When I was writing The Kid & Me for The Sims 2 web site, by th
e middle of the story I had decided not to do a sequel. There were two reasons for that. The first was that the original ending I had planned would have made that difficult. The second reason was that I found out the hard way that writing such a long story and being able to do any kind of just to it can be very 
taxing. As a matter of fact, when I finally put on the final touches of The Kid & Me I didn’t even want to think about writing anything for a long long time. I just felt relieved to have finished.
But the writing bug had bit and it wasn’t long before I began thinking of a new story to write. I was bound and determined to come up with a story with all new characters. I thought about all the old movies I had ever seen and thought I might make a Sim story based on one of them. The story would have to be one that was manageable in the Sims world. By that I mean what ev
er happened in the story, I would have to be able to manipulate the Sims to do what I needed for the pictures. I could photo shop some, and there were some authors on the site who photo shopped the pictures quite extensively. I did do a little photo shopping when I wrote The Kid & Me. When Dag shows up with the social worker, I had to photoshop in her overnight bag. But I did not want to do that unless it was absolutely necessary for the story to progress, and if there was absolutely no other way to get the picture that I needed.
I don’t know how many plotlines and scenarios I ran through my head but most of the ones I
wanted to do simply presented too many problems. For instance, there were certain stories that took place in the thirties and forties, and at that time there just wasn’t enough Sim items such as old radios, clothing, and other old props to get the job done. So if I were to do the story based on an old film, I would have to be able to update it to the present day.
No matter what scenario I created in my mind though, I continued to be drawn back to the characters I had already created. And why not? I certainly knew them well enough after having penned the previous story. Since I had created them they were as alive to me as any real person I knew.
I decided that for the most part, Joe and Bettie’s story was completed in The Kid & Me. There was nowhere else to take them. That meant that one or more of the other characters would have to carry the load. At the end of The Kid & Me, Dag was conceivably at the end of her high school years. Laurie would just about be entering ninth grade more or less if you fudge using Sims years. I settled on the two of them to star in the story.
One thing I was sure of is that Dag would carry
the bulk of the story line. She had been a more central character in The Kid & Me then Laurie had. I felt those that had read that story could identify with her more easily. For her story I looked back to a film from the early sixties for inspiration. My plan was to loosely base her story on it and perhaps give it a little more depth. For the early part of the story I did that. Those who have seen the film I’m speaking about won’t even be able to hazard a guess as to which one it is until the story is about halfway through and then it will be readily apparent. As it turned out, my “loosely based story” ended up having to depend a bit too much on the original then I ever thought it would or wanted it to. The reasons for this set of circumstances will be come apparent momentarily.
I had read a couple of stories dealing with several different subject matters facing teens on The Sims 2 and had found very few that were worthwhile. Many of the problems facing teens were dealt with in a very ludicrous manner. I found it odd that so many stories glorified or made
some of these problems seem like one big party. It really irritated me.
It was during this time that I read a few stories that dealt with one other problem and I completely abhorred the way the author had handled it. It was after reading this particular story that I knew what Laurie’s story would be. I also knew it was going to be a challenge. How do you write a story about something you’ve never experienced and gone through yourself and make it sensitive to the subject matter? The answer was research. I began to read about real people and real experiences, and the more I read
the more I was appalled at what I was reading and what certain people in our society still have to experience and go through.
Finally I sat down and wrote out a basic outline as to where I wanted the story to go and what I wanted to happen. It was not etched in stone though, and as the story moved along and I continued to read other articles on the subject matter, I adjusted it as it became necessary to do so.
By the time I reached the middle of Laurie and Dag, my plan to center most of the storyline
surrounding Dag flew out the window. Laurie’s story and what she was experiencing so overshadowed everything else that when it came time to pick up Dag’s story, I found myself unable to switch gears back into comedic mode to continue her story line, so much so that there were long stretches in the story that I ignored her altogether to move Laurie’s story along. It was then that I realized I had made a mistake. I should have written two separate stories but by then, with most of the story on The Sims 2 exchange, it was too late to change it. So I ended up relying much more heavily on the film from the early sixties in the latter stages which included some of the dialog, but I’ll give credit where credit is due at the end of the story.
And there were other things. I began to get emails, almost twice as many as I had gotten when writing The Kid & Me. About ninety five perc
ent of it was supportive and understood what I was trying to do. The best mail that I received was from those who had experienced or were going through some of the things I was writing about and told me that I had (at least for them) pretty much gotten it right. The other five percent thought I was way off base and there was a good many others in that five percent who basically told me I’d be sparking in hell for what I was doing.
Nonetheless, despite some severe down rating by those who wanted to get me and my story off the exchange, the story was for the most part well received. Then, over a year later, for reasons still unkown, parts
of the story were hidden from view by the powers that be at Maxis/EA Games. It was at that point that I removed it and most of my Sims. What had suddenly become so offensive? I don't know. You be the judge. I worked very hard to make the story what I wanted to and still keep it within their guidelines which mean it has to be appropriate for ages 13 and up. I think you’ll be hard pressed to find anything offensive in it unless you’re of a certain mind set and if you are, then I don’t want to know you and why are you reading it anyway?
Keep this in mind. What happens to Laurie and her friends and family in this story has really happened to someone somewhere in some manne
r. Maybe not exactly the same way that it does here as some of the incidents are composites drawn from several real life experiences by real people but are not intend to resemble any real life person in particular if you get my drift.
At any rate, the story will be up within a few days. It does take a while to transfer it to the blog. If you’ve read The Kid & Me and enjoyed it, I’m sure you will enjoy Laurie and Dag as well. Remember, you can Email me at any time at clydesplace@hotmail.com. Thanks for reading this preview and now:
e middle of the story I had decided not to do a sequel. There were two reasons for that. The first was that the original ending I had planned would have made that difficult. The second reason was that I found out the hard way that writing such a long story and being able to do any kind of just to it can be very 
taxing. As a matter of fact, when I finally put on the final touches of The Kid & Me I didn’t even want to think about writing anything for a long long time. I just felt relieved to have finished.But the writing bug had bit and it wasn’t long before I began thinking of a new story to write. I was bound and determined to come up with a story with all new characters. I thought about all the old movies I had ever seen and thought I might make a Sim story based on one of them. The story would have to be one that was manageable in the Sims world. By that I mean what ev
er happened in the story, I would have to be able to manipulate the Sims to do what I needed for the pictures. I could photo shop some, and there were some authors on the site who photo shopped the pictures quite extensively. I did do a little photo shopping when I wrote The Kid & Me. When Dag shows up with the social worker, I had to photoshop in her overnight bag. But I did not want to do that unless it was absolutely necessary for the story to progress, and if there was absolutely no other way to get the picture that I needed.I don’t know how many plotlines and scenarios I ran through my head but most of the ones I
wanted to do simply presented too many problems. For instance, there were certain stories that took place in the thirties and forties, and at that time there just wasn’t enough Sim items such as old radios, clothing, and other old props to get the job done. So if I were to do the story based on an old film, I would have to be able to update it to the present day.
No matter what scenario I created in my mind though, I continued to be drawn back to the characters I had already created. And why not? I certainly knew them well enough after having penned the previous story. Since I had created them they were as alive to me as any real person I knew.I decided that for the most part, Joe and Bettie’s story was completed in The Kid & Me. There was nowhere else to take them. That meant that one or more of the other characters would have to carry the load. At the end of The Kid & Me, Dag was conceivably at the end of her high school years. Laurie would just about be entering ninth grade more or less if you fudge using Sims years. I settled on the two of them to star in the story.
One thing I was sure of is that Dag would carry
the bulk of the story line. She had been a more central character in The Kid & Me then Laurie had. I felt those that had read that story could identify with her more easily. For her story I looked back to a film from the early sixties for inspiration. My plan was to loosely base her story on it and perhaps give it a little more depth. For the early part of the story I did that. Those who have seen the film I’m speaking about won’t even be able to hazard a guess as to which one it is until the story is about halfway through and then it will be readily apparent. As it turned out, my “loosely based story” ended up having to depend a bit too much on the original then I ever thought it would or wanted it to. The reasons for this set of circumstances will be come apparent momentarily.I had read a couple of stories dealing with several different subject matters facing teens on The Sims 2 and had found very few that were worthwhile. Many of the problems facing teens were dealt with in a very ludicrous manner. I found it odd that so many stories glorified or made
some of these problems seem like one big party. It really irritated me.It was during this time that I read a few stories that dealt with one other problem and I completely abhorred the way the author had handled it. It was after reading this particular story that I knew what Laurie’s story would be. I also knew it was going to be a challenge. How do you write a story about something you’ve never experienced and gone through yourself and make it sensitive to the subject matter? The answer was research. I began to read about real people and real experiences, and the more I read
the more I was appalled at what I was reading and what certain people in our society still have to experience and go through.Finally I sat down and wrote out a basic outline as to where I wanted the story to go and what I wanted to happen. It was not etched in stone though, and as the story moved along and I continued to read other articles on the subject matter, I adjusted it as it became necessary to do so.
By the time I reached the middle of Laurie and Dag, my plan to center most of the storyline
surrounding Dag flew out the window. Laurie’s story and what she was experiencing so overshadowed everything else that when it came time to pick up Dag’s story, I found myself unable to switch gears back into comedic mode to continue her story line, so much so that there were long stretches in the story that I ignored her altogether to move Laurie’s story along. It was then that I realized I had made a mistake. I should have written two separate stories but by then, with most of the story on The Sims 2 exchange, it was too late to change it. So I ended up relying much more heavily on the film from the early sixties in the latter stages which included some of the dialog, but I’ll give credit where credit is due at the end of the story.And there were other things. I began to get emails, almost twice as many as I had gotten when writing The Kid & Me. About ninety five perc
ent of it was supportive and understood what I was trying to do. The best mail that I received was from those who had experienced or were going through some of the things I was writing about and told me that I had (at least for them) pretty much gotten it right. The other five percent thought I was way off base and there was a good many others in that five percent who basically told me I’d be sparking in hell for what I was doing.Nonetheless, despite some severe down rating by those who wanted to get me and my story off the exchange, the story was for the most part well received. Then, over a year later, for reasons still unkown, parts
of the story were hidden from view by the powers that be at Maxis/EA Games. It was at that point that I removed it and most of my Sims. What had suddenly become so offensive? I don't know. You be the judge. I worked very hard to make the story what I wanted to and still keep it within their guidelines which mean it has to be appropriate for ages 13 and up. I think you’ll be hard pressed to find anything offensive in it unless you’re of a certain mind set and if you are, then I don’t want to know you and why are you reading it anyway?Keep this in mind. What happens to Laurie and her friends and family in this story has really happened to someone somewhere in some manne
r. Maybe not exactly the same way that it does here as some of the incidents are composites drawn from several real life experiences by real people but are not intend to resemble any real life person in particular if you get my drift.At any rate, the story will be up within a few days. It does take a while to transfer it to the blog. If you’ve read The Kid & Me and enjoyed it, I’m sure you will enjoy Laurie and Dag as well. Remember, you can Email me at any time at clydesplace@hotmail.com. Thanks for reading this preview and now:
No comments:
Post a Comment