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Playing with old toys - Monthly building challenges
SerraNolwen
Posts: 731 Member
Hello everyone and welcome!
You may have stumbled in here and be wondering what this could possibly be. There are so many shiny new toys, why this challenge? Well, treat this as an occasion to rediscover some of your old toys and see how they can play along with the newer ones. Or it may be just another chance to get your creative juices going and spark inspiration.
In this challenge, every month, I will pick an item from an older pack (or base game) and you will be asked to build a lot, drawing inspiration from that item. Said item will always be something that has some impact on gameplay (no simple clutter or decorative items), and I will be avoiding objects that are used in every house such as beds, refrigerators or sinks. The point is to revisit "old" items and see how they can work with the things we got since the time when everyone built with these items because they were brand new. Considering this, the "prompt" item will never be from a pack that has been released in the past six months. Hopefully, we can also bring some interesting builds to the gallery that will make use of older features that people might not play with as often.
There is also a side challenge to create sims that may live on your lot or frequent it.
Please note that this is not a contest. There are two reasons for this: First, I want to challenge myself as well and wouldn't feel comfortable judging everyone else if I make builds based on the prompts too. The second reason is that some months, I will be far too busy to test every build and give in-depth critique, and I don't always have all the packs, which means I might not even be able to load some builds as they are intended.
With all this, please keep reading below to find the rules and the current prompt. I hope you enjoy this!
You may have stumbled in here and be wondering what this could possibly be. There are so many shiny new toys, why this challenge? Well, treat this as an occasion to rediscover some of your old toys and see how they can play along with the newer ones. Or it may be just another chance to get your creative juices going and spark inspiration.
In this challenge, every month, I will pick an item from an older pack (or base game) and you will be asked to build a lot, drawing inspiration from that item. Said item will always be something that has some impact on gameplay (no simple clutter or decorative items), and I will be avoiding objects that are used in every house such as beds, refrigerators or sinks. The point is to revisit "old" items and see how they can work with the things we got since the time when everyone built with these items because they were brand new. Considering this, the "prompt" item will never be from a pack that has been released in the past six months. Hopefully, we can also bring some interesting builds to the gallery that will make use of older features that people might not play with as often.
There is also a side challenge to create sims that may live on your lot or frequent it.
Please note that this is not a contest. There are two reasons for this: First, I want to challenge myself as well and wouldn't feel comfortable judging everyone else if I make builds based on the prompts too. The second reason is that some months, I will be far too busy to test every build and give in-depth critique, and I don't always have all the packs, which means I might not even be able to load some builds as they are intended.
With all this, please keep reading below to find the rules and the current prompt. I hope you enjoy this!
Check out my various builds and my project to rebuild San Myshuno
Post edited by SerraNolwen on
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Each challenge will run from the third of the month to the second of the next month.
With each challenge, you will be asked to use one specific item and build a complete lot. The prompt item must be visible and usable. It does not have to be the centerpiece, but it is meant to provide inspiration. Think about what kind of lot it could be used in and what style it would fit in with.
You may create any lot type, private or public. You may also use lot traits if you wish.
You may use any packs you want. You may use bb.showhiddenobjects to get extra items. You may also use full grown plants and custom paintings and photos.
You must not use any CC. In-game cheats such as moveobjects, however, are allowed.
Your lot must be usable. Please test it, especially if you use the moveobjects cheat.
Be creative and have fun! There are many ways to use the given object and many styles it can fit in with.
For those who want an extra challenge, I might add optional rules for each challenge (such as budget, maximum number of packs to use, lot type, specific colors, themes or styles). I would need to figure out what is reasonable, though. Would you all be interested in that?
When you are done building, upload the build with the #PwOT(challenge number) tag indicated in the current challenge. Then, fill in this form and post it here. So as to keep the thread loading fairly well, please refrain from adding more than three pictures of your build here. If you wish, you may provide a link to your own thread or outside website to showcase more pictures.
Form for builds
Forum username:
Gallery username:
Challenge number and item:
Lot name:
Lot type:
Lot traits (if any):
Gallery link:
Showcase link (for more pictures):
About your lot (what did you think of when you were building and how did you draw inspiration from the item?):
Pictures (maximum 3):
Household creation secondary challenge
If you have made a build, you may also create the sims that would live there or frequent it.
You may use any pack and create as many or as few sims and pets as you wish.
You are encouraged to give sims jobs, skills or unlockable traits. If you do, please specify in the form and, if it fits, in your gallery entry.
You must not use any CC.
Again, have fun.
Form for households
Forum username:
Gallery username:
Challenge number and item:
Household name:
Gallery link:
About your sims (what did you think of when you were creating them and how did you draw inspiration from the item? What skills, jobs and traits have you given them?):
Pictures (maximum 3):
Since this is a brand new thread, I want to let anyone who finds it have a chance to participate. For this reason, the first few prompts will be base game objects.
Our first prompt item is...
Barely Better Digital Camera!
For those who may not have the game in English, that is the cheapest camera available in buy mode. It costs 85 simoleons, is a base game object and can be found in the creative leisure activities section.
When you are done, share your builds on the gallery, and your households if any, with the #PwOT1 tag. Have fun!
Also, it's not a very pretty thread, but I think it's legible, at least. Don't hesitate to tell me if something could be done to make it better. Maybe someday I will figure out how to get banners for the top of the posts.
Gallery username: adduapina
Challenge number and item: PwOT1 - Barely Better Digital Camera
Lot name: StrangeVille Camerastore
Lot type: Retail
Lot traits (if any): Convivial, Sunny Aspect, Fast Internet (just for the feel of it, there's no computers on the lot).
About your lot: I realized I have no retail for electronics, so I decided to make a camera/electronics selling shop. It was a really quick & small build, but because it was inspired by this challenge I thought I'd share
Pictures:
and just now I realized that I've misspelled StrangerVille lol
http://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/817478/hello-come-and-introduce-yourself
http://tinyurl.com/OneRoomOneWeek
http://tinyurl.com/rosemow
My Showcase thread https://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/948861/rosemow-s-rooms-showcase
I'm looking forward to seeing your build.
As for me, since I posted yesterday, I have at least manage to do the outside of a house. Now to landscape and decorate.
Forum username: SerraNolwen
Gallery username: SerraNolwen
Challenge number and item: PwOT1, Barely Better Digital Camera
Lot name: Family Home
Lot type: Residential
Lot traits (if any): None (I forgot to add them!
Gallery link: Download here
Showcase link (for more pictures): Imgur link
About your lot (what did you think of when you were building and how did you draw inspiration from the item?): The least expensive camera reminded me of those shutterbugs who go to every party with a camera and spend most of their time taking pictures of everyone. I envisioned a family with a teenage daughter who was quite girly and trendy, but not so much as to become the center of attention. She is lucky enough to have room for small parties, but nothing extravagant (other than the big screen tv that her parents enjoy too). I figured maybe she didn't have the bigger parties at her home because her parents like peace and quiet, which is how I came up with the cooler tones of most of the rooms and the use of objects from Spa Day. I also figured they would have a pet, just as something more the teenager could take pictures of, so I added a bunch of items for the cat. Finally, I tried to make it look like the daughter hangs her photos wherever she can (mostly on the walls and furniture of her bedroom). I think I used all the objects that looked like they have unframed photos on them. XD
Pictures (maximum 3):
I wish I had built this in a summer save to show the landscaping.
The camera is on the bedside table here.
Bathroom aren't necessarily the most interesting room, but I wanted to show the mirror I found and added in the master bathroom. The parents stuck photos in there that their daughter took and gave them.
It is a very nice home!
http://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/817478/hello-come-and-introduce-yourself
http://tinyurl.com/OneRoomOneWeek
http://tinyurl.com/rosemow
My Showcase thread https://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/948861/rosemow-s-rooms-showcase
@SerraNolwen Nice idea to create a "playing with old toys monthly build challenges"
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