adeepindigo - October Status and Updates

Hi All,

First, I apologize in advance - this is a loooong post.

I also want to apologize for being unusually quiet - I know after six years of monthly updates that must've been confusing - and for how long it's taken to get PlumBook out. I've been having a really rough time personally and honestly, I haven't been okay, mostly because my kid hasn't been. It's been emotionally devastating at times, and I've felt like I've been drowning just trying to keep up with everything and go through the motions as though any of this is okay while adjusting to our new normal now with this diagnosis and the struggle has been real. Modding hasn't been something I've had the time or emotional energy to focus on the way I wanted to in order to put out the level and quality of work I wanted to. I'm finally starting to feel like my head is above water again, and I've been able to come back to it and get things finished.

On top of that, development itself has become increasingly complicated. After six years of putting out a new mod almost every month, I think I've gotten so used to that schedule that I keep expecting myself to meet it, even as my projects have become significantly more complex and feature-dense. I'm essentially trying to squeeze months worth of work into 30 days, alongside parenting, work, and life in general. Sometimes that works, and sometimes it really doesn't. I put a tremendous amount of time and care into these mods, and I don't want to rush something out just to meet a date if it isn't ready. So I need to be more realistic about how I approach development and the release windows I share.

I also want to apologize for the lack of communication. The longer things went on, the worse I felt about it and the more daunting this post became, and I kept wanting to come back with something finished rather than another explanation or update. But of course, that just meant more time passed without anyone knowing what was going on, and I know that probably left a lot of you confused and frustrated. I'm sorry for that, too. Going forward, I'm going to make more of an effort to use Quips to share progress, even when I don't have something finished to show you.

I truly appreciate those of you who've stuck with me through all of this. I know it's been frustrating, and I don't take your patience, understanding, or support for granted. I'm doing my best to find my footing again, both personally and with development, and I'm really glad to finally be able to share PlumBook with you. I put so much into this mod even when it was hard and I hope you enjoy it!

Anyhoo... What you really care about is not me, it's about the mods. I know. So without further ado, here's a few updates and long awaited Plumbook. I also have some sneak peeks for Everyday Life which will be next sometime in November. After that back to Post and Parcel Service and SimFinancial overhaul.

I will be away from keyboard at the end of next week so I'll release for Midnight tier a few days early as I'm not really sure about my internet or general availability at the end of next week.

My mods were not affected by the patch. I haven't encountered any issues in my game. I do have some updates.

I know some people were having trouble accessing the Mood Pack. Get it directly from Lumpinou directly here (scroll to the bottom) if you need to. Make sure to have ALL required files installed. Shared Utilities, Shared Tuning, etc. They are not optional, they are requirements.

However, if you're having an issue in your game, consult the Troubleshooting sections here and here. If you're a patron, you can DM me or better yet use Discord and report it there; include actual BE or MCLE if you're receiving them as well as generate the log from my mod. Follow the instructions inside the Patron Mod Support channel. Non-patrons can access the Troubleshooting sections above and if you'd like go to Troubleshooting channel in Discord and complete the form there.

Remember that my settings menus are accessible from the Actions menus by clicking on your Sim. I am considering moving that, though.

Eye Care v3.4 - Requires Shared Utilities v1.8. Updated save data parameters. Healthcare Redux v12.5 (Patreon) - Requires Shared Utilities v1.8. Updated save data parameters and other fixes.Shared Utilities v1.8 - This is now required, this exact version, for many mods. Update it. SimFinancial v1.8.5 (Public) /v2.7 (Patreon) - Both versions updated. They require Shared Utilities v1.8. Updated save data parameters.SimNation Travel v8.2 (Patreon) - Requires Shared Utilities v1.8 and other fixes.

Sapphire/Violet: NowMidnight/Azure: Next Week

I can't even explain how simple this started out. It was just supposed to be a book subscription service.

Naturally, if you're not new here, you know it was never going to stay that.

The PlumBook Literary Society was the original spark: giving Bookworms some literary perks, a book subscription service, and a little community built around reading.

Somewhere along the way, I apparently decided Sims needed an entire reading life.

And now here we are. This mod is EXTENSIVE.

Over 200 new podcasts, series, books, eBooks, and comics/graphic novels. Children's books. Teen & YA fiction. Adult novels. Original series. eBooks. Audiobooks. Podcasts. Comics. Graphic novels. Magazines. Self-help articles. Newspapers. Literacy. Library services. Reading challenges. Rewards.

And, apparently, their own e-reader in case your Sims don't want their reading experience cluttered with tablet fodder.

But the biggest thing for me wasn't just adding more things to read. It was making reading feel like something Sims actually experience.

The biggest thing for me is that reading isn't passive anymore.

Sims can react to what they're reading while they're reading it.

Maybe your Sim starts a book and loves it. Halfway through, the main character starts getting on their nerves. By the time they're further into the story, they're so irritated that they abandon it.

They remember that.

Maybe they start thinking Fantasy isn't really for them after a few bad experiences. Then another Fantasy book completely surprises them. Or maybe they try another book by an author they previously disliked and realize that actually, they just hated that one book.

Sims can remember books they've read, books they've abandoned, authors they've enjoyed or disliked, characters they've formed opinions about, and genres they've had good or bad experiences with. And many, many titles have storylines and characters for them to follow along with and remember, including the new book series and comic volumes. Some reactions are more generic, but others are specific to the series/story/characters.

They can also develop Reading Preferences through their reading experiences, discovering genres they enjoy and ones they don't.

So two Sims who both love reading aren't necessarily going to like the same things.

They can also react differently at different points in a book, series, audiobook, eBook, or podcast episode. They don't have to feel one way from beginning to end.

And that's really the point of the whole system.

Reading becomes something Sims actually experience instead of something they do until the progress bar fills.

And it isn't just books. Those experiences extend to magazines, newspapers, self-help articles, podcasts, comics, and graphic novels too.

Books can now exist as standalone titles or as part of a larger series.

Children, Teen/YA Sims, and adults all have series they can follow chronologically.

The same title can also exist as a physical book, eBook, and audiobook.

Your Sim can start with the physical copy, continue as an eBook, and finish with the audiobook without PlumBook treating those as three different books.

Their progress belongs to the title.

The formats still have their own feel, though, and Sims can have reactions tied to the way they're experiencing something. They can appreciate the convenience of an eBook while enjoying the simple pleasure of turning a page.

Sims read eBooks on a computer or tablet and listen to audiobooks through supported stereos or earbuds. Buying something doesn't mean they have to start it immediately either. They can shop now and read or listen later - that's a setting up to you.

There are also original comics and graphic novels, with their own series, characters, storylines, and individual issues or volumes.

Because apparently books weren't enough.

These have release schedules too, so Sims can follow a series as new installments become available. Households can receive release digests with a look at what's coming next.

And once your Sim has finished at least one comic or graphic novel, they can attend PlumBook Comic Con during its convention weekend and bring an eligible household member or friend.

There are panels, costumes, Artist Alley, adaptation screenings, comic-making workshops, live drawing demonstrations, debates, sneak peeks, and other readers who have opinions.

Some of them might even be reading the same series.

Available activities vary depending on the day and whether your Sim already attended Saturday.

Readable comics, graphic novels, their releases, and Comic Con are included. Collectible comic books aren't available yet.

PlumBook Reads is the online reading community and storefront.

This is where Sims can browse books and media, shop, keep track of things they want to read, find recommendations, leave reviews, check favorites, and generally interact with the larger reading side of PlumBook.

Children and older Sims can register for a free individual account. They'll choose at least four wishlist titles during signup and keep at least three on their wishlist afterward.

That wishlist also helps determine their free reading rewards, so it should probably include things they actually want to read.

It's also where Sims can access more than just traditional books.

There are digital magazines, self-help articles, and a digital newspaper, so sometimes your Sim might sit down with a full novel and sometimes they just want something shorter to read.

The magazine lines cover things like arts and culture, fashion, business, sports, home and garden, food, parenting, science, and relationships. Self-help articles cover things like confidence, stress, motivation, boundaries, organization, and more. The Daily Plumbob has a current edition and a recent archive.

There's also a Reader Forum, because readers need somewhere to find recommendations, discuss characters, disagree about books, and occasionally end up in a conversation that has wandered completely away from the original point.

PlumBook Reads is available to Sims as the broader reading platform.

It is not the same thing as the Literary Society.

There are rewards now too.

Registered Sims can earn Reward Points from finishing books, buying eligible titles, leaving their first ratings and reviews, completing forum sessions, taking on reading challenges, and joining the Literary Society for the first time while registered.

Finishing a book for the first time earns two points, whether your Sim finishes the physical book, eBook, or audiobook. Reading the same book again in another format doesn't make it a new completion.

Purchases earn one point per title, up to 25 purchase points per personal 28-day cycle. Other qualifying activities can keep earning points outside that purchase allowance.

A first rating earns one point, and a first written review earns one point. Editing the same review over and over isn't going to keep earning points lol.

As Sims earn points, they can claim:

25 points: 5% off comics, graphic novels, and digital publications.

50 points: Increase that discount to 10%, plus one free audiobook.

75 points: One free digital publication and another way to qualify for Literary Society membership.

100 points: One free eBook.

150 points: One free physical book.

200 points: One free comic or graphic novel.

250 points: An additional 5% off books across the eligible formats.

Points aren't spent when Sims claim rewards. They keep building toward the next milestone.

Sims do need to open Rewards and redeem each benefit in order. Free titles come from eligible wishlist selections, so keeping that wishlist useful actually matters.

And if your Sim needs a reason to read something besides the same kind of book they always read, there are fifteen rotating reading challenges.

A new challenge is available every fourteen Sim days.

Some ask Sims to try a new author, explore different genres, start an eBook or audiobook, read a comic, sample podcasts, or finish self-help articles.

Others ask them to finish three books in fourteen days, complete a book or podcast series, read a book every other day, or read a book every day.

So there are options depending on how much of your Sim's life you intend to devote to this.

Depending on the challenge, Sims can choose from a curated selection or take a surprise assignment. They may also have the option to buy their challenge titles, but purchasing is optional.

Completed challenges earn 5, 10, or 15 Reward Points.

The deadline belongs to the challenge window, though. Joining at the last minute doesn't give your Sim another two weeks.

The PlumBook Literary Society is the membership side.

This is more like joining an actual literary club.

Eligible Young Adults and older Sims can join for §250, with §75 dues per 28-day cycle. Bookworms, Sims with enough qualifying completed books, and Sims who have redeemed the 75-point Rewards benefit have ways to qualify.

Members can get Book of the Month and Reader's Choice selections, member discounts, special content, and access to Society activities.

The monthly reading selections include physical, eBook, and audiobook access.

There are also book clubs, author signings, book release parties, bookstore excursions, archive visits, and other literary events.

I wanted Sims who are really into books to have an actual little world around that interest and things to do because of it.

Other Society members also have their own opinions.

Some may have loved the current book. Some hated it. Some abandoned it. Some haven't started it yet. Some are dying to talk about what happened.

So when your Sim talks to other readers, everybody isn't pretending they had the exact same experience.

There are also book clubs because obviously once I started this I couldn't not add book clubs lol.

Sims can participate in different kinds of book club meetings and literary activities instead of reading always being something they do alone.

Depending on the event, Sims may be able to discuss the book, listen to other members, defend their opinion, socialize, take notes, ask questions, browse featured books, network with writers, or hunt for rare books.

The Society has its own weekly Book Club and a rotating calendar of literary activities, with participation options depending on the event.

The idea is that being a reader can lead to actual social gameplay.

PlumBook also expands beyond books.

There are Skill Podcasts and Entertainment Podcasts with actual shows and individual episodes. These are available via the stereo or earbuds.

Skill Podcasts cover broader topics rather than simply being one podcast per skill. Your sims can learn a variety of combination of skills while listening to podcasts related to those. Entertainment Podcasts cover things like true crime, celebrity gossip, relationships, history, gaming, family life, books and publishing, and more.

Previews and special episodes have their own access requirements, including membership benefits and other unlocks.

And Sims have opinions about those too.

They can enjoy an episode, disagree with it, get confused, dislike the host or guest, learn something useful, or decide they want to keep listening. Skill podcasts also give Sims another way to develop the related skills, and listening can affect their moods.

There's also a PlumBook Bookstore, because all of this needed somewhere to be purchased.

Sims can shop for physical books, eBooks, audiobooks, comics, graphic novels, digital publications, and podcast episodes. Book browsing includes genres, series, descriptions, and installment information, so they can actually look for something they want to read.

Bookworm, Literary Society, and earned Rewards discounts can apply to eligible purchases and combine up to the discount cap.

There's also a Literacy system now.

Because if I'm going this far, I don't really want a Sim who never reads to feel exactly the same as a Sim who spends half their life with a book in their hand.

There are now separate Toddler Literacy, Child Literacy, and Adult Literacy skills.

And I created actual Literacy skill books for toddlers, children, and adults.

I also created six early-reader titles for toddlers who have outgrown picture books and are ready for early reading. So they have something to move on to when they're ready.

Sims can improve through reading and age-appropriate activities, including reading practice, computer exercises, literacy workbooks, mentoring, virtual tutoring, and rabbit-hole tutoring. Children also have Extra Reading Help at school and the library's Childhood Literacy Lab.

Reading difficulty matters too. Something that is too challenging can be frustrating, while more approachable material gives developing readers somewhere to practice.

There are settings for literacy requirements, Reading Preference discovery, and whether existing Sims receive varied starting literacy levels.

Libraries have a whole system now too.

Your Sim can get a library card, browse the catalog, and check out eligible physical books, eBooks, and audiobooks.

They choose the titles they want to borrow, then choose an available format for each one. So they can leave with a physical book, borrow an eBook, get an audiobook, or mix the formats depending on what's available.

Sims can have three active loans at a time, across all formats. The standard loan lasts five Sim days, with one eligible five-day renewal if they need more time.

Their library account keeps track of what they've borrowed, the format, when it's due, and whether they've used their renewal. They can select eligible loans to renew or return, pay fines, and report physical books that have been lost or damaged.

Physical loans give Sims actual library copies to take home. Digital loans give them temporary access through their eBook or audiobook collection.

Returning something doesn't erase their reading history. They still read it. They still have opinions about it. It just belongs to the library.

And if they borrowed something and decided they need their own copy, they can buy it.

There is also Sim-to-Sim lending. Sims can lend eligible physical books to other Sims for seven Sim days and return books they've personally borrowed.

Because sometimes you finish a book and immediately need somebody else to read it.

The librarian also has more to do than stand behind a desk.

Sims can ask for personalized recommendations, check Staff Picks, find out about New Arrivals, and ask about the library's programs.

Recommendations draw on their reading history, including authors and genres they've enjoyed. So there's another way for what your Sim reads and likes to help them find their next book.

There are also Special Collections.

These include eligible Vampire Lore books, magic tomes and spellbooks, and rare manuscripts and restricted works, depending on the available content and packs.

These are for reading at the library, rather than checking out and taking home.

So the library can be somewhere to find a new novel, ask what everybody is reading, or spend an afternoon with something a little harder to get your hands on.

There are already more reasons to actually go to the library too, including:

Toddler Storytime on Tuesday and Thursday mornings.

Librarian-Led Book Club on Wednesdays.

Childhood Literacy Lab on Saturday mornings.

Poetry and Public Readings on alternating scheduled Fridays.

Local Author Night.

Writing Workshops.

Library Book Fairs.

Library Book Drives.

These programs are separate from the Literary Society. Sims don't need a paid literary membership to participate in the library's community activities.

They can practice reading, meet other readers, hear from an author, work on their writing, buy books, or donate books for somebody else to enjoy.

Families and younger Sims especially have more to do than being dropped in front of a bookshelf while everybody else uses the computers.

All library programs above are included but they are not all guaranteed to happen regularly and have not all been tested individually.

What I'm considering v2 is the Active Librarian Career and additional library programs.

Sims will be able to become Librarians, choose a branch to work at, and engage with patrons on a daily basis, with rabbit-hole, work-from-home, and active work at a library venue.

I also want to keep expanding what happens at the library.

But the library cards, checkout system, borrowing and lending, account management, librarian recommendations, Staff Picks, New Arrivals, Special Collections, and the programs listed above are already part of PlumBook.

The library doesn't have to wait for your Sim to become a librarian to have something going on.

So yes, there is a lot going on here.

Books. Series. Teen & YA. Reading reactions. Memories. Authors. Characters. Genre preferences. Reviews. Recommendations. Wishlists. PlumBook Reads. Digital publications. Podcasts. eBooks. Audiobooks. Comics. Graphic novels. Comic Con. Library cards. Borrowing. Book clubs. Literary events. PlumBook membership. The Literary Society. Literacy. Reading challenges. Rewards.

And probably something I'm forgetting because apparently I don't know how to make anything small anymore lol.

But basically I wanted reading to feel like an actual interest and part of a Sim's life.

I wanted Sims to have authors they trust, authors they don't, characters they love, characters who annoy them, genres they keep coming back to, books they abandon, series they're invested in, podcasts they're obsessed with, and things they're still thinking about after they're finished.

I wanted Sims who love books to actually feel like they love books.

And somewhere along the way, a little book subscription service became all of this.

Bookworms rejoice!

This mod is so enormous that I'm sure I missed things. Please, if you find something, send me a DM so that I can start to tweak those things before the next release. Thanks in advance!

Everyday Life has - to no one's surprise - grown quite a bit since I first mentioned it! Most of the mod is now complete. Neighborhood & Civic Life is the main area still being fleshed out—it’s about halfway there, with its foundation already in place.

Tasks & Reminders

Create and manage tasks for household chores, personal goals, school, and work.

Add optional reminders and track upcoming and overdue tasks.

Complete supported tasks through actual gameplay.

Errands & Outings

Shopping trips for groceries, household essentials, gifts, and more.

Everyday services, paperwork, package returns, and donations.

More reasons for Sims to leave the house and get things done.

Neighborhood & Civic Life — In Development

Community yard sales, school bake sales, volunteering, fundraisers, and more.

Neighborhood requests, petitions, local notices, and HOA annoyances.

Newsletters and neighborhood commentary from recurring community personalities.

Attend supported activities alone or with others, with commitments connected to tasks and reminders.

Also Planned for Civic Life

Town Hall and School Board meetings.

Community improvement projects with lasting benefits.

Volunteer recognition and donor rewards.

Spring Fling, Founder’s Day, Harvest Festival, and Holiday Market celebrations.

Planned for v2

Elections for Mayor, School Board President, and HOA President—with recurring candidates, voting, results, and neighborhood reactions.

I’m finishing out Civic Life and continuing testing as Everyday Life moves toward release.

I will be getting back to Postal Service and SimFinancial after these little detours. The creative process hasn't proved as linear as I wanted it to be but I hope you've enjoyed these interludes. They are still coming this year. PandaSama and I are working in collaboration on a semi-related project - Parcel and Post Service and objects/decor. I am going ahead with the Post as a service. It will include the ability to send and receive packages and mail from other sims. Without PandaSama's objects the service will be functional but the full functionality will be greatly expanded if you have her Postal object set. Her objects will have some functionality on their own but will be greatly enhanced and fully functional with Postal Service. You'll hear more about that in a few weeks. I also will be expanding Plumbook to include an active Librarian career held at the Library with your sim and not the npc Librarian as the host of library events as well as Comic book and Graphic novel physical and collectible editions.

Happy Simming!