Hi there! You are currently browsing as a guest. Why not create an account? Then you get less ads, can thank creators, post feedback, keep a list of your favourites, and more!
Staff - Moderator
staff: moderator
Original Poster
#1 Old 11th Apr 2019 at 7:37 PM Last edited by fascisthater : 28th Apr 2019 at 6:36 AM.
Default TS3-small victorian house No CC-opinions/suggestions appreciated(Uploaded)
This is a small victorian house on a 20x20 lot and uses Ambitions and Supernatural expansions. I designed this for a family of 3-4 sims. There are three bedroom areas with different styles of bed in one in case some of families include children or to have overnight guest. I have playtested this lot in Sunset Valley and it seems to work OK for that size of family. Anything above 4 sims would require a redesign to dining/kitchen area as it would become too congested. These screenshots were taken in Bigger Builder's Island where I built it.
Advertisement
dodgy builder
#2 Old 11th Apr 2019 at 9:32 PM
I just have a few pointers, do with them as you please. It's your creation after all. I'm not sure what makes it hard for me to understand your styling. It might be the low quality on the pictures. Have you made any color themes for this house and built the rooms on RL inspiration?

When it comes to the building, there is a few things I would like to point out. You have 2 staircases, one on the 2 main floor and one to the top floor. The tower can be use for many things. I often use them for bathrooms. That is a nice feature and you can have the bathtub almost in the middle with no problem. Using the circular staircase is wasting a lot of space. I would rather squash it into the hallway on the other side of the regular staircase. You will probably have to put it a bit from the wall and that area can be used as a hallway.

In the tower I would have used regular victorian style windows, not the bay type. That probably has to do with the tower popping out already. It's just a bit much. Is the roof of a victorian type, doesn't they have some sort of styling on the peeks, like the asian type, just a little bit. I would also use a different kind of roof, it looks a bit fake.

The fence on the outside should have less color choices. The fence just looks like a thin set of pixelated dots. If you choose to have better graphics on the upload it might work, but I don't think so. I would stick with just white on the fence.

I hope this was useful
Theorist
#3 Old 11th Apr 2019 at 10:40 PM Last edited by Victor_tor : 11th Apr 2019 at 11:10 PM.
Oh. This house shape just reminds me of TS1 Goth's mansion! I am afraid my suggestions won't be useful.
I'd rather used just one type of stairs and chased modular stairs placed 2nd floor to mansard between wall and one existing. Or you can choose spiral or vertical stairs placed somewhere at the house middle to save current roof shape. It will clear turret space at 2nd floor and mansard to use for bathroom.
Also ceiling lights everywhere are weird scattered. It usually placed all rooms centered.

Here you can see more of my creations and conversions for sims 3. ;) I`ll glad to see your comments in.
Instructor
#4 Old 12th Apr 2019 at 12:09 AM
I agree with Volvenom that it might be better to use different windows for the tower but maybe not only for the tower. I think that trying different styles of windows in general might be beneficial. Having the second and first floor looking completely the same in terms of windows, doors and fences might not be ideal. I see the doors as the biggest problem because I believe that you should definitely have different ones on the second floor to distinguish between the "main" or "front doors" and the doors to a terrace which should be a bit simpler.
You seem to be using "full black" on various objects and even on wallpapers which does not work very well in this game as it looses all "texture". It is most noticeable on the foundation. Your colour choices seem a bit "harsh" in general. I feel weird talking about colours when we have our specialist here but maybe you could try some "gentler" combinations than black blue and red? (but I might be seeing the colours wrong because I have some troubles with my monitor )

Visit my Tumblr for more creations http://crowkeeperthesimmer.tumblr.com :)
dodgy builder
#5 Old 12th Apr 2019 at 4:52 AM
Ah ok, so it's not the low graphics then. In that case you really need to be friends with words like CAST, contrasting colors, HEX, RGB, color theme, textures and materials. There is a long walk 4 you, but that's fine, just take it as a long term challenge.

The casting tool for ts3 is a magical and powerful thing. Google for contrasting colors and the color wheel. Choose a color to use as base for your creation, and select contrasting colors to brighten it up. You can choose complementary contrast or blending colors for instance. Blending has different names in different color theme generators, but it's the kind where you select different colors close 2 each other on the color wheel, like orange and red. Then you need 2 select saturation. Do you want a muted home, or all bright colors, or perhaps a combination?

Selecting a color theme generator 2 help you out is just a matter of googling again. If you have Adobe or Photoshop, you might find Kuler useful, even though they have made an update and deleted many nice features in the process. Google is full of them though. You select a clear color 2 use for your creation, and keep on searching for RGB or HEX colors to fit into the casting tool. Make sure your color wheel has green and red as oposites, or complementary if you please.

Selecting walls to fit textures onto in cast is another work of art. Think of walls and textures as black and white templates when you go through the catalogue. Most channels can be recolored, if they can't and don't fit, scroll for something else. Be inventive when fitting you colors onto the walls, the result can be very different from what you think. Sometimes the obvious is the best though.
Staff - Moderator
staff: moderator
Original Poster
#6 Old 12th Apr 2019 at 6:54 AM
Thank you all for for taking time to read and respond to my post I appreciate it. I wish I could have put another set of regular stairs into attic area but it is a 5x5 square area and the stairs take up a 1x6 space for clearance. The circular stairs only functioned without routing failures when placed in the center of turret section. I did look at another window prior to placing that one. It was the single ambitions one that centered a single window in a two place space. Unfortunately, that window had a triangular pediment at the top of it. While this may have looked alright for the windows at very top of circular section, I did not like a pediment on ones below it. I did not see any other single window from base or those expansions that centered in a two space section without resorting to CC( I will look again though). I suppose I could try to place two singles windows together if they are tall enough.

@Volvenom - I think the type of roof and style of "Victorian" you are referring to in your first post is the Second Empire subtype of Victorian exemplified by the Now and Then Manor from the store or something from the Addams Family/Psycho type of thing. I was trying for something with a more "cozy' or "homelike" vibe as opposed to the "spooky/murdery" vibe of that subtype. More this and less of this. I also thought bay widows were an OK part of Victorian Style link. I was trying to use similar colors as I saw and were described here. The sharp contrast in colors (black& white, green&red) was intentional, but are you saying that is frowned upon @MTS?

@Crowkeeper-I will look into changing the doors on the second floor into something less formal than a main entrance. I chose the black brick specifically because it contrasted with the with white fencing and white stairs. There is no blue anywhere-that is probably your monitor. I may look into changing the brick foundation to a gray but I do like sharp distinctions.

Thank you all again for responding to my post.
dodgy builder
#7 Old 12th Apr 2019 at 7:11 AM Last edited by Volvenom : 12th Apr 2019 at 7:23 AM.
It's not the bay windows as such we talk about. We talk about the amout of them, or where you place them. I said it was a bit much in the tower. The towers in the linked building doesn't have windows sticking out in the towers either. They are big perhaps, but not sticking out.

I'm not talking about anything special windows when I talk about victorian. It's not a native style for me. I'm just saying windows fitting the style you choose, or whatever you have available.

When it comes to requirements on mts I'm going to leave that to others. It's a long time since I got fed up with people telling me what I should make. Pun not intended I'm pretty sure though that using cast is a requirement.

I'm not talking about the contrast you choose, I'm talking about the way you choose your colors. There are tons of greens available, and when you choose it together with a contrasting color it's important to choose the right shade.
Staff - Moderator
staff: moderator
Original Poster
#8 Old 12th Apr 2019 at 7:20 AM
@Volvenom- OK I will see if I can find something that doesn't jut out so far. I may have to to look into color shading. Thanks for your reply.
Theorist
#9 Old 12th Apr 2019 at 9:54 AM Last edited by Victor_tor : 12th Apr 2019 at 10:35 AM. Reason: *Updated with tiles spacing count
I just made two schemes of my saving-space company)) You'll have much space and bedrooms have doors to open gallery. Sorry for fonts stayed from Villa Strandheim.
*Updated with tiles spacing count
Screenshots

Here you can see more of my creations and conversions for sims 3. ;) I`ll glad to see your comments in.
dodgy builder
#10 Old 12th Apr 2019 at 10:44 AM
The circular stair is a pain, and I only use it as a decoration feature usually, meaning it works and decorate the space. I would try the regular stairs instead like suggested by Victor above.
Instructor
#11 Old 12th Apr 2019 at 11:35 AM Last edited by Crowkeeper : 12th Apr 2019 at 1:02 PM.
I would still vote for using gray instead of the full black. It is even in the guidelines:
Quote:
Your textures shouldn't be too bright/saturated, or too dark. Try to use full-saturation colours sparingly, and if you're making something black, you usually shouldn't use 100% black as it just looks like a "hole" without any dimension to it. Try using dark grey instead.


edit: I tried to make some suggestions based on your inspirational picture. The series of numbers and letters is the hex code for the colours. You might need to make them darker/lighter depending on the texture used.
Screenshots

Visit my Tumblr for more creations http://crowkeeperthesimmer.tumblr.com :)
Theorist
#12 Old 12th Apr 2019 at 7:09 PM
I made 2nd floor plans edit to match CFEd Crowkeeper's level. Also you can add free opening between stairs (marked with cross). It could be kind of interior beauty.
Second are much tight but make bedrooms per one or pair sims (no two single beds in room). Noted doors by angles and SNGL/DBL beds (single/double). 2nd floor bedrooms could have one bathroom each, two mansard bedrooms have one bath.
1st floor looses sink after stairs been moved. I make sometimes no sinks half-bathrooms at starter houses near kitchens because sims can use kitchen sink after empty their bladder.
All activities and hobbies are at verandas so rooms are tight and close to `just for sleep`.
There are so many suggestions. You can use it or throw it away but its just my vision of your house. Choose any you liked and feel free to share your achievements with screenshots!))
Screenshots

Here you can see more of my creations and conversions for sims 3. ;) I`ll glad to see your comments in.
Staff - Moderator
staff: moderator
Original Poster
#13 Old 12th Apr 2019 at 11:24 PM Last edited by fascisthater : 12th Apr 2019 at 11:36 PM.
Thank you Crowkeeper and Victor_tor for your advice and efforts you have made to make this creation better. I will get rid of circular stairs and use conventional instead. I will probably implement many of your suggestions in alterations over next couple of days and post screenshots when finished.
Theorist
#14 Old 13th Apr 2019 at 7:59 AM
Oh! Oh! Just one more plan view. Please. I promise that's final. Actually I am done
Screenshots

Here you can see more of my creations and conversions for sims 3. ;) I`ll glad to see your comments in.
Staff - Moderator
staff: moderator
Original Poster
#15 Old 15th Apr 2019 at 7:44 PM
update- I created two versions of this house. The first uses the original floorplan with some recoloring, changing of windows, but keeps working tower circular stairs. The second version floorplan is altered only on 2nd and attic floor with a conventional staircase but with closed off tower on 3rd floor(unroutable due to roof). There may be some slight color variations between the two versions but most colors are the same.
Theorist
#16 Old 15th Apr 2019 at 11:18 PM Last edited by Victor_tor : 16th Apr 2019 at 12:10 AM.
Wooo! Looks better without anthracite railings! Bad news is something went wrong with turret when you placed regular stairs. You said it cannot be used so I'd prefer 2nd floor of 1st version plan matching mansard from the second. No window turret is bad for facade and still wasting space.
I don't like two single beds at one room, because it's looks much rural house feature then victorian. We had same at my parents house. It was all right when me and my sis were kids. But then, when we was born and had much money, it was rebuild in two little but separated rooms. That's why it looks for me like poor man's decision.

Here you can see more of my creations and conversions for sims 3. ;) I`ll glad to see your comments in.
 
Back to top