Thursday, March 25, 2010

More New Sims on Sim Exhibition

I posted a few new sims I'm working on right now on my Sim Exhibition blog.  These are anime/video game-inspired.

http://bjsweeneysimexhibition.blogspot.com/

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Some pics from my latest Gothique assignment

I had fun creating my latest picture for the Gothique Beauty assignment #4, and part of it was because of the creepy little sim kids I made for the shot.  Some are creepier than others, but I'd like to make more and possibly do a short story with them (that I'll never finish lol).

You can check them out on my sim blog:
http://bjsweeneysimexhibition.blogspot.com/

Thursday, March 18, 2010

We can only do so much

Yesterday TMN posted snippets from StevieFischer's Angry Face thread, and it really intrigued me. I found it today (didn't realize it was in Ideas & Feedback) and posted some points (way too much, I know):


quoted by StevieFischer: The more we all rollover and pretend nothing wrong is going on here, the less of chance we will be heard. Someone needs to get up and say something about this, beecause something needs to be done.

I feel the exact same way, and that's why I HAVE gotten up and said something. No one seems to give a damn, though, so I'm starting to feel like "why bother".

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

What to do indeed...

Yesterday I asked a question: we all know that the ts3 forum is a near cesspool, but why do we stay there and continue to put up with the craziness?

A few people pointed out that the reason they stay is for the friends -- good people that you meet that you have stuff in common with and want to share your love of the game with. Most of us have met people that we connected with on the Forum. Why should we abandon them just because of the dirty politics of that stupid place?

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

TS3 Forum Ponderings

Okay. We all know now that Vidkid just got banned, and Lunabear too. We know that trolls are running rampant on the forum, but decent simmers get the axe. We know that the Powers That Be are calling all of these asinine glitches "bloopers"...we know that the forum is just JACKED UP and they want to cover it up and call the shit "maintenance". You can be banned for fucking NOTHING -- I was too.

My question is...

Vidkid20 Sent Up the River

VidKid has been banned. For what, you ask? She has no idea. No email, no notification, nada. Nyet. I'm still holding out a little hope that it's all a mistake or a forum glitch, but it isn't. They're slowly starting to get the forum just the way they want it -- dead, slow, and boring as fuck-burning hell.

Who's going to be left over there? How often do you see the regulars posting these days? And when's the last time that you saw a GOOD thread that didn't get deleted in 15 minutes? Banning, culling, week-long forum down-time, now these new sections that nobody can access -- if they're not PURPOSELY trying to whittle away the forum, then they're doing a goddamned good job of it. Hell, I wish they'd NOT try to give me winning lotto numbers.

This is bullshit. Is it the worst thing that is going on in the world right now? Of course not. But it's frustrating and annoying to the point of near hair-pulling madness. That should count for SOMETHING goddammit.

This is pretty much what I have to say about all of that right now:

http://popup.lala.com/popup/1225260603768460936

Plus lyrics:
http://www.metrolyrics.com/no-children-lyrics-mountain-goats.html

Monday, March 15, 2010

Spring Cleaning

I know I haven't had this blog very long and I'm still getting the hang of things, but I'm going to work on sprucing this place up a bit.  If you visit and it looks like Oscar the Grouch's blind drunk uncle set things up, you'll know why.



















...I wonder how that cake tastes?  It might not be too bad...not too sure about the dirty diaper-looking "rag" with 'Happy Birthday' on it.  Could be chocolate, could be not...
Smiley

Saturday, March 13, 2010

Hallelujah!!! It's raining men...and new forum sections

Do not click! Chocolate overload...

I can finally access the new forum sections! ...Too bad nothing much is going on right now. Since the Great Oops-out of 2010, things have been painfully uneventful over there. I did however browse one thread that incited a reaction from me.

People who defend EA seem to think that "EA" is 4 or 5 sensitive little dudes sitting around hobbling together games into the wee hours of the morning with little more sustenance than Panera & Starbucks (modern bread & water).

Have you ever checked out the credits for any of the Sims games? EA has a Sims DIVISION -- dozens and dozens of people working in MANY different areas of development. This is a multi-billion dollar corporation we're talking about here, not a damn mom & pop shoppe.

This Sims division is NOT 4 or 5 men-strong -- they've got PLENTY of people working, in different aspects & capacities, on this game.  Multi-billion dollar corporations often get lax and lazy about things like customer service and quality control.  That's just how it is, and EA (I'm sorry to burst your rosy bubble, kiddos) is NO exception, and if anything it's getting worse about it (think Microsoft). Their interest is in nickle & diming every last player until our wallets bleed tree bark & petroleum, hence all the Store items, sim points, and downloadable content for PC and console games.

I'm certainly no EA lover (eff "Team EA" -- I'm team ME), but I also don't think it's the most evil corporation on earth (don't get me started on who I think takes THAT choice spot).  I think that it, like many many other companies, needs to re-evaluate some key areas (especially customer service), but they are not going to bend over and give in to every demand that we issue whether those demands are justified or not.

If we simmers TRULY want our voices to resonate, then we need to take real action.  Hit 'em where it COUNTS -- on the bottom line.  We can't threaten to boycott and then as soon as the next EP is announced just squee and squirt all over the damn place.  If we honestly want to see REAL CHANGE, then we have to make sacrifices.  That might mean missing out on the next EP or forgoing any of the TS3 Store items, but if we could rally together and do it en masse, then we might FINALLY see the overhaul that we've been dying for. 

No battle is ever won by simply talking about it, and it will take more than a handful of dedicated simmers to make these things happen.  Do I have much faith that it ever will?  Outlook hazy...but I'm willing to step forward with you all and make those necessary sacrifices.

I really don't think we know the power and influence we have as players and customers of this game.  EA knows that...EA banks on that.  We need the blinders and rose-colored glasses OFF, and we need to reclaim our goddamned game.

¡Viva la Revolución!


Blackzilla
Hel yeah...

Friday, March 12, 2010

Crazy Random Picture Time!!!

Kinda sorta reminds you of our experience on the TS3 forum, doesn't it...?

Thursday, March 11, 2010

Come the Eff On...

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_lesbian_prom_date

Seriously?  Come on now...the reason they cancelled the damn thing was to make a point and to make that girl stand out and be a pariah in town because they don't agree with her lifestyle.  Give me a fuck-burning break -- it's Discrimination 101.  Homosexuality is one of the last frontiers where discrimination is accepted (along with obesity).  Things have slowly been changing for the better of course, but there's still a looooong way to go.

Mo' Money Mo' Problems

...Well, there's not actual MONEY involved (damn), but we are having mo' problems on the TS3 forum.  Now most people can't access the shiny, sparkly new forum sections.  Niiiiiiiceeee.



Frustrating much?

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

It's baaaaaack...

The TS3 forum is back up.  Waaaahhheeeeee!!!  It'll be nice to see some people again, and it's been AWESOME communicating with a few cool people thru email (hey guys!).  I had a renewed interest in the game, made a couple of decent sims, played some families.  It wasn't the worst thing in the world, but it was annoying as fuck burning HELL.  I kept myself pretty busy tho...




Please please PLEASE tell me that they implemented some changes for the better...!!!

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Dirty Barnacles

I was just browsing TMN and saw what happened on Kelle's blog. I feel her pain -- I got cut off of chat when I was waiting for word about that stupid ban. Customer Service...bah -- the only servicing going on around there involves someone being paid to stay on their knees, if you catch my drift. Work them jaws!

There are SO many awesome blogs and sites out there for us...why should we even be bothered with the big O ("O-fficial") forum? You can't say or do anything around there without getting tarred, pissed on, and feathered, and morale is as low as a ho going to the the electric chair, so why do we even care? That place has some sadistic pull on us...there be somethin' in the water, I tells ya.

Barnacles.  Dirty BARNACLES.