I had started a site to post about Sims4 and then changed my mind about the whole thing. Not because of the turmoil going on now with the new owners. But, because in the end, I would just be promoting someone else's product (the game itself and CC and mods from others) and not really doing anything of my own. It just feels kind of feeble, for lack of a better word.

This is what I wrote for my introduction/ about page. I thought I would save that much.

I bought this domain with the impulsive idea to make a site about bad gift choices I found online. But, it never quite found its way. I lost track of exactly the idea I had in that moment. It's not the first or the last time (likely) that I have bought a domain on impulse. Still, after having it hanging around over a year, I decided it would be an ok domain and name for a site about The Sims 4. My own experiences, ideas, CC finds and so on.

I had started writing for a site which posts about The Sims 4 and other related games. It didn't work out. A month or so afterwards, I started getting back to posting about Sims4 finds on my bluesky social media account. Then, I starting thinking about the posts I had planned to write and didn't finish (for that other site). Also, those I did write. I decided not to repost them (as they were/are) Simpler to just rewrite them, same ideas and information but written fresh, with updates and new perspectives. After all, I still have me. I can come up with more ideas and find more content to add to those original posts.

I enjoy shopping for new CC for The Sims. I plan to post my shopping highlights here. But, I will post more finds on social media (see the link above). It's just so much easier to post quick, short bits there than come back here and load images, choose categories and tags, etc. I will work to have good tags so you can (maybe) find something you are especially looking for. But, I'm not a great source for knowing where something in particular is. I have my own favourite lost swimsuit CC file which I've never been able to find again. Deleted by mistake.

I am a Witch, in my own way. So I do like finding Witch content for the Sims but not the goth/ costume content so much. Some of it is fun, and some is just wrong. Upside down pentacles shown as Witch CC kind of annoys me. But, people just don't know enough to understand the mistake. If you get funny ideas - I do not worship the devil. I will have a special category and tags just for Witch related finds, mods and CC.

I do wish The Sims had more evil/ bad options. What we have now seems sadly comical versus what it could be. I'm not saying I want extremes (I tried some of those mods and didn't like them enough to keep). But, Sims should be able to lie, be selfish jerks, make out with someone without being in love, and all those everyday sort of things.

Yes, its all a virtual dollhouse world with paper dolls to dress up and mess around with. But, no one is that perfectly good and altruistic all the time. I like finding others who torment their Sims, at least a little. Playing with Sims is like never having to say you're sorry.

Note: I am not going to filter my opinions about biological women, in particular our safety and privacy. If you don't know what I'm talking/ writing about, don't worry about it. It's not something I get focused about with The Sims but it sometimes pokes its head up. Its one thing that rubs me the wrong way about The Sims. I won't get started right now.

I hope this site will be in markup/markdown, not HTML. I've been learning to use it on my personal site. Also, it seems like a way to avoid the WordPress editor which wants to create so much extra HTML in blocks. More is not always great.

• Markup Markdown
• HTML to Markdown Converter

That's all for now.

Laura

I was writing about the game, The Sims 4, for a website. I got paid pennies but it was really not about the money. After all, I've been writing and making my own sites for years and not making money. I guess I want the challenge of regular writing on a specific topic, maybe some recognition (being found at all would be nice) and maybe making some money at some point along the way. So, I looked for the latest advice for game writers online. I found this post, linked at the bottom so you can read the whole thing. Its mainly common sense but it helps to refresh your mind.

Step 2 – Build Your Portfolio This is where we need to talk about the tougher side of things. The major publications are simply not going to hire you out of the blue. You can even be really good at writing and still not be considered because nobody really knows you. Simply put, you have to show editors that you can write professionally, engagingly, and clearly about video games.

Your portfolio is something you need to start building right from the start. You need it due to several reasons, like:

• Clear proof you can write about games
• Showing editors what your style is
• Gaining confidence when it comes to pitching
• How can you build your portfolio?
• Fortunately, there are several options available. Some common ones include:

Start a Medium account or a blog Simply start writing what you want to write. You can write game reviews, essays, or opinion pieces. The trick is to publish consistently. No one might read it but you build writing experience and a portfolio you can show to editors in the future.

Contribute to fan sites and small publications Indie gaming sites and niche gaming blogs always need contributors. While most of them are only going to publish your articles for free, it is still beneficial to be published. You simply have a higher credibility when an editor accepted your writing in the past. Also, there are some indie gaming sites that do pay a little. Still better than nothing.

Join Freelance-Friendly Gaming Sites There are several entry-level gaming sites that actually pay new writers. Some of the better-known ones are:

• The Gamer
• Game Rant
• Screen Rant
• Hardcore Druid
• Into The Spine

Even getting like $15 for a 1000 words article is good when you start on this career path.

Write Different Types Of Articles Do not write just game reviews. Add a feature, guide, an opinion piece from time to time. The truth is editors love to see versatility. And it is better for you to present yourself as a more complete gaming journalist.

As an extra tip:

Remember that quality is better than quantity.

How To Become a Gaming Journalist (And Get Paid to Write About Games)

Today I was fired from writing for the Sims Community site. Fired is not the right word because it wasn't so much employment as getting paid a little for writing posts for the website, more like contract work (there's probably another word for it). Anyway, that's not so important.

Here is the note I was left on discord:

Hope you're doing well. I was emailed last night by one of our readers about your Twitter profile containing several negative and harmful remarks about the trans community. While I fully support the free exchange of viewpoints and opinions, I can't in good concience continue to work with someone who actively talks negative about the marginalized community that makes up our reader base, and our team of authors who are a part of the LGBTQ+ community.

This decision is effective immediately. Any finished content that you've completed for Sims Community that hasn't been paid for yet will be paid when / if you provide the filled spreadsheets.

Wishing you well in your future endeavours, Jovan

Cancel culture strikes again. I was fired for personal posts on a different social media account (I only posted about The Sims 4 on the bluesky social media account I used for my writer profile) by someone anonymous. They must have put in time to dig into my social media accounts. I haven't posted often or lately about women's rights. I guess the anonymous reader felt it was worth their time. Of course, I had no say in the firing. No information about what I actually posted that was so upsetting. But, who am I? Just one of the people who used to "make up the reader base" and thought I would enjoy contributing to the site.

Funny, because I only made 5 posts to the site. How many people actually read or knew about me there, not many I'm sure.

What I've thought about since, after being surprised and disappointed in society in general, is that most people who play The Sims 4 are women. Real, biological women. Also, most of the readers at the site are likely real, biological women. Like myself.

I'm not going to get into posting about the issue of women's rights now. I'm just making note of the facts. Cancel culture is very strong, determined and does not care about facts, understanding, or discussion. (In spite of what they claim).

I don't really care who made a point of digging into my social media and sending it to the site owner at Sims Community. It could have been one of the other writers who strongly supports trans people over biological women. The writing was on the wall really, when I attempted to write about the DEI mod and was denied because I did not write strongly against it and turn the post into a strongly worded advocate for trans political beliefs, bashing all those who disagree, or feel otherwise and don't say much.

Sims Community is just one site, about a game. In the grand scheme of things it doesn't matter a lot. I won't miss writing for it. I'd begun to lose heart in it after the DEI thing. If you want, you can read the very strong trans positive post they did post instead of mine. I'm not going to link it. (Comments were not allowed with the post).

I think its rubbish really, very slanted and biased. Its not what journalism should be and, I guess, its fair enough for them to post as they like. Its not a site with journalism standards. I'm not intending to backlash or put the site down. There are plenty of sites out to make money by getting people to click on ads, more of them are running AI instead of having people write any more. AI is cheaper and can spew out posts much faster with all the right keywords. I don't think a website, or a game, can have integrity if they push their own agenda so belligerently.

Back to the point about The Sims players mainly being women, biological women. What do we think about the game these days? I'm a player myself. I've bought far too many of the packs, etc. I've spent more money than I even want to admit. It bothers me, as a player, that the game is focused on gender issues far more than I am. If some players want it that way okay. But, there is no option to turn it off, to run the game your way. Why not? The Sims is a virtual dollhouse, run by one person, one player. Why can't I have the dollhouse my way?

Are we being brainwashed by EA, or whoever has recently bought out the franchise now?

What will the new owners bring? I'm curious. If they are of the Middle East culture they may not go with the trans culture and beliefs currently pushed in the game. I've read some people posting about this already, concerned about it, one way or another. I'm not so much concerned as I am interested. I'd feel better about spending more money on more packs and such for the game if the gender politics were removed, or became optional at least. I'm tired of feeling like a biological woman in a trans/man's world.

The most recent pack about imaginary friends for children, I am not buying. It gave me a sick, icky feeling in a game with so much focus on gender control and stereotypes. Of course, its being heavily plugged on the Sims Community site. I won't miss that part of writing there.

This is what I posted to the site owner. It may not have gone through because I deleted his account and the site from my discord account. No point in keeping them around, "effective immediately".

OK. But, I will post that I was fired for posting for women's rights on social media. I have nothing against you or the site, but it makes me angry that people are not allowed to discuss or disagree at all regarding trans issues. Anyway, no point in talking about it, as per usual. You can remove my author profile (if you haven't already) and show my posts as written by an unknown author or whatever you like. I won't send in for payment, that wasn't so important for me.

Playing a Sims villain should be so much more fun than it is. Evil and mean in the Sims4 is pretty weak, sad really.

How many times have you wished you could forget being the nice guy/ girl and say or do what you really think? Or rob a bank and commit other dastardly deeds without any consequences to yourself, or others. Not real people anyway.

Ruby Sykes wrote The Evil Trait Guide in 2019. Since then some changes have come along. But not enough. There really is too much love and mush in the Sims. It makes the game flat and at times really annoying for me.

I think there is a lot of new potential for mod makers to develop the game for mean and evil Sims. Not just adding more to the traits.

Think of all the careers for Sims… only one is Criminal. Every career should allow for Sims who cheat, lie, steal, and take what they can get without apology or much second thought. Do you see the potential? Same for aspirations. But, choosing the path of evil, mean, bad Sims should affect all your other choices too. Your Sims should not be fluffy and evil. Not be a hopeless romantic and mean. At least I don't want to play a Sim that way. I want full evil and mean, in every part of the Sim's life, career, relationships, all of it.

There might be a mod which lets your Sim become the burglar. That would be a start. But, I want more. I want to be a villain other Sims are intimidated by, at least. I want to try getting away with doing bad things. I want to steal from the good and keep it all for myself. I don't want the do-gooder version of the Sims. It's not fun enough.

Idle, incremental, and clicker games, are they good or bad for people who obsess about things? Can an online game like Cookie Clicker help you beat the worse (less physically healthy) habit of chain smoking? Maybe. Luckily, I'm not a smoker so I can't test out that theory.

But, I thought I would post about my habit, limited obsession, mild addiction, with idle games. They probably are not healthy but, I do wear out some of my obsessive compulsive energy madly making progress while knowing it really doesn't matter at all. It also doesn't bother anyone, and its been a little secret I've kept hoarded to myself, until now.

What are idle, incremental or clicker games?

Any simple (usually fairly uncomplicated) game in which you increase your score in whatever format: points, gold, cookies, cows, candy... anything. I don't think any of these games have an ending. They just keep going with new additions, features, and fluff. Like so many Facebook games, you work to get stuff but you actually have nothing. Little image files you don't own, no copyrights. Why would anyone play such games, you might wonder. Try one and see. But, don't get addicted to it. Be careful, it sneaks up on you.

How about a list of Idle and Clicker Games to Become Madly Focused and Obsessed With:

• Cookie Clicker
• Candy Box
• Adventure Capitalist
• Crusaders of the Lost Idols

I know there are others. I've played others. These four seem to be the ones I've stuck with, or come back to and stuck with again, and again. At least two of them are also on the Steam site. Most of them are free to play, or to start playing.