The Beginning of Samsara Isles

**If you haven’t read the special feature posting Samsara Isles, you will want to read that first.  Click here

Many people are wondering why the switch from the Isle of the Midnight Sun world to this beautifully made custom island just for me.  The decision came after many many factors and took way longer than it should have, greatly wearing down my patience and love for this family.

Before I begin, I want to be clear that my explanation is not with the intention of speaking badly about the creator of the MSC world or the world itself.  It’s a cute little world, but if you know me, I must fiddle and as such the world just wouldn’t work for me.  This is my experience only, in trying to make this world work for my story.

In case you are not familiar with the Isle of the Midnight Sun Island, there are two versions: one which is just an island and one that is a “pimple” piece of land with a boat platform off a dock.  I chose the latter to work with hoping that I was doubling my square footage to work with.  However, I did not understand just how small the piece of land was.

Four steps in any direction had Ian in water.  Plus most of the island was covered in brambles.  Easy fix-delete the brambles.  But, asking Ian to walk to certain sides of the island had him changing his clothes and swimming around the island.

The platform was pretty small, so I replaced it with the largest one and built this boat, which Maya gave them both as a gift for re starting their life together.

The boat itself was just what I wanted but I was having routing issues going back and forth between the boat and the land.  Then,  Jin grew up and got a puppy named Sophie.  Well, a boy needs a place to play with his dog…right?  So I plunked down a bigger piece of land.  I loved that island!

The lot was 64 X 64 and made up the whole island.  So at this point I have the boat and the island, but I was still have routing issues going back and forth between each.  I made the decision to let the boat go.  Sun says goodbye to the boat in Gen 2 Chapter 18 A New Beginning, when the boat is repossessed by the bank.

Sun lived in the barn for four seasons on the second floor and I never seemed to have any issues.  I was happy with my decision to let the boat go.

Jin came back to the island and with his handy skills, built them a home using the existing barn.  All of a sudden, I’m experiencing routing issues like you wouldn’t believe.  I went through the build meticulously trying to find any reason why things had gone astray and didn’t find anything.  I can’t even begin to list all the things I tried to fix the issues. Basically, if you are thinking it, I tried it.  I placed that lot all over the small world, but no matter where I put it, same routing issues.  However, considering the routing issues I was having with the original world, I was not surprised, just really disappointed.  I elicited help from other builders and more experienced players than myself.  No one could figure it out.
Some of the routing issues I was having:

1.  Jade could not be put down in the house on the main floor.
2. Sophie could not be played with or cared for on the main floor.
3. Interactions between, adults couldn’t occur inside the house on the main floor.

Other issues with the world:

1. Every morning 3 horses would spawn on the lot and cause the game to start glitching.
2. Tourists would show up all day.
3. Sims would spawn in the water.
4. Animals would spawn in the water.
5. Plants were found floating in the air almost every time I started up the game to play.

This is just a short list of the issues I was having.  Register fixed some of the issues, thank fully.  Jade couldn’t be fed on the main floor, she couldn’t be played with on the main floor.  Any kind of interaction meant walking all the way out of the barn house to the grassy area by the pond.  It was hugely frustrating, especially during the winter season.

I’ve also been asked why a hurricane?  Well the hurricane idea first came from a game glitch (I think) when I just happen to glimpse those large waves in the distance.  I’ve been playing this world for two years now and I have never seen that.  Add that to my fraying nerves over the issues with the world with personal issues and I knew I needed to make a change.  The reason for the Bells to abandon the island had to be fairly substantial. Hurricane sprang to my mind.  It wasn’t a far leap with the recent hurricane still on everyone’s mind.

I’m incredibly blessed to have such a lovely lady like Deb to call as a friend.  She took real heart to my obvious distress over my life situation that was greatly weighing me down and overwhelming me at every turn.  Knowing the game was a part of that stress, she surprised me with this wonderful gift of Samsara Isles to help me keep the story going.  I also want to mention, at the same time my close friend SweetPoyzin wanted to surprise me with a new house she was building for the Bells as a birthday surprise.  (Nov 22) After four days of conversations between Deb and I, then Sweet and I, it became very clear I wasn’t going to be able to plunk down a fully built house/lot on the new island.  But I want to say huge thanX to her as well, for she was also trying to ease my burden.  I only wish I could have used her house, as her builds are just awesome!  You can see them here and here.   Lastly, but not at all least, to my dear friend Kymber who listens while I work all things out in my mind, offers support and advice, then takes on the task of editing my chapters to rid them of all things Yoda.

I won’t be showing you any more pictures of Samsara Isles, as Deb is still fussing with the island, sending me new improved world files to install every few days.  (creators are never done fussing)  Now with that said, after Saturday’s post, there will be two special posts coming and then I am taking a break till the new year.  I really need to get on top of everything going on in my life and as such, the story will need to take a rest for a while. But don’t worry, I will be back with more chapters and hopefully enticing story lines to keep you coming back. AND, I will keep playing during that time, so the story won’t go dormant in my mind either.

Just one more thing:  All new chapters will be found under the Samsara Isles tab, (starting with this post) which is found under the Chapters tab on the main page.  Yes I am doing generation two over, to give Jade a story as well.  Sorry about that but I really want Jade to carry on the story.  It will be short I promise.

To all my friends, I’ve been showered with blessings just for knowing each and every one of you!

“If instead of a gem, or even a flower, we should cast the gift of a loving thought into the heart of a friend, that would be giving as the angels give.” ~George MacDonald