I have been searching for 'haunted' houses this week and have seen some amazing creations, but when you download them and have a look in-game you can immediately see that they won't be playable.
I think a good indicator is if you see a house that is on a 20x30 or 30x30 lot size and it costs something ridiculous like 300K
If I narrow my search down by cost to under 40K then the gallery barely gives me anything.
I do build for myself, but I have to be in the right mood which isn't very often. So then I resort to the gallery and a lot of frustrations, but it can be worth it because you can suddenly get lucky and find something totally awesome that is also totally playable.
I is a shame so many houses on the gallery are unplayable. They look awesome but are just useless ingame. I downloaded a really nice looking potions shop but customers just can't buy the objects placed with MOO so now I am creating my own shop.
I like to use MOO occasionally, mainly for decorating. But I always make sure all the furniture is functional. Sometimes that means the few objects placed with MOO have to go, but I prefer usable lots.
Another thing which renders lots unplayable is the huge amount of clutter, especially on large lots. I'm talking 50x50 or above. Again this looks great but my computer lags as soon as I hit live mode. 'normal lots ' are fine , but clutter on ever bit of surface is just too much.
It is frustrating to try to live in one of those houses that have been MOO'd to death. I downloaded a cute little house for SE and was so happy to get it because it was just so darling, and in a style I would have never come up with. Only to discover that the thing had pathing problems and the tub was unusable because it had been crammed in - and it was the only tub, no shower, so, woops big problem. Also they had MOO'd a door in some weird way that the whole wall was open to the outside. That took a while to figure out. I usually just delete those houses but this one was so perfect for a particular sim that I went on and did a big reno. Mainly I just made it a bit bigger to give things room to breathe. But the whole time I fiddled I was kicking myself for doing it. Of course now I am glad I did, because it just fits this sim so perfectly.
I playtest all my builds, and since hearing the complaints and computer issues with clutter I've been paying more attention to how much I put into my builds. I only have a few on the gallery, and one of my first builds is stuffed with stuff LOL. Well, live and learn. I also don't use MOO or CC because I like the challenge of building and playing vanilla.
Sometimes it's a little irritating to see that people use MOO to clutter shelves even though there's plenty of Decorated shelves already in Clutter. And most clutter can indeed be walked through.
Most of the time you only need to sit at a computer, work at an easel, reach a bookshelf, climb into a bed, so it's irritating that creators don't even test that much.
Prepping a list of mods to add after Infants are placed into the game. Because real life isn't 'nice'.
It is frustrating to try to live in one of those houses that have been MOO'd to death. I downloaded a cute little house for SE and was so happy to get it because it was just so darling, and in a style I would have never come up with. Only to discover that the thing had pathing problems and the tub was unusable because it had been crammed in - and it was the only tub, no shower, so, woops big problem. Also they had MOO'd a door in some weird way that the whole wall was open to the outside. That took a while to figure out. I usually just delete those houses but this one was so perfect for a particular sim that I went on and did a big reno. Mainly I just made it a bit bigger to give things room to breathe. But the whole time I fiddled I was kicking myself for doing it. Of course now I am glad I did, because it just fits this sim so perfectly.
I playtest all my builds, and since hearing the complaints and computer issues with clutter I've been paying more attention to how much I put into my builds. I only have a few on the gallery, and one of my first builds is stuffed with stuff LOL. Well, live and learn. I also don't use MOO or CC because I like the challenge of building and playing vanilla.
I don't ever use MOO for a variety of reasons. The biggest one is I lack the knowledge of even how to use it. Something either fits into the floorplan, or it doesn't. If it doesn't then I may edit the build a bit until it does fit. I recall what I ended up having to do with the older build (a replica of my Grand Aunt and Uncle's house built after the Civil War) when I went platform nuts. LOL For some reason, the door to the bedroom next door disappeared, after placing platforms to raise the now Child's side of the room. I could not get the door back in place. In fact, the only wall it would work in, (since the other two walls were exterior) was the wall shared by the adjacent bathroom. I ended up having to create a small hallway to assure the privacy of a Sim using said bathroom, and the Sim who needed to check on the infant, since that bedroom was the Nursery. It was a tad weird, and messed up the floorplan, but it worked.
If I see a house on the gallery that would suit the family I'm playing, I place it unfurnished. That's the only way I've found to avoid routing issues with MOO. I also remove majority of plants that have been placed with MOO. I couldn't place a fridge one time because a bush outside was placed too close to the wall.
I do look for No MOO builds and appreciate the builders that take the time to playtest and mark their builds as No MOO such as @MDianaSims .
Yes, but do you ever have difficulty figuring out where the bathroom(s) are meant to be?
Mostly I wish that there would be a way for players to search for nomoo or even playtested without it being the search word they have to use... Some built in tagging system that those that upload would have to check off.
When I'm searching, I'm not usually just browsing I'm looking for a certain architectural style or theme...but I resort to using playtested because I have too. Now and then I browse and find a gem but mostly just frustration because when I am looking it's because I want to play.. not redecorate and restructure to make a build useable.
I know I can download empty shells but I'm a terrible decorator so I at least like to see where people place items.
I resort to searching playtested and or nomoo.. although I have found some builds using moo that I like. I also limit the price.. if the creator has to limit their decorating it sometimes helps.
I have to wonder if those that upload were instructed to label their builds playable verses some form of artistic expression how it would change the popularity of downloads... or for those to which popularity matters maybe they would put more effort into playtesting at least.
Mostly I wish that there would be a way for players to search for nomoo or even playtested without it being the search word they have to use... Some built in tagging system that those that upload would have to check off.
When I'm searching, I'm not usually just browsing I'm looking for a certain architectural style or theme...but I resort to using playtested because I have too. Now and then I browse and find a gem but mostly just frustration because when I am looking it's because I want to play.. not redecorate and restructure to make a build useable.
I know I can download empty shells but I'm a terrible decorator so I at least like to see where people place items.
I resort to searching playtested and or nomoo.. although I have found some builds using moo that I like. I also limit the price.. if the creator has to limit their decorating it sometimes helps.
I have to wonder if those that upload were instructed to label their builds playable verses some form of artistic expression how it would change the popularity of downloads... or for those to which popularity matters maybe they would put more effort into playtesting at least.
Perhaps, it would help if those of us who do ultimately upload a build, were to put into the comment section on the upload. Player-tested; and/or No MOO. I may resort to that, although many of my builds are set into the modded section, mostly because my Singer Sim uses objects from the Road to Fame mod. Or, I've got some cc pictures on the walls, stuff like that.
I play in all my builds, ESPECIALLY if I plan to upload them to the gallery. I made that mistake early on and learned from it. Plus, I want to enjoy the fruits of my labor! Most recently I made an old Hollywood-themed theatre in De Sol Valley to replace the itsy bitsy Studio PBP as the site for the Starlight Accolades. I used platforms to make elevated seating and a stage so it would have a real "theatre" look. Then I playtested it. Turns out the radius surrounding the microphone is VERY limited, and my celebrity Sims were ignoring the new fancy seating in favor of...the floor. This is why builders should play through their stuff at least once.
I only build what I use myself in game, so mine are always playtested....but I am not one of those "huge builders"....
tho I rarely download any builds from the gallery, I have noticed it myself, some builds look amazing but they are pretty much unplayable, I just tend to not download any builds from those creators anymore, cant do much else.
Mostly I wish that there would be a way for players to search for nomoo
That would be nice. It would also be nice if you could search by which packs are included or not. I know there are checkboxes, but they don't have any impact on search results.
If I see a house on the gallery that would suit the family I'm playing, I place it unfurnished. That's the only way I've found to avoid routing issues with MOO. I also remove majority of plants that have been placed with MOO. I couldn't place a fridge one time because a bush outside was placed too close to the wall.
I do look for No MOO builds and appreciate the builders that take the time to playtest and mark their builds as No MOO such as @MDianaSims .
Yes, but do you ever have difficulty figuring out where the bathroom(s) are meant to be?
Not at all. You can see where each room is from the original build.
Mostly I wish that there would be a way for players to search for nomoo
That would be nice. It would also be nice if you could search by which packs are included or not. I know there are checkboxes, but they don't have any impact on search results.
There are many builders, myself inluded, that use the #nomoo tag. Would be great if it was a filter option, but better than nothing, I suppose.
I build and play so my builds are generally of a practical design (in other words, they BORING as heck). If you are using the gallery to download lots, search for #playtested to find lots that the builders actually tested with sim or sims.
There were a few builds in the beginning where I forgot to playtest but I know how important it is and how annoying it can be to have something look nice and not work so I always playtest mine. My community lots are a little harder to play test specially since I don't usually play as much as I build anyway. My showcase is listed below if you are interested and I am open to requests
Mostly I wish that there would be a way for players to search for nomoo or even playtested without it being the search word they have to use... Some built in tagging system that those that upload would have to check off.
When I'm searching, I'm not usually just browsing I'm looking for a certain architectural style or theme...but I resort to using playtested because I have too. Now and then I browse and find a gem but mostly just frustration because when I am looking it's because I want to play.. not redecorate and restructure to make a build useable.
I know I can download empty shells but I'm a terrible decorator so I at least like to see where people place items.
I resort to searching playtested and or nomoo.. although I have found some builds using moo that I like. I also limit the price.. if the creator has to limit their decorating it sometimes helps.
I have to wonder if those that upload were instructed to label their builds playable verses some form of artistic expression how it would change the popularity of downloads... or for those to which popularity matters maybe they would put more effort into playtesting at least.
Perhaps, it would help if those of us who do ultimately upload a build, were to put into the comment section on the upload. Player-tested; and/or No MOO. I may resort to that, although many of my builds are set into the modded section, mostly because my Singer Sim uses objects from the Road to Fame mod. Or, I've got some cc pictures on the walls, stuff like that.
Yeah if I playtest a build I put #playtested in the comments and tag when I use #MOO too. I try to make my builds playable usually just because I tend to play with them afterwards. All my builds have #BobSquad in them too since I am apart of that community. A lot of people use the T.O.O.L. mod too to place objects and rotate them. Often clutter builds are made for challenges so not meant to be playable since they are just meant to be toured.
“Although the world is full of suffering, it is full also of the overcoming of it.” –Helen Keller
Yeah, there are a lot of lots that are more art pieces than something to play in and use. I admire the art of it, but would be nice if there was a check for "playtested" or something that the creator could mark and that you can use as a search filter. It sucks when you find a beautiful lot that doesn't really work in practice. Part of the reason I tend to just use my own stuff, even if it's basic and plain. I mean, the thing of it is, a lot of people essentially *are* designing art pieces and more power to them, but I think it's a separate skill designing a lot that works well for gameplay needs. Like it's not just about playtesting for basic functionality, you have to think about entirely different things than how it looks or how it resembles the ways something might look in RL.
You have to start thinking about space for sims to maneuver around, objects to fulfill their needs. You might even have to consider how some objects can become obsessive priorities for sims and wreck their autonomy. It can be kind of a headache, ime. Part of it's just the pains of dealing with how wonky the game can be.
Mostly I wish that there would be a way for players to search for nomoo or even playtested without it being the search word they have to use... Some built in tagging system that those that upload would have to check off.
When I'm searching, I'm not usually just browsing I'm looking for a certain architectural style or theme...but I resort to using playtested because I have too. Now and then I browse and find a gem but mostly just frustration because when I am looking it's because I want to play.. not redecorate and restructure to make a build useable.
I know I can download empty shells but I'm a terrible decorator so I at least like to see where people place items.
I resort to searching playtested and or nomoo.. although I have found some builds using moo that I like. I also limit the price.. if the creator has to limit their decorating it sometimes helps.
I have to wonder if those that upload were instructed to label their builds playable verses some form of artistic expression how it would change the popularity of downloads... or for those to which popularity matters maybe they would put more effort into playtesting at least.
Perhaps, it would help if those of us who do ultimately upload a build, were to put into the comment section on the upload. Player-tested; and/or No MOO. I may resort to that, although many of my builds are set into the modded section, mostly because my Singer Sim uses objects from the Road to Fame mod. Or, I've got some cc pictures on the walls, stuff like that.
Yeah if I playtest a build I put #playtested in the comments and tag when I use #MOO too. I try to make my builds playable usually just because I tend to play with them afterwards. All my builds have #BobSquad in them too since I am apart of that community. A lot of people use the T.O.O.L. mod too to place objects and rotate them. Often clutter builds are made for challenges so not meant to be playable since they are just meant to be toured.
Yikes. As far as I'm concerned the primary consideration for any build challenge should be, is it playable. If you can't make it look nice whilst still keeping it practical, it's a fail for me.
Yikes. As far as I'm concerned the primary consideration for any build challenge should be, is it playable. If you can't make it look nice whilst still keeping it practical, it's a fail for me.
I wish. I don't know why it isn't. It would make things a lot easier. Playing and building goes through different trends I guess. I still prefer the cool builds people would make for machinimas during the Sims 2 era. It's actually hard to find builds that aren't modern and households that aren't young adults.
“Although the world is full of suffering, it is full also of the overcoming of it.” –Helen Keller
But is there anyone but James who seem to genuinely use everything he or she uploads? All his things are not to my liking, but at least they always, always, work.
I get most of my builds from lilsimsie, and I've never had a problem with them (although I do usually redecorate them to accommodate the sims that are going to live there). She has lots of build videos, and whenever she's not partaking in any crazy challenges, she does usually make sure her builds are functional by bringing a random sim to the lot to test situations where she's unsure. Most of her builds are home lots, so that probably doesn't solve your problem of finding suitable bars and restaurants, but if you're also looking for a place to live that is both nice-looking and fully functional at some point, I wholeheartedly recommend lilsimsie.
(She also gets bonus points for not overcluttering every room and not trying to create new non-functional objects by MOOing existing ones together... Gosh, I hate it so much when builders do that!)
People complain about how Maxis builds aren't very good but a primary feature of them is that they don't use MOO and they don't make the place expensive with Clutter. They don't look as lived in or real, but the challenge is for us, the player, to make a house look like a home after we move in.
Prepping a list of mods to add after Infants are placed into the game. Because real life isn't 'nice'.
But is there anyone but James who seem to genuinely use everything he or she uploads? All his things are not to my liking, but at least they always, always, work.
I get most of my builds from lilsimsie, and I've never had a problem with them (although I do usually redecorate them to accommodate the sims that are going to live there). She has lots of build videos, and whenever she's not partaking in any crazy challenges, she does usually make sure her builds are functional by bringing a random sim to the lot to test situations where she's unsure. Most of her builds are home lots, so that probably doesn't solve your problem of finding suitable bars and restaurants, but if you're also looking for a place to live that is both nice-looking and fully functional at some point, I wholeheartedly recommend lilsimsie.
(She also gets bonus points for not overcluttering every room and not trying to create new non-functional objects by MOOing existing ones together... Gosh, I hate it so much when builders do that!)
She is actually one of those who I have more trouble with than I used to. Not only for disagreeing in style (I don't use her Dorms, for example, because she made them into 4 star hotels. I want my dorms to be grungy and run down. Like well... dorms.
But also because she might not clutter things, but she overworks them and uses a lot of MOO. I spent quite some time redoing both three of her gyms and her honeydew nightclub in Briteshester, they were just too much stuff in too little space so they are hard to navigate for Sims). And at least two of her restaurants are downright broken (non-functional doors / cooking stations) which she obviously fixed in her own save but they are not fixed if you download them from the gallery.
Comments
I think a good indicator is if you see a house that is on a 20x30 or 30x30 lot size and it costs something ridiculous like 300K
If I narrow my search down by cost to under 40K then the gallery barely gives me anything.
I do build for myself, but I have to be in the right mood which isn't very often. So then I resort to the gallery and a lot of frustrations, but it can be worth it because you can suddenly get lucky and find something totally awesome that is also totally playable.
I like to use MOO occasionally, mainly for decorating. But I always make sure all the furniture is functional. Sometimes that means the few objects placed with MOO have to go, but I prefer usable lots.
Another thing which renders lots unplayable is the huge amount of clutter, especially on large lots. I'm talking 50x50 or above. Again this looks great but my computer lags as soon as I hit live mode. 'normal lots ' are fine , but clutter on ever bit of surface is just too much.
I playtest all my builds, and since hearing the complaints and computer issues with clutter I've been paying more attention to how much I put into my builds. I only have a few on the gallery, and one of my first builds is stuffed with stuff LOL. Well, live and learn. I also don't use MOO or CC because I like the challenge of building and playing vanilla.
Most of the time you only need to sit at a computer, work at an easel, reach a bookshelf, climb into a bed, so it's irritating that creators don't even test that much.
I don't ever use MOO for a variety of reasons. The biggest one is I lack the knowledge of even how to use it. Something either fits into the floorplan, or it doesn't. If it doesn't then I may edit the build a bit until it does fit. I recall what I ended up having to do with the older build (a replica of my Grand Aunt and Uncle's house built after the Civil War) when I went platform nuts. LOL For some reason, the door to the bedroom next door disappeared, after placing platforms to raise the now Child's side of the room. I could not get the door back in place. In fact, the only wall it would work in, (since the other two walls were exterior) was the wall shared by the adjacent bathroom. I ended up having to create a small hallway to assure the privacy of a Sim using said bathroom, and the Sim who needed to check on the infant, since that bedroom was the Nursery. It was a tad weird, and messed up the floorplan, but it worked.
http://www.getfreeebooks.com/star-trek-original-series-fan-fiction-trilogy/
Yes, but do you ever have difficulty figuring out where the bathroom(s) are meant to be?
http://www.getfreeebooks.com/star-trek-original-series-fan-fiction-trilogy/
When I'm searching, I'm not usually just browsing I'm looking for a certain architectural style or theme...but I resort to using playtested because I have too. Now and then I browse and find a gem but mostly just frustration because when I am looking it's because I want to play.. not redecorate and restructure to make a build useable.
I know I can download empty shells but I'm a terrible decorator so I at least like to see where people place items.
I resort to searching playtested and or nomoo.. although I have found some builds using moo that I like. I also limit the price.. if the creator has to limit their decorating it sometimes helps.
I have to wonder if those that upload were instructed to label their builds playable verses some form of artistic expression how it would change the popularity of downloads... or for those to which popularity matters maybe they would put more effort into playtesting at least.
Perhaps, it would help if those of us who do ultimately upload a build, were to put into the comment section on the upload. Player-tested; and/or No MOO. I may resort to that, although many of my builds are set into the modded section, mostly because my Singer Sim uses objects from the Road to Fame mod.
http://www.getfreeebooks.com/star-trek-original-series-fan-fiction-trilogy/
tho I rarely download any builds from the gallery, I have noticed it myself, some builds look amazing but they are pretty much unplayable, I just tend to not download any builds from those creators anymore, cant do much else.
That would be nice. It would also be nice if you could search by which packs are included or not. I know there are checkboxes, but they don't have any impact on search results.
Not at all. You can see where each room is from the original build.
There are many builders, myself inluded, that use the #nomoo tag. Would be great if it was a filter option, but better than nothing, I suppose.
Gallery: Kathykins
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Challenges: Builder's Wanted!!!
You have to start thinking about space for sims to maneuver around, objects to fulfill their needs. You might even have to consider how some objects can become obsessive priorities for sims and wreck their autonomy. It can be kind of a headache, ime. Part of it's just the pains of dealing with how wonky the game can be.
Yikes. As far as I'm concerned the primary consideration for any build challenge should be, is it playable. If you can't make it look nice whilst still keeping it practical, it's a fail for me.
I get most of my builds from lilsimsie, and I've never had a problem with them (although I do usually redecorate them to accommodate the sims that are going to live there). She has lots of build videos, and whenever she's not partaking in any crazy challenges, she does usually make sure her builds are functional by bringing a random sim to the lot to test situations where she's unsure. Most of her builds are home lots, so that probably doesn't solve your problem of finding suitable bars and restaurants, but if you're also looking for a place to live that is both nice-looking and fully functional at some point, I wholeheartedly recommend lilsimsie.
(She also gets bonus points for not overcluttering every room and not trying to create new non-functional objects by MOOing existing ones together... Gosh, I hate it so much when builders do that!)
Something wicked this way comes!
I don't use MCCC.
She is actually one of those who I have more trouble with than I used to. Not only for disagreeing in style (I don't use her Dorms, for example, because she made them into 4 star hotels. I want my dorms to be grungy and run down. Like well... dorms.
But also because she might not clutter things, but she overworks them and uses a lot of MOO. I spent quite some time redoing both three of her gyms and her honeydew nightclub in Briteshester, they were just too much stuff in too little space so they are hard to navigate for Sims). And at least two of her restaurants are downright broken (non-functional doors / cooking stations) which she obviously fixed in her own save but they are not fixed if you download them from the gallery.