUEER, so soft, a near pitch perfect office BL with conflict derived from that setting. Also found family and a lesbian bestie. Sweet & innocent (and out) Seung Hyun scores the office internship of his dreams. On his first day at work he gets into it with his cool reserved (and also v gay) boss. As you do. Frankly? This is what I wanted from this new crop of office set KBLs ALL ALONG. Rainbow rice cakes forever! Directed by queer activist Kim Jho Gwang Soo (Just Friends?) partly set in the same neighbourhood as the To My Star house. Gotta love WATCHA (Semantic Error, Light on Me).

Unintentional Love Story

(Korea) 9/10 iQIYI

A boy who just lost his job due to faked corruption charges accidentally discovers his ex-boss's favorite artist, now a recluse. Evil manager offers him his job back if he can convince the artist to rejoin society. Instead, they fall in love. I found the artist a bit stiff and reserved but Gongchan (maknae of B1A4) is a fucking GIFT - he carried this show (which I do not expect from the idol element). He was luminous with extraordinarily expressive eyes, just drown in the emoting abyss. The external conflict, social tension and pressure is complex and beautifully executed, plus Korea gave us legit side dishes (NOT a love triangle, hally-fucking-luya). I’m not sure on rewatchability, and it didn’t whip me into a verbal frenzy the way some KBLs do, but it still gets a solid 9/10 for those damn eyes alone.

Destiny Seeker

(Thai) 8/10 grey

A darn near perfect pulp featuring 3 likeable tsundere/sunshine pairings with uncomplicated iterations of enemies to lovers. At least one half of each does a decent amount of pining and there’s good chemistry, classic tropes, and communication rep. It’s fun and full of linguistic jokes. Sublimely cheesy but a good rainy day offering with tons of rewatch potential. Full review here.

Make a Wish

(Thai) 8/10

PNR (from Sammon - Manner of Death & Triage) about a doctor who can see the dead and strikes a bargain with a wish-granting irreverent tree angel - naturally they fall in love. Stars Fluke Natouch opposite not-Ohm, but who cares bc Fluke has chemistry with everybody. Once again the Thai afterlife is incredibly bureaucratic but I enjoyed the premise and the unfolding of the story (it’s not predictable but v. satisfying and with nice little twist). I like that the doctor is just gay af, fag hag bestie and everything. The cast is excellent but the comedic stylings are too overblown and tonally off. It had sad parts and did make me cry but is ultimately happy with a great sex scene, good smiley kisses, and all the agency.

All the Liquors

(Korea) 8/10 Viki & Gaga

A pretty classic foodie set KBL that managed to distinguish itself from others in this category by having a particularly satisfying final episode centered around found family. Sunshine sweetie soju rep gets involved with a shy introvert chef who doesn’t drink. This has a somewhat uneven plot and ridiculous central conceit (much in the way of Tasty Florida or Behind Cut), but if you are looking for a restaurant BL with Korea’s signature softness, then this is a great option. FYI I may identify with our baby party boy hedonist more than any other BL lead ever presented.

Love Mate

(Korea) 8/10 Viki

Features a very much openly gay older uke with commitment issues and a romantic (if arrogant) younger seme with no respect for boundaries (hyung romance). Workplace harassment much? That’s BL for ya. (Also a nonBL Kdrama specialty.) So yeah it’s questionable, but so is my taste. The ultimate premise that someone badly hurt shuts themself off to romance is very similar to Happy Merry Ending or 8th Sense but this version was more about fear than abuse or trauma. For me, this made Love Mate more relatable. However, because the denouement was driven by a late addition faen fatal, the conclusion felt rushed and forced. I can, however, see myself rewatching this one, so it falls into the general rank of 2023′s KBL aka solid high standard and eminently watchable.

Bed Friend

(Thai YouTube, Gaga, iQIYI)

Office frienamies transition a flaming hot one night stand into a f-buddy relationship that is built on a puppy/cat dynamic (and kinks into it at one point). Our puppy is loyal, smitten, and protective with endlessly longing eyes, while our cat is snarky, prickly, and deeply damaged (ALL THE TRIGGERS). NetJames give lovely high-heat with excellent chemistry and tuned-in performances of surprising depth, unfortunately the story ultimately failed them. Had the show had the strength of its convictions and kept to a tighter, darker, harsher 8 eps it would have been the first high heat to earn a 10/10 from me, but once they fussed with it, it dropped to a solid 8/10. Could have been great but was overworked. Still if high heat is your thing, this one will not let you down. Full review here. (Triggers include: child abuse, attempted rape, family abuse)

(3x! 3x Tumblr ate this post. They HAVE to de bug their new editor. This never happens with the old one. Biggest bug is with the "undo" function, DO something about it!)

[dead-lights]

occult lore: the century conflict

There's a lot of lore about the war between vampires/werewolves/spellcasters in the Werewolves GP. I needed to reference what happened, so I compiled it into one! I tried to keep things more or less chronological. These come mostly from in-game books, artifacts with a little Greg.

Lunar epiphany: "They tell the tale of Spellcasters long ago who explored the limits of their power. They experimented by creating duplicates of themselves, but quickly became frustrated that these duplicates required sustenance to survive. In an effort to be efficient, they fed them potions... they created monsters.”

Lunar epiphany: "It's a tale of betrayal, of duplication spells gone wrong. After an overloaded spell turned a mutated group of Spellcaster mimics permanent, they turned on their creators and sank their fangs into them. They feasted on these Spellcasters and their magical plasma, which enhanced their strength, despite never sating their thirst.”

Book: "Glowing, magical moon glyphs along the edge of this page detail a hundred-year conflict called "Operation Eternal Flame." Beset by their own thirst and an innate distrust, the first Vampires hunted Spellcasters, raiding their small communities to drink their magical plasma. This was how Vampires first developed a small degree of magic within themselves. It eventually led to them being capable of turning Sims into what they themselves now were.

"Near the painting of a wolf's tail, this shard is engraved with some vague text describing what appears to be steps of an adapted ritual, likely dating back to ancient Myshupotatmian tradition. The language, however, is consistent with the era of the Mooncasters, suggesting the pot was used to transport the glowing waters of Lake Lunvik to perform certain power-harnessing ceremonies atop the Howling Point cliff in Moonwood Mill. The waters of the lake must have been crucial to their efforts of attuning to the moon...”

"In your readings, you learned that many moons ago, the land we now know as Moonwood Mill was actually the home of a small ancient Myshupotamian city. Interestingly enough, Myshupotamians believed that the greatest minds of their society were reborn as wolves that stored their wisdom in the moon via howl. As the cycle progressed towards a full moon, the growing light represented more and more stored wisdom. On full moon nights, Myshupotamians would sport wolf-like masks and ceremonially draw upon the moon's stored wisdom. As the cycle then progressed to a new moon, the light leaving the moon each night represented the stored wisdom slowly dispersing to the Myshupotamian people. As the first modern werewolves, Moonwood Mill's Mooncasters likely gleaned much of their information on harnessing the moon's power from studying the Myshupotamians...”

“All along this page are magical moon glyphs. With {M0.his}{F0.her} Lunar Epiphany, {0.SimFirstName} is able to read about a group of Spellcasters who communed with their dog familiars to learn about the untapped magical potential found in moonlight. They declared themselves Mooncasters and experimented with unstable transformation magic from the Untamed School.”

Greg: "I was a spellcaster hundreds of years ago, a master of the Untamed school. I stood atop that mountain, back when this area was simply called Moonwood, and with a group of other powerful spellcasters, we channeled the most powerful Moon Infusion spell that has ever been cast. The results were explosive... but effective. The Moonlight infused both us and the land around us. Why do you think the Moonpetal only grows atop that mountain? Where do you think the Luna Fish comes from? We made them. I made them.”

I’m not sure Greg was technically a sage because I’m not sure sages as a concept existed until the Realm was destroyed - there was no need to balance the Realm before that. I think they probably had a different leadership structure at the time. It's also possible he means he was master-ranked, not a virtuoso, but given everything that doesn't strike me as realistic. He also could've just meant that he was really good with untamed magic

Wolfgang: "Did you know that the very first Werewolves were Spellcasters? It's true. There were many ways Spellcasters attempted to fight back against the Vampires, and Werewolves were the most successful attempt. It's fascinating stuff if you can find ways to read up on it!”

Moonwood Wand: "Long ago, a group of spellcasters caused an overload while practicing a powerful, moon-infused, untamed spell. The resulting explosion imbued the surrounding area with lunar energy. Because of this, the wood from trees surrounding Lake Lunvik are eagerly sought after by the spellcasting community. This wand was one of the first ever crafted. “

Book: "An extensive tunnel network runs below Moonwood Mill. There are various entrance points around town, though even the locals find it difficult to navigate. Many speculate these tunnels were originally created during a regional time of strife, though records of such an event are lost to time. Perhaps the dark tunnels themselves might contain clues?”

Greg: "During the Century Conflict, we captured Vlad and took him down into the tunnels. We figured we'd use him as leverage, end the conflict. But even in his youth, he was already too powerful. We couldn't hold him and he escaped.“

"At the end of one of the tunnels is an old metal door that's been peeled open. The solid metal bends outward like a banana peel, as if something strong and determined forced its way out and ran off into the tunnel {0.SimFirstName} just came from. Past the broken door is a single room, coated in metal paneling. Judging by the gouges lining the walls, someone - or something - really didn't want to be in here...”

Lily: "After I arrived in Moonwood Mill, Kristopher told me that Forgotten Hollow was once under Werewolf control — back before Vlad moved in. He arrived with a mob and manipulated them into driving the Werewolves out. They, of course, didn't know he was a Vampire. They even put up a statue in his honor! Then, they all disappeared, one by one…"

"...Another often forgotten aspect of Myshupotamian culture was taming Cowplants as stationary sentinels of defense, and sometimes cross-breeding them to be mobile attack units (though it was quite difficult to safely reproduce mobile cowplants, for obvious reasons...) In modern times, it turns out the Moooncasters were not the only group seeking unorthodox answers to the vampire problem during Operation Eternal Flame. The Moocasters (who 100% came up with their name first, total coincidence) attempted to adapt Myshupotamian cowplant taming practices to their needs. It was an initial success, and they had a prosperous alliance with the Mooncasters. Needless to say, it didn't last long after one of the "tamed" cowplants feasted upon Yina Kia, an original Mooncaster... and Greggorius and Avelina Lunvik's dearest friend.”

"Based on its age, this skull belonged to one of the tamed cowplants used by the Moocasters, a Spellcaster group that served as a counterpart to the Mooncasters (werewolves). Both groups formed in response to the vampires' Operation Eternal Flame - a covert operation attempting to turn all remaining spellcasters into vampires. They simply differed in their methods. Rather than harnessing the power of the moon to become Werewolves, the Moocasters instead tamed cowplants to use as (somewhat) loyal companions in battle. There appears to be a carving leading towards the jawbone, though the writing is hard to deciper. It currently reads "I will..."”

The rest of the line is “avenge you”

Book: “It seems that towards the end of Operation Eternal Flame, the near-extinct Spellcasters grew desperate and struggled with a variety of magic types to try and turn the tide of their conflict with the Vampires. Some sought a cure for Vampirism, though the spell proved too powerful and caused a tear in the very fabric of the Magic Realm itself.”

Greg’s diary: "After the Vampire uprising, every one of us Spellcasters grew increasingly desperate. One group tried to create a spell that could simultaneously “cure” every Vampire in existence. A single spell to end the conflict. Of course, they were blinded by hubris and hurried by desperation. The spell was too powerful for the group to handle. It caused a massive fracture in the fabric of the Realm itself.”

"Magical moon symbols glow around the edge of the page from {0.SimFirstName}'s Lunar Epiphany, offering an explanation on Operation High Fang. After the end of Operation Eternal Flame, a group of Vampires came out of hiding to start the initiative. Through a successful propaganda campaign, they branded Vampires as refined and classy, boasting of what they offer through their historical knowledge and charismatic ways. At the same time, they smeared Werewolves as dirty and dangerous monsters, lacking in control. The results were catastrophic for the new Werewolf communities who were still maturing as an occult.”

"A Lunar Epiphany comes over {0.SimFirstName} as {M0.he}{F0.she} stares at the moon scribbles at the bottom of the page. These books were written in an attempt to undo the damage caused by Operation High Fang, a Vampire-led propaganda initiative.”

Wolfgang: "After losing the war, the Vampires launched "Operation High Fang" with the intent of using propaganda to turn general sentiment against Werewolves. My books do the opposite. They encourage readers to view Werewolves in a new, more favorable light - one that I feel is more authentic to who we are as an occult.”

Here's what I don't understand - how did vampires manage to lose the war after spellcasters destroyed their own Realm? I think the best explanation here is that werewolves eventually finished the job, based on what Wolfgang said about werewolves being the most successful attempt to fight back. The fact that vampires lashed out against specifically werewolves after losing also supports that idea.

also lmao the entire moral of this story is that untamed spellcasters cannot be trusted not to literally tear their own realm apart. i've got my eye on u morgyn

[satureja13]

No sleep 'til Reaper's Rewards tonight for Jack and Kiyoshi. Should they really head off to space to find Tiny Can, the Boys are going to need all the support they can possibly get ö.ö

So they were having a chat with Rubyn's plants 🌱

Waited for the Ambrosia Society Newsletter while weird dressed aliens walked by 👽 (btw: This is one of my Sims and I'm utterly sure this isn't how I dressed her, omg. This happens all the time. Why? All my Sims have several outfits in each and every category, why is the game dressing them?)

Grafted a pretty Death Flower, which the goats didn't eat (yet)(because they are still asleep...) 🐐

Cooked 🍲 And since the day is already dawning and it's autumn, they chose to make a special breakfast for everyone. Pumpkin pie and scones 🎃 These two! hahaha

And while they were busy with their tasks, Jack thought how happy he now was with Kiyoshi. That was what he always wanted. And maybe he had only been drawn towards Lou because he had given him exactly this? He can't thank Tiny Can enough for showing him what he really needed to be happy and how the best possible relationship can be achieved.

Jack will make sure Sai changes his mind about Tiny Can and that he won't 'dismantle him and stomp his filthy circuit board into the ground' ö.Ö' 🗜

The mandatory fire - of course 🔥

And while Kiyoshi headed back to the tents to wake up the others, Jack went to meet Grim to socialize with him 🗣 It was a bit awkward at first, so they just sent some text messages back and forth over Social Bunny ^^' 🐇

Then Jack wanted to build a sand Freezer Boney with Grim but he didn't want to. Kumo instead was eager to learn everything about it :3 Seeing these two having so much fun made Grim reconsider his decision, but Kiyoshi called Jack and Kumo in for breakfast. Maybe next time 🐑

Ah finally! They enjoyed their autumnal breakfast 🍃🍂 Jack and Kiyoshi even set the table with matching place mats

Jack towed their reward into their tent.

Kiyoshi: "Guess that means we're going to keep it?" Jack: "'Course we do. We worked so hard for it - and so well together. It's a symbol for our thriving mateship." Kiyoshi: "Someone tried to burn it..." Jack: "Philistines..."

Guess being mates, just mates also means to make compromises ^^'

'Foot on the pedal, never ever false metal Engine running hotter than a boiling kettle My job ain't a job, it's a damn good time City to city, I'm running my rhymes On location, touring around the nation Beastie Boys always on vacation Itchy trigger finger, but a stable turntable I do what I do best because I'm illing and able'

No sleep 'til Brooklyn - The Beastie Boys

Outtakes

I can't get rid of those stupid fears. For some reason, they can't drink the 'Fear-be-gone' potion because the game says they don't have any fears (while they do -.-) and when I turn off 'wants and fears' in the options, the fears remain... Let's hope there is a cheat for it.

From the Beginning 🔱 Underwater Love 🔱 Latest

Current Chapter: starts ▶️ here Last Chapter: 'Here comes the Sun' from the beginning ▶️ here

📚 Previous Chapters: Chapters: 1-6 ~ 7-12 ~ 13-16 ~ 23-28

[thebramblewood]

Read an exclusive excerpt of "Chapter 5: The Mysterious Cal and Lily" from Tangled Vines: A Complete Investigation of the Vatore Disappearances, the bestselling phenomenon sweeping Sim Nation!

The advent of the Roaring '20s put a new city on the map. Prohibition was in full swing across the nation (though often loosely and selectively enforced), but citizens were more eager than ever to revel in excess. Producers of alcoholic beverages (including the Vatore family itself, having swiftly resumed business operations despite the loss of its future inheritors) transitioned to an outward emphasis on medical spirits while moving recreational production underground. Equally clandestine speakeasys began cropping up by the dozens, but one city's winding sidewalks, grimy storefronts, and labyrinthine system of underground tunnels made it particularly well-suited to hosting these secret locales. Soon enough, San Myshuno was the pinnacle of glitz, glamor, and elegant debauchery. All who attended a party wanted to be seen. Curiously, though, two of the names most often uncovered in tabloid archives, Cal and Lily, seemed to fully avoid the increasingly ubiquitous flash of the camera. While other frequenters of the speakeasy circuit often found their grainy black and white faces in print, providing endless fodder for the burgeoning gossip rag industry, this pair remained elusive, which of course sold even more papers. Fellow partygoers pitched first-hand accounts to the highest bidders, and readers clung onto every salacious word. Lily and Cal were always observed to arrive together, but she would soon make a beeline for the gramophone while he settled in at the bar. Nearly every report calls Lily an exquisite beauty with an almost supernatural ability for drawing men into her orbit. In some instances, partygoers describe a herd of suitors nearly erupting into fisticuffs as they competed for her attention. It is impossible to say how many of these accounts are exaggerated or even fabricated. Nevertheless, it is clear she was quite the force. At the end of the night, she would leave with her chosen companion, stupefied by his stroke of good luck, on her arm. Meanwhile, Cal would watch listlessly from a distance, nursing a glass of whiskey he was never observed to actually drink. The relationship between the two was unclear, as was his reason for accompanying her, as he seemed to have little interest in the raucousness surrounding him. He rarely engaged with other guests or even Lily herself, though there is at least one report of an argument in which he seemed with little success to be dissuading her from leaving with yet another man. One cannot help but draw parallels to a certain set of siblings with suspiciously similar names. Despite being younger, Caleb Vatore was always said to be protective over his sister Lilith's interests, even if she rarely heeded his advice. Digging into the newspaper archives at Myshuno Meadows Library unearths several more disturbing accounts. Increasingly, there were whispers that the men Lily seduced completely vanished from San Myshuno society after coming into contact with her. While there was a small spike in unsolved murder cases at the time, a concrete connection between the victims and the mysterious Lily cannot be made. In one story, which admittedly reads like a hallucinatory drug trip, Lily is described as a succubus with glowing red eyes and sharp blood-stained teeth. This account was clearly dismissed, for its revelations were never entertained further. All at once, the champagne and glitter dissolved into a more sober era, and these socialites vanished from public life just as swiftly. In isolation, similarities between Cal and Lily and the disappeared Vatore siblings may seem like mere coincidences. In truth, it cannot even be proven that they existed. No official records matching either individual have been discovered. One could argue that they were works of fiction concocted to boost sales or composites drawn from several individuals. However, considered alongside the evidence to be presented in later chapters, the theory that this duo and the Vatores are one and the same becomes too tantalizingly probable to dismiss.