Guide to Houseboats in game & in CAW «123456789...Next Go

MylindaAntoinette

I have a question... I have created a community lot houseboat that I saved to the bin and now wish to use in another save file. The problem is, when I try to place it in Isla Paradiso, the game cannot find an appropriate lot for me to place it on even though I have empty ports. I do not have this problem with my residential lot houseboats, only my one community lot houseboat. Am I doing something wrong?

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Edit: I was able to figure out a way to make it work by creating an empty houseboat hull and turning the new lot into a community lot... is that the only way to do it or is there an easier way?

Avytar2

Thanks for the tutorials SimGuruSemedi. They're really helpful.

Felexisthomas

What worlds can you add houseboats to?
BTW, thanks for this forum, it really helps!

PayPaySweet

Can I use the houseboat to move to a different world?
No. The only way to move to a different world is to use the phone or computer and select the Move To New Town interaction. Your houseboat will be left behind in your old world.


You can save the lot and add it to the new world if it has a port.

RRArtie

MsPrissy88 wrote:

I finally figured out how to create a port (where there was none). duh :P However, I CAN'T PLACE THE STEPS I NEED TO GET ON THE DOCK!! I've already opened my cheat console up, already typed in the move objects.


I already typed the "testingcheatsenabled", already typed the "moveobjects" ... I STILL CANNOT PLACE THE STUPID STEPS!!!!!


!

I have built several ports and attached houseboats in Create a World EIG. The steps are very tricky. In the Edit Town tutorial step 15 is very unclear. In the CAW tutorial step 21 is very thorough. The trick is the ground has to be level or fairly level where the steps are being placed. I use level terrain for three squares back of the dock and a couple squares either side of the stairs (in other words a step which is two wide would have a level area 4 wide by 3 deep). then place the steps using the alt key (very important). I have sometimes resorted to a 1 square wide step to help find a level spot and then widened that spot and install a 2 or 3 square wide step.

After the steps are placed, you can then smooth the terrain to make the area by the steps look nicer.

Hope this helps.

RRArtie

SimGuruSemedi wrote:

Good news folks, the CAW tutorial is now available for those of you eager to build houseboats in your custom worlds. You can find it on the 1st page of this thread, or simply click here.

I'll continue to get to more questions and still plan on organizing the FAQ better in the near future.

I have used this tutorial to build several ports, docks, and houseboats. Thank you.

I believe the CAW tutorial step 33 needs a note that testingcheatsenabled must be on to see the "Unset Houseboat" menu option. Without this option, I only see a "Make front" menu option. It is very likely that a person will come to step 33 without executing the other steps. I built several boats and lots, did a test and found one had a terrain tear due to a road realignment and I wanted to move the houseboat to another lot in EiG. This option did the trick, but it was used in a isolated step 33 EiG.

Also, I have been unable to place houseboats from the bin on lots. Step 37 - 39 must need more explanation. A couple of posts in this tread have given me ideas, but I am apparently missing some vital step to make this work.

Thank You

swiirl73

Thanks for this tutorial!
I cannot get out of buydebug mode however, how do I do that?
I typed testingcheatsenabled false, but in buy mode at my family I still see the questionmark... Help?

MrsGuillebeau

swiirl73 wrote:

Thanks for this tutorial!
I cannot get out of buydebug mode however, how do I do that?
I typed testingcheatsenabled false, but in buy mode at my family I still see the questionmark... Help?

You can't get rid of buydebug until you exit the game. Seems dumb to me too, but there you go.

I have a question related to houseboats and CAW--in the tutorial it's stated that the body of water needs to be at sea level (I think I understand that) but my question is this: in CAW, while sculpting my large flat world into an island, everything at water level shows up as non-routable. Does this apply to things like houseboats, swimming, snorkeling, etc. or does CAW automatically override the automatic non-routable area for water-specific uses? I have looked everywhere for this information shy of exporting my world, creating a Sim, and testing it, and I will do that if necessary, but it seems a lot less trouble to just get an answer if one is known.

PinkWinks

How do you create an underground room in a houseboat? :?:

MrsGuillebeau

PinkWinks wrote:

How do you create an underground room in a houseboat? :?:

The same way you make a basement on a normal lot. Just select your basement tool and click and drag the basement size you want directly on your houseboat base. Place your stairs, drop down a level to your basement, and build walls to create more than one room or just apply wall and floor coverings to the whole room if you only want one room below the main floor of your houseboat.

Just beware of what some others have said here: fishing from your houseboat won't work if you've built a basement (apparently even if you then remove your basement, it still won't work if a basement has ever been placed on the houseboat). The problem seems to also apply to hot tubs.

kianna83

I follow step by step and when I go to move my Sims in it wont show up unless I change it back to Residential. How do I move in my house boat?

Pugslover4

Is there any other easier way to make them....I am confused and lost. I tried looking for it on youtube

SimsplyRuth

I am very grateful you created this tutorial. I have been struggling in futile attempts to get my sim who I created and built a houseboat for into other worlds.

Of course, I only seek help after making myself a ball of frustration trying to do what I know I do not know how to do by myself first!

It is so clear - I am sure I will have little problems in getting her placed now.

Again - Thank you!

Siabhra

I have noticed that I can not have a fish tank with pet fish, or a pet rodent in a rodent cage on my boat, can those types of pets not be used on a Houseboat? I seen that you did says cats and dogs can go on a House boat and that horses can not, what about all the other little pets?

My Sim went to the book store and purchased a ton of books but when I got back to my House boat there was no option to "open" the book case to put away or organize the books. Is there a reason for this?

Can you please make the mosquito spray stackable like the shower in a can?

Thank You in advance for your time.

Allibob09

I can't build walls or do anything with my empty houseboat. It says "cannot intersect with water". I figured out how to build my own port and select the size of houseboat that I want, but now I can't build anything...HELP!!!

ianxzi

I can't get into Edit in Game. The only thing that happens is my launcher opens up, then nothing else happens.

marie091197

I can't find the mailbox to the houseboat, where is it?

columbia93

Pugslover4 wrote:

Is there any other easier way to make them....I am confused and lost. I tried looking for it on youtube

This person has a lot of build videos so hopefully you can find one you like. The link above is building AFTER the pier and boat platform are placed.

Also, for those wanting to build houseboats, either in an existing world or in CAW, go back to page 1. These are good tutorials with pics...who could ask for more?

089MALLORY10

EMPRESSPAMELA wrote:

Sweet! Thank you.

Nope! one of the sim gurus explained it

MsPrissy88

SimGuruSemedi ~~ THANK YOU for creating the CAW tutorial for the houseboats and docks and everything else!!! I totally forgot to look in the forums for this problem (I am creating another new world and just thought of wanting to add docks and houseboats). duh :P

Any way .... I just read through your tutorial and I'm pretty sure I will be able to follow your instructions without too much trouble! Thank you again for taking the time to write this all up!

MsPrissy88

SimGuruSemedi ~ THANK YOU for writing the caw tutorial section!! After following your instructions, I have successfully created a dock and placed a houseboat in my new world. I do have a question for you, though. For your resort houseboat, WHERE did you find the 2-house style to have your guests stay in?? I have searched EVERYWHERE and can't seem to find it. Obviously, I have IP installed. I have checked the collections area and have not noticed it. I even opened buydebug, hoping that it would be in there. I really want to use that style. Thanks.


Never mind! I totally forgot that I had to *change* the lot to resort to make it into one. I see the 2-house item I wanted.

BarbnFL

Now that I've got my water deep enough for Houseboats, How do I get the beaches shallow enough for swimming. No matter how much smoothing I do, CAW shows all the beaches as unroutable, too steep I think, red? It even shows red for a more shallow Pond I made. There is plenty of land space available to smooth. Do I have to manually do each level, flatten etc like on a mountain? Help please.

1324rocket

Whenever I go to assign houseboat to port, that option does not come up. I am working with CAW and I already added a houseboat and the ramp thing in debug (i don't know what t's called but it allows you to park a houseboat.)

1324rocket

When I click debug: set houseboat lot, it doesn't give me any options. Could someone help me please?

Samistephens13

When i clicked shift-alt on the house boat and clicked DEBUG: set houseboat lot I got no options??? Just a blank window.