More Awesome Than You!

EDIT: The following lots are "display grade" homes and are not intended for your "controlled" sims. I build and furnished for the "non-playable" townies, so I can have something nice for my "playable" sims to visit. "Accept no Kewian-based substitutes!"  (quoted from Pescado)

For Witch and anyone else, if you want them.
*******
EDIT: Update on the lots, tried to remove all CC and upload with base game furnishing. No store items either. Did use "wandhere" to reduce the price of new items installed. Still kewian-based substituted, but as I said before, not intended for controlled families. :)

Handyman REDUX   Furnished- 45,533 simoleons, empty- 27,893 simoleons

(http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c278/mailchaser40/Pictures%201/The%20Sims%203/Screenshot-119-1.jpg)

(http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c278/mailchaser40/Pictures%201/The%20Sims%203/Screenshot-117-1.jpg)

(http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c278/mailchaser40/Pictures%201/The%20Sims%203/Screenshot-118.jpg)

Download Here (http://www.box.net/shared/elxkjao1cg)
*******

Family Ranch REDUX   Furnished- 67,367 simoleons, empty- 38,203 simoleons  (Darn it, forgot to replace the stairs. Will update it again...)

(http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c278/mailchaser40/Pictures%201/The%20Sims%203/Screenshot-126.jpg)

(http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c278/mailchaser40/Pictures%201/The%20Sims%203/Screenshot-127-1.jpg)

(http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c278/mailchaser40/Pictures%201/The%20Sims%203/Screenshot-128-2.jpg)

Download Here (http://www.box.net/shared/vdnc59yihm)
*******

Meditterranean REDUX   Furnished- 81,698 simoleons, empty- 52,100 simoleons (not packaged on a beach lot)

(http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c278/mailchaser40/Pictures%201/The%20Sims%203/Screenshot-124-1.jpg)

(http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c278/mailchaser40/Pictures%201/The%20Sims%203/Screenshot-120.jpg)

(http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c278/mailchaser40/Pictures%201/The%20Sims%203/Screenshot-121-1.jpg)

Download Here (http://www.box.net/shared/1qh13nxlyo)

***********************************************************************************

Sunset Valley Handyman Home is a 3beds, 2bath home, that once was a fixer-upper,

but now is a nice place for his sim family. Furnished 51,029 simoleons, empty 29,545 simoleons

and on a 20x30 lot.

Main Picture (http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c278/mailchaser40/Pictures%201/The%20Sims%
203/Screenshot-174.jpg)
Main Overview (http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c278/mailchaser40/Pictures%201/The%20Sims%
203/Screenshot-185.jpg)
Basement Overview (http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c278/mailchaser40/Pictures%201/The%20Sims%
203/Screenshot-186.jpg)
Livingroom/Dining (http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c278/mailchaser40/Pictures%201/The%20Sims%
203/Screenshot-175.jpg)
Livingroom 1 (http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c278/mailchaser40/Pictures%201/The%20Sims%
203/Screenshot-188-1.jpg)
Livingroom 2 (http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c278/mailchaser40/Pictures%201/The%20Sims%
203/Screenshot-189.jpg)
Basement 1 (http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c278/mailchaser40/Pictures%201/The%20Sims%
203/Screenshot-180.jpg)
Basement 2 (http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c278/mailchaser40/Pictures%201/The%20Sims%
203/Screenshot-187.jpg)
Side Yard (http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c278/mailchaser40/Pictures%201/The%20Sims%
203/Screenshot-191.jpg)

I have included a folder with other objects if you need to install them. Should be done first
before installing lot.
The only things not in the folder is Thomas Kinkade Picture #21 (http://www.digitalperversion.net/gardenofshadows/index.php?topic=13985.0).  Handyman Truck (http://www.modthesims.info/download.php?t=364790) by SimKid405, since it is more like a mod, then the downloader should choose whether to get it.EA The Sims 3 Store (http://www.moreawesomethanyou.com/smf/index.php/topic,15100.0.html) lights from the Hewnman set, bookcase from the Bayside set, baywindow from the UltraLounge set. Sims Art Gallery (http://simsartgallery.wordpress.com/) "It's a Boy's World" picture set (roll down the page).

Credits:

HystericalParoxsym
Lethe s
HugeLunatic
SimsArtGallery
MangoSims
Srikandi
EA

I did include other SimsArtGallery pictures in a separate link.

Download Here (http://www.box.net/shared/7k13nfjcmb)
Download SAG Pictures
(http://www.box.net/shared/54ls8p3nok)
*******

1960's Style Ranch has 4beds and 2baths, perfect for the growing family. Furnished 68,913 simoleons, empty 37,852 simoleons. On a 30x40 lot.

Main Picture (http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c278/mailchaser40/Pictures%201/The%20Sims%203/Screenshot-195.jpg)
Main Overview (http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c278/mailchaser40/Pictures%201/The%20Sims%203/Screenshot-203-1.jpg)
Basement Overview (http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c278/mailchaser40/Pictures%201/The%20Sims%203/Screenshot-204-1.jpg)
Hallway to Kitchen (http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c278/mailchaser40/Pictures%201/The%20Sims%203/Screenshot-197-1.jpg)
Kitchen 1 (http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c278/mailchaser40/Pictures%201/The%20Sims%203/Screenshot-201-1.jpg)
Kitchen 2 (http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c278/mailchaser40/Pictures%201/The%20Sims%203/Screenshot-202-1.jpg)
Livingroom 1 (http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c278/mailchaser40/Pictures%201/The%20Sims%203/Screenshot-198-1.jpg)
Livingroom 2 (http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c278/mailchaser40/Pictures%201/The%20Sims%203/Screenshot-199-1.jpg)
Dining Area (http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c278/mailchaser40/Pictures%201/The%20Sims%203/Screenshot-200-1.jpg)
Back Yard Deck (http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c278/mailchaser40/Pictures%201/The%20Sims%203/Screenshot-208-1.jpg)

I included an other objects folder in the file, suggest downloading what you need first from this folder.
I didn't include Songbirds (http://simsartgallery.wordpress.com/page/4/) and Rose is a Rose (http://simsartgallery.wordpress.com/page/5/) sets by SimsArtGallery. EA The Sims 3 Store (http://www.moreawesomethanyou.com/smf/index.php/topic,15100.0.html) UltraLounge Youth set, UltraLounge Bedroom Endtables.

Credits:

HugeLunatic
Sims3MarketPlaz
Simplanx
Srikandi
DeluxeDesigns
Snaitf
EA

Download Here (http://www.box.net/shared/o6lj8zcnqi)

*******

Meditteranean Style is a 3beds, 2 bath home by the ocean. Furnished 103,662, empty 62,866, on a 40x40 lot.

Main Picture (http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c278/mailchaser40/Pictures%201/The%20Sims%203/Screenshot-209-1.jpg)
Main Overview (http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c278/mailchaser40/Pictures%201/The%20Sims%203/Screenshot-128.jpg)
Basement Overview (http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c278/mailchaser40/Pictures%201/The%20Sims%203/Screenshot-130.jpg)
Livingroom 1 (http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c278/mailchaser40/Pictures%201/The%20Sims%203/Screenshot-226.jpg)
Livingroom 2 (http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c278/mailchaser40/Pictures%201/The%20Sims%203/Screenshot-215-1.jpg)
Entrance (http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c278/mailchaser40/Pictures%201/The%20Sims%203/Screenshot-216-1.jpg)
Kitchen (http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c278/mailchaser40/Pictures%201/The%20Sims%203/Screenshot-217.jpg)
Master Bedroom 1 (http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c278/mailchaser40/Pictures%201/The%20Sims%203/Screenshot-133-1.jpg)
Master Bedroom 2 (http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c278/mailchaser40/Pictures%201/The%20Sims%203/Screenshot-219.jpg)
Back of Retention Pond (http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c278/mailchaser40/Pictures%201/The%20Sims%203/Screenshot-125.jpg)
Back Yard (http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c278/mailchaser40/Pictures%201/The%20Sims%203/Screenshot-124.jpg)

Again, I did include an other objects folder to install what you needed first, before installing the lot.
Didn't include Ships Ahoy (http://simsartgallery.wordpress.com/page/5/) and Catch of the Day (http://simsartgallery.wordpress.com/page/5/) pictures by SimsArtGallery. EA Sims 3 Store (http://www.moreawesomethanyou.com/smf/index.php/topic,15100.0.html) sets from Bayside, Hewnsman, and Storybook bedroom.

Credits:

Inge Jones
EA

Download Here (http://www.box.net/shared/89c14mjhtj)


If there's any problems, I will try to correct them as soon as possible.

Nice.  I like how you put cribs in them.  :)

They are all very pretty and have such interesting layouts.  Gosh, I wish I could build like that; all my sim houses are boring, ugly boxes.

 :) I like them, they appear to have been constructed for good gameplay. I wouldn't download them because if I'm downloading CC, I'd prefer it not be because I need it for a lot to play properly. However, they're still lovely.

You used substandard equipment in several rooms: The basement shower is defective, and several beds are below spec. These items are harmful to your sims! A house this large and expensive should never include harmful items. Accept no Kewian-based substitutes!

Pescado, do you have a list anywhere of the equipment you consider substandard or broken? or alternately do you have a guideline in terms of environment score and comfort?

I used the search function to see if you'd updated Awesomespec for TS3 but I couldn't find a reference to it. Apologies if I'm missing the bleeding obvious here.

The cheapest shower, single and double beds, refrigimator, and stove are all harmful to Sims, because they sometimes or usually give negative moodlets.  There may be a few other such things that Pescado means by "Kewian-based substitutes" in this context, which hopefully he'll chime in and mention by name.  I like this phrase "harmful to Sims" because that is exactly what they are, though I'm not awesome enough ever to have been able to come up with that description on my own.

That being said, I too am impressed with your houses, being as I am also a maker of ugly boxes.  I was finally beginning to be able to make marginally-acceptable houses in TS2, free of Kewian-based substitutes and complying with AwesomeSpec for whichever EPs I was running at the time, but good TS3 houses seem much harder to make.  So I'm always impressed when I see good work like yours.  Will probably download one or more of them at some point.

Ah thank you for explaining that, that makes sense now. :)

They're not my houses though *points upwards* I was just curious what Pescado's measure of harmfulness was as I have been building for TS3 but I haven't shared any of my stuff yet. I beleive I need to accrue enough game play to ensure I don't annoy other players by screwing up the layout.

Ohh that last house is just what I was trying to build but failing hardcore at. In my town the only way out is six feet under and with 75% of the fertile sim-esses ripe with their second and third parasitic offspring, I predict space will soon become an issue. In fact, as I speak, the Frios are multiplying like demon rabbits and are slowly laying claim to the entirety of the south side. Being the benevolent creator I am, I'm tying to dawdle and if at all, thwart their inevitable, creeping conquest of Sunset Valley and…well… my sims need new abodes to seek refuge from the mass murders, pillaging and rape.

Thanks  ;D

So it's only the very cheapest of these items that are harmful?

Okay, I accept failure on the furnishing part of my houses. Most houses I build and furnish are for the non-played families in my game. Harmful or not, those lots are not important to me. I did make them sort of expensive, but lots of sim families in my game can afford them. Also, I didn't know about or follow any specs other than being able move around the lot and having a crib, a nice amounts of beds for sims to live there. Really looking through the windows at the non-played sims in the house, they are not moving around, talking, or using the equipment anyway.

I will look up the awesome specs for the lot and learn more about "harmful items". Sorry for posting utter failure.

Well I certainly wouldn't class these lots as failures. I like them and have yoinked them. I tend to build enormous houses and really enjoy the compact family homes that others manage to make. After all, it's easy enough to replace a few beds and bathroom fixtures.   ::)

Yes: The following items are Kewian-based substitutes and display gross insuperiority in performance:
Cheap Shower
Low End Stoves
Cheap Fridge
Any beds except the best (HUGE different in energy rates, which is the slowest motive by far).
Bathtubs Unsupported By Showers (it's fine to have a tub, but only if it is either a combination shower-tub or a secondary fixture combined with a real shower).

Acceptable places to cut corners:
Computars (cheap computers are lousy at fun, but totally serviceable for Srs Business)
Seating (lower comfy buff, but this only applies when you are actually USING it)
Bookshelves (no real benefit for bookshelves on home lots as you are penalized for non-library use)
Terlets (cheaper terlets break a lot, but you have to earn your plumbing repair somewhere)
Sinks (same story, plus sinks are rarely used)
Decoratives (these have no functional worth, so selection of them at all is purely aesthetic anyway)
Structural (Structural components are largely superfluous to the actual functioning of a sim house, and walls mostly are aesthetic in nature)

Any house utilizing any of the unacceptable Kewian-based substitutes is automatically classified as a "display-grade" home not intended to be played, and should be labelled accordingly.
Such things may be acceptable on other sites, but this is MATY! Accept no Kewian-based substitutes!

 :) Pescado I know you hate being thanked, so all I'll say is that is an extremely useful list of things to take into account. Minus the question of how environment score works in Sims 3 (I'm unsure whether that's changed from Sims 2) that could almost be considered a bible of how to build for the game.

There is no environment score, it has been replaced by moodlet-based mood buffs for "well-decorated" rooms and debuffs for unfinished rooms lacking floor and wall coverings.

I like all three of these for the purpose of non-playables. Your 60s ranch home should replace the game's Bunch house--it's been forever since I've seen an episode of that (thank goodness), but it was my immediate reaction when the house scrolled into view.

I'm fine with sub-standard equipment for homes that are meant for townies.

These are great; there is a good use of space, lots are evenly decorated, and yard space seems to have purpose. I'm not a fan of the color combination of the external Handyman's home, but that's probably just personal taste. Nice basements. I tend to avoid building with them. In my current game, I only have one lot with a basement (walkout, egress windows onto the garden in the front yard, opens out onto a patio and pool in the back yard).

These are a bit too expensive for display-class homes, as townies will not likely be able to afford them. If you're making townie-class homes, you need to really chop down those prices.

But her point was to make the homes pleasant (both in realism and buffs like Beautifully Decorated, I'd guess) for her actual played Sims to visit. With that goal in mind, and considering that her townies are non-played anyway (as is the style of play with many here, from what they have said), it seems more sensible to just give the townies enough bank so they can afford the homes.

Or you can just move the townies around. I've been building more than playing lately and what I've been doing is taking all the identical starter homes I'd set up for my townies and rebuilding them with more personality. After about 20 sim days of play and with some shuffling around for the townies to pair off, each house has around $50k to work with.

A couple generations in my townies all seem to have a lot of money anyway. I have a number of cheap starters they have never moved into while other more expensive homes get occupied. *shrug*

I just wanted to say thank you for uploading these! I can definitely use the first one in my remake of Sunset Valley. ;D

What Mr. Pescado was saying about the beds got me to thinking about one of my favorite tuning mods: Same Gain for All Beds (http://linna.modthesims.info/download.php?t=348825) by nightie over at MTS. I like being able to decorate in various styles and hate that beds I want to use for a particular style of home have inferior energy increases. This completely solves the problem.

I hope they can be useful, really I wasn't sure about uploading them. I posted the floorplans on some of my smaller homes just to show Mr. Rootard that sims in TS3 don't need that much tiles in his floorplans and yet they can get around. Witch ask me to upload, but I should have researched more before uploading.

Pescado, in my town, my sims can afford the housing that range from 30,000 to 70,000 simoleons cause I have been playing this hood for 13 sim weeks, the second generation are buying them up. I didn' t configure AM to be so strict on skills and jobs cause I don't play SC or too many families. Maybe two or three and with the new families coming in the game with 25,000 simoleons (I think that is what I read), that has helped them alot in my starter homes that I set up between 15,000 to 17,500 simoleons. Those families move out quick when they get the money for nicer homes.

@ Regina, I was thinking the same thing about that mod, but I don't want all the beds to have that level of comfort, just the 2 custom beds that I love using, but is dangerous to sims. Although, I love the sims are tired and need sleep after being up all night with a newborn, teaching toddlers skills, learning skills then have 2 hrs of sleep before work. That coffee buzz gets them thru the day and love how ASM have the sleep at work features. Also they will not promote so easily since I play my sims for 140 days.

I built and downloaded a lot of small homes in which Sims navigate with no problems. I didn't comment on any of Mr. Roo's houses because he doesn't seem too open to suggestions as it appears that he already knows everything about building Sim houses, but I had a few thoughts that could have been helpful. I used to constantly build houses that were absolutely huge. My problem zooming out while I'm building and ending up with the whole house being way too big.  I eventually learned (in TS2) to put down a huge chunk of foundation, where I thought the house should go, then start placing furniture as markers and build the house around that and delete the extra foundation. It worked a treat!  It also got me better trained on size because I could zoom out with everything in place and put things into a better perspective.  I also made four special floor tiles with numbers 1 through 4 that were priced at zero. Once I got to setting furniture about I would start slapping down numbered floor tiles for each room (I preferred those to walls since walls would block out the light and make it too hard for me to see). These were pretty strange ways to train myself to think smaller, but they worked. I am constantly learning new things and trying to upgrade my building skills.  For TS2 I never worried too much about having many more houses than I needed for the Sims I play. TS3 is a whole different matter all together. lol

As for the bed mod, it took me a bit of adjustment to get used to it. At first I thought it was a bit high-powered but after using it for a while I adapted. My Sims can still have to drag their hind ends out of bed in the mornings if I don't keep a close eye on things.

Regina that's a really good suggestion. I used to do a similar thing. I'd mentally grid it out or even draw something basic down on MS paint. I'd do a x10 square grid and start filling it in with coloured boxes to represent different bits of the house. I figured if I knew roughly how big something was going to be beforehand, then I'd be less likely to do something that meant the Sim took nearly a full hour to get to the carpool in the morning. ;)

Then  I delete at least 50% of the foundation. This method is the only way I can build semi-normal size houses.  ::)

It is much easier to build smaller houses in TS3 as there is less need to build spare rooms for large skilling rewards; not to mention sims tend to skill offsite now anyway, so a large assortment of objects is not required.

For some reason it refuses to install it. [god I hate EA's fugly launcher] Does anyone know how I might can get around that?

I applaud you for these... espescially when compared with Rootard's "contributions". Very realistic, very playable. The only thing is that on the fixer upper, the top most window has a wood frame and stone surrounds for the panes... that's my only negative comment LOL. It should be the opposite way I believe, since it is a window that supposedly opens. (Who wants to push open a window made of granite?) Otherwise, fantastic work - you got the proportions just right for each style.

See Rootard? We can make pretties too... and have them not be a load of shit.  ;D

I had problems installing these lots also. I put the folders full of custom content - which I was a bit wary of - into my packages folder. Then I put the lot files into Downloads. The launcher fails to recognise the lots, with or without content.

Witch, I did get better at it fortunately. By the time I wasn't glued to TS2 I was able to build houses that weren't completely over-grown. Overall, though, I didn't build nearly as many houses in TS2 as I will be building in TS3. Not nearly as many.

Sorry about that Witch and Larku. I wonder if dragging the lots over Pescado's compressorizer will help. I didn't do it before uploading, I think I read not to do that on lots being uploaded. May have misunderstood it.

I wonder if Delphy's Multi-Installer will help install the lots with a package file? I will try it tonight and see what happens.

I tried using the compressorizer on the homes and it didn't work for me. :/ .. It's a pity because I love the Mediterranean. I keep getting some error about needing to update which is garbage because I have the latest patch.

Hmmm, i seem to be having the same issue with installing these homes as Moryrie - error saying an update for my software is needed. This only happened after i just recently reinstalled and re-updated the game to fix a bug where my sims began having symbiotic relationships with their mailboxes. Prior to reinstalling, i had the lastest update and the houses installed fine. 

Putting them in as packages using Delphy's Multi-Installer didn't work and neither did the compressorizer but all the CC installed fine so i'm stumped.

Okay, give me a day and I will upload the lots with only base game items in them. I have a few things in RL to take of first, then I will get to work on them.

The base game only versions still refuse to install, saying I need to update my game blah blah blah.... Using the Pescado's tool did not change that. It's a shame, because they really look nice, and I was looking forward to put them in my neighbourhood.

There are non-base-game versions? I thought we didn't have expansions yet.

Pescado I think she means versions without store content.

Have you tried installing using jfade's 3viewer (http://forum.jfade.com/viewtopic.php?f=51&t=466), or are you using the crappy EAxis installer?

I had tried with the launcher and Delphy multi installer but it did not work. Using 3viewer was a success though. Thanks !