Yes, Steam is one of the services my husband put on both our computers. At first, it was a PITA because messages kept popping up whenever we turned the computer on, and I admit to calling my best friend and lover a few nasty names when I saw them. But it seems to be very easy to configure so that you don't even know it's there unless you need to use it.

This is even more frustrating. Why doesn't EA Games offer both options? If they want to be a pain in the butt, they can sweeten the Securom pot (Price? Goodies?) But if they really had half a brain, and they have negotiators who can make the proper arrangements, this could really work in their favor. They can "save face", yet offer us a choice. EA would be happy. We'd be happy. EA might actually see sales increase. People who really wanted these games legitimately might be less tempted to go the arrr or the "do without" route. I know that I for one would be tempted to buy BV if EA offered me those options.

Or is this too simplistic in the land of pixels?

Not all the stuff on the Exchange is bad. I actually found one item that wasn't ANYWHERE on any Sims site, but that people had requested an awful lot in WCIF threads. It was not very fancy and not very fine-tuned, but it DID exist.

Problem is, the quality control there is much,much less stringent than here or MTS2 or the Wicked Sims family sites or on many of the fine Sims sites out there. And too many creators seen their stuff on downloads credited to the uploader. The stuff isn't all bad, but boy do you have to sort through it to find the good things. And for the most part, I haven't found it to be rewarding.

The Exchange DOES have some good, easy-to-understand tutorials, though, so it isn't all bad. But the CC ... very iffy.

You could also look at many manga/comic/anime/movie storylines with the same theme to see what works and what doesn't.

Actually, when you mentioned your idea, the first thing that came to my mind was Inuyasha. I really enjoyed this series, but there were some flaws in it.  Here are some observations based on that anime and others with this theme about what worked and what didn't:

DON'T just have battle after battle. Make this girl YOUR character, as cypherathos suggested. The "fish out of water" angle is a good way to inject humor and/or drama into a story, and flesh out the character. She's thrust into a medieval-like world. What would she find abhorrent there, and what might she find appealing? Do a bit of research into this kind of culture, and then have fun with it!

DON'T just leave the story hanging at the end. Fantasy/Sci-Fi/Drama/Romance ... UGH, I find it an incredibly annoying turnoff.

BUT ... here is where I'm going to sound contradictory. If you choose not to tie up all the loose ends, throw us a bone and tie up just enough of them, leaving us with a tantalizing tidbit to mull on for the future. Although this doesn't exactly fit the teenage girl/save the world theme, I thought that the ending of Samuari Champloo was great. I won't give it away, but the author made all the right moves ... resolved it enough to satisfy the viewer, but left a door or two open just in case. And it seems like I wasn't the only one who thought so. In an anime magazine, that ending was listed among the best ones, in the editors' opinion.

DO continue, whether you get tons of readers or not. It takes a while for readers to get into a story, particularly a new storywriter's story. Don't be discouraged, and if you get the occasional boor who decides to put you down, don't listen to him or her, This story is inside you. Write it.

Good luck!

Nah, I'm not doing this as some grand form of protest. I'm not demanding that others follow my lead. If you are one of the lucky ones who didn't get anything from Securom and enjoy BV and FT, hey, that's great, though you might want to know that that may not be a given with Sims 3. I don't expect that the actions of one person is going to affect EA games one bit ... unless it's multiplied by tens of thousands, and even then, it may not achieve the desired effect. Time will tell. This old lady has seen corporations change their tune if enough people change their minds. And I've seen where corporations haven't. But I'm not about to sit meekly around and let EA Games do what it wants to my computer for a couple of lousy games. Perhaps it is a last defiant gesture.

I just don't want the crap on my computer. Period. It isn't worth it to me. I have to fend off enough junk on the Net from sneaking in and causing mischief ... I don't want to PAY to put nasty garbage on it! And it's not the end of the world if I have to wait a long time to buy another Sims game. If Seasons is the end of the line for me, that's that. Oh, well. I'll have to find another hobby.

As for what Securom does to computers, this pretty much encapsulates the problems many have had. Not everyone ... it depends on the user and the computer. But many. And I just don't want to be one of the "lucky" ones:

http://terraspore.com/forums/showthread.php?t=13510

I will not accept that Securom is the only alternative. My husband is an avid PC gamer, and I've seen the copyright protections on his games. Other companies have followed other solutions, and they don't seem to have caused nearly as much as an uproar. The problem is fixable. It's a good question whether EA Games will fix it or ignore it.

It's not always easy. Seasons is my current expansion, and I have no interest in stuff packs (too much fantastic free content, and I'd rather donate the little spare change I have toward my favorite free sites). I find that sometimes, I find myself wavering ... "Oh, it can't be that bad!" Then I read about the number of computers Securom has borked, people's problems with various bugs in BV and FT, the absolutely snotty attitude EA Games has concerning its customers, what many people have had to resort doing to play BV and FT without Securom in the first place, etc. Then it becomes easier.

And it's easier still with Sims 3. There are quite a few interesting aspects to it, but so far, the negatives outweigh the positives, and EA's stubborn refusal to compromise on Securom is a big one.

I guess that what puzzles me is that EA Games is a big corporation with lots of people involved in all aspects of its creation. If so many people have problems with Securom, do you mean to tell me that no one at EA Games can come up with any sort of solution that can appeal to both sides of the situation? None whatsoever? That's a bunch of nonsense.

So no, I'm not distraught. Annoyed, exasperated, incredulous ... yes. But not distraught.

I downloaded a great neighborhood map. I really like it ... except that the creator is new to uploading and didn't include a PNG to use on the neighborhood screen, so I have a green grid picture instead of a neighborhood picture.

I remember having a similar situation before and generating a neighborhood picture. It wasn't hard, as I remember. I just can't remember how I did this, or where I went to learn to do this. Could someone point me in the right direction? Thanks!

These look great, but when I tried to access the mesh, I got a 403 Forbidden page.

EDIT ... My bad. You can find the mesh, but you have to go to the main page and do a bit of looking. I believe the mesh is on or around Page 4 of the Teen Male clothing.

Your robes are really nice, and look great in-game, by the way! They're perfect for my anime Sims. Thank you.

Well, one thing that could happen ... and I hope it does ... is that the prices of some of the Sims 2 expansions and stuff packs may drop once Sims 2 is no longer EA's primo cash cow.

One thing that got me into Sims 2 was getting the Game Cube version of Sims 1 for a sharply-reduced price. I played that for a while before giving into the lure of Sims 2 and hearing how a PC-based Sims game is far better than a console-based one. (It was.) Soon, I saw all sorts of special packages at reduced prices for Sims 1. So maybe I SHOULD hold off on Free Time even after the quirks are ironed out simply because Free Time might actually be on sale more often next year.

And the good news ... I think ... is that I do not believe that Sims 2 custom sites should die off immediately. There are still many Sims 1 players (though admittedly, the ranks have thinned out) and even several Sims 1 sites still alive. So those of us holding off still have a little time, I hope!

Speaking of consoles, I wonder if there ARE going to be Sims 3 games for Wii and the DS? I HATED the Sims 2 for the DS (I sold my copy after playing it once!), but Sims 1 for the Game Cube was actually fun. I even bought ... blush ... The Urbz ... and had a lot of fun with that. I might go the console  route for a short time until I decide on Sims 3 for the PC. That is, if EA deems console Sims profitable enough. It's not like I'll be able to download much custom content for a while, anyway!

I'm not saying I will buy it. I'm not saying I won't. But like several others here, I WILL wait and see before plunking down my money.

My policy is to wait at least six months to a year before buying a new expansion. Certain expansions have caused a lot of trouble. It seems like sometimes, it takes a long time for EA Games to iron things out. They STILL haven't fully resolved the Suck-u-rom issue in BV, and there are still many experienced, able Sims 2 players trying to figure out how to get their custom content back in FT. I haven't bought those two expansions yet, and tempting though they are, I have no plans to until the problems involved with them are resolved. I don't see that I would act any differently with Sims 3.

I have no desire to be EA's guinea pig, thanks.

And like others here, those faces actually creep me out. I look at my faces and bodies on Sims 2 that came from the hard work of many skintone creators ... Enayla, Helaene, Marvine, BBB, Cordvidophile, JWilson, Warlokk, Louis, Navetsea, Roof Monkey, Garkman and so many others ... and see a rainbow of carefully-created shapes and faces and skin colors that don't nearly compare to the efforts I've seen in Sims 3. In time, I'm sure that SOMEONE will come up with a way to further customize those skins on Sims 3, but I think I'll hold off until I start seeing some signs of that.

And if I can't stop my Sims from aging, that is definitely a turn-off for me. I don't like to age my pixel dollies too much. I LIKE being in control of my Sims' lives, thanks. But once again, I'll see. Perhaps there is a no aging cheat on the new game, too.

I do like the option of my Sims wandering throughout town. But in a way, I don't. When my daughter and I create shopping districts, downtowns, universities, etc., they are of very different character than the main town. The University might be on a desert island. The downtown might be in a valley full of rich soil. The shopping district may have no dirt or grass at all ... just concrete. Can you make your areas that different? I will have to see.

I will be very interested on hearing the initial reports from those of you who opt to buy the game when it comes out, though, so I will probably be lurking around the Sims 3 boards. But actually buying it immediately myself? No, thanks.

Just when I think that there is no longer any mod that makes me say, "Wow! I HAVE to get this one" because it's all been done by now, innovative creators like you come out with a fantastic one like this. Thank you!

... and JUST in time for Mardi Gras! They are exquisite! It is so good to see you back, even if you can't post as often as you used to. I'm happy you're posting at all!

I'm another poster here who has a life-long condition that can wreak havoc on my body. Sometimes, I have great days and feel normal; other days, I don't even want to get out of bed. Hope you do make a much better recovery soon.

I have always been interested in the Tudors. This is exquisite! Thanks!

I like the Dale Jr. shirt with the brand-new number. Talk about being current! And it looks great in-game. Thanks!

I had downloaded it to take a peek, then intended to delete it and download the Gordon shirt. Unfortunately, the Dale Jr. fan took one look, was thoroughly impressed, and proclaimed that under no circumstances should I delete the Junior shirt. So it stays!

Oh ... I can't believe I forgot to thank you! Well ... thank you! They look great in-game.

Yes! I'm always looking for C's or D's that aren't too high on mBs. And they're all lovely. Thank you!