Thank Grog It’s Firday!
I have to admit, I have enjoyed Act II of this over-extended, insanely grind-tastic event. Mostly for selfish reasons. It has actually created some serious conversations between my wife and I about taking a “once in a lifetime” (actually twice) trip to Europe, before we croak.
As of late, the vast majority of our time and treasure has been dedicated to our kids, as in 5 college educations, 4 weddings (one to go) and a ton of travel to “see the kids” who are spread out all over the place, North, South, East and Northwest. Add grandkids (one due any minute!), and you have additional reasons to make your travel time, “family time.” There’s nothing wrong with that. But does lack a bit of variety (even though we turned one into a 9.600 mile, 30-day cross country trip a couple of summers ago).
But…we both did extended trips to Europe when we were young. For me…that was almost 50 years ago. I hear a lot has changed in 50 years… When I went, there was still a Berlin Wall…a Communist help Czechoslovakia, and a ton of debris left over from 2 world wars. So…yes…change is good!
When we began our “world tour” in TSTO, it got me wishing that could go back again, and see some of our favorite spots, as well as check a few boxes off of the “I really want to see that…” list that has grown over the years. I want to return to the British Isles, including Ireland (at least 2 weeks) and Deb wants to return to Spain and Italy, while adding France and Denmark into the mix for extended family. I also want to tour some WWI battlefields in France and Belgium, and want to go to Austria, Germany and Switzerland again. So…yes…this would be a HUGE, long trip, which we will have to wedge in between a trip to Uganda, another wedding, and who knows how many more grandkids. Retirement? Pfffffffftttttttttttt… not gonna happen.
But in the meantime, I can visit the imaginative towns and places that have cropped up as a result of my “Town Tours” feature, started a couple of weeks back. This week, I’m focusing on a couple more “Friends of Ebron,” as well one of my favorite neighbors, and a look at my own English homage.
I’m going to start with some bad news for those of you who waited…
I AM FULL UP for the foreseeable future. I have enough “look at my town requests” to fill up an entire year of Friday Fillers. So…at least for now…no more requests.
And for those who have been contacted by me from your requests…be PATIENT. It may be weeks before your town appears…M’kay?
And…again…I am always looking for “Gold Standard” designers who truly meet or exceed the standards set in my first couple of posts…Ebron, and Superbeast (check out the video tours in the last couple of posts for reference). But the bar is really high…so don’t bother if your town isn’t as good.
For this episode of Town Tours, I am going to do the video a bit differently, so we can cover more towns, without creating an editing nightmare. I will do a dialogue over screen shots…that allows me to talk, watch and critique. But, it is light on critique, as most of these folks have something that drew me in.
Let’s get started…
What do these towns from TippieTippie, Greengirl, and Jackie have in common (besides all being females…as I was corrected by Jackie/Jack)? They have LUSH design aesthetics with loads of details that make them realistic, or at least believably whimsical! And what is the primary limitation to creativity in TSTO? ITEM LIMITS!!!!
After talking with Ebron and others about the limits, even though I am now over 10,400 items and regularly get warned…I am going to keep designing until I hit the barrier (currently 10,900). I want my town to feel real…livable…and aesthetically pleasing as it can be.
EA is having SERVER ISSUES??? How about allowing us to dump stuff out of our storage units??? Those that KEM Farm, and do Mystery Boxes to increase their item limits must have full to the brim storage units. Start there, EA…but change your code, and TEAR DOWN THIS WALL OF ITEM LIMITS!!!
Ok…back to dreaming of our dream trip! Maybe in a couple of summers…if our youngest puts off getting married for a year or so!
Have a great weekend!
Hey Patric,
First, you mentioned WWI battles and if Dinant, Belgium isn’t already on your list to visit, seriously consider adding it. The Citadel looks incredible over the city and has a walk through timeline of the events of the Battle of Dinant. Across the Meuse River (which has short river cruises you can take) you can explore Grotte la Merveilleuse, a big cave that looks like it could’ve been used to film some of the cave scenes in Indian Jones and the Temple of Doom. Plus, Adolphe Sax (inventor of the saxophone) lived there. Any Charlie Parker fans out there?
Finally, as a long-time reader of TSTO Addicts, I just wanted to say, “Thank you!” to you and all the others for your time and hard work in making this site the go to for anything Simpsons Tapped Out! -Ryan
p.s. Love the title. London Calling is a great album!
👍🎼🎧
I’ll add those sites for sure! I appreciate being appreciated!
Patric, first of all, please forgive my late response (and my late sincere thank you) for including my Springfield in your Friday filler. I love what you’re doing and appreciate the time and effort you put in all things tsto. I can’t get enough of other’s designs and find it amazing the inspiration that can be gleaned. I’m looking forward to all of your Friday fillers to come. Again, thank you for showing off my town!
It’s a pleasure being your neighbor, and an equal pleasure covering your town. You have some really nice features, and it’s always a joy to visit.
Patric, you may want this consider giving your posts on town tours a specific name, like Safi’s Tips and Strategies, or Should I Buy. Can I suggest a very catchy name like… Patric Town Tours.
Like most, I’ve been feeling lethargic in playing TSTO until your town tours revived my interest to see how others do it, then be inspired to redesign my own. Thanks Superbeast for accepting my invite, and I truly feel humbled and totally inspired with what you have done.
What I do realize is that each of us who make efforts to design our town has our own little tweaks to make it unique. For example, part of my town was arranged to make it easier to find Maggie and get donuts, such that my success rate is almost 95%. That said, I hope to find time to improve my town asthetics, and hope you guys won’t blame me for borrowing your creativity. Truly gold standards!
It’s actually Super Safi’s Stats & Strategies, not Tips & Strategies.
If you can’t tell, I like alliterations.
For Pat, instead of Patric Town Tours, I’d go with something like Patric Peruses Players Places or Picturing Players Playscapes with Patric!
Patric’s Parade of Padular Device Places….
Or you can swap out Padular Device with Pocket-sized
Lol. Can’t tell at all that you like alliterations. 😂
These posts have encouraged me to work on my town, renewing my interest that was starting to wane as of late. More water, more flowers & trees, returning my monorail(s) into more than just the terminal (I have 4 going now!). Duplicate buildings are a thing of the past, if it doesn’t look pleasing, into storage it goes. I have had to go back through my inventory though to retrieve bonus items I’d stored. I’m really looking forward to more designing once the event is over to have all of my around the world together (Eiffel Tower will be moved to that section.
Since you shocked me in this post… I’d like to digress 😂😏😏, but I’m not as well versed as you & cant fit it in where it belongs, but it needed to be said.
But I digress, thanks for renewing my pleasure with doing this series on designing. 🤪😜😝🤓🤓🤓
I like to design my town too, but I always try to do it with a funny twist.
Oh definitely need humor, that’s what Simpson’s is all about 😄
I guess your Ipad must be fairly powerful, but on my 2014-era MotoX Android phone, the game is starting to feel sluggish with about 7500 objects placed and 200 characters. Without the item cap, I’d probably decorate my way towards an unplayable town.
I like having the game on my phone because I can send characters on tasks while on the go (important for events). However, I wouldn’t mind having an option where I could “disable” rendering of all decorations on my phone to make the game run faster. By installing the app on my computer, I could view the whole town and design from there (with a higher object limit).
Patric,
Thank you for showing off my town. Sorry for taking a while to post, but I have been celebrating my husband’s 61st birthday with him today and haven’t had much time to spare to do anything else.
Thanks to Tippie for her kind comments and hopefully, if she accepts, I will soon have a new friend.
With regards to your suggestion that I might be a Bram Stoker fan, I would say I am a fan of old horror movies. The really old black and white ones with Boris Karloff, Peter Lorre and Bela Lugosi. Mostly I had a whole lot of crafted Halloween stuff and decided to make a spooky forest area.
Looking forward to next week’s post and seeing some more ispirational designs.
another great town
Come and see me Patric, the home of The Beatles, Liverpool. I will put you up so no expenses and a great city to explore, a ferry across The Mersey and a visit to The Cavern. Xx
Thank you Patric for choosing my town to be highlighted in your town tours. It was quite an honor to be included with such talented designers as Greengirl and Jackie. To Greengirl and Jackie: your towns were so imaginative and whimsical. I enjoyed seeing them! You are both inspiring!
I have sent you a friend request. I am also inspired by your town. I am never going to be as good as Ebron but I am trying!
Thanks for your friend request. We’re now new neighbors! I took a ride on your monorail, and clicked around your beautiful town. You have a very talented eye. I love the gorgeous formal gardens behind Buckingham Palace and your massive farm. It’s all so neat and well thought out.
Thank you. I’ve just had a look around yours too and I am going to enjoy being friends with someone who also cares enough about the game to make their town look great!
(Looking at your profile picture) What’s your guinea pig’s name? He’s adorable!
Heading to Sweden (land of my ancestors), Copenhagen, and London starting next week. I’ve been picking up landmarks ahead of our London visit. Wish they had the Shard.
Hope your going to fit in a visit to Scotland on your Europe trip, Edinburgh festival, the highlands, Dumfries and galliway, even the islands, all to see, happy planning
I’ve been to Scotland and Edinburgh…LOVED it. It will be on our list…
My neck of the woods, hope you enjoyed 👍👍👍
My husband and I are spending next weekend in Edinburgh for his birthday, will be our 4th visit I think. Just tried to book a visit to the gin distillery but sadly fully booked, wish I’d had the idea sooner. Hope this lovely weather lasts 😊🇬🇧☀️
That’s a shame, very popular, website says to book 3-4 months in advance, you will need to come back again a 5th time 😀👍
what if i know a really impressive town, from a low level person, that i want to get featured because i think they deserve it, but i don’t know if they will submit it?
Perhaps i should elaborate…
Ebron has said there should be a special episode for people below level 60; “It would be nice to have an episode with only players below level 60…that is truly the most challenging time to design…no money, no land, and a very limited number of buildings to play with. I’m always amazed at new players who still manage to add parks, rivers, and green spaces, even though they bring in no income and eat up valuable property. Most newbies probably think their Springfields can’t compare to the more elaborate towns, so won’t submit their names…but if anybody can make a masterpiece at that level, they deserve recognition.”-Ebron.
This persons town really impresses me, and is only level 46! I think they deserve recognition.
Send their user name to me…and I’ll reach out. Email tstopatric@gmail.com
ok, will do.
Amsterdam is swarmed by Air B&Bers ☹️☹️☹️
420ers celebratinting 420 ☹️
Only time I’ve been to Europe I spent a week in France. Had an opportunity in High School for a visit this Vimy 16 years ago.
http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/memorials/overseas/first-world-war/france/vimy/experience-vimy
Hasn’t changed much by the looks of things. I had 2 Great uncles that died at Vimy Ridge. If you have a chance the tour is amazing. There are preserved bunkers and tunnels etc. Worth the trip.
Added to my Check List!
PS You are better off renting a car, on leasing. More independant.
Hi Patric
When you go to France, do not miss The châteaux in the Loire Valley, it’s an amazing region and great food too! June is the best mo th to visit, quite reliable weather. And, if you are into history, do not miss, this is a must! Le Puy du Fou. Look it up on Google. It has been voted, by the Kings of the theme parks (the Americans) as the best in the world. Brittany is as well beautifu. D’oh! Now I want to go back there! Have a great week end.
Back in the 80s I toured Europe using a eurorail pass. I would tour during the day and travel at night to a new city. It was great. Because of my age I had to get the first class pass which turned out to be great. At night in the first class cabins you could fold the seats to act as a bed. The only problem was when your where crossing the borders they would wake you up to check your passport and ticket. Occasionally grabbed a hotel if I wanted to explore the city for a couple of days.
Those passes are still around. A great way to see Europe…it is part of our strategy,along with Air B&B.