Okay, so... I seem to have a lack of significant (read: someone whose death is likely to actually be addressed) deaths throughout the 1180s. However, I do have a lot of previously major-ish characters that I'll admit to not having any future plans for at this point (no major fan favourites, promise! I already swore that Florian would outlive the series), and it would be both strange and a strain on my demographics if I didn't let at least a few of these characters go, so I was thinking that I'd maybe swap some of their lifespans with those of people we're not likely to ever see--mainly for the purposes of keeping the population in check (for example, I'm more likely to rig pregnancies for people we actually see, so if they're gone earlier, fewer babies), but also for plot type stuff.
Yes, plot type stuff. At this point, the rest of the 1180s will mainly revolve around two major storylines: the founding of the university, and... the storyline that starts with tonight's post, actually. I do have plans for secondary storylines throughout the decade and beyond (the Torgleid kids and their residual magic, the mysterious project Xeta roped Vera and maybe a few more ladies into, what's up with Vera's weird death-sensing powers [could also be helped by some more deaths], just why the fuck Elarys cares so much about Naroni, something involving a currently-in-Dovia niece of Garrett and Valira, etc.), but I could use more "stand-alone" type posts, and maybe a shorter arcs to fill in the timeline gaps, and I find that deaths tend to be good for those.
So... thoughts? I don't want to make Naroni a total bloodbath or anything, but it is ultimately the story of a population, and a major part of populations is that sometimes, individuals have to go.
Sometimes, you've just got to crack a few eggs.
ReplyDelete*throws karma at Jadin's mustache*
I love that Jadin's mustache is apparently a separate entity. :)
DeletePopulation control is a good thing, both in Sims and in real life.
ReplyDeleteAmen to that, though clearly different methods are required in each case! Kill off Sims. Provide real people with information about family planning.
DeleteI think it's a good idea. Death is a strangely flexible topic for plot purposes. Not a lot of build-up is necessary, it can be awesome or ordinary, and with your gigantic population, it doesn't have to be a world-shattering event.
ReplyDeleteMy very first thought about this was of Geneva. Extraordinary circumstances aside, her death did her more justice than a longer life in the background of the story. Had her death been ordinary, it would still have been an occasion to appreciate Geneva for her flaws and strengths.
More recently, we've had a couple of really gutting deaths, but there will be satisfaction in seeing what comes out of the ashes in the form of little Viridis. We might say goodbye to some people we'll miss, but we'll say hello to their legacies and remember the good times. (Or throw a party if we hated their royal guts.)
Yeah, that's more or less my stance on death too, at least in a story like Naroni where the main plot is really the passage of time and everyone has to die at some point.
DeleteGood point about Geneva! She kind of had a Dying Moment of Awesome, and I do think it meant more than if she'd just continued doing her thing in the background, popping up on occasion for various reasons.
It should be interesting watching Viridis grow up, surrounded by grandparents and aunts and uncles and Morgan; she'll make for an interesting study of nature versus nurture in how much or how little she takes after either of her parents. I'm sure she'll do them both justice, even if she's nothing like either of them.
Hmmm, I wonder whose royal guts you hate so much... ;)
... Does this mean Ietrin survives to the 1190s? *pouts* Now I know how you feel whenever another post comes and goes and Mordred isn't dead yet ...
ReplyDeleteHowever, I agree with your premise -- swapping out some lifespans could be very helpful for your game and for your story. Hey, you can always quickly repurpose the soon-to-be deceased Sims into monks and nuns for the university!
I've already done it myself. (Not with anybody who's died yet. Just on paper.) Admittedly that was more for genetic reasons, but ... sometimes, you gotta do what you gotta do.
No word on when Ietrin dies just yet! But yeah, I can't imagine anyone will miss him.
DeleteThanks! The monks and nuns will all be repurposed Sims; I figure since they won't be breeding, there won't be any suspicious-looking offspring. ;)
Genetic reasons? Yep, I've killed Sims for genetic reasons too. That's why Thetis's first son ended up dying so young (that and it was convenient to the plot). Now I'm wondering which of your Sims may have sub-par genes. Generally speaking, your Sims seem to breed quite well...