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Test Subject
Original Poster
#1 Old 25th Oct 2017 at 4:41 AM
Default Building a Proper Exedra
I am trying to build the setting for my 2017 NaNoWriMo project in the Sims--it's a murder mystery at a villa, and I do need a visual in order to really say "Ah, the antagonist can overhear a conversation if they stood RIGHT THERE next to the Medusa Victim."

What I have ran into is a theoretical question. I want to make this building make Vizcaya look like a 5th grader's shoebox diorama. I have decided that one way to do this is to build a really nice exedra in front of the arched hallway leading to the main door.

I want the exedra to look like a medieval doorway that's been carved deeper and deeper, like a tunnel, until you see the door itself.

I am not sure how to do this, however. I have two options at the moment.

1) Make 4 horizontal walls very close together--somehow avoiding the rule that means one wall per side of the building grid--and place a 4-story, 3-story, etc arch until I hit the last wall, which is where the double door would go,

Or 2) Use one wall and MoveObjectsOn to have the arches look like they are carved in succession around the door.

Are either of these possible? I want to avoid using CC because I want to explore all limits of the build engine and expansion packs first.

I don't have pics yet since I'm still trying to decide where I want the exedra to go, how far I want a Sim to walk before they reach the real front door, and if I want to have some stairstep walls-of-increasing-height nonsense in order to really make it pop. I would like to post some by tomorrow afternoon, if I can get these options to work.
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Top Secret Researcher
#2 Old 25th Oct 2017 at 6:23 AM
I think posting a picture of an example of what you would like to achieve would help us help you.

The walls must be one grid square apart and I don't know if you can place more than one arch in a wall segment. However, we have lots of talented builders here, so post an illustrated or real life example, and we will see how we can help.

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Test Subject
Original Poster
#3 Old 25th Oct 2017 at 3:25 PM
I would like it to ultimately look something like this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File%...jpg?wprov=sfla1

Combined with the doors seen here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File%...JPG?wprov=sfla1

I also realized last night that I may need to get CC arches OR the omsp that resizes stuff in order for this to work. Drat!
dodgy builder
#4 Old 25th Oct 2017 at 7:24 PM
Do you think of something like this?



Credit: Stan Shebs, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=65098

how do you want the arched roof to be like. Do you want it to be like the frame for a door? In that case you probably need to ask for a door with such a feature in our wcif or "where can I find" forum. If you want the arch to be outside the building as a roof, you might get off with having a circle roof.

If you were thinking about it as a cfe feature. I'm not sure that can be done. There is no circle walls and walls are the one's we use to cheat around with cfe. Perhaps someone has an idea to help you out though, there might be several ways to do this.
Screenshots
Top Secret Researcher
#5 Old 31st Oct 2017 at 5:34 AM
Do you have much experience with CFF? Is this to be a staged build only (for story telling purposes) or do you want it to be a functional sims house when it is done?

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dodgy builder
#6 Old 31st Oct 2017 at 1:54 PM
Quote: Originally posted by attuned
Do you have much experience with CFF? Is this to be a staged build only (for story telling purposes) or do you want it to be a functional sims house when it is done?


I just had to google the abbreviation you used, it turns out it's a tuning called cffb, I have no clue what it is though. Sorry, it's just my sence of humor I remember someone said "those pesky abbreviations" or acronyms; which apparently isn't the same *confused*.

I know I have to think closely about this every time I write it, it would be so embarrassing getting cfv wrong, on the other hand perhaps I'm wrong It's short for constrainfloorelevations, so it should really be cfe or what? ... so actually I did get it wrong
Lab Assistant
#7 Old 31st Oct 2017 at 11:29 PM
c.f.e. (or even better c.F.E.)

But communication is about sending a messege and if the receiver understands the communication is succesful

There are larger arches which U can surround with 3 walls (sides and back) to create a depth effect if you place a door in the back wall and then place those arches (statues -NOT in wall) if needed with "moveObjects" https://www.thesimsresource.com/dow...%29/id/1168891/ https://www.thesimsresource.com/dow...3x2/id/1247935/

for a dome there are objects 2 (for example http://www.modthesims.info/download.php?t=595898 from the download section)

Both come in diversity (from a Taj Mahal indian style to a Roman style etc) = google for "sims 3 dome (or half dome) object" or "sims 3 arch object"
your only option without using c.F.E.
with c.F.E. you got a couple more options but I thonk those work better for the dome than the arch (depends on wall paint you'll use)
dodgy builder
#8 Old 1st Nov 2017 at 1:05 AM
I wasn't really critisising. I'm just paddling along in my own pond trying to figure out spellings, abbreviations etc. It's not easy trying to communicate on a second language, a good thing though is all the new things I learn every day, it's even better when I manage to laugh about it.

The use of arches might actually work. Finding some with decorations might not be that easy though. On the other hand, this kind of period doors I've come across tends to be very high poly, and that will always be a bad thing.
Mad Poster
#9 Old 2nd Nov 2017 at 8:00 PM
This is Sims. Builds will never look like those pictures. Sims was not designed for builds like that. And as far as I know CC like that does not exist. You will need to scale way, way back.

And as you have not posted back in a week, odds are you know that now....
dodgy builder
#10 Old 2nd Nov 2017 at 8:33 PM
Quote: Originally posted by daisylee
This is Sims. Builds will never look like those pictures. Sims was not designed for builds like that. And as far as I know CC like that does not exist. You will need to scale way, way back.

And as you have not posted back in a week, odds are you know that now....


Luna had some things like that, but I don't think she had such doors ... but, I might be wrong. Finding them now though, it's too bad mediafire just delete "for a good word", as we say where I come from.
Top Secret Researcher
#11 Old 3rd Nov 2017 at 5:53 AM
Ha ha- yes I meant to write CFE but I wrote CFF (creative feedback forum) because that was on my mind.

The links posted above are great, but the OP said they did not want to use cc. I think without cc, you need very high building skills to make something similar. I asked it they want a functional house or just a place to stage because faking it is much easier. I would never say never because as you are working through the problem you sometimes find a solution that is unexpected but works. Good luck!

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Lab Assistant
#12 Old 3rd Nov 2017 at 5:53 PM
Quote: Originally posted by Volvenom
I wasn't really critisising. I'm just paddling along in my own pond trying to figure out spellings, abbreviations etc. It's not easy trying to communicate on a second language, a good thing though is all the new things I learn every day, it's even better when I manage to laugh about it.

The use of arches might actually work. Finding some with decorations might not be that easy though. On the other hand, this kind of period doors I've come across tends to be very high poly, and that will always be a bad thing.

didn't meant to be a critic on your behaviour and a laugh while learning is always better!

Without c.F.E. or cc = mission impossible no matter how good of a builder you are; you can't make a half dome with only sims and ep/sp

I have found Elfen domes and arches, Taj Mahal domes and arches, roman, greek... if you search you'll find I can look to upload them (have to search and can take a while) but I don't know all creators and don't know if I can be "punished" (4 example kicked off this forum) when I can't name (and thank, in this case possibly by you guys 2) the creator... And of course it's the internet but better be the example than to one making the profit over the backs of others

Most of those domes have sets with "inner domes" those need to be boxed in with walls and are only meant to see the inside (it's no outer roof that part isn't finished with decoration), I believe in quarter parts but I know 4 sure I made something like this (a 2 floors high arch with a half dome behind it (1 floor high) resting on pillars (catacombs, 2 floorplan, lowest floor with tunnels and crypts rising to 2 floors high), will look to make a quick example this weekend!
Lab Assistant
#13 Old 5th Nov 2017 at 12:20 PM


I found the vaulted roof I was talking about BUT it isn't a round version... There are 2 versions: A model with top and bottom row (top,bottom,middle all recolorable) + a 1 color version (F in pic)
Corners are 2x2 tiles
Sides are 1x2 or 2x2 tiles
Tops are 1x1 or 2x2 tiles

You can see I used some arches used to be placed in walls (b & e), one which is a column (d) and the rest is a statue (a & c)

The restriction with the vaulted roof is 2 tiles deep (model c pic 5 demonstrates this)

A- Taj Mahal set
B- 4 tile arch combined with colums, bottom door is garage and works (no wall/arch in front of it) top is a windowswall (security post 4 example)
C- Roman arches (4tile/2floors & 2tile/1floor)
D- Columns combined with Column arches
E- Viaduct, no vaulted ceiling but viaduct ceiling (rounded)
F- Demo vaulted roof incl diverse corner parts

Pics I made just for this example, lot is already used in other ways (build a palace on it). They're not perfect but are only meant as inspiration...

Perfect you'll never get this except when you make the objects yourself, this will take much time (or expensive equipment and travels to this/these location(s))

I hope to have given you some leads to follow on your road to a beautifull solution
dodgy builder
#14 Old 5th Nov 2017 at 2:54 PM
I should have had A when building my alhambra inspiration. It just looks like a simple shape with a texture on it. It shouldn't be that hard or heavy. I need to get on with my 3dsMax education. I would like to see if I can make it work in sims.
Lab Assistant
#15 Old 7th Nov 2017 at 3:53 PM
depends on the detail, a simple version can be made in a day or 2 (or 1 hour if you know what you're doing AND got a 3d model (can search on google for 3d model *** ; ***=what you want to make...)

Found some really great models for canons 4 example but have to figure out how to put those into a sims life...

tried to put a 3d model in sims once but got such a headache from all the steps I had to take that i decided to stop
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