So if you’ve been wondering what I’ve been up to, I’ve been working on a new hack with Adele called the Custom Prop Hack which is available on MTS2.  Please be aware that you must also download Adele’s half that she posted for the prop textures to show up since they are linked.  As you can see from the picture, the hack allows Sims to hold various props while you can command them to do anything else.  While I made the hack and did the accessory placement, Adele made all the meshes.  This is something that I’ve been wanting in my game for a very long time and I’m sure any machinima director or storyteller has had the same wish.  So with my new custom posing powers (and lack of meshing skills), I decided to approach Adele who is not only an amazing director but a fantastic mesher too and, I think, it was a great match.  We actually started talking about this project last fall/winter and we worked back and forth on it via email.  We are both glad to finally have it done although we may add more stuff to it in the future.  I also have another hack that’s partially finished that I’d like to work on but I’ve also had a music video idea in my head the past 2 months.  I’m not sure if I have the energy to work on either at this point or do I know which I want to do but I hope to be bringing you something else in the near (or possibly not so near) future. :P

Yep, you read right.  I don’t have Sims 3 yet so please stop emailing me questions.  If you’re wondering why I didn’t buy it yet or plan to anytime soon it’s simple.  I really don’t play the game anymore and use it to make machinima.  Yes the new camera and lighting tools are kick-ass awesome in Sims 3 but without hacks and cc,  I don’t see the point.  It took me 2 days to make that silly 1 minute featured movie on the Sims 3 site and that’s because I had to sit around for hours waiting to capture a specific animation.  It’s not worth it to me, especially when we have animation customization ability in Sims 2 now.   If you ask many other seasoned machinima directors, they’ll tell you the same.  It looks as though the community is working hard and fast at cracking the game though so as soon as we get the ability to hack, I’ll be buying the game.  Anyway, I don’t know how much of this information is out there but we did get a handout on how to use the camera tool so here is the most relevant info (this guide is for the experienced Sims 2 camera user):

The keys to move the camera around such as W, S, D, A, E, Q are the same as Sims 2.  The new tool is the dutch camera which allows you to tilt from left to right, letting you create those funky Twilight Zone style angles:
SHIFT- D: tilts camera to the right
SHIFT- E: tilts camera to the left

There’s also the ability to zoom using the keys:
Z:  zooms in
X:  zooms out

You can also rotate the camera around a fixed point 360 degrees by using the left and right arrow keys- a cool feature we didn’t have in the Sims 2 (the keys I’m not absolutely sure on since I didn’t take notes).

The keys used to saving camera positions are almost the same as in Sims 2 except 4 isn’t included.  The save camera keys are from 5-9.

Now on to the good stuff that’s probably not in the booklet included with the game that you’re too lazy to read.  Find the camera file.  I don’t know where it is, they didn’t have it in the game when we were at the camp and we had to add and link to it later.  At that time it was called videocamera.ini but it might be called something else now.  If you know where it is in Sims 2, I have no doubt you’ll easily find it in Sims 3.  I messed with a lot of the numbers a bit when I was at camp but didn’t take thorough notes.  The descriptions are pretty self explanatory so don’t be afraid to play around with the numbers to test the camera (make sure you keep a backup copy!).

Controlling camera speed can be easily varied by changing the Move numbers.  You can adjust these numbers from and to an infinite range.  But just to give you some guidelines, you’ll want to use .1 or higher for very slow moving close-up shots and 50 to higher to faster moving wide-angle shots.

Move = # – changes the camera speed for horizontal movement
MoveVertical = # – changes the camera speed for vertical movement

The most important and coolest feature though is the LerpDuration.  What this number will do is control the amount of time you go from one saved camera position to another.  For example:

LerpDuration = 10 – this means that it will take 10 seconds from the camera to move from one saved position to another.  How cool is that?

Other things you’ll notice is the camera moves from one save position to another very smoothly without as much lag (which, if I remember correctly, you can actually edit in that file).  Same as Sims 2, you’ll be able to save the camera file while the game is open and have it take effect without restarting.

Lastly, for those of you who have the game, we machinima directors asked for certain features that were missing in the game.  I don’t remember the whole list (it was like 10 things) but please let me know if they included the following:
-some sort of set hour cheat
-fluidity of animations like if you string 2 animations together, they don’t go into default stand mode for a split second between animations. Same with when you make them change direction while walking.
-ability to grab Sims when you are in the neighborhood with the move objects cheat
-ability to get rid of sleeping zzz’s, musical notes/halo effects on instruments, progress bar
-some sort of way to extract and queue animations (yes, it was a stretch but I asked them for that but have little hope)

I’ve been meaning to blog about this ever since I got back from the Sims 3 Creator’s Camp.  I met a Simmer there named Babylonia–she’s Korean but recently moved to the U.S.  She actually has Korean comic books published using the Sims 2.  I couldn’t believe it and thought it was the coolest thing ever.  She has several editions out and it’s just like an actual comic book (or closer to manga style- I’m not sure if my analogy is correct since I’ve never looked at a manga comic) except with Sims.

These aren’t just fan created items, they’re actually professionally published books for sale in Korea sanctioned by EA Korea.  I’m not sure if there are any other published Sims Korean authors- I got the feeling that she may be the only one though I could be wrong.  She wasn’t hired by EA or anything when she started writing Sims stories- she is simply a fan, just like the rest of us, who is passionate about using Sims as a creative outlet.  Seeing these books did make me wonder why there wasn’t something equivalent to this in the U.S.  I guess there isn’t as large a market for this sort of stuff here and maybe U.S. teens aren’t into comic books.  I’m not sure.  It did make me think about all the things we do in the U.S. with Sims- create movies, stories, meshes, etc. and wonder why there isn’t anything ‘official’ out there.  I certainly know the talent’s there but probably not the market.  Anyway, Babylonia is a really nice woman and I spent a lot of time with her at EA and we became friends.  I’m glad that someone who spends and dedicates a ridiculous amount of time on the game is getting something out of it beyond personal satisfaction.  The funny thing is though that she uses her Sims handle to publish- her real name is no where to be found on the books.  She, like myself and other adults, usually don’t go around telling family and friends about our hobby.  There’s just something about being an adult, let alone one approaching middle age, playing with virtual dolls that’s just a bit embarrasing to admit.  But, if I were to be published like that, I think I’d paste my name all over it and tell everyone.  It’s certainly an admirable accomplishment and I, for one, am completely impressed.

EDIT: Just to be clarify, the comics are EA sanctioned meaning EA Korea is the one publishing or has a big hand in publishing these books.  Babylonia wasn’t the one who sought out publishing her stories, EA Korea was.  You can’t really violate your own copyright laws, right? ;)

Gasp!  Another post so soon?  As if you guys like hearing from me that much. :P   Anywho, I’m writing because I did an interview with the Sims team a few weeks ago and it looks like it was finally published on the Sims 2 site.  They launched a new (or redesigned) page called “The Sims 2 Machinima Page” and I was lucky enough to be the first director chosen for an interview.  I love how they set up the page with all my movie posters, which I didn’t know they would do.   Doing this interview gives me a lot of kudos so I really appreciate the Sims team thinking of me for this.  The interview is pretty long though so hopefully I don’t put you all to sleep and you can find something interesting in it.

Yeah, yeah, yeah…I know my blog’s been broken for over a month and I’ve only finally gotten around to fixing it.  I had to contact my host because there was some technical glitch.  Anyway, the blog is back and I’ve decided to bring some gifts- i.e. music.  ‘Blech!’ some of you might say who don’t like my musical tastes but I know there are some of you out there who do enjoy it so here are some songs.  You can preview them before downloading.  To download, click on the name (files are in zipped format).   As always, I will takes these links down in a little while so snatch them up when you can.  Let me know which ones you like.

Big Bills – Flosstradamus featuring Caroline Polachek
F’ked up Kid – Broken Social Scene featuring Andrew Kenny
Train Song – Feist and Ben Gibbard
The Wrestler – Bruce Springsteen
The Broadcast – Cassettes Won’t Listen
Thanks for Your Time – Goyte
Wraith Pinned to the Mist – Of Montreal

I also have a special treat for you.  Mark Joshua from Brazil attended the Sims 3 Creator’s Camp as a news site representative and I found out that he has several songs in Simlish – yes, they are written and sung in Simlish and they are dance club mix style.  I thought it’d be fun to put some of the songs on the radio in my game and thought you might too so here’s one to download.

Bugersnot – Mark Joshua

So, I guess some of you are wondering what’s next.  I won’t go into detail right now but yes, I am in the process of writing some new scripts and would like to update and work on some more hacks.  I really don’t know when I’ll get around to ’simming’ again so don’t hold your breath- my real life has kept me preoccupied.  I haven’t even installed all the stuff packs I bought at the Creator’s Camp (they were only $10 a piece which was perfect because I wouldn’t pay more than that).  To answer your anticipated question, I bought H&M and Kitchen and Bath.  Even for just $10, I couldn’t get myself to buy the rest because they weren’t worth it to me.  Also, I took the password access off the AinD Backstage site since the series is over.  I’ll eventually get around to writing the production notes for the last episodes- I do have thoughts to share.  Tootles ’till next time.

EDIT:  Music is no longer available.