13 Months

Today is the one month anniversary of saying goodbye to 2017!

Actually managed to completely finish a big game in January last year that I got in 2016 but never started ... Rise of the Tomb Raider (100% complete).  Then finished Never Alone (Kisima Ingitchuna) and Firewatch in February (though it helps that they are shorter games).

Spent a lot of time over 2017 with Skyrim Special Edition and Fallout 4 again... and managed to get to an ending with F4 eventually without really playing too far into the factions.  I've started playing it again to see if I can achieve the Best "Good Ending" Possible (peace between Railroad, Brotherhood and Minutemen).  Both are good to step back into periodically when I finish a big game or just need to chill.

Played a lot of Stardew Valley for a while.  I've now gone as far as I can with completing actions so it's all just farming, kissing my spouse and hugging my toddlers... and buying my way into friendship with everyone in town course!

Spent a lot of time in No Man's Sky too.  I'm really impressed with how they have developed this game over the first year and beyond... other developers would've just given up when it got bad reviews.  It was always a good chill out game - just wandering about the universe naming stuff - but it's good to have something new to try out every so often.  Have started way too many new games though and not yet made it to the centre!

Speaking of games with bad reviews... also completed Mass Effect Andromeda. Would've got to 100% but for glitches so have to be happy with 99%.  Thought it was good game, even with the glitchy faces and the numerous fetch quests.  Character creation was terrible... how did they get it so right with Dragon Age Inquisition and so wrong with this one?  I did step back into DAI for a while to see if I could finish it but got frustrated trying to remember the controls.

Continued being taunted by America and Russia in Civilisation VI but managed to win more than a few games.  Looking forward to the first expansion and playing more later in the year.  I should really get to Dishonored 2 as I decided to start again at the first game last year and didn't get very far.

And I should also mention The Sims 3 I guess... yes, played a bit but eventually got frustrated with the game crashing repeatedly when I'd played for a while.  Still not interested in TS4 but, if they would remaster TS3 for 64 bit, I think I'd be one of the first to buy.  Wouldn't even care if they just re-badged it as TS5!

Now for 2018 so far...

Started Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice around new year.  It's very good but intense, so I'll pick it up again later when I have more time and energy to devote to it.  Got Northgard in early access and have played a few games (they only take a couple of hours or so)... it's like Civilisation with vikings and I'm slowly working out what I'm doing.  Also have The Guild 3 in early access but haven't played much so far.

I'm currently working my way through the AC games with Assassin's Creed complete and Assassin's Creed II at about 50%.

2016, see ya!

(wouldn't wanna be ya) 

So another year is almost over ... and I'll be glad to see the back of this one.  It didn't start out the best with David Bowie dying in early January and then it didn't seem to let up, did it?  So many well known and loved people gone suddenly this year.   

Personally, it's been another tough year with my son struggling through school and life in general, and me having a few health issues (fortunately not serious, just chronic and annoying).  Things are starting to look up for the new year ... but didn't I say that last year?  

Gaming-wise I spent the first part of the year playing mostly Fallout 4, with some more Banished and Cities: Skylines.   Then in August I tried out No Man's Sky.   I hadn't seen any of the hype for this and didn't really know what to expect.  I actually found it a great chill out game but did more walking and exploring than conquering space. Ended up playing mostly on PS4, especially when ... 

My computer died (motherboard gave up).  After messing around for a couple of months I managed to get all the parts together to rebuild it myself, with a nice new graphics card and CPU to go with the motherboard.  And it worked first time (so proud of myself) ... so not all bad.

In September we had storms that knocked out power state-wide for a few hours (days for some) and dropping out phone networks.  Luckily we have gas cooking so could at least have hot food and a warm bath by candlelight. 

Picked up Civilisation VI in October and managed to win a few games, despite America and Russia taking turns at denouncing me (for being better them) and then declaring war (a sign of things to come?).  Finished off the month by starting a new game with the Skyrim Special Edition and exploring some of my favourite spots in the game.  So beautiful.

In November I bought Rise of the Tomb Raider and Firewatch but went back for some more No Man's Sky after the big update and plenty of improvement in the PC version.  Relaxed with lots of aimless wandering and chilling out in (almost) endless space.

GOG upgraded me to Witcher 3 GOTY Edition earlier this month so I decided to dive back into a new game and finally play the Blood & Wine DLC (and hopefully actually finish the game).  Got Dishonored 2 & Pokemon Moon for xmas but haven't had a chance to play either yet as I've got back into Sims 3.  Crashes, freezes and all (never changes does it).

Update: damn I forgot Pokemon Go ... how could I? So many Zubats, so little time. I did manage to catch a Kangaskhan though (only catchable Australia/NZ).  

So another year of not finishing any game I started and still not reducing my pile of shame. Better luck next year! 

Before you go 2015 ...

Guess I really should provide an update before yet another year is over!

Now where was I?  Finished off 2014 playing Dragon Age Inquisition intensively and making my way through most of the main quest ... but stopping to collect everything on the way of course (lovers included).  Beautiful game and so much fun.

Started 2015 by stumbling around in Elder Scrolls Online a bit with my main character now rocking some much fancier armour than when she started.  Haven't had much chance to get back to Tamriel but hope to do so soon. I love the world - another beautiful game - and enjoy the questing and lore.  But I prefer playing solo so not keen on the multi-player side of things (though I did join a couple of really good guilds which helped a bit).  

Messed about a bit in Borderlands The Pre-Sequel though got distracted by other games and didn't really get very far.  Another one for pile of shame.  Played a lot of Banished and discovered some really nice mods for it.  Also played a lot of Civ V but couldn't really get into Beyond Earth.  Decided to try out the Assassin's Creed games and got most of the way into the first game before ...

Started on The Witcher 3 and can definitely say it's my game of the year.  Yet another beautiful game and a great story too.  Have done every little quest so far and am still sitting at around half way (at just over 130 hours).  I stopped playing until all of the free DLC came out. Also because I'm in Team Triss and waiting on the promised patch that adds more to that side of story before I continue. 

But of course then got lead astray collecting junk and building settlements in Fallout 4 (one of the few games I've played where my character actually looks better in game than in the creator - or in screenshots) ...

I also ordered Batman Arkham Knight somewhere in the middle there but ended up returning my pc version for a refund.  Now juggling post-apocalyptic wastelands of Boston with Victorian London in Assassin's Creed Syndicate and itching to send Geralt of Rivia on to the Isle of Mists to continue his (and Ciri's) story. 

What about Sims you may ask?  I managed to get Mortimer Goth and Bella Bachelor together and off to university in Sims 3 ... until my game started to Error 12, leaving them in student hell.  Not sure how I managed it but their home world is gone so I'll have to go back and start over.  So high maintenance!  But still haven't been frustrated or even bored enough to try out Sims 4. 

That's about it for my year and a bit of games (though there are plenty more I've played but haven't mentioned ... and far too many still on my pile of shame).  Personally, it's been a bit of a crap year for various reasons (hence my longer than intended absence) but there's finally light at the end of the tunnel. 

So here's to 2016 being a fantastic year! 

Mini Gherkin?

I can't be arsed voting but, if the Sims Teams should be trawling the interwebs in search of clues, here's my favourite "tacky holiday sweater".  My very favourite reindeer jumper in fact.  Just the perfect thing to wear to a turkey curry buffet!  

BTW I really like the way the reindeer and Mr Darcy have almost the same look in their eyes in this shot.  Poor Bridget ... doubly scorned. 

Sprung

I feel like I've been playing a lot of Viral Roulette lately.  Almost every week it's been a new set of symptoms, a day or so off work then feeling better by the end of the week, just to start all over again. Lucky I went for the free flu vac from work or I'd have really been in trouble.  Ah, the joys of late Winter and the change in seasons.  But, yay, now Spring has sprung!  Ah-choo!

Spent a lot of time playing Civilization V and Banished for the low key gameplay and the achievement hunting.  A teeny bit of building in The Sims 3 and a revisit of Skyrim.  Checking in with my hirelings and some crafting in Elder Scrolls Online.  Also, downloaded but haven't tried the CAS demo for The Sims 4.  Waiting for the next Civilization and Borderlands games out next month then Dragon Age and Pokemon in November.

Surprisingly, I find myself even less interested in The Sims 4 now that it has been released.  Mostly I think it's the EA porky-pie factor and the less than stellar handling of the whole thing so I'm going to give it a bit longer to settle in.  Anyway, I assume that, if sales had met or exceeded EA's expectations, we would've heard by now.

I don't normally enjoy watching other people play video games but this one is definitely worth the time (more for the commentary than for how the game plays since that's pretty much as you'd expect).  Also, go and check out NerdCubed plays... The Stanley Parable  when you get a chance.  

Lastly... 20,000!

Caveat Emptor

You may have somehow missed all the palaver and still be considering getting Sims 4 next week.  All I can suggest is that you take some time to read a few blog posts or forum discussions (and that means at least 5 to 10 places to try to get a balanced view) before you hand over your cash.  The official site doesn't count (and neither does anywhere that is just a cut-and-paste of official press releases).  I could point out a few places but, meh, I'm over it.

Who's Game?

Games can be expensive here, mostly due to the "Australia tax", so you often have to pick and choose what you pre-order or buy on release so you don't end up paying a lot for something that ends up gathering dust on the pile of shame.  

Since buying Sims 3, I've paid around the same price for a few base games, including Skyrim and Civilization V, that provided a complete experience in themselves and were nowhere near as high maintenance.  I didn't have to hang out for expansions to make the base game more interesting.  Mods enhanced gameplay and provided additional content, they weren't there primarily to fix the game.

It's not that I don't enjoy playing Sims 3.  I suspect I'll be playing for a long while now that modders have fixed most of the problems and my game is running surprisingly smoothly, even with almost all extra content added (aside from KPST and a few bits of store content).  I still have a lot more to try out in the game now that I can travel without it crashing or losing all of my Sim's friends or inventory.

But, looking back, I have to admit that Sims 3 was a lot of money for an almost empty box that needed a whole lot more spending to fill it up and make it a complete experience.  I feel reasonably comfortable with how much I spent on it but I can see Sims 4 being yet another cash cow for EA. I'm not at all keen to do it all over again.

Sims 4 is currently around AU$90 for the Limited Edition.  They seem to have left out some pretty key features from Sims 3 without adding anything to encourage me to take a chance on it.  And they seem to be rushing things just to get it out there, which in itself is enough to make me hold off on buying it.

So, I'll be spending my money elsewhere, at least until Sims 4 presents a better value proposition (ie. it works, is interesting, is about something more than EMOTIONS and costs a whole lot less).  I might even give SimCity a spin now that they've enabled offline play.  Anyway, this is my current big ticket shopping list:

• Dragon Age - Inquisition (Oct 2014).
• Borderlands - The Pre-Sequel (Oct 1014). 
• Pokemon - Omega Ruby / Alpha Sapphire (Nov 2014).
• Sid Meier's Civilization - Beyond Earth (2014).
• The Witcher - Wild Hunt (Feb 2015).
• Batman - Arkham Knight (2015).
• Uncharted 4 - A Thief's End (2015). 

La la la la la la la la la!

You've probably noticed a few objections around the place just lately about the lack of toddlers and pools in the Sims 4 base game.  Anybody read Azure's response... 

... and just know she meant this ...

Ever since my last post, I've had the Fugees "Ready or Not" stuck in my head so it's time for a new earworm.  This little number is dedicated to the Sims 4 team (because they love us so much)...

Coming ... Ready or Not?

So it seems that the Sims team fronted up to E3 with a few Sims 4 animations and no actual gameplay preview.  Just under three months to go to release and it's looking like the gaming equivalent of a baby-cino... all froth and no substance.  Plenty of other games had actual gameplay on show (and a lot of those aren't out until next year).

I get the feeling they have really dumbed down simplified the coding this time.  Sims 3 was pretty ambitious I guess, with its open world and its customisation options (including CASt).  Probably too ambitious, since the Sims team didn't seem to be able to do anything to it without messing something else up.  Nothing ever seemed to work as intended.

From what I've seen, this new Sims 4 model with its "districts" and limited customisation should actually make the game more reliable (and, you'd think, easier to get right).  So, why can't they show us?  Shouldn't it be almost ready to release, with just some finishing touches to go? 

Sims 4 CAS

This image has been hanging around in my draft posts for quite a while, waiting for me to find something positive to say about it.  Now that they've finally released another Sims 4 trailer (and things don't seem to have progressed much further), it seemed like a good time to mention the new and improved CAS as demonstrated by SimGuru Ryan and some random Sim that was unlucky enough to stand too close to him...

At least now you know that, no matter how bad you are at creating Sims that look like real people, you can't do worse than the team that have had way more practice than you.  That's a positive, right?

With all those push-pull controls, it looks like they forgot to add the right ones to create pointy-headed, manically grinning Sims.  Maybe all bald guys really do look the same and I just didn't realise it?

AWOL in Tamriel

Just taking a break from stumbling about in Elder Scrolls Online.  I missed out on beta access so this has been my first chance to try things out.  I had early access but, between work and the servers being down for maintenance, I only managed a couple of hours playing time.  Access around launch time was actually easier than I expected so I've managed some decent play in the past couple of days.  Guess there have to be some advantages to being in this part of the world!  

I'm getting there, slowly, fumbling about with the keyboard controls (no controller like I had for Skyrim).   At least I have a few others over at Simpletons to help me out, though I think they must've known we were coming ... 

Freeze or Starve?

For the past few weeks I've been playing Banished, a city-building strategy game developed by the one-man Shining Rock Software.  It's taken quite a few restarts but I'm almost to the point of keeping everyone alive through every winter with the occasional one dying during childbirth or trampled by a boar and the rest dying of old age.  Heath and happiness are up but disaster may be just around the corner. 

I finally got one village to over 300 citizens when the nomads I accepted brought typhoid with them and wiped out a third of the town.  I couldn't build cemeteries fast enough!  Then there was the game where all the food producers kept starving and all the woodcutters kept freezing to death.  I can only conclude that the children steal all the food and firewood (and pick a pocket or two as well) while the adults are at work.

I've checked out a few wikis and forums but the more tips I followed from other players, the worse things seemed to go.  No one solution works for every game so it's a case of finding what works best for the game you are in.  And sometimes it's so elusive ... like if you'd only done the right thing an hour ago then things wouldn't have taken a dive.  

As Leo says, "First they were banished.  Now they're dying, thanks to me".  

Azure Heights Pool 2.0

I've updated the pool complex surrounded by loft houses in Sunset Valley with the pool slide, diving boards and pool bar that have been added to the game with updates and expansions.  The only store content is the outdoor shower that came with the Serenity Spa venue in Sunlit Tides.  The small square pool with fountain is a toddler pool. 

Isn't it amazing how much difference a couple of years makes to this lot.  The original version only had pool ladders because that was all that came with the base game.  The pool slide or diving board, preferably both, should've been in the base game from the start.  The diving board was added with the patch for Seasons (technically making it base game I suppose) and the pool slide came with Island Paradise.  No surprises now, of course, since we've learned that's just the way they do business.  

Download Azure Heights Pool 2.0

http://www.thesims3.com/assetDetail.html?assetId=7949451

15,000

Pageviews, that is.  At least according to Blogger.  I doubt it's a reliable figure since the highest number of visitors was in June 2009 (over 1,100 that month).  Full marks for spotting that I started this blog in February 2011.

So what else does Blogger have to say?  Most visitors are from the USA, UK or Australia and come here via Vidkid20's Sim Lair using Firefox or Chrome.  Next largest group are the visitors from Russia that arrived here via porn sites.  Plenty of people are still searching for Skyrim tickling and someone was after an online feet tickling game.

A few people looking for my builds (thank you), especially the new Plumbob Pictures backlot.  I'm working on some new lots and some updates to the old ones for the new content.  Progress has been slow, mostly due to not having a lot of time to test everything out.

I feel like I spent more time getting Sims 3 working last year than actually playing.  And it's been a challenge to find time and energy with my son being ill for most of the year, though things are looking up since he had his tonsils out a couple of months ago.

With (probably) the last official game update released and a lot of winding up happening around the simmerverse, I feel I should at least mention the future.  As I've posted before, I won't be getting Sims 4 in a hurry (if at all).  I will continue to play around with builds in Sims 3 and trying out all of the gameplay I haven't got to yet.  I may cover more non-Sims 3 topics than in the past, but I won't be abandoning this blog just yet.

Thank you, Twallan!

We had a teesny-weensy earthquake here this morning.  I thought it was a heavily-laden truck speeding too close to the house ... except for there being no actual truck and no way for one to gain the required speed either.  Apparently that's what passes for an earthquake here.  

But it was nothing compared to the rumbles caused by Twallan's announcement that he will no longer be modding for Sims 3.  I can only think of all the times his work has saved my game from EA's game-breaking patches and premium content.  And all the fun and life his mods have added to my gameplay.   

So, thank you, Twallan, for all you have done for Simmers everywhere.  Without your hard work, many of us - especially me - would not have stuck with it so long!

Happy's Misgiving

Doesn't this just sum up the past year in The Sims 3 perfectly? 

It seems like whenever the Sims team announced new content (be it expansion, stuff or store content), you felt so happy to see something new and exciting ... but slightly suspicious that it won't work quite the way they say! 

So, let's give thanks for the Sims team and their continued enthusiasm ... and for all the modders out there that make the game playable!

Waffle?

Yeah, I know they're pancakes ... so please stop looking at me like that. 

Well, it's confirmed ... no Create-A-Style for Sims 4.  My level of interest just dropped from "think I'll wait and see what it's really like when it's been out for a couple of months" to "meh, no thanks, maybe I'll give it a try when it's in a Humble Bundle or something".  Colour me disappointed ... at least I know how pancake guy feels.

Sass Awrful! *

The Sims 4 reveal started with an "arrival" trailer so lame that most of real people in it were having trouble faking enthusiasm.  Not least because the fake people are having trouble doing anything real at all.  It was followed by a "gameplay" trailer that just wasn't convincing ... especially if they were trying to convince me to pre-order the game. 

Overall Sims 4 is looking too much like a shiny plastic online social game (which I'd guess it was going to be until SimCity 2013 happened) and not enough like an interesting way to mess around and spend some time.  I still haven't decided if the Sims are more realistic or not since they kinda look more real but seem less realistic.  I wasn't convinced I really wanted to play around with them at all.  Though maybe it's just that I found all of the Sims in the trailers annoying.  Really annoying.  Put-them-in-the-pool-and-take-away-the-ladder annoying.  

I know a lot of people are excited by the click and drag functionality shown in Create-A-Sim.  I suspect I'd be spending way too long trying to get that bit exactly right and then the next bit and the next ... only to have the first bit shoot off in an unexpected direction.  Hopefully there will be some pre-made feature options to choose from to make the job easier for beginners (and those that just don't care how imperfect their Sims look).  

Anyway, the build mode functionality they showed looked interesting.  Automating some of that basic stuff would be great for beginners.  And the ability to pick building sections up and move them around would be extremely useful.  I mean, who hasn't nearly finished building and wished they'd started two squares over? 

Unfortunately it sounds like Create-A-Style won't be available, at least in the base game.  I'm not convinced that I'd want to go back being stuck with the finishes and patterns provided in the game the way it was in Sims 2.  It's an odd decision since the functionality was a very popular addition to Sims 3.  

Mostly I'm not convinced that I need to know (or care) what my Sims are feeling.  Nice if this emotion engine is like the memory system in Sims 2 so they can react to stuff in the future but not so if they just flounce and pout like over-emotional teenagers every time they don't like the decor.  Though it would make a change for there to be a point in giving them a favourite colour, I guess.  Not a good enough reason to pre-order though.  

* Simlish for "that's awful" (because I couldn't find the simlish for "that's unconvincing")

And you're back in the room ...

Can't believe it's so long since I've posted but ... um ... I was waiting for the most popular post here to be "Sims 4" rather than anything about Supernatural.  There. That almost sounds plausible.  Anyway, there's been nothing official on Sims 4 yet either ... since when they might tell us something and who the developers are don't count *rolls eyes and sighs*.   

I haven't been playing much of Sims 3 lately as I got sucked into the new expansion for Civilization V and once again time just disappears ... *pauses for one more turn*  

I did get the TS3 University Life expansion and was pleasantly surprised to find the gameplay enjoyable.  Sad to say, travelling still sucks and is the main reason I won't be getting TS3 Island Paradise and TS3 Into The Future in any hurry (if at all).  

I've splurged on a few store worlds (Dragon Valley, Monte Vista and Sunlit Tides), more for the content than the worlds themselves.  And I have been completing a few sets over on the Sims 3 store.  Congrats store team, it's actually a useful function ... once you got it working, of course.  

Can't believe how useful those random items I picked up from the daily deal or sale pages were in getting sets and compilations free or at very low cost.  It helps that they've actually fixed the launcher so it doesn't spit out my store content when I try to add anything.  I'm well and truly over with reinstalling everything every time I buy something new.  

Mostly I've been doing a bit of test playing to try out the new worlds as well as a few things I hadn't got to with the various expansions.  And quite a bit of making over lots with the new content.  All very much works-in-progress at the moment.  

The Sims 4

THE SIMS 4 IS COMING IN 2014

It's not that much of a surprise since we knew it was in development ... and E3 is not far away ... so some kind of announcement made sense.  Risky timing if they were going with the online multiplayer mode but safe enough to keep it the same kind of game.  Not a lot of details at this stage though so it could go anywhere.  

The announcement was a little too heavy on the "we love our loyal fans".  I can't help wondering why, if they love us so much, they didn't bother to fix up Sims 3 when they had the chance, or even take care when releasing new content so that it didn't cause problems.  

Nice to see them confirm the "single player offline experience" (not online multiplayer as rumoured) and "no persistent internet connection required" right up front.  Should be interesting to see what that actually means when the game launches.  I suspect there will still be more online features than Sims 3.  And plenty of opportunities for microtransactions, ingame advertising, sponsored content and "buy stuff for DLC".  

I saw over at BeyondSims that there was a "possibility" of EA developing Steam workshop style system for users to make and share content for Sim City (and therefore supporting modding of the game).  Sounds like something they could adopt for Sims 4 as well.  Unfortunately I'm not sure they'll put enough effort into it to make it successful (unless they can find a way to make money from it).  Anything would be an improvement on the Sims 3 Exchange though.  

Sims 3 is such a high maintenance game and only works well for me thanks to Twallan's mods.  Without him around for Sims 4, I'm loath to invest in another EA series and have to take a punt on them actually doing it right this time.  I'll leave it until a few months after release and see how it goes.