A couple of things:
I wanted to let you guys know that I’m having a few problems with the Braytons, so I’m going to put their stories on hold for awhile until I can get things straightened out. I’m not giving up on them by any means — I’m very fond of them — but I would rather do some other stories for awhile until I resolve these issues. I know some of you will be disappointed, especially since I left the story hanging, and I’m sorry to do that to you. I hope when I finally return to the Brayton saga, it’ll be worth your wait.
So what stories am I going to tell in the meantime? Well, there are the Shanleys, but even they seem to have worn out their welcome a little bit, and I have to admit I’m a teensy bit tired of them myself. I don’t think it’s the Shanleys themselves, but the whole Legacy thing — I think I’ve had enough of it (for myself, anyway — I still enjoy reading everyone else’s Legacy stories). However, I don’t want to give up the Shanleys completely; I’ll probably keep playing them at least until I get to 20th generation. I just may not post about them as much.
What I’d really like to do is work on something completely new and/or bring back some of my old families, but it depends on you guys. I have about five ideas brewing in my head, and all of them are equally interesting to me. Even if I weren’t sharing my stories, I’d be tackling these ideas, but since I’m sharing, and you guys are taking the time to read my blog, I thought I’d ask you what ideas interest YOU the most.
Here are the ideas (they’re a bit lengthy, so pour yourself a cup of something yummy and get comfortable):
1. Maude’s Tales Revisited
Maude is a ghost living in Mt. Geneva who has way too much time on her ghostly hands, so she spends it observing various residents of Mt. Geneva. Some of you may remember Maude’s old stories about the Dobbins, Kilman, and Blakemore families. Those stories were going to converge in one huge college story, but the announcement of TS2: University kind of burst my bubble on that one. Recently I went back to play the Kilmans for a bit and had a good time — I had forgotten how fun it was to just play a family and not worry about Legacy stuff. So I thought it might be fun to bring back my old families for a bit, or maybe introduce some new ones, and tell stories about them, all filtered through the sometimes prudish but always compassionate perspective of Maude.
2. A variation on DylanTK’s I’m Surrounded By Idiots Challenge
DylanTK posted a Legacy-ish challenge in which you only control ONE Sim in the household, and everyone else is autonomous. This Sim is called the Torch Holder, and the torch is passed on each generation until you reach 5-20 generations (however long you want to go, basically). You tally your points for permaplat Sims, money, etc., but the challenge is more about fun and creatively handling your Sims than about your final score.
I think this challenge sounds pretty cool, but as I mentioned before, I’m burned out on Legacy-style gameplay, so I’d like to do my own variation. In DylanTK’s challenge, you start with an Adult or Young Adult Sim, and the torch is only passed on to their child when he/she becomes an Adult/Young Adult. What I’d like to do is have a child or teen Sim move into a house already populated with CAS Sims and tell the story from her point of view. She would be controllable while the rest of the household would be completely autonomous. When she became an adult, the story would likely end, so it would be more like a series rather than the kind of ongoing saga you get with Legacy Challenge stories.
I have this vision of quirky relatives, a slightly gothic mansion, and perhaps a bit of mystery, but since I won’t know exactly what happens until I play it, I’m not sure how it’ll all turn out.
3. Families in May Green that aren’t the Braytons
I have this lovely little family I created for the Brayton saga called the Langleys. They weren’t going to have anything to do with the Braytons for awhile yet, so I thought I could play them for bit and tell some stories about them. I could also throw a few other May Green families into the mix (I have a farm family I’m kind of excited about) and rotate among them. This would let me continue in the Victorian-Edwardian era (probably mostly Victorian since I’m still having a hard time with Edwardian/1910s stuff) and tell stories in a Braytonish vein without touching the Braytons.
4. A variation on the Royal Kingdom Challenge
The goal of this challenge is to make a medieval-themed neighborhood with a royal family, nobility, merchants, and peasants and reach 5 generations with at least one family from each category. (Karin at Aalsmeer Valley was doing this challenge for awhile — and telling great stories about it — until she lost all of her Sims families. :-()
In my variation, I’d swap medieval for Victorian like Karin did (there’s just too much cool Victorian stuff out there!) and have my “King” be an eccentric millionaire who builds his own town and requests that all of the inhabitants live by his “rules”. I’d rotate among the different families and tell stories about them. The downside is that it would be Legacy-style gameplay, but I’m thinking the rotation, plus having so many families to play, might make it go slowly enough that it would have a different feel. Besides, I don’t HAVE to go for permaplat and impossible wants and such — I could just play them like regular Sims families, which, to be honest, could be either extremely boring or rather refreshing.
5. Give up on all the stories and just build cool houses for awhile
OK, that’s not really an option; I just wanted to have 5 ideas listed. ;-)
So do any of those sound remotely interesting? Let me know if you prefer one over the others. If you don’t like any of them, that’s fine, too. And if you’re annoyed with me for putting the Braytons on hold and have, as a result, decided to stop reading my blog, well, that’s perfectly understandable. But…I hope you’ll come back.
First of all, I think you should choose something you like to do. The way you tell your stories and the patience you have for setting things up, taking pictures and elaborate the story make (almost) everything worth reading. However, if the audience does have a say in it, here’s my humble opinion.
I think I opt for option 1, 3 or 4.
1: because that promisses to be a different kind of series of stories, not really realated but very interesting all by themselves.
3: because I like the Braytons very much and this way we could stay close with them. However if I were played them, the difficult part for me would be that they are connected to the Braytons and that the Langley’s move on while the Brayton’s are on standstill. Maybe you might have a lot of explaining to do then when you return to the Braytons. That depends on your stories of course.
4: because I think the Royal Kingdom Challenge can be a very nice challenge. The reason I don’t restart is that I have sworn not to use downloads ….. at least for some time and then maybe introduce them slowly so I know which one is causing trouble. Besides it would be a real challenge for me not to go after permaplat and give my simmies everything they want like expensive computers, all music instruments etcetera. And that isn’t really Victorian.
I think with your experience in the Victorian era it could turn out to be a very interesting series of stories to read. And I think there are really a lot less rules to play your sims by then with the Legacy challenge.
Well, I hope I comment is food for thought ;-) I am curious what you will choose.
Happy simming!
I liked nr. 2 and nr. 4 the most. Their both new cool ideas that I should try out myself. But I think I’d like to read about nr. 2. :whee:
Five is not an option Jen, it would put most of us in a permanent red situation ;-)
I would love to read some more Mauds tales, I liked them before…
BUT: can’t you create something similar in your victorian neighbourhood?? That would combine both you’re gameplayneeds and the lovely neighbourhood…
Oh, if you’re up to some building, I can always use some nice-looking houses… I’m an awfull builder!
…I’m totally in for your Maude’s tales, as they interested me very much while you didn’t post any Shanley news – they were perfect as a bridge and yeah, I like Maude’s storytelling :)
And maybe no.2 wouldn’t be too bad anyhow!
Greetings from Germany (long time no see *g*), Eva
…oh, just to add: ok, you’re not really into legacy-family-storytelling as for the moment which I guess I do understand, but still I think – why not start a new legacy-family? maybe with a slight different theme -´not a ‘normal’ western family, but maybe a chinese, indian or african family! you know, different ethnic looks, different style of clothes, items etc. (which would then actually mean that you’d need a lot of new things to download I guess :)) – well, up to you, but I would enjoy that! Greetings
Hi Jen! Well, i think you put so much work and love in everything you made, you have so much talent and creativity, the stories you made, the houses you create, everything is so perfect, so i think you must do the one who give you more fun.
But if i have to choose, i´m going for nº 1 and nº3.
Keep whit the good work and have a great summer.
Jen you are so funny, I’m sure none of the people who read your blog regularly will stop reading it because you are putting the Braytons on hold. I’ve been reading your blog since way before the Brayton family was even born…I sound like an old grandmother. haha. So I’ll definitely be hanging around no matter what you write.
As far as which options are interesting to me, well they all sound cool really. I remember Maude’s Tales, they were always great. I love Maude. haha. But, the new ideas sound really interesting too. I haven’t heard of any of these challenges. I hope you chose something that will be fun for you and something so you won’t feel pressured to get the permaplat or anything. Even with regular families I struggle to give my sims everything they want but if I can’t then I don’t worry about it I guess.
Well, good luck with the choice. :) I look forward to seeing what you choose.
Hmm, I liked Maude’s tales, but I like the sound of the other options too. #2 would probably give some really interesting and maybe funny storylines. :)
Ha, I hadn’t heard about the Royal Kingdom Challenge, but I created a family that would go along with it a month ago. I downloaded some medieval items I found on modthesims2 and started a little family that will be my royal family once the rest of my town becomes populated. Maybe I ought to play with them a bit and post some stories :)
#3. All the way baby! lol. Um and #4. I have no reason they just sound cool ;)
Hye Jen! Me, like Amanda, have been here way longer than the Braytons, and you can’t get rid of me that easily…hehe! I think you should go for number 4 for a couple of reasons: it would give a Braytonish feel, but still have some Shanley-like legacy stuff with it. Also, no one would get bored with just one family. And lastly, it rhymes (go for number 4).
But in the end, it is all defenitely up to you and I will enjoy whatever you write!
~Vivi
Hiya! I always loved the Maude stories. It was just so funny to imagine this old ghost being shocked by all those people and their lives. Also, I like the idea of just controling one character in the household. You could start it with no commitment, and then find you like it and go from there. I will miss the Braytons, let me rephrase that, I will miss Cecily and her triangle of men, and Mayhew. Cecily’s dad is a bit on the boring side;). I guess I will make up stories for them in my head like I do when I really love a book and would like to know more about the characters. So, in conclusion, 1. Mause stories…2. Idiot stories. And, make sure the other people in #2’s house are just that weird. :)
yeah, that would be 1. Maude stories..Not Mause…Way not to check my spelling.
I like all those options myself. I think you should pick whichever one /you/ think sounds the most fun. Y’know we’ll happily read any and all stories you write, Jen! :D
Well..since there is another Eva i thought i would save the confusion,but i am the 15 year old Eva. Anwyay i thinkthat you should choose whatever suits your mood most. I think whatever you will hev the most fun doing is what you should do. I dont care really because i know that you will make them all interesting anyway. I just enjoy your writing.
~Eva
P.S. I sure do miss the Brayton, but i am sure you will make up for the lost time.
I love the Shanleys (and the Braytons too).. but everything from you is so interesting, I’m sure you’ll get no complaints trying something new for a bit (I know I’ll eagerly read it all!).
I loved Maude’s tales, so revisiting that would be my first choice. And Maude amused me to no end. Other than that, the second one sounds like a very interesting idea.. and sure would be funny to watch all the other Sims doing their own thing. ;) I’m such a micro-managing control freak, I duno if I’d ever be able to pull that one off. Lol!
I know it’s a little early but I wouldn’t mind seeing part two of Christmas in the City. That might be fun, right? And it’ll be entertaining once it’s done. As far as stories go I’d enjoy any of those options but there are a ton of people who are doing the legacy type thing so I don’t blame you for wanting to do something different. Maybe it would be nice to go back to a more basic place in Mt. Geneva with Maude’s Tales. I guess I wouldn’t mind seeing some different families either but it might get hard to balance all your sims if you decide to do that. As a bunch of people already said, it’s entirely up to you. I have too many stupid ideas so you decide!
4. A variation on the Royal Kingdom Challenge
i think this one would be great!
i luv all your stories and frequently check in for up dates.
keep up the great work
Id love to read more Maude’s Tales I loved reading them before. Im getting tired of the whole Legacy thing too and recently quit mine to play some ordinary families. Id like to read more about yous :)
Well that’s my view anyway.
I vote for Maude’s tales. I became addicted to your site before you started the Legacy Challenge and was disappointed that the other stories ended, but you write so well that I find myself waiting with baited breath until you post again.
i vote 2-4 but i would like 1 too and i definitely want to see some of 5 because your houses look amazing and you haven’t posted any new ones for so long! i’ve been reading your blog from near the beginning of the Shanleys and i’m not going anywhere no matter which of those options you post! So just do whatever you like, or even all of the above!