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bloodstained_black_lace
Lab Assistant
#276 Old 20th Jul 2016 at 2:48 AM
How's that update going?
They should use The Sims 2 in psychology....it could work wonders.
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TheDudeWithTheDragonTattoos
Field Researcher
Original Poster
#277 Old 21st Jul 2016 at 2:57 AM
Quote: Originally posted by bloodstained_black_lace
How's that update going?


Hi! I've taken a small break from the hood. I got very burnt out to the point where I didn't even want to load the hood. I'm back to working on it. Look for an update within the next few days (for real this time) I just needed to take a break and look at the progress I made. It's so close to completion! :D
teafortwo
Forum Resident
#278 Old 28th Jul 2016 at 6:38 PM
Just a note to let you know that (in my opinion) the back story - history that you have created for this community opens up a great many game play and story telling options. Truly inspires one's imagination !
TheDudeWithTheDragonTattoos
Field Researcher
Original Poster
#279 Old 29th Jul 2016 at 1:01 AM
Quote: Originally posted by teafortwo
Just a note to let you know that (in my opinion) the back story - history that you have created for this community opens up a great many game play and story telling options. Truly inspires one's imagination !


Awe! Thank you. I try to make each family's background open so the player can decide where they came from. Did the Stratman family have a ton of money before they started laundering or after? How did they start laundering money? Are the Gallagher's truly who they say they are? Is Dianna Fox really suffering from early onset dementia which is the reasoning for her strange and erratic behavior? I am slowly gathering more and more inspiration to continue working on the hood. Don't worry, I am not going to abandon it, I just need some time to refresh my brain and think of new stories and finish up the hood. It should be done VERY soon! XD
TheDudeWithTheDragonTattoos
Field Researcher
Original Poster
#280 Old 29th Jul 2016 at 1:56 AM
Default Complete!
This is the last update before I upload the hood! Tell me your thoughts, If you find any typos, things that dont add up, etc... I truly appreciate your feedback and help on this journey! And to pay some homage to my two VERY helpful friends, @PeniGriffin and @maxon , I named the park Peni Park and a club, Club Maxon. I could not have done this without you guys. I really, really do appreciate your help.
Attached files:
File Type: zip  White Orchard.zip (42.75 MB, 35 downloads) - View custom content
maxon
The Great AntiJen
retired moderator
#281 Old 29th Jul 2016 at 11:43 AM
Hey - well, that's nice. As I'm having a look at Gremily's hood today, I'll try and load yours up as well and have a look.
I no longer come over to MTS very often but if you would like to ask me a question then you can find me on tumblr or my own site tflc. TFLC has an archive of all my CC downloads.
I'm here on tumblr and my site, tflc
teafortwo
Forum Resident
#282 Old 29th Jul 2016 at 4:40 PM
Quote: Originally posted by MikeJMW55
Awe! Thank you. I try to make each family's background open so the player can decide where they came from. Did the Stratman family have a ton of money before they started laundering or after? How did they start laundering money? Are the Gallagher's truly who they say they are? Is Dianna Fox really suffering from early onset dementia which is the reasoning for her strange and erratic behavior? I am slowly gathering more and more inspiration to continue working on the hood. Don't worry, I am not going to abandon it, I just need some time to refresh my brain and think of new stories and finish up the hood. It should be done VERY soon! XD


I see Diana Fox (after reading her bio) as suffering from Post Partum Depression. She is also a Romance Sim which some Sim Doctors consider to be a personality disorder (LOL). I expect having married so young a Romance Sim may at times feel trapped and restless and wonder what she has missed out on.

I noticed in the recent upload that the Fox family are still described as having had a new baby and their teen son is feeling left out since his baby sister arrived - which is quit odd as there is no baby - just an empty nursery.

Also all of the homes are set to summer while one is set to autumn ( the bachelor living on the farm..Ballentine?). I've not looked at the Sims living in apartments and had time yesterday only to visit the Fox family.
TheDudeWithTheDragonTattoos
Field Researcher
Original Poster
#283 Old 29th Jul 2016 at 5:09 PM
Quote: Originally posted by teafortwo
I see Diana Fox (after reading her bio) as suffering from Post Partum Depression. She is also a Romance Sim which some Sim Doctors consider to be a personality disorder (LOL). I expect having married so young a Romance Sim may at times feel trapped and restless and wonder what she has missed out on.

I noticed in the recent upload that the Fox family are still described as having had a new baby and their teen son is feeling left out since his baby sister arrived - which is quit odd as there is no baby - just an empty nursery.

Also all of the homes are set to summer while one is set to autumn ( the bachelor living on the farm..Ballentine?). I've not looked at the Sims living in apartments and had time yesterday only to visit the Fox family.


Lmao! I totally forgot about making them have a baby! Ill get on that. I will also fix the season part as well.
maxon
The Great AntiJen
retired moderator
#284 Old 29th Jul 2016 at 5:29 PM Last edited by maxon : 29th Jul 2016 at 6:30 PM.
Well, it loaded up ok for me which is good and I like your neighbourhood decor and the neighbourhood picture.

I had a look at the properties on the promontory for you - just a quick glance, I didn't play the lots for long. There are a number of small issues I'd mention and one large one. Pictures attached to help.

1. The first thing I'd mention is that you have several families visiting their owned community lots in the neighbourhood as you're are transferring the files. My advice (and not everyone might agree) would be to NOT do this. Have the sim families at home when you post the neighbourhood. Although it worked for me, I think having sims away from their lots on transfer is just asking for trouble, especially with sims from apartment lots (which are relatively unstable anyway, especially in a neighbourhood transfer as I found with Polgannon). It did work in my game but my game is apparently more stable than other users.

2. There are numerous places where you have doors and windows which are blocked by objects. It's likely in your version of the neighbourhood you can't see this because you placed them with moveobjects on but in the transfer process, they become blocked again for your users. On ordinary residential lots, this is not so much of a problem because it's easily fixed with the foundation tool trick but it's really a problem with apartment lots because you can't edit the building in build mode. I had a look at the Afferii and Jefferson families and their apartments and there are multiple instances of blocked windows on that lot. I found blocked windows on: 23 Seaview Court; Peninsula Beach & Park; 3, Bayside Circle (basement); and the apartment lots of the Afferii/Jefferson familes (which was the worst lot for this issue unfortunately).

3. There are a few places, particularly the Reynolds lot, where you have rooms without any outside source of light - see picture for this one. This is the upstairs as I found it. Sorry I really don't like that - because I have a camera mod, those rooms are completely black during the day time when the lights are not on. There are two similar rooms downstairs. Could you either remove a wall (e.g. for the central room on the ground floor) to let light in or place a window somewhere if the room has a outside wall? That's the sort of thing that would make me delete a downloaded lot. 23 Bayside Court has no window in the bathroom by the door and is also black.

4. Make sure the community lots (owned and general) have roof and walls up when you save - picture shows Bayside Beach as I found it. Also an issue on Peninsula Beach and Park and the owned community lots.

5. Did you mean to rename the 'Unfinished Split Level' lot with an address (Seaview Court) as in the others on that road? Also not sure here about the lighting in the sunken area of that lot. It's very black.

6. Is it really necessary to have two cookers in Bayview Cafe? This will generate 2 NPCs (and would irritate me accordingly). It might be better with one cooker and counters.

7. Pump Fitness and Addicting Arcade have no obvious problems though Peni might have something to say about the lack of food available here. I loathe the name Addicting Arcade but that's a purely personal preference so you can ignore that.

8. Two of the owned community lots have signs and a phone in the middle of the road - the bakery and car lot.

9. On the car lot - this arrangement is not going to work well with queueing customer sims (see picture). Guaranteed congestion, thrown bags and complaints.

That's all I have for now except to say are you sure that diagonally placed kennel on 3, Bayside Circle is usable by animals?
I no longer come over to MTS very often but if you would like to ask me a question then you can find me on tumblr or my own site tflc. TFLC has an archive of all my CC downloads.
I'm here on tumblr and my site, tflc
Peni Griffin
Mad Poster
#285 Old 29th Jul 2016 at 6:08 PM
If you need to put a window where the game won't let you because of an object, place the window first - without move_objects - and the objects second - with move_objects. Never have move_objects running when you're placing windows and doors. I had to learn that building the Mannsion!

I haven't looked at it yet, but smile at your naive certainty that this is the last version before upload!
Ugly is in the heart of the beholder.
(My simblr isSim Media Res . Widespot,Widespot RFD: The Subhood, and Land Grant University are all available here. In case you care.)
maxon
The Great AntiJen
retired moderator
#286 Old 29th Jul 2016 at 6:15 PM
Quote: Originally posted by Peni Griffin
If you need to put a window where the game won't let you because of an object, place the window first - without move_objects - and the objects second - with move_objects. Never have move_objects running when you're placing windows and doors. I had to learn that building the Mansion!

It can still block on transfer even if you do it that way or doors can become unusable anyway with an object blocking them
Quote: Originally posted by Peni Griffin
I haven't looked at it yet, but smile at your naive certainty that this is the last version before upload!

Smiles back
I no longer come over to MTS very often but if you would like to ask me a question then you can find me on tumblr or my own site tflc. TFLC has an archive of all my CC downloads.
I'm here on tumblr and my site, tflc
Peni Griffin
Mad Poster
#287 Old 30th Jul 2016 at 5:36 AM
Okay, I took a look between finishing work on a project of my own and starting dinner. The following is a quick summary of what went through my head as I poked around. Bear in mind that anyone's opinion is just an opinion, and taste isn't even that.

Open the neighborhood: Yes, very pretty. Where's my park? There it is - let's take a look at my park. Playground, restroom, food, fishing, is there any chess - yes, there it is. Parks need chess! And he did that arched bridge thing that makes no sense to me but looks so nice until you go down a level in the view...This is a good park, plenty to do here. Let's go look at the households. Single woman; naw. Family of six in a trailer park, that's the ticket, let's look in there.

Bio, bio, bio, good, no hint in the memory of what shady thing Mr. Spratman did, so it must be money-related, not romantic. He hasn't given out skillpoints or adjusted ages yet but that's drafts for you. That trailer's very tightly arranged, let's see how it plays. Nobody seems to be friends with each other, and nobody's leaping to dance on feet or play cops-and-robbers. Mr. Spratman seems to be stuck - is that a routing fail or just aspiration failure? Is free will even on? Nobody's doing anything. Why does he look like Isaiah Gavigan? It's partly the hair, but that's the Gavigan nose - shoot, they all look like Isaiah! Spratman's face is maybe a bit rounder. Stop fretting about that, there's a toddler to look after. Coming, kid, let's get you to...the...where's the pottychair? I don't see a pottychair! Screw that and I will never be able to tell these kids apart. Close without saving.

Let's see, who else is here...Sheesh, that guy looks like Isaiah, too...that guy looks like Nathan...I cannot possibly tell that they look like Gavigans from the hood view...still, too much of that hair and they're all white as rice...c'mon, c'mon, you can't make a viable city without S4...another Isaiah - here we go - is this the last place? One black person in the whole city? Are you kidding me?

Well, let's see what he's like - oh, this is one of the ones Maxon mentioned that starts in a business. Better go find the business - not that, not that - here we go, car dealership. I've never run a dealership before. No, you're being paranoid, he does not look like Isaiah Gavigan in blackface! It's just that his face is kind of the same shape - that's totally a different nose. He shouldn't conk his hair like that, the dreads would look better and be easier to care for. It's summer, why is he wearing a heavy sweater? Somebody's on the way to the register right now? Get away from that FT car and go ring her up. Oh, hey, there's the Spratman kid with a globe over his head...yeah, you go be cashier, kid, and look at the color of that globe. Let's overpay you a little bit, that's better. Wow, sold all the cars in the lot already. No wonder; they're all Ridiculously Cheap. Time to go home.

Dang, this is tiny...I suck at small apartments, can't get a good line of sight. There's one of those move_object windows. He can't use that diagonal easel, can he? No, he cannot. Is that the landlady? Why is she wearing a wedding veil? She must've just now generated with it. Let's look at the bio - no bio. No skillpoints. Mrs. Jefferson and Bridal Landlady are hanging out in the kitchen and Drew can't get past them; he will forever be trapped in the kitchen. Okay then. And it's suppertime.
---
It's a little late to redo your character designs for the sake of the facial-recognition challenged among us; but changing a few hairstyles to be more distinctive, and dressing everyone in accordance with the season, is still possible and would relieve some of that. At least please give Drew a curly hairstyle and don't put any Spratmans in the hairstyle the Gavigans come out of the box with! Of course most people will be making people over right away, but this isn't like Pleasantview makeovers, where everybody knows roughly who everybody is and how they're likely to dress. We're meeting total strangers here and will need to be able to tell them apart before we decide how to dress them. I'm probably going to be the only one who sees Isaiah everywhere, though.

Is the neighborhood starting on the last day of summer because that's the default setting, or is it a deliberate choice? Bearing in mind the way seasons affect wants, and that everyone who moves will start in the first season, so the player will see more of it than any other season, it's worth taking a few minutes to consider when in the year you want the game to open, if you haven't already done that.

All of that's not so much critique as raw reaction, and I wasn't even settling in for a proper playtest. Take what you need and leave the rest.
Ugly is in the heart of the beholder.
(My simblr isSim Media Res . Widespot,Widespot RFD: The Subhood, and Land Grant University are all available here. In case you care.)
TheDudeWithTheDragonTattoos
Field Researcher
Original Poster
#288 Old 31st Jul 2016 at 1:25 AM
Thanks for the help, @PeniGriffin I will address some of your concerns. Firstly, I'm glad you like the park and look of the hood! In regards to the story of sims, I tried to keep them fairly open. I said earlier, I want players to be able to imagine where the families came from, and why they are who they are. Without me bottlenecking them too hard into one story.

I will fix the business problem, return every sim to their home, and adjust the seasons to the beginning of spring.

As for the style concerns and "diversity" I dress sims in what I think they look good in, not what makes sense to the season. If you/other players feel they don't make sense, please feel free to change them but I will not be doing so, along with hairstyles. Etc... I feel personally that I did exactly what I wanted to do with implementing sims stories and styles I really wanted to make sure whoever plays can decide the style of each sim. Is Dianna Fox girly and stylish or goth? Is Jamie Ballentine a biker guy or an outdoors guy?. In regards to there being only one black family, I tried to include as many sims of as many backgrounds as I could. Sims range from light to dark, so if you feel you want more black sims, add them! I would but I don't want to increase the size of the hood as it is pushing the line.

Sorry about the small apartments, but everything is about preference, if you don't like it you can move the sims out and into another place. But in regards to all the moveobject concerns, I will fix them as well. Skills and bios will be added to all sims who don't have them.
teafortwo
Forum Resident
#289 Old 31st Jul 2016 at 6:05 AM
Quote: Originally posted by MikeJMW55
As for the style concerns and "diversity" I dress sims in what I think they look good in, not what makes sense to the season. If you/other players feel they don't make sense, please feel free to change them but I will not be doing so, along with hairstyles. Etc... I feel personally that I did exactly what I wanted to do with implementing sims stories and styles I really wanted to make sure whoever plays can decide the style of each sim. Is Dianna Fox girly and stylish or goth? Is Jamie Ballentine a biker guy or an outdoors guy?. In regards to there being only one black family, I tried to include as many sims of as many backgrounds as I could. Sims range from light to dark, so if you feel you want more black sims, add them! I would but I don't want to increase the size of the hood as it is pushing the line.



I agree with you saying that players can make any clothing, hair style or make up changes we may wish in keeping with how each of us sees them and according to the story line that each player develops. And when it comes to diversity (at least I my own game) the community can naturally become more varied over time as Sims marry or partner up and produce or adopt little Sims. What you say about not wanting to increase the existing population makes sense.
teafortwo
Forum Resident
#290 Old 31st Jul 2016 at 7:15 AM
Ranger Apartment:
Tree planter prevents Sims from using stairs .
Stairs block access to wall phone.
Easels can not be used when set at an angle.
Peni Griffin
Mad Poster
#291 Old 31st Jul 2016 at 4:06 PM
You really need to playtest these lots some more. Things like inaccessible easels and register chokepoints aren't always obvious. And you can't count on us to catch everything.
Ugly is in the heart of the beholder.
(My simblr isSim Media Res . Widespot,Widespot RFD: The Subhood, and Land Grant University are all available here. In case you care.)
TheDudeWithTheDragonTattoos
Field Researcher
Original Poster
#292 Old 1st Aug 2016 at 1:49 AM
Quote: Originally posted by Peni Griffin
You really need to playtest these lots some more. Things like inaccessible easels and register chokepoints aren't always obvious. And you can't count on us to catch everything.


I know I still have testing to do, but you also need to understand that being one person without much time can be very tough to work on this hood. So as much as I can't rely on you and the testers to catch everything, you can't rely or expect me to catch everything as well. I have sims to make, memories to create, skills to give, bios to write, houses to build, etc...so the whole point of me putting the thread here is so I can get some assistance. Thank you for your feedback and help.

Oh, and please don't go off telling me I'm being too sensitive, or need to be able to take blah blah blah, I know. But it's been a long, tough, and irritating road creating this hood, and while I am very happy I decided to do this, I am currently overwhelmed with life things along with work things and personal problems so please cut me some slack.
Peni Griffin
Mad Poster
#293 Old 1st Aug 2016 at 3:01 AM
You have no deadline. Take the time you need. If you set it aside for a week, six months, a year, then come back to it, no one will judge you and we will still be here. You do not need to make excuses; but you cannot create and have a thin skin. If you don't like a critique, the only valid response is "Do I not like that because it is contrary to my vision, or do I not like it because it is inconvenient, frustrating, or hurts my ego?" If the first, ignore it. If the second - tough noogies. It's pointing you in a direction you need to look.

The very first thing to learn about creating is that your feelings don't matter a damn. Your ego doesn't matter a damn. You are not important at all, except insofar as you are the only person who can create this work. And if the work isn't important enough to you for you to set yourself aside and do what is necessary to make it the best work you can - then it's not important enough for anybody else to look at.

I have been working on Bigg City for two years worth of health crap by now. I'm within sight of the finish line, but I haven't touched it for a few months (no good sense of how much time has passed; I'd have to look at the thread) because I reached a Too Much point and had to back down or break the thing. So I've done other stuff, and I'll get back to it when I get back to it - soon, I hope. I have books that are similarly holding fire - and there is at least a theoretical possibility of being paid for books, which unfortunately in the capitalist society I live in does matter. It's too bad but there it is. Thank goodness I no longer have to squeeze work into two fifteen-minute coffee breaks and a half-hour at lunch five days a week, followed by fitting it in around housework and dinner and family time evenings and weekends - that'd kill me these days. I'm not going to rush and turn in something that is less than the best I can do, whether it's a subhood for a 12-year-old video game or a book or a birthday cake. It won't match the shining perfect vision in my head because that's impossible; but it can be better than it is and I will not let go until I get there.

Because these things matter. Any work can be the work that makes something go click in somebody's head so that they have a brilliant thought that I couldn't have thought, and that they couldn't have thought without the work I created. Sometimes the work just distracts someone from a painful or difficult reality. Sometimes it actively helps them manage a condition or realize something they needed to figure out. A lot of the time it facilitates someone else's innate creativity and shows them the possibilities of a medium. And sometimes, they tell you about what you have done for them, which is the sort of thing that carries you through your own bad days. But only if you've put in the labor necessary to give them something they can work with.

And there's this devil that sits on your shoulder trying to sabotage you. To a lot of people it whispers continuously that they're not good enough to carry out their vision and might as well quit now; to others it whispers that the vision is not important, that it's silly to work too hard, that a temporary irritation of the ego matters more, that no one could possibly expect good work from you given the limitations you labor under. Whatever the shoulder-devil can say to wreck your work, it will. And the only thing to do with it is to recognize it as a devil, stuff it in a mental closet, and tell it to STFU.
Ugly is in the heart of the beholder.
(My simblr isSim Media Res . Widespot,Widespot RFD: The Subhood, and Land Grant University are all available here. In case you care.)
maxon
The Great AntiJen
retired moderator
#294 Old 1st Aug 2016 at 11:52 AM
Gotta agree with Peni here. It took me four years to do Polgannon and it's not perfect or exactly what I was aiming for but on reflection I'm pretty pleased with it. I worked on it in phases (between the release of ME and work commitments). It's always the way I think unless you have something that simply has to come out (I've had that a few times). It's absolutely the case though that ego is no help at all - you need to respect the people who are going to 'use' your thing, whatever it is and accept that they have the freedom to dislike it or criticise it. There's no deadline as Peni says. I thought, at one point, that doing Polgannon might not be worth it as players of the game would shrink too much in the time it would take me to do it. The game is, after all, 12 years old now. But, in fact, player numbers, while diminishing slowly, are not falling all that fast as far as I can see. True, fewer people download my latest contributions but I still see lots of downloads. So don't rush it. Stop for a bit and let yourself think. Test - I did a lot of that and there were still errors and problems I picked up after release. Polgannon is about to get its fourth edition with some minor errors corrected. Still don't know if I have them all.
I no longer come over to MTS very often but if you would like to ask me a question then you can find me on tumblr or my own site tflc. TFLC has an archive of all my CC downloads.
I'm here on tumblr and my site, tflc
Peni Griffin
Mad Poster
#295 Old 1st Aug 2016 at 7:44 PM
What you need new eyes for on a project are a) the things that you're too used to looking at to see for yourself; b) the things you didn't know how to do right but did the best you could and they can explain to you how to fix; and c) the different angle. Like when I playtested Polgannon my test sims nearly starved to death - I kept hanging out testing lots assuming there'd be places to eat on all of them, and there weren't because Maxon plays community lots differently than me, and it hadn't occurred to her that people would go to lots just to hang out for extended periods. The Lands had a roof that wasn't weatherproof and I hadn't playtested in a full game when that was pointed out to me. There's a lot in Bigg City that Jawusa just up and fixed for me because I wasn't getting her explanations. I had to be told about terrain paint under plants - which makes such a huge difference to the look of a lot! - and how to make modular stairs work indoors.

Proofreaders, copyeditors, critique partners - we all need them in all our projects. We don't need to do everything they say - it is, after all, our name's going on the finished product, and there may well be reasons for a roof to let the snow in or a lot to have nowhere to eat on it, just as in a book bad grammar may be used deliberately. But we do need to give solicited feedback serious, mature consideration on the assumption that is well-meant. We are all, of course, secretly hoping for raves about the perfection of our work when we put it out for feedback, but that's our inner ten-year-old's unrealisitic preening. Nothing is more useless than uniform praise. Learn not to expect praise, and it is so much sweeter when it comes.

To be completed, a project needs to be both prioritized and realistically paced. If you don't make room for a project in your schedule and neglect other activities for it, it won't get worked on; but if you throw yourself recklessly into it, you'll burn out on it before you get to the saggy middle, the point when the initial flame of inspiration has been used up and the satisfaction of completion keeps retreating ever further away. In a professional work you can use prioritization to keep plugging away at it a little every day. It's hard to motivate yourself to do that for an amateur work. (This is why most fanfics are never finished.)

One thing I learned to do with stories was to push myself through to the end of the first draft and then shove it into a drawer for as long as it took me to write the draft before reading it. That allowed my brain to overcome the fatigue of initial creation and re-engage with the work anew at the editing phase. And the same trick works with neighborhoods. (Work habit tricks translate well from one medium to another; I bet visual artists and composers do this, too.) I like editing - it's so satisfying to take something that didn't work and wrestle with it until it does; and so pleasant to look at passages, or buildings, or characters, that I'd been sick of looking at and seeing, with a more objective eye, that they really came out well.

And sometimes you hit a point where you realize, with a slightly sick feeling, that you don't know how to do what you set out to do, or don't have the tools (cognitive or physical) and chipping away at it day after day isn't going to fix that. At which point, again, you shove the thing into a drawer until you get better at what you're doing and acquire the right tools, and then you can come back to the project and tackle it fresh. At which point you'll suddenly be full of Better Ideas!

And sometimes, yeah, you cry about the work and feel sorry for yourself. But you'll be able to leave that behind you better if you don't do it in public.
Ugly is in the heart of the beholder.
(My simblr isSim Media Res . Widespot,Widespot RFD: The Subhood, and Land Grant University are all available here. In case you care.)
teafortwo
Forum Resident
#296 Old 2nd Aug 2016 at 1:04 AM Last edited by teafortwo : 2nd Aug 2016 at 7:05 PM. Reason: the usual
Mike, I have created and shared home and community lots for ten or so years ( have not yet shared one here at MTS. Plan to do so.)

Most of the lots that I build are to fill a need in my own game, however, even when for personal use I take time to thoroughly play test each lot - before doing anything else. I expect my method is not unique, yet, it may be of help.


Create a new nieghborhood using a level terrain and name it "Lot Building". This hood is for building ONLY. When a lot is completed and ready to test in the game a copy is 'saved to file'.

Create a second new neighborhood specifically for play testing lots. Go into Documents, The Sims 2 and open your Packaged Lots file. Add the new ready to test lot to the game and then place it in the play test hood. Test Sims and Test families reside in the Test Hood for the purpose of testing both home and community lots.

Use family funds cheat if needed to move in testers. Be sure to move in the specific age mix that the home is built for.

Keep pen or pencil and paper ( I use a spiral notebook) to jot down any changes that are needed

Routing matters. Sims need to be able to easily navigate the building or park or store or whatever. They also need to be able to use all objects including any skill objects. This means your Sims need to do all of the things that can be done such as bathing, using the toilet, cooking, computing, watching the telly, dancing or exercising in front of the telly, radio or stereo and so on. Don't forget to test using BBQs and anything else.

Can they navigate up and downstairs? Can Sims care for babies?

In other words really, really live fully in the house for at least one day and one night. Use Max motives!

Completely play test business lots and parks and campgrounds and hotels and dorms the same way.

And then before sharing I like to (if possible) have someone else test it as well.

I hope this helps you or someone else :-)

My advice is to enjoy the trip along the way, slow down , relax, take long breaks and take all the time you need :-)

OOPS!! Forgot to say after testing and note taking go back to the building hood to make corrections to the same house that has not been used in game and has had no sims in it ever!

Keep in mind that each lot is actually a mini game all by itself!!

NEXT DAY: When creating a new neighborhood it can help to place an empty lot of the desired size for a particular build to reserve the space. (This works well on level ground only ). I then build and test outside of the new neighborhood before placing the finished ready to play lot.
TheDudeWithTheDragonTattoos
Field Researcher
Original Poster
#297 Old 4th Aug 2016 at 11:19 PM
Okay, here's the plan. I need a break from this hood, like badly. I'm not enjoying my time when I load into it, and I just want to play the game and enjoy myself while not having to make myself do something. That being said, I am not sure if I continue the hood, HOWEVER I will be having an immediate, indefinite break from this hood. I do not know when I will return to it, if you want to play it, download the most recently uploaded version on post 280. Thanks for your help and time.

-Mike
teafortwo
Forum Resident
#298 Old 4th Aug 2016 at 11:38 PM
Quote: Originally posted by MikeJMW55
Okay, here's the plan. I need a break from this hood, like badly. I'm not enjoying my time when I load into it, and I just want to play the game and enjoy myself while not having to make myself do something. That being said, I am not sure if I continue the hood, HOWEVER I will be having an immediate, indefinite break from this hood. I do not know when I will return to it, if you want to play it, download the most recently uploaded version on post 280. Thanks for your help and time.

-Mike


It sounds like you've a good case of "creative burn out" ! What you have created and are willing to share " as is " is very much appreciated. I do understand needing to be free to enjoy playing. Also, it makes no sense to force yourself to do something that you are not enjoying. Sounds to me like it is time to let this wonderful project simmer on the back burner for an indefinite time . Thank you for the time and talent and many, many hours invested in this beautiful neighborhood. I will download the latest and play and share what I do with it along the way. Again. thank you.
TheDudeWithTheDragonTattoos
Field Researcher
Original Poster
#299 Old 5th Aug 2016 at 3:01 AM
Quote: Originally posted by teafortwo
It sounds like you've a good case of "creative burn out" ! What you have created and are willing to share " as is " is very much appreciated. I do understand needing to be free to enjoy playing. Also, it makes no sense to force yourself to do something that you are not enjoying. Sounds to me like it is time to let this wonderful project simmer on the back burner for an indefinite time . Thank you for the time and talent and many, many hours invested in this beautiful neighborhood. I will download the latest and play and share what I do with it along the way. Again. thank you.


Thank you so much for being helpful and kind to me. You have helped me in so many ways. I would love to see what you do with the sims and their stores in this hood!
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