Then and Now

I've here for over a year. Sure, I'd noticed the highly publicized changes- new sims, custom animations, revised rating etc.., but until recently, I hadn't realized how the landscape itself had changed.
It started with this link. A year ago (March '04), Essense Lumin took a snapshot of every sim. Only a handful were recognizable as they exist today. Check them out.
The biggest difference? The (developed) sims of last year were more eclectic, with small, quirky (and often clashing) builds all competing for attention like carnival attractions. Glowing globes, lit-texture buildings, a million pyramids (ok, about six), and tons of towers. I'm guessing that much of the land was then divided into multiple small plots. To stand out, one had to build up (towers, spires, lighthouses) and/or enhance their creations with wild shapes, textures and lighting. The metaverse of March 2005 seems more subdued. Much of the land is owned in large plots, which are built and landscaped uniformly. In a year, we've gone from carnival to country club.
My land, my building skills (and I) have changed too.

Here's one of my first snapshots, with one of my first "builds" I put horns and flames on the generic flamingo and placed it in the caldera of the Pompiano volcano:


Recently I descended into the volcano for another visit. I couldn't believe what was still there:



Here's a picture of my land in Green from April of last year:

Ok, only the lake and the ghost were mine...

And here's the same spot today:

I've added some landscaping, two fish tanks, and some miscelanious kitsch. I've gone from carnival to minature golf course, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

P.S.
That's Nexx Yossarian's
SkyLine Graveyard looming in the background to the left. Neighbor Lycanis Khan recently added the red build to the left.