Dollface reports

Before i quit sims2 i was "Sims 2 reporter" for a project started by Chase and Skye - kinda like a downloads site combined with an online magazine - sadly this wonderful site no longer exists

PLEASE NOTE: these are the original copies from my PC and i haven't spellchecked ect - so theres bound to be a few spelling errors there lol. - as well as this - the pics are missing

PLEASE ALSO NOTE: these were written a long time ago and are not up to date in any way :) but here are my articles from there

Episode one - Lest we forget


Good morning simmers, today I wanted to dive into a little nostalgia from the world of the sims.

The history of the sims.

The sims 1


In febuary 2000, sim city creator will wright released his new ground breaking game, a real life people simulator known as “the sims”.
rumour has it that the inspiration for the sims comes from will wrights own traumatic experiences. In 1991 his family home burned to the ground destroying all his possestions. Will was then forced to move along with his family and completely rebuild his own life! The project was brought to maxis in 1993 and although they agreed to work on the game they were highly sceptical and believed the game would flop, how wrong they were proven.
The base game was shipped on the 4th feb 2000 and sold millions of copies on all platforms and at the end of 2002 was announced as the best selling game in history (replacing the game myst)
It was followed quickly by the the first expansion pack. Livin’ large was released august 2000. This ep contained many more household objects and introduced new careers to the game.
Over the next 2 years we saw another 6 eps, house party – dance themed items, hot date – adding the downtown neighbourhood and new romantic interactions, vacation in march 2002 brought us a new holiday neighbourhood and hundreds of new activities. Superstar and unleased arrived at the end of 2002 allowing sims to become celebrities and to keep pets (pink poodles anyone?). finally in early 2003 came makin’ magic, where your sims toiled over spells, kept baby dragons (which ALWAYS burned the house down) and went visiting in the new magic neighbourhood via magic ballon or a hole in the ground!!

All then went quiet but rumours abounded – was there a sims 2 on the cards??
Yes there was and it shipped on 14th September 2004!

The sims 2



The sims 2 was a massive jump from the original game! The graphics were hugely improved and allowed full close up 3d gameplay. Sims now grew up from babies to toddlers, toddlers to children, then to teen and adult and finally elder.
The new bodyshop allowed for selecting many types of outfit for different occations such as nightwear, formal wear, undies and working out.
Another new feature was that of aspirations, wants and fears.

The sims 2 was set about 20 years into the future for the simmies. The new neighbourhoods included our favourite sims from the first game complete with family trees to prove their heritage.

Add to that, alien abductions, male pregnancies, a mass murdering gold digger and a fully animated grim reaper (he’s a Taurus) and you have a fantastic new way to lose a couple of days.

Everyone waited with bated breath for a sims 2 expansion, they were not disappointed!

University was released on 4th june 2005.
teen Sims may now be moved out of the house and sent to college. Once there they become young adults and attend school until they graduate, drop out, or are kicked out.
3 new careers were added all with unique rewards, one of which allowed for us to create zombie sims. Grey skinned mean sims who delight in making prank calls and going through the bins!!
The student life was very realistic, you have very little cash, hundreds of assignments and papers to write in order to gain good marks, and no free time whatsoever!!
Although the new gameplay adds a lot of new life to the game it does become a little tedious putting a sim all the way through uni (it takes about 6 hours of constant game play)

Nightlife was the next expansion pack, arriveing in shops on 16th September 2005
New additions include inventories, new interactions, and over 125 new objects. Sim dates that can result in gifts or hate letters depending on the success of particular dates.
Some of the new NPCs include party DJs, a Gypsy Matchmaker and Vampiresas well as a new reward object titled the ReNuYu SensoOrb which enables any Sim to have their aspiration changed at any time. However, this object can fail, like all other aspiration reward objects. If that happens, the Sim using it at the time will then have the Grilled Cheese Aspiration which makes the sim want nothing more than to eat grilled cheese, make it for others and generally anything related to grilled cheese!
Nightlife also introduced turn ons/offs – a sim can be attacted (or repulsed) by other sims – turn ons/ offs are as follows::
Cologne
Stink
Fatness
Fitness
Glasses
Hair color
Hat
Facial hair
Full face make-up
Make-up
Formal wear
Swim wear
Underwear
Vampirism
OFB was the 3rd ep.
OFB introduced a whole new new type of gameplay. The entire new concept of running businesses is the game's main new feature, and a new direction for The Sims, as it now includes elements of a tycoon game. New features related to the business concept/mode are: A Sim can own multiple businesses and hire managers to allow them to generate income in the owner's absence. Income can be generated in three different ways: sell other Sims items (either crafted or purchased from the buy catalog), charge them to use an item (such as a salon chair) or charge them admission to the lot by the hour using a ticket machine. When selling items, they can purchase and sell on any item from the Buy Mode catalog, such as toilets and teddy bears. Sims' businesses are able to sell whatever they want in the game world. sims can run a home business or purchase any community lot, provided it is not already owned by another Sim. Customizable restaurant menus, allowing Sims to run anything from a burger joint to a gourmet restaurant. Players are able to change the layout of the store to best attract browsers, deliver friendly service to loyal customers, and charm high-maintenance shoppers. Sims can hire new staff as their business grows, though some will inevitably "slack off". Employees' wages are adjustable, as are their positions in the store. All Sims in the same household as the business owner automatically become their employees. Sims are able to earn talent badges by practicing corresponding skills, such as earning a Sales badge by attempting to make sales (regardless of their success). Badges also allow Sims to use more advanced social skills (such as Dazzle) on their customers. As their business rank rises through increasing customer loyalty, Sims may unlock perks to improve earnings Undercover reviewers will occasionally visit each business, posing as customers. A reviewer will award the business a score based on their enjoyment during their visit, increasing or decreasing customer traffic accordingly. Truly impressive businesses may be named "The Best Of The Best". Teenage Sims are able to work, manage and own stores. Children can start mini-businesses: lemonade stands The player may determine when a Sim's business is opened or closed, either by manually controlling a sign on the door or by having the store automatically open only when the player visits it. Businesses may be freely transferred between family members, and are passed on through the family when a Sim dies.

Pets was the last EP to be released and became available in October last year.
Pets included a whole new type of sim! The pet, customise the cat or dog of your choice and save your unique breeds.
Pets have motives just like Sims are similar in most ways except for the absence of the "Environment" motive, which is replaced with "Scratching" in cats and "Chewing" in dogs. Sims may also train their pets to do various tricks. However, a new sub-neighbourhood is not added in the expansion pack. Instead, the expansion pack focuses almost entirely on pets.
Pets have careers and for the first time in sims there are unlockables in the form of collars and coat colours.

And that’s the history of the sims! Until next time, happy simming

Episode two – Makin Movies


Intro:
Hello again sim fans and welcome to this weeks review

Site review:
Paladin’s palace AKA sim wardrobe
In the world of the Sims 2 there are many custom creators each with their own niche. Paladin’s site concentrates on improving game play and creating whole new objects with new usage and animations as well as some very useful programs which I for one would have difficulty doing without.
The hack conflict detector is one such program! Ever gone on a downloading spree only to load up the game and get all sorts of error messages resulting in the dreaded game crashing and loss of hours of building fun? Then maybe the hack conflict detector is what you need! We all know how some hacks conflict with others, this unique program checks which code the hacks are altering and warns you if any are likely to conflict. The only downside to the program is that the “inteenimator” has been known to give the result of conflicting with itself!!

The downloads side of the site is split into 2 parts “fixes” are small hacks designed to make the game more efficient such as the ofb fix “customers leave after sales” so you don’t get customers with no money roaming your business for hours! Or try the “throw massive parties” fix which allows more guests to be invited (note: people with lower spec computers may want to avoid this one!)
Finally we get to objects!
Paladins palace caters for anything you feel you may need from some new furniture to new remote controls cars, even killer robots and the pierce d’ resistance – the incendiary bomb!! Happy downloading!
http://www.simwardrobe.com/



Feature:
Making movies with the Sims 2.

By far one of the most difficult new skills a person can develop using the game "the Sims 2" is movie making. It takes endless patience and a good creative spark. One of the most difficult aspects of movie making is capturing the right expressions and movements, this can be aided by some of the many hacked objects downloadable in the Sims 2 network, try here for a start: (http://www.modthesims2.com/download.php?f=414 ). Next comes the building of sets and the creation of props and costumes just like a real movie although at least with the Sims you don’t have to worry about them learning their lines!
There is some truly amazing skill in the Sims 2 network, not least the amazing Michelle I found on the Sims 2 community. (http://forums.sims2community.com/member.php?u=137489)
Her sim version of the little mermaid is based upon the original Hans Christian Anderson version of the tale rather than the more popular Disney version, and is set to the powerful song “you’re the storm” by “the cardigans” it begins with two Sims gazing into a fish tank and spotting a mermaid in the tank, then everything blurs and we launch into her bittersweet tale. This movie can be viewed on you tube here: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJjgUJH7AT8) or downloaded from this thread (http://forums.sims2community.com/showthread.php?t=12979) there is also an alternative version featuring the song electrical storm by U2.

Another Gem by the same person is the music video, again made using the Sims 2, for the song “where the wild roses grow” by “Nick cave and Kylie Minogue”. The song tells the tale of a love affair gone very, very wrong and is from the album “murder ballads” released in 1996 by mute records (ref: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_Ballads). The movie by Michelle is loosely based on the music video and is very moving. View it here (http://www.britannicadreams.com/musicvideos.html)
For any budding movie creators out there check out this link: http://britannicadreams.com/movietips/


Did you know?? (Ref: www.snootysims.com )


If permission to go out is denied, the Sneak Out option for teens comes available on the phone after 10 pm?
The game was delayed for 6 months, the main reason for adding wants & fears?
When 2 Sims in a house follow the same career and 1 is higher up the career ladder, that Sim can 'pull some strings' to get the other promoted?
A Lazy Sim with low mood may smash the alarm clock when it wakes him up?
toddlers that learned to walk, may sneak out of the cot
That originally there was supposed to be a thirst and mind need?
teens can runaway if they have a bad relationship with parents

Episode three - Real life Sims?


INTRO

Since the birth of custom creation for the Sims 2 people have strived to either make it more life-like or to make it complete fantasy. For this issue I’m going to concentrate on the more lifelike creations and usage of the Sims 2.

REVIEW
One of the first things that becomes apparent as we begin to download content for the Sims 2 is that our little alter egos seem to follow fashion trends just as we ourselves do. I’ve noticed that by far the most proficient fashion trend for Sims is the gothic fashion and all its offshoots. One site well known for this is simderz moonfruit site http://simderz.moonfruit.com/ and so this is the site I’ve chosen to review for this issue:
The site was first opened on 28th October 2004 by simderz (a 31 year old Goth girl with cats apparently) although simderz is most commonly known for her work for the subscription site “the 8th deadly sim” her work on her own sites is, and has always been, free.
The first uploads which consisted of six swimsuits made with fishnet textures. Things have come a long way since then! The site now holds hundreds of gothic lovelies divided into 21 different categories as well as a special guest artist whom has created complete “blood Rayne” clothing set. The gem of the site (in my opinion) is the beautiful latex lurvely dress in black so be sure to keep an eye open for that one! Simderz work for the Sims one game is also noteworthy and can be found here: http://simderella.moonfruit.com/

INTERESTING NEWS
(REF for below information: www.mercurynews.com)
The Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is situated in New York, USA and is famous for its unusual approach to technology based education. In the summer of last year one of its professors, Katherine Isbister, along with well known instillation artist Rainy Straus from Oakland, created an amazing art instillation as part of the San José art festival known as zero One.
Their tools: CCTV and a copy of The Sims 2!
The project was named SimVeillance: San Jose and during the instillation the duo had two screens. One was running CCTV footage of the Fairmount plaza in downtown san José whilst the other ran the Sims 2. beforehand ms. Isbisters student Chelsea hash had created a commercial lot to represent the square and had simmed the passers by they’d captured earlier on the CCTV so that when the display was running they had simultaneous worlds, the real life plaza and an almost identical sim plaza complete with Sims of the locals.
Ms. Isbister is quoted to have said “SimVeillance brings the local urban population back into the show in a unique way, as locals may be able to see themselves captured via surveillance camera and transposed into the game, Even viewers who don’t catch glimpses of themselves in the installation are bound to reconsider the impact of wandering the urban landscape. The project seeks to evoke feelings of curiosity, voyeurism, and a jolt into the perspective typical of city planners or sociologists.” (REF: http://www.rpi.edu/index.html)

This was not the first step into this sort of work for the pair:
Rainey Straus (www.raineystraus.com,) has been involved in a variety of projects that blend digital technology with sculpture and performance art. Katherine Isbisters work includes research on the connections between human behaviour and digital characters. (www.katherineinterface.com)
They picked up an honorary mention for the project which was displayed amongst 200 other projects at the festival!

DID YOU KNOW??

Everyone loves to learn things they didn’t know! – Here are a few little hints! – More next week!
(REF www.snootysims.com)

your Sim can swim on its back while clicking him in the pool
mean Sims can cheat chess by clicking the board
you can talk to the unborn baby
you can pay off a Sim that kicks your trashcan
you can over-water your plant which make them all brown and dead
Nice Sims enjoy destroying the dollhouse
when you have 2 or more pc's, your Sims can play a LAN game
the expensive grandfather clock can fall into pieces
if you have 2 social bunnies on a lot they can make out with each other
that you can overfeed your fish
You can free the burglar after it's captured in the police car? - Just click on the door and hit rescue – you get a good friendship score with the burglar when you do this!
unaccepted pizza never turns bad
Sloppy Sims may occasionally pee in the shower or the bushes

Episode four - SIMS LIFE STORIES

So we’ve all been hearing so much about life stories but many people ask, “What is it?” “Is it worth the money?” today I’ve devised a list of FAQ and am going to try to answer them as best I can.

What are the Sims stories?

Life stories is the first in a line of new games simply named “the Sims stories” these are NOT an expansion packs for the Sims 2 but are completely different games. They are aimed at gamers with lower spec PCs and also gamers who are interested in playing Sims 2 without using up all their hard disk space ;)
There is a whole series coming out and the idea is to play one chosen sim and guide them through the important aspects of their life

The first of these games, The Sims Life Stories track the lives of Riley Harlow and Vincent Moore, two very different characters who have reached similar crossroads in their love lives.
An amusing romantic plot centered around there characters guides players through twelve chapters of their lives. Players can take these Sims through unique and entertaining storylines filled with romance, intrigue and dramatic twists.
If this is all too set up for you then try playing the classic free mode which all of us simmers know and love.
The other two we know of are “pet stories” which using stories based around pets and “castaway stories” – your Sim is trapped on a desert island and must rebuild their lives.

So what are the specs?

To play the Sims life stories you will need:
Windows XP
1.4 GHz (1.8 GHz laptop) or faster
256 MB (512 MB for laptop) or more
8x or faster DVD-ROM drive
2.7 GB or more free space
DirectX 9.0c compatible (see below) Sound: DirectX 9.0c compatible
Graphics card must have 32 MB of memory or more and one of these chipsets: ATI Radeon 7500 or better; Mobility 7500, 8500, 9000 series; Mobility M7, x200 or better; Mobility Fire GL/GL v5200; NVIDIA GeForce 2 or better, GeForce Go 6100 or better; Quadro Series; Intel Extreme Graphics 82845, 82865, 915, 945 series, 950 or greater
…. So not hugely low specs, but most modern laptops would play it.

What does it look like? Is it as good as the Sims 2?

Have some screenies! ;)

























Thanks to the “game” website for the pics (http://www.game.co.uk)

So as you can see – it looks fairly similar!
If you are interested there is also a trailer here: http://www.game.co.uk/lowdown.aspx?lid=6999&cm_sp=sims2-_-merchandising-_-lifestories

Can we use custom content?

Yes and no.
The content created for the Sims 2 will NOT work with life stories but there is downloadable content for this game. The only items I could find are available here: http://sims.yahoo.com/downloads

So what do other people think of it??


Game spot reviews: average 6/10 and comments such as “grows on you” and “surprisingly good” tinged with a few “ok – been there done that”
http://uk.gamespot.com/pc/strategy/thesimslifestories/index.html

Euro gamer’s reviewers voted it at 6.2 out of 10 and made comments such as:
“Life Stories is a thoroughly enjoyable crossover between an established series and the world of casual gamers”
And
“As it turns out, all the pre-release banter about this new range of standalone story games being nothing more than Sims Lite for twittering low attention span idiots proves more than a little unfair. The range of options has certainly reduced, but Life Stories actually feels streamlined as a result, rather than gutted.”

And how about EA?

This is a direct quote from the Sims 2 website:


“The Sims™ Life Stories is the first release in an all-new product line called The Sims Stories. Play through all the great moments of your Sim's life in this easy-to-play, laptop-friendly version of The Sims. Also Coming Soon to The Sims Stories Line: The Sims Pet Stories invites your Sims to care for and train loveable but unpredictable pets, and in The Sims Castaway Stories you help your Sims make a new life in an unexplored deserted island paradise. All releases in The Sims Stories line offer two fun ways to play, directed Story mode and open-ended Classic mode, and are designed with laptop-friendly controls that let you play even when you're on the go! For more information check out www.TheSimsStories.com.”

RESERVED (I'm sure there were five issues :S i'll get the last one up as soon as i find it lol)

WOW Dollface! You did a lot of research on this! I am very impressed with all this information! I wish I could have seen this site you mentioned. I'll bet it had much to offer!
Here, we are mostly an information site, but we give links to the downloads that are special to us. I truely wish I could do something/make something cool to reward you with! This is excellent, and thank you very much for bringing it here for us to read about our favorite subject! (okay, one of them!)
Tish

;D you people do nothing for the size of my ego lol :P

It was a great site and i was devastated to navigate there one day and find it gone but ah well ....... happens ..

I thought you may like to see what I'd done before and skye said it was ok to post it up :) glad you enjoyed :)

Oh yeah!!! I have a feeling that this site won't be going anywhere soon. It's a free site, for one, but also Mortisha is pretty steady in her resolve in keeping this up. (and once up she won't be messing it up like I did when I had site like this. Too many chiefs and not enough indians, and I was not ready to become a chief. I didn't have enough knowledge on site stuff)

Anyhoo, I love this site, am glad to be on it too!

Oh, and your ego needs some boosting at times, don't it? I know mine does!!!
hugs and nachos,
Skye