Elfwink's Blog

This is a hub for things I enjoy and find amusing.

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Minecraft 1.7.3 the Golden Days

I'm playing Minecraft 1.7.3! It's just so simple and chill. This is just before they introduced hunger and sprinting.

I originally started playing with Beta 1.5 in 2011!

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The Sims 3 screenshots (on Windows 11, in 2024)

Yes!

After some fussing around, I found a working second-hand disc copy of The Sims 3. It works okay on Windows 11!

Some small issues when resizing the window. Also, this is weird but I think the quality of screenshots looks better than what I see while playing the game.

I love how colourful and vibrant it looks.

Also, yeah I know the Sims themselves get criticism for looking ugly, but I think their expressions are rather cute! They're not as dynamically animated as The Sims 2

Ahaha. Look at them eating pizza in the bathroom!

It must be said also, my inner goblin is so satisfied by the collecting mechanic.

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Planned redesign of my main personal website, elfwink.net

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Nice!

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Thoughts on The Sims

I have played every main game in The Sims series. The Sims I liked because it was novel. I like now for the nostalgia. The Sims 2 I liked because it built upon The Sims, and added way more fun and quirky interactions. The Sims 3 I LOVED the open world exploring. And finding stuff on the ground to make money, hah. The Sims 4.... I don't know what I like about it. It feels really bare bones-y. 🤷🏻

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Neopets Nostalgia + Elfwink Art

IDK what made me want to do this. Boredom and nostalgia maybe?

I couldn't get into my old Neopets account, so I made a new one. :)

Say hi to my Peophin, LexMorrow! He's a bit of a rude boi, but loves his toys.

I also got some artwork done of my 'sona, Elfwink. I commissioned a lovely coloured piece by Juimon.

She is taking commissions right now, for personal and commercial projects. I highly recommend checking her out!

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Plans for elfwink.net and this blog in 2024

Okay, let's see...

I have a bit of a problem because I love creating, but... I feel like every ounce of my spare time needs to be about "how do I get paid to live".

It's been a very long time since I just wrote blogs for the fun of it. This is why I have this site on Tumblr, because I don't have to worry about keeping WordPress (or whatever CMS I use) up to date. Otherwise, I would very much love to maintain a self-hosted website. (Beyond the pixel art site I currently have.) I'm also getting anxious about posting my creative work online, going forward. People are just so mean. Yeah, there's always been bullying on the internet, but there's a breed of folks who give the middle finger to those with creative talent. In the 2010s, it was those who supported bootleg BJDs... These days, it's those who think all art should be free to feed AI machines.

I'm no longer worried about my art being turned into NFTs, because it seems as though that bubble has burst.

So I'm torn because I want to share, but I also don't want my content being scooped up by AI machines. (Side note: I'm not posting this here to be debated at. My opinions are that "AI art" is not art, and bootleg BJDs are shameful. I'm allowed to have these opinions, just as you are allowed to have yours.) If I find the time, I may experiment with self-hosted websites that require a log in, or somehow can reject all bots/scrapers. IDK. I bought myself a new Wacom tablet to do some doodling with. I may or may not share the best things online. We'll see. The RCT and current pixel art content on my website is definitely staying put. The 'dolls' thing is planned to be a gallery once I start taking pics again. Thank you for stopping by and reading!

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Started a new Minecraft survival world for the heck of it. This seed has several of my favourite biomes close together! (Dark forest, savannah, and, and a mushroom island not too far out of reach.)

Seed ID: -6386630730693450321

Minecraft Java Edition

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So I’ve got a newly designed portal website for my various hobbies. Have a look over at elfwink.net 🙂

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Single purpose websites

One weird hobby that I don't talk about is searching for expired/available domains that are just a single noun or dictionary word.

For example, I found that "plump [dot] info" is available!

I think I'd love to own one of those single-purpose websites (like "howmanypeopleareinspacerightnow [dot] com" or "catsinsinks [dot] com") for the joy of it.

But putting the domain name before the idea makes it a tricky endeavour! XD

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Good Times With Old Games: RCT2 - Woodstock

I used to struggle with this scenario a looooooot when I first started playing RCT. Of course, I’ve gotten way better, and picked up some good habits and tips thanks to Marcel Vos!

What did I do?

Advertise. A lot.

Don’t go crazy trying to build big rides. Focus on flat rides and small roller coasters with decent throughput.

Make sure there are plenty of toilets, benches, janitors, and bins to keep guests comfortable. 👍🏻 🎢 💰

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Tell ya what, it’s not completely coordinated, but I like how this new house is shaping up! I love the lantern and bamboo. 😍 Custom content from Juniper Sun, Around The Sims, XM Sims.

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More screenshots from The Sims. I'm having a great time with this old game!

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Nostalgia tiemz! I got The Sims working on Windows 10! Yay!

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My Loop earplugs are here!

The "Quiet" I hope to try on the plane, when a music festival is happening nearby, or I otherwise can't sleep due to noise.

The "Engage" I hope to try next time I'm at a restaurant or pub!

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Garage sale

My first garage sale yesterday I netted AUD$29 (I mistakenly put $24 in my Twitter and Aus Social update, but I forgot to include the $5 given by friends who came by later and took my printer paper.)

And I made $3.32 doing online surveys.

I’m going to run again next weekend. But I intend to put ads up earlier. 🙏🏻

It’s really neat to be able to accept PayPal payments via QR code!

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Google Ads certification!

Renewed certificates in Google Search Ads, Display, and Shopping.

Now only Video is left to do, and it's the one I understand least. (I don't really care much about App Ads. It hasn't come up at all for me.)

Would really love to give more video ads a try!