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New World: Alexville

AlexRoz9AlexRoz9 Posts: 309 New Member
scaled.php?tn=0&server=9&filename=alexville.jpg&xsize=640&ysize=640
Link to full-size image:
alexville.th.jpg

World Info:
- NAME: Alexville - by AlexRoz9
- Latest build: 0.1A25 ALPHA BUILD
- Latest public build: 0.1A21 ALPHA BUILD
Alexville Build 0.1A21 (Sendspace Mirror)

- Tech: Riverview, promotional car(s), and free store content (e.g. Prius) required; no EP/SP, CC, or pay store content required * File size: ? MB * 60 R-lots * 6+? C-lots
- Theme:
In 2009, Landgraab Industries was looking to expand its science division, with the intention of acquiring a lot of of land for not a lot of money—preferably in a somewhat remote area. At the same time, Doo Peas began downsizing, and laid off many of their workers in Sunset Valley. One of these workers, Sunset Valley's star news anchor, joined the scientists and found the perfect location for their new home. This location, located to the northeast of Sunset Valley and Riverview, was named "Alexville," and that's where our story begins...
- Release date: When it's done, (see below.)
- Beta testing dates: At present, NONE, but public ALPHA BUILDS are available in the links above. A link to the current public alpha build will always be available in this section (world info) of the thread, and at present, all public alpha builds have included CAW-Compatible versions of the world itself. I will also be including a "lite" version of the finished world once it "goes gold." (Or would that be "blue" in World Index terms?)

Lot sizes as of October 16, 2010; other lots coming soon
Residential:
64x64 = 2
60x60 = 18
55x50 = 3
50x50 = 3
50x40 = 3
40x40 = 11
30x30 = 20

Community:
58x51 = 4
35x21 = 1
21x19 = 1

F.A.Q.
Q. Is there more to the story?
A. Yes, a lot more, but I don't want to give everything away just yet. ;)

Q. Is this part of your "four worlds" project?
A. Yes, this is "world one" of the "four worlds" project; there's a reason it's going to be densely populated by the time it's released.

Q. What will the town look like?
A. The town will seem like a bit of a patchwork for the most part. Landgraab Industries arrived first, so they set up their new location in what they considered to be prime real-estate. Given the nature of their research, some scientists didn't want to live too close to the science building at first. Other businesses, community lots, and housing were built later wherever there was free space, including City Hall.

Q. Why a public Alpha build?
A. Simply put, I'll have more eyes looking for problems. The more people look at my worlds, the sooner bugs can be found and removed, and the sooner the world can progress from Alpha to Beta stages, and then to Final Beta/Release Candidate, and finally full release status.

Q. Are the stages of development color-coded?
A. Yes, the color-coding is as follows:
Alpha Build
Beta Build
Final Beta Edition/Release Candidate
Full Release

Q. Why is the exchange picture of your world a solid red, blue, or green *.png file?
A. See the color code from the previous question; world pictures use a slightly modified system: red is used for Alpha Builds, Blue is for Beta Builds, and Green is used for Release Candidates. The "Full Release" will have a "real" world picture attached to it, taken from the final release candidate/final beta build. Ideally, this will be the only change between the two, realistically there might be one routing problem that I have to fix as well or some other small issue. In the event that you download multiple versions of my world, the color-coding can help you distinguish between Alpha/Beta/Final Beta candidates. In addition, all non-final builds only carry the build number in their description. For example, if I released the current Alpha build and the next Alpha build, and you had 0.1A5, and the build at the top of this thread was 0.1A6, you'd know to update your build. :) Final releases will not carry the build number.

Q. Will you provide "delta" updates to your worlds?
A. In most cases, no; a finished world should work from day one. However, if there is a glaring error, a "delta update" will be issued.

Q. Why aren't you using EPs/SPs with this world?
A. Simply put, I want this world to be accessible to as many people as possible, other worlds will require EPs/SPs, and that will be noted accordingly.

Q. I have a question that you haven't answered, will you add it to this FAQ?
A. If enough people ask it, yes; if not I'll likely reply to it personally.

I will provide further announcements and information as it becomes available. Unfortunately, until EA puts out a patch that allows me to use CAW and TS3 ( as well as CAW's EIG mode) together again, there's only so much that I can do. As a Mac user with a Mac Pro RAID card, I essentially had to shell out $500 dollars for the cheapest PC I could find at Best Buy running Windows 7 for the sole purpose of using Create-A-World, so trust me, I'm eager to have a fully functioning CAW as soon as possible. I'm hoping to "shoot" a "promo video" for my worlds eventually as well, so there will be more information once these worlds have more substance to them.

Also, I am especially looking for Mac-users to test my worlds; I will obviously need PC users to test them as well, but I intend to use these worlds on my Mac, and as a Mac user, I want to create worlds that other Mac users can use as well.

Finally, a little bit of information about how my worlds are designed: I'm using a stock eMachines computer from Best Buy with Windows 7, a 2.7GHz Pentium Processor, and 4GB RAM to run Create-A-World itself. Sims themselves, as well as some buildings, will be created and/or altered/edited using my Mac Pro. The final world will be assembled in CAW on the aforementioned eMachines PC. It, as well as a "Lite" version will be saved and backed-up as ZIP files, which will be distributed to any WIN/MAC user who wants them.

Update #01-07092010: I can now confirm a minimum of 60 residential lots within this world, unfortunately, development will be slow-going until EA actually fixes CAW.

Update #02-07092010: Added lot sizes from the current build; additional lots to be added soon.

Update #03-07182010: Added lot sizes from the current build; additional lots to be added soon. I can't promise anything yet, but the next Alpha Build may be a public Alpha Build.

Update #04-07182010: Thanks to EA finally fixing CAW, this world is back on track; thank you EA. :D Seriously, I want to thank EA for fixing CAW; now make it Mac compatible and I'll really be happy. :) Build 0.1A11 features ten new lots, and Build 0.1A12 will feature several more; I may include temporary roads just to make the public Alpha Build "playable" to some extent, but don't hold me to that. The world is still "flat" and "square," but that will change as things progress.

Update #05-07212010: Current build is now 0.1A15; current public build is now 0.1A12. This is a very early Alpha build so don't expect the world to be "Playable" yet; it's still a giant flat square, borders are still visible, no community lots exist, roads aren't connected etc., etc. I'm releasing this particular build so that people can test the world itself. I'd like testers to focus on the roads that do exist, and to ensure that cars can travel on them without a problem. In addition to the world that can be placed into your game, Create-A-World files have been included as well, so you can pop the world open in CAW if there's an error, if there is and you find it and fix it, please tell me what you did so I can fix the aforementioned error in the recent builds as well. Again, this isn't really a "playable" world; it's one step above a video demo right now, and it's very early in development.

Update #06-07212010: Please read this update, for how to file a "bug report." Bug reports will be assigned a number by yours truly, and should use the template provided below, Copy & Paste what you see in the quote and fill out the appropriate fields.

[/quote]Bug Report:
Priority: 1-5 (1=Highest, 5= Lowest)
Description of problem: Description here (e.g. Sim Street is broken near lot 2.)
Known workarounds: If known, please share (e.g. connect Sim Street where broken.)
Status: Unresolved/Resolved; this should only be "resolved" after I've fixed the bug on my end.
Talk: Add any other useful information regarding the problem here; can you duplicate it? Does it happen on multiple machines? Are others experiencing the bug as well, etc.[/quote]

Bug reports will be "approved" after two or more people make note of the same problem, the more people who notice a problem, the more likely I am to try and fix it quickly. Most bugs will have a priority of "5" simply because most bugs don't cripple gameplay. Bugs that blatantly crash the game should be noted immediately, and given a priority of "1" try to reserve priority one for this type of issue. Remember, at present, I'm asking you to focus on the functionality of the roads that are in place. I really want Mac testers as well as Windows testers. Furthermore, please test the world without custom content installed when possible; I refuse to use CC that's not from EA simply because it makes everything difficult to deal with, and problems created by CC will not be fixed by me.If the world works without a problem, you can go ahead and delete it there's no sense in keeping an incomplete rectangular world in your game. :) Furthermore, although it should go without saying scan the zip file for viruses! While my system is clean, sometimes "rogue" advertisers on file hosting services plant viruses in downloads before they're caught and removed from said hosting services. I would never intentionally send anyone a virus, but I want everyone to be aware that some advertisers may have other plans for my files. The current build is in a ZIP file, Win/Mac computers should both be able to decompress it without any additional software.

Update #07-07312010: Added a picture of the world; please note that world is still in Alpha Stages, and that this is not indicative of the final world; it's merely a "sneak peak" at what's done so far.

Update #08-07312010: Updated developer's test kit links from build 0.1A12 to 0.1A21; updated current build number to 0.1A21. Please uninstall build 0.1A12 and replace it with build 0.1A21. World testers should continue to focus on broken roads, as well as on corrupt lots. Testers should examine lots both furnished and unfurnished; use cheats if you have to in order to test the lots. NOTE: There are still no community lots in this world, so it's still not suitable for regular use; I'm aware of this, and as soon as the residential lots are completed, work will begin on community lots. Once community lots are in place, I will begin refining the world terrain, and the world will likely move from "Alpha" to "Beta" status.

Update #09-07312010: Updated list of lot sizes, as well as the number of lots to accurately reflect Build 0.1A21; revised information pertaining to testing dates.

Update #10-10162010: Updated list of lot sizes, as well as the number of lots to accurately reflect Build 0.1A25; added community lots to the above information. The world is now semi-playable with access to science and law enforcement careers. There are still several unconnected roads, a good portion of the world itself still needs landscaping, buildings need to be furnished and colored accordingly, terrain paint is still needed, and so is routing paint.

Update #11-10162010: Given that EA's unwilling to release CAW for the Mac, and I'm unwilling to freeze to work on this world in the winter months, it's worth noting that it may be placed on hold until the spring. This isn't to say that I'll be stopping development, just postponing it until the basement thaws again. I'm trying to finish up the next build which should have all of the community lots in place, so that the world will at least be playable, even if it doesn't look great.

Update #12-10162010: Registered Alexville with the World Index.

Comments

  • AlexRoz9AlexRoz9 Posts: 309 New Member
    edited July 2010
    Reserved for known bugs, issues and/or workarounds
  • AlexRoz9AlexRoz9 Posts: 309 New Member
    edited July 2010
    Reserved for future use. (If needed)
  • Aar2697PAar2697P Posts: 500 New Member
    edited July 2010
    "Alexville" *chuckle*
  • AlexRoz9AlexRoz9 Posts: 309 New Member
    edited July 2010
    Aar2697P wrote:
    "Alexville" *chuckle*
    I figured that if we're playing god, or at the very least, "city planner," (Civil Engineer?) we might as well have the "city" named after us. ;) I also have a world I'm working on known as "Alexview," but it's going to be on the back burner for awhile; I want to finish one world before I get immersed in the other. (Throw two more worlds into the mix and it gets even more complicated.)

    "Legacy" simmers will like the 60x60 lots; all 18 of them share the same size and price as 15 Summer Hill Court in Sunset Valley. If the names of the roads seem a little "off," that's because I'll be using variants of some of them in another world. (e.g. Legacy Way in place of Legacy Lane.) :)
  • N3mb3rN3mb3r Posts: 2,432
    edited July 2010
    Post some pics :D
  • JohnnywrJohnnywr Posts: 2,927 Member
    edited July 2010
    I love your FAQs
  • AlexRoz9AlexRoz9 Posts: 309 New Member
    edited July 2010
    N3mb3r wrote:
    Post some pics :D
    Pics will come when the world is further along, N3mb3r; right now it's still a "square" with unconnected roads; no foliage, and no community lots. This will change of course, and the next public build might be picture worthy, but the current build isn't. Once things progress a bit further, there will be pictures of the world. :)
    Johnnywr wrote:
    I love your FAQs

    Thank you, Johnnywr! :D I hope you like the first public Alpha build too; it's not much, but it should give you a general idea of what at least parts of the world will look like. Sim Street was a pain to put together; it took a whole day to lay out those lots and the "circle" that pays homage to the original game. The lot sizes are different, and the houses are numbered differently, but that's because it's not meant to be the original "Sim Lane," just a similar road in another Sim neighborhood. I'm thinking of adding a billboard near Sim Street similar to the one near Sim Lane in TS1, but that'll be awhile later. Right now I'm working on a major road that runs from East to West; it's an extremely suburban street, so I have to build the houses for it first, clone them, and then place the road. Once the residential lots are done, I'll move onto community lots, and then onto polishing the world and adding foliage and hiding the world's edges.

    Again guys, thanks for the interest in my world; I want it to be enjoyable when finished, but for now, I'm just trying to keep a level of quality control during development.
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