Historical video series coming

It's been quiet on the blog because I've been busy elsewhere, in Mazaloom kingdom to be exact. You might know that I love history and detailed backgrounds for my sims, and although I never played their first decades, I have their full family trees with the main events of their lives. This Fall I grabbed the Sims Medieval game, and I had fun playing out the assumed origin of some of my most noble Houses. And naturally, I had to make a video series based on it all :)

King Baltazar II of Mazaloom

The main royal House of the series was never really given much focus in my game. I don't play royals, only nobilities like dukedoms, baronies and a bunch lords/ladies. House de Froux was top of the bunch back in the early days, and they kept going for a couple generations, before they expired. The throne was taken over by another house and finally ditched as result of the Great Revolution, taking place in Year 118.

My Business - 03 - Photographer

Here is another short video in the "My Business" series! This time you'll meet Photographer Shariff Potterfield from Newcrest. Over the decades he portrayed more than half the population, and now you get to see his underground studio. Please note that this video does not include any Moschino pack features.

Many sims in my Region 12 has jobs or businesses that are not really in-game features, but with money cheat it's easy to pretend and transfer some earnings.

House von Kaching: It's a girl!

(Year 228, Gloomville) House von Kaching announces that yesterday a daughter was born to Lady Merielle and The Hon. Edward. Both child and mother are with good health.

The girl will be named Rosine Beatrice von Kaching, and her proud grandfather, Baron Bud of Gloom, has already been observed strolling in their garden.

Servant Call Bells

(Y228) When a finer household includes Servants, the estate will need more organizing than the regular home. The higher level of society, the more Servants and the better organized home. Still most finer estates have their original Servant Call Bells.

When bell number 2 rings, the Butler at Dresden Farm knows exactly where to go.

Back in the early days high nobility estates like castles and large manors had a system of the traditional Servants Bells. Normally there would be one to six wall mounted bells in or near the kitchen, each connected with a string to one specific location. When the Duchess was in the main living room she could push a small handle - often hidden behind a curtain, to get the Servants' attention. In the kitchen they would see what room in the house to seek, and based on their responsibility within the household, one Servant would walk over to that room.

Download - 8 Solid Color Photo Studio Backdrops

July 2022: Downloading from this blogger post no longer works, so please head over to a new page listing all my TS4  custom content. All free. DOWNLOADS

(January 2022: DOWNLOAD LINK WAS BROKEN - fixed)

I love taking photos of my sims to decorate their wall. Sometimes they create several copies, and then visit relatives to gift them one. Show me the Granny who would not appreciate a portrait of her grandchild?

But this post is all about the  photo backdrops. In the past I created 3 new versions of TS4 Photo Studio (GTW pack), with each their theme: In-game destinations, noble backgrounds and Victorian paintings. My top society often make use of the two latter. But most of my sims are actually quite regular, they need backdrops that are less complex.

The Impossible Spouse

(Year 228, Brindleton Bay) We know that the young Duke Charlopold de Cavalier dated Luna Villareal back when they both studied at University, but we also know that Charlopold's old fashioned mother, Old-Duchess Claudine never approved on their relation. The Villareals were more  known for their shady businesses than anything else, and Luna Villareal is nothing but a commoner. The future duke would need to search higher!

Well, there has been a couple years already, and now that Charlopold was crowned Duke de Cavalier, being Peer of the dukedom of Brindleton, as his elderly parents stepped back to live a quiet life at a privately owned manor near by, Charlopold might have thought that he has become the one to make his own decisions. Will it be possible to marry Luna anyway?

My Business #2 - Meet Janitor Amy Raven

Two years after the 1st episode, here is a new! Meet Amy Raven from Muggerdale in Gloomville. She worked as a Janitor for a  couple decades, a job that hardly pays well but gives her the freedom of making her own day - mostly out in the free.

Many sims in my Region 12 has jobs or businesses that are not really in-game features, but with money cheat it's easy to pretend and transfer some earnings.

Evergreen Harbor - New Direction

(Year 227, Evergreen Harbor) Here comes a delayed report from last Fall's 10 years anniversary for the green revolution that is still taking place at Evergreen Harbor. Back then the 3 maker markets were founded, some of them still in development.

Francine G. Spencer (left), The Hon. Edward von Kaching with Lady Merielle, and Paula Ching Lady Mugger.

This minor anniversary was on the calendar of the Barony of Gloom. The soon to be crowned, The Honorable Edward von Kaching and his fresh wife, Lady Merielle, spent nearly a full day in Evergreen Harbor. The pregnant Lady Merielle worried a bit for the pollution, but went on with the program. Edward's elderly aunt, Paula Ching Lady Mugger, insisted on joining them despite never officially representing the barony.

The Butler Academy

Because several houses in my Region 12 (and beyond) have live-in servants, it's time to focus a bit on their traditional education. The classic courses were designed by the National Butler Academy, and is currently offered by the Butler Academy in San Myshuno, as well as Windenburg Business School in Windenburg *.

Serving a high nobility house is actually a highly rated profession (especially by the families who had this kind of work for generations). Teens can switch to a private high school at the age of 22. The Butler Academy has status as a High School and offers several Servant studies associated with an upper class finer house; Butler, Cook, Governess, Maid and Gardener (industrial farmers/gardeners will rather study at Landgraab Science Institute). Students will choose classes like «How to Serve and be Served», Handiness, Cooking, Gardening, Gourmet cooking, Parenting. There will be additional lighter classes as Mixology, Baking and Piano as well. Students must reach minimum 2-5 skill points in their chosen classes to get their diploma. Houses that hire might have additional skill requirements.

Calendar Year 228

Year 228 is about to start in my Region 12, and the high nobility houses share headlights from their events calendar. The year is roughly planned a year in advance, making it easier for their busy network to reserve time for the upcoming celebrations, and to avoid that big events conflict. Most events are set for a season rather than a specific date, details will be shared later in formal invitations. Each district will normally host one or two major events per year, and most houses will accept only one invitation per season.

Windenburg Treasures at Historical Museum

(Y227) This weekend was the grand opening of the brand new section at Municipal Muses in Gloomville, one of Region 12's historical museums. The new addition is simply a full floor in the basement where half the area is dedicated a more or less permanent historical exhibition, and the other half will be used for changing themes.

Opening night saw a good crowd, and after a couple short speeches noble guests got a guided tour by the museum's Curator, Nancy D. Roxenfox. This prominent group included Duke Victus of Meadows, who is the Historical Museum's Patron, his teen daughter Lady Corva, and of course Duke Merlin von Windenburg with his wife, Duchess Mandy.

From left: Duke Victus (53) of Meadows with daughter Lady Corva (21). Duchess Mandy (41)
and Duke Merlin (75) von Windenburg. Nany D. Roxenfox, museum's Curator.

The first of many changing exhibitions to come is some of the old items of the dukedom von Windenburg, owned by either the Trust or by House von Heimlich. When their estate was recently renovated, a closed room was discovered in the cellar, hiding numerous long lost items.

A Man for his Ties (Free download)

July 2022: Downloading from this blogger post no longer works, so please head over to a new page listing all my TS4  custom content. All free. DOWNLOADS

(Year 228) Well, let me just say that we need more casual suit jackets, but that did not stop me from creating some more variety to one of Maxis' formal jackets as well. Because, there is a new guy in my Region 12, Fritz Mervil and he is not unfamiliar with mixing formal with the casual.

So, while this is basically about a free download, I'll also introduce you to Fritz. He has been and will be quite central in several aspects...