Building Contest Of Awesomeness!

[Magicmoon]

...Certain items suffer significant performance degradation that makes it just far too costly in the long-term to cut corners on.

...a starter home should NEVER cheap out on certain classes of item, particularly when they cause sim downtime at a point where you are hurt most by it.

I know you hate elaborating, but could you explain a little more about what you mean by these statements?

[BlueSoup]

I think he means beds and stoves.  He's mentioned those before as not worth skimping on.

[Batelle]

Keep in mind that cost is also a greatly reduced factor if you've broken the barriers for "starting" homes. And even, or perhaps, ESPECIALLY, a starter home should NEVER cheap out on certain classes of item, particularly when they cause sim downtime at a point where you are hurt most by it.

Would you rather have a starter home with examples of how it can be expanded, or a fully evolved home (with photodocumentaion of it's humble beginnings)?  

[J. M. Pescado]

Well, seeing the fully evolved version is the better demonstration of your ultimate abilities, but a skillfully made starter home where the potential to expand is clear is also a good thing. Both approaches have their own merits.

[J. M. Pescado]

I know you hate elaborating, but could you explain a little more about what you mean by these statements?

If you've actually played the game well, you'd know what corners can be cut, and what corners will bite you in the ass where and when it hurts if you try it. Your choice of furnishing demonstrates your knowledge of this.

[rhodaloo]

JM, I'm a visual person.  The suggestions you've given are a bit vague.  Could you post one of your lots as a example?

[simposiast]

JM, I'm a visual person.  The suggestions you've given are a bit vague.  Could you post one of your lots as a example?

Functionality isn't a very visual thing - at least it's not for me.  If you understand how sims behave, you can control their behaviour indirectly through their environment.  From playing and building I have a long list of rules for where objects can go in relation to each other and which objects to avoid altogether. The challenge is to make that look natural.

The most important factor to me is what makes the player (i.e. me) happy, not looks or functionality on their own. There's no point building a lot that works efficiently for sims if I don't want to look at it, or if I can't see everything.

Everyone's list will be different but some of my rules are:

- build from one point of view to avoid scrolling
- houses are chosen by the exterior front view, but the inside back wall is the most important when playing
- real architects don't design houses for the neighbours to look through
- stairs, chimneys, columns, trees etc. at the back or side of your POV, so there's nothing behind them
- go easy on the shrubs and flowers
- if you don't want a sim to use a surface, put something on it
- kitchen units always face you, so you can see what's on the floor in front
- space by the main door must be completely flat, sims can't greet each other on slopes
- put the loo at the back of small bathrooms, to stop sims getting trapped at the back by a sim coming in
- swings, myshuno, and coffee machines are a waste of time
- sims don't need a tv
- check which side of the door the hinge is on, so sims don't have to walk round the opened door
- attics and basements are cheap to build and save you storing stuff on the lawn
- don't use modular stairs upstairs if you want to take pictures - the bottom of the stair will show on the floor below
- use cheap beds if you want sims to stay in bed longer
- if you're playing a lot for a long time, replace depreciated items
- have a good environment score near the carpool stop, night time as well
- put surfaces near skill builders for a thinking cap, or it'll go somewhere you don't want it
- don't forget the kitchen sink

That's all I can think of for now, but it's a long long list

[J. M. Pescado]

- don't use modular stairs upstairs if you want to take pictures - the bottom of the stair will show on the floor below

The Holy Smokes have no tails. The black metal one has has only a support cage that can stack with others of its kind.

- use cheap beds if you want sims to stay in bed longer

Use the Sleep Clock instead if you really want them to stay for a specific time. Losing 10% of your active time from using crappy beds is NOT a good deal.

- if you're playing a lot for a long time, replace depreciated items

Why bother? It'll just depreciate again. Depreciation has no effect on the object's function.

- have a good environment score near the carpool stop, night time as well

Platinum aspiration is the only thing that matters. Environment is meaningless. You're not going to get promoted except by pure random chance without plat, or, as distant second-best, a Noodlesoother.

- don't forget the kitchen sink

Kitchen sinks are a luxury, not a necessity, if you have a dishwasher instead. Dishwashers can go undercounter instead of taking up a countertop, too.

[rhodaloo]

Thanks, simposiast.   I'm assuming that JM is judging this contest so I wanted a better feel for what he was looking for.  I know what I want in a house.

[MissDoh]

Same here, nice hints

[Metalkatt]

No point in me entering this, I'd automatically come last.  I've never built a house in the game yet.  I can't even work out how to extend one if it has those deck things, because I can never delete them or add to them.  I also hate furnishing houses, it's incredibly boring.  I'm really only in it for the gameplay, I suppose.  Be interesting to see what others come up with, though.

If you enter, I'll enter, and we can compete for last place.  I'm no good at building, either. :-P

[simposiast]

I'm assuming that JM is judging this contest so I wanted a better feel for what he was looking for

I'd like to know how JM is going to judge it - by playing or by looking? It'll make a difference.  It's a nice of him to volunteer.

Platinum aspiration is the only thing that matters. Environment is meaningless. You're not going to get promoted except by pure random chance without plat, or, as distant second-best, a Noodlesoother.

If a sim is in a positive mood when they leave the work meter goes up, and they get promoted when it's high enough. It doesn't seem to change while they are at work, unless you know different. Even a miniscule improvement to mood could get them promoted if it tips the balance. I'm not sure how the noodlesoother helps, I don't use it.  If it keeps mood static it won't matter if the environment by the carpool is dire. The area by the carpool is also where the headmaster lands, where homework is dropped, and quite likely where sims are greeted, romanced or proposed to, so if I can't afford much landscaping that's where it goes.

The kitchen sink is in there to stand for all the objects I forget.  I often forget to have somewhere to wash dishes, also dressers, mirrors and somewhere to put the trash.  I don't need dressers, nor do the sims, but I'm building for players.

[J. M. Pescado]

If a sim is in a positive mood when they leave the work meter goes up, and they get promoted when it's high enough. It doesn't seem to change while they are at work, unless you know different. Even a miniscule improvement to mood could get them promoted if it tips the balance.

"Could" is of no help in these cases, because you're looking for something good. Good events that COULD happen DON'T happen. You're thinking about BAD events, which most certainly happen if it's even remotely possible.

I'm not sure how the noodlesoother helps, I don't use it.  If it keeps mood static it won't matter if the environment by the carpool is dire.

Noodlesoother is +50 mood. Platinum is +200 mood. All of these effects are simply far more powerful than anything you can get out of environment, cost much less, and actually work with some degree of consistency. Without these, don't count on a promotion. Period. Spray and pray is no way to meet a production schedule.

The area by the carpool is also where the headmaster lands, where homework is dropped, and quite likely where sims are greeted, romanced or proposed to, so if I can't afford much landscaping that's where it goes.

Headmaster doesn't give a rat's ass about the environment, unless you show it to him on a tour. Once again, the pernicious "yard myth" that pervades Headmasters, debunked thoroughly in the War Room.

[simposiast]

"Could" is of no help in these cases, because you're looking for something good. Good events that COULD happen DON'T happen. You're thinking about BAD events, which most certainly happen if it's even remotely possible.

Oops yes, sorry, got that wrong. I always make the mistake of thinking the universe is indifferent to me. 

Good environment works even if your sim is nearly in aspiration failure, when noodlesoothers don't, and it works in the first few days when you have more money than aspiration points.

Headmaster doesn't give a rat's ass about the environment, unless you show it to him on a tour.

I usually am going to show it on a tour, otherwise I'd have to move him somewhere else before I start it.

Where do you spend your environment budget, if not at the front?

[J. M. Pescado]

Good environment works even if your sim is nearly in aspiration failure, when noodlesoothers don't, and it works in the first few days when you have more money than aspiration points.

'sokay, in the first few days your sims don't have skills to bother with employment anyway. Your starting funds will awhile anyway.

I usually am going to show it on a tour, otherwise I'd have to move him somewhere else before I start it.

The headmaster will relocate himself to the front door to be greeted, generally, as opposed to loitering by the street.

Where do you spend your environment budget, if not at the front?

Generally, I spend the "environment budget" on making sure the critical furniture items are up to spec. Environment is for wussies.

[holly]

you know i think i might have a go at this . but does it really have to be for 8 people , i only ever have a maxium of 4 people on a lot

[BeckerCheez]

I could enter the dorm house thing I made.  It comfortably housed thirteen college kids on College Rampage.   

[J. M. Pescado]

you know i think i might have a go at this . but does it really have to be for 8 people , i only ever have a maxium of 4 people on a lot

It certainly should be capable of supporting at least 5-6 reasonably well, if not all the way up to 8, seeing as your typical 2 grandparents, 2 parents, and 1-2 kids is 6 right there, unless you always wait for the grandparents to bite it before allowing your sims to spawn.

[holly]

er no i always more them out when they get married

[J. M. Pescado]

er no i always more them out when they get married

That has the unfortunate effect of doubling your play costs, since now you have TWO families, one of which doesn't ever do anything interesting, yet still has to be kept in sync. You can do that, but eventually you realize that it creates a LOT of management bothers when the old ones die off and then you have to move someone back *IN* to make sure the house value is retained. And then there's that bother where you have to shuffle the files around to keep your furniture layout from being completely erased, etc., etc....way more bothersome than it's worth. So you wind up just keeping them together instead.

[Ness]

grandparents are great for taking care of the kids while the parents are at work.  Only problem is that since I added TJ's age duration hack, my elders don't hang around for very long!

[J. M. Pescado]

grandparents are great for taking care of the kids while the parents are at work.  Only problem is that since I added TJ's age duration hack, my elders don't hang around for very long!

That just means they don't hang around for very long as ELDERS, since the Jeffy duration thing is essentially robbing the elder duration to increase the adult duration.

[holly]

who said anything about keeping them in sync ? i just leave the grandparents there till i get sick of them then i kill them off .

and incase anybody hasent noticed when you get to sucessful this game gets dull, so i start over again with the next generation ,

anyway point is i dont play a lot with more than 4 sims in it . so i wont be building a house that holds more ,  judge it as you will .,

[simposiast]

OK, I've had a go. It's base game Maxis only, 92k ish furnished for eight sims - grandparents, parents, four children from baby to teen.

Edit: Links removed

[ZiggyDoodle]

Simposiast, I think you missed reading Pescado's instructions which stated:

No, don't liknk it here, I'll start a section for collection the contest submissions later.