So I went into game today, and it looks like I had lost my house But not to worry, this give me a chance to build my sim her own house. So please wish me luck.
I had a suspicion..a little thought as to why my technique wasn't working easily for some of you, when it does for me...So I tried it and found a rather wacky thing...
So now I see that it is as vital to use the guide steps going back down as we did in going up. the game has a weird "sinking, unsupported floor" if we remove it for our garage and try to then level from the street.
Remember....Guide steps up! Guide steps down!
Now...If you have gone so far into your build and do not want to start over. We can use the CFE cheat code
ConstrainFloorElevation False and ConstrainFloorElevation true
to fix this.
So, my fingers are working, yay! I've been playing with the lessons, not finishing them up completely, but enough to get comfortable with what you are showing us... and I love it! I am going to work on my homework build, and make a Black Cat Builders thread, yay!
So here are some pics of some landscaping I did in a different ZOO U class that was fabulous also. (aren't they all? :shock: ) I guess this is kind of cheating, because I already did this work. I used the rocks and plants method, and also the fog emitters for butterflies and lightning bugs!
I also have a picture that will answer a question of Gypsywynd's that snuck past... on waterfall's. I used a fog emitter to have a waterfall on this same build.
Donna! Your cottage is totally cute! I think you should upload it just like that! People love landscaping and gardens! In DNA we get a lot of requests that we build nice gardens with lots of flowers. It is a colorful, vibrant lot! Share it!
Nakendra!! Good luck!
๐ธ๐ธ๐ธ๐ธ...we will be doing a little fountaining area in the next MOOve your Grass landscaping class. I am working on it even now.
Jenny! Your home is looking terrific!
And Prisca's fingers are working again....although not so much she can do dishes, sorry Mr. Pup...
That is stunning Michelle. I love all your rock and plant MOOIng, your pretty painting...the shape of your home...the plnter boxes...more on your thread!
Donna! Your cottage is totally cute! I think you should upload it just like that! People love landscaping and gardens! In DNA we get a lot of requests that we build nice gardens with lots of flowers. It is a colorful, vibrant lot! Share it!
Thank you Taryn. I'm really very pleased with how it came out, maybe I'm just not used to so much color! LOL. My landscaping skills are not the best so I was really happy to learn these tricks. Thank you for teaching me this. The house is just a shell right now, but I might actually rebuild it into something more interesting and upload.
Though nothing can bring back the hour
Of splendour in the grass, of glory in the flower;
We will grieve not, rather find
Strength in what remains behind
I skipped ahead to Lesson 1 part 2. Here's what I have. I don't think I would ever upload or use a lot that had quite this much landscaping, but it was delightful doing it. I had a hard time stopping! This is exactly the sort of thing I wanted to learn, how to give my lots more exterior visual appeal. I learned a lot!
Wow! Your little house is adorable and very inviting. I want to live there right now.
Hey everyone Iv'e been running in the background. Stealing sour patch babies from Taryn's desk; cough cough I didn't say that out loud did I? Running off now before I get caught.
Amazing amazing class Professor Taryn and Zoo. You two Rock!!!!
Everyone's work is amazing also. You Professors do good teaching.
I'm checking out blackcat list as they are posted and leaving little comments.
Got me sour patch babies and swoops out the back door as Taryn comes in the side door.... Hehehehehe... Don't tell anyone....
I skipped ahead to Lesson 1 part 2. Here's what I have. I don't think I would ever upload or use a lot that had quite this much landscaping, but it was delightful doing it. I had a hard time stopping! This is exactly the sort of thing I wanted to learn, how to give my lots more exterior visual appeal. I learned a lot!
Wow! Your little house is adorable and very inviting. I want to live there right now.
Thank you so much ๐ธ๐ธ๐ธ๐ธ. You're very kind for commenting.
Though nothing can bring back the hour
Of splendour in the grass, of glory in the flower;
We will grieve not, rather find
Strength in what remains behind
Just popping in to say that work has been busy this week and I haven't gotten a chance to update Blackcat Builders yet, BUT I haven't forgotten about it and I will do it just as soon as I have time.
Just wanted to stop by say Hi! and show my work, I still need to make my own thread like everyone else (sorry :oops: ) anyway...I am not sure how this looks trying to pull off the Japanese style (new to it). Still working and gathering ideas.
Taryn I never have a plan during my building and I'm always "winging it". Not sure if that's good or bad but it's my mess and sometimes it works others it doesn't. Let me know if it's working or not please, I need feedback. I am having trouble with the color scheme, mainly the doors and windows. I have ideas for the side garden/pool area but haven't gotten that far yet [img]https://๐ธ๐ธ๐ธ๐ธ.googleusercontent.com/-xutIEW4qa0E/U1gDfzdqrzI/AAAAAAAAEWg/Is4XtLMjRkI/w612-h459-no/Screenshot-30+-+Copy.jpg[/img]
more pics https://plus.google.com/photos/116037345868191629221/albums/6004133682660030993
RedKitty, I think this h0use has undergone a total transformation! I peeked through your WIP photos and my jaw dropped!
I think this is turning out really cute! The shape of the exterior is cute and interesting.
Feedback.... Maybe golds and blacks for accent colors? Your red is so vibrant that I think you need warmer, more vibrant colors. I think the cream or whitish color on the doors and windows is muting and cooling your red down too much. I suggest gold. I think that would make your molding pop.
I think that your decking rails or pathways too, should be warmer and deeper in color too. Maybe pull color tones from your roof- so a warm redwood color? with gold accents on the porch rails? Maybe black w/ gold would be dramatic for porch rails.
Think to yourself what colors would be in a rich, red silk kimono...reds, golds, blacks, royal blues, emerald greens...that's what I think of on a red silk tapestry. Maybe those colors would translate well in your house?
Landscaping feedback. I think you are on the right track here. I don't know much about the plant life in Japan, so I'd have to Google "Japanese garden images". I do believe that balance is very important to Japanese gardens. Ponds with bridges and Koi fish, sand areas, lovely walking paths, a little rock vignette with shrubs or topiaries, drapey trees like a willow...cherry trees..that's what comes to mind for me.
I see one little thing on the second picture that I know you can make better, (and maybe you aren't even done with it and I am jumping the gun) - the terrain paint on the second picture here. I think it would look better to erase it...choose the largest circle on the paint tools, then slide the slider to the far right, to make it sheer, then chose that same dry grass paint as you have and spritz larger areas- more evenly. Think larger, more graceful painted areas rather than small polka-dotted ones. Like a swath of paint, if that helps.
I think you have a terrific and creative start on this though! Neat idea!
I'm putzzing away here. I got the deck and the stairs leading off the deck, installed.
changed the color of the log texture on the house and add some different windows in the front, and various other areas. I lined the hillsde on either side of the basement patio, with boulders.
I also added these stairs in the yard, leading out to the sidewalk. And, low and behold, my inspector Sim, would not walk on the stairs. he had to be like everybody else's Sim. I removed and flattend everything around where the stairs go and reinstalled them. I removed all of the closest boulders and still no go.
So then I added this lovely hedge fence along the walkway and then commanded Mr. Inspector to walk to a certain place and like magic he went with out a single word. So the stairs are negotiable by Sims as long as there is something to route them along, like a bunch of cattle in a chute. I'm just not so sure that I like the hedge, or that I even want a fence. The hedge just doesn't seem so appropriate. What to do, what to do? Hmmm...
How about the very lowest of the fence pieces, the ones that look like borders? If you choose the lowest and run it along the sidewalk, it will just look like edging.
How about the very lowest of the fence pieces, the ones that look like borders? If you choose the lowest and run it along the sidewalk, it will just look like edging.
Try that, ๐ธ๐ธ๐ธ๐ธ!
Lovely home!
Thank you! I will try the lowest fence, or perhaps some of the smaller rocks all lined up. Ones that are just high enough that a Sim can't step over.
I'm debating also, on if maybe, I should move the stairs to the middle, and have them come down on that patio and then eliminate that one big long sidewalk. That might make more sense and look better. I just hate to clog up my patio though, cause I had an idea for there. I do still have the whole, other side of the house, to do something with, so perhaps I could move my idea to that side.
The low borders will not work! The sim will step over them.
You are really challenging me!
I realize that the way I do my levels work because I sort of stumbled upon this techinque and just always do it that way...guide steps up...guide steps down.
Now I am I am realizing that I've done stairs in the ground and they work..but only because I always MOO something against them to pretty them up. I have never placed stairs in the ground without anything around them! They look so wierd and naked! So I ran some tests.
SO! I deduce that our sims need something to border steps set into ground..rocks, flowers, fences...things they cannot step over! They act as a routing guide.
I am sorry. If you know me as a builder, you've seen my lots. They are very landscape heavy. Because it is my own personal style or taste, I have always just made my steps with things around them, rails, rocks, flowers. I do not like how bare and choppy they look sitting in the ground, so I found ways to disguise that. Little did I know I was actually creating routing for my sims! Look at my forum thread full of pictures, and you'll see my outdoor steps. In fact, it's in our lesson in 2 weeks, too! I just finished a segment on steps and blending them in to your terrain.
This is why I have been stumped, because my sims always use my steps, no questions asked. It's because of my MOOing and my own personal style..it's not anything I ever thought of or planned.
So my lovelies...if you have steps set into terrain, you must think of ways to rout them, using items that sims cannot step over...plants, rocks, rails, fences.
TarynTempestwind, sorry to put you through a bunch of extra work. I like your flower bushes and rocks example the best. I think I will try something a little more along that line. I actually thought about putting some bushes but I was afraid my Sim would just walk through them and go around any how. Thank you for your experiments.
No problem, ๐ธ๐ธ๐ธ๐ธ! The puzzles we have come across have been interesting!
I do not consider myself a "technical" builder. I consider myself a "decorative" builder, I have a way of building that would drive a technical builder nuts!
I do not use blueprints, well, at least not unless a DNA customer requests a blueprint build and they also request me personally. I enjoy looking at blueprints, mind you, but I like my freedom to create my on own. What I do is build the front facade of my home. Just the front face. I make it is cute as I can. Then I start thinking about where I want my rooms, and I build back from the front, adding exterior walls to match my rooms., I'll add roofs, then destroy them, then add, destroy, add, add, and work my way around the house. If you only knew how much I build and destroy and obsess to get the look I want! I am stubbornly patient when it comes to details.
So I often stumble upon things, since I am constantly trying new things. It should also be said...I rarely actually play the game. I just build, and create and MOO. And I hate repetitious work in anything, so I never build the exact same thing twice.
So if you we to ask me "Why does this work?" I would probably say, "I don't know...it just does!" I am so busy being decorative, I don't exactly care why it works, I just test to make sure it does work, and then I skip off to my next little project.
So the finding out "why does it work." has been interesting!
Your discovery of the "routing help" with the MOO'd items and railings is actually VERY helpful and should stop a lot of frustration that I have found in doing stairs in the past. I have always managed to get it to work EVENTUALLY, but there was sometimes a lot of time spent to get there. This is a relatively easy and painless thing to achieve AND I agree that I like the way it looks better, too!
You are discovering what I have seen for years: students ask questions that lead you to learn stuff yourself as you try to help them.
I have learned something new in every Zoo U class I've taught. Since I've taught math for more than thirty years now, I don't learn something in EVERY class these days, but I am still learning new stuff even in classes I've taught for all of that time (like College Algebra and Trigonometry). It is because I get new students, with fresh questions, every semester. I consider this an added benefit to being a teacher.
I can't even express how excited I was to find this new class on MOOing! (I'm also seriously bummed I didn't know about it till after the first class happened!)
But please do sign me up for the second lesson! I really do want to be in on this.
Thank you, Taryn! I have an issue with colors, I can never find the perfect balance. I love emerald green and dark sapphire blues with black and red. My front fencing I liked but I will save that and try other color combos too. I worked on my back yard yesterday and it's coming along slowly.
note to anyone with color troubles like me, I found some good info on color charts at Carl's sims 3 website, I recommend this website because it has cheat codes and helpful info to all things sims! its my go to guide when I need info, (my number one is of course the forums but carl's comes second for quick info)
Comments
I turned off auto-roof
I pre-leveled my lot:
<a href="http://s400.photobucket.com/user/taryntempestwind/media/taryntempestwind024/Screenshot-1233-Copy_zps1c7f3dca.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i400.photobucket.com/albums/pp84/taryntempestwind/taryntempestwind024/Screenshot-1233-Copy_zps1c7f3dca.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo Screenshot-1233-Copy_zps1c7f3dca.jpg"/></a>
I made my 4 sets of 4 guide steps, (all going "up" in this trial) (including my foundation level)
<a href="http://s400.photobucket.com/user/taryntempestwind/media/taryntempestwind024/Screenshot-1250-Copy_zps990d1409.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i400.photobucket.com/albums/pp84/taryntempestwind/taryntempestwind024/Screenshot-1250-Copy_zps990d1409.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo Screenshot-1250-Copy_zps990d1409.jpg"/></a>
I hammered away what is to become my basement/garage level..plus I took away the extra connecting pieces of foundation, because I must have one free tile of space between my interior walls and my foundation pieces.
<a href="http://s400.photobucket.com/user/taryntempestwind/media/taryntempestwind024/Screenshot-1235-Copy_zps847c5c02.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i400.photobucket.com/albums/pp84/taryntempestwind/taryntempestwind024/Screenshot-1235-Copy_zps847c5c02.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo Screenshot-1235-Copy_zps847c5c02.jpg"/></a>
Then....I skipped a step.
I took a shortcut that made perfect sense to me. Instead of using my 4 sets of 4 steps down from the foundation top...Like this:
<a href="http://s400.photobucket.com/user/taryntempestwind/media/taryntempestwind024/ee61dccb-218a-4787-a2c9-7cb823e60c65_zps254ed1e4.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i400.photobucket.com/albums/pp84/taryntempestwind/taryntempestwind024/ee61dccb-218a-4787-a2c9-7cb823e60c65_zps254ed1e4.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo ee61dccb-218a-4787-a2c9-7cb823e60c65_zps254ed1e4.jpg"/></a>
I instead just leveled from my perfectly-pre-leveled ground level. My street level. This made sense to me. It seemed logical...My land is level..my guide steps are correct.
<a href="http://s400.photobucket.com/user/taryntempestwind/media/taryntempestwind024/Screenshot-1255-Copy_zps886b63c7.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i400.photobucket.com/albums/pp84/taryntempestwind/taryntempestwind024/Screenshot-1255-Copy_zps886b63c7.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo Screenshot-1255-Copy_zps886b63c7.jpg"/></a>
And it looks good. right?
<a href="http://s400.photobucket.com/user/taryntempestwind/media/taryntempestwind025/Screenshot-1256_zps24f0f12a.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i400.photobucket.com/albums/pp84/taryntempestwind/taryntempestwind025/Screenshot-1256_zps24f0f12a.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo Screenshot-1256_zps24f0f12a.jpg"/></a>
I drew my connecting wall and it did in fact connect. BUT if you look closely, you can see it is slightly wavy...rippled. My opening is wider than the pictures posted that were causing a "V" so in a smaller space, I can understand how you could get a "V" now instead of ripples like mine. It is NOT level...when it should, by all rights, be level.
<a href="http://s400.photobucket.com/user/taryntempestwind/media/taryntempestwind025/Screenshot-1254_zpsd59f210b.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i400.photobucket.com/albums/pp84/taryntempestwind/taryntempestwind025/Screenshot-1254_zpsd59f210b.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo Screenshot-1254_zpsd59f210b.jpg"/></a>
I added in my interior walls.
So, suspicious now, I tried to floor it...It wouldn't floor. I have spaces with no grid. I can even see a recess in the floor grid on the foundation. As if it is sinking...no support... I have never noticed this before because I always have done it by double checking myself with my 4 sets of guide steps down from the foundation top. So this was really interesting for me.
<a href="http://s400.photobucket.com/user/taryntempestwind/media/taryntempestwind026/Screenshot-1257-Copy_zps1f69ab05.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i400.photobucket.com/albums/pp84/taryntempestwind/taryntempestwind026/Screenshot-1257-Copy_zps1f69ab05.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo Screenshot-1257-Copy_zps1f69ab05.jpg"/></a>
Hmmm....I wondered if flooring would change anything. It didn't.
<a href="http://s400.photobucket.com/user/taryntempestwind/media/taryntempestwind026/Screenshot-1258_zps0fadf93c.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i400.photobucket.com/albums/pp84/taryntempestwind/taryntempestwind026/Screenshot-1258_zps0fadf93c.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo Screenshot-1258_zps0fadf93c.jpg"/></a>
Will it level with flooring? NO.
<a href="http://s400.photobucket.com/user/taryntempestwind/media/taryntempestwind026/Screenshot-1260_zpsc60ee19a.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i400.photobucket.com/albums/pp84/taryntempestwind/taryntempestwind026/Screenshot-1260_zpsc60ee19a.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo Screenshot-1260_zpsc60ee19a.jpg"/></a>
And I cannot floor the top. I am missing grids all together.
<a href="http://s400.photobucket.com/user/taryntempestwind/media/taryntempestwind024/Screenshot-1234-Copy_zps0c081e30.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i400.photobucket.com/albums/pp84/taryntempestwind/taryntempestwind024/Screenshot-1234-Copy_zps0c081e30.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo Screenshot-1234-Copy_zps0c081e30.jpg"/></a>
So leveling from the street just isn't working.
So I tried it again, my old standard way. With 4 sets of guide steps from the top of the foundation:
<a href="http://s400.photobucket.com/user/taryntempestwind/media/taryntempestwind024/Screenshot-1239-Copy_zpsb61c9ce8.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i400.photobucket.com/albums/pp84/taryntempestwind/taryntempestwind024/Screenshot-1239-Copy_zpsb61c9ce8.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo Screenshot-1239-Copy_zpsb61c9ce8.jpg"/></a>
I leveled from that bottom step's base.
<a href="http://s400.photobucket.com/user/taryntempestwind/media/taryntempestwind024/Screenshot-1236-Copy_zps1991c1a6.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i400.photobucket.com/albums/pp84/taryntempestwind/taryntempestwind024/Screenshot-1236-Copy_zps1991c1a6.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo Screenshot-1236-Copy_zps1991c1a6.jpg"/></a>
I deleted my guide steps and continued leveling back to the foundation:
<a href="http://s400.photobucket.com/user/taryntempestwind/media/taryntempestwind024/Screenshot-1238-Copy_zps53b62f06.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i400.photobucket.com/albums/pp84/taryntempestwind/taryntempestwind024/Screenshot-1238-Copy_zps53b62f06.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo Screenshot-1238-Copy_zps53b62f06.jpg"/></a>
I added my connecting wall and my interior walls. (this screenshot is missing the back wall because I must have gotten too excited and hit the screen shot button one wall early! :oops: You can see the back interior wall in the next screen shot, never fear!) But can you see how my garage door wall is level? Because I took my level from my foundation, instead of the street, it did make a difference.
<a href="http://s400.photobucket.com/user/taryntempestwind/media/taryntempestwind024/Screenshot-1240-Copy_zpsbe0b8244.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i400.photobucket.com/albums/pp84/taryntempestwind/taryntempestwind024/Screenshot-1240-Copy_zpsbe0b8244.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo Screenshot-1240-Copy_zpsbe0b8244.jpg"/></a>
Now I am flooring. Although it looks like I have no floor grids, as I add flooring, the game adds grids.
<a href="http://s400.photobucket.com/user/taryntempestwind/media/taryntempestwind024/Screenshot-1241-Copy_zps95c239a9.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i400.photobucket.com/albums/pp84/taryntempestwind/taryntempestwind024/Screenshot-1241-Copy_zps95c239a9.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo Screenshot-1241-Copy_zps95c239a9.jpg"/></a>
Now I add the entire floor. No 'V" no waves and no ripples.
<a href="http://s400.photobucket.com/user/taryntempestwind/media/taryntempestwind024/Screenshot-1243-Copy_zps12320942.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i400.photobucket.com/albums/pp84/taryntempestwind/taryntempestwind024/Screenshot-1243-Copy_zps12320942.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo Screenshot-1243-Copy_zps12320942.jpg"/></a>
<a href="http://s400.photobucket.com/user/taryntempestwind/media/taryntempestwind024/Screenshot-1245-Copy_zpsb6294a4c.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i400.photobucket.com/albums/pp84/taryntempestwind/taryntempestwind024/Screenshot-1245-Copy_zpsb6294a4c.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo Screenshot-1245-Copy_zpsb6294a4c.jpg"/></a>
So now I see that it is as vital to use the guide steps going back down as we did in going up. the game has a weird "sinking, unsupported floor" if we remove it for our garage and try to then level from the street.
Remember....Guide steps up! Guide steps down!
Now...If you have gone so far into your build and do not want to start over. We can use the CFE cheat code
ConstrainFloorElevation False and ConstrainFloorElevation true
to fix this.
If you have a ripple that isn't working for you...
like we had here:
<a href="http://s400.photobucket.com/user/taryntempestwind/media/taryntempestwind027/Screenshot-1264_zpsed285d1c.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i400.photobucket.com/albums/pp84/taryntempestwind/taryntempestwind027/Screenshot-1264_zpsed285d1c.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo Screenshot-1264_zpsed285d1c.jpg"/></a>
pull up your cheat code box and type in
ConstrainFloorElevation false.
Using your leveling tool, level this floor, but add in one tile extra all the way around. Like this. You can see the ripple as I pulled my level across.
<a href="http://s400.photobucket.com/user/taryntempestwind/media/taryntempestwind027/Screenshot-1265_zpsbdb63dbb.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i400.photobucket.com/albums/pp84/taryntempestwind/taryntempestwind027/Screenshot-1265_zpsbdb63dbb.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo Screenshot-1265_zpsbdb63dbb.jpg"/></a>
Now you can see that it's leveled.
<a href="http://s400.photobucket.com/user/taryntempestwind/media/taryntempestwind027/Screenshot-1268_zps3e407c9f.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i400.photobucket.com/albums/pp84/taryntempestwind/taryntempestwind027/Screenshot-1268_zps3e407c9f.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo Screenshot-1268_zps3e407c9f.jpg"/></a>
Always check your other floors for level after you use CFE on a floor.
<a href="http://s400.photobucket.com/user/taryntempestwind/media/taryntempestwind027/Screenshot-1266_zpse1bccda2.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i400.photobucket.com/albums/pp84/taryntempestwind/taryntempestwind027/Screenshot-1266_zpse1bccda2.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo Screenshot-1266_zpse1bccda2.jpg"/></a>
And always remember to turn CFE off afterwards by bringing up your cheat box and typing in
ConstrainFloorElevation true
You can see my pictures HERE
So here are some pics of some landscaping I did in a different ZOO U class that was fabulous also. (aren't they all? :shock: ) I guess this is kind of cheating, because I already did this work. I used the rocks and plants method, and also the fog emitters for butterflies and lightning bugs!
I also have a picture that will answer a question of Gypsywynd's that snuck past... on waterfall's. I used a fog emitter to have a waterfall on this same build.
Alright, doing my homework now, honest! :oops:
Nakendra!! Good luck!
๐ธ๐ธ๐ธ๐ธ...we will be doing a little fountaining area in the next MOOve your Grass landscaping class. I am working on it even now.
Jenny! Your home is looking terrific!
And Prisca's fingers are working again....although not so much she can do dishes, sorry Mr. Pup...
http://forum.thesims3.com/jforum/posts/list/15/749392.page#11965376
Thank you Taryn. I'm really very pleased with how it came out, maybe I'm just not used to so much color! LOL. My landscaping skills are not the best so I was really happy to learn these tricks. Thank you for teaching me this. The house is just a shell right now, but I might actually rebuild it into something more interesting and upload.
The Claw Machine Diaries Challenge
Though nothing can bring back the hour
Of splendour in the grass, of glory in the flower;
We will grieve not, rather find
Strength in what remains behind
Oh YUMMY! Lemon Meringue pie is my absolute favorite. Mmmmmmm...
Wow! Your little house is adorable and very inviting. I want to live there right now.
Amazing amazing class Professor Taryn and Zoo. You two Rock!!!!
Everyone's work is amazing also. You Professors do good teaching.
I'm checking out blackcat list as they are posted and leaving little comments.
Got me sour patch babies and swoops out the back door as Taryn comes in the side door.... Hehehehehe... Don't tell anyone....
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Thank you so much ๐ธ๐ธ๐ธ๐ธ. You're very kind for commenting.
The Claw Machine Diaries Challenge
Though nothing can bring back the hour
Of splendour in the grass, of glory in the flower;
We will grieve not, rather find
Strength in what remains behind
Zoo
Taryn I never have a plan during my building and I'm always "winging it". Not sure if that's good or bad but it's my mess and sometimes it works others it doesn't. Let me know if it's working or not please, I need feedback. I am having trouble with the color scheme, mainly the doors and windows. I have ideas for the side garden/pool area but haven't gotten that far yet
[img]https://๐ธ๐ธ๐ธ๐ธ.googleusercontent.com/-xutIEW4qa0E/U1gDfzdqrzI/AAAAAAAAEWg/Is4XtLMjRkI/w612-h459-no/Screenshot-30+-+Copy.jpg[/img]
more pics https://plus.google.com/photos/116037345868191629221/albums/6004133682660030993
I think this is turning out really cute! The shape of the exterior is cute and interesting.
Feedback.... Maybe golds and blacks for accent colors? Your red is so vibrant that I think you need warmer, more vibrant colors. I think the cream or whitish color on the doors and windows is muting and cooling your red down too much. I suggest gold. I think that would make your molding pop.
I think that your decking rails or pathways too, should be warmer and deeper in color too. Maybe pull color tones from your roof- so a warm redwood color? with gold accents on the porch rails? Maybe black w/ gold would be dramatic for porch rails.
Think to yourself what colors would be in a rich, red silk kimono...reds, golds, blacks, royal blues, emerald greens...that's what I think of on a red silk tapestry. Maybe those colors would translate well in your house?
Landscaping feedback. I think you are on the right track here. I don't know much about the plant life in Japan, so I'd have to Google "Japanese garden images". I do believe that balance is very important to Japanese gardens. Ponds with bridges and Koi fish, sand areas, lovely walking paths, a little rock vignette with shrubs or topiaries, drapey trees like a willow...cherry trees..that's what comes to mind for me.
I see one little thing on the second picture that I know you can make better, (and maybe you aren't even done with it and I am jumping the gun) - the terrain paint on the second picture here. I think it would look better to erase it...choose the largest circle on the paint tools, then slide the slider to the far right, to make it sheer, then chose that same dry grass paint as you have and spritz larger areas- more evenly. Think larger, more graceful painted areas rather than small polka-dotted ones. Like a swath of paint, if that helps.
I think you have a terrific and creative start on this though! Neat idea!
changed the color of the log texture on the house and add some different windows in the front, and various other areas. I lined the hillsde on either side of the basement patio, with boulders.
I also added these stairs in the yard, leading out to the sidewalk. And, low and behold, my inspector Sim, would not walk on the stairs. he had to be like everybody else's Sim. I removed and flattend everything around where the stairs go and reinstalled them. I removed all of the closest boulders and still no go.
So then I added this lovely hedge fence along the walkway and then commanded Mr. Inspector to walk to a certain place and like magic he went with out a single word. So the stairs are negotiable by Sims as long as there is something to route them along, like a bunch of cattle in a chute. I'm just not so sure that I like the hedge, or that I even want a fence. The hedge just doesn't seem so appropriate. What to do, what to do? Hmmm...
Try that, ๐ธ๐ธ๐ธ๐ธ!
Lovely home!
Thank you! I will try the lowest fence, or perhaps some of the smaller rocks all lined up. Ones that are just high enough that a Sim can't step over.
I'm debating also, on if maybe, I should move the stairs to the middle, and have them come down on that patio and then eliminate that one big long sidewalk. That might make more sense and look better. I just hate to clog up my patio though, cause I had an idea for there. I do still have the whole, other side of the house, to do something with, so perhaps I could move my idea to that side.
The low borders will not work! The sim will step over them.
You are really challenging me!
I realize that the way I do my levels work because I sort of stumbled upon this techinque and just always do it that way...guide steps up...guide steps down.
Now I am I am realizing that I've done stairs in the ground and they work..but only because I always MOO something against them to pretty them up. I have never placed stairs in the ground without anything around them! They look so wierd and naked! So I ran some tests.
See below.
Fairy Taryn wouldn't use the un-railed/un-bordered steps...but she did use these:
<a href="http://s400.photobucket.com/user/taryntempestwind/media/taryntempestwind028/Screenshot-1395_zpse530d4f8.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i400.photobucket.com/albums/pp84/taryntempestwind/taryntempestwind028/Screenshot-1395_zpse530d4f8.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo Screenshot-1395_zpse530d4f8.jpg"/></a>
So I slapped on those ridiculousness rails and ran a fence down the middle set. As uneven and awful as the terrain is, she used them!
<a href="http://s400.photobucket.com/user/taryntempestwind/media/taryntempestwind029/Screenshot-1406_zps987e0844.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i400.photobucket.com/albums/pp84/taryntempestwind/taryntempestwind029/Screenshot-1406_zps987e0844.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo Screenshot-1406_zps987e0844.jpg"/></a>
So then I tried a rock border...she used the stairs now
<a href="http://s400.photobucket.com/user/taryntempestwind/media/taryntempestwind029/Screenshot-1418_zpsacb23058.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i400.photobucket.com/albums/pp84/taryntempestwind/taryntempestwind029/Screenshot-1418_zpsacb23058.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo Screenshot-1418_zpsacb23058.jpg"/></a>
I tried part rock, part plant..this is what I do when I build with levels ike this, because I like how it looks...note..they ae thrown out as a loose test, and not at all pretty! She did not want to use the bottom steps because one side was left open.
<a href="http://s400.photobucket.com/user/taryntempestwind/media/taryntempestwind028/Screenshot-1424_zps3b17a8fc.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i400.photobucket.com/albums/pp84/taryntempestwind/taryntempestwind028/Screenshot-1424_zps3b17a8fc.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo Screenshot-1424_zps3b17a8fc.jpg"/></a>
When I added some plants to that bottom step of steps, she used them.
<a href="http://s400.photobucket.com/user/taryntempestwind/media/taryntempestwind028/Screenshot-1429_zpsf9c40f0b.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i400.photobucket.com/albums/pp84/taryntempestwind/taryntempestwind028/Screenshot-1429_zpsf9c40f0b.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo Screenshot-1429_zpsf9c40f0b.jpg"/></a>
Then I tried the low rail..and she stepped over it. She wouldn't use the stairs.
<a href="http://s400.photobucket.com/user/taryntempestwind/media/taryntempestwind028/Screenshot-1436_zps977b87e8.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i400.photobucket.com/albums/pp84/taryntempestwind/taryntempestwind028/Screenshot-1436_zps977b87e8.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo Screenshot-1436_zps977b87e8.jpg"/></a>
SO! I deduce that our sims need something to border steps set into ground..rocks, flowers, fences...things they cannot step over! They act as a routing guide.
I am sorry. If you know me as a builder, you've seen my lots. They are very landscape heavy. Because it is my own personal style or taste, I have always just made my steps with things around them, rails, rocks, flowers. I do not like how bare and choppy they look sitting in the ground, so I found ways to disguise that. Little did I know I was actually creating routing for my sims! Look at my forum thread full of pictures, and you'll see my outdoor steps. In fact, it's in our lesson in 2 weeks, too! I just finished a segment on steps and blending them in to your terrain.
This is why I have been stumped, because my sims always use my steps, no questions asked. It's because of my MOOing and my own personal style..it's not anything I ever thought of or planned.
So my lovelies...if you have steps set into terrain, you must think of ways to rout them, using items that sims cannot step over...plants, rocks, rails, fences.
I do not consider myself a "technical" builder. I consider myself a "decorative" builder, I have a way of building that would drive a technical builder nuts!
I do not use blueprints, well, at least not unless a DNA customer requests a blueprint build and they also request me personally. I enjoy looking at blueprints, mind you, but I like my freedom to create my on own. What I do is build the front facade of my home. Just the front face. I make it is cute as I can. Then I start thinking about where I want my rooms, and I build back from the front, adding exterior walls to match my rooms., I'll add roofs, then destroy them, then add, destroy, add, add, and work my way around the house. If you only knew how much I build and destroy and obsess to get the look I want! I am stubbornly patient when it comes to details.
So I often stumble upon things, since I am constantly trying new things. It should also be said...I rarely actually play the game. I just build, and create and MOO. And I hate repetitious work in anything, so I never build the exact same thing twice.
So if you we to ask me "Why does this work?" I would probably say, "I don't know...it just does!" I am so busy being decorative, I don't exactly care why it works, I just test to make sure it does work, and then I skip off to my next little project.
So the finding out "why does it work." has been interesting!
See?! We all learn at ZOO U!!
Your discovery of the "routing help" with the MOO'd items and railings is actually VERY helpful and should stop a lot of frustration that I have found in doing stairs in the past. I have always managed to get it to work EVENTUALLY, but there was sometimes a lot of time spent to get there. This is a relatively easy and painless thing to achieve AND I agree that I like the way it looks better, too!
You are discovering what I have seen for years: students ask questions that lead you to learn stuff yourself as you try to help them.
I have learned something new in every Zoo U class I've taught. Since I've taught math for more than thirty years now, I don't learn something in EVERY class these days, but I am still learning new stuff even in classes I've taught for all of that time (like College Algebra and Trigonometry). It is because I get new students, with fresh questions, every semester. I consider this an added benefit to being a teacher.
Zoo
But please do sign me up for the second lesson! I really do want to be in on this.
note to anyone with color troubles like me, I found some good info on color charts at Carl's sims 3 website, I recommend this website because it has cheat codes and helpful info to all things sims! its my go to guide when I need info, (my number one is of course the forums but carl's comes second for quick info)