Hey, my Squids!
As some of you may know, I play The Sims from time to time, and I started using it to build set locations I can use to screenshot for some future panels. One of the first locations I built was Xavier Nib’s office but the second location I worked on was Leira Orta’s apartment. Being able to build out these locations helps keep them consistent across multiple pages and chapters, as well as giving a sense that they feel “lived in.”
I thought it would be fun to do a virtual tour of Leira’s apartment before you get to see it in the comic. While the wall art and some of the other Sims specific iconography won’t be present in the comic, you’ll still get the feeling behind where and how her apartment is organized.
Leira lives in a two bedroom apartment in a district called Glensprings. Glensprings holds one of the largest Abaroguian populations outside of the region and city of Abarogue in eastern Procoline. In fact, Glensprings is typically called “Little Abarogue.” Signage in the district usually features both Procolish (the equivalent of English) and Abaroguian. Her apartment complex is one that was typically selected for teens who become wards of the state or emancipate themselves from their parents. It is filled with older adults who check in on the teens from time to time. Most people “age out” of the complex and end up leaving when they reach adulthood but Leira loved the location, her neighbors, and the other teens who ended up living there, so she stayed. While it’s an apartment, she now outright owns her unit.
The living room is quite big, doubling as a dining room as well. She has several guitars, her dining room table, a television, and couch there. There’s a full bathroom right off the living room and the kitchen is quite expansive. She has a corner apartment, so she has windows that face out in two directions. The kitchen is exceptionally modern, complete with dishwasher, microwave, and more. Leira also has fun animal themed lamps in her living room as well as shelves with books and plants.
The first bedroom is actually her studio. It’s filled with awards her old band received back when she played guitar for them. She also has two computers, one for normal tasks and one to make and mix music. Guitars and a nice stereo round everything out in that second room. There’s also a bed for people who stay over, like her friend Sam.
Right outside of her bedroom are pictures, mostly of friends, though there is a picture of her mom. Her relationship with her mom is very complicated but it’s hard for her to conjuror the word “hate”, even if she did abandon her.
Leira is a fan of red and black, so her bedroom is dark and full of shades embodying that. Her bed is big and comfortable. She also has more music posters and a chair where she sometimes sits and reads. Her dresser tends to be a mess but she cleaned up for the cameras this time.
Ducking into her closet, you realize it’s a room onto itself. Originally, it was smaller but Leira truncated part of the master bedroom to expand the space. She even has a mirror to check her attire before she leaves.
The other door in her bedroom leads to a massive bathroom, complete with a jacuzzi style tube. There’s also a large window that opens onto Glensprings, though, Leira is high up so no one can actually see into her apartment.
Generally, Leira is a homebody when she’s not out in the field. She does love going out and getting into all kinds of trouble but, for better or worse, she loves even more to kick up her feet and lay on the couch in the most comfortable pajamas she owns while eating cheesy puffs. The quiet at home beats the rush of daily life.
I hope you enjoyed this little tour of Leira’s apartment. You’ll get a more inside look during Chapter 3: Moonwalkers!