[Gen.] On the hardware Situation + Codename 'ModTrack'

Hello everyone, just general news today.

NOTE: this post contains animated .gif videos, must be viewed in a web browser to properly play!

1. THE HARDWARE SITUATION

After two months of struggle, reality must be confronted. My computer has worsened to the point of un-usability. I've already wasted enough time and energy working on it when it was a third usable, but now it's not feasible. So:

My computer is going to computer hospital! I am dropping it off as soon as possible. I hope that the computer doctors will perform whatever operations are necessary to get it back into health.

I have wasted endless time and effort over the past two months working in those extremely buggy conditions.

Progress has been very slow. I am sorry to say that I don't have much advancement on my works in progress. Due to slowness, I have unlocked the latest 'law and disorder' WIP post, so everyone can see where it's been at while they wait patiently T_T

(On the other hand, I did release a lot of new stuff in the wake of the Lovestruck patch, so it's not like there were no successes through the force of sheer rageous persistence! There's been early access releases, new stuff, lots of bug fix updates...). But...

Week after week it's become near impossible to work on my bigger works in progress with how the computer has been.
Currently, while my computer is disassembled and while it will be at the shop, I don't have access to a machine that can really handle the game, heavy index operations, etc. 

For the past week already, having given up on using it, I have worked on another machine, without the game installed. This will continue until my machine is fixed up. 

So what the heck have I been doing? And what the frog will I be doing until I get it back? See next:

2. Stuff to make your update tracking life easier (?)

Two things came together to create a project: mod users not being satisfied with the process to see when my mods were last updated, and my exhaustion at mod users reporting mod problems that are entirely due to having old copies of my mods.

For weeks I have been thinking how to improve the situation on both sides. And I've wanted to do something, started it, left it aside, picked it up again, unsure.

Well, now that hardware circumstances have forced my hand off of my usual projects, I've embraced fully the idea that I was tiptoeing around prior.

I present to you: code name 'mod track'.

So, 'mod track' includes a page for my mods on which you can see when I last updated each of them, as well as their status and notes! That's nice enough, right?:

 
But we should not stop there, should we?

Why not also let YOU check if your copies are up to date or not automatically, in under five clicks?:

 
And isn't it even better if any modder who wants to can also have a page like that for their own mods, add all their mods to the system at once in just a few clicks...:

(above: modder's customizable profile & page. Below: modder's content management window)

 
... and also automatically be part of the mod folder scans for outdated mod copies?:

(above & below: example of running a mod folder check. LittleMsSam gave me permission to test with her files!) 

Now to top it off, what if you could browse & search all mods tracked easily too?

You got it by now, project codename 'mod track' is:

• an online system

• for modders (and select trusted community members) to list and report mod updates and status as easily as possible

• and for mod users to access that information and check their mods folder against it as easily as possible
  
  Key features:

  •  Users can run checks to see if any of their installed mods that is tracked in Mod Track is updated, broken or obsolete.

  • Modders can easily make and manage their page listing their mods, their status and last update date. This info can be bulk imported and bulk edited automatically, for ease of keeping things current.

  • Hand picked community members can also report on mod status and updates, and add mods to the lists (similarly to how the list of updates is managed at Scarlet's and MCCC / SAD). Modders can decide to allow or forbid editing by trusted community members, so nobody is forced into anything!

  • At big patch days, all mod status that were 'ok' switch to 'unknown'. Modders and trusted community members (if allowed) can batch set mod status, batch report mod updates, etc, for easy patch day information sharing.

The site / project doesn't have a real name yet so feel free to make suggestions for the name if you have a catchy idea : D

I am horrible at explaining so it's ok if you don't understand! The main takeaway is:

• BIG improvements to how you can see when my mods were last updated, coming soon

• other modders will be able to use the same system if they wish

Any thoughts welcome!!

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The last two months were frustrating work-wise. I will be happy to have a functional computer again and return to a more pleasant workflow. In the meantime, I am proud to still strive to bring new things to the Sims 4 modding community. This is all thanks to your support and I THANK YOU heartily.

Stay safe! and till next time, bye for now!