Sims 4 House Slave Mod
Ceola Roefaro
Since the day the first Sims game was launched, virtual architects have been using its built-in construction tools to create exotic and bizarre monuments ranging from heart-shaped islands to a mansion made entirely out of stacked trailer homes . With the same tenacious ambition but with a stated purpose to do "terrible things," Reddit user BourgeoisBanana presented a project earlier this week of a more sensitive nature: the Gaudet Plantation , a lush colonial farmstead complete with slave workers and affluent white owners. But is it actually a terrible thing to explore the darker periods of history?
On a whim, BourgeoisBanana set out to see how closely he could recreate the living conditions of both slave and owner on a plantation. "I'm a large history and architecture buff, and The Sims is a great outlet for both of those, despite getting a lot of flak for being a 'casual' game," he told PC Gamer. "Being British, the colonial era is of particular interest of mine, and after seeing Django Unchained, the idea sort of came to me. I had the day off, so I thought, 'Why not?'"
A small pile of mods were used to design and model both the slave quarters and mansion. The mods set parameters for reflecting the quality of life (or lack thereof) for the slaves, locking them out from the main building and tweaking the AI to stuff in more Sims per house.
"The general layout of the plantation was of my own design, and several people pointed out that it wasn't entirely historically accurate, but given the tools I think I did the best I could," BourgeoisBanana explained. "The house was more or less of my own design too, loosely based off several colonial plantation houses of the era. My main inspiration for the exterior was the plantation house from a level in Hitman: Blood Money. Django Unchained certainly was a great reference too."
BourgeoisBanana recognizes how his creation's stark depiction of racism doesn't exactly mesh with the game's cheerful suburban innocence. He hopes for a future where more games and gamers explore all facets of history, even where doing so may make us uncomfortable. "I believe that to deny our history is to make it repeatable, and discouraging projects such as this one won't prevent racism in the least," he said. "Not only gamers, but all forms of media should definitely get over this politically correct phase we seem to be going through so we can expose the brutality of our past, rather than covering it up and pretending it never happened."
So, is it really a terrible thing? As the plantation's creator touched upon, ignoring our past mistakes with civil rights won't make them simply disappear. Thus, why shouldn't we reconstruct terrible events from history? If not for the goal of sending a message, then just as a way to satisfy curiosity? How would an in-game replication of a slave ship , for example, look like using Minecraft blocks? Let's hear your thoughts in the comments.
Omri Petitte is a former PC Gamer associate editor and long-time freelance writer covering news and reviews. If you spot his name, it probably means you're reading about some kind of first-person shooter. Why yes, he would like to talk to you about Battlefield. Do you have a few days?"}), " -0-10/js/authorBio.js"); } else console.error('%c FTE ','background: #9306F9; color: #ffffff','no lazy slice hydration function available'); Omri PetitteSocial Links NavigationOmri Petitte is a former PC Gamer associate editor and long-time freelance writer covering news and reviews. If you spot his name, it probably means you're reading about some kind of first-person shooter. Why yes, he would like to talk to you about Battlefield. Do you have a few days?
Connecticut blocked the importation of slaves in 1774 and began a gradual emancipation of slaves in 1784 with slavery finally abolished in 1848. Usually, when one thinks about the history of Connecticut, slavery is not in the forefront of that thought process.
It is the history of the chattel slavery that existed in this nation that the Slave Dwelling Project has committed itself to research and disseminating. With this commitment to interpreting the history of the enslaved, there is a lot of misinformation, pushback, and denial, especially in northern states. Discussing the history of slavery in this nation takes people out of the comfort zones of which they are accustomed. The challenges do not deter the Slave Dwelling Project from honoring the enslaved Ancestors in the manner that we do. We just have to convince our potential host that we come in peace, we mean no harm.
My first venture into Connecticut was to spend a night at the Bush Holley House in Greenwich, Connecticut. When I did that Connecticut sleepover on March 30, 2012, I knew then that I would return. It took four years, but on Friday, June 8, 2018, I spent a night at the Hempsted Houses in New London, Connecticut.
It was this space in the attic that I planned to sleep. It was also the space where I would address the 4th and 5th graders walking over from the Regional Multicultural Magnet School. Being in the space where Adam was enslaved, made it much easier to talk to the many children who visited on that day. The students were surprised to learn that President Thomas Jefferson was a slave owner and even more surprised that twelve of our former Presidents were slave owners. They were also impressed by the brick that I brought because it had the fingerprints of the enslaved person who made the brick. More revealing about the brick was that most of their little fingers fit into the impressions. I also had for their learning experience, a quilt containing emblems of several of the historic sites that the Slave Dwelling Project visited in the past. Included on this quilt are the emblems of the homes of President Thomas Jefferson and President James Monroe.
The campfire discussion was phenomenal. It seemed like the diverse group of people who would participate in the discussion just kept coming. The circle around the campfire was two and three deep in places. No subject matter pertaining to slavery was off limits to the diverse group of thirty or so people. The subjects included the Slave Dwelling Project, slavery in Connecticut and much more.
About ten of us would sleep in the Hempsted house. I settled into the place in the attic where, earlier that day, I presented to young 4th and 5th graders about Adam Jackson, slavery in Connecticut, slave-owning Presidents and fingerprints in bricks. Others were going to join me in that space. Our enthusiasm was shattered when we discovered a bat was living in the space. As much I wanted to still sleep in the space, despite the bat, thoughts of contracting rabies danced through my head. Seeing too many vampire movies in the past also did not make me feel comfortable about sleeping in the space. We all ended up sleeping in three separate rooms on the bottom floor of the house.
The celebration included a panel discussion that was beautifully moderated by Aileen. The panel included me and Tammy Denease, portraying Joan Jackson, mother of the enslaved farmer, Adam Jackson. Tammy also had the pleasure of interacting in period dress with the 4th and 5th graders who visited the site the day before. The panel discussion was inserted into an event that included a live band and various vendors. Unfortunately, I could not stay for the screening of the movie Marshall because I had a 6:00 am flight out of Providence, Rhode Island the next day. I opted to get a room near the Providence airport which was 1 hour away for New London, Connecticut.
The week prior to going to Connecticut, I spent a few days in Columbia, Lancaster, and Lansdale, Pennsylvania chasing the footprints of slavery that existed in that state. Except for Lansdale, the most of what we encountered in Pennsylvania was the underground railroad. This was certainly not the case in New London, Connecticut. The story of enslaved Adam Jackson is well inserted into the storyline at the Hempsted Houses.
There is more to northern history than the Revolution, Abolitionists, Underground Railroad and the Union Army. It was not until after the Revolution that northern states begin to abolish slavery. Even after abolishing slavery, the northern states were complicit because they still owed the banks, insurance companies, ships bringing in the enslaved and the mills that added value to the cotton being picked in the South.
Aileen Novick and others involved at the Hempsted Houses are doing their parts to ensure that the history of the enslaved is interpreted at that site. The Slave Dwelling Project is developing new criteria for the sites that we will visit in the future. By our standards, Aileen Novick and the Hempsted Houses meets those standards.
As the evening wound down all of the people who would actually stay the night started to settle on where they would sleep. Mr. McGill, Aileen and I decided we would sleep in the garret where the Hempstead slave Adam Jackson might have slept, however a bat up there had other plans. We all headed downstairs and had a great conversation about the state of the world today before falling asleep. Surprisingly, I had probably the best night sleep I had in months. We woke and had breakfast in the Nathaniel Hempstead house. Also known as the Old Huguenot house.
To learn about what Joseph McGill is doing. And to help bring attention to the lives of the enslaved individuals who lived in there. I chose to sleep in my colonial night wear, and rose before everyone else. I dressed into my colonial day clothing, and prepared breakfast over an open hearth for everyone who spent the night. I wanted to really experience everything. And boy did I get an experience! The fire was slow to start, and hauling the cast iron cooking pots was exhausting work. By 9am I was spent. My back ached, I was sweaty, and very dirty. But I got something on the table. For me, the Slave Dwelling Project afforded me an amazing experience, and I am so grateful for it.
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