Swappernetters: Frontliner Story Pack

The Swappernetters: Frontliner Story Pack is a game pack that is part of the Swappernetters Story Pack Series. It details the Clarion and Kamhold Cabal headquarters that feature in Swappernetters, and also offers the most commonly active members of the Clarion, Kamhold, and Hassler cabals in the series as downloadable characters. The most prominent version of it is that made for The Sims 4, though it derives from the earlier Swappernetters Character Pack for The Sims 3.

Cast

 * Clarion Cabal
 * Sim as Trista Clarion
 * Sim as Rev. Renald Beauregard
 * Twirlflame Trio
 * Sim as Tabitha Pang
 * Sim as Sarah Ruben
 * Sim as Tobias Reno


 * Hassler Cabal
 * Sim as Pete Hassler
 * Sim as Cassidy Verner / Atroce
 * Sim as Selina Travin / Triflow


 * Kamhold Cabal
 * Sim as Bret Kamhold
 * Sim as Jordan Sterlie


 * Sim as Charlie "Chanticleer" Cleems

Locations

 * Clarion Cabal HQ
 * Kamhold Cabal HQ


 * An already-renovated version can be downloaded for PC and Mac versions of the game from Mod the Sims

Requirements
Main article: Frontliner Story Pack requirements

The Frontliner Story Pack details the Clarion and Kamhold Cabal HQs, and also offers the most commonly active members of the Clarion, Kamhold, and Hassler cabals in the series as downloadable characters. Each of these was made with Get to Work - Eco Lifestyle installed, and each item varies according to need for these packs. The game packs involved are likewise Outdoor Retreat through to Realm of Magic. This pack was completed before the release of Journey to Batuu, so no items in the pack require that one. Stuff packs employed include Luxury Party through to Nifty Knitting. The Frontliner Story Pack was finished before Paranormal or any later official DLC stuff packs were released.

Development
Development of characters in Sims 4 began as early as 2015; but their progress was halted by research for Ciem: Inferno. A revival of interest in Swappernetters brought DzMD CC packs of it to the forefront for production in December of 2017, both in Sims 3 and Sims 4. By August 1st of 2020, a redux of Tabitha Pang became the first item to be ready for export to DzMD. The rest of the Clarion Cabal soon followed, with their zip files made ready for export before 2:00 PM EDT that same day. Later in that day, a redux of Trista's house was prepared. Screenshots were gathered, and were edited the following morning. Close attention was paid to details, in order to get elements of this Sims 4 set to match details from the original Sims 3 set as closely as possible.

The Hassler and Kamhold Cabals were readies for export on August 6th, with Hassler's HQ being omitted due to the buggy nature of apartments that came with Eco Lifestyle - especially when modified with TwistedMexi's T.O.O.L. mod. The homes were meant to reflect character personalities and priorities.

Trista's house allowed her to feign being little more than a retired Lambrelli Labs tech engineer. It was close to the subway system, yet also quiet enough and with a large enough back yard to almost feign being hidden in the countryside. It was a place of training, hiding, and nurture, with a hidden hospital underground and a mission control center that Frontliners could readily use for their missions - or to hide after a mission.

Hassler's home reflects his "close to nature," almost "hippie"-like personality and approach to matters. He appears to care about ecology, and also demonstrates a down-to-Earth veneer. His apartment almost looks like a cave. Yet, his mission control station can still match wits with the top tech minds hacking into Chrome Kite security.

Both Trista and Hassler's homes serve to create diversion and misdirection. Kamhold's hideout, however, is a very uninviting shack with a garage and some solar panels in the back yard. He has a satellite connection, and tries to obscure what it goes to. He doesn't live directly in town, as that would make the Chrome Kite overly curious about his operation's specifics. Kamhold is unable to hide his disdain for the Chrome Kite, and publicly criticizes the establishment to the fullest extent he can get away with. Therefore, he chooses to host his operations from a base where his opinions are less likely to draw attention. As an older, undercover member of the Navyrope Society, Kamhold is bitter about how willing so many in Little Rock are to play along with tyranny.

In late 2019 and again in April of 2020, an earlier attempt was made at getting the Swappernetters uploaded to Mod the Sims. However, they were rejected, due to one moderator opining that Tabitha's face render at the time was "too generic." Only a renovated version of Trista's home got approved.

Distribution
Among developments being made for hosting other projects, the Sims 4 series of packs was met with many obstacles. However, the Frontliner Story Pack was finally available for download on August 7th of 2020. Since they're not Frontline Bosses nor Frontliners nor Free Agents, Steve Trussel and Francine Smith are included in the Supporting Cast Pack rather than the Frontliner pack.

The Frontliner Story Pack is the only one in the Sims 4 story pack series of Swappernetters that features real estate in addition to characters. The only misleading detail in the Frontliner Story Pack cover, is background features of content lifted from The Sims 4: Into the Future Conversions Stuff, as its included in that pack instead.

The only major real estate location for the heroes not included in the Frontliner pack, apart from the renovated Trista Clarion home on Mod the Sims, was Pete Hassler's location; as that was a highly modified apartment from Eco Lifestyle which required extensive dependence on TwistedMexi's T.O.O.L. mod. This had a tendency to cause bugs.

Future editions for other games
Ambitious modders may consult Dozerfleet staff on the blog or [mailto:bulldozerbegins@gmail.com by email] regarding permissions / insights into making the cast of Swappernetters for other games. No GTA mod currently exists; but such a mod should be theoretically possible. PC versions of most post-apocalyptic games, including Dying Light and Dying Light 2, may be capable of supporting Swappernetters gameplay. No future Paralives version of this pack has been planned; but other developers may discuss with Dozerfleet Labs on pursuing development of one.