Course 9: Building a House from a Real-Life House Plan
Description:
This course is intended to teach beginning builders how to choose the best house plans for Sims construction and then how to modify it as necessary and to build a finished house with that plan. This is intended to take two to three lessons.
Course Prerequisites: It is very desirable to have a Builder's Blank Neighborhood and a quality Tester Sim (see post two of this thread for both these topics) but not required. You should also read the "Note from Your Teacher" post (post five of this thread).
Skill Level for Students: Beginning Builder
Required Supplies: Sims 3 base game and patches for each EP. The house plan that we are using should be reproducible with only base game, but if you have Store, EP, and SP build/buy windows and doors you may use these to make your house look the way you would like.
For Zoo U classes that are "live" a time and date will be given, but they may not be given using your time zone.
You can find out what time the class starts in your town using the World Clock site and their time zone converter. Here is a link: http://www.timeanddate.com/
ALSO IN THIS THREAD:
POST ONE: Course Description and Lesson Links
POST TWO: Information for Zoo U Students
POST THREE: Class Roster for Each Lesson of This Course
POST FOUR: Student Showcase
POST FIVE: A Note From Your Teacher
ZOO U MASTER THREAD (This thread contains all links to Zoo U courses and bookmarking this thread will allow you to always find us), just click the banner below:
Zoo U students, after registration, please do the following (some things are marked optional, but if it is not marked that way, I will assume that you will do it before the next lesson).
1. Bookmark this thread so that you can find us for the next lesson. This is where the class will be taking place. IT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL, but not required, IF YOU WOULD REGISTER FOR EACH LESSON OF THIS COURSE. It keeps the thread bumped so that new students will see it.
2. If you have not accepted a friend request from me, please consider doing that. (this step is optional)
3. IMPORTANT: The class may involve moving back and forth between this thread and your game. You will be posting questions and comments as well as seeing the photo and description of the build step you are supposed to be doing. It is important that you can have the forum opened to this thread but minimized as you build and have your game open but minimized as you come here to post. Please try this out before the course starts by minimizing this window right now, opening up your game and starting a new game, saving your game and hitting the "windows" key on your keyboard (if you have a Mac, kindly scroll down to post four and my friend Wibble will tell you how to do this!) and posting something in this thread (like "Testing that I can post while my game is open") and then going back into your game to make sure all is running well. This all works fine on MY computer, but everyone's machine is different and you don't want any unpleasant surprises when the first lesson begins.
4. I am going to be adding some links to useful threads I'm making for students in Zoo U. It is optional that you do any of those, but they will help you have a smoother time as a builder. I would at least go look at what has been posted, but even that is not required. (This step is optional)
To Register for Lesson Two of "Building a House From a Real-Life House Plan", the ninth course offered by Zoo U, please post at the end of this thread with the words:
Snowflake-- Official Mascot of the Zoo U Blackcats
Directions for Posting Photos in a Forum Thread:
1. Get a free account from PhotoBucket or any other photo hosting site. This should NOT require a credit card.
2. Follow the directions on the photo hosting site to create an album and upload photos. It will give you an option to Browse your computer to find the photos to upload. If you want to upload screenshots from your game, you will find them in the Electronic Arts folder, in the Sims 3 sub-folder, and in the Screenshots sub-sub folder.
3. Once your photos are in the photo-hosting site, you want a thing called the image code. On Photobucket you hit the little gear icon and choose "Get Links" and then click on the image code one and it copies the code to the clipboard.
4. Open up a fresh forum thread and right-click inside your first post and choose "paste" (that will paste what is in the clipboard-- in this case the image code for your photograph--- into your thread).
5. Photographs that come from a photo-hosting site are too big and will break the thread if you don't resize them. To resize them just type "width=600" (INCLUDING QUOTES) right before the [/IMG] in the long string of symbols which is the image code. Be sure you don't have any spaces added in when you do this and make sure you don't gain or lose any of the symbols from the image code.
6. Choose "preview" to look at what your post will look like before you post it. If you photos all look to suit you then post away!
It is wonderful to have you here and I hope you learn a lot and have fun doing it. Please feel free to ask any questions and to interact with me and with your fellow students. This thread also has a post set aside to link to student work. I hope you will consider creating a thread in Creative Corner forum with your work from this course so that we can all visit it and see what you've done.
There is no prerequisite to this course in the sense that there is nothing that must be done BEFORE you can understand the course material, however there are some recommendations that I have for you.
2. At the end of that thread you will discover which house plan was chosen for our class. It is not required, BUT very helpful and strongly recommended, that you print out copies of each of the photos and the floor plans prior to starting this course.
(I'll do my best to be on at that actual time, but real life with a baby may disrupt my plans)
If you have to miss you can still view the class as a self-paced, online tutorial. It's more fun to be there when everyone else is, but during the actual class there is not that much posting on the thread because everyone is working on the steps of the lesson. Afterward, there is a lot of posting as people have questions and as they get stuff finished and want to show it off.
I believe I have told you this before, but I love your user name! I may have to name a Sim after you. LOL!
In truth, I can't build without a floor plan (except starters) and it would be very interesting to know where I could improve.
I perused the other thread and one of the submissions was of a home I actually used for one of my request builds (albeit it was changed slightly to accommodate the requester) and yes, it was tricky! I agreed with your synopsis of the pros/cons of the home.
In truth, I can't build without a floor plan (except starters) and it would be very interesting to know where I could improve.
I perused the other thread and one of the submissions was of a home I actually used for one of my request builds (albeit it was changed slightly to accommodate the requester) and yes, it was tricky! I agreed with your synopsis of the pros/cons of the home.
Thanks, Rose
Absolutely! We'd love to have you in our class. Welcome to Zoo U!
I have booked Marked the house plans.... I'm ready to dive in....I hope I can keep up, I'm pretty slow at building...
Welcome to Zoo U, Bree!
No worries at all about the pace or keeping up. Generally I post the entire lesson in several big chunks and then stay at my computer for two hours to answer questions if they come up. So everyone is basically working at their own pace, moving back and forth between the lesson and their game as they build.
Usually there is much more action on the thread before the lesson and between lessons with people registering for the next lesson and showing off their work so far. During the lesson it is actually pretty quiet.
Oh, register me, please!!! I would love to learn to build from house plans! I'm so excited!
CRESSIE! Has anyone seen Cressie? I miss her. :shock:
P-Pup! Welcome back to Zoo U! Class wouldn't be the same without you.
I miss my Cressie, too. I think she is still having family illness. She was taking care of an ill parent and with stuff like that you just never know when it will be more serious or less serious. I know that she was also having computer issues.
I hope she comes back soon, it won't be nearly as fun (or funny) without her!
The class roster for the first lesson should be up to date so far. Tell all your friends that we will be having fun building this Saturday and that they are invited! In the meanwhile, everyone try to read post five of this thread (A Note From Your Teacher) as I have some recommended actions to take prior to class.
And as you visit with each other grab a delicious Chocolate Milk of Welcome *sits out a tray of icy milks* and grab a slice of Friendship Cake *opens up cake pan*.
REGISTER ME please. I would also like to join in on this. I'm busy in RL but I think a good build and break is just what I need. Hope to see lots of my friends again.
Comments
Zoo U students, after registration, please do the following (some things are marked optional, but if it is not marked that way, I will assume that you will do it before the next lesson).
1. Bookmark this thread so that you can find us for the next lesson. This is where the class will be taking place. IT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL, but not required, IF YOU WOULD REGISTER FOR EACH LESSON OF THIS COURSE. It keeps the thread bumped so that new students will see it.
2. If you have not accepted a friend request from me, please consider doing that. (this step is optional)
3. IMPORTANT: The class may involve moving back and forth between this thread and your game. You will be posting questions and comments as well as seeing the photo and description of the build step you are supposed to be doing. It is important that you can have the forum opened to this thread but minimized as you build and have your game open but minimized as you come here to post. Please try this out before the course starts by minimizing this window right now, opening up your game and starting a new game, saving your game and hitting the "windows" key on your keyboard (if you have a Mac, kindly scroll down to post four and my friend Wibble will tell you how to do this!) and posting something in this thread (like "Testing that I can post while my game is open") and then going back into your game to make sure all is running well. This all works fine on MY computer, but everyone's machine is different and you don't want any unpleasant surprises when the first lesson begins.
4. I am going to be adding some links to useful threads I'm making for students in Zoo U. It is optional that you do any of those, but they will help you have a smoother time as a builder. I would at least go look at what has been posted, but even that is not required. (This step is optional)
Here is a link to a thread about Tester Families:
http://forum.thesims3.com/jforum/posts/list/486961.page
Here is the Exchange link for my favorite Tester Sim if you don't want to make your own:
http://www.thesims3.com/assetDetail.html?assetId=5018210
Here is the Exchange link for a vastly updated version of my favorite Tester Sim (she has a CAP pattern that I made but no CC) and her cat Helix:
http://www.thesims3.com/assetDetail.html?assetId=6722698
Here is the Exchange link for a group of Tester Sims that would be very helpful if you have Supernatural and are building with Alchemy potions and the like:
http://www.thesims3.com/assetDetail.html?assetId=6767525
Here is a link to a thread about making a Builder's Blank Neighborhood:
http://forum.thesims3.com/jforum/posts/list/488892.page
To Register for Lesson Two of "Building a House From a Real-Life House Plan", the ninth course offered by Zoo U, please post at the end of this thread with the words:
"Register Me!"
Class Roster for Lesson One:
Maylicious
jenny0786
FireFlower29
suepea
BreeMiles
priscapup
ElijahsBabyGurl9
Army008
ShelockHolmes
gngrsnp
AyaSama3000
DevonandPeter
Abeauty95
xixeatxcrayonsx
RollTide8910
Hidehi
fionavernon
Rayshizzie
Dirathegreat
levelk218
AHENRICHs
AZSpudKing
HARLEY2
iSammy94
nerdy3000
cbrock7
Marit_Watery
Sallidra20
mcveighjess
WrathofCath
awesomeman2301
mjjlover4
MoonLove13
Nirar22
Class Roster for Lesson Two:
jenny0786
Nirar22
Hidehi
BreeMiles
FireFlower29
Army008
Abeauty95
mcveighjess
AyaSama3000
priscapup
xixeatxcrayonsx
Rayshizzie
suepea
cbrock7
WrathofCath
HARLEY2
NikkiOfarrell
Britt93414
nerdy3000
DevonandPeter
What should I wear to class today?
Here you will find the links for threads with student work related to this course.
Abeauty95
BreeMiles
xixeatxcrayonsx
FireFlower29
priscapup
jenny0786
suepea
WrathofCath
Army008
Hidehi
Snowflake-- Official Mascot of the Zoo U Blackcats
Directions for Posting Photos in a Forum Thread:
1. Get a free account from PhotoBucket or any other photo hosting site. This should NOT require a credit card.
2. Follow the directions on the photo hosting site to create an album and upload photos. It will give you an option to Browse your computer to find the photos to upload. If you want to upload screenshots from your game, you will find them in the Electronic Arts folder, in the Sims 3 sub-folder, and in the Screenshots sub-sub folder.
3. Once your photos are in the photo-hosting site, you want a thing called the image code. On Photobucket you hit the little gear icon and choose "Get Links" and then click on the image code one and it copies the code to the clipboard.
4. Open up a fresh forum thread and right-click inside your first post and choose "paste" (that will paste what is in the clipboard-- in this case the image code for your photograph--- into your thread).
5. Photographs that come from a photo-hosting site are too big and will break the thread if you don't resize them. To resize them just type "width=600" (INCLUDING QUOTES) right before the [/IMG] in the long string of symbols which is the image code. Be sure you don't have any spaces added in when you do this and make sure you don't gain or lose any of the symbols from the image code.
6. Choose "preview" to look at what your post will look like before you post it. If you photos all look to suit you then post away!
Hello Zoo U Students!
It is wonderful to have you here and I hope you learn a lot and have fun doing it. Please feel free to ask any questions and to interact with me and with your fellow students. This thread also has a post set aside to link to student work. I hope you will consider creating a thread in Creative Corner forum with your work from this course so that we can all visit it and see what you've done.
There is no prerequisite to this course in the sense that there is nothing that must be done BEFORE you can understand the course material, however there are some recommendations that I have for you.
1. Visit the Course 9 Prerequisite Thread, read post one and follow the directions. You will find the thread here: http://forum.thesims3.com/jforum/posts/list/675089.page
2. At the end of that thread you will discover which house plan was chosen for our class. It is not required, BUT very helpful and strongly recommended, that you print out copies of each of the photos and the floor plans prior to starting this course.
Here's wishing us all a great course!
Zoo
Just post the words "Register Me" in this thread to join us this Saturday!
(I'll do my best to be on at that actual time, but real life with a baby may disrupt my plans)
If you have to miss you can still view the class as a self-paced, online tutorial. It's more fun to be there when everyone else is, but during the actual class there is not that much posting on the thread because everyone is working on the steps of the lesson. Afterward, there is a lot of posting as people have questions and as they get stuff finished and want to show it off.
I believe I have told you this before, but I love your user name! I may have to name a Sim after you. LOL!
Welcome to Zoo U!
I love it when a new semester starts here at Zoo U. Gives me a chance to get in touch with old class mates :-D
Hi, Jenny! I hope this class goes as well as Course 7 did, students really posted some awesome stuff from that course.
Welcome back to Zoo U!
Is it all right if I register with you? :oops:
In truth, I can't build without a floor plan (except starters) and it would be very interesting to know where I could improve.
I perused the other thread and one of the submissions was of a home I actually used for one of my request builds (albeit it was changed slightly to accommodate the requester) and yes, it was tricky! I agreed with your synopsis of the pros/cons of the home.
Thanks, Rose
Absolutely! We'd love to have you in our class. Welcome to Zoo U!
And thank you as well for accepting my friend request. I look very forward to being in your class 8)
Rose
I have booked Marked the house plans.... I'm ready to dive in....I hope I can keep up, I'm pretty slow at building...
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Oh, register me, please!!! I would love to learn to build from house plans! I'm so excited!
CRESSIE! Has anyone seen Cressie? I miss her. :shock:
Welcome to Zoo University Rose This University has helped me alot with my building and I came in on Course 7
~Jenny
*waves like a mad woman*
Hi Prisca; I have saved you and Cressie a seat by me; but I have not seen her :shock:
<<<<<<<<<<<<Sits at the back of the class in front of the window
Rose
YAY! More of my favorite students registering for class!
Hi, Sue! *hugs back and hands over an icy Chocolate Milk of Welcome*
Welcome to Zoo U, Bree!
No worries at all about the pace or keeping up. Generally I post the entire lesson in several big chunks and then stay at my computer for two hours to answer questions if they come up. So everyone is basically working at their own pace, moving back and forth between the lesson and their game as they build.
Usually there is much more action on the thread before the lesson and between lessons with people registering for the next lesson and showing off their work so far. During the lesson it is actually pretty quiet.
Zoo
P-Pup! Welcome back to Zoo U! Class wouldn't be the same without you.
I miss my Cressie, too. I think she is still having family illness. She was taking care of an ill parent and with stuff like that you just never know when it will be more serious or less serious. I know that she was also having computer issues.
I hope she comes back soon, it won't be nearly as fun (or funny) without her!
Zoo
And as you visit with each other grab a delicious Chocolate Milk of Welcome *sits out a tray of icy milks* and grab a slice of Friendship Cake *opens up cake pan*.
Zoo
REGISTER ME please. I would also like to join in on this. I'm busy in RL but I think a good build and break is just what I need. Hope to see lots of my friends again.