Hey howdy hey Addicts! In the steady grind of tapping in the free world, we sometimes see decorations and buildings and take them for granted. While this is understandable, we may not realize that a great majority of items in TSTO actually come from the amazing show the game is based on. With that in mind, Bunny and I aim to periodically provide you the origin info for decorations and buildings we missed, ignored or haven’t covered yet. Time is a fickle thing (timey wimey even) and as Einstein said, “The only reason for time is so that everything doesn’t happen at once.” There’s often not enough time in the TSTO continuum to do origins for everything, but while we have some, we’ve called on Mr. Peabody to help us along. We’re using his WABAC (pronounced way back) Machine to go back in TSTO time. With that premise, we bring you WABAC Where Did THAT Come From. This particular journey is for the gas pump and butterfly tent.
First off, it’s only fair to say these two items start off the WABAC series of posts because I caught them when doing another origin post. As the Mrs. Muntz post was already long enough, I decided these would be better by themselves. First up… the gas pump.
In “Bart Gets a ‘Z’” (S21:E2), the plot revolves around the children of Springfield getting Mrs. Krabappel fired by spiking her coffee. We see our red gas pump at Springfield Gas.
I like these and think they make a great addition to whatever establishment you desire to turn into a gas station. I chose the Kwik-E-Mart.
For the butterfly tent, we go to “Dial ‘N’ For Nerder” (S19:E14). The tent is found in the backyard of Martin Prince’s house. I guess it must be said that Bart and Lisa think they’ve murdered Martin and that Bart headed to the tent to “end it all”. Lisa thinks Bart is going to off himself but it turns out he just wanted to usher Martin’s butterflies into the world.
The butterflies in this episode always make me think of the Ryugujo Butterfly Garden in Okinawa, Japan. While I dig this decoration for the fond memories, every time I see it I think EA needs to give us Martin’s grey house. I honestly have the tent stored in protest although it can look swell in a park area.
So there’s two decorations from WABAC. The gas pump becomes available at level 22 for $1300 and the butterfly tent is premium costing 20 donuts and adding a 0.5% bonus to your town. That’s about it. What do you think of the two decorations? Got any awesome ways you’ve used them to decorate? Like the new WABAC help from Mr. Peabody? Got a specific item you’d like us to explore? Sound off below and stay classy.
TTFN… Wookiee out!
I finally got around to building a gas station for my Springfield, and I remembered that other places in town, IRL, also have gas pumps. About a dozen years ago (summer of 2003) in my hometown of Phoenix the main gas pipeline into the city ruptured and we had more than a month of massive gasoline shortages. At that time I learned that the police, fire department, and even some of the local TV stations in town had their own gas pumps. So I’ve equipped Channel 6 and the SPD with gas pumps also (it’s another way to add a dash of realism to your town).😃
We need Donnie’s Discount Gas…
I don’t have any butterfly tents yet, but I’ve seen them in neighbor’s towns and they look cool.
The gas pumps I thought fit quite naturally and nicely in front of Honest John’s Computers as it is after all, a converted service station/tire store. Even though it doesn’t seem to have any pumps in the actual episode (http://tstoaddicts.files.wordpress.com/2014/09/honest-johns-computers-2.jpg). They work very well there. Since they are also incorporated into the Recycle Castle, I added another to the castle’s veneer as an enhancement. I suppose one day, I will do a “proper gas station” using a Kwik-E-Mart or something.
Honest John’s, but of course!
& I have a second KEM on the same block, too!
Maybe a minor redesign is in order.
Great article (always fun to read about where Items & Characters originate from) …
And now for a brief rant –
Dear EA! 3rd year into this Game & I keep getting El Barto Network Connection screen (this should not be happening)! Either invest in this game app properly, or end it (FOX & everyone involved in this Cartoon has made billions over the last 26 years – you all can afford to do the right thing)!
I placed a few on my squidport as a gas dock for my fleet of “fishing boats”. I want more boats but i’m freemium, so I guess I’ll wait around.
Which boats are you using for fishing boats? Greenpeace?
yup, they turned out better than i thought
Great idea! I didn’t realize I could put them on Squidport; I have a little “fishing boat” dock set up too with food carts and stands like the marinas around the lake I grew up near and they’ll be perfect there.
Couldn’t remember how the butterfly tent was introduced, thanks for reminder…. ❤ the butterfly tent! ✌
https://www.flickr.com/photos/98838330@N04/9861426334/lightbox/
They work pretty well with the 3-D
Very nice! I’m looking forward to doing a 3-D at some point in my town. I’ve seen quite a few good ones. I just have to decide what I’ll use as a focal point.
I thought I saw the gas pumps from an episode where they blow up in front of the quickie mart or something? anyone remember?
“Sweet Seymour’s Badass Song” (S5:E19). Apu installed sixteen pumps to compete with the Gas ‘N’ Gulp. They were exploded by mortars from Fort Springfield lol.
I have a couple of gas pumps in front of one of Kwik-E-Marts. Currently, I have three KEMs, separated into different corners (I didn’t want a convenience store farm) and I was going to make one into a pseudo “Super K” or KEM-Premium style outlet. I couldn’t think of anywhere the pumps would fit, in fact, since they do not come with their own kiosk. Maybe in front of the grocery store… that’s the only other place–in the real world–were gas pumps are commonly seen.
Where else have others placed the pumps?
I haven’t placed them because I can’t get them to look right in front of any of my KEMs. But grocery store is a good idea- I can think of a few in my town that have gas pumps. The sprawl-mart would make sense, too.
I always thought the had “gas pumps” came by when Apu and his brother finally saved up enough to have to gas pumps in front of the Kwik E Mart. Thanks for looking that up. 🙂
I didn’t know the butterfly tent gave you a bonus percentage, that’s the main reason I never bought it because the info just says “improves vanity”. Thanks for the post! Can’t wait for the next big update!!
I want that Springfield Gas sign….
Isn’t there an episode where Apu and Sanjay install gas pumps at the Kwik-e-Mart, but they immediately blow up due to Homer’s antics?
“Sweet Seymour’s Badass Song” (S5:E19). Apu installed sixteen pumps to compete with the Gas ‘N’ Gulp. They were exploded by mortars from Fort Springfield lol. There’s also another episode later, Scenes From the “Class Struggle in Springfield” (S7:E14) where gas pumps are seen there.