Newsim City is an urban metropolis currently in the works. Founded by the Eurosims from across the Sim Sea, Newsim, (or Newtown as it was known back then), prospered as a bustling trading hub. As the years passed and SimNation gained its independence, Newsim grew into the eastern metropolis of the new nation. Today, Newsim is composed of three boroughs, Newsim, Old Town and Bersim, each with its own unique culture and heritage.
This is my first Sims 3 World and it's still a work in progress. I haven't played the Sims 3 in a couple of years and just backing into it (now that the Sims 4 is on the horizon...which makes sense...
).
I've seen some amazing urban worlds in the forum and firstly, I just want to thank all the creators for their amazing work - it was really inspiring looking through all their amazing work. To that end, I really wanted to create a custom world of my own (still deciding whether the main focus should be photo-taking, story-telling or game-play...probably all 3). Some of the common problems I've seen with city / urban worlds include:
(1) They don't really reflect cities, but are more like suburbs with high-rises
(2) The worlds that do look like cities aren't really playable because they have ~150 lots
Struggling to find a city world that circumvented the above problems, I decided to build one myself. Having lived in a city my entire life, I definitely wanted to stay away from problem (1). That meant that I was stuck with the second problem (hundreds of lots). After considering my options for a good amount of time, I came to a realization; even though I've lived in a city my entire life, I certainly haven't been inside all the buildings, or half the buildings or even 10% of buildings. Hence I didn't feel so bad with my solution --- a city made up of around 50% lots and 50% props (aka custom 3D models that I created, including a custom distant terrain).
I've tried to use 3D models, which retain a Sims 3 feel (aka look like the rabbit holes). While this may not sit well with many of you, let me first note that this city will still include quite a few playable lots.
To start off, here is a city map (including subway system), which is sort of like my rough guide:
Ideas I am trying to implement:
1) Transportation:
- Subway system, with custom subway entrances (LN required), some "stops" will have decorative underground platforms for picture- and story- purposes
- Operating elevated train, based on ITF monorail (ITF required), this is a tough one...
- Decoration-only expressway with overpasses
- Working bridges, with custom meshes
- Decoration-only bridges, with custom meshes (ie. for the bridges crossing into the distant terrain
2) Buildings
- Custom building meshes
3) Other things that I haven't really gotten out on paper yet...
A few pics to start off...Darby (just the streets and wharfs...nothing to see really)On-ramp to Greyshim Bridge, overlooking Westbank (distant terrain, working on finishing the bridge)Cathedral Hill, Old Town (working on this intently)Old 'Arbor (finished the layout, now just placing lots and props)
I know its very early stage but gotta start somewhere right?
My EIG doesn't work (I've read the threads, yes it's because I have the social edition...I also have the non-social digital version, which also does not work...as well as the disk version I got back when the game just came out in 2009...hypothetically this should work...but alas I don't remember the account info I used back then to register...soooo basically, no EIG)...I am planning on just finishing everything in CAW while simultaneously building the lots and then consolidating in the end (/endrant)
...Also, just in case it's not obvious, this project will take a while - I'll try to update regularly but will depend entirely on life...
I know its an ambitious project, but that's exactly why I'm doing it. Wish me luck!
Comments
It looks really Cool so far~ I'm wishing you lots of luck. :thumbup:
Making deco buildings from scratch can be quite time consuming. It takes me about a day or so fo a fairly basic house, and maybe a week for a more involved skyscraper. A number of creators have made deco buildings available for download. Carlos at Simming in Magnificent Style has a nice collection. Monsoon has a nice collection, and has successfully lighted his buildings. I have made several score available for download.
CAW is rea twitchy, especially with respect to deco buildings. There was a brief window where CAW actually worked pretty well. It was real unstable after the release of Spernatural and had numerous problems after University. The most stable version appears to be the release just before or after 70s 80s and 90s stuff. Using this means foregoing some of the features of University, Island Paradise and Into the Future, although some elements of the EPs can probably be included via a save game file. Personally, I got tired of messing with a buggy piece of crap like CAW. EA has never bothered to do it right.
Best of luck.
Looking forward to see more :thumbup:
I wish you a lot of luck !
@tjstreak: Thanks for the advice - I was definitely thinking of using the buildings you mentioned for the distant terrain (I've already converted ~50 simple models from Flight Simulator (per your suggestion in a different thread ). Unfortunately, for the buildings in the main part of the city, I really want to get crisp textures like the Sims 3 rabbit-holes. Thankfully, I found another game which has objects that can be converted through a relatively simple conversion process (ie. 1 object group and texture per mesh)...it saved me a whole lot of time...some pictures of these buildings are below:
Fortunately, I haven't had any CAW related issues yet (besides EIG...minor details lol). I think I've avoided the bulk of the problems since I only started playing again a month or so ago (thus started off with latest versions of everything)...
Some more pics:
Greyshim Bridge (simple buildings as distant terrain in the back and a more detailed model in front; finished the bridge as well, ie. road, signs, lighting etc.)
Also started on the elevated metro (I believe that's Monsoon's building in the background)
BTW' I think the buildings and textures in X-Plane are better than those in MS Flght Simulator. There also are quite a few pay ware cities, many of which have some good buildings". Then again' some are of the same low quality as Google. Earth". Just about anything from ORBX is going to be good"
I would suggest compiling your world fairly frequently, just to be sure CAW is behaving. You don 't want to do a lot of work, only to have C AW mess it up.
The other game is called Cities in Motion (http://www.citiesinmotion.com/ - make sure you're looking at the original not the sequel). For the modding process (step-by-step guide), please see the post here: http://www.cimexchange.com/tutorials/article/15-a-rough-guide-to-modding/
and here for the readme.txt:
http://www.bytetransfer.de/projects/cim/tools/
Basically, just download the GSTools set (9/12 version). There are several extractors included; first use the "uncompress" extractor to extract the individual objects from the compressed game file (ie. drag your game file (*.gs) onto the extractor). It may take a few minutes but you'll basically get all the objects (buildings, roads, props, transport etc.) You'll notice each object will already have the textures, materials and mesh in the folder (the mesh will be an "*.object" file). Use the gsobjexporter to get the regular Wavefront .obj file (ie. drag the "*.object" file onto the extractor). Please note that all the materials have to be in the same folder. (This works for about 75% of the objects, I've run into some which don't work). That's basically it...you might need to tweak some UV coordinates to make sure they are all well within the UV map, otherwise you might get some weird texturing.
Let me know if you have any questions about the process. Would be glad to help.
Oh hot dayum! I love it. It looks like the Urbz: Sims in the City loading image!
I love this already. I like your idea of 50% lots because it will be easier on my computer haha. I know this will take a lot of time to complete but I can't wait to play it
I can play at last TS2 TS3 and TS4 So great that toddlers are here!!!
I finally went in game to test everything out (no major glitches yet). Here are some in-game photos:
My first metro station lot (I'm still debating whether it's worth turning into a functional monorail stop...let me know your thoughts guys- I'm leaning towards making half of the stops being functional and half not, so that the cars just pass through)
Images of Old Town (just finishing up a community lot - going to be a pub-like restaurant or maybe dive bar)
One more skyline pic
Let me know what you guys think!
Also here's another shot of Cathedral hill
it looked amazing!