Date Posted: 18th Nov 2012 at 1:50 PM
Views: 1222
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So sometimes we wake up at three thirty in the morning and get something really special. Something that is both a blessing and a curse. I call it 'an idea'.
Why is this thing, 'idea', a blessing and a curse?
Well when one gets an idea, they are filled with inspiration and light, and for a moment, feel a touch of divinity. It is invigorating and begins turning wheels that we sometimes thought had busted an axle. After all, great things start with an idea.
Then comes the part where reality sets in, and you realize you cannot just snap your fingers and give that idea form; translate it into the mortal realm. You are mortal again, and have to worry about mundane mortal things. Can I actually deliver this idea? Do I have the time, resources, knowledge, determination, and capability?
Well for my idea, I really only have the time. I can get the tools and other resources, if I have the space for it on my minuscule harddrive (Sims stuff take up a lot already!). Knowledge? Well that can be gleaned from trailblazers or experimentation, but in this instance, I know there are people I can go to and tutorials. Capability? Heh... well... no, I don't have that as of yet. And determination I lack in spades. I guess confidence would help too, which I also lack. Sure, I can PRETEND I have confidence when it makes me look suave and awesome, but when it comes time to really come through, I simper off into self deprecation.
WARNING! TANGENT BEGINS!
I usually use the term self-depreciate. But then people laugh at me, because I am decreasing a monetary value of myself. So I looked it up. That's what the dictionary says. BUT! Here's the prize. BUT!
I looked up the etymology of deprecation/deprecate, and found this little entry.
"An early and still the most current sense of deprecate is “to express disapproval of.” In a sense development still occasionally criticized by a few, deprecate has come to be synonymous with the similar but etymologically unrelated word depreciate in the sense “belittle”: The author modestly deprecated the importance of his work. In compounds with self-, deprecate has almost totally replaced depreciate in modern usage: Her self-deprecating account of her career both amused and charmed the audience."
(Found at Dictionary.com)
I did not actually know this, I just instinctively felt that depreciate seemed more appropriate to mean what I was trying to mean. So I just might forge ahead and use it, and let people correct me and laugh at me and make odd faces - because I know in MY mind, it makes more sense even if the modern world doesn't agree.
I may even occasionally use the really archaic meaning, as in to ward off by prayer. That's right. Next time a clown comes near, I'll make a cross with my fingers and depreciate them!
Actually... I don't actually come in contact with clowns often.
END TANGENT
That's the clincher.
I am just not someone who gets an idea and follows through, as the few people who pay attention to me have seen.
But I could not just let another idea sink into the depths of the abyss just because I'm an unmotivated and fickle person. So what is this idea? Maybe someone else already had it and acted upon it. Probably. I always seem to get ideas that have already been done without my knowledge. But hey, I think that happens to a LOT of people.
But here it is:
Asymmetry sliders for the face.
Asymmetry is what truly adds character and individuality to each person. Too much and people may look 'deformed' or 'ugly' to some. Too little, and people just look weird. Go on. Take a face-on picture of yourself, cut in in half, copy, and flip. Line 'em up. Can't? It looks weird? You don't know whose face that is any more? Yeah. Exactly.
I'm not saying Sims' faces are too symmetrical. I haven't actually tested this out to see if it holds true. But I think things could stand to be a bit less symmetrical.
I don't know how feasible my precise ideas are, but I will break them down here.
Eye size difference
range from -100 to 100. To the right, the right eye gets bigger, to the left the left eye gets bigger, at 0 they are default (the same size). One just needs to adjust the actual eye size slider to the smallest they want the other eye.
Eye height difference
Range from -100 to 100, the same mechanics as eye size difference: Right to raise the right eye, left to raise the left eye, and 0 is level.
Eyebrow height dif
Range from -100 to 100, right to raise the right eyebrow, left to raise the left eyebrow, and 0 is level.
Eyebrow Arch dif
(Was it called eyebrow arch? I can't remember, and loading my game would be a bother just to get this little detail right because I am sure you know what I am talking about.) Range from -100 to 100, right to arch the right eyebrow, left to arch the left eyebrow, and 0 is level
Crooked Nose
I haven't decided whether this will be a 0 to 255 or -100 to 100. But the idea is to somehow make the nose crooked. I hadn't explored this one in my mind quite as much.
Mouth Corner dif
Always wanted that permanent smirk? Range from -100 to 100, right to quirk up the right corner, right to quirk up the right.
Mouth Width Dif
Range -100 to 100. Right to stretch out only the right side of the mouth, left to stretch left. Is this getting repetitive yet? I think you are following my rhythm and reasoning by now.
Crooked Cheekbones
Gee, another -100 to 100. Right to raise the right cheekbone, left to raise the left.
Naturally, these increments would be slight, except for those who get those slider amplifiers to make things go off the chart.
So why isn't this in a forum somewhere? Because I'm not actually asking anyone to do this for me. I just wanted to type my thoughts on the matter somewhere relevant, and what would be more relevant than this journal?
Besides, I just might return to it one day when I have more confidence and understanding on how things work, but as of right now, I have no idea how three dimensional models work, skeleton assignments, polygon counts, or any of those fancy terms I see you informed people throw around. Heck, I don't know if these would screw up facial animations.
All I know is that it'd be neat.
And now that I have typed this out, I think I might be able to go back to sleep.... which was another reason I sat here and typed. Unless I did something, the idea would nag me and keep me awake.
So.
Sleep now.
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