Saturday, October 30, 2010

Deeper MAXIS Aspirations, Part 2

As I have been playing for quite some time with my personality and trait system, I decided to update you on the changes I made in game. As always, feel free to borrow/steal/use them in your game and tweak them to suit you. Ask any questions, concerns or comments as well.

Aspirations, Reduex

At first I chose aspirations based on the family members. For example, if the parents were family and fortune then the children would be one or the other. Now aspirations are chosen based on thier personality, wants as a child, interests, traits and OTH-if known. Aspirations can change as the sim ages or based on a ROS, so they're more dynamic.

I assign aspirations as follows.

Fortune:
-personality= mostly serious, not lazy or shy sims
-interests = Money, Work, Crime
-OTH= n/a

Knowledge
-personality= mostly serious, shy and neat sims.
-interests = Environment, Paranormal, Weather, Sci-Fi, Health
-OTH= Science, Nature, Tinkering

Family
-personality=mostly nice sims, not lazy sims
-interests= School, Toys
-OTH: Culinary

Popularity:
-personality= mostly outgoing and playful sims.
-interests = Culture, Entertainment, Fashion, Politics, Sports
-OTH: Sports, Music & Dance

Pleasure:
-personality= mostly playful, lazy sims.
-interests = School, Toys, Travel,
-OTH: Games, Sports

Romance:
-personality= mostly outgoing, playful and nice sims.
-interests = Culture,
-OTH= n/a

Grilled Cheese (secondary aspiration only):
-personality= mostly lazy sims.
-interests = food
-OTH: Culinary

Behind the Aspirations
Aspirations mean slightly different things to me. They give me the why behind some of the wants that my sims roll up. They can also be described using some of the TS3 traits.
 
Fortune: This sim is very ambitious, disciplined, and at their worst is a workaholic. They can be a bit neurotic and snobbish at times, however they love art and the finer things in life to bolster their reputation.
 
Knowledge: This sim can be described as a bookworm, always reading and can be a bit clumsy. They can also be a whiz with technology, eccentric and often are geniuses.
 
Family: This sim often likes children and animals and are very family oriented. Decisions are made based on the family.
 
Romance: There are two versions of this aspiration in my game
-Romance-Commitment Issues: This sim often dislikes children, can be very flirty and is a great kisser and woohooer.
-Romance-Hopeless Romantic: This sim loves romance novels and stories of true love. This is how I try to reconcile those family/romance sims.
 
Pleasure: This sim can tend to be a bit childish and a couch potato. They are often easily impressed with just about everything and are often heavy sleepers. They are heavy party animals
 
Popularity: This sim is very charismatic and a natural sales sim. They can be dramatic at times and a party animal.
 
Grilled Cheese: This sim is a food addict with a narrow obsession with cheese.

Monday, October 25, 2010

Anything Down, 2006

Havar, fall, 2006
Faith is 21, Olivia is 1 simlonic month

Dear Susie,

I'm glad to hear that you made it to Los Lagos safely with the rest of the dance crew. I hope you get over your seasickness soon though and are soon able to eat again. I bet it was really sucky not being able to keep anything down.


Things are going well here. The hood has been doing an urban renewal initiative here and my apartment was on the list. You should see it now. It's like a new apartment complex...well, that's cause it is. The complex used to process fabric dye, but you can hardly tell that now. I hope that I'll be able to continue to afford this place, there's been talk about rent increasing thanks to the recent renovations and on going interior renovations.

Olivia and I moved in without much fuss, mom, dad, Walt and Anthony helped us move in.

You can tell Anthony that he doesn't need to call each simweek to check on me. However, I have a feeling that you told him to do that. I appreciate it, I really do, but don't worry I will call if I ever need anything.

Walt lives in the apartment on the lower level, I don't know why he even signed the lease on his place, though.

He spends most of the time in my apartment helping with Olivia,

chatting about our limited funds,


or just hanging out with me.

My days have gotten pretty routine now. I usually spend the mornings feeding and nursing Olivia in the kitchen.

Thankfully we have a nice view of the pier so I can distract myself with the boats as I rock Olivia to sleep.

Once I have her settled down, I make myself a meal-usually a processed meat sandwich

and once again stare at the nice view.

It helps me to think about my next move. I know that I can't keep up with my DJ job much longer. I make more each night than I did working at the SiMusic Records Store, but the hours are worse. I work nights and so does Walt, so I often have to ask mom or dad to care for Olivia during the night and I hate asking them to do that considering their own work schedules.

I invited Walt over for dinner, you know that cooking isn't my talent, so I made a simple cheese pasta.

Over cheesy macaroni, I asked him to move in with Olivia and I. It just wasn't making much sense for us to struggle with our rent payments and we spend most of our time together anyway.

He agreed, I shouldn't have worried since he had been hinting at getting married a while ago, hmmm, I haven't heard him speak about it lately...I wonder if he gave up on the idea.

Besides finances there was another reason I asked Walt to move in with me.

I had been sick to the stomach lately, barely able to keep anything down.

I took a test, and it's positive. I'm going to be a mother again. I don't know when exactly it happened, but next spring you'll be an auntie again.

I miss you and can't wait to see you again soon.

Faith
---
Baby Humphrey is due Patar 2007.

Thursday, October 21, 2010

Financial Director Note: County Council Plans 2005-2009

S'Ahmisa Warwick

I am serving for the remainder of the 2005-2009 term and am submitting my plans for the term based on the responsibilities of the Financial Director.

  • Oversee hood finances
    -Taxes will be seperated into funds based on the proposals from the fund managers.

    --General Fund managed by the County President
    This fund will cover expenses for foreign alliances, council administration, immigration/emigration, Starr Grey Administration Building, and Memorial Church.
    --Economic Development Fund managed by the Financial Director
    This fund will cover expenses for local trades and stores, home businesses, imports.
    --Community Development Fund managed by the Community Director
    This fund will cover expenses for culture, focal farming & fishing, general beautifying (plants, landscape, community lots)
    --Education Fund managed by the Education Director
    This fund will cover expenses for the administration of Apple Valley Academy & Byrant A Pierce University.
    --Security Fund managed by the Security Director
    This fund will cover expenses for local infrastructure, security, military & justice
    --Public Health Fund managed by the Medical Centre Director
    This fund will cover expenses for the adminstration of the Veronika Kent Medical Centre
    --Archives/Technology Fund managed by the Archives/Technology Officer
    This fund will cover expenses for the community library and archives, press relations, website, electronic infrastructure

    -Assess networths every two simyears. Next assessment is in 2007
  • Implement taxes and welfare support
    -Taxes are now collected each simyear in the summer time
    -Revisit welfare support benefits
  • Coordinate local trades and import based on needs of the community-Import policy needs tweaking. Suggest that the county limits its imports and cleanup existing imports. My research has indicated that only about 56% of imports are being used. Others are simply lying in waste because they are poorly made duplicates or residents to not require certain import items that come in a set.
  • Oversee local businesses and associated laws
    -Create a tax break for new business owners to increase the number of local businesses.
    -Create a tax break for businesses with a rank higher than 5 to encourage long term business growth.
  • Collect taxes and fees from residents-Taxes are now collected each simyear in the summer time
  • Manage the local real estates including construction of new homes, remodeling of homes and destruction of homes
    -The current City Planner, Li Yoo, serves in this role.
    -Ensure that there are multiple price points for housing.
    -Start working on a plan for increasing the number of single family dwellings as the population ages and require more room than available in apartments in the metro.
  • Serve as bank manager
    -Eventually would like to hire a sim for this position and increase the number of options from the local bannk branch or outsouce this service.

Friday, October 15, 2010

Apple Valley Police Station

In the heart of the Metro lies a crop of buildings including the plain police station clad in white stone.

Once you enter the station you encounter the reception area where you must wait until or if you are allowed upstairs to the offices or holding cells.

The station serves as home to the Apple Valley police force and intelligence department.

During their daily routines they work on cases, uncover evidence,

and keep an eye on inmates in the holding cells.

Occasionally those inmates, who live far from the lap of luxury, 


receive visitors who must also be carefully watched through the visitor's speaking cell.

Otherwise, things are usually quiet around the station.

Very Hard, Part 3, 2006

Havar, fall, 2006
Emma Seavey is a senior, Ming Wuu and Benjamin Endeavor are juniors, Lainey Lorde, S'Ahmisa Warwick and Verde Herendez are sophmores.

"Maybe I'm working too hard," S'Ahmisa tried to explain away the dream.

"Are you working too hard?"

"I don't think so."

"How often have you had the dream?"

"I've had that exact dream three times a simweek for past three simlonic months."

"Whoa...you're a bit of a stubborn sim aren't you?"

"What do you mean?"

"You've had the exact same dream for three simlonic months and you honestly think that it's not trying to tell you something."

"It's a cute dream, but it just won't work."

"You overthink things too much, S'Ahmisa." Ming said rolling her eyes.

"You sound like my parents."

"Really? What do they say about the whole Rashid situation?"

"My mom says that I should fly out there, woohoo him and return back to the hood. My dad agrees with her. He said maybe that's why I've been so cranky and that perhaps I need to think about woohooing any sim if I can't get to Rashid."

"Your parents are wild."

"I know." S'Ahmisa sighed. "It doesn't matter now anyway, I don't think he's interested in me that way anymore. He's dating...a lot of different women actually."

"I would be dating a lot of different sims too, come on, you've been giving him mixed signals. What did you think he would do? Sit at home and wait for you to call?"

"No, but...well. It doesn't matter how I feel, it just won't work. I mean, my future is here and his is there. It just wouldn't...it wouldn't work."

"You guys still talk, right?"

"We chat on the computer every night at seven."

Ming raised her eyebrows. "Wait, you chat every night at seven?"

"Yes."

"Even on the weekends?"

"Yes."

"But he's dating around...a lot, right?"

"Yes."

"But you chat every night at seven, even on the weekends?"

"What are you getting at, Ming?"

"First, seven in the evening is prime date time, especially on the weekends, I doubt that he's doing as much dating around as he claims. Two, this man set asides, what, an hour of his simday, every simday to chat with you, yet you think that he isn't interested in you that way."

"He's not."

"Ugh," Ming groaned getting off the bed. "Sometimes you're so smart that you're dumb as a doorknob."
---

S'Ahmisa nervously waited as the clock changed from 6:59 to 7:00.

PRINCEOFWARFARE06: Hey

CURLYGURL: Hi

PRINCEOFWARFARE06: How was your day?

CURLYGURL: Ok, how was yours.

PRINCEOFWARFARE06: Busy.

CURLYGURL: Too many women taking your time.

PRINCEOFWARFARE06: ...

CURLYGURL: How are your female friends?

PRINCEOFWARFARE06: You ask the same question every night.

CURLYGURL: And every night you don't answer.

PRINCEOFWARFARE06: ...

CURLYGURL: Think they could spare you for the weekend?

PRINCEOFWARFARE06: Why?

CURLYGURL: Check your email.

PRINCEOFWARFARE06: Ok-brb.

CURLYGURL: K

S'Ahmisa would have liked to see his face when he opened the email and found the ticket waiting there for him. She bit her lip, nervous about what she was going to do. However thanks to the rather blunt talks with her parents and Ming, she decided to throw it all out there and hope for the best...or at the very least not to be humliated.

PRINCEOFWARFARE06: You didn't have to buy me a ticket, I could have brought my own.
 
CURLYGURL: Well, I did. Do you think you could come out?
 
PRINCEOFWARFARE06: Idk
 
CURLYGURL: I have to visit Thaindia and talk with the Minister of Foriegn Policy. They're letting me use a house while I'm there.
 
PRINCEOFWARFARE06: That's nice.
 
CURLYGURL: It's one bedroom with this huge bed.
 
PRINCEOFWARFARE06: Sounds nice.
 
CURLYGURL: I would really like to see you. Just tell your female friends that I want to borrow you for the weekend, I'll return you in one piece. A bit tired but one piece ;)
 
PRINCEOFWARFARE06: I don't know what to say
 
CURLYGURL: Just think about it ok? You have the ticket and either I'll spend the weekend in bed with you or I'll spend the weekend in bed alone.
 
PRINCEOFWARFARE06: ...
 
CURLYGURL: r u there?
 
PRINCEOFWARFARE06: yea
 
CURLYGURL: will you think about it?
 
PRINCEOFWARFARE06: yea, I'll think about it.
---
 
S'Ahmisa tried to distract herself with the awesome view, but she knew that Rashid's plane should be landing right now. Add in the quick baggage claim and the taxi from the airport would take 15 minutes, gave her just enough time to shower and change into the little something that she spent hours picking out. She hoped that he would like it when she greeted him at the door.
 
Three hours later and several phone calls to the airport confirming that the flight had landed and that all passengers had disembarked, S'Ahmisa finally came to terms with what she didn't want to think about.
 
He wasn't coming.
 
She had tried again and even tried to be blunt-which wasn't like her at all. Even the prospect of no strings attached woohoo wasn't enough to change Rashid's mind about her. She had screwed up.
 
What did you think he would do? Sit at home and wait for you to call?
 
The hot tears fell quickly, ruining her eye makeup and wetting her hair. She was such a fool, so stubborn, Ming was right, somethings she was as dumb as doorknob.

"Why did you think he would come anyway," she fussed at herself, before curling up on the couch. The steady stream of tears and painful thoughts lulled her into a fitful sleep.

"Oh my..."

She turned over towards the sound and saw Rashid standing over her. She quickly jumped up eager to see him.

"You came!"

"Yea, boo. I got bumped off the flight, so they put me on a later flight and my phone was dead so I couldn't call and..."

"What?"

"You're beautiful." he said staring. When he walked into the unlocked door, he never expected to see her asleep on the couch in those thin slips of satin hugging her body so deliciously. Now that she was standing before him, he was treated to an unobscured view of her firm body.

"You like it?"

"Love it." he said struggling to breath.

"I brought it just for you," she admitted shyly.

"Well in that case, turn around for me. Show daddy what you got."

S'Ahmisa slowly turned so that he could see the full view.

"You still like it?" she whispered.

"Very much so," he said pulling her close and covering her neck with kisses. He didn't know what game S'Ahmisa was playing, but if he didn't get lucky tonight, he was officially writing this woman off as the queen of tease.

"That feels nice," she murmered. "Maybe we should take this upstairs."

After Rashid had changed to a pair of pajama pants, the couple found themselves suddenly shy.

S'Ahmisa found that she didn't mind just sitting in the silence with Rashid, their fingers intertwined

and Rashid breathing in the scent of her conditioner.

When he finally turned towards her, she couldn't help but whisper, "It's been a while."

It had been a while, almost two simyears in fact.

"Don't worry, boo, I'll be gentle."

He was.
---

S'Ahmisa tried to enjoy the sunny clear weather, but her thoughts kept returning the Rashid. He had spent most of their waking hours cherishing her, making her breakfast in bed and sharing his dreams.

She didn't know that he felt like he had to prove something to those around him. She could imagine the pressure of being the oldest son of the mayor and your younger brother is already freakishly intelligent.

He was studying physics, which made sense because he was good at math and science, but in all honesty his Momma wants him to be a doctor. Rashid had shared that he really wanted to own a video game store, but his parents and the rest of the hood to be honest, strongly believe that the Mayor's son should be more ambitious in his career pursuits.

She could see where they were coming from, but owning your own business wasn't any less ambitious than being a doctor, it was just different. She honestly felt that Rashid would be a great business owner, especially if he owned a video game store. There wasn't a sim she knew that had more knowledge about the gaming market than Rashid. S'Ahmisa sighed as she recalled the look on his face when she shared that with him.

"I don't think I ever had that before," he whispered looking into her eyes.

"Had what?"

"A sim who accepted me the way I am, but yet...is encouraging me to be a better man."

"Your parents accept you."

"Parents are supposed to accept you, but other sims...I never had that before."

S'Ahmisa also never had a love like this before. There she said it. Love. Her breath caught in her throat and the tears started to flow again. She needed that man in there, but what was she supposed to do now. This weekend was only a casual thing, a booty call. It wouldn't be fair to begin placing demands on Rashid. After all she had listened to him talk about how he was young and he just wanna have some fun. Everybody planning his wedding already. She knew about his breakup with Tyisha and she assumed that he wasn't looking for a committment, especially after how she herself had went back and forth with him that summer.

Knowing that she really needed Rashid in her life only forced her to be more aware of how badly she had screwed things up. If she didn't overthink things as her family said, then she wouldn't be in this mess. She wiped her eyes, it was no use crying over things now. Her tears wouldn't fix a thing, she thought standing up.

She turned towards the house only to see Rashid step out onto the deck with only a towel wrapped around his taut belly.

"Whaa's up, you cool?"

"Yea," she mumbled looking at her hands.

"You sure?" Rashid asked grabbing her hands. He could see that her eyes were red and her skin splotchy. "Your face looks strange."

"Yea..um, I think my allergies might be acting up."

"You got some medicine for that?"

"Yea, I was headed upstairs to take some now," she lied.

When she returned she found Rashid sitting at the table with his laptop on. The towel was replaced with his swimtrunks, but thankfully she still had a view of his chest.

"You playing your game?"

"Naw, I'm chatting with some friends."

"Your female friends?" she asked sitting next to him and tossing her arm over his shoulder.

When he didn't answer she continued. "Do they know that you're here with me?"

"Do they know what we've been doing?" she asked bitterly. "Did you tell them how we've been in bed all weekend?"

She angerly stood up, before Rashid managed to catch her arms.

"What's up with you?"

"Nothing" she lied.

"You know you're not a good liar," he said nibbling her ear as he dipped her towards the floor.

S'Ahmisa tried not to cry as his strong arms wrapped around her, how was she going to live without this man?

---
Did you know sims can sing depending on how good...well, how good certain activities are? I don't know what Rashid did, but S'Ahmisa sounded like she belonged in an opera. ;p
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