The Sims of gen 3 always keep me on my toes. During gen 1, I identified fully with Cedar. In gen 2, I identified with Acacia. But there’s not a single Sim within this generation with whom I feel I can completely identify. Each is an individual in her or his own right, and each has a scope well outside of the scope of my own experience and understanding!
In other words, I often feel I’m in deep waters with this lot.
“I’m so ready for whatever comes next.”
Palo Verde Bough (aka The Royal Llama Tamer)
Gen 3 Heir
Outgoing. Foodie. Gloomy.
Aspiration: Jokestar
Palo Verde has grown into a Sim with a profound personality. His natural humor is tempered by his gloomy outlook, and his own experience with grief adds depth and compassion to his comic routines.
He is one of the sweetest Sims I’ve ever played, caring deeply for others, and often choosing to share a deep conversation or a joke with the Sims in his household. He’s a great dad, often rolling wants to spend time with his children, and his romantic and friendship bars with his wife, Cassandra, stay completely filled, with little to no assistance from me.
His smile can light up the computer screen.
Skills, Aspiration, and Career: Palo Verde has maxed the comedy skill, and he is cruising along with cooking and fitness. His career as a comedian dovetails nicely with his aspiration, so while he works on one, he advances the other. He has completed the jokestar aspiration, and he’s at level 8 of his career as a comedian, just waiting for the performance meter to inch up for the next promotion. PV wanted to be an astronaut, like his uncle and grandma. I had him become a comedian instead, since this career would fit with his aspiration. He recently wrote a long comedy routine titled “I wanted to be an astronaut.” (Seriously! This was the title that the game gave his long routine!) He also has a routine about llamas, which is appropriate, given his stage name.
Greatest Strength/Greatest Flaw: PV’s charisma combined with his compassion add to his greatest strength. When he rolled the gloomy trait, I thought that this might be his greatest flaw. Yet the depth that his darker insights bring to his personality makes his gloominess his greatest strength.
Favorite activities: As a foodie, PV loves to eat, but I think that conversation–both funny and deep–are PV’s favorite activities.
Share a secret: Though they’ve been married since Palo Verde was a young adult, he still becomes bashful every time Cassandra flirts with him.
“It’s complicated. I’m not one who’s used to being tied down. I love PV. And I can’t deny this connection with Mesquite. Music is an enduring bond.”
Cassandra Montano
Spouse of Gen 3 Heir
Music Lover. Noncommittal. Perfectionist.
Aspiration: Painter
Though she would feel uncomfortable and perhaps a little trapped if she knew it, Cassandra has become the center of Cradle Rock. Look in the household’s whim panels at any one time, and it’s likely that at least half of the residents will have “Be friendly” or “Be funny” with Cassandra as a wish.
I’d want to be friendly and funny if I lived with her, too, for she’s beautiful, intelligent, creative, fun, and funny. She’s also one of the best listeners I’ve encountered: she listens eagerly and with full attention, knowing just when to laugh and when to respond with encouragement.
Palo Verde met her at the Rattlesnake Bar, where she was a mixologist, and she moved in after a whirlwind romance. Moving in her in was one of my best moves in the game so far–right up there with moving in Timothy Milton, Cedar’s husband.
Though she’s noncommittal, Cassandra is the one who rolled the want to marry Palo Verde. He’s learned not to proclaim the undying love he feels for her, for it makes her feel trapped when he does. And he holds her with an open palm, so she has complete freedom always. And with this light touch, she is happy, always–free to paint, free to dream, free to love.
She’s an amazing mom and an amazing friend and the best friend and lover that PV could ever want.
Skills, Aspiration, and Career: Cassandra came with high mixology skills since she was a mixologist. As of this writing, she’s maxed her painting skills. She skills very quickly, so she has high cooking, logic, and handiness skills, too. She is currently one masterpieces from completing her aspiration.
Greatest Strength/Greatest Flaw: She’s perfect! I can’t think of a single flaw that Cassandra has. Not one. She doesn’t let her noncommittal trait get in the way of being a good mom and an amazing lover and friend to PV. Her perfectionism really influences who she is, and she carries this strength into being the best at all she does.
Favorite activities: Painting. She channels all her energy ifor perfectionism into painting, and when she’s immersed in painting, she is oblivious to everything around her, even visits from the Grim Reaper.
Share a secret: Cassandra and PV’s uncle Mesquite shared a special bond through their love of music. If Mesquite hadn’t been married to Anya, and Cassandra had never met PV, the two of them would have made amazingly sweet music together.
“Mwahahaha! Your impending sadness brings me such glee! This is what I orchestrated all those ‘tender’ moments for!”
Manzanita Bough
Gen 3 Spare
Evil. Foodie. Geek.
Aspiration: Soulmate
Oh, boy! How do I describe Manzanita? This Sim keeps me on my toes! She’s an incredible geek who is joyful when she’s at the computer, hacking, modding games, or playing in a game tournament. She is evil, indeed, and relishes the discomfort, anger, or sadness of others. Yet at the same time, she is affectionate with family and friends and passionate with her lover.
She’s a pretty good mom, a fantastic aunt, and a terrifically fun Sim to play.
I can listen to her maniacal laughter all day.
Skills, Aspiration, and Career: Manzanita is a great cook, a good programmer, a strong video-gamer, and has logic skills coming out her ears. She’s doing well with her career as a professional gamer. She became stuck on her soulmate aspiration, for try as I might, I could not get her angry so that she could “apologize while angry.” She and her family have just moved into the mansion across the street, so I’ll be enjoying her as a Sim I don’t play from here on out.
Greatest Strength/Greatest Flaw: Her greatest strength is her incredible good humor. She is nearly always happy! And her flaw, in my view, is her joy of other’s misery, for she will be quick to anger others just so she can enjoy their pain. Still, she does an admirable job of balancing her mean interactions with kind ones so that she can maintain her friendly and loving relations with others.
Favorite activities: As a foodie, Manzanita loves to take cell-phone photos of her meals, but her favorite activities are anything to do with the computer, especially hacking! She also enjoys romance with her special woman.
Share a secret: Manzanita and Eleanor have matching PJs and on free-will, they’ll often both change into them when they have an intimate evening together.
Sweet and kind El is a perfect match for Manzy.
Eleanor Founder
Spouse of Gen 3 Spare
Genius. Family-oriented. Romantic
Aspiration: Big, happy family
Eleanor Founder was created by missallyr (Origin ID), who has graciously shared her through the gallery. I highly recommend this Sim! Thank you, missallyr.
It took Manzanita a lot of flirting and a few dates to discover that the perfect someone for her was a beautiful redhead. Eleanor has been a great wife for Manzanita. She knew right off the bat that Manzanita was evil, but she accepts all of Manzy, and even when Manzanita yells at her or is mean to her, she just waits patiently, for she knows that soon Manzy will show her funny, quirky, and good-natured side.
Eleanor is smart. She has a sexy walk and she loves to share her romantic side. She’s also funny, expressive, and an amazing mom. She has great relationships with all her kids.
Skills, Aspiration, and Career: Eleanor has high logic skills and moderate skills in fitness, cooking, and charisma. She doesn’t work, preferring instead to spend her time at home. She was stuck for a while on her aspiration, since the full house at Cradle Rock didn’t allow space for her to have three children, but recent developments have removed this barrier.
Greatest Strength/Greatest Flaw: I really can’t think of a flaw for this beautiful woman. She doesn’t have a wide social circle, for her interests in family and romance focus most of her social interactions towards Eleanor and their son Kamden. But this family/romance combo also serves as her greatest strength. Eleanor was created to be a legacy founder, and she has the perfect ingredients for one.
Favorite activities: Using the microscope and observatory are, by far, her favorite activities. She turns to them whenever she has a spare moment.
Share a secret: Eleanor is a fantastic dirty-dancer! Get her in a flirty mood, put on the romantic music, and you will be amazed by her moves!
“In the kitchen, I have the royal touch.”
Princess Watson
Love interest of Paris Cornell (Gen 2 family friend and household member)
Lazy. Foodie. Geek.
Aspiration: Collector
Princess always reminds me of Audrey Hepburn in Roman Holiday. She just has that wide-eyed, royalty-in-common-dress appearance. I was smitten the moment I saw her, and I can’t believe how well her name fits who she is. There is something royal about her.
She felt so adrift after Paris died, and she has continued with her relationship with him in his new ghostly form.
Sometimes I worry that she feels like a butterfly caught in a spider’s web. Though she’s not a loner, she often keeps to herself. She’s has friendly relationships with everyone at Cradle Rock, but she isn’t really friends with any of them. Even with Paris, their friendship bar remains only half-full, while their romance bar has stayed in the pink.
During parties, Princess, who usually serves as the caterer, will generally not visit with the others after her cooking stint is done. Instead, she will wander off to talk to the plants.
She’s the household gardener. As a collector, she also spends a lot of time in the sage country around the homestead, looking for frogs and crystals.
Skills, Aspiration, and Career: Princess, who was the caterer the game generated when Acacia died while catering PV’s wedding, maxed her cooking skills shortly after moving in. Her gardening and video game skills are also high.
Greatest Strength/Greatest Flaw: Her aloofness is both a strength and a flaw, although I don’t like to call it a weakness or flaw. Let’s say that her aloofness is her most dominant personal characteristic. Perhaps she’s aloof because Paris died and she still remembers him, but I think it’s her royal blood that keeps her feeling separate from others.
Favorite activities: Princess loves to play video games whenever she has a chance.
Share a secret: Princess and Paris have remained good plum-buddies, even after Paris has transitioned into the ghostly realm. Most nights finds the two of them enjoying romantic interludes together.
Cathy Tea's SimLit Anthology 