I agree 100% with the OP and many other comments.
I miss creating ponds soooo much! Also being able to have different foundations in the same lot would be magical at this point! It would open up so many more options.
There are so many amazing builders in the community and it is such a shame that very basic features are lacking and never addressed.
I love many things about Build mode in TS4 but I honestly would trade almost all the new features for the terrain tool alone.
Origin ID is: AlbaWaterhouse
All my creations are CC free.
I agree 100% with the OP and many other comments.
I miss creating ponds soooo much! Also being able to have different foundations in the same lot would be magical at this point! It would open up so many more options.
There are so many amazing builders in the community and it is such a shame that very basic features are lacking and never addressed.
I love many things about Build mode in TS4 but I honestly would trade almost all the new features for the terrain tool alone.
I was so sad when I learned that only new types of roofs were coming to the game last year. Aeron Houts had said that "builders" had not been forgotten, and this gave me many expectations, but ... they were just roofs.
I was so sad when I learned that only new types of roofs were coming to the game last year. Aeron Houts had said that "builders" had not been forgotten, and this gave me many expectations, but ... they were just roofs.
I'm so glad I stopped playing this game so long ago... I was pretty upset for the builders when I heard that all they got was new roofs.
As a Builder... I not only feel abandoned by the Sims team, but completely insulted that they felt it was okay to just write us off. When the Family players were screaming foul play about them leaving out Toddlers... I was right there with them, supporting them, cause I knew how it felt for them to take such an important part of gameplay out of the sims for them. When they got their Toddlers...I was happy. I thought... Now it's our turn... It's time for the Builders to get their Color wheel, Stair options, separate foundations, landscaping tools, a bigger world or town with tons of lots to build on. I mean, I was all set to re-install the game and start coming up with new building ideas. I thought for sure this time, they would come through for us.
Then they gave the builders new roofs..... And they wonder why we still come here and criticise the game.
I am a builder too. I find TS4 building very dumbed down compared to TS2 and TS3.
I am dissatisfied that they took away the old foundation method, where you place a foundation, and then build a wall on top of it. I liked how in TS2/3 you can build a real basement by building a foundation, take away the center, and lower the terrain.
Which leads me to terrain tools. Many of my buildings involve some kind of hill. I like to have walk-out basements and sloped driveways.
In addition to L shaped stairs, I would like to see U shaped stairs (like a squared off U not rounded). This is one feature that was never introduced in TS3. I have battled with stairs in TS2 and TS3 because they all must be straight.
Also I would like to add a new one. In TS4 it is not practical to build vaulted ceilings. In TS2/3 you build two floors of walls and then simply don't build a floor. In TS4, floors are tied in with building a wall. They should at least allow us to individually remove specific floor tiles so I can make a nice vaulted ceiling where you stand on the second floor and look down to the first floor.
In general, in TS2/3 if you wanted to build something, you just do it. TS4 is very finicky and seems to be somewhat prefabricated.
However I will acknowledge that TS4 did bring some nice features such as wall heights, advanced counter/cabinet features, and setting a height of a window.
When The Sims 4 was announced, one of its promises was a revolutionary build mode, packed with new tools and lots of practicality. And that was not a lie, really many new things have been added, from practicality to new tools (some of them included per update).
Examples:
1. Pools were added to the game.
2. We can choose up to the edge of the pool.
3. Basements were added.
4. Half walls were added.
5. Added a tool that allows us to choose even the style of water from fountains and pools.
6. And we also had new styles of roofs that were added more recently.
(If I forgot something, please let me know).
But still, I feel like the builders of this game are abandoned. It will not be new types of roofing that will change that reality. We are abandoned.
The problem is that since when the basements were released in 2015, no really important and heavy functionality has been added to the game ever since. The improvements and additions were small, nothing that we could classify as really important.
I was really hoping for important things for build mode in 2017, and when I went to see it, it was just a few new roof models in the game. Oh really?
With all due respect for your work, @SimGuruHouts , I really expected a little more.
Lets go:
1. Ceiling Tile.
Since when The Sims 4 was released, to this day, we can not change the ceiling tile. We have to deal with that same white ceiling tile in every building and this is very frustrating. And it gets even worse if we consider that this feature was present in The Sims 3 since the base game was released in 2009.
Talking like a layman, this functionality does not seem too complex to add to the game and I think it might already have been added to The Sims 4 a long time ago. Come on, the game will complete 4 years this year, there was more than enough time for something like that to be added.
2. Independent Foundations:
This is an extremely annoying problem, and I have seen many people complain about it for the past 3 years.
In The Sims 4, it is not impossible to build a building that sits above a foundation while another building, still in the same lot, remains at ground level as we can see in the image below.
When we use a foundation in The Sims 4, it affects everything that was built in the lot, and that's a limitation on how many lots can be built.
3. Terrain Tool
I honestly don't even know why I'm talking about it. This is definitely one of those tools that we are already sure will never return, at least in The Sims 4. This is one of the tools of the build mode that most players have asked for the return, but that so far the producers did not give a word about, and most likely will be like this until the end of the generation.
The terrain tool was an important tool in both The Sims 2 and The Sims 3. It was responsible for allowing advanced builders to create incredible buildings, especially when using cheats like: constrainfloorelevation false, which allowed terrain leveling to affect structure of buildings.
This is something that really misses, especially to help in the aesthetics of the lots, and that saddens me.
4. Water Tool / Lake Tool
This tool walks alongside the terrain tool as it affects the ground level. I really miss building real lakes
Even today the players of The Sims 4 are forced to build pools disguised as lakes. In an attempt to make it seem more natural, players place several stones on the edge of the pool to try to create a more beautiful landscape, and disguise the pool.
Are we going to have to deal with this until the end of the generation?
5. L Shaped Stairs Tool
I've been waiting for this for years, since The Sims 3, but it seems that stairs is a feature that producers apparently have no interest in improving in the game.
In The Sims 4, players are required to build their homes within a foundation so that it is possible to create something that comes close to a L shaped stair. Of course, many people don't do that because creating a home within a foundation makes it very difficult the way the building is built.
In The Sims 3, the only way to create L shaped stair was by using the constrainfloorelevation code inside the building by changing the floor level, which affected the walls of the house. It was a step back from the third generation and I will now explain why:
In The Sims 2, in Open for Business Expansion Pack, the stage/platform tool was added. This tool was similar to the foundation, but unlike it, it was possible to add them in the inner part of the house, glued / leaning against the wall. This tool was perfect for building L shaped stairs in The Sims 2, and when it was launched, players no longer needed to use the cheat constrainfloorelevation to make L shaped Stairs. The only problem is that, as far as I remember, it was not possible set the platform height, so the L-shaped stairs always had their initial part close to the ground.
I keep wondering how amazing it would be to be able to build L-shaped stairs in The Sims 4 using a tool of their own, allowing me to even set the height of the ladder.
IMPORTANT: I know that many players want spiral stairs, I also want to, but spiral stairs are actually just an object that producers just need to create. And honestly, I do not know why this has not yet been done.
For now, for me, L-shaped stairs are more important.
It's tricky to deal with so much missing features in build mode.
6. Single Handrail
I don't know if you know, but in The Sims 4 it's impossible to build stairs with just a single handdrail. It turns out that when we use the handrail tool on a ladder, the game automatically adds two handrails, each on a different side of the ladder.
It's a small detail, but I've been through some situations where the ladder would look perfect if there was a handrail only on one side, but as the game adds handrails on both sides automatically, there was nothing I could do.
In The Sims 3 and The Sims 2, we can only add one rail if that's what we want.
I think the producers wanted to make the players' work much more practical with some things that in the end what they did was disturb the way the players build something. @SimGuruHouts , I beg you, help us with build mode, all the things I've said here are important, and at least 2 of them do not seem to me to be very complex to introduce, like the case of individual handrails and ceiling tile.
I want to take the opportunity and invite @ehaught58 to join the discussion. I know you've been one of the great advocates of new tools for game building mode.
That's not true at all. TS3 has L shaped stairs. You can get two types at the store. I have ones that came with the Old Mill set.
TS3 also has ladders, curved stairs actual elevators etc. Let's also not forget platforms and curved pool tools.
Let's also not forget you can't delete single floor tiles on TS4.
When The Sims 4 was announced, one of its promises was a revolutionary build mode, packed with new tools and lots of practicality. And that was not a lie, really many new things have been added, from practicality to new tools (some of them included per update).
Examples:
1. Pools were added to the game.
2. We can choose up to the edge of the pool.
3. Basements were added.
4. Half walls were added.
5. Added a tool that allows us to choose even the style of water from fountains and pools.
6. And we also had new styles of roofs that were added more recently.
(If I forgot something, please let me know).
But still, I feel like the builders of this game are abandoned. It will not be new types of roofing that will change that reality. We are abandoned.
The problem is that since when the basements were released in 2015, no really important and heavy functionality has been added to the game ever since. The improvements and additions were small, nothing that we could classify as really important.
I was really hoping for important things for build mode in 2017, and when I went to see it, it was just a few new roof models in the game. Oh really?
With all due respect for your work, @SimGuruHouts , I really expected a little more.
Lets go:
1. Ceiling Tile.
Since when The Sims 4 was released, to this day, we can not change the ceiling tile. We have to deal with that same white ceiling tile in every building and this is very frustrating. And it gets even worse if we consider that this feature was present in The Sims 3 since the base game was released in 2009.
Talking like a layman, this functionality does not seem too complex to add to the game and I think it might already have been added to The Sims 4 a long time ago. Come on, the game will complete 4 years this year, there was more than enough time for something like that to be added.
2. Independent Foundations:
This is an extremely annoying problem, and I have seen many people complain about it for the past 3 years.
In The Sims 4, it is not impossible to build a building that sits above a foundation while another building, still in the same lot, remains at ground level as we can see in the image below.
When we use a foundation in The Sims 4, it affects everything that was built in the lot, and that's a limitation on how many lots can be built.
3. Terrain Tool
I honestly don't even know why I'm talking about it. This is definitely one of those tools that we are already sure will never return, at least in The Sims 4. This is one of the tools of the build mode that most players have asked for the return, but that so far the producers did not give a word about, and most likely will be like this until the end of the generation.
The terrain tool was an important tool in both The Sims 2 and The Sims 3. It was responsible for allowing advanced builders to create incredible buildings, especially when using cheats like: constrainfloorelevation false, which allowed terrain leveling to affect structure of buildings.
This is something that really misses, especially to help in the aesthetics of the lots, and that saddens me.
4. Water Tool / Lake Tool
This tool walks alongside the terrain tool as it affects the ground level. I really miss building real lakes
Even today the players of The Sims 4 are forced to build pools disguised as lakes. In an attempt to make it seem more natural, players place several stones on the edge of the pool to try to create a more beautiful landscape, and disguise the pool.
Are we going to have to deal with this until the end of the generation?
5. L Shaped Stairs Tool
I've been waiting for this for years, since The Sims 3, but it seems that stairs is a feature that producers apparently have no interest in improving in the game.
In The Sims 4, players are required to build their homes within a foundation so that it is possible to create something that comes close to a L shaped stair. Of course, many people don't do that because creating a home within a foundation makes it very difficult the way the building is built.
In The Sims 3, the only way to create L shaped stair was by using the constrainfloorelevation code inside the building by changing the floor level, which affected the walls of the house. It was a step back from the third generation and I will now explain why:
In The Sims 2, in Open for Business Expansion Pack, the stage/platform tool was added. This tool was similar to the foundation, but unlike it, it was possible to add them in the inner part of the house, glued / leaning against the wall. This tool was perfect for building L shaped stairs in The Sims 2, and when it was launched, players no longer needed to use the cheat constrainfloorelevation to make L shaped Stairs. The only problem is that, as far as I remember, it was not possible set the platform height, so the L-shaped stairs always had their initial part close to the ground.
I keep wondering how amazing it would be to be able to build L-shaped stairs in The Sims 4 using a tool of their own, allowing me to even set the height of the ladder.
IMPORTANT: I know that many players want spiral stairs, I also want to, but spiral stairs are actually just an object that producers just need to create. And honestly, I do not know why this has not yet been done.
For now, for me, L-shaped stairs are more important.
It's tricky to deal with so much missing features in build mode.
6. Single Handrail
I don't know if you know, but in The Sims 4 it's impossible to build stairs with just a single handdrail. It turns out that when we use the handrail tool on a ladder, the game automatically adds two handrails, each on a different side of the ladder.
It's a small detail, but I've been through some situations where the ladder would look perfect if there was a handrail only on one side, but as the game adds handrails on both sides automatically, there was nothing I could do.
In The Sims 3 and The Sims 2, we can only add one rail if that's what we want.
I think the producers wanted to make the players' work much more practical with some things that in the end what they did was disturb the way the players build something. @SimGuruHouts , I beg you, help us with build mode, all the things I've said here are important, and at least 2 of them do not seem to me to be very complex to introduce, like the case of individual handrails and ceiling tile.
I want to take the opportunity and invite @ehaught58 to join the discussion. I know you've been one of the great advocates of new tools for game building mode.
That's not true at all. TS3 has L shaped stairs. You can get two types at the store. I have ones that came with the Old Mill set.
TS3 also has ladders, curved stairs actual elevators etc.
Let's also not forget you can't delete single floor tiles on TS4.
I would also like to add that all of the tools (or most, anyway) that have been added SINCE the release of TS4 are tools that we have had in previous versions of the game. Even the “new” roofs! I feel that they should have been in the base game since the beginning!
"If you build it, they will come." - Movie: Field of Dreams
I remember using placefriezes on to make L and U shaped stairs in the Sims 3. I'm going to double check to make sure I wasn't dreaming that or thinking of something from the Sims 2. I did have the L-shaped stairs from the Sims 3 Store.
Edit: Hmmm, maybe not. It's been awhile since I've used advanced build tools. But I have two sets of l-shaped stairs so that's good.
I forgot how awesome Sims 3 building tools are, though. Not nearly as intuitive as Sims 4 building tools, but fun once you get the hang of them.
I am a builder too. I find TS4 building very dumbed down compared to TS2 and TS3.
I am dissatisfied that they took away the old foundation method, where you place a foundation, and then build a wall on top of it. I liked how in TS2/3 you can build a real basement by building a foundation, take away the center, and lower the terrain.
Which leads me to terrain tools. Many of my buildings involve some kind of hill. I like to have walk-out basements and sloped driveways.
In addition to L shaped stairs, I would like to see U shaped stairs (like a squared off U not rounded). This is one feature that was never introduced in TS3. I have battled with stairs in TS2 and TS3 because they all must be straight.
Also I would like to add a new one. In TS4 it is not practical to build vaulted ceilings. In TS2/3 you build two floors of walls and then simply don't build a floor. In TS4, floors are tied in with building a wall. They should at least allow us to individually remove specific floor tiles so I can make a nice vaulted ceiling where you stand on the second floor and look down to the first floor.
In general, in TS2/3 if you wanted to build something, you just do it. TS4 is very finicky and seems to be somewhat prefabricated.
However I will acknowledge that TS4 did bring some nice features such as wall heights, advanced counter/cabinet features, and setting a height of a window.
I've done this in Sims 4. I've made second, even third floor catwalks (in like a warehouse build). It's a bit tricky but it's doable. I haven't done it in awhile but let's see if I remember right.
So if you want to make a simple 'loft' area on the second floor, (for like a bedroom or something), with an area to look down to the first do this:
Make the second floor the same size as the first (or at least the same size as the 'open area' of the first floor, plus whatever size room you want for the loft.
Then, using a fence or a wall (it works either way) divide the second floor in half (or at that line where you want the open area to begin.) The game basically considers it two rooms at this point.
Then, remove the floor on the second level where you want the open space to be. Then, you can either remove the divider wall/fence, or if it's a fence you want to keep there as a railing, you're done already. Finish furnishing the upper room as you see fit.
If you want more than one open area on the second floor (or even the third floor for that matter), just do the same thing. Make the full story first, one big room. Then draw out the 'holes' in the floor with the wall tool or fence tool. (Make sure they connect together to form a room.) Remove the floor, then if you're using regular walls, remove those/replace with fences, or leave the fences there if you need railings. Let's see if I can find my warehouse build to show you it's possible:
I hope you can see that well enough to get the idea. Now I say it's tricky because if once you're done removing the floors and walls and such, you add more or try to change the floor plan around again, sometimes the game fills in floor bits again when walls connect and stuff. So I'd recommend before removing any floor bits, draw out the spaces with fences or walls until you find the layout that fits best (you can even furnish the room areas first to make sure things fit), and save the floor/wall removal for last on that level.
I hope that helps.
Also, I've never bothered to try it because I don't use the floaty camera mode thing for pictures and such so I don't see ceilings, but I believe if you want vaulted ones, put down a roof first, then remove the ceiling it's sitting on and you'll see the bottom of the roof (the triangle thing)? Maybe? That's not really my thing but give it a shot. There won't be like a bunch of wooden rafters or whatever though.
this might sound extremely minor, and maybe someone mentioned this already, but one feature i really miss from TS3 was being able to change which side of the door the knob placement was. it really matters in small or odd shaped rooms like bathrooms what direction the door opens!
sadly i haven't played TS3 recently so i'd forgotten how good we had it. after playing TS4 exclusively for a while and somewhat forgetting about previous sims games i was thinking that build mode is still the best part of TS4 (maybe i'm biased because i enjoy building more than gameplay) however the primary reason i avoid regular gameplay in TS4 isn't because i like building better but because the AI and emotion system for me is so horrendous. now that i'm thinking about it i'm considering going back to TS3 for both better building and better gameplay. yes, TS4 has some cool new build features that we havent seen before in earlier sims games but as a builder those few features were absolutely not worth it if the trade-off was getting rid of other features from previous games. i'd rather my builds take longer and look exactly how i want them, than be limited for the sake of ease and speed. and the loss of CAW and CASt is hardly forgivable for a game that is supposed to be an improvement upon previous iterations. sadly i think the only thing TS4 truly improves upon from previous versions is how well it runs on my computer, and even that only applies to TS3 whereas TS1 and TS2 always ran alright. sorry for the rant that went off-topic, but as a builder and player i'm disappointed in TS4 overall. the one good thing i will say is that the aesthetic of builds in TS4 is nice, but the graphics don't translate as well to the sims themselves for me, anyhow
this might sound extremely minor, and maybe someone mentioned this already, but one feature i really miss from TS3 was being able to change which side of the door the knob placement was. it really matters in small or odd shaped rooms like bathrooms what direction the door opens!
sadly i haven't played TS3 recently so i'd forgotten how good we had it. after playing TS4 exclusively for a while and somewhat forgetting about previous sims games i was thinking that build mode is still the best part of TS4 (maybe i'm biased because i enjoy building more than gameplay) however the primary reason i avoid regular gameplay in TS4 isn't because i like building better but because the AI and emotion system for me is so horrendous. now that i'm thinking about it i'm considering going back to TS3 for both better building and better gameplay. yes, TS4 has some cool new build features that we havent seen before in earlier sims games but as a builder those few features were absolutely not worth it if the trade-off was getting rid of other features from previous games. i'd rather my builds take longer and look exactly how i want them, than be limited for the sake of ease and speed. and the loss of CAW and CASt is hardly forgivable for a game that is supposed to be an improvement upon previous iterations. sadly i think the only thing TS4 truly improves upon from previous versions is how well it runs on my computer, and even that only applies to TS3 whereas TS1 and TS2 always ran alright. sorry for the rant that went off-topic, but as a builder and player i'm disappointed in TS4 overall. the one good thing i will say is that the aesthetic of builds in TS4 is nice, but the graphics don't translate as well to the sims themselves for me, anyhow
You can reverse (switch which side the doorknob is on) the door placement with right mouse click I think? (Or is it left? One of the clicks anyway, lol.) It works best when the door you're using looks the same on both sides (as some look different on the 'front' side than the 'back'. I've used this plenty of times for small hallways and such too. (If you're playing on console, I have no idea what the button is there, sorry.)
this might sound extremely minor, and maybe someone mentioned this already, but one feature i really miss from TS3 was being able to change which side of the door the knob placement was. it really matters in small or odd shaped rooms like bathrooms what direction the door opens!
sadly i haven't played TS3 recently so i'd forgotten how good we had it. after playing TS4 exclusively for a while and somewhat forgetting about previous sims games i was thinking that build mode is still the best part of TS4 (maybe i'm biased because i enjoy building more than gameplay) however the primary reason i avoid regular gameplay in TS4 isn't because i like building better but because the AI and emotion system for me is so horrendous. now that i'm thinking about it i'm considering going back to TS3 for both better building and better gameplay. yes, TS4 has some cool new build features that we havent seen before in earlier sims games but as a builder those few features were absolutely not worth it if the trade-off was getting rid of other features from previous games. i'd rather my builds take longer and look exactly how i want them, than be limited for the sake of ease and speed. and the loss of CAW and CASt is hardly forgivable for a game that is supposed to be an improvement upon previous iterations. sadly i think the only thing TS4 truly improves upon from previous versions is how well it runs on my computer, and even that only applies to TS3 whereas TS1 and TS2 always ran alright. sorry for the rant that went off-topic, but as a builder and player i'm disappointed in TS4 overall. the one good thing i will say is that the aesthetic of builds in TS4 is nice, but the graphics don't translate as well to the sims themselves for me, anyhow
You can do this in game using either the “<“ or “>” keys on your keyboard. That will flip the door.
That's not true at all. TS3 has L shaped stairs. You can get two types at the store. I have ones that came with the Old Mill set.
TS3 also has ladders, curved stairs actual elevators etc. Let's also not forget platforms and curved pool tools.
Let's also not forget you can't delete single floor tiles on TS4.
But this L Shaped Stair is actually an object, just like spiral stairs. It is not a ladder that we can create manually, as if it were a native tool of the game itself. And worse: it has an empty space on the bottom, there are no walls or anything of the kind.
A tool that would allow players to create L Shaped Staris manually would allow greater freedom of creation for both inside and outside the house.
I agree with everyone unhappy with the current Sims 4 build mode. I used to love building in Sims 2, there wasn't much that couldn't be done then. I didn't build nearly as much in Sims 3, but I did enjoy every second of it. Being able to customize everything was my favorite feature, I was using that all the time. But with Sims 4 building feels like a chore after a while. I usually try to recreate real life houses or house plans and I have to ditch most of them before the game is even loaded. Sims 2 and 3 were easy, I saw a house I liked and most likely I was able to build it in the game. Sims 4 on the other hand has so many building limitations or lack of features that I can't even attempt most house plans and that frustrates me to no end because I enjoy playing the game. If I do finish building a house then there's the next challenge. How do you furnish and decorate it when barely anything matches or you don't like the only available color choices? I get it that the casual builders love it, but if you want to build more than ten houses then you quickly run out of decorative choices. It just gets frustrating at that point. I haven't entirely given up on this game yet, but the waiting (for something, anything, or nothing) is really the worst part.
Yessss on the separate foundations! That drives me nuts when I'm trying to build something.
In sims 4 their primary focus for build mode was speed not detail. As I've said before about sims 4 being a much diluted version of previous sims, build mode is no exception. They wanted to give us a way to build fast, but whenever they seem to give us one thing they always take away everything else. I wish they could improve on functions of the game instead of recreating them entirely.
I just posted about this subject myself! I should have read ahead...however I think the more of us builders complain, the likelier we are to be heard.
Well... we've been asking, pleading, begging...since the base game came out, and we are still being ignored. Having to endure comments like "Lounge chairs are too hard to create because of all the animations", is infuriating... Especially when they took the time to make a talking toilet. There are no real functional elevators or any kind of selection with stairs, foundations, color swatches...etc.... But they can provide 20 different ways to party and give us a talking toilet.
Yeah I give up. My money can be well spent elsewhere.
I wish this thread would gain more popularity.
More people need to comment ask for better Build mode tools!
It should be a top priority not another stuff pack with 1 cool object, pet clothing and recolors of chairs. I desperately need garages and driveways, not necessarily the cars though lol (I could careless about my sims driving around). The separation of foundation heights should be relatively easy to do, no? While weather is super important and should be added asap, I hope devs are at least thinking about expanding the capabilities of build mode.
Please Bring BackToddlers, Realistic Teenagers and Create a World.
Make the Sims (4) Great Again<3
Comments
I miss creating ponds soooo much! Also being able to have different foundations in the same lot would be magical at this point! It would open up so many more options.
There are so many amazing builders in the community and it is such a shame that very basic features are lacking and never addressed.
I love many things about Build mode in TS4 but I honestly would trade almost all the new features for the terrain tool alone.
All my creations are CC free.
I was so sad when I learned that only new types of roofs were coming to the game last year. Aeron Houts had said that "builders" had not been forgotten, and this gave me many expectations, but ... they were just roofs.
I'm so glad I stopped playing this game so long ago... I was pretty upset for the builders when I heard that all they got was new roofs.
As a Builder... I not only feel abandoned by the Sims team, but completely insulted that they felt it was okay to just write us off. When the Family players were screaming foul play about them leaving out Toddlers... I was right there with them, supporting them, cause I knew how it felt for them to take such an important part of gameplay out of the sims for them. When they got their Toddlers...I was happy. I thought... Now it's our turn... It's time for the Builders to get their Color wheel, Stair options, separate foundations, landscaping tools, a bigger world or town with tons of lots to build on. I mean, I was all set to re-install the game and start coming up with new building ideas. I thought for sure this time, they would come through for us.
Then they gave the builders new roofs.....
I am dissatisfied that they took away the old foundation method, where you place a foundation, and then build a wall on top of it. I liked how in TS2/3 you can build a real basement by building a foundation, take away the center, and lower the terrain.
Which leads me to terrain tools. Many of my buildings involve some kind of hill. I like to have walk-out basements and sloped driveways.
In addition to L shaped stairs, I would like to see U shaped stairs (like a squared off U not rounded). This is one feature that was never introduced in TS3. I have battled with stairs in TS2 and TS3 because they all must be straight.
Also I would like to add a new one. In TS4 it is not practical to build vaulted ceilings. In TS2/3 you build two floors of walls and then simply don't build a floor. In TS4, floors are tied in with building a wall. They should at least allow us to individually remove specific floor tiles so I can make a nice vaulted ceiling where you stand on the second floor and look down to the first floor.
In general, in TS2/3 if you wanted to build something, you just do it. TS4 is very finicky and seems to be somewhat prefabricated.
However I will acknowledge that TS4 did bring some nice features such as wall heights, advanced counter/cabinet features, and setting a height of a window.
That's not true at all. TS3 has L shaped stairs. You can get two types at the store. I have ones that came with the Old Mill set.
TS3 also has ladders, curved stairs actual elevators etc. Let's also not forget platforms and curved pool tools.
Let's also not forget you can't delete single floor tiles on TS4.
I would also like to add that all of the tools (or most, anyway) that have been added SINCE the release of TS4 are tools that we have had in previous versions of the game. Even the “new” roofs! I feel that they should have been in the base game since the beginning!
"If you build it, they will come." - Movie: Field of Dreams
Edit: Hmmm, maybe not. It's been awhile since I've used advanced build tools. But I have two sets of l-shaped stairs so that's good.
I forgot how awesome Sims 3 building tools are, though. Not nearly as intuitive as Sims 4 building tools, but fun once you get the hang of them.
I've done this in Sims 4. I've made second, even third floor catwalks (in like a warehouse build). It's a bit tricky but it's doable. I haven't done it in awhile but let's see if I remember right.
So if you want to make a simple 'loft' area on the second floor, (for like a bedroom or something), with an area to look down to the first do this:
Make the second floor the same size as the first (or at least the same size as the 'open area' of the first floor, plus whatever size room you want for the loft.
Then, using a fence or a wall (it works either way) divide the second floor in half (or at that line where you want the open area to begin.) The game basically considers it two rooms at this point.
Then, remove the floor on the second level where you want the open space to be. Then, you can either remove the divider wall/fence, or if it's a fence you want to keep there as a railing, you're done already. Finish furnishing the upper room as you see fit.
If you want more than one open area on the second floor (or even the third floor for that matter), just do the same thing. Make the full story first, one big room. Then draw out the 'holes' in the floor with the wall tool or fence tool. (Make sure they connect together to form a room.) Remove the floor, then if you're using regular walls, remove those/replace with fences, or leave the fences there if you need railings. Let's see if I can find my warehouse build to show you it's possible:
I hope you can see that well enough to get the idea. Now I say it's tricky because if once you're done removing the floors and walls and such, you add more or try to change the floor plan around again, sometimes the game fills in floor bits again when walls connect and stuff. So I'd recommend before removing any floor bits, draw out the spaces with fences or walls until you find the layout that fits best (you can even furnish the room areas first to make sure things fit), and save the floor/wall removal for last on that level.
I hope that helps.
Also, I've never bothered to try it because I don't use the floaty camera mode thing for pictures and such so I don't see ceilings, but I believe if you want vaulted ones, put down a roof first, then remove the ceiling it's sitting on and you'll see the bottom of the roof (the triangle thing)? Maybe? That's not really my thing but give it a shot. There won't be like a bunch of wooden rafters or whatever though.
sadly i haven't played TS3 recently so i'd forgotten how good we had it. after playing TS4 exclusively for a while and somewhat forgetting about previous sims games i was thinking that build mode is still the best part of TS4 (maybe i'm biased because i enjoy building more than gameplay) however the primary reason i avoid regular gameplay in TS4 isn't because i like building better but because the AI and emotion system for me is so horrendous. now that i'm thinking about it i'm considering going back to TS3 for both better building and better gameplay. yes, TS4 has some cool new build features that we havent seen before in earlier sims games but as a builder those few features were absolutely not worth it if the trade-off was getting rid of other features from previous games. i'd rather my builds take longer and look exactly how i want them, than be limited for the sake of ease and speed. and the loss of CAW and CASt is hardly forgivable for a game that is supposed to be an improvement upon previous iterations. sadly i think the only thing TS4 truly improves upon from previous versions is how well it runs on my computer, and even that only applies to TS3 whereas TS1 and TS2 always ran alright. sorry for the rant that went off-topic, but as a builder and player i'm disappointed in TS4 overall. the one good thing i will say is that the aesthetic of builds in TS4 is nice, but the graphics don't translate as well to the sims themselves for me, anyhow
You can reverse (switch which side the doorknob is on) the door placement with right mouse click I think? (Or is it left? One of the clicks anyway, lol.) It works best when the door you're using looks the same on both sides (as some look different on the 'front' side than the 'back'. I've used this plenty of times for small hallways and such too. (If you're playing on console, I have no idea what the button is there, sorry.)
You can do this in game using either the “<“ or “>” keys on your keyboard. That will flip the door.
But this L Shaped Stair is actually an object, just like spiral stairs. It is not a ladder that we can create manually, as if it were a native tool of the game itself. And worse: it has an empty space on the bottom, there are no walls or anything of the kind.
A tool that would allow players to create L Shaped Staris manually would allow greater freedom of creation for both inside and outside the house.
I hope they do bring more chose to this game.
I agree with you. I really need to be able to make L shaped stairs. They would make stair cases SO much better.
At least give us separate foundations by room. TS3 had this from the beginning in 2009.
Here's how it could look like in TS4: (made by me a while ago)
The Sims 4's build mode isn't perfect.
They've made it much simpler, but cut so many features that it makes TS3's build mode look superior.
In sims 4 their primary focus for build mode was speed not detail. As I've said before about sims 4 being a much diluted version of previous sims, build mode is no exception. They wanted to give us a way to build fast, but whenever they seem to give us one thing they always take away everything else. I wish they could improve on functions of the game instead of recreating them entirely.
Well... we've been asking, pleading, begging...since the base game came out, and we are still being ignored. Having to endure comments like "Lounge chairs are too hard to create because of all the animations", is infuriating... Especially when they took the time to make a talking toilet. There are no real functional elevators or any kind of selection with stairs, foundations, color swatches...etc.... But they can provide 20 different ways to party and give us a talking toilet.
Yeah I give up. My money can be well spent elsewhere.
More people need to comment ask for better Build mode tools!
It should be a top priority not another stuff pack with 1 cool object, pet clothing and recolors of chairs. I desperately need garages and driveways, not necessarily the cars though lol (I could careless about my sims driving around). The separation of foundation heights should be relatively easy to do, no? While weather is super important and should be added asap, I hope devs are at least thinking about expanding the capabilities of build mode.
Please Bring Back Toddlers, Realistic Teenagers and Create a World.
Make the Sims (4) Great Again<3
Agreed.
I expected build mode by now to have improved.
Thanks. Me to.
I would love a return of
Grand
Spiral
Ladders
Elevaters