does anyone else build like me?

alyssa123 · June 2019

i see most builds on the gallery look super realistic and detailed with everything a sim would need and everything a sim would never need. i once downloaded a house from the gallery that had a laundry room (note this house didn't include items from the laundry day pack). there was a kitchen counter with a clock placed on it (idk how either) in a way that made the clock look darker-- clearly meant to look like a washing machine. what?

i genuinely want to know why people build things like that. i don't understand

i build with my sims in mind-- while i build i'm constantly thinking: how will it look when this building is being used? how can i make this more practical in live mode? my builds don't look super polished or photo-realistic. they don't have extra bits to them. i feel like i'm the only one

does anyone else build with practicality as their number one priority? what's the reasoning behind bothering to include real-life things (*cough* fake washing machine *cough*) that a sim can't use? sorry if this comes off as whiny and judgemental

GrumpyGlowfish · June 2019

You're not the only one. I tend to get annoyed by some of those "elite" builders for their ridiculous overuse of clutter and MOO, all for the sake of looks over practicality. When I download builds from the gallery, it's because I suck at making my own houses look nice from the outside and especially the roofing, so having the option to rely on gallery builders with a greater understanding of architecture is nice, but I usually redo the entire furnishing.

aldavor · June 2019

I agree to the extent that I, too, build for practical purposes, and to suit the sim I happen to be playing at the time. Which is why I don't upload my stuff to the gallery as I use far too much CC to list lol

Seriously, I may download property for the shell only (unfurnished) then do so many edits it's hardly recognisable. But yes, definitely, practicality over photogenic appearance - always

Edit to add: Case in point - my current sim house:

annaliese39 · June 2019

I don't build too often since it takes me a ridiculous amount of time to complete anything to my own satisfaction, but when I do my number one priority is always functionality and then how it looks and suits my household. I like layouts to be 'realistic' but practical. Everything needs to work right or it bothers me. I am not entirely opposed to MOO, but I try to use it sparingly and only when necessary e.g. when I'm trying to recreate a real building. It puts me off when a build has too much clutter and use of MOO e.g. objects overlapping, floating in the air, etc. So yes, I totally get where you are coming from.

Gwiniel · June 2019

I build from the joy of building and all of you that has commented on this thread would absolutely hate my creations

because I love clutter and there's no Sims for me without MOO + I don't use CC. Although I try making the stuff as playable as possible (play testing), there definitely still are elements/features that are purely decorative for the looks. Lets just say that I've spend roughly 2000 hours building and 50 hours actually playing in TS4 since I began about 8 months ago

aldavor · June 2019

Just to add to my previous, I have very little clutter and, as mentioned, I use a lot of CC but I'm fortunate in that I have a slight familiarity with modding, so the 'decor only' and 'non-functional' objects that I use are virtually all modded, having added XML tuning to them to provide some functionality. For instance, you can see a motorcycle at my sims house in the picture above. Nice decor, but I've added tuning so that when you click on it, there's a menu item 'Drive To' which acts the same as hitting M and going to the travel map process.

happyopi · June 2019

Ha, wild, I was just talking about this earlier.

I'm definitely function over form, and efficiency first, always make the most of small spaces.
I don't like big rooms, the game already takes so much time to do any action, why add travel time on top ?

However I think form is not without merit, if kept simple.
When building the research station for my conservationists, I needed something to improve logic. Chess would be the obvious choice, yet it's not very immersive. I went instead for the GTW chemical analyzer, so okay maybe they're not having a lot of fun using it, but they look cool. Also it takes less space.

Pics from last play session, but they're not the best examples.

This is about as much clutter I can work with, looks lived in, but 3 sims can still eat there. Function + form.

Music producer home office, everything close at hand, and everything accessible.

I use MOO if an object footprint is being stupid. Like not letting me put a side table under the stairs and having all that space go to waste. But most of the time I'm fine with Alt and F5.
I cannot stand people building kitchens with moveobjects on at all times, and then wondering why their sims cook inside clutter.
I can admire the creativity behind a heavily decorated build, but I'd rather have good pathfinding and smooth gameplay.

Simmingal · June 2019

Most of the time I do build based on what is usable in game play and don't make that many ''fake items'' because it looks off but also sometimes I like to put down some decorations on objects they don't belong on which messes up the routing
(books of sofas or whatever) it just feels more like someone lives there

or put things that should be usable both sides (like double beds) next to wall
so I can only use one side even if it isn't practical to do so
or maybe angle chairs so they do not connect to tables
because it just seems bit too orderly for a family house

also latest thing i do is I give my sims tons of dishwashers to have white or black ''counter'' with wooden top because I hate those baskets
even though it isn't realistic to have 6 dishwashers but...

just in general I like to keep things I wanna use usable but I also throw in some not so useful decorative things so it doesn't feel too orderly

Becka28 · June 2019

I have decorative lots and I have ugly practical lots. At least half of my families live in houses that "grew" around them, are great for live mode but would look like I had no idea if I put them on the gallery. I do like to challenge myself to build beautiful builds but I try and play test them to ensure you could use it if you downloaded it. I don't make fake objects or use moo but I admire some of the brilliant builds I could never dream of making.

Its the beauty of the game - I value live mode so thats what I build for. Others build for the joy of building - the game is big enough for us all.

alyssa123 · June 2019

I'M A FOOL. THE JOY OF BUILDING. THAT MAKES SO MUCH SENSE. WHY DIDN'T I THINK OF THAT BEFORE?

sofasim · July 2019

I think it also has to do with being creative in build mode. With all the items you have, you manage to make something like the fake washing machine and sure it's not usable but it's about the creation itself. Plus there are so many items and sometimes there's no specific use for them so when building you kind of start to think about implementing this thing somehow because otherwise it's an item that just exists in your game but has never been used, making it seem like a waste.

adduapina · July 2019

Yes to the original question. I build only houses that I play with and the routing and so on are very important to me. I've only once made a mistake after Island Living release, when I didn't realize that stairs leading down to water would make my sims march around in swimsuits all day long (after the patch also going to school etc. also in swimsuits

). D'oh!

PixelNest · July 2019

I guess it really comes down to what capacity you enjoy playing the Sims in the most. If you're more of a player you likely want your builds to work practically in-game, if you're a builder (like myself) you likely strive to have "picture perfect" builds.

RavenSpit · July 2019

I love clutter, I hate too empty rooms and houses (in real life too btw), there is just no life in them...bores the hell out of me, so nope, I do not build like you

BUT my builds also have to be playable, if they just look good but there is nothing to do, it's just useless to me.
I could never be just a builder or just a live mode player, it's the combination that makes this game so appealing to me, to build the world AND play in it.

withlovejulien · July 2019

I'm with you, @alyssa123, as a builder and a player. I put fake washers in a house once--after laundry day was announced as placeholders. I don't typically use fake garages unless they are usable workrooms. I also do a lot of budget builds for playing without money cheats. It can take a long time to earn a mansion and be able to keep up with the bills.

I still enjoy making some items with moveobjects because using the exact same items over and over (not using CC for now) gets boring as long as they are still functional for what's needed (mirrored armoire doors still let you use the armoire for instance). I now almost never use moveobjects to raise items to look like they are sitting on shelves because I hate that they don't go down with the walls. I try my best to make sure objects are functional. I once made this amazing looking used car lot but had to trash it because it turns out you can't sell very oversized toy cars! I did share pics on Twitter though.

My Sims are poor and those simoleons are hard-won! I don't like wasting it until they have enough that they can waste it!

(Though I have definitely made a few mistakes and my style has evolved and build challenges might call for something different--but if it's going into the gallery, I want it to be functional. And community lots don't have the same need for being simoleon-wise.)

brenleedee · July 2019

I think the "washing machine" is put there to show you where a washer/dryer unit would go if you have laundry day, not everyone has every pack in the Sims so this was a very creative way that a very creative Person showed where the laundry room would go without using laundry day items for a base game build.

I do build but I also play the Sims, and I make my homes very simmer friendly...very little clutter and items that a Sim will need to start the game. I love the outside to look more realistic, and my interior designing skills are very basic and I do get criticized for that..but that is the way I build lol! I know that with ant Home as our Sims increase in funds we change the interior to suit our needs.

Toy cars being upsized for a garage area is a great added aesthetic to builds, and actually if your Sim is a creative Sim they will on their own go to where the car is an admire it and they get an inspirational moodlet.

jooxis · July 2019

If I build huge lots, I go for practicality and minimal clutter, no messing around. The smaller the house, the more detail and clutter I do.

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does anyone else build like me?

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