Function: My lots are optimized for gameplay. I don't go overboard when decorating and use cheats with caution.
I rarely use cheats when building... I'll occasionally use 'MoveObjects On', but it's only when I absolutely need to (like placing flowerbeds next to foundations). I won't use cheats if it looks like the area won't be functionable at all.
Also, I like to share many of my lots to the gallery, so I wanna make sure they're as user friendly as possible!
Function: My lots are optimized for gameplay. I don't go overboard when decorating and use cheats with caution.
My building is somewhere between functional and style. I picked functional because I don’t use moo. Though I will download houses with it. If the houses have a lot of excessive clutter moo, many times I will delete the clutter, or just use the shell, and decorate the house myself. Besides my sims can barely keep up with their bills sometimes…. Lol, so may not be able to afford stuff except for a few rich families I have. I will say I love the new wall units in DHD, and I might get a bit excessive with them as many of my sims collect some things. But, I feel good when I think the house has some kind of style to it.
Style: I decorate excessively, but my objects are (mostly) usuable. I tolerate some glitching/view blocking.
I try to make my builds aesthetic, but with most of the objects being functional, and I tend to not saturate with decorations to not occupy much lot memory or lag the game
But sometimes I do buildings that are meant to be played, so they include functional objects. And sometimes I make other builds that are not meant to be played, but to be used to make stories or take photos, or just to make an interesting build
Needs a “A balance of both” option. I couldn’t vote.
If you don't mind the occasional visual glitch, like counters clipping or floating objects because a shelve disappeared upon turning the camera, you can pick 'style'. Also, if you're not very particular about an item being unusable by your sims (because they can't reach it, or it's part of a decoration), you can also pick 'style'. If those things bother you, you can pick 'function'.
For comparison, I would consider lilsimsie a functional builder, and Kate Emerald a builder who's more focused on style.
Functional lots can be pretty and stylish lots can be functional. I'm just wondering which way everyone leans.
@GreenTurtle Hmm... That's interesting. This is hard. I consider myself to absolutely be a 99.9% functional builder because I mind glitches and floating objects and I like gameplay and want to play the game. I rarely build anything, but ... if someone were to look at my builds, they might say that I'm not a functional builder at all. Even though it may not look like it, I optimize my builds so that they're easy and relatively quick for sims to navigate.
For example, here's part of a child's bedroom.
In this house (this is the back)
What a cute bedroom, is that freezer bunny custom content?
Needs a “A balance of both” option. I couldn’t vote.
If you don't mind the occasional visual glitch, like counters clipping or floating objects because a shelve disappeared upon turning the camera, you can pick 'style'. Also, if you're not very particular about an item being unusable by your sims (because they can't reach it, or it's part of a decoration), you can also pick 'style'. If those things bother you, you can pick 'function'.
For comparison, I would consider lilsimsie a functional builder, and Kate Emerald a builder who's more focused on style.
Functional lots can be pretty and stylish lots can be functional. I'm just wondering which way everyone leans.
@GreenTurtle Hmm... That's interesting. This is hard. I consider myself to absolutely be a 99.9% functional builder because I mind glitches and floating objects and I like gameplay and want to play the game. I rarely build anything, but ... if someone were to look at my builds, they might say that I'm not a functional builder at all. Even though it may not look like it, I optimize my builds so that they're easy and relatively quick for sims to navigate.
For example, here's part of a child's bedroom.
In this house (this is the back)
What a cute bedroom, is that freezer bunny custom content?
Style: I decorate excessively, but my objects are (mostly) usuable. I tolerate some glitching/view blocking.
Function on the outside, style on the inside. My exteriors frequently end up a little wonky because of window placements in my rooms, but I love the interior look enough to sacrifice a bit of the exterior style.
Function: My lots are optimized for gameplay. I don't go overboard when decorating and use cheats with caution.
I like nice looking and usable houses. I usually start my sims on a tight budget with just the basics. As time goes on I add more things for them to do and more decorations. I don't mind using building cheats for decorations but if they block functional objects, they have to go. I generally build with MOO turned off and only activate it for a specific decoration and then deactivate it immediately afterwards. I also enjoy a bit of clutter but not all over the place.
I think some of the builds out there are look stunning and people can do amazing things with the building cheats. But generally if a building was built as a piece of art, it is not usable in game and I won't put it in my save.
Extreme: I go all out with cheats and/or mods, and love to find new uses for ordinary objects! I don't care if it's not fully functional.
Happy to be the first Extreme Style vote :p, I mainly play the Sims to design, have never really touched CAS or actual gameplay in the 4 (I played a lot more in 3)
Function: My lots are optimized for gameplay. I don't go overboard when decorating and use cheats with caution.
Kind of tricky to answer because I feel like neither the description given for "style" nor the description given for "function" fit. I'm somewhere in between.
I do use the "move objects" cheat frequently to make things look more natural and not so artificially spaced out. But since I mostly only build for my own use, it's very quickly apparent to me if something is having a routing issue and I fix it. I like having a lot of detail, and the style/story/atmosphere of a room or lot is super important to me, but it all has to be functional too. I try to avoid having things blocking my view since I take a lot of screen shots (but I'm also really good at maneuvering the camera into angles that might seem hard to get into), and I absolutely can't stand any glitching or flickering in play mode.
I do occasionally participate in build challenges, and in those cases I try not to use "move objects" at all except for the decorative plants outdoors. I play test every interactive object on the lot to make sure everything is rout-able before uploading because I know that anyone who downloads the lot will not want to spend time fixing my routing issues. I also go very sparing on the non-interactive decor, especially on surfaces like shelves or counters, so that players will have room to place their own treasures. However, these occasional build challenge entries are the only time I put my builds on the gallery. For my own use I take more risks and clutter more because, well, it's my problem if it doesn't work.
The only times I have used "move objects" in a really unusual or creative way, such as combining objects to make something else, has been for SimLit screenshots when I couldn't find cc that resembled what I wanted. In those cases, it's not intended to be something sims will interact with, its just something I need in the background for the shot.
I love decor and I use MOO to create new stuff a lot of times. I couldn't do what I need to do without it.
I love clutter, I need a lot of it so I have a good selection. I hate OVER clutter, just looks too messy for me. With that being said, I usually build to suit the sim I'm building for. I love to experiment with different decor, but one thing has to be correct, I can't tolerate sims not being able to move around without the infernal arm waving.
I am a true believer that function and form have to balance.
In my house, dog hair sticks to everything but the dog.
Function: My lots are optimized for gameplay. I don't go overboard when decorating and use cheats with caution.
I love building and will always build functional lots. I will use the MOO cheat but only for minor things such as decor and windows by the stairs. I never use it to block main items or routing.
Function before Fashion. I prefer for my Sims houses to function both for the family and for the story. This means that none of my Sims houses will have smallish bedrooms - I always have a walk space between everything, minimum of 2 tiles.
FYI, now known as insomniacsims on Simblr and Origin; profile picture is an old makeover of Zoe Patel
Function: My lots are optimized for gameplay. I don't go overboard when decorating and use cheats with caution.
Not only do I check for things like flickering and what will be hovering when the walls go down while I'm building, before I upload anything, I have my Sims test anything that could be at all questionable. Is this path wide enough? Can they still place a cup or plate on this side table? THEN, before I actually upload to the gallery, I turn off all my cheats, place the build, and inspect to make sure nothing has disappeared (columns are especially picky about things being too close to them).
My first few builds I didn't know all those tricks, but I learned quickly. I want people to play with my builds, and that means play-testing.
Function: My lots are optimized for gameplay. I don't go overboard when decorating and use cheats with caution.
I rarely build, and i mostly build ugly things, but i still make sure they are functional. I built something somewhat more fancy last time but functionality also came first.
I’d say I’m 100% focused on the style - but at the same time, if it’s not functional it’s pointless, so it’s about balance. I don’t believe they’re mutually exclusive… although I have to admit one of my lots has oversized rocks that clip through the walls so I had to make empty rooms around the edge so they didn’t clip into the living space.
Good workaround. I had this issue with some bushes so i moved them further and rearranged them, but i liked their look when they were beside the house.
Function: My lots are optimized for gameplay. I don't go overboard when decorating and use cheats with caution.
I shoot for builds that are about as sparse as the lots that come with the game/packs. Then, my sims clutter them according to what develops.
I really wish TS4 would always put up the far walls of a room the active sim is in, in cutaway mode. That would make it worth it to put more into decorating. As it is, most clutter has no context and is just in the way.
Bare minimum: My sims live in a box with the objects they need.
I usually make the rooms I need. The have to have things. In both the Sims3 and the Sims4, I deck out the kitchens usually. Now that I found the needs cheat, I don't utilize kitchens like I used to. Next I concentrate on the skill I decide to use. In the Sims3, it was usually the easel and the sculpting stand. In Sims4, it's the easel or computer. I usually put 1-2 trees in and up to 4 in larger builds. I'm fixated on gameplay with the walls down. It isn't that I can't build, I just choose to focus on gameplay instead of time consuming building.
Style: I decorate excessively, but my objects are (mostly) usuable. I tolerate some glitching/view blocking.
I would like To say I'm well balance but I tend to go back and forth between style and function. I'd say I weigh more into style than Function.
Above all I try to put in a lot of detail of my builds, more so for authenticity, and Most of the time they end up working out... sure the Load time is long but it's playable. But if it ends up not working out I rework it.
For example Currently into Castle Building, and my Castles have Walls, with Turrets, a Gate House, Posterns, Dungeons, Vaults, throne room, Library, Mage's Study, King's Study, Knight's Hall, Swimming Pool/ 3 Bath Chambers, and Several Bed Chambers.
Now. I would say I use about 60%-70% of those areas in my castle, and almost everything is accessible.
Until acouple of days ago I had the King and a mage try to go to their bed chambers, and they couldn't climb a Stairway, which was annoying so I had to rework the entire Main Tower. The Prince's Bedroom, the Mage's Bedroom and the King's Bedroom all had to be rebuilt.
Style: I decorate excessively, but my objects are (mostly) usuable. I tolerate some glitching/view blocking.
Style is my start point, but I do play-test for function, and adjust accordingly.
My bête-noire in line-of-sight, even with walls down, is almost invariably toilets. Somehow, they are always behind stairs, or some other obstacle that doesn't hide itself, and I am swiveling my camera as my poor Sims do the "I need to pee" dance.
I do make judicious use of Move Objects, but it has to actually work - my Sims must be able to use interactive objects, if they are going to be on the lot.
I want to be more stylistic, but eh, I need more practice.
How I got there was starting with Maxis builds, and fixing them up a bit. It was gradual - add a second story to Sandtrap Flats so my Founders have room for a nursery, etc. This also lets me look at how the houses are built, and gather ideas.
I also start a lot of builds just to mess around with the tool kit. Most never make it past that stage. I don't count that as time wasted, because it's all practice.
Function: My lots are optimized for gameplay. I don't go overboard when decorating and use cheats with caution.
It's got to work right. The first time. That said, I usually have a style (usually Victorian or something close) in mind, so the things I place in a functional manner conform to the concept. If not a Vicky, then something rustic and comfy, a place I could live in casually.
Comments
Also, I like to share many of my lots to the gallery, so I wanna make sure they're as user friendly as possible!
Sims 1: Hot Date
Sims 2: Seasons
Sims 2: Happy Holiday Stuff
Sims 3: Seasons
Sims 3: 70's, 80's, & 90's Stuff
Sims 4: Seasons
Sims 4: Paranormal Stuff
Sims 4: Strangerville Game Pack
But sometimes I do buildings that are meant to be played, so they include functional objects. And sometimes I make other builds that are not meant to be played, but to be used to make stories or take photos, or just to make an interesting build
@SheriSim57 Thank you.
I think some of the builds out there are look stunning and people can do amazing things with the building cheats. But generally if a building was built as a piece of art, it is not usable in game and I won't put it in my save.
I do use the "move objects" cheat frequently to make things look more natural and not so artificially spaced out. But since I mostly only build for my own use, it's very quickly apparent to me if something is having a routing issue and I fix it. I like having a lot of detail, and the style/story/atmosphere of a room or lot is super important to me, but it all has to be functional too. I try to avoid having things blocking my view since I take a lot of screen shots (but I'm also really good at maneuvering the camera into angles that might seem hard to get into), and I absolutely can't stand any glitching or flickering in play mode.
I do occasionally participate in build challenges, and in those cases I try not to use "move objects" at all except for the decorative plants outdoors. I play test every interactive object on the lot to make sure everything is rout-able before uploading because I know that anyone who downloads the lot will not want to spend time fixing my routing issues. I also go very sparing on the non-interactive decor, especially on surfaces like shelves or counters, so that players will have room to place their own treasures. However, these occasional build challenge entries are the only time I put my builds on the gallery. For my own use I take more risks and clutter more because, well, it's my problem if it doesn't work.
The only times I have used "move objects" in a really unusual or creative way, such as combining objects to make something else, has been for SimLit screenshots when I couldn't find cc that resembled what I wanted. In those cases, it's not intended to be something sims will interact with, its just something I need in the background for the shot.
I love decor and I use MOO to create new stuff a lot of times. I couldn't do what I need to do without it.
I love clutter, I need a lot of it so I have a good selection. I hate OVER clutter, just looks too messy for me. With that being said, I usually build to suit the sim I'm building for. I love to experiment with different decor, but one thing has to be correct, I can't tolerate sims not being able to move around without the infernal arm waving.
I am a true believer that function and form have to balance.
My first few builds I didn't know all those tricks, but I learned quickly. I want people to play with my builds, and that means play-testing.
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Good workaround. I had this issue with some bushes so i moved them further and rearranged them, but i liked their look when they were beside the house.
I really wish TS4 would always put up the far walls of a room the active sim is in, in cutaway mode. That would make it worth it to put more into decorating. As it is, most clutter has no context and is just in the way.
Above all I try to put in a lot of detail of my builds, more so for authenticity, and Most of the time they end up working out... sure the Load time is long but it's playable. But if it ends up not working out I rework it.
For example Currently into Castle Building, and my Castles have Walls, with Turrets, a Gate House, Posterns, Dungeons, Vaults, throne room, Library, Mage's Study, King's Study, Knight's Hall, Swimming Pool/ 3 Bath Chambers, and Several Bed Chambers.
Now. I would say I use about 60%-70% of those areas in my castle, and almost everything is accessible.
Until acouple of days ago I had the King and a mage try to go to their bed chambers, and they couldn't climb a Stairway, which was annoying so I had to rework the entire Main Tower. The Prince's Bedroom, the Mage's Bedroom and the King's Bedroom all had to be rebuilt.
My Mood:
My bête-noire in line-of-sight, even with walls down, is almost invariably toilets. Somehow, they are always behind stairs, or some other obstacle that doesn't hide itself, and I am swiveling my camera as my poor Sims do the "I need to pee" dance.
I do make judicious use of Move Objects, but it has to actually work - my Sims must be able to use interactive objects, if they are going to be on the lot.
How I got there was starting with Maxis builds, and fixing them up a bit. It was gradual - add a second story to Sandtrap Flats so my Founders have room for a nursery, etc. This also lets me look at how the houses are built, and gather ideas.
I also start a lot of builds just to mess around with the tool kit. Most never make it past that stage. I don't count that as time wasted, because it's all practice.