Anyone that does world building: what custom worlds with applicable number of empty lots (that fit in said land) you use to accommodate new lots (in case If you put additional lot assignments to use) from majority (If you happen to have any) introduced expansion packs, as well from other forms of DLC (stuff packs, store's world and premium content catered for venues/shops)? This could also be for few expansions, but that in theory even allows for the support of many.

Likewise, If you play with pre-made worlds only, which one you use or/and what modification (re-terraform in CAW, sacrifice redudant lots to give more room for more benefitial lots or etc) you apply to world terrain to settle more lots of different new types?

Generally custom worlds, and empty ones. I'd like to use more built-and-maybe-even-populated custom worlds, but they tend to require all sorts of EPs that I just don't use in that combination. And they tend to be large, too, when I much prefer small worlds. If I have IP installed, I like using Alocasia. Nice custom dive lots, and a decent size.

Tbh I do not totally understand this question, but the worlds I make generally have 100 plus lots so there is enough space for everything I want in the world. I have all EPs now and all from the store I want, so only space I need is to build the lots I want. Nothing more is coming down pike from EA and I normally never use EA lots anyway.

@daisylee What sort of lots are in there?

I didn't understand the question either, so I'm in the same boat as daiselee.

I build from scratch in caw. What kind of lots? Are you talking about zoning? In that case it's a big question. Worlds need RH lots for jobs, community lots and residential. What world builders do about community lots is individual and depends on personal preferance.

I build a world now and try to keep just above 100 lots as well. I can't really tell you what community lots I plan 2 use. It's a big question and scrolling through the caw forum in the menu at the top would probably be more useful, because each time people talk about this, different issues are in focus. People discuss from a different angle each time.

Then I'll ask a better clear question: what's the estimated number of lots you have for your worlds? How many you use for a particular zoning and how many you guys leave empty?

Less than 100 lots, I would say. Maybe barely scraping near 50. But that's because I like to put a few rabbitholes in one big lot, like a 'shopping day' of the grocery store, bookstore, and maybe even the diner in one long lot. Or putting the movie theater and the bistro on one lot for something like a 'date location' without having to have the sims meeting up in different lots. For the Alocasia world, I like to have the 'inside' lots be the communial ones - rabbitholes, library, park, etc - and then zone all the residental houses on the 'outside' ring. But other places I deided to place the City Hall, then a residental house somewhere, and keep plunking things down wherever, so there is no real zoning. Sometimes there's a residential lot between two rabbit holes or similar.

I normally have 100 plus. I have an excel that lists all the lot types and I check off as I designate what will go where. I also use RH rugs. I do not leave much if any unbuilt as there is nothing coming from EA at this point where something will be needed. And if wanted I can always adjust lots as needed. By the time I have finished a world there usually are no empty lots.

Are you planning on doing a new world in CAW and trying to decide what size to do? If yes, just pick a bigger map than what you might think you want so you can expand later if needed. I have added onto my worlds several times.

For my last big world, I had many empty lots. This time with my canal world, I plan to have very few empty lots. Too many lots and the world starts to lag, and that is not going to change if the downloader makes the lots themselves or if I do it.

When it comes to zoning, it depends on what overall plan I have for my world. I will be focusing on tourism, farming and business for this world. My last one didn't have a city with highrises, this one will have that as well. As daisylee I go through lists of available lots in caw and try to use zonings that fit and have to reduce to keep the 100 lots goal.

mmmhh I began a lot of worlds, and finished most of them but was never satisfied with it. Mostly I used the base of Sunset Valley, repainted it, made some major and minor terrain sculpting changes and re-arranged lots, most of the time my worlds looked like that: One bigger town-center with a rail track for a train station, a neighborhood for the upper middleclass, with a playground - perfect family life-cliche^^, and mostly I built a zone for a trailer park or poor sims and built a factory (criminal hide out rabbithole rug). Then I had some lots in the forests and mountains for camping. But to be honest, I had all these lot-ideas in my head or written down, in CAW i had it in mind while building the world... but I never really got into building in game - I never build houses/lots in CAW because that always turned out a bit messy^^ so I never used the build-in-game button in CAW again for building lots. I usually tried to stay under 100 lots - mostly I stayed under 100, but one time I got 150 or 160, but as I said... I never really built in it or played at all. I can't decide what I want, I guess... so many options... it's a bit overwhelming, isn't it?^^ No complaining here, I love Sims 3 for all those many, many options, but in CAW it's a bit... mmh... chaotic. Then switched to custom worlds and stopped building in CAW. I looked for medium worlds, with not to many lots (under 100). I liked and still like Northeney a lot. It's gorgeous, but very themed. So I don't want to ruin the beautiful look of the city by my buildstyle^^ Then I fell in love with Boroughsburg, so much. But realised after hours of building and editing houses.... it's themed, too (no really? what did I think? xD) and two horse ranches in the middle of a big city look stupid...*facepalm*
I want a big world for horses , then it get's too big and I looking around for tiny/small worlds. And then it's too small for two horse ranches xD (That's why I ended up in CAW again to make Nilxis Hylewood a bit bigger) Life is hard.
But after I left my first love Boroughsburg, I found a new love named Hylewood and I try to stick with it... Looks like we will be together for a while.
I don't want to go higher than 50 lots and at the moment it looks more like 35 to 40. This time the city center is splitted, and I don't want to plan too much this time. I try my best to keep the cozy and autumn-y feeling, so buildings come while playing in the actual game.

@SneakyWingPhoenix
what do have in mind for your world? do you write those ideas down? Or do you begin and decide while building?

@daisylee
Do you play in the worlds you made or do you just love building in CAW/building lots? Have you played for a long time period in your over-100-lots-worlds?

Yes, I always play my worlds. I use very few large lots, maybe just one or 2 64x64 usually. It just depends on what I need in that world. I use smaller ones generally so even though the lot count may be high the world sizes are not huge. I also have worlds where I have lots that just are decorative trees with a low fence around them scattered around downtown areas. That can take the count up. I think 120-130 is the highest I have gone. I do medium size worlds the most.

Let me find a link to one my favorites I have done. I added onto it twice. Added once to the main area and also added a new island. Have added more islands to other ones I have done. An easy way to add more to a word later when done.

edit - oh my, many lots, but some are trees. I have played it a quite a bit.

https://www.thesims3.com/assetDetai...assetId=7720108

Try it if you want and see how well it plays for you.

Smallest I have done. https://www.thesims3.com/assetDetai...assetId=5913340

My current favorites are empty worlds 50 - 70 lots, mostly because I like rabbit hole rugs in strategic locations.

I don’t mess with CAW because I’m intimidated by it. It seems easy to mess up a world. I usually use SimsRealtor because they seem to be route error free.

@Fluse well, I'm thinking of just making a world of only two islands, one for resident, other for commercial stuff. These would be accessible between the two through 2-way subway system or boats. @daisylee I haven't built a world in TS3 as of yet, nor played very much. I still convince myself a novice, so this thread is less or more for getting insight aside the interest and wonder to hear thoughts of world builders and casual-types do it and go about. What's SimsRealtor, @kewpie?

@SneakyWingPhoenix
That sounds really cool <3 But with the two islands I would be careful regarding to routing, because sims tend to use the water taxis more often than subways. That can cause lag and/or stuck sims who can't get in/out of their taxi boats. I've seen this issue a lot in the WA china world and in the island paradise world - it made my game laggy, but maybe just my sims were stupid af xD
It's a good idea that you wanna get some input before starting such a project. And another thing came to my mind right now: I try using as little community lots as possible, because your world will look a bit more alive. It's easier to fill 5 to 10 community lots with sims and keep it busy than 20 lots and the same amount of inhabitants. But of course, it depends on how many sims you want to have in your world.
I always use following lot types as base: Library, Consignment Store, Gym, Hangout, Elixir Consignment Store, Festival Park, Graveyard, Beach and a Diving Spot.
I often add: some sort of bar - local bar or similar, I don't know how it is called in the english game. A Resort, Java Hut, Pool, Fire Department (mostly combined with a hospital and lab rug), Laundromat, sometimes a salon, Chinese Garden as a Spa (+rug), of course my beloved horse ranches and a cat park. When I feel like Showtime, I add one or two Show Venues.
If I want the game to spawn a unicorn, I add a Fishing spot^^
Maybe it's a good idea to think about which lots you wanna have first... this may prevents you from keep adding lot after lot, because you don't wanna have too less lots in game and end up having 150 lots you don't need at all^^

I tend to do way too many community lots in my worlds as I play legacy style and want many places for my sims to go. I get bored if I send them to the same places over and over. I love to build both residential and community though so when I find the town is too empty add more residences at times. I do quite a few residences as shells to fill up the town and many with just enough that sims can occupy them. Usually the only house I totally furnish is the one my family lives in. Or if a world was done by someone else I play I often trim out some of the stuff in the houses to cut the hood size. I may have one or 2 fully complete ones where my Sims will visit friends.

It all just depends on the mood I am in when working on a lot. Some I get inspired and do more. Some get just the basics. I can always go back and work on them more later.

@Fluse I think kewpie means this site, http://www.mysimrealty.com/ they have lovely worlds.