Happy Musings Thursday my friends! I’m back with another musings post for you. I’ve got some thoughts, so let’s get to ’em…
Well, believe it or not, we’re nearing the end of the Pride 2020 mini-event. Just as quickly as it arrived, it’s almost time for it to leave. Such is the life of TSTO mini-events. Now that we’re rapidly approaching the end it’s officially time to share some thoughts on this mini-event.
As I did with Simpsons Wrestling, I’m comparing this mini-event to other mini-events. It’s the only fair way to assess each event, to compare it with other like events. So, comparing Pride 2020 to other mini-events, and reviewing it in the same light…
Not a terrible mini-event. It wasn’t spectacular by any means, but it also wasn’t awful. Just kind of middle of the road.
Really not a fan that the prize track contained no new characters, only costumes, but liked that none of the content was returning.
Now let’s get into the Good, Bad, and Ugly…
The Good
-Animations for Pride Homer and Glamazon Marge were really good and funny. Nice surprise for free costumes, and appreciated.
-Prize track contained no returning content. 5 new items to add to Springfield
-Addition of jobs/tasks at the prize track building and decorations. It should be a given that buildings in Springfield all have at least 1 character task assigned to them (Sadly it’s not always the case), but it was a pleasant surprise to see not only Curl Up and Dye have a task, but the Pride Car and Restrooms as well. Always a fun surprise when decorations are assigned character tasks. (Unaware of these tasks? You can see them on the rundown here)
-The dialogue was great, what else is new? Lol
The Bad
-Two costumes on the prize track…and costumes for Marge and Homer no less. I wouldn’t have been as annoyed if it were 1 costume and 1 character, but two costumes just feels uninspired.
-Pride Mystery Box. EA actually raise the price on this box 10 donuts from the last time it was around (2018 it was 50 donuts a try). So not only was that kind of annoying, but more than 50% of the items in the Pride Box could be found in the Yearbook Box for 30 donuts. EA really has to find a way to make the boxes unique for events more appealing.
Although, I do give them credit for adding a few new items to this box, compared to 2018…which is why this is a bad and not an ugly for me.
The Ugly
-Mysterious Waylon. 150 donuts for a costume combo is utterly ridiculous. AND the costume didn’t even give good animations for Waylon…they were minor and basically the same thing over again for both visual tasks.
Final Thoughts
Overall I give this event a C. Decent, but not great. While new items on the prize track, jobs assigned to decorations and buildings, and the dialogue helped buoy this event, as Waylon, the Costumes, and the Mystery Box really tried to sink it. I think C is more than fair for this mini-event. Onto the next one!
As an aside…
Still trying to get things back to normal here in NJ. My husband did return to work a couple of weeks ago (although, if baseball (players and owners) doesn’t get out of it’s own way that may change soon)…which just means I’m home with the two kiddos, while trying to still work a full day, run this site, and not lose my mind. Always fun! Here’s hoping daycares can open up soon so I can return to work and a sane mind!
Also, we finished our basement remodel! My husband and I (with some help from our dads), took our basement from partially finished to fully functional playroom in about 4 total weeks! Kids love it and we love finally having a place fo the LEGOs to go…besides under our bare feet!
Here are some before and after shots…
Like I said, we did all of the work ourselves (aside from some help from our dads) Also, we had most of the items already (like the couch and rug are our old ones that we just hung onto knowing we’d eventually finish the basement, same with the decorations and TV stand), so aside from buying a new TV and some of the building materials, we were able to do everything on a super tight (ie cheap) budget! The whole thing cost us well under $1,000 (still working up the total…ie trying to find all the receipts), but not a bad quarantine project! Kept us busy and finally crossed “finish basement” off our to-do list (which had been on it since we moved in).
Next on the list…repaint the deck. Because it’s a mess! I really need to go back to work…
I hope you’re all getting back to normal, and/or staying busy!
Thoughts? Sound off in the comments below, you know we love hearing from you!
Nice. Great job. I 💓 to see renovations and make overs. Liked yours and Patrick ‘s pics.
Love the basement!!! nice work… the event for me???………. meh… it was rushed with donuts.. only around 600 to complete the whole thing… its the most i can say about it…
In RL, i live in a city where the cases are going up, but the city officials are re-opening everything up, people here are stoopid and “I wants me guns to pretect my wife/cousing” kida people… its so annoying.. i guess they will be happy dying of Covid with their ‘gunz’ by their side.. on the plus side.. ended up getting a pool for the kiddos.. which is fun..
P.S.
Your Basement looks great (get use out of old furnishings – they’re not cheap! even from Ikea!), the kids will love it! When you say Deck? I’m reminded of a back yard to finish here …. maybe next week when it’s down to 89° – 93° (nobody wants to do concrete work when it’s 105° this week!)
I hope everybody gets back to work (I never stopped except for that paid 3 week leave!) I hope we turn the tide against this pandemic (I hope businesses cautiously reopen!) 🌞
GOOD
Wow! 49 Mini Events later and we get the 4th Pride Event in TSTO! 🌈
Visual Character Tasks , Buildings , Decor are all clever (and funny) with no retread Event Prizes. The writing was witty (again, Pride is easy to be clever with vs Black History Month!) and at least 1 permanent Character Task for each Event Prize (if we got more than 1 new Character Task at a Building? we got it good this year!). Need Decor from before, well that was available, too! 😀👍🏻
GOOD & BAD
Pride Mystery Box – it was 80% already in the Regular Mystery Box , 20% returning and not in the Regular Mystery Box. If you’ve got a nice pile of 🍩’s to spend (an EA knows most of us do!), then chances are 60 sprinkles per item isn’t an issue – but the lack of Content available for Long Time Tappers was (fortunately, I had 3 to choose from – and 1 was available in the Regular Mystery Box – but I just spent the 180 sprinkles for all of it and farmed those sprinkles back just as quickly as I spent ’em!) I call this a grey area, because either we get a new Event Mystery Box? or we get returning Content full price in the Store for a limited time! 🤷🏼♂️
BAD
As much as I enjoyed the new Character Skins for a Glamazon Marge & Pride Homer (hey they’re voiced), I agree that it’s disappointing when we don’t get a New Character (if not as an Event Prize, then at least have one available as a 150 🍩’s Character Combo! EA knows most have a stockpile of sprinkles waiting to spend, so give us the new Content worth the sprinkles!)
UGLY
If I agreed that Mysterious Waylon was too much for a Character Skin Combo (Draggle Rock is an awesome Building!) that I felt should’ve been 80 🍩’s, then one has to agree that Sarah Wiggum was ridiculous for 300 🍩’s (she’s not voiced! her Task with Ralphie is ‘meh’! she has no Task with Chief Wiggum! what she came with Building wise doesn’t offer a Wiggum Family Task!) …. so, like Sarah Wiggum, Mysterious Waylon isn’t voiced (I ❤️ his Visual Tasks, but I loath the fact he’s not voiced and should’ve been – that really makes this Ugly for me!)
Pride 2020 gets a 🔥’ing Queen B Grade (I’m biased! I ❤️ Mini Events vs Major Events!) It’s National 🍔 Day – go grab some, or have ’em doordash delivered! It’s Africa Hot (107°), but Phase 2 begins tomorrow (Friday!) out here …. let’s all be cautious and stay safe !🌜
Your basement looks great. It’s probably much cooler down there.
It has been so warm the past few days here that I went down in my basement to get my fans and realized it was so naturally cool in my basement it be better if I stayed down there than bring the fans upstairs 😅
Homer and Lisa’s walk conversation (for me, was the best part of the event)
EA really teased us with DragShow-Mel / Sideshow Melannie, why that couldn’t have been an added skin -idk but I guess it would have been “too much” or just something to make some of us to anticipate for future Pride events.
As I mentioned in one of my comments there was so much more possibilities just on the subject of the Drag theme, and also a great selection of other material with “Pride” characters that are still not in our game.. But we just have to wait next year, to see what they do, if anything.
Wish there was a fringe TSTOA Pride Support Group when it comes to disappointment and hopes of future updates 😅
Also wish Homer and Marge skins were premium, or at least a premium skin exchange program (like they become premium as long as I have a premium skin of the same character – type of deal.. someone pass this idea to EA) :p
I agree with all your points about the mini event. I think every prize track should at least have 1 or 2 decorations, 1 or 2 buildings and 1 character with prize costumes and item skins adding more variety to prize tracks. Glamazon Marge and Pride Homer could’ve been the 4th prize together and a character as the 5th prize.
Some more goods:
*All the pride items from the past have returned in this event including the balloons, billboards, flags, hydrants, and trees.
*Marge has a new costume after her last one was released in 2015 and Homer hasn’t had a new costume since 2017:
Another bad:
*Pride Homer and Mysterious Waylon don’t appear in a character collection.
This is an ok mini event, but I think pride event in 2017 was a bit better because of the new characters and tapping the balloons. I’d give it a B to C grade.
Pride 2017 didn’t have as many Bart Simpson Screen Shutdowns …. I know why these occur, but it’s Ugly (there is tons of Pride content from The Simpsons not in TSTO! EA can come back next year and deliver new Characters, an have these Character Skins put to use with new Visual Tasks during a Mini Event!) 😀👍🏻
Don’t know about the event, wasn’t impressed but the remodel you did with the family looked more fun and worth the budget paid, well done all.
Unfortunately nothing normal here in Scotland, we go into full lockdown in my house from Monday, for 2 weeks as my wife needs to have an operation on the 15th, no one will leave the house, the cancer/dcis has returned and the operation is now unavoidable.
Staying positive, staying safe that’s all we can do 🤞
Keith
I’m hoping the Mrs gets thru Surgery and that Family will be able to visit in the Hospital.
TSTO is a distraction from life’s troubles, but its not as important as real life. My concerns are this lockdown / quarantine taking a toll on everyone (mentally, financially). I’ve never seen Las Vegas this quiet …. it’s slowly coming back to life just not in the same way (masks, social distancing, gloves and / or some sort of anti bacterial soap will be the norm) an I just hope this can be the same everywhere.
I miss theme parks, but the Mrs & I can sit out this year. Stay Safe 🌞
Thanks, no visits allowed, very locked down here still, feels like a lighted dynamitle ready to explode, we have also had the best weather’s here since lockdown, it’s Scotland, but been sunny since march ?? Something off, staying safe, stay safe