SimmedUp Magazine Issue 17 January 2022 by SUPinmedia

Editors Lett SulSul Simmers,

Happy New Year to you all. The last few years have been a complete stab in the dark in regards to humans and everyday living, so thank fully we have had The Sims to keep us company and keep us smiling. In 2021 we brought you so many amazing simmers from within the community that to name just a few would be unfair, so to everyone who contributed, assisted advised, helped, encouraged, supported, donated, followed, subscribed, liked, loved, commented across our social media and on our website. THANK YOU We do this for you and hope that as 2022 marches forward we can continue to support the wonderful creators out there, the talented artists, and the imaginative modders. No matter what you do within The Sims we love to see your pictures so don’t forget to tag us #SupMag for a re-tweet or share and who knows, your creations could end up within our pages too! This month we bring you a little energy boost with our fitness and wellness tips and tricks, stories and images to get your Sims happy and fit after their Winterfest indulgences. We also jump feet first into the REAL GENERATIONS of The Sims with Granny & Joey. Granny has been playing The Sims since it was first released and taught joey everything he knows, still an avid player and collector today, we speak to them both inside. We also get to chat with the amazing content creator that is Peacemaker as well as showcasing Your Sims, Builds and more. Need something to inspire you to build for the new year? Then check out all our pages, there is something for everyone. Until next time

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Contents

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8 Non Bob News 12 Tips & Tricks 16 Introducing 22 CC Spotlight 28 Joey & Granny 38 Geeking Out 42 Cooking Sims Style 46 Your Sims 58 Fan Art Rewind

70 Titan Architect Taffissimo 80 Off Topic 84 Star Dew

90 Peacemaker 100 Mod Review 108 Simspiration 114 Making a Simmer 120 EA Creator Network 122 The Rose Chronicles 128 Just for Fun 130 Simscopes 132 Alpha Challenge 138 Meet our team

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Happy New Year! Thank goodness 2021 is over. Hopefully this means we have more big updates and actual Expansion Packs to look forward to…We hope so anyway… The recent update that came out on 30th November added the first phase of Neighbourhood Stories, a Story Progression type feature to The Sims 4. For those of us who have played The Sims 3, Story Progression means having the sims around you living life to the fullest! As annoying as it can be for some, they’re constantly having parties, babies, and all sorts of other live changing things go on behind those not-so-closed doors. Here’s a list and explanation of how EA’s Story Progression works in The Sims 3: https://sims.fandom.com/wiki/ Story_progression This new type of Story Progression, however, is unlike The Sims 3’s version as it will be somewhat controllable. The Sims team plan on Neighbourhood Stories having on/off switches, meaning that you can turn off the unpredictability if you desire. This is helpful for the Simmers who play with their own story line in mind. For those who enjoy the messiness though, hopefully we will start seeing some chaos soon in our games. The latest update is in - make sure to check out www.EA.com for the full information. PC: 1.82.9.1030 / Mac: 1.82.99.1230 Console: Version 1.50

As of right now, Neighbourhood Stories focuses on “Sims that are connected to your Households and have relationships of some kind with them,” as stated in the Update Notes. This means that currently, you have to form a relationship with the sims outside of your household to be able to access the new feature. Then, you’ll have to check out the new Friendly and Mean interactions to influence those sims to make changes to their lives. Along with this new feature, two new Aspirations have arrived! One is focused on the more pleasant socials in the feature, with the aspiration called Neighbourhood Confidante. If your sims love gossiping, or actually like helping their friends out with their social and love lives, this is the Aspiration for them! If, however, your sims prefer to mess with their neighbour’s love lives, maybe even stealing a few taken lovers for themselves, the Villainous Valentine is the Aspiration they’ll want to go for! You can find more details on this, as well as any bug fixes, in the Patch Notes.

SDX Even though Christmas has come and gone, the New Year brings about more opportunities to connect with like minded people.

The first Sims Delivery Express came out on 7th December, with another on it’s way! As it was the first time using the SDX system, it makes sense that all we got was a hairstyle. It would be horrible to give us all this free stuff before making sure the system works properly! It is a cute hairstyle though, and it being free is just perfect! This hairstyle can be used on all ages, and it looks great too!

For those of you who are interested, we have a brand new website to support the community! We are accepting community submissions to our blog, free and paid cc, and we have forums and groups for you to contribute to and have fun! Looking for other game ideas? We have a post for that! We put together a list of 100 of our favourite games (other than The Sims, of course), so make sure you check that out too! To join, just head on over to supinmedia.com/ to sign up (membership is not required). Join us today by www.supinmedia.com

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On 15th December, the second SDX was released with a ton of Christmassy things! There’s a new recipe, some décor items and even a decorative fruitcake to spice up your dining tables!

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Unplugged A S IM S P OD ST ODCA AS

The Sims 4 has been around since 2014 and shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon. Even if you have been playing since its inception, there are probably still things that you do not know about The Sims 4. Despite all the flak it gets in the community, The Sims 4 is deep… Perhaps not as deep as its predecessors, but the game still has a lot to offer. Let’s turn off The Sims 5 talk for a minute and take a look at a few tips that can help you enhance your gameplay so you can enjoy this infamous series.

Making Mythical Drinks. At level 9 of the mixology skill, your Sims can create a drink called the Snaggle Fluster. This drink gives you a huge skill boost, enabling your Sims to gain skills faster then any other method. You pay 200 for the guide that holds this recipe and can then use it to create the Sims of your dreams.

“Let them eat cake” Food in the Sims 4 can actually make your Sims fat! Depending on what you feed your Sims, they will gain weight and this can get out of control if you are not careful. The only way to burn fat in the game is through cardio exercises, so jump on the treadmill to get your Sims slim again. Setting your Sims' aspiration to a fitness aspiration, such as body builder, will increase their metabolism and connect to their 12

physical appearance. A fitness aspiration makes it more difficult for your Sims muscles to decay or for them to gain excess weight.

How Your Sims Feel Matters. While creators removed ideal moods from careers, there are still some ideal moods to consider in your game play. Creative Sims are boosted by the inspired emotion, mental Sims are boosted when focused, physical Sims are boosted when energized, and social skills increase faster when your Sim is confident. Use these moodlets to succeed in your career and in life. Energized is a great mood for going to work because your Sims hunger will decay faster and they will be less tired when they arrive home at the end of the day.

Build a Better Man. Creating male Sims can be a struggle. If you are trying to create the perfect man for your Sim, try making him as a woman first. Create a woman with features that are

slightly masculine and then switch her into a he…By starting with a female sim, the features and shape of the face will be softer and more appealing.

Say Cheese! If you want to b u i l d relationships but don’t have the time or energy to deal with the erratic effects of the game, we have you covered. Grab yourself a camera from build/buy and take some pics with your soon-to-be-bestie. Taking pictures with someone will increase your relationship and provide you with some cute photos that you can frame and hang in your house.

Stop Starving Your Sims.

some creepy companions. Create A Sim That Is Extra Unique. You can mix an alien, a witch, and a vampire using cleats to create an interesting tribrid Sim. Start by creating an alien in CAS. Once created, ensure testingcheats true is enabled and type the following… T r a i t s . e q u i p _ t r a i t trait_OccultVampire Now that you have an alien vampire you can enter the following cheat… t r a i t s . e q u i p _ t r a i t trait_occult_witchoccult You now have a Vampire/Alien/Witch.

It is interesting to note that your TriBrid Sim has a ‘Dark Form’ which is your alien's human disguise.It is all a bit odd but might make for some interesting storytelling!

If you are out and about and you come across some food that you want to take home you may find that the game does not let you put it in your inventory. Solve this problem by packing it in a sack lunch instead. This lunch will appear in your inventory as a brown paper bag that you can then store in the refrigerator and eat later. Did someone say free food? Yes, please!

Go Wild! You can actually live in Salvadorada without the use of mods, but there is a catch. You can create a home in the Jungle Adventure world and live there fulltime but it needs to be a haunted house.To do this enter the lot from the main map build or place a haunted house and create a family to move into the home. Note: This family must have the funds to afford the house. You can then move the family into the Haunted House and live your best jungle life alongside 13

Hit The Spa To Start A family. If you’re looking to grow your family of Sims, Spa Day may be a useful pack for you. With the Spa Day pack there is the option to ‘Get a fertility massage.’ This massage is a great way to increase the chances of having twins - or God forbid triplets - and increases your Sims chance of getting pregnant overall. Be warned, the fertility massage is quite powerful, so if you do not want children you should avoid this type of massage.

A Little Something For The Littles. Dream Home Decorator came with some stunning furniture. This pack also came with an adorable play tent for toddlers and kids. What you may not know is that this tent inspires creativity and impacts toddlers/kids emotions. When kids/toddlers are playing in the tent an older Sims can play outside as ‘the monster’ and scare the littles. When done, this adds a scared or angry moodlet to the toddler or child sim and provides some fun realism in the game. Sims are also able to sleep in this tent, which is super handy if you are short on beds,

Quench That Thirst. This tip involves the Vampire pack but was added long after Vampires was released. In the Sims 4 you can d i s a l l o w vampires to prevent them from sneaking

in at night and ruining your plans by biting your Sims while they sleep. To do this you simply click on your front door and select No trespassing - Disallow vampires. This will prevent Vampires from appearing in the night in search of a meal. There are other options in this menu as well, including locking the door for neighbors, for solicitors, and for everyone but your Sims.

Addicted To Technology. Along with locking your doors there are other ways that you can get the most out of your game play. It is no secret that Sims who visit your household will immediately seek out the computer and park themselves there for the duration of their visit. This gets old fast! To prevent visiting sims from using your precious PC you can click on the P C , navigate to security, and lock the computer f o r everyone but the household. To be honest, this is one of the first things I do when starting a new game.

What A Monstrosity! If you have ever played The Sims with children you know how annoying the monster under the bed can be. This being will rouse your children at all hours of the night and send them screaming in horror to their parents room. Parents then must go and “spray the monster under the bed” so the child can return to their slumber. If you are tired from being jolted awake each night by terrified children there are a few options for you. First, you can purchase a bed in Snowy Escape called ‘The Monster Free bed’ that

does not allow the monster under the bed to take residence there, or you can buy the Coolala Defender Wall Light. The Coolala light protects your children from the monster under the bed and allows your Sims to have a restful slumber. While these items are handy, your children Sims can actually befriend the monster under the bed by talking to it. This means that they will no longer wake you from fear, but they may be tired for school tomorrow.

traits.remove_trait Strangerville_Infected Once possessed you communicate with the Motherplant telepathically and you can request gifts each day. The Motherplant will provide things like career gains, simoleons, energy, and life extension. Your Sims can visit the Motherplant once a day to request gifts, which can be quite lucrative.

Avoiding Tragedy! A Strange Side Of Strangerville. Strangerville came with a gorgeous world, but the game play itself was a bit lackluster for many players. With that said, you do not need to forget about this pack entirely once you have played through the story and defeated the mother plant. In fact, while the point of this story-line is to defeat the mother plant and render it useless, you can revive the plant and even become friends with it! You befriend the mother plant by attempting to communicate with it several times. Once you have established your bond, you can then request gifts and other things from the plant than can be very helpful in your everyday life. Note: To communicate with the mother plant you can eat a bizarre fruit to make your Sim possessed or use the following cheats to turn possession on and off: traits.equip_trait Strangerville_Infected

The Sims 4 is fantastic, but let’s be honest,the Sims 4has a lot of death! All this loss can quickly become difficult to deal with at times. When a Sims dies suddenly, it is often devastating, but it doesn’t have to be. The game creators have provided an item that can literally save a Sims life, The death flower. When the death flower is offered to the Grim Reaper, Grim will bring your Sim back from the dead rather than reaping their soul and shipping them off to the afterlife. Unfortunately, the death flower is hard to acquire, and even more challenging to create. Thankfully this item is available through the debug menu and is probably something that you will want to grab and hold in your inventory for when tragedy inevitably strikes.

It’s a new year and that means that we also introduce more Simmers that you might not know you need to follow on social media. Jenna, known as Jenkeball (@JennaRu55410826 on Twitter) is rather new to the community. But as a newbie, her creation High Elf Alchemist, she already has a Maxi’s favourite. On her Youtube, you will find quite a few of her Spark’d challenge entries and some build tours. Although she does not post much on there, it’s always fun to watch her videos. Her builds are amazing and very creative. You can see she really enjoys building and creating in the Sims.

Follow her on social media: https://twitter.com/JennaRu55410826 https://www.youtube.com/user/NowYourUnderCONTROL/featured

Jenna

When some of us think ofBy sports, we probably think of hard-work, lots of KawaiiFoxita pain and smelly sweaty gyms. Ew. Not very appealing. Never fear! I’m here to show you that exercise for your Sims doesn’t have to be that way. Instead think luxury & relaxation. Enjoy these beautiful CC creations & get your Sims in shape with style!

Brooke Bench AnYe @ Patreon.com/Pinkboxdesigns

SYB Yoga Mirror Syboubou @ S4cc.syboulette.fr

SYB Wall Mandala Syboubou @ S4cc.syboulette.fr

SYB Yoga Mat Syboubou @ S4cc.syboulette.fr

SYB Euphoria Wall Panel Syboubou @ S4cc.syboulette.fr

SYB Yoga Neon Sign Syboubou @ S4cc.syboulette.fr

Rolled Towel Peacemaker @ peacemaker-ic.tumblr.com SYB Meditation Stool Syboubou @ S4cc.syboulette.fr

SYB Crepuscule Tri-Windows Syboubou @ S4cc.syboulette.fr

Guajira Sofa Left Nikadema @ The Sims Resource

Myra Living Floating Shelf Peacemaker @ peacemaker-ic.tumblr.com

Wall Mounted Shower Peacemaker @ peacemaker-ic.tumblr.com

Arch Decal DKSims @ dk-sims.tumblr.com

Kids Camping Table SIMcredible @ The Sims Resource

Flemming Seashell AnYe @ Patreon.com/Pinkboxdesigns

Old Wood Floor 11 PralineSims @ The Sims Resource

Bathroom Angi Wall Panel Ung999 @ The Sims Resource

Kawaii Palm Leaves 4 KawaiiFoxita @ SimsFileShare

Plant Lover Potted Indoor Tree Chicklet @ The Sims Resource

Quinn Shelf Cowbuild @ Patreon.com/Cowbuild

To find out more about KawaiiFoxita visit kawaiifoxita.com

“

Granny played the Game Cube with me when I was little. Her and my grandpa loved the Need For Speed games

”

Meet Joey & Granny

How long have you and granny been playing computer games? Granny has been playing for well over twenty years. My earliest memory of playing games was The Sims with Granny when I was around four years old, since about 2003.

What were both of your first gaming console/PC Both of us started out on PC. The Sims is where it all began, for both of us. Growing up I had a Game-cube, and so did Granny. We both had our own memory cards and I’d bring mine when I came to visit. Granny got me into Animal Crossing, Harvest Moon (Granny played too), and of course, The Sims. We also both really enjoyed playing DS games; The Sims 2: Castaway being our favourite.

Are there things about Sims you both fight about like ‘which Sims is the best, CC and mods’ etc Nothing that we really fight about regarding the Sims. The only ‘arguments’ we’d have would be playful, usually over the fact that she would come over to our house with her laptop to download all of her custom content since she had limited internet (she only had a certain amount of gigabytes she could use a month). We both agree that The Sims 2 & 3 were the best

Was Sims the first game you both played? Yes!

How did you both get started playing the Sims? Was it granny's love of the game that encouraged you to play yourself joey? 30

Granny loved to play those mystery games where you would have to find the hidden objects. Also games like Nancy Drew & Sherlock Holmes. We would go to the store and pick them out off the shelf. That is how The Sims came into our life. Granny started playing The Sims before I can even remember, but as soon as I could, I was playing in her lap. She even got me my first PC, a Dell Dimension 2400, when I was five years old so I could play next to her at her house.

Has Granny tried playing the console with you? Or online games? Granny played the Game-cube with me when I was little. Her and my grandpa loved the Need For Speed games… they even had the whole setup with the steering wheel and pedal. Granny still has limited internet so multiplayer games would be difficult for her to play.

“

My favourite thing about The Sims is building. I love being able to build a house from scratch and let my creative juices flow as I decorate

”

Besides Sims, what other games do you both like? As I said earlier, Granny loves mystery games as well. She still plays to this day. I have found myself broadening my gaming library, I personally love playing horror games. At the moment, I am playing Dead by Daylight, Animal Crossing, and Resident Evil: Village. I used to play Grand Theft Auto at a young age at Granny’s house… she had two rules. The first being that I had to play with the volume turned down, and the second being that I was NOT allowed to run over elderly NPCs!

What is your favourite thing about the sims game? Granny: In Sims 2 & 3, you could have closer to a virtual life. She particularly loved the Get to Business expansion in Sims 2 where you could run your own store. Joey: My favourite thing about The Sims is building. I love being able to build a house from scratch and let my creative juices flow as I decorate. It’s one of the many ways I like to express my creativity. How does Granny see the changes that have happened over the years to The Sims and what would she change if she could? Granny appreciates the effort that has gone into the most recent Sims games but 31

she does not enjoy The Sims 4 at all. We both agree that we miss many of the features from the previous games. She would like to see more clothing options and hairstyles for elder Sims. She feels as if they are often overlooked in the Sims games. She also wishes that you could run an efficient farm, with farm animals that produce like cows, chickens, pigs, etc. Crops like corn, wheat, cotton, hay. She is a country woman and has been for all 76 years of her life; she grew up on a farm in Kentucky. She would like to make her Sims worlds as “country as possible”.

How has the Sims improved your lives? Granny: By having something fun and creative to do with my grandson. We began with Sims 1… wonderful memories. That is what started the Sims journey for both of us. Joey: The Sims has improved my life by giving me a way to express my creativity. I love building and decorating. I like to build nontraditional buildings. For example, in real life I work at a funeral home so there’s been a few times I’ve been inspired to build a funeral home in-game. I also enjoy building cemeteries, homes for aliens, dirty trailer parks, etc. Places that have their own little charm in their own way.

Do you both think that the Sims can help players, for example, those that may be struggling with depression/anxiety, or with identity issues? Granny: The game could pull you away from everyday life and sink yourself into your own world of your making. I can not speak for other people, but for me, it helped with my anxiety. Joey: I really do believe that the game can help with all three. I personally struggle with anxiety and depression and the game, like my Granny said, can be an escape. You are in charge of the world in the Sims… for the most part… yes, I’m looking at you evil cowplant… but really it is a place where you can leave the real world behind for a moment. In terms of identity, I think the Sims is a great avenue in terms of exploration of self-identity. More so in the Sims 4 than in previous games, I like how you are able to change the body frame of sims and even choose if the sim is able to get pregnant or not. However, in terms of inclusivity, I think there is more than can be done. I would like to see pronouns implemented in the game, and more customisation in terms of gender and identity expression. I also really enjoyed seeing that The Sims 4 implemented pride themed items and clothing. The previous games are a bit set back in time, so I can’t be too upset at the lack of inclusivity. But, it would be nice to have without needing custom content. What has Granny learned in her years of playing the game and does she have any top tips? Granny: What I learned from 2&3, is there are many awesome creators of furniture, clothes, and Knick knacks to make more realistic home. I ran a real life business, so I never learned how to do this process (making CC). I admit to downloading a TON of other people’s creations. I guess I would say I still had a lot to learn about creating. My tip would be, to choose carefully where you download 32

stuff. If you choose the wrong one it can destroy your world. I have lost a few.

What is your most favourite cc to "shop" / download? We both have always been very fond of ModTheSims and TheSimsResource. Joey: My personal favourite creator is Luumia.

What are your fondest/funniest memories of the game? Granny: Grandson and myself sharing a chair or sitting in chair next to me and watching him create his home in Sims 1. Then as he grew we shared downloads and hints and tricks. He used to lock his sim in a room and not feed him when he didn’t like what he created. He was 5. Joey: Not me playing, but I once watched a dear friend of mine, XoGlitter, stream The Sims 4 on Twitch. She was doing the 100 babies challenge and the babies were named after members of her Twitch community. We called what happened “The Rapture” -- randomly out of nowhere all the first generation of kids all died at the same exact time. The phone kept ringing and we all watched our sims die one by one right after each other. This happened with every generation of children and we all would panic when we knew the rapture was coming. It was hilarious. Oh, she also had a “baby bunker” where the babies lived… the wallpaper and flooring was Glitter’s face… it was amazing. My fondest memories would of course have to be playing alongside my Granny.

We know Granny said TS4 was a dud, does still feel that way? Granny: YES. no worlds, no nothing. I hated it from the get go and took it off my computer. Joey: I’ve tried getting her back into it after showing her the expansions, but the fact still stands… the Sims 4 is still a dud. We both miss the open world concept dearly, as well as the custom colour wheel that was in the third game. The fact that The Sims 4 released without POOLS to drown, I mean, entertain my sims? Unacceptable. All joking aside, there are so many features that we, and many others, loved in the previous games that are missing from The Sims 4… and then to have so many expansion packs and now kits… it just seems like you need to have all the packs to even enjoy the game. What kind of reactions do you both get when Joey tells people his gran plays The Sims and when Gran tells people she plays the Sims? She was very popular with my friends growing up. She was the cool Granny who cussed and played video games! Always received words of adoration and appreciation of her from friends! People have been surprised when I tell her that she owns every single game and pack from The original Sims to the Sims 3. She would always buy me and herself a copy whenever the latest pack came out! 34

Geeking Out

with Ghostface2018xx

PART 2

Moments after finding the oddly shaped puddle, The Doctor began to smile.

Clearly we’re not in our universe. This sort of thing just doesn’t happen. That’s such a perfectly formed duck puddle. That’s just impossible!

This is brilliant!

Look at you, all smiley! What are you thinking Doctor?

So what are you saying?

I have reason to believe we are in some kind of simulation. This kind of physics could only have been coded.

Did you ever see The Matrix?

That’s more Mickey’s kind of thing. Why?

Suddenly, three interesting-looking women run up to The Doctor and Rose.

Excuse me! Hello!

Hello, can we help you?

Sim credits: REOspeedwaggin - Pleiades Sisters Cbunte01 - Rose GlitchingGaz - The Doctor 38

Yep, he’s The Doctor, I’m Rose, and how do you know us?

You’re The Doctor, aren’t you?

Of course! I assume you brought us here? No, um, we just saw the TARDIS and we thought you could help us.

Ooof rookie mistake. I did that once, it wasn’t fun. My TARDIS whined about it for months! She still doesn’t let me forget it.

We were watching a star die into a supernova explosion, forming a black hole, I mean we do it all the time, except we were hit by an Asteroid and our engines began to fail because SOMEONE forgot to put the shields up— Maybe that wouldn’t have happened if you tidied up the console room a bit. I was busy doing it for you.

Anyway, we got dragged into the black hole and we sent you the SOS hoping you could get us out of here.

Sure, we’d love to help! There’s one tiny problem, though.

What do you mean?

You must be from our Universe so you must know that it’s gonna take lots of calculations before either of our ships will be willing to take us home. Basically, the TARDIS is sulking.

The sisters turned to each other, stunned.

Well ladies, looks like we’re gonna fix your ship, calculate how to get out of here and get us all home, before this one’s mother slaps me for being late again.

Oh, I’m Sunburst, this is Plasma, and over there is Gamma. We’re sisters, species is Xinar.

Oiii!

Hang on a minute. I don’t even know your names.

Rose, you know it’s true.

Yeah, my mum gets you good!

The Doctor takes out his Sonic Screwdriver and flips it in his hand. His cocky smile says they’ll be alright…eventually.

To Be Continued…

Super-food Salad for a Super New You It’s a new year and time to get rid of those festive pounds. Healthy eating and healthy living should be at the top of our list all year but the beginning of the year is the perfect time to hit reset and get it right this time around. Or at least till March. You might h a v e noticed in The Sims 4 when you reach a certain level of cooking a n d wellness, a new recipe c a l l e d Super-food Salad becomes available. What is “super-food”? The term “superfood” is a term referring to foods that offer maximum nutritional benefits for minimal calories. They are packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Also, Granny’s Super-food Salad is really yummy. Let’s get our “ommmm” on and get back into healthy living.

Ingredients

2tbsp orange juice 3tbsp vinegar 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil Salt and pepper

Method In a pot of boiling, salted water, cook pasta as per packet directions. In the last 2 minutes of cooking the pasta, add the kale to the water. Once cooked, strain and run under cold water. Drain well and place into a serving bowl. Add avocado, pistachio nuts, coriander and oranges and mix together. In a small bowl, mix together all the dressing ingredients. Pour dressing over the salad and top with pomegranate.

250g San Remo Spelt Spirals 2 cups firmly packed sliced kale 1 avocado, peeled and sliced thinly ½ cup pistachio nuts ½ cup coriander leaves 2 oranges, skin removed and cut into segments ½ cup pomegranate kernels Dressing 43

Your Sims

Malixa 46

My name is Malixa, and I am a 24 year old content creator. I began my content creation journey back in 2018, and I found my love for content creation when I randomly started playing The Sims 4 on Twitch and found people who were invested in my Sims just as I was. I've been playing since The Sims 2 days, and I haven't looked back. The Sims always meant a lot to me so I'm grateful to be able to create content for a game I love.

My links: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/Malixa Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/Malixa Twitter: https://twitter.com/MalixaTV

Malixa

Angel Hayes Your Sims My name is Angel Hayes. I am a simmer,artist,you-tuber and streamer. I am 21. I love anime, marvel and dc. I am pan sexual I love horror games and movies. I am a Gryffindor. I am a Harry Potter and a Star Wars fan. I love being a simmer and it is fairly similar to being an artist you get to express yourself and creativity freely. Being able to do so means a lot to me and is something I am grateful to be able to do. I mostly love creating Sims and building houses. I like to make up interesting designs and try to push the limits in The Sims 4 and piece together something completely new and original. I started playing The Sims 2 as my first Sims game when I was 13. A huge inspiration is my older sister who is also a simmer. She is always supportive and we like to create Sims together and collaborate. On my youtube and twitch i do videos/stream The Sims 4 or i play different video games or make art related content. The genre of video games I play varies from horror to survival or comedic etc. As for my art, I like to sketch anime,realism and cartoons. I also am working on doing animation and want to make custom content for The Sims 4. I also want to thank Simmedup Magazine for giving me the honour to be in this issue with my Sims Claudia and Draven.

My Twitter handle https://twitter.com/Angelhayes2000 My youtube handle https://www.youtube.com/c/ArttasticGamer My Twitch handle https://www.twitch.tv/angelhayes20

F A N A R

REWIND We have been extremely honoured to have been able to feature so many fantastic artists within the pages of our magazines.

With 2022 finally here, we decided to give you a recap of the amazing art shared with us and the community in 2021, whilst encouraging you to support them by heading over to their socials and giving them a follow, a sub or even just a thumbs up.

If you would like to share your art with our readers, send your Art to simmedup@gmail.com With a 500 word bio about yourself and any links you would like us to share.

Happy New Year

N I C O L E C E D R I C January 2021

The The Sims Sims 2 2 Comics Comics https://thesims2comics.tumblr.com/ https://thesims2comics.tumblr.com/

February 2021

Kikkass https://www.instagram.com/_kikkass/

March 2021

MORGYNEMBERISAGENDERFLUIDDADDY

April 2021 morgynemberisagenderfluiddaddy.tumblr.com

Amelettes https://amelettes.tumblr.com/

May 2021

J U N E 2021

Luddy Simmer

Vlada - vdshakh https://vdshakh.tumblr.com/

JULY 2021

https://twitter.com/LuddySimmer

Adore Amelia http://adoreamelia.tumblr.com.

August 2021

Fish Cemetery fishcemetery.tumblr.com/

SEPTEMBER 2021

Amelettes https://amelettes.tumblr.com/

O C T O B E R 2021

Luridsims https://luridsims.tumblr.com/

Lilypixels https://lilypixels.tumblr.com/

AsGraceCreates https://twitter.com/asgracecreates

Mosneakers https://mosneakers.tumblr.com/ 64

O C 2 T 0 O 2 B1 E R November 2021

Meksims MeiagdPoisoned Simmer https://twitter.com/IzzyMEIAGD https://poisonedsimmer.tumblr.com/tagged/meksims

https://meksims.tumblr.com/meksims

D E C E M B E R 2021

Poisonedsimmer

Spannersims

https://poisonedsimmer.tumblr.com/tagged/meksims

https://spannersims.tumblr.com/ 65

While the winter festivities are over and we have crossed over into the promising New Year, it is with great pleasure we are welcoming Taffissimo Builds as our Titan Architect for the first issue of 2022!

Welcome, let’s begin with a brief introduction. I would love to find out more about you as a person, what is your name, age, hobbies, where are you from, what is your star sign and you biggest pet peeves? My name is Simon and I am told that I’m a very sensitive Cancer, which I am not sure how to feel about…! I live in Germany and aside from design and architecture I love movies, ranging from Hollywood classics, and international arthouse, to indie and auteur films. Pedro Almodóvar and Wong Kar-Wai would be my favourite directors, to give you an idea of what I like. I am a decent cook, and you can find me doing HIIT and yoga from time to time. My biggest pet peeve would be miserly people. Not tipping and being unwilling to split the bill are immediate dealbreakers to me.

TAFFISSIMO

TITAN ARCHITECT

Let’s talk a little about the past year, how was 2021 like for you? Have you achieved everything you had planned for it, was there any curve balls and obstacles or was it mostly a smooth ride? 2021 was alright for me overall. It feels kind of wrong saying that considering there’s still a global pandemic going on, and political turmoil which causes many people to suffer. It feels so insignificant to reminisce about my achievements this year, when there are so many big events happening in the world right now. But for what it’s worth, I did achieve some personal goals, which I am pretty happy about. I finished my MA degree, which included a film project that demanded most of my energy early this year. Shooting had to be put on hold for a while due to the pandemic but editing turned out to be the real struggle. Despite all hurdles the result was very satisfying and marked a great ending to my studies. Talking Sims and my related social media channels, I reached a big milestone when I surpassed the 10K followers mark on IG. It only happened a few days before completing the 1st year of @taffissimo_builds, which was the goal I set myself. And with the algorithm limiting reach and trying to keep you small, it really didn’t look like I’d get there in time, so I couldn’t believe it when I actually hit that number. Now I only wish my YouTube would do better, but that’s for 2022 I guess!

Do you have anything big planned for 2022? Is there anything that you have not tried to do that you would love to try out in the new year to learn new skills or take up a new hobby? I started getting acquainted with 3D modelling this year, and would like to work on that skill further, and maybe even get into animation down the line. Some of my novice level 3D modelling efforts I even shared on IG and reached a new demographic outside of the Sims community. So it’s definitely something that’s worth putting some effort into. As for the YouTube channel I’d like to diversify my content a little bit by creating tutorial videos with building hacks, since the market for speed builds and stopmotion build videos seems to be very saturated at the moment.

You are a very popular Sims 4 builder in the community, your builds stand out with the bright colours and unique shapes. Can you tell us a little about how you started The Sims journey? (E.g. How did you come across the sims, which game was the first game you played? What about it you liked most and least?) Thank you! I’m really concerned with

colour and shape, and try to push myself by building different and unusual things that keep my content exciting. So it really means a lot to me that you feel this is my signature and how I stand out in the community. My Sims journey started back in 2000 when my older brother brought home TS1 from a friend, and I was immediately hooked. The dollhouse quality of the gameplay really spoke to me as a kid. I loved Playmobile and Lego and this was like a digital version of that, taking it to the next level. TS2 was very crucial to me, because that’s when I really got into the game and even started sharing some builds on MTS. I developed other interests when TS3 came around, but I did play it a couple of times, I just wasn’t very invested. And that was the case for early TS4 too, until I got back to it a few years ago, fell in love with building, and eventually became part of this amazing community.

Who are you outside of the sims, is interior design and architecture something you do for a living? Where do you get your inspiration from? While I was always interested in design and architecture, media and advertising are the fields I’ve been working in. Interior design is one of those roads that I sometimes think I could have taken, but through The Sims and putting my builds and content out there, I make up for that missed opportunity a little bit. I get inspired from anything really. Real life places I visit, films I saw, researching different styles, a distant memory of something. It only takes that little spark of inspiration, but then it usually leads somewhere far away from the original vision. I am very open in the creating process and love the feeling when I try out a couple of things and then suddenly everything comes together and makes sense. It’s really about reaching that aha-moment, and then everything falls into place. I guess it’s that mindset that makes me confident in tackling new architectural 72

styles and designs that are out of my comfort zone, because I know I’ll work it out somehow. I wish I was like that in other areas of my life!

If EA was creating a wish list by sending out a huge survey to all The Sims players asking them what they wanted to be added to the game in 2022, what would you say? What is a major element that is missing in the game for you? My main interest is building of course, so my wish list is really only concerned about that. But I do hope that game players, who are the ones being neglected the most by EA, get what they ask for finally. To me as a builder, it is important that TS5 goes beyond the build mode of any other Sims game and breaks away from the grid, predetermined sizes, and many other limitations. Paralives demonstrated what I ask for perfectly in the previews of their game with the unrestricted placing of walls and the seamless sizing of objects. If TS5 doesn’t follow suit, they could potentially lose their most satisfied group of players to another game. I hope they are aware of that and develop a less restricted build mode that opens up the possibilities of creating amazing architecture.

If given a choice to only be able to play with one Sims 4 pack forever, or at least until Sims 5 comes out, which one would you pick? Why? Again, this is from my perspective as a builder, and that’s why it’s probably no surprise that I’d choose Eco Lifestyle. Aside from a decent addition of furniture, the pack gave us many great decorative items that are perfect for manipulation (with T.O.O.L. mod or not) and creating architectural features that we weren’t able to build before. It opened up so many design possibilities and is probably the one pack that I use in every build. Spa Day is a close 2nd though.

Now a little bit of a controversial topic, what do you think about all the new kits that have been added to the game? Where do you think EA is going with the new kit system? Do you think there is a better way to add more content to the game? Kits are a cash grab. While most kits add decent content to the game, none of them offer enough to justify being sold separately instead of being part of a larger pack. I wish EA would show more respect towards players and give them something substantial in form of a fully fleshed-out pack which is actually worth its money. The refresh we got for Spa Day was an

amazing way to add new content to the game and I hope they give other packs the same treatment. But it is clear to me that free content updates are not corresponding with EA’s economic interests, so the focus will either remain on pushing out more kits, or on finding other ways to get players to pay money more frequently. All critique aside, I do enjoy the roll-out of new kits. The artwork is always stunning, and it is truly interesting when they let the designers and artists talk about the content they created for the game. For bigger packs the scope is too large to spotlight a single set of clothing or furniture and shed light on the intentions behind it. So, it’s really nice to get this insight for the content of kits. Not worth 5 bucks still.

Regarding the latest announcement of the AI patent that EA has filed, to be able to create real life look-alike in the game from a photograph. Do you think it is a step in the right direction of progress or are you more concerned about certain issues this may bring with it? From reading that article and considering that none of the technology is directly linked to the Sims franchise, I wouldn’t be surprised if this technology might not even be made accessible for players but will only be used by game developers to create 3D models for EA games in general. FIFA and other sport games immediately come to my mind, which rely heavily on creating 3D models of real-life people, and technology like that would advance that process immensely. If it was part of a future Sims game and at the disposal of players, it would probably create new excitement around the franchise and draw in new players. But I assume the technology requires better hardware than the casual gamer usually has, and casual gamers make up a large portion of Sims player, so I’m not really on board with the idea that this will be implemented in TS5. 73

Finally, would you like to give anyone a shout out who has helped you throughout your Sims journey or has been your inspiration lately? Yes! I’ve gotten to know so many creative, and talented people along the way and I am so glad to be part of such a positive, supportive, and inspiring community. I would like to single out two fellow creators however, who are not only an inspiration but have also been a great help to me with their advice and insight into their content creation.

For one there’s @Larisandei, who has the most beautifully curated Simstagram profile I know. I reached out to Larisa very early on my IG journey and asked for her advice on the editing process. She happily shared her process and experiences with me, and she’s been super supportive ever since. The other creator is @Paszerine, who is my biggest inspiration when it comes to YouTube videos, and she too was very helpful when I asked for her advice on improving my video editing. I am still aspiring to make stop-motion videos as

beautiful as Sharina’s, and maybe I’ll get there someday. But I believe I do not have the dedication and finesse with which she creates these beautiful masterpieces.

To our readers - you can find Taffissimo Builds on Instagram https:/ /www.instagram.com/ taffissimo_builds/ Other social media/website links below:

Thank you so much for being here, it was a pleasure getting to know you.

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ taffissimo Twitter: https://twitter.com/taffissimo Sims Gallery: taffissimo

Taffisimo

Off Topic This month brings you a fantastic review from sulzisim and the vast array of games available on the market today

Ahh. It’s January. A new year, a new you. Well, that’s what most people say. If you need some more relaxing to do after your holiday, then I have just the game for you. FlowScape is a relaxing game. The music the game gives you while playing is very relaxing and you feel like you are in a trance. Basically, it is a feel-good game. According to Steam and the description of the game, it says: “In FlowScape you can create your own nature scene simply by painting. Choose from 20 landscapes and more than 300 models to create your own little paradise by painting trees, changing the sky, rotating the sun, adding sound effects and adjusting your camera for that perfect photo.” When you load a game, you will be greeted by a block of soil. The game will generate a scene for you that you can keep and modify yourself, or you can generate a new scene. This was the starting scene the game generated for me (see image 1) The controls of this game are quite something to get used to in comparison with the controls of the sims.

The top menu has all the controls needed for adjusting the zoom and making objects bigger and smaller. The menu on the right-hand side of the 80

screen allows you to add more objects to the scene. You can change the background of the scene to almost be anywhere in the world. Even Cape Town, South Africa. I decided to go with this nice lake background (see image 2). You can add pre-made buildings to your scene. There are a few styles and houses to choose from. From Castles to brick houses and even Japanese-style houses. Even animals can be added (see images 3and 4). FlowScape is available on Steam for a very reasonable price. It is developed by Pixel Forest Games. The reviews on the game are very positive. I enjoy the game when I play it. It feels like you are in your own little world. There are no set rules on how to play the game. Just have fun. Here is the final picture I took.

Image 1 left - Image 2 Above Image 3 bottom left - Image 4 Bottom Right

Star Dew

Star awoke the next morning to find that the snow was still falling, but somehow it hadn’t settled? She figures Agatha really must have some sixth sense when it comes to snow in Henford on Bagley.

conversation with Agatha, she starts watching the little guy go about his business in peace. Once she is sure that the rabbit won’t be too startled by her presence, she walks up to him and starts talking with him.

She opens her refrigerator to see what she can rustle up for breakfast, she finds the Cottage Pie that Michael gave her as a

housewarming gift and not a lot else. Her tummy rumbles so she figures that it will make a hearty breakfast, as she hopes to spend the day out and about trying to find new animal friends. She is amazed to find that it isn’t even that cold out, so she dons her usual gardening clothes and starts the day in the way that is becoming second nature to her, checking on her small veggie patch. She worries that she won’t unlock that next gardening patch this spring, but remembers that she is here for the long haul. She doesn’t intend on returning to San Myshuno, ever. Star is sure that she remembered seeing some wild rabbits somewhere fairly close to home, she so sets off in that direction. Sure enough, she spots a tiny little black, white and cream bunny scurrying about the countryside. Thinking back to her

She shows him one of her dance moves, which he seems to like. The conversation moves on to how rabbits move underground. Peter, which he is happy to tell Star is his name, explains all about burrows and the underground city where he lives. Star asks Peter if she could pet him, he hesitates but allows her to gently pet his back, he seems very happy with the attention. Feeling emboldened by this, Star asks if she can hug him and is overwhelmed

when he acquiesces, his fur is just so soft! She and Peter continue chatting and interacting for a couple of hours and Star is sure that Peter must see her as a friend as he offers to help her with her garden. Star assures Peter that he is welcome in her home whenever he wishes to visit. Heading home, Star hears the sound of birdsong and follows it. She comes across a 85

catch for her dinner. The snow seems to have finally stopped as she casts her Grandfather’s rod into the murky waters. The calm solitude gives her time to think about what she wants to get out of her adventures here in Henford.

tree stump and a flock of wild birds fluttering about. The birds’ song inspires her to sing back to them and soon she finds that one of the birds must like what they hear as they come and sit on her finger. Star is easily able to converse with the flock, perhaps this is because she has the animal handler trait? Living in San Myshuno all her life, she never had much

She knows that at some point she wants to have a family, but she also knows that she is not ready for that yet, not after what happened. Her mind drifts back to San Myshuno. She was so sure that Diedre had loved her. She still feels so foolish for believing her overtures. It was obvious now that she was never going to leave his wife, not for Star, not for anyone. She wishes that she had been stronger when she found out that she was married. But she was insistent that her marriage was over. Star suddenly feels a tug on her line, bringing her back to the present. She is surprised to reel in a goldfish, she’s never caught one in this pond before.

opportunity to interact with wild animals, and she finds that she is not only a natural, but that she enjoys it immensely. She and the birds are soon friends and Star asks if they would be happy to help her with her garden. They all twitter enthusiastically and one bird even comes and sits on Star’s hand while she shows it some affection. Feeling a t a d peckish, Star heads to the local pond to see what she can 86

Glad of the distraction, Star turns her attention back to the sounds of wildlife all around her and of the fish splashing in the pond. She does not want to dwell on the past, after all, it is just that her past. She is happy that she’ll have something to cook at home that evening and is pleased with the things she has achieved today. She is slowly and surely becoming more selfreliable than she ever thought possible.

Follow Star next month when we continue her adventures.

PEACEMAKER Interview with Maria aka LaarStudio

During this incredibly busy months of festivities what better way to recharge than to browse through some elegantly made, high quality Custom Content made by one of the prolific, old-time CC maker Peacemaker, whose designs decorated many simmers’ worlds and homes. Now we have the pleasure of talking to him and finding out more about the person behind the creations.

Welcome! Please tell us a little about you as a person. What is your name? Where are you from? How old are you? What is your favourite meal? Your biggest pet peeves? Are you a cat or a dog person? And anything else you’d like to share with us? Thank you for having me. I am one of those people that usually keeps my online and offline lives separate, but I have been in the community so long that I have gotten comfortable enough to share some information with friends and fans. Other times people are just very observant.

Interview

My name is Ivan and I have yet to meet another person with my name, it’s always a friend of a friend or “Hey I just met and Ivan at *insert random place here*.” I live in Western Australia (WA), and whenever I tell people that I get a lot of simmers coming out saying that it’s great to hear I am from WA since all the famous Aussie simmers all come from the other side of the country. I am 33... But as they say you are only as old as you feel any given day, so that could range from a boisterous kid to a cranky 90 year old with back problems. I have been playing The Sims since 2009, so it has been with me a third of my life at this point. I love cooking, and my mum believed that unlike her experience growing up, that we would learn to cook as soon as possible. This resulted in me being one of very few friends who knew how to cook themselves after finishing high school. Really important skill to have, and one that often gets

ignored. Since I enjoy cooking, I really don’t have a favourite food, it’s more about a new dish I have learned to make that tastes amazing, then I will find another good one and fall in love with that. Currently loving using Miso in non-traditional ways as it’s a real flavour bomb.

with

My family used to have cats, but haven’t for many years now, after the devastating loss of our last cat. He was a cuddle buddy and used to curl up on my lap while I played The Sims 3 despite there being no room, so typical cat behaviour. I sometimes think of adopting another, but my worklife schedule can be hectic and that just wouldn’t be fair on them or anything having to take care of them if I am away for an extended period of time. Maybe one day. Lastly, I am an introvert but I enjoy hanging out with people I know. But my friends know I am a hermit and sometimes I just like being alone, and they respect that. Being alone doesn’t mean you are alone, and not everyone understands that. Also gives me more time for video games and my hobbies. Thank you for that Ivan, now what is your most favourite activity, who are you out there in the real world? What are your hobbies? I would say I am just your average person out in the world, I don’t really stand out and I am happy with that

My parents raised me to be kind and comfort those around me, but also not be taken advantage of. If you cross the line the nonchalant attitude is not what you will encounter. I do make it a point to “practice what I preach” as my biggest pet peeve is hypocrites that criticise others for exactly the same thing they do. Sure, we all make mistakes, but I try to learn from them and not become what I hate. If people haven’t guessed from my builds and custom content, I love plants, so when I am not playing there is a good chance I am gardening or buying more plants. I am not an indoor plant person though since I have no room, so they need to be able to survive outside. Luckily WA has relatively mild weather, but can get quite hot in the summer which can be a problem. If my friends have gardening questions, they usually come to me. I have been collecting plants for a lot longer than I have had any other hobby, and it will probably be the one that outlasts all the others. My favourite activity is definitely going to Bunnings, a hardware store here in Australia

and that any Aussie reading this will instantly recognise. I jokingly say that you can’t go there without leaving with something. Usually in my case it’s plants. Besides gardening, I have a lot of hobbies and enjoy making things (although I learn as I go), I try and go fishing when I can, and love going for walks around a nearby lake. Other activities I enjoy are visiting farmers markets and looking at all the cute dogs people bring along, going to nurseries to buy yet more plants, and spending time with my family. Nothing really interesting, but all things I love doing. You are an extremely talented CC maker in the Sims, do you have any other talents or skills that you are proud of? It’s often easier telling other people what their best abilities and attributes are then picking out ones about yourself. We are often our worst critics. However, I would say I have the ability to pick up new skills quickly when the need arises. I often procrastinate trying these new skills however, and realise it’s not as bad as I thought it would be. I have a keen eye for what goes together and people often

think I am an interior designer out in the world, and that couldn’t be further from the truth. I have been told I can draw, but I just consider it scribbling, but nice enough I have framed some of the drawings I have done to hang in my bedroom. I am also an incredibly patient person. It takes a lot to rock my calm demeanour and that is very handy to have when helping out people with custom content issues. When most people don’t elaborate on what an issue is, you really need the patience of a saint to help out and solve their issues. Sometimes I come off as aloof or apathetic though, so it can have its downsides if people are just meeting me. I have also been told I am a good teacher, although I often disagree. I help quite a few people in the community with CC-related issues and often walk them through the solution. I also tutored a friend in advanced algebra when they were at school. So I have the skill to teach, but not something I would ever pursue. My best friend also says I have the skills necessary to tell pyrite, also known as fool’s

gold, apart from real gold. Still have no idea why people confuse them, they look nothing alike...tried to settle issues between friends, so I thought it fitted. I honestly can’t even remember what the anime was about, I haven’t watched it since, but the name stuck. The IC at the end are my initials since without them was taken. I just stuck with it as I couldn’t think of something I liked better. Now let’s talk about the Sims, if you were to be your Simself in real life, which character traits do you think you would have? And which aspiration(s) would you pick? I couldn’t limit myself to just the three we get in TS4. My avatar is currently using Creative, Cheerful, and Good, but I would add Perfectionist, Green Fiend, and Loner to that list. Any combination of those is me on any given day. I think they sum me up pretty well, especially looking back at some of my preview answers to these interview questions. As for an aspiration? It would be a toss-up between the knowledge branches Nerd Brain, and Nature’s Freelance Botanist. I definitely strive to improve my skills and research new

and interesting topics to broaden my knowledge base, but also make sure it is practical knowledge. As much fun as trivia is, most of those facts are just aren’t usable dayto-day. Hence why the description “book smart and handy” really speaks to me. Freelance Botanist and the idea of becoming an expert gardener really speaks to my love of plants. I am always trying to learn more as I try growing different varieties so i feel I will never master my hobby, but I like the idea of always learning. How and when did you first get into CC making for the Sims, what was the one thing missing in the game that made you start off your CC making journey? I started back when I played TS3. Back then (and even now to some extent, although it’s far better), there was a severe lack of male clothing. Statistically, the Sims community is slightly biased towards women so there was always more demand for clothing for the feminine frame. Being a guy who predominantly plays with male sims, that really limited the styles I could use. Instead of complaining about it, I decided to learn how to make recolours, then frankenmeshes and edits to create new items. So I started because of necessity, but enjoyed the process and just continued going. With the knowledge I picked up from making clothing for TS3 and TS4, I transitioned to making objects. There was very little that was my style (which I describe as Detailed Maxis, somewhere in that grey zone between the opposing factions of Maxis Match and Alpha) so I had to make it. It was like learning to make CC all over again because they are different beasts entirely. There is some overlap in knowledge, but the process is completely different. That is when I really found my niche and I haven’t stopped since. Then I branched out into Maxis addons, which are some of my most popular and requested items. There was a definite need for more choices when it came to build and buy mode content from certain packs, and given my experience at this point, it was a no-brainer to make that content as well. I was in desperate need of it, and other people benefited from it. Addons for windows have become on of the most requested items from me ever since. What inspired you to start making CC How long did it take you to master it? Do you

have any tutorial recommendations that you think were really helpful? What would be the best place to start as a fresher? Initially, it was out of necessity, but what keeps me going is just how creative the entire process is. You can create a room’s entire theme with just a few key pieces, and you can inspire people to make the most wonderful interiors with a mixture of cc and game content. I am still learning though. I recently transitioned to blender 2.9 and it is light years away from what i was using before. It has so many more tools and I am working through tutorials I have found to speed up the creation process and make it more enjoyable. I doubt I will ever stop learning new things to help me create content, and I think I would get bored if I knew everything. When people ask for the best tutorials to learn how to make objects, I tell them the same thing: look outside the sims community. Meshing is not unique to this community, and a lot of the tutorials outside of it are far more helpful as it is really only the porting that is unique to the game. Master the basics, and you have the knowledge to do the rest. I always recommend the Sims 4 Studio forums for Sims-Specific tutorials like recolouring, importing, clothing, bones etc, but if people are looking into getting into object meshing, I always recommend Blender Guru on YouTube. They go in depth into each stage of meshing, from making, unwrapping, and texturing. Although not all the do can be applied to The Sims, the fundamentals and easy to follow tutorials are really helpful to watch. What do you think of Maxis using Kits as an alternative to CC? Do you think the Sims team should collaborate more with CC creators to improve gameplay for both PC and Console players alike? Despite what the community thinks, people that use CC are the minority. Some people are unable to use CC (hardware limits, knowledge required to use it, or platform choice) and kits are aimed at these people. I really don’t see these Kits being aimed at people that use CC, and that’s OK. There seems to be a common misconception that a simmer has to buy everything that Maxis puts out otherwise they suffer a severe case of FOMO. People have a choice, just like using CC, and Kits are the same. I only recommend them

if people like the theme. They are not necessary to enjoy the game, and should be seen that way. Skip it if you don’t like it, but that often falls on deaf ears. I like the idea of Kits as it opens up the possibility of more niche themes that don’t fit into a larger pack such as the Oasis Kit. Viewing them as an opportunity to provide a much more diverse range of content with less risk associated with being included in a large pack, they could do so much with the idea, and a lot of the ideas have been interesting. There have been some misses though. I do think Kits also open up the possibility for more collaboration with the community, and CC creators. They are trying to get the community more involved in the process, particularly helping build the worlds of the last few packs, I don’t see why they couldn’t do it with kits. But the creators would need to be open to compromise. We often don’t consider performance impacts as much as the developers have to, so there would need to be an understanding on both sides for that to work.

What is your opinion on the recent news about the Sims team removing Max 20’s CC pack in order to promote their own, nearly identical Kit? Where do you think such behaviour of the Sims team will lead the franchise? I really don’t like commenting on topics like this, but I see these sorts of things often as a CC creator so I went and looked it up. I think it is a bit presumptuous to say that the official plant kit, and the CC pack are nearly identical. The same theme? Yes. Identical? Definitely not. I remember when it was released and the items included definitely don’t mimic anything included in the new plant Kit or visa versa. It is easy to point fingers saying that Maxis copied a CC creator and trying to benefit from them, as they are a corporation stomping on the little guy. But it’s an issue often perpetuated by the community and gets old fast (people have even said that Maxis has copied my stuff on occasion too). People tend to forget that even kits probably have a lead time of over 6 months from conception of release. I would

Hinterlands Living

think the reason why it was most likely taken down was the trend by some creators to purposely mimic the official rendering style of kits which in turn misleads the consumer. Personally, I hate this trend for a couple of reasons but that’s a different story, but I had a feeling at some point action would be taken.

The living room may not be the heart of the home, but unlike kitchens it’s much easier to design it in new and unique ways as you aren’t limited as much by functionality.

If an item is brought to their attention for causing confusion, they are probably going to take action. But people also forget that there have been instances that people unassociated with Maxis/EA have gone around tumblr and reported content in the past. You really only find out who applied for a DMCA take down once you object to it. It’s really a messy situation overall, and I hope that Max20 re-releases the pack as they mentioned on twitter. It is just a messy situation overall. If you could only create CC for just one room, which room would you pick and why?

People that make CC for TS4 will never know the pain of making content for TS3. The only program you could use was one called Milkshape and it was horrendous. Archaic in design doesn’t even cover how primitive it was. The controls sucked as well. You even had to pay for the privilege of using it. You also had to use multiple programs to assign bones to clothing and and import meshes depending on what you were doing. Then came TSRW. Because of the nature of the game and the ability to style any item, it resulted in large package files and the program often crashed.

Anyone that knows me is well aware of my sofa addiction. If I could only make one type of cc it would be living rooms. There are so many possibilities when it comes to sofa designs that I will never run out of inspirational material. With the addition of sectionals and chaises, that is even more choice. I have barely scratched the surface when it comes to interior design. I could release a living room set every month for years and still have new ideas.

TS4 creation is far more streamlined. You get a powerful free program to use for all meshing with blender, or a way to import from other programs, that can do the job of many others. We also have Sims 4 Studio and those guys deserve all the praise in the world for designing and maintaining such a wonderful program that is far superior to anything else we have had. Everything in one place, very stable, and most of all can handle the creation

What is the difference Strangerville Buildmodein making CC for TS3 & TS4, which process do you prefer? Add-on

of most types of CC. It really is a wonderful time to create, with far fewer headaches. Where do you find your inspiration and design ideas for all the gorgeous items you make? So many places. I mainly use pinterest as an image source, but I often take pictures of items when out and about that I use as inspiration. For instance, the modern wingback used in my Yanako Sofa set was actually an item used in the seating areas of a Shopping Centre I visited. Snapped a picture, referenced it, and made it (virtual) reality. Pinterest is really a great source for inspiration, assuming you know what to search for. I even use it for house Paranormal Add-on inspiration. Just make sure you use ‘facade’ or ‘exterior’ when searching if you don’t want interior pictures. I use google images too, but having boards to save certain items to makes them far more convenient, and takes up less room on my PC. Is there anyone you’d like to give a shout out to, someone who has helped you along your CC making career or anyone else in general? There have been quite a few people that have helped me over the years, so i hope i don’t forget anyone. Firstly, Sandy from Around the Sims was really helpful giving me guidelines for what is considered reasonable polycount for the game, QuizicalGin who helped a lot with their tutorials when I was making clothing for TS3, Baufive who helped me a lot with Milkshape, pocci (SereneBlueSims) also helped a lot with making walls in TS3. All these people shared their knowledge which I have developed, and I wouldn’t be where I am without their help and kindness. Because of that, I try to pay it forward and share my knowledge when able with those that ask. CC shouldn’t be gatekept, so I am happy to pass on my knowledge to those willing to learn.

Healthcare Services

The Doctor Is In With These Health Mods It’s the start of the new year and the start of the “new year, new me” season. In The Sims 4 you can make new years resolutions like losing weight or improving a skill but The Sims 4 doesn’t really have a mental or physical health system that actually impacts your Sims lives. Lucky for me Bailey Cheshire stumbled across the Healthcare Redux mod and then to my great surprise, I discovered the rest of adeepindigo’s mods. https://adeepindigo.tumblr.com/ I highly recommend you download all of them.

When I tell you I’ve been having fun with this mod, it’s a big understatement. This mod blew my socks off because when you read about it, it doesn’t sound like much. I thought it was going to be similar to SimRealist’s Private Practice but just a rabbit hole. Not even close folks. I’ve been playing with this mod for almost two week, 5-11 hours a day and I still haven’t seen the entirety of it. Here are the features this mod offers as copied from adeepindigo’s Patreon page: “New Deadly Diseases: Malaria and Tuberculosis.****Fair warning: these diseases can cause a new death Death by Disease - if not treated or immunised against. Go see the doctor! Please note Malaria has no vaccine. Taking the Malaria pills or using the

Elixir are your only options to fight the disease.*** New Infectious Viral and Bacterial Diseases: Bacterial Sinusitis, Bronchitis (only as cold complication), Cold, Ear Infection (Toddlers only), Gastroenteritis/Stomach Flu, Meningitis, Tonsillitis. *Note: Getting immunised for Meningitis while sick does not always remove the illness, but it should not happen again! Antibiotics will significantly increase the rate at which the illness goes away, but will not get rid of it completely. New Chronic Conditions: Anaemia, Anxiety, Asthma, Arthritis (Elders), Eczema, Insomnia, Migraines, Seasonal Affective Disorder

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New Allergies: Bees, Pet Dander, General/Seasonal New Injuries: Random Childhood Injuries, Sports Injuries. I edited the sprained ankle for CL to act more like the ones from SE. Currently you don't need to go to the doctor to treat these injuries, but there's a chance they can be serious and either require a cast or surgery and those require a doctor's appointment. Surgery-Required Complications: Appendicitis (Random), Tonsillectomy (as a complication of severe Tonsillitis), Serious Injuries Pregnancy Related Healthcare: Prenatal Visits, Pregnancy-Related Complication/ Conditions (Preeclampsia, Pregnancy Related Anaemia, and Gestational Diabetes), and Prenatal Vitamins to help with fetal development (and unrealistically reduces the chance of complications). Your sim, if they have a pregnancy complication, have increased risk of labour induction and/or c-section. All new parent sims have the chance to experience the baby blues which in some cases can lead to postpartum depression. Vitamins: Toddler, Children, Teen, and Adult Vitamins to help supplement lifestyles and keep sickness at bay. Prenatal vitamins will help with fetal development (the mother will get positive moodlets) and again unrealistically reduce the chance of complications. Treatments: Each injury, disease, or condition has new treatments available to either treat, prevent, or cure these ailments. You can, depending on the severity of the illness/condition/injury, receive these 102

treatments either over the counter or via prescriptions given by the doctor from the online pharmacy. Medications and Supplements include: Cough Syrup for Coughs and Sore Throat, Pain Relievers for Children and Toddlers as well as Teens and up, Aspirin (mostly for Arthritis), Allergy Medication (Animal Dander and General), Eczema Cream (Eczema), Anxiolytics (Anxiety and SAD), Epi-Pen (Bee Allergy), Iron Supplements (for Anaemia), Vitamins (Preventative Care), Antibiotics (Bacterial Diseases), Antihypertensive Prescription (for Preeclampsia), and Prescription Cough Medication (for Bronchitis and Tuberculosis), and an Inhaler/Ventolin (for Asthma). Vaccinations are also available via wellvisits or by going separately.” https://www.patreon.com/posts/ 49278885

To start using this mod just open your Sim’s phone and click on the new flower icon. It will open the healthcare services menu. If the option to schedule a doctor’s appointment is greyed out, that means there isn’t anyone in your household that needs to see the doctor. Also, remember to fill your prescription by clicking on this menu as your Sims aren’t given their medication by the doctor. I’m only mentioning this because it took me a while to figure this out but it might be because my brain has been slowed by all the cookies I’ve been eating this holiday season.

Speaking of eating cookies, which we all know can be bad for your teeth, adeepindigo also has a Dental Care mod. This mod will give your Sims stinky breath when they don’t brush and also give the family a negative moodlet if your Sim comes near them with his death breath, your Sims will get tooth aces, have to get wisdom teeth removed and get braces. https://www.patreon.com/ posts/50316018 You can also make a Dental Appointment event on the calendar. Note about calendar appointments: After first booking the dentist appointment on the computer, you will be prompted to go to your appointment immediately if during office hours (8am-6pm daily). If you want to instead create an event for the appointment to schedule a time for you to send your sim to the dentist via the calendar, you must cancel when the office calls for the appointment (if they do, otherwise, simply proceed to create the event as usual) and can then choose to create a dentist appointment event to schedule a time for your sim to attend their appointment. When the event occurs, you must choose the option on their phone to Go to Dental Appointment

in order to complete the goal. I would recommend you do this as it can be a bit overwhelming to get all your Sims to the dentist for check-ups without missing work and school.

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While all Sims can still rock fashion glasses at any time, now Sims can be diagnosed with eye issues and require eye care. Regular eye exams, contacts, and eyeglasses can help identify and then mitigate these issues. Laser Eye Surgery is also an option for some conditions. Sims who sit in front of the TV too long can strain their eyes, Sims with vision problems can complain about their poor eyesight, and Mean Sims can even tease others about their eye-wear. Children and Teens can contract Conjunctivitis and Elders are more likely to develop Glaucoma. Note: This mod is designed to only work for ChildrenElders. Sorry toddlers! While these three mods don’t come as a package deal, it’s best to download all of them as they compliment each other so well. Private Practice from SimRealist is the only mod conflict I’ve found so far but do feel free to let us know if you find any other conflicts. Join the Discord sever for mod support and to keep up with changes to the mods https://href.li/ ?https://discord.com/invite/ tY2DFbw6g4 So, let’s meet the brains behind this mod. I am from the Washington, DC area. I'm a longtime Simmer, always pasta lover, and a bit of a movie buff. I used to - wait, I still do- but I used to download mods from all these creators all the time but I felt like there were things missing in the game or the mods I downloaded didn't quite do what I wanted. Specifically, there was a career I wanted but the modders who made careers don't always take requests and there's bound to be more people making requests than making mods so I decided to see if I could figure it out on my own. And I did.

My first mod was the Xtreme Career modelled after the ones from Sims 1,2, and 3. It was helpful that I had 104

something to sort of base it on so I could get comfortable with how careers worked, how modding worked, and it just bloomed from there. After traits and careers, I wanted to bring back elements from previous games I'd loved. So that's why I did School Milestones because I missed graduation. I just thought it was so bizarre that there was no high school graduation. And then, I actually had the idea for Healthcare Redux before Dental Care but in the middle of trying to think it through, I realized I wanted to do the Dental Care mod. Why do my sim's brush their teeth? There's no logical reason and one buff just wasn't cutting it. What fuels my modding is essentially - what do I need in my own game? What do I miss from previous iterations and what is Sims 4 missing for my gameplay?

So I decided I needed my sims to go to the dentist and that's how Dental Care was born. Luckily, Sandy - aka AroundtheSims - was game to partner with me on both projects and not just the one. I'm so thankful for her help with the objects, they really elevated the gameplay for me and others. Doing Dental Care first was actually crucial looking back as it really helped me to roadmap Healthcare Redux.

In the future, I want to make the mod more customizable. That's my long term goal for the mod. You, the player, gets to decide how long illnesses last, if your sim's die or not, how prevalent certain diseases should be, etc. This will allow, for instance, history players to use the mod and make better determinations for how diseases are treated. It's a bit of a stretch goal for me as the coding for it is beyond my current capability but I like a good challenge and to learn something new! I also want to separate the prenatal care from the mod. It's a very large, complex mod and I think there's a

comprehensiveness to it that's helpful for my game but it doesn't allow as much picking and choosing in other people's games and I know people would find that helpful. I'm also working on a version that's super stripped down for those who just want to go to the doctor, get some medicine, and go home. I definitely have plans to add more diseases, more treatments, more complications, and more procedures.

I have one mod I just finished SimNation Travel - that's in early access and it adds a travel system to the Sims because how on earth does it not cost them any money to travel? I'm big on having realistic money in the game and a lot of things Sims do is free and it blows my mind. I'm currently working on two mods - the Custom Nuptials mod because I desperately want my sims to be able to make more choices about things they do in game. You know, just like we do in real-life. So instead of exactly one type of wedding that costs between 1000-1750 based on who's hired, I wanted my sims to be able to set a budget, to follow that budget, to pick out who's attending their wedding (because right now in game it's actually pretty limited), choose their attendants, hire a wedding planner, get counselling, have tough discussions, elope - and no standing in one place and then just being married is not eloping, and even have relationships that aren't necessarily marriage and weddings that aren't necessarily weddings but maybe a courthouse ceremony. Not everyone wants the all out affair. The other mod is a Freelance Chef mod where it will work like other freelancer careers where you can choose to work for a Catering Agency or a Pastry agency and your gigs will be informed by which one you pick. Catering will need both styles of cooking and some baking, will mostly focus on cooking group meals, and taking into account hiring staff, meeting with clients,

crafting menus, and creating the food while taking into account the client's budget, food and dietary restrictions, and any specific requests - like a fish course. Freelance Pastry Chefs will focus mostly on baking though some cooking (since pre-GTW baked goods recipes are still considered cooking) and will mostly be concerned with meeting clients, researching recipes, doing some teaching of classes, and baking for everything from small teas to large celebrations. I'm having a lot of fun going back to careers - but this time with a twist. So look for those and more in the future!

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It is a new year, a fresh start, and an exciting time. There are countless things that I want to accomplish in the year ahead. However, like many people, I will most likely forget about them all. Okay, while I may have absolutely no follow through, and my hopes may be far-fetched, I am hoping that The Sims team fares better in this department than I do. If so, I have a few resolution ideas for The Sims in 2022, and truthfully, I think we deserve something. Don't you? I love The Sims 4. In fact. The Sims, is one of the first video games that I really got into and enjoyed playing. So, it will always hold a special place in my heart. If you are a part of The Sims 4 community, however, you know that there are a lot of issues, complaints, and negativity surrounding the game. Many players prefer The Sims 3 and some are more amatory to Sims 2. Still, whichever version you prefer, there is no denying that The Sims in genreal is pretty freaking cool! All the recent talk of EA working on The Sims 5 got me thinking… Am I ready to say goodbye to my beloved Sims 4? Is it really time to move on? After much deliberation, I’ve decided that I am not ready, and I will tell you why... The Sims 4 Still has so much potential! I’m gonna be that person and ask why start fresh with a game that will have nothing (much like The Sims 4 did in the early days) when we can just build on what we already have? The framework of The Sims 4 is amazing and the graphics are so much better than The Sims 3! Why deny what we already have? Why not just improve it? I get it, the show must go on, and it is about making money, I know. Realistically, however, it will cost a lot more to make a new game than it would to improve the one we already have, just saying’... While I may be wishfully thinking here, and I do understand that change needs to happen, there are a few things I hope to see before The Sims 4 is finished for good. Then, and only then, will I be ready to embrace new adventures - whatever those may be.

Story Progression Oh wait, we got this. Late in 2021, the Sims team announced the introduction of story progression in the game. Although this addition is in the early stages of production, it has been well-received by the community. When it comes to story progression in The Sims 4, I hope to see more options added to it in 2022. It is great that neighbors call you to help them make big, lifechanging decisions, but I would like to see some more autonomous actions in neighborhoods

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occurring as well. Allow my neighbors to get divorced, have a baby, or even have an affair without my input. I am okay with that. Generations This is always a hot topic in the community, and I think it is a necessary requirement in the game at this point. While we may never get a true ‘generations pack,’ I would like to see a few things that would help players create this highly requested function in their games.

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Babies that are not mere objects: In order to create true generational gameplay, we first need babies that do not end up in our inventory.

• Toddler Activities: While we have received quite a few cute toddler items over the years, this area of gameplay is still significantly lacking. I would like to see the ability to host play dates, join mommy toddler groups, or any other activities that enhance this life stage. • More things for kids to do: Kids, in general, lead pretty boring lives i n the Sims 4. There is not a lot for them to do outside of school and a few other mediocre activities. I would love to see more events and activities that are specifically for kids in the game, as well as some definitions of the varying ages. A 6year-old and a 12-year-old should look, act, and be different. Unfortunately, in the Sims there is no distinct variety to children's ages, and that makes realism difficult at best. •

More relationship types in CAS: Let me define that someone is my grandmother when I create a family. Let me make a step parent or half sibling. If the sims team would add more relationship labels, we could create more realistic storylines for our Sims. • Power to the elders: Nifty Knitting was an awesome addition to the Sims 4, and I really thought the ‘ re m i n i s c e ’ interaction was a hint to a pack rewarding elders' wisdom. Sadly, there has been nothing more to indicate that our precious elder Sims will be getting the credit they deserve, hopefully

2022 is their time to shine with elder specific activities and interactions added to the game. •

More events in general: A huge part of life is those small events that happen at set points. The Sims needs to provide us with the ability to create more realistic events to create generational game play. Baby showers, bachelor parties, and funerals, for example, allow your Sims to celebrate the small things that make life matter.

There Is Something Fishy Going on… I love the large fish tanks in The Sims 4, and I use them a lot in my builds. The one thing that I cannot understand, however, is that your Sims cannot interact with the fish once they are placed in the tank. I would like to see the team add the ability to feed the fish at least. Seeing as this interaction is already in the game, it should not be too difficult to add to the tanks. My goldfish, Fluffy, is dying for some love and attention over here! Furthermore, adding interactions could impact a Sims mood by providing a relaxed moodlet after they view the fish or after feeding. This interaction would not need to be as in-depth as actual pets.Instead, it could be similar to the hamster interactions that we have in the game already but on a more basic level Bring Back Burglars. In 2022 the one thing I really want to see in The Sims 4 is burglars. If you have ever played the other games in this franchise you might recall the terror you felt everytime the burglar music sounded in your game. Sure, burglars were a pain in the butt, and were truly heart-stopping when they crept in through the night, but they added a level of difficulty to the game that is currently lacking. So, bring back the burglars I say, and let us live in perpetual fear once more! More Realistic Interactions and a Better Trait System. I hate that I can cheat on my ‘Simnificant other’ and know that my marriage will be fine in an hour. I want consequences, and long-term impacts from the things that I do while playing. I would like to see moodlets last longer and be more powerful. I want these things to truly affect the Sims happiness and wellbeing. The same goes for

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the traits in The Sims 4. I want a mean Sim to be mean, a gloomy Sims to be gloomy, and those who are non-commital to commit to that role. I do not want to be able to become best friends in mere minutes or marry a non-committal Sim and have a bunch of children in the first few hours of meeting them. Give us some credit and give us a bit of a challenge! More Mess. The Sims 4 is the ultimate utopian universe. Everything is pristine and perfect, aside from the addition of dust to the game early in 2021. I want things to be messier and more realistic. Give our Sims the ability to make the bed at least. I don’t know about you but when I roll out of bed in the morning, my sheets are not perfectly aligned. No, they are a tangled, bunched up mess - much like the rest of my life! Give Kids Bikes Already. If the Sims is not giving us cars, the least they can do is allow kids to ride bikes. Being a child in The Sims 4 is actually quite sad to be honest. Can you imagine buying yourself a nice, new, shiny bike and riding it around in front of your children? Exactly! Expand on Apartments. In both City Living and Eco Lifestyle we were provided with apartments for our Sims, and they are great. However, what would be really great would be the ability to create our own apartment buildings. Sure, you can utilize the roommate system in The Sims 4 to do this, but it is a bit buggy and does not have the same effect. I want to build apartments or duplexes and designate which Sims will live there, or I want to be a landlord and rent out apartments in the apartment building that I created myself. I would also like to see more smaller apartments. Some of the ones we have in the game now are way too big and since you cannot move the windows, they are really hard to play in at times. More Build/Buy and CAS. In 2022 I would love to see more things added to the

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build/buy catalogue and even to CAS. I have a LONG list of demands should Maxis ever return my calls, but here is a shortened version for the purposes of this article. In Build/Buy: •

Single hanging coats and single shoes/pairs of shoes

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Blankets that we can t h r o w over a couch o r chair.

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T h ro w pillows.

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M o r e curtains. I want more curtains, and ones that auto-fit all w a l l heights. In fact, make everything have the ability to adjust to the varying wall heights please.

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More Kitchen Appliances. I want a toaster in The Sims 4. It drives me insane that the Sims make toast on the stove top. I would also love to see some other small appliances added to the game as well. I am thinking of deep-fryers, an air-fryer, a blender, a toaster and/or toaster-oven, a slow cooker, and a kettle. Any small appliances that you have in your own house will work. •

More art and more mirrors. Honestly, you cannot give us too much. •

Lamps and rugs. Just give us more of them.

• More realistic clutter. I want cereal boxes, make-up pallets, board games, and knick knacks. I want any and all clutter that you can give me. I will gladly take it all! • More swatches. Okay, maybe ‘create-a-style is not a great concept, but could we at least

get more swatches? I would love a color wheel but I will accept added swatch options if I must. In CAS: •

More accessories. Give us more necklaces, sunglasses, rings, etc.

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Added swatches and variety of hair. Let’s be honest, this area is severely lacking in The Sims 4, let’s continue to fix this in 2022.

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More Clothing. Obviously more clothing is just a good idea, but make it clothing that people actually want to wear and that world with what we already have in the game.

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More Shoes. I am a girl, what can I say!?!

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Better Skin Tones. While The Sims has improved, I hope that this year they will continue to expand on this area by adding even more variety. I want it so every player can make their Simself sparkle!

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Improved eyes. Eyes in The Sims are not very realistic. Where is the sparkle? Where is the shine?

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Height and Weight Adjustments . The fact that everyone in The Sims is the same height and relative shape makes me crazy! I am super short and skinny. I have friends and family that are super tall or curvier than I am. I would love to have the ability to adjust a Sims height somehow, even if it is simply a few preset options.

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Eyelashes. I finish off this list with the one thing that I want to see most in CAS, eyelashes. I cannot even look at a Sim without CC eyelashes and now that we have an improved Spa Day, we could add the ability to get our lashes done at the spa.

While this list is quite long and should keep the team busy through the new year, I do have a more things that I would love to see in The Sims 4 before it is over… However, I will stop here. I am sure I could come up with 100 more things that should be added to this game, however, I truly love The Sims 4, and I think that if the team continues to expand on the foundation that they have already created, I will still love it in 5+

years. I would love to know what kind of things you wish that they would add to The Sims 4. Share your wishlists with me on Social Media:

Twitter: @K8Simsley Instagram:@k8simsley TikTok: @k8simsley Facebook page: K8 Simsley

Have a Simtacular Day! K8 Simsley

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Making a Simmer Emma Nicole Tell us more about who Emma Nicole (the person and the creator) is. My name is Emma, I’m 26 years old and I’m originally from the UK! I currently live in Lisbon, Portugal after moving here only a few months ago from Berlin, Germany. Travel is a big part of my life and I love exploring new places and cultures, so I’m already excited to see where I end up next. I am a freelance producer working in fashion advertising, but I’m slowly transitioning into full-time content creation. In February 2021 I discovered the incredible online community for The Sims and I’ve never looked back since!

When did you start playing The Sims? I started playing The Sims over 15 years ago, with the first edition of the game. I have vivid memories of inviting myself over to my best friend’s house after school because she had the game installed on her family computer and I didn’t. It’s quite funny to think that on a casual school night in 2005, I had my first date with The Sims and the start of a 15+ year relationship. I had a vivid imagination when I was a kid, using my Barbies to play out creative storylines where I would recreate my favorite tv shows and movies, and re-enact my own family and friends. But eventually playing happy families with my barbies transitioned into playing happy families with The Sims, and the possibilities were limitless!

What is your favorite way to play The Sims? What do you like most about it? Storytelling has always played a big part in the way I enjoy The Sims, so whether I’m creating a family in CAS or building a home, I have a story in mind that I am bringing to life. I enjoy playing out scenarios from family life, owning pets, living in a city or on a beach, becoming a celebrity, exploring different careers - so I can get a 114

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taste of a different lifestyle beyond my own. Through streaming and content creation, I’ve started to enjoy building the most, as I like to get the community involved in the process and it feels like a group activity. There are so many talented builders in the community and I find it really inspiring.

show. The game has many layers and there are many different ways to play it, so everyone’s experience is unique. If you can identify a few aspects that you enjoy the most, then projects will naturally start to develop organically and you’ll be able to make connections with other things.

What is your favorite thing about the Sims community?

You have a significant presence on TikTok in addition to YouTube and Twitch. What do you typically have to consider when creating content on these distinct platforms?

The Sims community never ceases to amaze me and I find myself constantly in awe of the talent online. From amazing builders to custom content creators, there is so much talent and imagination, and it’s really special that The Sims has been able to bring everyone together.

Your YouTube channel features several exciting series, from your recreation of classic Disney Channel shows in Throwback Street to your intricate reimagining of Del Sol Valley in Palm Sims. What do you enjoy most about making these videos? The Sims online community is quite vast, so I wanted to find a niche that felt relevant and unique to the way I play. As storytelling is a big part of how I enjoy The Sims, I wanted to create video series that creates an immersive experience from beginning to end. From creating characters in CAS to building their homes in a realistic way, and then concluding it with a few episodes of gameplay, this is a format I really enjoy for Youtube and I attempt to come up with concepts with that in mind.

What tips do you have for approaching projects with this level of detail? I think it’s important to stay true to the way you enjoy Sims because then the passion and excitement for projects will 116

My content on TikTok has evolved over time as I started to learn what content was working and what wasn’t working. I realized that some of my most successful videos were more educational, teaching tips and tricks in The Sims, so this has become my main focus. With so many different social media platforms, it’s fascinating to see how different they are, and unfortunately, there isn’t one formula for all of them. However, that would definitely make things a lot easier!

As such a prolific creator, what do you do to stay healthy and avoid burnout? This is definitely something I am still struggling with, especially recently with the lack of routine whilst moving between countries. I am someone who really benefits from a strict work schedule, and my planner keeps me focused on what I need to do for the week. If I have a clear direction of tasks and priorities, then I find it easier to relax and switch off at the end of the day. Burnout is very common amongst content creators, so I made a difficult decision to take an extended break over the Christmas holidays as it felt necessary for me. It was very hard for me to finally accept the decision, but I know it will allow me to come back stronger next year.

Thank you so much for taking the time to chat with us for our first issue of 2022. What are you looking forward to most in the new year? Thank you for inviting me to take part in this! I have had quite a hectic end to 2021 with the move to Portugal, so I’m looking forward to kickstarting the year with some productive months of work, and there might even be a secret project being announced in the coming few weeks…

Join Emma Nicole on Twitter @hiemmanicole

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EA Creator Network Annabelli How did you become a Game-Changer? I rolled into it actually. We are an odd one out for the Game Changer program, as most Game Changers are individuals in creating their content, we are a group. When I joined Platinum Simmers, there was an opportunity to preview The Sims 4 in Cologne back in August 2014, I was closest to it geographically, so I got to go. That was my first experience with it. But Platinum Simmers got opportunities like this before I joined, started during The Sims 3 and Moza_jf, BlackGarden have gone to UK events during that time.

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Who inspired you to apply for the GameChanger programme?

items) as well as the story line around the pack. So it feels pretty well rounded.

So this is also different for us, we never applied for it, we were approached ourselves. That was the way it went back then. It wasn’t officially the Game Changers program then, but just a few influencers and sites who got invites or review copies. The Game Changer program for EA started with other games first. And The Sims joined somewhere in 2016? Give or take? Not sure, but after The Sims 4 was released and after The Sims 4 Get Together.

If you had to get rid of just one pack, which one would it be and why?

What are your favourite and least favourite parts of the Game-Changer programme? Least favourite is the misconception people have about Game Changers, that we actually have the power to change the game. We might get a few more opportunities to voice our feedback, which we also derive from the community. But it’s not like we sit in on EA meetings or anything.

Spooky stuff. I don’t like that themed holiday type of pack, Spooky stuff is too specific for me, it’s something we don’t celebrate in my country. Do you prefer building, CAS creation or gameplay? Or something else entirely? Building! But my teammates love legacies and challenges as well, so we have a good mix of things in the team. Where do you find the inspiration for your creations? Google. Haha I just type in a style or word, colour, and browse through the google images until I find something that appeals to me. What is your favourite social media platform for all things Sims and why?

Favourite part however is that we do get a little closer look at things for the game, get opportunities to ask questions directly to some developers. This is not constant, but we do get opportunities at times.

Twitter and Discord. Twitter I use mostly for news from The Sims itself. And discord to connect with friends and other players. Browsing Reddit is also fun, but I never actually share things myself there.

How does being a Game-Changer fit into your everyday life?

Who is your favourite SimGuru and why?

For me it’s a side job. I work full time, and my teammates pick up where I can’t, and vice versa. We help each other. We don’t make any money out of it, nor do we really want to. It’s a hobby because we love the game. If you could choose just one pack to keep, which one would it be and why? Oooh this one is hard, uhm, Cottage living I think, I love the world, the items are pretty decent (there are packs I like better for

Ooh, I don’t think I have one. They are people and all have their own way of interacting with the community. Where can readers find and follow you? On www.PlatinumSimmers.com as our main place. But we’re also on twitter, instagram, Twitch (every Tuesday and Thursday) and we have just started our own little discord. @PlatinumSimmers socials.

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The Story Continues Next Month

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This months Guess the CAS was created by QuietKiddo Find them and this fantastic sim on the gallery

OO Krem Letich/Ow, Man, this is great Ooh Shaboo/oh, this is a nice piece of clothes Sisaroom/Is this a room? Ya gotta wob ‘ere!/Don’t give up! Keep trying 128

SimScopes Sep 23 -Oct 22 Nothing is ever as it seems, look beyond the veil of life and really see whats beind everything you see. Listen to your gut instincts and believe in everything you CAN do. believe in yourself and 2022 will be an amazing year.

Oct 23 - Nov 22 Everytime I think of you I always catch my breath, is a line from a famous song, and it mkes me think, who are you missing right now? Isn’t it time you sent them a message and let them know how you really feel. Either way you will finally have your answer.

Nov 23 - Dec 21 No the answer is simply that, NO. You can say this little word without feeling guilty but you must understand that others will not appreciate you not giving in the way you usually do. You’re a big softie when it comes to family, but it doesnt mean they have a right to take advantage.

Dec 22 - Jan 20 You are amazing, and super smart, so why do you downplay your intelligence? Let the world know the real you, show them all exactly what you can do and 2022 will be your playground. Just remember locking horns gets you no where when ‘Z’ makes an appearance.

Jan 21 - Feb 18 The flow is strong with this one. Your centered is centered, your mind is clear and you finally have made that decision that has been plaging you for so long, the only thing is Aquarius, is when are you going to tell the other person?

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Feb 19 - Mar 20 Make the most of january as it will fly by so fast you will not know what has hit you. The number 18 is significant to you this month, use it wisely and invest. You are at it again pisces, why can you never be satisfied with what you have? 2022 is set to start complicated, think fast and it will smooth out.

Mar 21 - Apr 20 January is the month to be a new person, refresh yourself and take your energy to a new high. Get excersizing, am I being serious, yes I am. For you to boost your energy this way, will not only allow new people into your life but it will bring you firectly in to contact with someone who can really help your career.

Apr 21 - May 20 Make sure you are taking care of your mental health this month, continue into February and by March the fog will have cleared, and everything will start to be the way you need it to be, to cope with everyday living. March may seem far away, but once you are there, it will be as if in a flash. You can do it.

May 21 - June 20 The time has come for you to knuckle down and stop using everything else as an excuse to pardon your own bad behaviour. There comes a time when the buck can no longer be passed, and that time has come for you. Own it.

Jun 22 - Jul 22 Nothing cn stop you this January, you are in the correct mindset, the stage is set and you are ready to make your appearance, don’t listen to those performance nerves, take centre stage and knock em dead. In otherwords, believe in yourself and all will be just fine.

Jul 23 - Aug 22 You are a Lion, but today you are acting more like a teeny tiny kitty who is afraid of their own shadow? Playing coy may open doors, but sustaining this act long term is a feat not even you can complete. Stop acting, and show the world what a strong person can do, without having to kiss butt.

Aug 23 - Sep 22 Never have I ever… When you run out of things to say to this question, isn’t it time you checked your moral standing? So many people have a problem with saying the word NO this month, make 2022 your year of NO before you actually do something that takes things too far. Some reputations you can never get back.

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Challenges wit

Survivors Survivors’ Camp Chapter 1 It was a peaceful Saturday morning when Vincent, his brother Billy, and some friends went on a camping trip in the woods of Windenburg. The weather was still cold even though winter was about to end. As all of them arrived on the campground, Mrs. Robinson, Jefferson’s mother asked, “Could you set the tents and campfire up while I park the car somewhere further?” She drove the car off and the seven youngsters entered the woods, setting the camp up. They set up the tents, thanks to their scout’s years in grade school. After that, the teenagers left into the woods to look for firewood, asking the children to stay around the tents.

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Hours had passed since the camp was set up. Now the teenagers returned to the camp with loads of firewood, but the children were gone. Worried about them, they thought that it was a bad idea to leave the camp, so they decided to start a fire while waiting for them. After about half an hour, the children returned to the camp with terror in their faces and a gun in Jefferson’s hands, but he trembled in fear. Confused on what happened, the teenagers scolded the children for leaving the tents, but they were just too terrified to say a word. A shady figure appeared from the woods, a familiar sim they knew, who was no other than Mrs. Robinson. Pale skin, wounds all over her body, dead eyes, Mrs. Robinson wasn’t the same person they once knew. She slowly walked toward the tents. Panicked, Patricia, another teenager, grabbed the gun and pointed at her direction, but she had no power to shoot the once nice lady. As Mrs. Robinson got close, Billy had no choice but to grab the gun and shot her head before any casualties happened. Jefferson finally fell on his knees and burst into tears as his mother’s fate was rather unfortunate.

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s Journal “It’ll be fine, Jeff. You’re not alone here.” Terrence tried to calm Jefferson down near the fire camp as it got late. Luckily, it didn’t rain that night. Vincent, Billy, Patricia, Emily, and Chelsea just returned with some wild fruits and more firewood.

“Well, it seems that we’re stuck here. These zombies are really something”, said Vincent. “About that, I think you should be our leader, Vincent”, said Patricia. “Me?” “We have to eat now. Let’s not starve here. After that, we have to build fences around this place. We need a peaceful sleep here”, Vincent said. “I’ll help too!” Jefferson insisted. “Are you alright, Jeff? We never force you to, you hear?” asked Billy. “I can’t be sad over my mother all the time. I don’t want to lose any of you guys.” Hours had passed and it was 8PM already. Right after they were done with the fences, they had supper and they started discussing on what to do next.

“She’s got a point. I also vote you”, said Chelsea. “I agree”, said Terrence. “Billy should be the vice-leader. I think you both will rock together”, said Emily. “I’ve never thought about that, but I’m in!” said Billy. “Well, Billy is my vice leader. I’ll give it a go then”, said Vincent. “Before we sleep, I wonder if those zombies can be cured”, asked Jefferson. “I don’t see a possibility in that”, said

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Chelsea. “She’s got a point in that. Remember that once they’re zombies, there’s no turning back. Kill them no matter how close you are to them”, insisted Vincent. “Oh, mom… Sorry that we had to kill you earlier. We had no choice. I’ll miss you”, said Jefferson. “Guys, don’t you think it’s better if we focus on a role? I know that everyone here’s good at different things”, said Billy. “That’s a wonderful idea! Let’s see… I’m great at woodworking so I should try to build a shelter for us. Hopefully, we have enough materials for that”, said Vincent, “I must admit that you’re the bravest sim here, so could we entrust you with the gun?”

surroundings. We can’t afford to lose any of you. We teenagers can take care of your needs early on, but please help us when you’re ready”, closed Vincent. With their meeting concluded, the seven of them finally could sleep for the night. It was around 11PM at that time and they were exhausted. They finally retired for the night, hoping to get no nightmares. As they slept, more zombies started spawning in the woods. It became very dangerous to leave at night. They might not be grown-ups. However, they had no choice but to survive the zombie-infested world. The future of sims was up to them now.

To be continued…

“That’s probably for the best”, Billy said. “I’ve been an athlete since childhood. I think I’ll focus on gathering wood for us. It’s a staple need in a place like this”, Patricia said. “I’ll help you too, Patricia”, said Jefferson. “My family runs a farm in Henford-onBagley. I can help you catching animals. I’m especially good with chickens!” said Chelsea. “I can see where this is going, Chelsea. No wonder that you’ve bullied me so much for years. Anyway, I’m good at fishing”, said Emily. “It’s the right time to put my scouting experience into action. I’ll find edible plants for us to eat out there”, said Terrence. “You children should stay here until you start adapting to the 134

Link to rules: https://docs.google.com/document/d/ 1rBRE2kWbvBRV7slblCOawaGV2EvngqrLLhM7JMvmK0 Search for [TS4//4] My stream for the challenge:

LaarStudio/ Maria

SimSimmerly

The Flaming Plumbob

AlphalsTimZ

Coming Soon

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Ivana 138

SueSimming

SphereArcana Bailey Cheshire

K8Simsley

Grace

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You

GhostFace2018xx

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The Simming Spoonie

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You

To find out more about our amazing team visit our website. Top - from left to right: Maria Lead Graphic Design, SimSImmerly CEO, TheFlamingPlumbob Content Creator, AlphalsTimZ aka Timmy Game Designer & Content creator. Ghostface2018xx Content Creator, MyCupOfCC Custom Content Creator, KawaiiFoxita Content Creator, Middle Row from left to right: John_Glynor Graphic Design, SueSimming Director, Bailey Cheshire Content Creator, K8Simsley Content Creator, Laireen Content Creator, TheSimmingSpoonie Director, StassiJSims4 Content Creator, Bottom Row from left to right: Ivana Aka BunnyBananaSims Deputy Graphic Design, Grace Events Manager, SulziSim Director, Granny Ruth Awesome.

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SimmedUp Magazine Issue 17 January 2022

Articles inside

Alpha Challenge

Simscopes

EA Creator Network

Making a Simmer

Simspiration

Mod Review

Star Dew

Off Topic

Titan Architect Taffissimo

Joey & Granny

Peacemaker

Non Bob News

Tips & Tricks

Geeking Out