Tag Archives: TSTO Designing in Downtime

DID – Flipping the Switch for Quick Remodels

Posted on July 31, 2019 by | 25 comments

In this edition of DID (Designing in Downtime) I am going to go to the vault for part of it, and then do a quick turn on easy solutions to “change things up quickly.”   Yes…this is a bit of a cop out…but I am knee deep in a major remodel, and writing time is being wedged in…like so many two-by-fours in a newly framed wall.

While looking back at some of my earliest TSTO blogging, I came across an archived story about the Candy Striped Cooling Towers, which were part of “Community Prizes” back in the day. Remember Community Prizes?

What is evident in the story, is that there were a TON of problems with the game at the time, and people were freaking out. It kind of makes me laugh to think about the types of things people whine about now. We have become an entitled bunch. But, I digress…

There are loads of items that allow you to change them up, with the “flip of a slider,” giving you a whole new look. Let’s take a look.
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Friday Filler – When In Doubt…Purloin!

Posted on June 14, 2019 by | 20 comments

In this week’s edition of DID (Designing In Downtime)  FRIDAY FILLER we are going to cover the age-old designing tool of “borrowing ideas” from others, to spark your own creativity.

OK. Why the cross-out and flip from a DID to a Filler? Because, this is timely and topical…and we GOT AN UPDATE. I truly didn’t have faith in EA (and apparently, the writers) to actually come through, even with the tease.  So…ironically…I am going to be writing about “Borrowing” while doing so from myself!

Borrowing is such a nice way of saying “stealing.”  But, I even like the word “purloined” better, because it is an amazingly obscure, and underutilized word in the English language (that mostly makes people run and look it up when used).

But, as my job here is to serve the community, I will look it up for you.

purloin
verb
pur·​loin | \ (ˌ)pər-ˈlȯin  , ˈpər-ˌlȯin\
purloined; purloining; purloins
Definition of purloin – transitive verb
: to appropriate wrongfully and often by a breach of trust

Synonyms for purloin
appropriate, boost [slang], filch, heist, hook, lift, misappropriate, nick [British slang], nip, pilfer, pinch, pocket, rip off, snitch, steal, swipe, thieve

I have to admit, that in the case of what I am going to write today, purloined may be the very best word possible to represent the content. While you have to love a good “filch” or even “filch’s” lesser cousin “pilfer”, purloin, and the whole “breach of trust” bit, just fits best.

A lot has transpired since the last DID post…and purloining seems to be the least of it.

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Posted in Design Guide, Friday Filler, Tapped Out

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DID – Using Character Tasks as Part of the Decorations- Master’s Class

Posted on June 5, 2019 by | 28 comments

In the last edition of DID (Deigning In Downtime), I mentioned a handful of my favorite rituals, some regarding characters that I wanted to keep in the same place for eternity.

There are a couple of reasons I do this.  First, I like how they look, and that they make me happy for some reason I have made up, as part of the rituals.  But, over time and function, they have become part of the decorations…the style that gives my town unique flavor.

But, a couple of these take real planning…and a bit of luck…and sometimes a lot of patience (or stubbornness…you choose).
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DID – Is Your Town Tagvenient for Your Neighbors?

Posted on May 29, 2019 by | 80 comments

This week in Designing In Downtime (DID), I want to elaborate on a couple of key points about the newly discovered joys of tagging, as well as discovering the “New in the Old of the Yearbook.”

One is pretty obvious, the other only really reveals itself when you are in the process of taking on our new pastime, “Tagging All Of Your Neighbors.”

Both are great ways to deal with “Downtime Lulliness” in TSTO, which may or may not be the “new normal” for the game. In either case, it is a great way to “keep the action lively” when you are bored.

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