whitewaterwood, just curiously, how do you pronounce Theodora's name? I ask because I think I would say it the same way Aunt Madim is Maybe a slightly more 'oh' than 'ah' sound but otherwise.

So, I promise I DID post Chapter 2 shortly after the round closed. I just forgot to link it. If you had wanted to read, here is chapter 2. Also, my chapter 3 is also up now. Enjoy.

I WASSSS planning to go to bed now..... but ..... :P

Bad news again: I thought I'd fixed that problem because I didn't have any more BSoDs for a while but it's come back with a vengence D: We're pretty sure my RAM is dying so I have to stop using that computer until we can get it fixed so I don't kill the computer entirely :'( Unless we some how manage to magically get it fixed this week I'm not gonna be able to take pics. I could possibly continue writing but I only have notepad on this notebook and writing on that would drive me nuts. If anybody knows of a word type program that's a)safe to DL, b)not taxing on the computer (the notebook is just a shitty little thing that just about manages having the internet open) and c) has better layout/a few more functions than notepad then I could give it a try. Otherwise I think I have to withdraw

Out of a possible 300: Bonuses have been added in so perfect scores would be 330/300

Shhh: 0
ReyaD: 288
waterjay: 282
blackivy: 284
Myshia: 0
LadyAwesome: 301
Tamlyn: 319
Elexis: 309
whitewaterwood: 259
Morphead: 0
missroxor: 304
Buckley:


















Scores updated on first post as well.

Aww no. I know how you feel - its awful when the PC just lets you down. I will have a look round for something Wordlike for you.

ETA : http://www.abisource.com/tour/

Omg I can't beleive I got that score!! I did the story like in such a hurry! Oo I expected much less!! Well guess I'm loved *.* kidding kidding =D

Aww only two judge comments? I take it the judges are a bit pressed for time?

I hope we don't lose any more people; the stories are at the exciting parts now! (And I'm still majorly jealous of the picture taking skills shown here - I wouldn't even know where to begin for half of that posing.)

.... most of mine are not posing, until I got to the vampire shots.

I have lost inspiration though. I have no idea what direction to take in this next chapter....

None of mine are posing. I just have a good memory for useless stuff like what interaction will have what posing xD.

That said I will most likely be bowing out for the rest of the competition. I know what I want to do for the next two rounds but I've just lost steam. I see no point in continuing.

Aw noooo...don't everybody give up now! :'( Only two rounds left to go!

Thanks Lee for the link, I was also told about open office but I happened to check your link first and it appears to tick all the boxes I've been out all day so not had the chance to check it out but I did DL it. Just gotta decide wtf I'm gonna do now and how I'm gonna start tying up all my millions of loose ends D:

As a rough guide how many points do I stand to lose from not having any photos at all (bearing in mind the bonus round doesn't require photos specifically this round)? ...and is it worth adding a description of what I would've done if I'd been able to take pics the same way Morph did?

It depends on the judge. I generally take off some points in the Rules sections [since in-game shots are essentially what makes it a TS2/TS3 story] and you would get 10 points off in the picture category since, ya' know, there won't be any. The Props/Staging category wouldn't get any points for the same reason...
If you look at Morph's scores from Round 2 with the new scoring template; you can get a general idea. I had to look back to see what I gave since my memory is horrid.
>>Rough running total would be 20 + however many points in the Rules section.<<

I hope this doesn't turn you away from finishing your story though, because I want to see how it ends. That extends to Cece. Only two more rounds guys!

Most of the contestants can already guess who will be the winner, because they are behind with very big difference of points, which isn't possible to receive in 2 rounds.
Some of them just don't feel the spirit of the competition anymore, which should make it fun and interesting to continue. It never was easy to create, no matter what is it: the story, CC, or other forms of art; so it may not look worthy all that time they spend to do this.
Like someone else said here before, less different results from the start could leave the intrigue till the end of the contest, even when there's a clear leader.
I believe even more people will leave this contest after this round, and I can't blame them, nobody likes to watch an interesting movie when they know how it will ends, it spoils all the fun.
Hope that this won't happen.

CECE! YOU WILL NOT QUIT.

Also we are doing this for FUN are we not? I may be at loss for things to write now, but I will not quit. I am not a quitter and never will be. and that in itself is what I believe as being a winner....

WHO CARES WHO WINS...... you all are creating amazing stories for everyone on MTS to enjoy. and yes everyone of our stories have bought something different to the mix. and finishing half way and quitting for reasons other then your dieing sick or too busy at school..... that there is being a looser. The rules state that if you can't stick at it don't join.

Also I want to know what happens at the end lol.

I love all you guys, it has been a hard competition, but fun all at the same time. I love you all,

I'm glad that you have such enthusiasm in you, I envy that.
But winning to me has a different meaning. To keep things the way you want them to be and stay yourself - now that's what I understand as "win". Even if you don't actually win. The reason why I continued my story is that I chose to tell it "my way", no matter is it good or bad, as it's very important to me.

Well said that girl I wasn't sure I'd make it this far since I've never joined a contest that involved more intellectual creativity than visual creativity. I’ve found it really hard going at times but I actually feel more in competition with myself than with any of you, lol. It’s a challenge to keep the continuity and still try to keep it interesting but it feels awesome when I finally manage to come up with something at the end of the round (just!).

I know it can be disheartening if you point watch but I also know from experience how disheartening it can be as a host to see contestants drop like flies or as a judge to feel like you put in a lot of effort on judging entries only to feel like it’s gone to waste so I really hope for all of our sakes we all get a big boost of inspiration and enthusiasm Good luck with this round!

By posing I do actually mean ingame shots too - I'm just not that familiar with them, so I don't know that there's a perfect moment if a Sim, I don't know, dances and it looks like they're strangling someone. Or something.

..... just so we are all clear...... My comment is not ment to be as bitchy as it sound..... It is just my opinion and nothing more then that.

I had just felt like my first comment triggered a whole lot of stuff, that lead to that....

Sorry.

I don't understand - why is there no point? I know that this is a TOUGH contest (I am so glad I only have to judge - it would have taken over my life I think) but we can ask heaven (the moderator not the place) for advice on timescales.

Ugh actually I really dont know how to proceed... as most of you said, my muse faded away... Though it's nice to know that without having english as mother language I participated in this. I consider myself as a winner for having the COURAGE to compete against amazing guys like you =) I wish my story turned out better, but you always learn in life and this will surely improve my english! Thank you

Sorry, sorry! Heaven was a bad girl yesterday and didn't work out so wasn't on the computer. Am here now and will be in chat in a few for anyone that has any questions, etc. I DO want to say that I am proud of you ALL. You've each done an amazing job and, even has just a host/EJ, I have enjoyed reading each of the stories to see what happens next and where they each go. I KNOW this isn't an easy contest and takes a lot of work. I'm extremely happy my chapters aren't being judged. I do hope each of you can find the spirit and inspiration to continue. I don't know what I will do if I don't know what happens!!!

Weeee...good news! Well,...potentially good news at least. We took the computer to the shop today expecting not to be able to pick it up 'till the end of the month (because of time to order parts and that being when pay day is) but the guy reckons as long as there's no unexpected issues he can have it back to us tomorrow with shiny new upgraded, good quality RAM Took some work convincing hubby to dip into the emergency fund but in my books no sims for two weeks is an emergency!! Gah, now I have to hurry up and figure out where my story's going so I have time to build sets and take pics! D: *crosses fingers for tomorrow*

YAY for Miss. I should really read up on these stories untill I find my mojo.

I've been really busy all week, and I don't think I'll be able to get it finished either. For this, it was really a matter of time. Every round took an extremely large amount of time to do, and now I'm burned out. I think everyone else feels the same. Making sets, stories, and sims in that small amount of time.... More and more people have been barely making the deadline. For me, at least, more time for each round would fix it. Not one or two more days, but something like a week more per round. I really want to finish this story, but when you're spending most of your time rushing through it, it stops being fun.

If it would help, I could get some of my friends together and for each person who finishes (not wins) we could make take a sims request. (Or, if they can't, I could do it on my own, though it would mean waiting a bit) I have both sims2 and sims3 and if they wouldn't mind waiting, I think it would be lots of fun to give something back to all of you for all your hard work! :D

aww, www, that sucks We're so close to the end it's a shame to see all your work so far go to waste.

Well just to confirm, I finally fixed all my computer problems and I am still in, just got 5 more pics to take and some minor editing. Now that I've decided on how my story is going I'm actually more excited about it.

PS I also kinda broke my modem so it was only working for wifi on the laptop, not on the big computer and when Dai was fixing it last night he managed to lose all access to the internet completely, lol so very nearly didn't have any way to upload my stuff. We had to steal somebody else's internet so we could DL the software to fix ours D: Is done now and fingers crossed we won't have any more faffs