Who updates their SimPages? After I posted the two lots here on the database, I also uploaded them to the exchange. I updated my blog, as I always do when I upload new content. It got me to wondering: who maintains a SimPage? Even if it's just a blog and stories, I wanna see. Maybe if I'm bored this weekend (yeah, right! LOL) I'll go sign some guestbooks or something. Just a thought. Here's my SimPage: http://thesims2.ea.com/exchange/lot_detail.php?asset_id=347673&asset_type=lot&user_id=124521
I keep mine going. I use it mostly for questions that Simmers repeatedly ask me. However, I don't upload anything. I just use the blogs and my guestbook. (I'm one of the SMs who does regularly answer guestbook questions. We're not required to do so and some of the SMs just don't have the time.) The last time I added anything to my blogs, however, was last fall. I put the text of my lecture for the educational conference up (since it was Sims related.)
I haven't updated mine in ages and ages. I hardly used it when I first joined. It has the very beginning pictures of my legacy family but then I discovered Worldsims and have never looked back.
I don't do the in-game storybooks very often because they're limiting and too time consuming. I couldn't upload 'em anyway. I've got dialup. I'm with Lynet. This is pretty much my only site.
I have a sim page, but I don't use it. As with Lynet and SBW, I like here. Plus I don't upload anything. Maybe if I get real bored one day I will, but right now, I just like playing.
I haven't updated in a loooong time, because I haven't played the game in a long time, but there are still a few things there. http://thesims2.ea.com/mysimpage/mysimpage.php?user_id=550896
I do http://thesims2.ea.com/mysimpage/mysimpage.php?user_id=145644 Not often, but I do. Just added a movie: The Uncertainty Principle because I felt proud of it. I'll probably hate it in the morning ...
I liked the movie, Mirelly. I may just get inspired enough to do one of my own! (Well, if I could figure out a script, that is.) I've never had one of my Sims try to hold onto the legs of an abductee before. Did that happen to yours automatically or did you have to use a mod to get it to work? I also thought your other movie was fun. (I am so glad I'm not on dialup anymore so that I can actually look at these things!)
Thank you, Kat. I used no mods at all. The abductee was holding onto the telescope. I very nearly missed the whole thing, due to clumsy fingers on the keyboard. The game was running on max speed and I paused it quickly enough but twice when I tried to restart for filming it leaped ahead at double speed I was gladd I took some stills as well. The hard part was capturing the return. That saucer doesn't half flip about. I saved while I was waiting so I could film it more than once. I also used fixed camera positions for some of the shots using the keyboard 5-9 options so I could change pov smoothly. I wish I had a better video card though
So, in order to do a movie I assume you need to turn off the special events camera? I've tried capturing those movies with no success. Which is too bad because Max and Avery's wedding was really touching. Not sure why I found it so, since they go through the same motions every time. Maybe because I have a special attachment to them? Anyway, would have liked to have saved that one for posterity. I also can't get the cartoon voice balloons, etc., to turn off when I'm trying to take pictures. Someone gave me a cheat, once, but it didn't work. Could definitely be operator error, but if you have any hints, that would be great. Have I mentioned how much I like your avatar? Very cool sim face. Keyboard 5-9 options? Is this all written down somewhere I've just missed? I have no idea what you're talking about.
The keyboard 5-9 are movie making tools used to save camera angles in Cmaeraman mode (tab key enables it). For more information on Movie Making tips, try here: 1. Uni PrimaGuide pages 425-28 or base game TS2 PrimaGuide pages 341-44. (It's the same information in both guides.) 2. The movie making tutorial from Maxis: http://thesims2.ea.com/help/detail.php?help_id=64 3. Decorgal's tutorials: http://www.decorgal.com/faq.htm I got into machinima last summer when I worked on the ad campaign for "How do you play the Sims?..." It's a lot of fun! (But one can get so caught up in it that you don't actually play the game anymore.)
I think the cheat for the balloons is showHeadlines off. It doesn't work immediately. Any balloons over their heads when you type that cheat will stay there for their normal run time (whatever that may be -- too long, I think.) And it isn't just the thought balloons but all kinds of other announcements are turned off as well. For example, I kept sending someone to cook dinner and they wouldn't do it. They'd just close the refrigerator and stand there. Turns out I couldn't see that the refrigerator was empty because the message telling me so was turned off. The Ctrl 5-9 (maybe 4-9) is available seperately for either regular camera mode or free camera mode. Get your camera into the desired angle/position. Make sure your walls are up as you want them (very important) Then hit Ctrl 5. It memorizes the position (walls up included). Reset camera position and do Ctrl 6. Run your movie camera. Hit 5, then 6, etc. (without the Ctrl key) and the camera moves instantly to the memorized position, then on to the next one and so on. I use the memorized positions all the time even for stills, planning in advance of an action I intend for Errol and friends to do. The wedding, for instance. If you forget to memorize with walls in place you'll find yourself filming with walls down because it memorizes wall positions, too. :( Edited to add: Looks like Kat beat me to the punch here. Oh, well. Hope my thoughts on the subject contribute to the general understanding.
Yes, thanks so much, Lynet. I don't know anything about the technical side of things, and that was very helpful. Thank you, too, Kat, of course!
Those movies can be captured if you have video mode running before the action begins, SBW. You just need to make sure you have set a long enough record time ... bit like real life and VCRs really ... I mess up with them so much its embarrassing
A minor thing, sort of an annoyance. I wanted to take pictures without the plumbbob thingamajigs. I did the PlumbBobToggle cheat and yes, the big green Bobs disappeared. But not the little blue Bobs that follow group members around. At least they're smaller and a little higher above their heads. Just thought some of you movie makers might be interested in this bit of news.
