It's October already? How did that happen! Our creator for the most spooky months is tool and mod maker extraordinaire, CmarNYC! Cmar has been improving our games since way back in 2009 and many simmers, especially creators have benefited from her amazing work.

1. When did you start playing The Sims Series and what attracted you to it?

I started with Sims 1, back in 2000. I liked playing a game that's not all about shooting stuff up. (Not that there's anything wrong with that.)

2. What is your favourite installment of the Sims series?

Oh man. I've liked each one a lot, but at present I'm working in Sims 4 so that's my favorite now.

3. If you could only have one expansion/stuff pack from any of the series and it would work with your preferred instalment (1,2,3 etc), what would it be?

I really loved playing TS3 University Life. I also like the pets and weather expansions, but they're already out for TS4.

4. When did you start creating for the game and what made you decide to become a creator?

I did a custom sim for TS2 way back which seems to have vanished, probably deservedly so. Then I started serious modding work in 2009 when I wanted male pregnancy morphs and found I had to not only make them myself, but figure out how myself. This led to months of frustration and finally to my first experience of deciphering and creating game data, which led to the first tool I wrote for creators to use.

5. What is your favourite thing about being a creator?

The glamor! Seriously, I worked as a programmer/analyst and always loved it, so writing tools is fun and fulfilling for me. Now that I'm retired it gives me a chance to keep doing what I love, not to mention keeping the old brain working. Seeing creators use my tools is a great extra benefit.

6. What was your first creation? Photos welcome!

My first real creation was 'Paternity clothes for your pregnant male sim' - this was my first attempt at male pregnancy, consisting of meshes shaped to look pregnant, and was soon obsolete when I got custom morphs working and was able to add the pregnancy morph to game or custom clothing.

My first tool was TS3 Morphmaker, which was pretty crude but got the job done.





7. What creation are you most proud of?

TS4 Morphmaker. It took a LOT of work on reading and especially creating DMaps, and more on understanding and using transformation matrixes, but I ended up with working DMaps and previews of morphs including bone-based.

8. What is your most/least favourite thing to create?

Most favorite: Tools, preferably ones that require figuring out something new.
Least favorite: Anything that doesn't involve anything new.

9. Are you influenced by any other creators (for The Sims or elsewhere)?

Of course! I'm influenced mainly by other toolmakers. Wes Howe and Peter and Inge Jones come to mind, but there are many others.

10. Who is your favourite Sims creator(s)?

Ironically enough I don't actually play the game or use other creator's mods and CC much, except for testing, so it's hard to say. There are so many creators doing great work, and several I've gotten ideas from and/or worked with for input and testing, and they're all my favorites.

11. What piece of CC would you recommend to anyone reading this (yours or otherwise)?

I consider the blur removers for each game to be essential, and MasterController for TS3 - but every player is different.

12. What tips do you have for up and coming creators?

Start with the simple stuff. You need to know the basics and the terminology before taking on more challenging projects. Go through some tutorials before attempting something original.
Be persistent, don't give up when you run into problems.
Ask for help if necessary, but realize that if you're trying something new it's likely no one knows how to do it and you'll have to figure it out yourself. (Or find out it can't be done.)

Quick fire:

1. Pumpkins or Turnips?

Pumpkins

2. Spiders or Bats?

Bats

3. Midnight Hollow, Moonlight Falls or Forgotten Hollow?

All of them!

4. Vampires or Werewolves?

Vampires

5. Trick or Treat?

Treat! Speaking of, where's my treat?

You can see more of the super-talented CmarNYC's work here on MTS or on her own page, Online Sims!

Let me be one of the first to say THANK YOU Cmar for the wonderful tools and creations you have made for the community over the years.

No game without your creations! Thank you for your mods and the help you gave other modders! Lovely to "meet" you

You are such an incredibly inspiring creator! It's great to meet and learn about you :lovestruc

You were my game changer in the TS3 CmarNYC !! Your mods were essential !! ( I say were because my computer crashed, and I lost all my cc for TS3- and haven't played in like 2 years, because I was so upset) - but. If i ever went back to it, your mods were essentials that I HAD to have in my game. You're such an amazing creator and have added so much to my gameplay! I cannot thank you enough! (EDIT) AND. Actually.. you are still an essential in my Sims 4 game too!! I just went and peeked at your downloads, and I completely forgot you are THE KING of altering Sims bodies with sliders, and I have them all, and could not play my game without them !!! <3

Ah, my dear friend! The years have flown by for us haven't they! I miss our bouncing ideas around and generally having fun like we used to do with our Sims 3. I hope retirement suits you and you are well. Obviously, reading your interview, your wit is still as sharp as ever! If you ever have time, PM me and let's catch up! Respect, love and hugs! ~Sean

Thanks so much, everyone! Special thanks to @Hellfrozeover for thinking of me! This makes me happy. :D



OMG Sean! It's been forever, so good to hear from you!

Thank you for adding so much to the game and for being so helpful

Thank you! That was interesting to read!

Well if it isn't CmarNYC, who has been giving back my male Sims their, well, maleness for a decade or more! And lots more besides that.

I'm really liking this feeling that there's a certain group of us who go way back, even to TS1. I find myself hoping against hope that we'll be on whatever the equivalent of this forum is in another 20 years, complaining about TS7 from what they call a "retirement home."

I have been enjoying your creations for 3 & 4 and give you my gratitude and thanks!