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Post by girlyesterday on Sept 27, 2009 21:13:03 GMT -5
I've been thinking about this especially over the last few days and wondered how the rest of you guys go about it.
Do you find it easier to sim out and then write your stories around the screencaps or do you write the story out first and try to pose the scene as best as you can?
Do you actually gameplay the events or just move the sims around to "act" out what you need them to?
I'm currently working on an untitled new TS3 series that will relay heavily on World Adventures (hence why it hasn't been released yet) and I'm actually finding the writing is really flowing right now. There are scenes that I am currently writing that I can pretty much visualise, BUT, I wonder if they would be possible in TS3.
When you come across a scene like that, do you think "close enough is good enough" or do you try to pose the scene or just leave the narrative to do the work and just get on with the next scene?
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Post by thelunarfox on Sept 27, 2009 21:18:42 GMT -5
I do a mix. Generally, if the writing is coming easily, I'll just write and worry about it later on.
If I'm having trouble writing, but I have an idea of what I see in my head, I'll just go ahead and sim it out. Then I look at the pictures while I'm writing.
My general theory is that "close is good enough." My writing style is so simple anyway, I usually leave a lot up to the reader. Plus, I'm impatient, so I don't generally spend a lot of time on the pics.
Now you make me excited to see the new EP so I can see what you're working on.
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Post by raquelaroden on Sept 27, 2009 21:43:52 GMT -5
I'm with thelunarfox--I do both.
I'm impatient, and if I don't get the perfect pose I write it out.
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Post by Monday Morning on Sept 27, 2009 22:48:45 GMT -5
With RT, I've always gone about shooting first and writing later. I use PowerPoint to organize my chapters, and have the slides set up so that I can see the image at the same time while I'm typing. I've hardly sat down and played this game. I find that it's amazingly fun to set up my scenes, pop in some cheats, and get them to stand and act as I want them. I love the fact that now we can pose our sims almost on top of each other without them going wonky and going horizontal on the other sim's head when you try to manuever them together. I'm also drawn to these sims ability to make the greatest expressions, that sometimes my photo shoots are all close ups and focused on the turn of the eyes, or the little pucker of a particular mob boss's lips. I've been playing around the challenge idea, and so far I've done mostly writing. I have begun going into the game and setting up the scene, and created my characters, but as of now, I've just been letting the words have their way with me.
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Post by raquelaroden on Sept 28, 2009 5:53:37 GMT -5
Monday Morning: Your particular mob boss really does have an entrancing pucker. I love themes of evil cloaked in beauty. I can't wait to see what you've come up with for the challenge. I have an idea for it, but I haven't found time to work on it at all, yet.
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Post by simusing on Sept 28, 2009 19:02:24 GMT -5
I love to use the sims as a story generator. I find what works best for me is to have some character relationships or basic plot ideas when I start. Then I put the charries into the game and let them start shaping their lives. Usually an interaction, expression, or an unexpected venue makes me think of a plot twist or idea and the story just grows from there.
I act out these ideas, but always let the sims reactions effect where things will go. While I'm doing that, I take lots and lots of pics along the way. Then after playing I choose the pics that speak to me and my ideas and craft the story. At that phase I usually have gaps in my ideas and I do go back and take some posed shots as well.
I find that the most ingenious ideas come from a character doing something unexpected, and having to find a plot device to explain it. I like the way it keeps my creative process open, so I never know the story myself until the end.
I wouldn't worry about capturing something perfectly though. I think its fine to either get a pic that is close enough or just write through that section. I've seen bloggers do both, and when the story is compelling either works fine.
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Post by Stacy on Sept 28, 2009 21:29:21 GMT -5
Here’s how I write my updates. I open the new post window, start up the game, take a couple of shots, alt-tab out of the game, look at the screenshots, delete the ones I know I’m not going to use, edit the ones I am going to use, upload them, write the caption in the caption space on Photobucket, copy and paste it all over to the draft, look at the draft and see what pics I need next and if anything needs rewriting or reordering, go back into the game, and rinse and repeat until the update says it’s finished. So I guess I do both. My sims are pretty much just actors and I don't really play them - although when I do play Seth he does consistently roll up wants for various people to die in fires. But I also write the caption to the pic as opposed to writing it all out first. So yeah.
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Post by girlyesterday on Sept 29, 2009 16:48:56 GMT -5
It was great to hear everyone's thoughts on the subject. It's been very insightful.
I've always written first, then simmed later. I guess because I find the writing comes easier to me than the simming.
Hope I made sense. I'm dopped up on antibiotics right now (stupid flu).
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Post by Monday Morning on Sept 29, 2009 19:46:07 GMT -5
I've actually been writing instead of simming, and it's kind of nice. I've been visualizing my sims as I've been writing, and it has helped. It really has. Heck, it's almost easier for me!
Hope you feel better, Carnaxa! I've been lucky enough to avoid the flu (even the nasty swine flu) so far. Of course, now that I've said it, it'll come to light. Knock on wood!
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Post by raquelaroden on Oct 19, 2009 6:02:06 GMT -5
I had an interesting experience that relates to this question while working on my next two or three updates. I took tons of pictures in game based around an outline I made of the way I see my story going, and I was disappointed at the limited poses, especially ones suggesting fighting or violence. I ended the session feeling frustrated and immediately started planning other ways I could plot the updates. A day elapsed before I had a chance to look at the pictures, and now I think they're going to work! I was pleasantly surprised. Now I'm wondering whether I'm actually just being lazy and impatient and saying "good enough" or whether it actually is good, and I'm just surprised by how much the limited poses can convey.
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Post by heredoncove on Oct 19, 2009 9:56:17 GMT -5
I tend to do heavy simming with some writing. I do give myself a general guideline to what I want to show in the update but I just follow each Sim's wants and general interactions to flesh out most of the update.
For example, I have a Sim with a Workaholic trait. (I add traits to my Sims 2, its fun). I make general notes to myself to have him work late, show him always working or concerned with work and then from there figure out why he's like this. I don't let that consume the whole update and from there I just follow his wants and fit these wants to his general personality type.
So lots of simming with written guidelines, nothing too detailed which is why I get stuck when I have to write my updates.
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Post by mdpthatsme on Oct 19, 2009 10:49:35 GMT -5
I do both also. For important scenes I plan in advance and act through with the Sims. Others I just let the Sims do what they want and take random shots then pile together pictures that tell me a story. ;D
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Post by Luminessence on Dec 5, 2009 18:57:52 GMT -5
I do both. I'll have a vague plotline in mind, but a lot of the time it's inspired by stuff in the game, and events in the game can change it. For example, I started off my legacy without knowing much except that my founder had autistic tendencies. Then Tom Shallow showed up with the welcoming committee, and the two of them got along really well, so I figured out how I could use him in the story. Later, when Auryn became friends with Nadia, Nadia turned out to have the Evil trait, and that gave me an idea for a different part of the story. If she hadn't had that trait, the story probably would have been entirely different. But once I have the plot in mind, I set up specific scenes that I want to use; I'll invite a certain Sim over, for example, or have two Sims talk until one of them gives me the facial expression that I need.
I'm not obsessive about pictures; for me, close enough is good enough. I do try to set up pictures that will get across the general idea of what I'm going for, though.
I actually write the captions right after I take the pictures, because that's when the story is fresh in my mind; it was easy in Sims 2, but in Sims 3 I have to alt-tab out of the game after each picture and write the caption in MS Word, along with the number of the corresponding screenshot. And occasionally, if I have a very clear idea of what I want the scene to be, I'll write some of the text and then try to get the right pictures for it.
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Post by rad on Dec 8, 2009 12:22:52 GMT -5
With the Kyotis, I just chronicled the simming though I staged the odd interaction; same with the Dayes, though that's not really a story, more an experiment.
With the Lazaruses, largely I chronicle events as they happen while I play but I do stage the odd shot to reflect the emotions and interactions the family would have that'd be "true" to their situation. I also have an idea of where I want the story to go and so when I play, I make the challenge try and meet the story I've been developing and how I want it to unfold. In the early days I played then chronicled whatever occurred; now I know (and have known for some time) the ending I want for it even though I haven't played through the challenge enough to get that far, so I try and make sure the sims get there - but as it's playing a challenge rather than staging a pure story, sometimes it doesn't go according to plan.
With the short stories it's just a case of staging and clicking 'go' andI never play with those sims. When I can find what I've done with the save file, I have a mini challenge/story in play that's a bit of both.
However, I'm really interested in this discussion because although I always thought I'd just write challenge stories and that I'd stick to just shorts for my non-play stories, I've had an idea for a longer story that I want to start after I've finished the Lazaruses, and it's good to hear how the writers of longer non-challenge stories approach their characters.
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Post by monqiue on Jan 9, 2010 10:29:31 GMT -5
I think that I do a little bit of both but more simming than anything. I know where I want my sims to go and I try to make them do it but I don't plot scenes to make what I want happen to happen. That is probably why I am so far ahead in actual game play vs. story writing.
I like my sims to "decided" what happens. That way I will stay interested in them. I know what I want them to do but what actually happens sometimes is different. I like those surprises and it challenges me to make my story fit in with game play.
I do make general note about what happens when I play a house. If there is a scene or plot that needs to happen to keep the story moving forward I will make it happen. Like with the crime ring I had going. I destroyed it in the story but it doesn't feel right that the participants get away with punishment. So, I created Shirleen Smallwood, DA of Eaton, to bust the crime ring for a murder (that happened in the story). I set up some of the scenes like Dennis talk with Shirleen and later his talk with Kellie Wilson. But most of it just happens naturally during game play.
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Post by sb on Jan 9, 2010 12:44:08 GMT -5
Never have tried legacies or challenges. Usually Gayl and I write out every chapter first, since we've got plots going off into the distance, making sure it's what we want to do and where we want to go, then sim it.
However, I'm not a natural writer, so if I'm tired or the words just do not come, I sim it first. Always always knowing in advance where the chapter has to go and how it has to end. If I can see it, sometimes it is easier to write it that way. The concept has to be there first though.
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Post by mdpthatsme on Jan 9, 2010 16:14:31 GMT -5
sb: I've never tried legacies or challenges either. I always Sim first, but usually I have in mind what I'm doing when I'm doing it. There's always a mission in this head of mine. ;D I've recently discovered the Chaos painting.....yes I'm a little slow on such things...oddly, considering I'm BIG on pose boxes from TS2. The painting is making my life a little easier in TS3, thank cheezits. yellow cake with chocolate frosting
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