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Post by Stacy on Sept 17, 2009 16:53:19 GMT -5
I personally feel that, at least for me, the pictures are a central part of the Sims game as a storytelling medium.
Others say that the pictures are pointless and that everyone should write as if they weren't even there.
What's your style? Why do you think it works for you?
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Post by Elizabeth on Sept 17, 2009 17:09:32 GMT -5
I like to write with the picture, I love to have something to work with when making a Sims story, whether it's Sims 2 or 3. I don't think I could do a Sims story without pictures, because unless you say 'Sims _' you won't know, and it'll just seem like a story. So yes, I do use pictures, and I love it when my Sims add twists of their own, because it really helps me with my writing.
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Post by girlyesterday on Sept 19, 2009 4:02:39 GMT -5
Sim Stories relay on pictures for the most part but I think it's down to personal taste really how people use their pictures.
I tend to separate my 'sim' writing from my other writing.
I don't think I have a style. I just snap a heap of random pictures while my sims go about their daily lives and then weave a story from the pictures I have; but that doesn't always work. Sometimes, I have a story in mind first and then I go and take pictures I need rather than letting it happen naturally. It really just depends on what story I want to tell.
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Post by Monday Morning on Sept 20, 2009 18:29:34 GMT -5
I tend to shoot for dramatic looks and awkward glances. Usually, I've got a basic idea of how each chapter is going to go down, so when I go in game, I tend to shoot only for the scene I'm going to be putting to word. Sometimes, my images end up guiding my writing, and at other times they follow. It just depends on how I'm feeling at that particular moment.
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Post by thelunarfox on Sept 27, 2009 18:35:47 GMT -5
This is a really good question. I missed this one. The pictures are integral for me-- especially in Ruin. With the pictures, I try to put in extra clues, things in the background that my simple writing style cannot convey. Since I'm writing from the first person POV, there are things that my narrator can't know and won't notice. Things that might be going on behind her or next to her in high tension situations where her mind is elsewhere. I'm walking a fine line because I don't want to be obvious about it, so it's completely possible that I'll be the only person to notice. As an example, I threw this image into my most recent update. In the previous chapter, Michal notes that Edy never seems to look in a mirror. And now she happens to have a mirror in her room. (Two mirrors actually.) That is probably the most obscure little tie in I've got.
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Post by blackdaisies on Sept 29, 2009 19:17:37 GMT -5
I personally don't know any sim writer who hasn't tried in at least one small way to improve their picture taking abilities along the way, therefore kind of killing the argument that pictures mean nothing to a sim story. Pictures, IMO, is an important aspect of sim story writing. It is possible to write a good sim story disregarding the pictures, but those are hard to find and most of your audience will be drawn in by eye-candy before they actually get to the 'meat' of the story. I admit, I'm one of those people who are most likely to return to a sim story if the photos are nice, even if the story isn't that great. I'm a visual person. For me, I try to make it so that my pictures tell the bulk of the story. I'm from an animation background, so storyboard and composition is sort of ingrained in me. I was never great it at it, but I like to think that this project is helping me in that aspect. It works for me because I'm awful at describing scenes in text. I've always been "a picture tells a thousand words" sort of person, so why write two paragraphs of a deserted street setting when I can just take a pic. I'm also the type of person that will build an entire freaking lot just to get that one perfect screenshot describing said scene. >.<
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Post by drew on Oct 2, 2009 8:59:13 GMT -5
I feel pictures are important, but I don't obsess over it. I just use j-pegs from the in-game camera, do not use any outside program, nor do I use photoshop to any great degree. Also I admit, I have taken to using pose boxes lately (I am still using Sims 2 for storytelling here) So I find that enhances the storytelling through pictures. I know some Sim Storytellers that write the story or chapter first, then take the shots.
Not me. I go into the game with a general plot in mind, take the shots, then write to fit those shots.
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Post by mdpthatsme on Nov 14, 2009 0:46:24 GMT -5
I write both Sim and plain prose stories. Sim stories are challenging in the way of capturing a characters actions as I imagine for all to see it. Nonetheless, I do write in prose to challenge my attention to detail and obviously learn new writing techniques. drew: Pose boxes were my story telling life in TS2. I'm not exaggerating when I tell you I had about 20 boxes/cups/stick men/paintings, if not more. How did I remember what pose was what pose... we'll never know. As for pictures for the Sims, I find it essential for my stories. Sure, I could write all the actions, all the features of my characters, but what's the point when I can show the readers/viewers? Not to mention, since my characters are close enough to the way I imagine them in my head as Sims, the readers can see what I'm seeing without me having to explain everything. How bright his/hers eyes are or how their hair falls around their face, etc.
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Catherine
Junior Member
I like to say SQUEE!
Posts: 97
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Post by Catherine on Nov 14, 2009 1:41:36 GMT -5
Huh? Stories are supposed to have words? ;-)
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Post by Stacy on Nov 14, 2009 2:48:27 GMT -5
Huh? Stories are supposed to have words? ;-) Not if you don't want.
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Catherine
Junior Member
I like to say SQUEE!
Posts: 97
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Post by Catherine on Nov 14, 2009 8:32:35 GMT -5
Haha. I'm glad the rest of you use words, though. It's very interesting for me to read posts like this and see how you think about your projects - and of course, the finished products are top notch!
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Post by lhasa on Nov 15, 2009 4:52:41 GMT -5
I believe caps from the game are nearly an essential with a sim story or legacy. They're essential, but a story can be told effectively with only a few included.
With my old caption-based legacy, the caps were basically the entire story. I would just write a one-three sentence caption under nearly each cap and that was it.
With the story I'm working on, I'm trying to rely a little more on my storytelling skills than the pictures I will take in-game. I will admit I'm fairly relieved that I can lay off describing some things since the readers can just look at the pretty pictures. :)
blackdaisies, I'm the same way when it comes to building lots to get good shots. I've spent countless hours building office buildings, modeling "runways", and other things just so I can get a few shots. It's tiresome, but the results can be worth it.
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Post by heredoncove on Nov 15, 2009 11:54:17 GMT -5
I use them as a jump off point, since I develop a lot of my story from what I have in the pictures. They don't have to be faithful to every action in the storyline but I like them to be close, so that the reader has a visual clue
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Post by girlyesterday on Nov 16, 2009 23:35:36 GMT -5
Catherine - I find pictures can convey a lot more than words sometimes and using only pictures leaves a lot up for speculation - like a piece of art work that can convey two very different things to two people. I think that's sometimes a good thing. There have been some screencaps I have seen that really don't need words because they are just so powerful on their own.
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Post by simdalevalley on Jan 5, 2010 13:51:08 GMT -5
I started into picture-taking in the Sims 2 just to show off my creations (buildings) for the exchange. I definitely feel that my pictures are inferior to my prose, and although I've worked to improve in my basic abilities at in-game photography, I am not really motivated to spend any time post-game to photoshop them. For the sake of time, I've really cut back on the amount of pictures per update, and gone to a journalistic style of mainly telling my neighborhood's story. Occasionally, when I have time, I'll do a lot of pictures and have a special feature with more pictures.
I sure do enjoy all the amazing work you all do on your pictures!
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Post by sb on Jan 5, 2010 14:41:12 GMT -5
simdalevalley, any photoshopping I do is extremely minimal. Once in a while we do something special and go all out, but that's special occasion stuff. I know a lot of people do incredible work for regular updates, but not everybody does that. Photoshop intimidates me.
We do use non text sequences. The last Sessions update is an example. But if I had to worry about photoshopping every shot, I'd quit.
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Post by luke2009 on Jan 8, 2010 19:04:48 GMT -5
I always write for the pictures. When i'm shooting the pictures i think what i could write to go with them, rather than write then shoot. I've always worked in a much more visual way though so i guess it's just what's easier and more natural for me.
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Post by rad on Jun 7, 2010 17:22:02 GMT -5
Question - does it matter if a sim story is picture heavy, text heavy or both? I'm just putting together the first chapter of my new story and I have a lot of pictures I like and want to use - my usual fall back position is picture text, picture text but if it sometimes goes picture picture picture text does that matter?
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Post by raquelaroden on Jun 7, 2010 18:12:27 GMT -5
I'm pretty sure LunarFox has done the picture picture picture text thing before, and she made it work well.
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Post by rad on Jun 7, 2010 18:32:23 GMT -5
For all my considering to do some chapters with lots of pictures in a row and maybe even some with lots of text in a row, I'll probably still end up reverting to picture text picture text when it comes down to it, though, so don't hold me to this conversation
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