"The Sims Space" - "Build The Dream"

Hello Everyone!

Today’s post is a little different from the regular schedule. Now, I haven’t spent much time on this section of the blog, purely because I’ve never really had enough time to upload a Sims build and make a blog post for it, before. However, with the recent changes in my personal life, I now have that time. So, what does that mean for this section?

Well, if you’ve been keeping up with my Patreon page (which I highly recommend you do, and if you are able to help support me in any way, it would be very much appreciated), or on my YouTube or Instagram channels, I basically talk about how I may use other life simulation or home building games/apps to build my dream homes. I go into it quite a bit, on my Patreon, but let me go into more detail for you here. Let me explain why I've changed the title of this section, from The "Sims Space" to "Build the Dream".

Will I Still Be Using The Sims For My Builds?

For the most part, yes. I will still use the Sims 4 for my house builds. In fact, I still have a whole line up of houses I want to make. I even listed them down on a document that I regularly check and mark off. So, my Sims builds won’t be going anywhere, anytime soon. Also, I still like the graphics of the Sims, it’s what I’m used to, and if I’m being very honest, I do like the challenge of the swatches. I know everyone doesn’t love them and would prefer the colour wheel (I would also love that, but this is the Sims 4, and it’s not going to include a colour wheel, let’s be real), but I love the challenge of trying to find furniture and textures that match and make a space really come together.

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Of course, I won’t deny it, there are times when it’s a real nightmare, especially when I’m making larger builds and I’m trying to match pieces together, even though the swatch doesn’t fit. It means I may need to rethink other areas of the build and maybe repeat a few items (there’s a castle I’m in the middle of building, and that part is very true, for a lot of the hallways, corridors and public spaces). However, all that is to say, I’m also looking at other options, to create my house builds.

What Other Programs Am I Thinking Of Using?

If you’ve read my Patreon post, or if you’ve spoken to me, in the last 6 months, you’ll know I’ve been keeping up with the recent developments of Paralives. I started seeing their content back in November last year, and got interested, when I saw what they included in their build mode. I’m not going to lie, I was highly impressed and excited when I saw those teaser videos. Now that early access is live, I am going to start trying to build some houses there as well.

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Mind you, I’ve already played a couple of hours on Paralives, with their live mode, as a start, just to see what’s functional, and what’s purely decoration, at this point. I know they have many updates to come, which will enhance their live mode gameplay, and diversify the build mode catalogue and functions. Essentially, once they’ve built the game out a little more, you may see more house builds in Paralives. The only reason I haven’t started yet, is because, from what I’ve seen so far, I can only create speed builds, if I want to build a full house. There are some stop-motion videos out there, but I believe you can only set one angle in the game, at the moment, so movement between angles isn’t available, yet. I may make a speed build, one day, in all the games I’ll be building houses in, but I love the lack of distraction, with stop-motion builds.

Don’t Go Away Yet! I Have One More Game I’m Looking Into Using!

Like I said in my Patreon post, I’ll try to use InZoi as well. Just like Paralives, I’ve spent some time playing with InZoi, again, mostly live mode, to see what is functional, and what’s purely decoration. I have to say, there are more fleshed out things in InZoi, than in Paralives, like the washing machine, although, there isn’t a game function that forces you to do the laundry (like with the Laundry Day Stuff Pack, in The Sims 4). Of course, having said that, InZoi has been out for a few years, and Paralives has just launched, so of course there will be a lot of disparity there. So, you may find more InZoi builds on my channel, than Paralives ones.

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I will note, however, I may also create speed builds here as well, because like Paralives, there really isn’t a cinematic camera function to InZoi, or at least, one like in The Sims 4. So, creating the dynamic videos that I currently create will not be possible in these other games, at the moment. I’m hoping, one day, they’ll include something similar, but if I’m being completely honest here, I don’t think it’s likely.

Why Am I So Against Speed Builds?

First off, it’s not that I’m against it, in fact, when I was building houses in the Sims 2, on my personal channel (when I was much younger and much more inexperienced), I created speed builds all the time. I also did a few room builds, early in my YouTube journey, that were speed builds (if you haven’t checked them out yet, they’re shorts on my YouTube page, or on TikTok). I’m also looking into making these room builds for you again, but that may be further down the line.

The reason why I don’t like making speed builds is because they will be much longer videos than the stop motion ones I’ve made now. It also means I’ll need to stop spinning my screen so much. When I build, I don’t really rest in one place, and I can’t see the vision clearly, if I don’t spin about and look around my build. Maybe one day, I’ll show you what I mean, but essentially, my camera moves a lot, so it might be dizzying. Plus, I sometimes backtrack and change the way the build looks. I don’t have a set image or floor plan in mind, when I start building. It’s literally an “on the fly” move. I build how I feel, and what I feel looks good in the environment it’s in.

A Sneak Peek of another build I'm making. It will change as I progress

So, for example, if I’m building a cottage, I take in the environment first, and experiment with different tools, to capture a look that might seem a good use for it, like building up terrain, or using a tall foundation, whatever works, and eventually things start falling into place, but again, it takes a lot of turning the camera this way and that, to ensure I’m happy with the look. So, if I do make a speed build, I may include an epilepsy warning or something like that.

The second reason I don’t do speed builds is the audio. Now, I know I can be silent on these videos, just like my stop motion builds, but I feel like there needs to be sound on a speed build. Of course, I am exploring the idea of using ASMR and cutting out areas that might make the video too long, so that I can make speed builds more palatable, but that’s going to take some time.

Why I Love Stop Motion Builds Most

The reason I love Stop Motion builds is because they’re very immersive, and it takes away any distractions from the experience. If I create speed builds, it’ll take time to see how a room develops, and sometimes, play testing may be needed. I don’t play test as I build, I do it after, to ensure everything is in a good place to be functional. It’s essentially rehearsal before opening night. Some things get missed, and that’s why things move throughout my videos, I missed an object I needed to test, and these are usually small items like instruments, or (more often than not) counters in the kitchen, because usually, clutter items do get in the way even though there is space enough for the sim to work. Blame the game, not me, that’s what I always say.

Essentially, stop motion builds are ways for me to perfect the build, before making it live for you. When I make a speed build, I’d have to do that after the video is made, and a lot might change around in the final build, so what you see in the video isn’t always what you’re going to get when you download it from the gallery or from my Patreon page. That’s why I prefer stop motion builds. It ensures that you get what you see, and there aren’t any substitutes that work around the problem, when you download the house. Of course, there will be a couple of tiny things, like the angle of a violin or the resizing of kitchen knives, or even the angle of an armchair, but that’s only because some objects do have to move, in order to be functional, just like you see in the video. It isn’t a complete afterthought.

It's why I am hesitant to make speed builds for Paralives and InZoi. I prefer dynamic stop motion, because it allows me to perfect the build, both for the video and for those of you who want to download the build. You literally get what you see, and there aren’t any hidden changes in the end, but because these games don’t have that dynamic camera function, I may have to bite the bullet and create speed builds. I do really want to give making houses in these games a go, but I wish I could make these videos in my style.

I've Turned The Sims Space To Build The Dream

Don’t worry, right now, nothing is going to change, just yet. I’ll still be posting monthly Sims builds, and eventually reintroduce my room build shorts, but in terms of Paralives and InZoi, those builds will come when I have a spare moment to explore their tools more closely and acquaint myself with their systems.

Trust me, I’m still rather hesitant and overwhelmed by what they can do. There are so many more tools that they have, that The Sims 4 don’t, and I really want to dive in deeper, to see what new things I can do. So, give me time, I’m not there yet, when it comes to building beautiful houses, like the ones I do on The Sims 4, but I’ll eventually get there, and you can look forward to different styles, design choices and options.

Well, that’s it from me today. I better get back to editing my videos, and making more content for you. In the meantime, please don’t forget to like, subscribe, comment, share and follow me, here on Feather’s Charm, on my YouTube Channel, on my social media channels, and on Patreon. Your support really helps me make more content like this, for you guys.

And as always, be kind, be creative, and be unique.

I’ll see you later!

Feather, out!