I've concluded that I'm not having fun working on the build any longer. I think I would be so much more satisfied seeing what others like my buddy might come up with. I think I've grown somewhat of an attachment to it because I worked so hard on getting the look of the exterior just the way I wanted it and I don't want to ruin it by goofing up the inside.
I hope that's okay.
I just had the thought that it might be awesome to have a bunch of exterior only and limited inside builds populating a world. It would take less time to load and be a smaller save file, right? All inactive sims need are enough beds for everyone and a fridge and all-in-one.
That thought aside, It's common for homes to come with just the basics of kitchen and bath plumbing and counters. In real life, you might need to buy your own appliances like fridge, stove, washer, and dryer. So, maybe, you could put in an all-in-one, a sink and a counter or two and that would be the way a home is normally purchased.
Of course, lots of people like to decorate, so a blank canvas can leave more up to the individual.
I've concluded that I'm not having fun working on the build any longer. I think I would be so much more satisfied seeing what others like my buddy might come up with. I think I've grown somewhat of an attachment to it because I worked so hard on getting the look of the exterior just the way I wanted it and I don't want to ruin it by goofing up the inside.
I hope that's okay.
I just had the thought that it might be awesome to have a bunch of exterior only and limited inside builds populating a world. It would take less time to load and be a smaller save file, right? All inactive sims need are enough beds for everyone and a fridge and all-in-one.
That thought aside, It's common for homes to come with just the basics of kitchen and bath plumbing and counters. In real life, you might need to buy your own appliances like fridge, stove, washer, and dryer. So, maybe, you could put in an all-in-one, a sink and a counter or two and that would be the way a home is normally purchased.
Of course, lots of people like to decorate, so a blank canvas can leave more up to the individual.
Just my random thoughts.
Which is why my studio has a fair number of 'mir'** starter builds in it.
** My definition: mir = move in ready, real world style, minimum kitchen (counter, sink, stove, fridge), minimum 1bath (toilet, sink, shower/tub), and light landscaping, for the most part ... there are a few exceptions ... all of my mir's &/or starters fit in a starting fresh from cas sims budget. This allows the decor of the house to grow with the sim.
Honestly it's one of my pet peeves with sims builds I come across, regardless of generation, something will be labeled starter or family starter but you need to use cheats to move them in, because even the shell unfurnished will cost over 50,000.
I don't know how many people have spotted it, it can be a subtle in game action, but all generations of sims since 1 have a game mechanic where a sim will show a preference for one furniture piece over another of the same class. In s1 it used to be obvious and I'd build little studio/stores and have my sim 'shop' for their preferred furniture. With 2/3/4 it's trickier and you need to watch closely when they go inspect the new item.
I'm sorry you got frustrated trying to decorate the interior @60smusicluvr. Ciane and MommaDragon are right, some people do prefer to decorate on their own. (@Mmdrgntobldrgn I love your idea of having sims 'shop' I've always wanted to build a furniture store but could never get over how the big rectangular building looks from neighboorhood view. I'd love to see screenshots of yours if you feel up to it sometime.) There are nearly two weeks left before gifting, so don't stress over it either way. I had to step away from my problematic build for a few days and just played instead. I'm sure I will feel differently about it when I go back to it.
@SamelaRita Banished is the kind of game you can play for just 15 minutes or 5 hours. I like that it's easy to pick up and put down but it's also relaxing to just watch your settlement succeed (or fail) over time, watching the bannies going about their day as the seasons change is nice. There's a mod that replaces the original music (which is great but can get repetitive) with Jeremy Soule's Morrowind music and it makes the game just lovely.
@60smusicluvr I think an outstanding shell would be a fun gift. As a matter of fact, in the first gift exchange I joined, I did exactly that. My giftee asked for a house based on Thomas Kinkade paintings and a castle for Midnight Hollow.
Well, I spent all my time on the first gift and then for the second gift I tore it all down and transformed it into a castle. Problem was at that time I didn't have any "castle" themed furnishings so what she got was the shell. She loved it! She said she enjoyed furnishing it and using the rooms how she wanted. So I say go for it!!
@60smusicluvr and @Kgaff I know it would be a fun gift for me. I've found a few shells by builders I like that I have a lot of fun furnishing and decorating over and over in different worlds. I know your architecture is fantastic @60smusicluvr, and I bet this lot will inspire a lot of ideas.
@kgaff and @suszes, thanks for the encouragement. I was really set on making this particular gift very special. It took several inspiration photos for me to figure out something that might work like I want it to, but the outdoor portion is not exactly typical in this type of structure, but research on my buddy convinced me that the odd combination just might work.
@60smusicluvr and @Kgaff I know it would be a fun gift for me. I've found a few shells by builders I like that I have a lot of fun furnishing and decorating over and over in different worlds. I know your architecture is fantastic @60smusicluvr, and I bet this lot will inspire a lot of ideas.
@suzses You are a fantastic decorator! I am sure the lots are then gorgeous inside and outside when you are finished with them!
@Jessabeans "I'd love to see screenshots of yours if you feel up to it sometime."
If I had any screen shot's they're long gone. For me sims 1 was 3 or 4 pc's ago, and because the interaction is so much more subtle in the following generations I never bothered with a shop again. Mind my shop was probably modeled on Sears or Penny's, so it would have been a block.
@Jessabeans "I'd love to see screenshots of yours if you feel up to it sometime."
If I had any screen shot's they're long gone. For me sims 1 was 3 or 4 pc's ago, and because the interaction is so much more subtle in the following generations I never bothered with a shop again. Mind my shop was probably modeled on Sears or Penny's, so it would have been a block.
Fair enough, I guess Aurora Skies could use an Ikea if I'm ever keen to try it. Thanks
Sorry I've been MIA again. Last week Friday - May 3rd - I "graduated" from my physical therapy sessions!! (( if I already told y'all, I apologize for bring it up again. I tend to forget who all I've told ))
This past Monday and Tuesday - May 6th & 7th - me and my cousin went to the ballgame and had soooo much fun. Especially since the tickets were FREE!!! I had 2 scratch-off tickets from the last 2 games I went to last year. And basically "won" a voucher for TWO tickets for the games I mentioned. What was even better, was that our team WON those games!!! (yaaaaaaay)
I have play tested my gifts for my buddy... everything is going really good with them!! *gives 2 thumbs up* Pictures have also been taken of the main gift. The secondary gift still needs some pictures; but, that's not gonna be hard to do.
I've been taking things easy since my last PT session. Been kind of lazy, actually. I'll admit it! This weekend, tho, is going to be VERY hard for me. The 2nd Mother's Day without my mom. And while I'm sure everyne is going to wish everyone a Happy Mother's Day... I would prefer that you DO NOT say it to me. 1) I am not a mom - not even married ... and 2) I'm gonna be in "hiding". Is it selfish for me to say/ask this of you guys? Maybe. But, I am still reeling from her death. In just about 4 and a half months, it will be the 2nd "anniversary" of her passing. That's why this Mother's Day is so hard. And will continue to be. *sniffles*
So anyway .... Addy - I am going to check in for the last one. As I said, I am done with my buddy's gift. Just have to finalize everything.
@ciane, I would be open to seeing your before and after shots, just to see how and why you made your final decisions. Maybe that's something I can learn from. I tend to stick with whatever color combinations I make most of the time. I don't know why it is, but it always looks so, so much better in game than screenshots. Humph.
I don't mind seeing before and after. It's fun to see the process others go through as they finalize their gifts.
Speaking of process/progress ...
I've been lucky enough to see sneak peeks (pictures and actual gifts) of several Buddies and I have to say, the intended Buddies are going to what they're getting!!!
I've been keeping my head down, working hard on my big gift. Making good progress with it, although always slower than I'd like. I have four more gift ideas--three small, one medium. I know I won't be able to do all of them, but I'm hoping to finish up the big one with time left for a couple small ones.
Sounds like most folks are having a good time with their gifts--and those who aren't are finding solutions and support. For me, it's really important that I (and my buddy!) are having fun while gift-making. I believe in the idea that "the best gifts are those that you want for yourself." So having fun and really liking for yourself the gifts you are going to give is the best way to make gifts that your buddy will love. That said, I can completely sympathize with falling in love with part of a build and then nothing else you do with it holds up in comparison. All I can suggest when it comes to that is that banging your head against the wall on that sort of thing almost never helps--and it might make things worse. Seems like you already came to that conclusion, though.
As for where I started with the Sims games, I've always been a bit behind the times with them. I had the original "The Sims" game while I was in school. I think I borrowed the CD from a friend, actually. I only had one expansion and I never felt like I really "got the hang of" the game. My sims never made it far in their careers, didn't have big families or lots of friends or money. Despite that, I have fond memories of playing it and years later, went looking for a sequel. By then, TS2 was toward the end of it's development cycle. I skipped picking up the main game and went straight for a spin-off, "Pet Stories." I loved it and played it a ton, despite the comparatively limited features. That satisfied my "sims itch" for a long time, in between many other games, mostly RPGs. I think I might have tried TS3 at some point, but with just the base game, it didn't really stick for me. Eventually I got the Supernatural expansion pack for TS3 and started liking it a lot more. Then I discovered the forums and was so inspired by the amazing things people built for the game. I'd always thought building was fun, but by comparison I realized I was just making boxes with auto-roof and no CASting. I still don't think by builds compare to those of many of the folks who inspired me, but I'm happy with how far I have come and building is definitely my passion in the game and keeps me coming back. Lately I've been working on integrating building with playing, rather than doing almost entirely one or the other. My Sims 3 bucket list is so long, I feel like I'll never be done with this game. I tried a trial of TS4 and didn't really care for it--the loss of CASt and the open world were too much for me and I didn't want to learn a whole new set of building tools. I'm happy for those who enjoy TS4 and I'll probably give it another shot--someday, when I've done more of what I want to with TS3.
@Mystik1978 I know it was a while ago, but thank you for asking how I was doing! After a week off my feet (no work, walking with crutches), my ankle was better but still hurt to put weight on, so I made an appointment with an orthopedist to get it looked at. That appointment was yesterday. The doctor said it's probably tendonitis--painful and slow to heal, but not something that I'm doing more damage by walking on. Now I have to figure out physical therapy and get back to work, with limitations to be determined once I see how long I can stay on my feet.
Whew! Okay, all caught up now, I think. Sorry for the wall of text! And now I have a couple questions, if anyone happens to be able to help me out.
1. Is it possible to set what books are on a community lot (not a library) bookshelf? Do I make it residential, fill it with the books I want, then turn it back commercial? Or will it just reset to default books?
2. Is it okay to use in-game photography for decorating? I have heard that custard doesn't like it, although it's not technically CC. I don't want to use it if it's going to be troublesome when it comes to scanning.
1. Is it possible to set what books are on a community lot (not a library) bookshelf? Do I make it residential, fill it with the books I want, then turn it back commercial? Or will it just reset to default books?
2. Is it okay to use in-game photography for decorating? I have heard that custard doesn't like it, although it's not technically CC. I don't want to use it if it's going to be troublesome when it comes to scanning.
1. Nraas Debug enabler lets you fill bookshelves on community lots (and residential) by book type. If you don't use mods you can buy the books and put them in the bookcase as a Residental lot, move the sim out and move it to the lot bin and they should still be in there when converting it to a community lot.
2. When you use in-game photography if it shows up strange in custard it's on the first line and doesn't show up as extra items attached to the lot. If you don't include the digital photo frame (or recolor the photo frames on the lot) it shouldn't show up in custard at all.
I'm sorry your ankle is causing pain while it heals, I hope your recovery goes smoother once you start physical therapy.
@Ciane I'd love to see before and after changes, especially with commentary.
@Jessabeans Thanks for the quick answers! I'm not sure I want to try to figure out a new mod mid-exchange, so I'll probably go with the other solution for now, but that's yet another reason on my growing list for installing more Nraas mods (currently just have Story Progression and opportunity fix). I probably recolored the photo frames previously (I knew about not using the digital frames) and that's what made it problematic.
So, it looks like there is some interest for before and after with commentary that will show thought processes. An inside look into the way I think will be offered for entertainment value and simply another way to look at things. It sounds fun. I've started already.
I'm still in the tweaking stage with all lots upgraded to fully unbreakable. Some households have been played. Others await inspiration.
On another note, @KaytayRoall - I love the way you did your siggie with the links on all on one line. I had such a hard time with my links because they are so long. I had to paste the code into the block. Copying and pasting all the links in with a break between is pure genius! I love it.
@KaytayRoall I've been able to include things placed by sims on *residential* lots (haven't tried then converting them to community lots that I recall) and make them stick, but it only works if I evict the sim to clipboard, don't place them elsewhere, and then bin and/or export the lot at that time. I've done it with paintings, in-game made photographs (with recolored frames), collectibles, and books.
@Jessabeans Again, why haven't I tried this stuff with debug enabler . . . ? I do have it. Thanks for the tip.
Hi all!
....
1. Is it possible to set what books are on a community lot (not a library) bookshelf? Do I make it residential, fill it with the books I want, then turn it back commercial? Or will it just reset to default books?
2. Is it okay to use in-game photography for decorating? I have heard that custard doesn't like it, although it's not technically CC. I don't want to use it if it's going to be troublesome when it comes to scanning.
I've had a little luck having a sim place books and then converting to community, I've had better luck with stashing items in a chest .... notedo not stick a tent in the chest you loose the upload pics, it's an odd glitch that's been around for awhile.
Not sure if the chest/supernatural shelf trick would work for in game pics, I've never tried.
Sometimes, Addy opens up the gifting early; so I don't know how effective a countdown will be.
But, it is getting closer and I am doing final tweaking and starting to get things into my launcher.
However, I have LOTS more pictures to take and organize; so, with over a week left, I should be ready, no matter when we start.
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I just had the thought that it might be awesome to have a bunch of exterior only and limited inside builds populating a world. It would take less time to load and be a smaller save file, right? All inactive sims need are enough beds for everyone and a fridge and all-in-one.
That thought aside, It's common for homes to come with just the basics of kitchen and bath plumbing and counters. In real life, you might need to buy your own appliances like fridge, stove, washer, and dryer. So, maybe, you could put in an all-in-one, a sink and a counter or two and that would be the way a home is normally purchased.
Of course, lots of people like to decorate, so a blank canvas can leave more up to the individual.
Just my random thoughts.
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Which is why my studio has a fair number of 'mir'** starter builds in it.
** My definition: mir = move in ready, real world style, minimum kitchen (counter, sink, stove, fridge), minimum 1bath (toilet, sink, shower/tub), and light landscaping, for the most part ... there are a few exceptions ... all of my mir's &/or starters fit in a starting fresh from cas sims budget. This allows the decor of the house to grow with the sim.
Honestly it's one of my pet peeves with sims builds I come across, regardless of generation, something will be labeled starter or family starter but you need to use cheats to move them in, because even the shell unfurnished will cost over 50,000.
I don't know how many people have spotted it, it can be a subtle in game action, but all generations of sims since 1 have a game mechanic where a sim will show a preference for one furniture piece over another of the same class. In s1 it used to be obvious and I'd build little studio/stores and have my sim 'shop' for their preferred furniture. With 2/3/4 it's trickier and you need to watch closely when they go inspect the new item.
Exploring life through imagination & satire since 1969.
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@SamelaRita Banished is the kind of game you can play for just 15 minutes or 5 hours. I like that it's easy to pick up and put down but it's also relaxing to just watch your settlement succeed (or fail) over time, watching the bannies going about their day as the seasons change is nice. There's a mod that replaces the original music (which is great but can get repetitive) with Jeremy Soule's Morrowind music and it makes the game just lovely.
I hope everyone is having a great week so far.
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Well, I spent all my time on the first gift and then for the second gift I tore it all down and transformed it into a castle. Problem was at that time I didn't have any "castle" themed furnishings so what she got was the shell. She loved it! She said she enjoyed furnishing it and using the rooms how she wanted. So I say go for it!!
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Maybe you guys can put some magic on the inside!
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@suzses You are a fantastic decorator! I am sure the lots are then gorgeous inside and outside when you are finished with them!
That's so very sweet of you.
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If I had any screen shot's they're long gone. For me sims 1 was 3 or 4 pc's ago, and because the interaction is so much more subtle in the following generations I never bothered with a shop again. Mind my shop was probably modeled on Sears or Penny's, so it would have been a block.
Exploring life through imagination & satire since 1969.
Save Game Often
repair & clear caches Often
S3 Studio
S3 blog Story, lists of empty lots by world
Behrooz
S2/3/4 Randomnes
Fair enough, I guess Aurora Skies could use an Ikea if I'm ever keen to try it. Thanks
Sorry I've been MIA again. Last week Friday - May 3rd - I "graduated" from my physical therapy sessions!! (( if I already told y'all, I apologize for bring it up again. I tend to forget who all I've told ))
This past Monday and Tuesday - May 6th & 7th - me and my cousin went to the ballgame and had soooo much fun. Especially since the tickets were FREE!!! I had 2 scratch-off tickets from the last 2 games I went to last year. And basically "won" a voucher for TWO tickets for the games I mentioned. What was even better, was that our team WON those games!!! (yaaaaaaay)
I have play tested my gifts for my buddy... everything is going really good with them!! *gives 2 thumbs up* Pictures have also been taken of the main gift. The secondary gift still needs some pictures; but, that's not gonna be hard to do.
I've been taking things easy since my last PT session. Been kind of lazy, actually.
So anyway .... Addy - I am going to check in for the last one. As I said, I am done with my buddy's gift. Just have to finalize everything.
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@ciane, I would be open to seeing your before and after shots, just to see how and why you made your final decisions. Maybe that's something I can learn from. I tend to stick with whatever color combinations I make most of the time. I don't know why it is, but it always looks so, so much better in game than screenshots. Humph.
@LMC6255, thank you.
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Speaking of process/progress ...
I've been lucky enough to see sneak peeks (pictures and actual gifts) of several Buddies and I have to say, the intended Buddies are going to
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I've been keeping my head down, working hard on my big gift. Making good progress with it, although always slower than I'd like. I have four more gift ideas--three small, one medium. I know I won't be able to do all of them, but I'm hoping to finish up the big one with time left for a couple small ones.
Sounds like most folks are having a good time with their gifts--and those who aren't are finding solutions and support. For me, it's really important that I (and my buddy!) are having fun while gift-making. I believe in the idea that "the best gifts are those that you want for yourself." So having fun and really liking for yourself the gifts you are going to give is the best way to make gifts that your buddy will love. That said, I can completely sympathize with falling in love with part of a build and then nothing else you do with it holds up in comparison. All I can suggest when it comes to that is that banging your head against the wall on that sort of thing almost never helps--and it might make things worse. Seems like you already came to that conclusion, though.
As for where I started with the Sims games, I've always been a bit behind the times with them. I had the original "The Sims" game while I was in school. I think I borrowed the CD from a friend, actually. I only had one expansion and I never felt like I really "got the hang of" the game. My sims never made it far in their careers, didn't have big families or lots of friends or money. Despite that, I have fond memories of playing it and years later, went looking for a sequel. By then, TS2 was toward the end of it's development cycle. I skipped picking up the main game and went straight for a spin-off, "Pet Stories." I loved it and played it a ton, despite the comparatively limited features. That satisfied my "sims itch" for a long time, in between many other games, mostly RPGs. I think I might have tried TS3 at some point, but with just the base game, it didn't really stick for me. Eventually I got the Supernatural expansion pack for TS3 and started liking it a lot more. Then I discovered the forums and was so inspired by the amazing things people built for the game. I'd always thought building was fun, but by comparison I realized I was just making boxes with auto-roof and no CASting. I still don't think by builds compare to those of many of the folks who inspired me, but I'm happy with how far I have come and building is definitely my passion in the game and keeps me coming back. Lately I've been working on integrating building with playing, rather than doing almost entirely one or the other. My Sims 3 bucket list is so long, I feel like I'll never be done with this game. I tried a trial of TS4 and didn't really care for it--the loss of CASt and the open world were too much for me and I didn't want to learn a whole new set of building tools. I'm happy for those who enjoy TS4 and I'll probably give it another shot--someday, when I've done more of what I want to with TS3.
@Mystik1978 I know it was a while ago, but thank you for asking how I was doing! After a week off my feet (no work, walking with crutches), my ankle was better but still hurt to put weight on, so I made an appointment with an orthopedist to get it looked at. That appointment was yesterday. The doctor said it's probably tendonitis--painful and slow to heal, but not something that I'm doing more damage by walking on. Now I have to figure out physical therapy and get back to work, with limitations to be determined once I see how long I can stay on my feet.
Whew! Okay, all caught up now, I think. Sorry for the wall of text! And now I have a couple questions, if anyone happens to be able to help me out.
1. Is it possible to set what books are on a community lot (not a library) bookshelf? Do I make it residential, fill it with the books I want, then turn it back commercial? Or will it just reset to default books?
2. Is it okay to use in-game photography for decorating? I have heard that custard doesn't like it, although it's not technically CC. I don't want to use it if it's going to be troublesome when it comes to scanning.
1. Nraas Debug enabler lets you fill bookshelves on community lots (and residential) by book type. If you don't use mods you can buy the books and put them in the bookcase as a Residental lot, move the sim out and move it to the lot bin and they should still be in there when converting it to a community lot.
2. When you use in-game photography if it shows up strange in custard it's on the first line and doesn't show up as extra items attached to the lot. If you don't include the digital photo frame (or recolor the photo frames on the lot) it shouldn't show up in custard at all.
I'm sorry your ankle is causing pain while it heals, I hope your recovery goes smoother once you start physical therapy.
@Ciane I'd love to see before and after changes, especially with commentary.
I'm still in the tweaking stage with all lots upgraded to fully unbreakable. Some households have been played. Others await inspiration.
On another note, @KaytayRoall - I love the way you did your siggie with the links on all on one line. I had such a hard time with my links because they are so long. I had to paste the code into the block. Copying and pasting all the links in with a break between is pure genius! I love it.
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@Jessabeans Again, why haven't I tried this stuff with debug enabler . . . ? I do have it. Thanks for the tip.
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Edit: Completed pictures for my other gifts as well. We have ten more days left. I'm wondering if I can squeeze something else in within that time?
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I've had a little luck having a sim place books and then converting to community, I've had better luck with stashing items in a chest .... note do not stick a tent in the chest you loose the upload pics, it's an odd glitch that's been around for awhile.
Not sure if the chest/supernatural shelf trick would work for in game pics, I've never tried.
Exploring life through imagination & satire since 1969.
Save Game Often
repair & clear caches Often
S3 Studio
S3 blog Story, lists of empty lots by world
Behrooz
S2/3/4 Randomnes
But, it is getting closer and I am doing final tweaking and starting to get things into my launcher.
However, I have LOTS more pictures to take and organize; so, with over a week left, I should be ready, no matter when we start.
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Unlocked Stencils
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