An honest status update...
Dear All,
This is gonna be a slightly different post than usual, since I want to give you a status update about the past few months.
As many of you may know from previous posts, my laptop was taken to a service place for maintenance and while it was supposed to be a quick fix, it turned into a month. A month without modding, the Sims and anything gaming related in general.
It shouldn’t have affected me this much, but for some reason, it really did. Ever since then I can't find my footing the same way. I don't understand why or what happened but it's like I'm stuck. My depression has also returned in full force - which I guess explains my lack of modding in some ways but not fully - and it's, well, been very hard, I'm still jobless as the country I'm living in has been going through shifts and that also adds to my growing anxiety and depression since this page is my only source of income now.
Before it all happened, I was deep diving into many big projects, including custom worlds, a tool for making said custom worlds and pushing the game to its rightful limits without breaking it.
And now... I can barely think of things to make. I've hit a wall, a creative block and the worst is, I honestly don't know how to overcome this as it has never happened before. Ever since coming back to mod the game, I've been working on stuff non-stop, wether it be Aviodora or other small mods...
I accomplished some breakthroughs last year regarding custom worlds as I got to add a new region to the map selection.
There are still a couple of issues of course (like the description not loading) but everything was going uphill... until it wasn't.
The save file I was working on that included the world of Nova Aviodora simply vanished - though it is my fault for not renaming the file - but I simply can't find it anymore, which means I have to build it up all over again from ground zero.
All being said, I would like to thank you for sticking with me these past few months. I know I wasn't as active as before but I hope to turn that around soon.
I am going to the take the next week to go through some older mods and try to find my footing again and then deep dive into old projects.
So what does that mean for the future?
I hope to release a completely standalone custom world this year that is not a simple world replacement of an existing world.
What about the near future?
In the near future, I plan to release an experimental mod-series called "Better Worlds" that will add new game objects from different packs to older worlds. The first one being the Spice Market from San Myshuno.
That includes objects from various packs like bikes, picnic blankets, dumpsters etc. And the good news? If you don't own a pack nothing will happen, the game will simply not load the missing items until you have the pack while loading everything else smoothly.
Another mod I'm planning on releasing is Wadeable Worlds and the final installment of Swimmable Worlds that includes Selvadorada.
Despite everything, I still have a lot of ideas and dreams for the future of Sims 4 modding. Right now I may feel stuck, but I’m hoping this period is only temporary and that soon I’ll be able to fully dive back into creating the kinds of projects I’ve always wanted to make.
And lastly, if you would like to support me during this rough period, consider joining one of the patreon tiers if you are able to. It genuinely helps more than I can properly express right now and gives me the time and stability to keep experimenting with bigger ideas for world modding.
I would also love to hear your smaller mod ideas and suggestions in the comments. Tiny immersion mods, rabbit holes, world additions, gameplay tweaks, objects, interactions... anything really. Right now I think reconnecting with smaller community-driven projects may help me slowly rebuild my creativity and footing again and is exactly what I'm trying to accomplish here.
Sometimes the best ideas come from the community itself and I would love to create things together with you all again like in the past.
Thank you once more for all the kindness, patience and support. I truly appreciate every single one of you. ❤️
Until next time,
NerdyDoll
Comments (13)
bonjour j'aimerai annulé mon patreon svp car mon petit fils autiste ne travaille plus pour les autre mois mais on ne me donne pas cette option peut tu svp le faire pour moi et me confirmé merci
It's ok, you're human
Hey, hope you're doing okay these days. I just want to know, will your Better Worlds mod be compatible with the next release of LunarBritney's Seasons Master Fix (https://modthesims.info/d/692031/2026-02-update-seasons-master-fix.html)? And when will you collab with 20thCenturyPlumbob to create new realistic map replacements to complement your Hidden Lots mod? His set of realistic map replacements (https://www.patreon.com/collection/82142) are something I don't want to compromise on!
shes talking about depression and your here asking when the next colllab is? read the room
I feel you on the depression (I've been there) and I wish I could support you (unfortunately I'm broke as hell atm due to some unforeseen life events). Just wanted to let you know that your mods have made my game so much better and I can't wait for Phase 5 of Swimmable Worlds to go public (please tell me it will be soon! I need Windenburg Island to be swimmable badly lol). Since you mentioned in the download post for phase 5 that files compatible with Sunblind will come later - maybe that could be a small project to work on?
I have tasted that flavor of depression before and did not like it. If inspiration will help, I have an idea that I do not possess the skills to make, but you probably do. One part of the game that makes no sense is that travel between a neighborhood and its local library usually requires the same steps as travelling from tropical islands to a snowy mountain. What if sims could travel to another neighborhood in the same world without using their phone or the map at all? For example, San Myshuno has a bridge in the Spice Market that leads to the Fashion District (also visible in the distance from Uptown). Imagine having a menu option to travel to other side of that bridge by approaching it or clicking near it, or on a street that extends beyond the playable area in another direction to visit the Arts Quarter. Getting from the Landgraab house to the Oasis Springs gym might mean taking a jog through the park or a bicycle ride the long way around through Bedrock Strait and Parched Prospect, but that would be much more realistic than using the same path that leads to all of the various other regions.
Do what's best for your well-being-- emotionally, mentally, physically, whatever. Your health and welfare are more important than modding.
Oh honey! Take your time, focus on you. You are the priority, not mods. You do what helps you. I know depression can be disabling, I fell into a deep one after my Granny passed, when I wasn'lt able to get there :( It helped to talk to a counsellor..
Please accept this little token of appreciation and support ♥
Love your mods! I hope extended version of the no hidden lots map comes soon. Love that mod
For anyone with an intellectual mindset, being without a computer for a long period can lead to sadness and melancholy, because we're used to keeping our neurons hyperactive and overstimulated, and few things engage our brains as deeply and for long, continuous sessions as checking a computer project, a program, a mod, or the like, keeping the brain totally immersed and engaged. Respect your own rhythm, don't force yourself; everything will return to normal on its own. Don't worry. Keep us updated, stay in touch even just to tell us how you are 😽😽😽
Right now, it seems, life and your depression is overwhelming enough. I honestly think maybe the big projects can wait. Think about what you loved most about modding, when you first started modding, before you learned new techniques and ways of doing things. When it was still fresh and new. Maybe go back to that for a little while and possibly that will help regain that passion without being overwhelming. Things that may be simple for you now, are not simple to the rest of us and are appreciated just as much as those big projects that tend to overwhelm us. I hope you get through this quickly but most importantly, I hope you are ok and you can find your joy again soon. Best wishes!
Can we add more options of worlds to travel to if possible please