What do you build into your houses?

[Zazazu]

As a side note, I've fallen in love with this site: http://www.architecturalhouseplans.com/ The floor plans are awesome inspirations to try and convert into something useable in the sims. I recently put together a 'cabin' that I'm pretty proud of.

Thanks for the link!  Houses that I build are usually boring, mildly sucky boxes, so I spent most of last night building one of their bigger houses.  (My housemate laughed at me, I had the floorplan open on my laptop next to me while I built on the desktop.)   I had to get the hang of the constrainfloorelevation cheat to get it right, but I did and it's the best-looking house in my neighbourhood.    I'm still decorating so I haven't played it yet, but it can hardly be less functional than a Maxis house and it has an awful lot more room.

Yeah, that site is great. Really helped to design an unusual home for the big freaking family I'm apparently having next (grr LTW roll madness). Tip: Take a couple random screenshots in-game (one for each floor). I just took photos of the pre-construction lot for ease of locating. Then Alt-Tab to the desktop and open your image editor of choice. Copy the floorplan pics from the website and paste them on top of the screenshots you just took. Merge your layers and resave. Alt-Tab back into the game and viola! Pics of the floor plan are now available in-game, saving you endless Alt-Tab'ing and/or paper.

Adapted from this houseplan: http://www.architecturalhouseplans.com/home_plans/231

[Khan of Wyrms]

Since it seems as if I do more building of families and lots than actual playing I can say that my sim families live on almost every kind of lot imaginable, from trailers to castles.  If there is one thing that seems necessary, though, when I do happen to be playing, it is a basement.  Building a good, functional basement is effective to stash the incredible horde of junk that seems to be required to play the game with success.  I suppose attics could also be used, or rooms over the garage, but I just prefer basements for this.  There is something about reward objects that just seem to demand placement in a basement.

In general I would say that there is very little that I would want for every lot.  What would be the fun in having every family equipped with exactly the same facilities?  Sims in trailers have their junk strewn all over the lawn, that is normal;  Sims in castles have extra rooms for anything they want.

Also note, vampires must have a coffin chamber placed as close to the car or carpool point as possible.  That way they can get up and go to work with little fear of frying and no extra effort on my part.  Putting them back in after work is also much easier and far less dangerous, especially for the lazy ones.

[Orikes]

Adapted from this houseplan: http://www.architecturalhouseplans.com/home_plans/231

Oooh. I was looking at that plan too. I've been printing the floor plans out, so I've got a paper reference, but your idea is neat too.

I like the look of your house. Where'd you get the curved windows on the 2nd floor?

[KatEnigma]

Adapted from this houseplan: http://www.architecturalhouseplans.com/home_plans/231

Oooh. I was looking at that plan too. I've been printing the floor plans out, so I've got a paper reference, but your idea is neat too.

I like the look of your house. Where'd you get the curved windows on the 2nd floor?

To me, the windows look like windkeeper's La Fenetre Quarter Tall windows. Which you can find on TSR or at PMBD under TSR/Windkeeper and in the lafenetreloftwindows.rar file. I've been using all her expanded la Fenetre sets ever since she started to make them.

[Zazazu]

Adapted from this houseplan: http://www.architecturalhouseplans.com/home_plans/231

Oooh. I was looking at that plan too. I've been printing the floor plans out, so I've got a paper reference, but your idea is neat too.

I like the look of your house. Where'd you get the curved windows on the 2nd floor?

To me, the windows look like windkeeper's La Fenetre Quarter Tall windows. Which you can find on TSR or at PMBD under TSR/Windkeeper and in the lafenetreloftwindows.rar file. I've been using all her expanded la Fenetre sets ever since she started to make them.

No, I do use the La Fenetre windows quite a bit, but these are the Waterfront windows I'm much fonder of. They come in a lot more color and size variances.

First set including tiny options: http://sims2.thesimsresource.com/downloads/sims2/268771/
Second & 3rd sets including arches & doors: http://www.thesimsresource.com/downloads/sims2/358391,423385/

I believe all are included in the booty here (way down at the bottom): http://paysites.mustbedestroyed.org/booty/tsr/windkeeper/

[SimulatedDork]

I rarely ever build to house plans since I hadn't really invested time into finding some good ones (thanks for the link above ). Most of my houses come from my imagination - that's why they look sort of jumbled

As to what's included, depends who's living there. But -

- All houses are built on 2x2 or 3x1 lots, with very few exceptions. Anything bigger is pointless as there always seems to be enough room for a garden and nice house in that space. I am also into townhouses with minimal front gardens, so this is ideal.
- Almost all my houses have La Fenetre (funky accent insert) windows to them. The Maxis ones are OK but I prefer Windkeeper's.
- All "main rooms" consist of a television, a sofa, a coffee table and a decoration/floorlamp either side of the sofa. Then I customize the rest of the room to the family.

I don't really plan for sim-functionality, but more for what looks good and what suits the family. A lot of non-functional crap lies around in bedrooms, bathrooms etc. That is, when I can be bothered to build. Most of my lots are Wolfsim's and edited by me (again with the jumbled look).

[sara_dippity]

Thanks for the incense and ideas.... the closet dresser, the one that looks like clothes on a pole. Anyone know where to find it?
Great tip on the album Zazazu. I wish you could enter the album in build mode with no family though..
Man, so many people do a lot of the things I do or have done in the past...


OMG thank you for the link to ChinafanSims, the essential oil kit looks awesome! Oh, I hope it works right....

[Orikes]

To me, the windows look like windkeeper's

Ooh. Those do look nice. I'm guessing, since there's two of you raving about her windows, that there's no light problems with these? I've been a little leery of custom windows since a bunch I downloaded pretty much didn't let any light into the house. They were gorgeous and all kinds of funky, but they didn't let any light in.

[pioupiou]

OMG thank you for the link to ChinafanSims, the essential oil kit looks awesome! Oh, I hope it works right....

I don't know for the version you can download on the chinafansims site, but it is also available on MTS2 and the version up there is compatible with pets and works like a charm.
I personnally twicked it to be much more expensive though (and to be compatible with OFB shelves so I can sell it in my businesses).
I really enjoy this thing.

[KatEnigma]

To me, the windows look like windkeeper's

Ooh. Those do look nice. I'm guessing, since there's two of you raving about her windows, that there's no light problems with these? I've been a little leery of custom windows since a bunch I downloaded pretty much didn't let any light into the house. They were gorgeous and all kinds of funky, but they didn't let any light in.

No problems at all with lighting. Also, her sets include the needed meshes for putting them on the diagonal. 

Zazazu: I hadn't checked back recently to see the addition to the waterfront series- I only had the original set and the doors. (Nooooo- need the Long Island door set too. Must resist...) My downloads folder is not going to thank you. 

[Zazazu]

To me, the windows look like windkeeper's

Ooh. Those do look nice. I'm guessing, since there's two of you raving about her windows, that there's no light problems with these? I've been a little leery of custom windows since a bunch I downloaded pretty much didn't let any light into the house. They were gorgeous and all kinds of funky, but they didn't let any light in.

No problems at all with lighting. Also, her sets include the needed meshes for putting them on the diagonal. 

Zazazu: I hadn't checked back recently to see the addition to the waterfront series- I only had the original set and the doors. (Nooooo- need the Long Island door set too. Must resist...) My downloads folder is not going to thank you. 

Yes, I recently trashed my window & door custom content from anything but her items. La Fenetre, Waterfront, Belangie, and Helios are my staple windows and doors. I use the Long Island doors a bit, but not as much. Her plastic flowers and bushes are great as well, until you take the plunge and get the TwoJeff's "perfectplants" hack. It's a shame she's so loyal to TSR.

[KatEnigma]

I use the LaFenetre- especially the Sweet subseries and Waterfront a lot, as well as the Rosewood and the additions/fix to the Open Me windows. I don't like my Sims to have no garden work, so I keep around the plastic hedges and half flowerbeds for those corners Sims insist they can't get to.  And I just went through her sets, to see what I was missing, and woohoo, she'd updated her gates since I'd last looked for it, so I can go back to pretty fences and gates, but now they lock too!

It really is a shame she's so loyal to TSR. If it weren't for her and cashcraft, the site would probably go under- at least the fee part of it.

[Lorelei]

Thanks for the incense and ideas.... the closet dresser, the one that looks like clothes on a pole. Anyone know where to find it?
Great tip on the album Zazazu. I wish you could enter the album in build mode with no family though..
Man, so many people do a lot of the things I do or have done in the past...


OMG thank you for the link to ChinafanSims, the essential oil kit looks awesome! Oh, I hope it works right....

You're welcome!

I have put it in houses but not had Sims interact with it yet. However, with that caveat, it has worked fine.

Carrigon at dinnerbell has a scented peppermint candle as well.

[draranha]

The mandatory features of my housing are clearly documented under Awesomespec v5. You should build all your houses like that!

Where are these specs? I can't find them.
Is this just lies and propaganda?   

[witch]

Carrigon at dinnerbell has a scented peppermint candle as well.

How the hell would you know it's peppermint scented?!? Scratch'n'sniff sims?

[Ambular]

Where are these specs? I can't find them.
Is this just lies and propaganda?   

http://www.moreawesomethanyou.com/smf/index.php/topic,7263.0.html

Search is your friend.

[Havelock]

Katenigma there is a fix for the original Open Me Window on MtS2 http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=227813 By MaryLou. No need for another Mesh it works with the original Window. Have it in my Game works fine.

[seelindarun]

I use the MTS2 fix, but Windkeeper's set is rather more extensive than just fixing the window: more colours, door and window variations, etc.  Since I detest tract housing, I insist that every single family live in a unique house.  That means a lot of building for me, and eventually I'll need to go back to Windkeeper for that set too, no doubt.

[Lorelei]

Carrigon at dinnerbell has a scented peppermint candle as well.

How the hell would you know it's peppermint scented?!? Scratch'n'sniff sims?

She claims it is. My assumption is that Sims do a "yummy" action, and that it is red and white striped.

Have it, haven't played with it.

Just another suspension of belief, I suppose. The Sims have nothing at all like that, of course. Aliens kidnap people looking through telescopes all the time. My local chapter of MUFON sez so, so I believe it is true.

[witch]

Peppermint - might be green and white striped. Or am I thinking of spearmint?

[Havelock]

I use the MTS2 fix, but Windkeeper's set is rather more extensive than just fixing the window: more colours, door and window variations, etc.  Since I detest tract housing, I insist that every single family live in a unique house.  That means a lot of building for me, and eventually I'll need to go back to Windkeeper for that set too, no doubt.

Windkeeper's Open ME Window fix is linked to the Maxis EA Open Me Window Textures and his Recolors.
Thats what i most like, she makes additional Windows without the need for separate Recolors.
They use the ingame textures and recolors made for the original objects

[Liss]

Sorry don't know where I got the clothes on a pole...I think it was in a house I downloaded somewhere.

[gjam]

Sorry don't know where I got the clothes on a pole...I think it was in a house I downloaded somewhere.

There's http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=112110 and http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=112249 -- but I tried those a long, long time ago, and I think they're borked.  (Don't remember the details, but I had some kind of trouble with them and ended up deleting them.)

It's something I would very much like to have a working version of.

[Lorelei]

Peppermint - might be green and white striped. Or am I thinking of spearmint?

Depends on the item, but, yeah, little round candies that are white with red stripes tend to be peppermint, while little round candies that are white with green stripes tend to be spearmint.   

Peppermint indeed tends to be red and white.

If I get a chance to play my game and remember to pull the candle out of Buy to test it, I'll report back. Or, go to dinnerbell and Carrigon's section and DL it. It's a smallish file.

Scratch'n'sniff Sims! THAT's what is going into Sims 3! You predicted it! 

[gjam]

Scratch'n'sniff Sims! THAT's what is going into Sims 3! You predicted it! 

That's gonna make for some interesting hardware specs!