(Updated 7/8/24)

I figured, as a resource for everyone else, I’d provide a list on links to the different mods I use when playing ESO. I also use any Libs needed for the listed mods, but I am not going to list each and every one. Additionally, I use the mod manager “Minion” to keep them updated for me. The “MUST HAVE” mods I list in bold font.

• Awesome Guild Store
• Character Knowledge
• Clock – Tamriel Standard Time
• Collectibles Tracker (Formerly Event collectibles)
• Combat Metrics
• Craftstore
• DecoTrack
• Destinations
• Display Leads
• Dolgubon’s Lazy Writ Crafter
• ESO-Skillfactory.com Build Export
• Essential Housing Tools
• Event Tracker
• FCO Item Saver
• Furniture Catalogue
• Harven’s Improved Skills Window
• Harvest Map
• Housing Hub
• Info Panel
• Item Set Browser
• Journal Quest Log
• Leo’s Altholic (use with care, it does trigger some errors)
• Loot Log
• Lorebooks
• Lost Treasure
• Map Coordinates
• Map Pins
• Master Writ Inventory Marker
• Potion Maker
• Quest Map
• Raid Notifier
• Rare Fish Tracker
• Ravalox’ Quest Tracker
• Research Assistant
• Scuttlebuddy
• Skyshards
• Tamriel Trade Center
• Thief Tools
• Urich’s Skill Point Finder
• Votan’s Achievements Overview
• Votan’s Fish Filet
• Votan’s Fisherman
• Votan’s Improved Locations
• Votan’s Improved Quests
• WritWorthy

Sims 3 is another high point of the Sims Franchise for me. It was when I really started discovering and playing challenges, and – once I found out about challenges – it completely changed the way I played the game. It also marks the beginning of my Blogging “career.” This blog was actually established during the Sims 3 era, and if you’re looking hard enough, some of my old stories from back then (the ones I actually published) are still linked into this site (under retired or completed stories). It also marked the beginning of my love/hate affair with game modifications. I literally could not play Sims 3 without mods. To me, the game was unplayable without it – so while waiting for a mod to update or be fixed, I couldn’t play the game. (Which plays a huge part of my lack of mods and CC in Sims 4 – I just don’t want to come to a point that I cannot play the game without a mod). The game is still installed on my computer, and I *could* play it.. I just don’t. The memories of all the games lost to corrupted files, the long load times from back then, and all the bugs… *shiver*.. just don’t make me want to go back. Maybe someday.

When Sims 2 came out, I was more than ready for it. I ditched Sims 1 without barely a look back, and was immediately in love with Sims 2. Someday, I want to get it re-installed on my computer, and mess around with my favorite town, Strangetown, some more. I wasn’t really into building back then, nor did I make my own characters very often, but man did the storylines behind Strangetown and Pleasantville pulled me in and I spent so much time playing the sims that came with those towns. I still have all of the original discs from all of the expansions for Sims 2 (and somehow I missed getting the Ultimate Edition).. so I’d need to literally get those discs to work on my PC to re-install it. Last time I tried, I ran into some disc errors, and lost my patience, so I never finished it… hence why this game is NOT on the list of games I will be playing this year. It did still need to be mentioned, though.

There’s enough Sims games in my list – which is why I’m not including this even in the one-shot played honorable mention games. However, this game deserves recognition because it was the start of an era for me. Back then, I did a lot of building. Some gameplay, to be sure, but a lot of it was building. I wasn’t very good at it, mind you… but I tried. I didn’t use mods (never even considered the possibility) , didn’t know anything about challenges… and just generally enjoyed the game.

This isn’t included in the main “played” list for good reason. Clearly, it’s my favorite game of all time. I took the “bait” when it came out, and I’ll be completely honest, I have never looked back.

When asked what my favorite expansion is, I am hard-pressed to pick one, simply because I can find something redeeming in each and every one of them. I do own all packs, including all the kits – and for the most part, they have been bought on release day at full price. So, calling me a Sims 4 addict might be an understatement.

Just spent some time editing the main home page and the menus to reflect what I’ve currently working on. In the next day or two, I should have another page for the castaway shores challenge up (finishing catching it up) as well as possibly another Falcon Apacalypse page (it’s already caught up, so that means more play time!) As for Spectres, I haven’t been able to get it working yet, so I’m holding off on updating it until I figure out if I can get it working again. I do have several more play days journaled that aren’t in the blog yet, so I could post them… I just haven’t yet.

Oh, yes.. it’s coming. And am I ever excited about it. It has completely revitalized my Sims addiction, and I’ve been closely following it’s developments. (Mostly via SimsVip) I know a lot of people have been very polarized about it, many people are saying they’re not going to switch, they don’t like the changes, they don’t like the things that have been cut from the game.. etc etc. However, being the computer/game geek that I am, I have a bit of a unique perspective on those things. I know that changes are often good for a game series. Historically, the Sims base games have always been very bare-bones. In fact, it took me a rather long time to switch from Sims 2 to 3 just because I was waiting for more features to be added. In some ways, I regret missing the early days of 3.. but in others, it worked out. Every time Sims gets updated, there are things I have missed from the previous incarnations, but on the whole, the changes each time they upgrade the game have been extremely positive. So.. I’m ALL for this new iteration of the series. I know pools and toddlers aren’t in the base game.. and there’s no work or school lots.. and there’s going to be more loading screens with a less open world. Although I am disappointed with these (mostly about the toddlers and lack of work lots), I am very interested to see where it’s going. The new Create A Sim features and abilities look amazing.. and the Build Mode upgrades… WOW! – look amazing. I can’t WAIT to build houses with these new tools! The graphics look great, and I am SO very happy about the changes they’re making to build mode. There is absolutely NO WAY that I will not be getting Sims 4 and playing it! That being said, I have no plans to be completely switching from Sims 3 to 4 initially… as I already mentioned, the base game is usually pretty vanilla.. and I really like having lots and lots of options available during play, so I won’t be doing a final switch to 4 until more expansions are out. Which means I will still have plenty of time to play (and hopefully finish) my challenges in Sims 3 before I make an ultimate switch to 4. (Which is good news for anyone who likes the stories – including me!)

Some History

Sims 1

Yes, I started playing Sims way back with the first one… and I was hooked nearly right away. I still have the whole game, including all expansions, installed on my computer.. and I even occasionally load it up and play a bit! 🙂 Most of the time back then, my time was spent building houses and neighborhoods, but I did play with the simmies quite a bit too. I have lots of fond memories of the first game, and my addiction to the series has only grown since then!

Things I miss:

• Magic Town!!!!  Man, that place was the very best. The magic system really was quite a challenge! There was so very much flavor involved with the town, and having a completely separate “MagiCoins” currency was a fun idea. This is what I usually go back to Sims 1 to play – just to mess around. I loved the baby daffodil-munching dragons, and all the work involved in getting spell reagents… and the HUGE amount of work needed to actually purchase a Magic Town home.
• Superstar. Cliche, but I really liked it. The way you did the different careers were really interesting, in my opinion, and it completely over-rode my dislike of everything celebrity and “fashionable” in today’s culture.
• Pet Shows. Seriously, those were fun. The Unleashed pack really did add quite a lot to the game, and all the different things you could do with the little furry creatures was a lot of fun.
• Bella Goth. (Enough said.. lol)

Things I DON’T miss:

• Kids never aging up. This annoyed me no end. Really, I utterly hated the never-ending or progressing way the game handled.
• The graphics. Boy, does that game look dated now! 🙂

Sims 2

I was all-in on this game right away. I bought it right after it came out, and I really never looked back (except for the occasional re-visit to magic town).

Things I miss:

• Open For Business expansion – there were so many things you could do with this, and it was ALWAYS a big challenge. I thought it really stepped up the difficulty factor, as well as just being plain fun to actually own the city’s stores and lots and stuff.
• Strangetown – enough said. I think I actually ended up playing here more than Pleasantville. For some reason, I was never able to get into Veronaville or the other towns.
• Apartments – again, ’nuff said. It made building ye olde trailer park so much easier, and moving out sims SO much cheaper.
• Sims 2 aging – other sims not aging when I’m playing one family. Sims 3 is so much harder to keep tabs on what is happening in the rest of the town..
• More alien babies!
• The University system was so much better in Sims 2. Having to go multiple times in 3 is annoying (although getting multiple degrees is nice)
• Freetime Hobby system and clubs – those were fun, and being able to skill up in them was so much better than the way sims 3 does toy making and such.
• Sims being able to have different types of sickness and die from them. (Kill the sims and collect different ghosts was SO much fun in 2! – not so much fun in sims 3, playable ghosts make weird noises and move SO slowly!)

Things I DON’T miss:

• The weird good/bad/nuetral witch thing. It was so hard to switch between, and the constant glowy-ness always bugged me to no end.
• Trying to find the count or countess to turn into a vampire. It always took forever!!
• Sims 2 aging – just to be wishy washy.. in some ways I don’t miss having to play all the families in a rotation, it’s nice to have the rest of the town just keep rolling on.
• The “chemistry” system… it just never made sense in the coding as to which sim would like which. At it’s heart, it was nice to have attractions to other sims.. but, jeez.. be consistent!
• Not being able to control the pets.

Sims 3

It took me a really long time to switch to Sims 3. Partially because of budget, and partially because I really liked Sims 2, and wasn’t ready to switch to a game with less options and freedom. However, once I switched, I never looked back. There are simply so very many things to do in 3!

Things I love:

• Controlling the pets
• The very open world
• Being able to control what sims do at work
• Profession jobs and self-employment!
• Horses!! (and minor pets) – you can practically make a zoo now! (and yay! unicorns!)
• Supernatural’s ability to make starting sims be .. well, supernatural. (although I hate that not all of the supernaturals can be gotten this way, ie aliens, mermaids, plantsims, imaginary friends
• Gnome collecting! (although why is it so tough?!)
• World Adventures travelling and Tomb-hunting.
• Scuba Diving and boats.
• SO many different career choices!
• The immense variety of being supernatural – every type of sim is very different!
• Lots of different skills to work on!

Things I DON’T love:

• Into The Future and the early expansions having no achievements.
• Lag. Nuff said.
• Load times. Again, enough said.
• Glitches, crashing, and bugs.
• SimPort is great… when it works. But it doesn’t work very often.
• Being able to play as a ghost and bring sims back is great, but WHY do ghosts move like snails?!?!
• Not being able to make the “cultural” or “hidden” traits be given to new sims.
• Sim routing at buildings – it makes for pile-ups at the school and university classes.
• Many of the skills are not integrated very well into careers.

Bloopers, Glitches, Cute and Funny Screenshots

We’ve all had them. Those moments where something happens in your sims game that you just have to break out in laughter. Whether it’s a really funny glitch, or just something random that is really funny. Going through my screenshots and memories, I found quite a few pictures of moments like these, and thought it would be great fun to collect all of them in a post, adding to it as more of them happen. With each of them, I’ll add a little description of what’s going on, or how it happened. Anyway, there’s really very little introductions needed for these, so.. browse and Enjoy! Everyone can always use a good chuckle! (Some of these are actually a series of pictures, but that only makes them better.)

Updated Last: 2/10/2017

Before I do anything else, I figure I ought to introduce myself.  I’m currently 39, and a married mother of one.  I had 9 years as a single mother before finding the right dad and partner for my daughter, and I don’t regret a minute of it.  I tend to have a rather odd sense of humor, as anyone who knows me would attest to – probably rather vigorously.  I come by it mostly honestly – my dad’s family has a wacky brand of humor that is well-known and lamented throughout the family.  The last major family reunion I attended, one of my cousins decided to set up a “talent show” that seemed to rather quickly devolve into silly blonde jokes – most of which were only laughed at by the “born” family members – not the in-laws.  It’s quickly become a family joke about the “Family humor” – at reunions, the family tends to gravitate together in usually-laughing groups, while in-laws congregate in another area.  My mom’s family humor was of a more dry, sarcastic bent..  so my sense of humor became rather warped between the two.  🙂

As I already mentioned, I have one daughter – who is now 17 years old, and I love her dearly.  She’s as silly and opinionated and geeky as me, and proud of it.  She likes horses and pirates and vampires and gaming and reading and art.. much like me.  She’s into all sorts of things… Art is a really big part of her life, and something she plans to stick with. She’s also very much a gamer like me and my hubby.  Being a gaming-type family, we have Xbox360, Playstation4 (and 3 and 2.. and 1), PSP, PSPVita, Nintendo DS, GameCube – heck I even have an old Intellivision game console – that works (not plugged in tho) around here somewhere.  So there’s always plenty of games to choose from.

Let’s see .. life history.  As I mentioned on the home page for this blog, I spent a good portion of my youth writing – and had some rather extensive training into it.  I at one point (ok, probably more like many points) wanted to be a writer for a life career – and that may still come about one day… but I always got pulled back towards my first love – horses.  I started riding at the age of three and a half and rode on a mostly daily basis from then until the time I was 19.. (at which point, life choices sent me far from home into the wilds of attempting to grow up – and couldn’t afford horses then.)  I got back into them a few years later, buying a wonderful horse for myself, and a pony for my daughter (really, miniature horse, she was four .. hehe).  I have since sold the horse – the prices to keep them simply skyrocketed in this area and I couldn’t afford her anymore.  There was also a secondary – probably more primary – issue of the fact that she was simply more horse than I was able to comfortably handle – and fear was becoming an issue.  To allow us to become better partners, I needed to be able to put more money into some professional training/help for the two of us, and I simply couldn’t afford it.  I always planned to get another, calmer, horse, but it simply hasn’t happened.  Not long after selling her, I ended up meeting my husband, and I became far too busy with family life to even have the time to work with horses .. but eventually.. it would be nice to get back into them… I just don’t see it happening any time soon.

Our current family pet is a Beagle/Terrier mix named Cassie that we got from a local no-kill shelter. We’ve had her since the middle of fall after our last dog, Balto, died from cancer. He’s missed terribly, even though we have another cute pooch. Cassie is usually pretty chilled out, and very quiet.. but she loves dinner and playtime (although I think dinner holds the top position in her life). Also recently, our cat Missy crossed the rainbow bridge as well (also due to cancer, unfortunately).

Well, enough babbling.  I may eventually think of more about me to post .. but this will do as an introduction.  *chuckle* .. probably more than most people want to know already!

Hello, and welcome!  You’ve found my sims blog.  I’m known as IllusoryThrall on Sims 3/4 Forums, the gallery, Origin, Twitch, and on Twitter; and Wyldhawke on modthesims.com and boolprop.  Please send me a friend request on any or all of those! 

Over the years, this blog has grown, and it is no longer just used for my Sims challenge attempts and stories, but also the headquarters for info on my streaming on Twitch, and a safe place to keep the challenge rule sets I have either updated or written for Sims 4. To that end, in January 2022 I relaunched this site with a new theme and an entirely new menu structure to attempt to make it easier to find things. Below, you will find snippets of the sections this site contains and links to find out more about them.

Now, in October 2023, my site is again metamorphizing. I am moving to a new webhost, which will allow lots of fun upgrades to the site that I’ve been wanting to implement, but been unable to implement based on where my site was hosted. That being said, this upgrade is thanks to the generosity of a friend’s donation, and it is much appreciated. In conjunction with migrating and re-launching my website, I will also be adding the afore-mentioned upgrades, and a way to donate towards the cost of my website in the future, should you, also, be so inclined. There are a lot more things planned for this Sims 4 website, so stick around! All that being said, feel free to explore, there’s plenty of interesting things here to find!