We had a chance to interview Evelien – a Simmer who likes to keep all of her stories, legacies and challenges recorded in a journal that she created on her own. This is a really neat idea for anyone who likes to keep track of their gameplay and write down new ideas for what they could do in the game.
Hi Evelien! Can you introduce yourself to our readers?
Sure! I’m Evelien, 34 years old and I live in the Netherlands. I have played The Sims since the very first version when I was a teenager. I don’t remember much, only that my mother would ask me if I would stop burning people because she couldn’t stand their screaming.
What inspired you to create a Sims journal?
I like journaling and keeping track of things in general, and in the Sims there’s so much to keep track of. It helps me enjoy the game more. I used to get bored easily because I’d start the same type of family every time, with the same traits, the same aspirations and the same careers over and over again. I wasn’t enjoying all of the possibilities of the game at all and I got bored quickly every time, only to start a new family and do the very same thing again. I decided to challenge myself to fulfill all careers up to the 10th level within one family. I later added aspirations and traits.
How long did it take you to create your journal?
Oooh, good question. It’s hard to say because I worked on it for about a week, a couple of hours per day while also playing the Sims 4.
Do you get any type of personal satisfaction when filling out your journal?
You may not be able to tell from the pictures, but I can be very chaotic and disorganized. This is why I like creating these trackers and spreads that make me feel like I can overlook everything and see what I still need to do at a glance. It can also be very satisfying to check off something you’ve done or accomplished.
How many Sims have you included in your journal so far? Can you tell us a little more about them?
I have a family of seven right now, the James family. I started with Christopher James and he had five children with a townie’s daughter, Chantel Bjergsen. I didn’t intend to have so many in my first generation haha, but the third baby became triplets. It’s going to be difficult, but I’m going to try and give all of them different jobs for my challenge, while going to work with the oldest, since Willow is aspiring to be a doctor when she grows up to be a young adult.
Do you plan to expand your journal in the future?
Yes, I do. I am planning to think of more challenges for myself in the future, big and small, to fully experience everything the game has to offer and get out of my comfort zone. I got a journal with over 300 pages on purpose, so I have my work cut out for me! I also will keep expanding the family tree and bio pages as the James legacy grows. Plus, I’m always open to new ideas and I already met a few other Sims journalers through my post, so I created a Facebook group called Sims Journalers where we can meet and exchange ideas. The attention my journal got is overwhelming. The best thing I got out of this, is the realization that I am not crazy. Other people do this. I am not the only one. 🙂
