More Awesome Than You!

Adventure!

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v122/rnkis/th_Bayborough.jpg) (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v122/rnkis/Bayborough.jpg)

Bounded on the North, East and South by picturesque mountains, Bayborough rests nestled along the banks of the Arbormill River. Originally founded by the survivors of an exodus gone awry at sea, this settlement has grown into a quiet, idyllic town perfect for the growing family, prosperity seekers, and adventure!

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v122/rnkis/th_subdt.jpg) (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v122/rnkis/subdt.jpg)  (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v122/rnkis/th_dtent.jpg) (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v122/rnkis/dtent.jpg)  (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v122/rnkis/th_countryroad.jpg) (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v122/rnkis/countryroad.jpg)  (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v122/rnkis/th_beach.jpg) (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v122/rnkis/beach.jpg)
Map Size
Large

File Size
V1. = 69mb
V2. = 80mb

Game Requirements
Base Game
World Adventures
Riverview

Zoning Information
Po' Folk : 12 lots
Low Income/Working Class: 10 lots
Working Middle to Upper Middle Class: 16 lots
Upper Crust: 10 lots
Big Cheese: 1 lot
1 woodsman's cabin
2 farm road lots
1 vineyard
2 warehouse district lots (1 empty 1 single family)
2 downtown apartment complexes

VERSION 1: Community and key residential lots only
Included specialty lots:
Small Abandonded Factory (http://www.modthesims.info/download.php?t=395524) - MTS plasticbox (http://www.modthesims.info/member.php?u=178282)
Italian Vineyard -  MTS Black0rchid (http://www.modthesims.info/member.php?u=1383012)
F.R.I.E.N.D.S Project: The Apartments - MTS xteenah (http://www.modthesims.info/member.php?u=1962348)
Vista Alegre Gym - MTS delry (http://www.modthesims.info/member.php?u=1182114)
Hans' Museum - MTS rhans (http://www.modthesims.info/member.php?u=3213256)
Windfall Motel - MTS Sarasvati (http://www.modthesims.info/member.php?u=1122936)
New Old Library - MTS isarpgista (http://www.modthesims.info/member.php?u=220207)
St. Helena - TSR matomibotaki (http://www.thesimsresource.com/downloads/details/category/sims3-lots-community/title/Santa%20Helena/id/933994/)
Devlin Saints - by me
Bayborough Chapel and Cemetery - by me
Branch Street Row - by me
Center Park - by me
Cabin in the Woods - by me
Bus Stops/Monument/Rest Stop - by me
Rabbit Holes swiped from both Sunset Valley and Riverview

VERSION 2: The Meat
All the above plus houses by:
Lucidity, Harmony, Cobbler's Cottage, Azalea Cottage, and Cypress Manor by Romagi (http://www.modthesims.info/member.php?u=2690753).
Several of Plasticbox's (http://www.modthesims.info/member.php?u=178282) WeeBarnoids. Please note, all of Plasticbox's lots are available for any version of the game (base game compatible) with absolutely no custom content required.
Puggle Farm (http://www.modthesims.info/download.php?t=386513) and Aunt Helena's (http://www.modthesims.info/download.php?t=388441) by ninotchka
Hacker's Nest (http://www.digitalperversion.net/gardenofshadows/index.php?topic=12808.0) by Armonia
2 Cherry Tree Lane and 1 Cherry Tree Close by hillcrest (http://www.modthesims.info/member.php?u=1885019)
Hitman Bloodmoney - A New Life (http://www.modthesims.info/download.php?t=398432) House by Kristoph
Stargazer Way (http://www.modthesims.info/download.php?t=398816) by stouffers3
Woodstone Starter (http://www.modthesims.info/download.php?t=367611) by GiveTheNineARide
Once Upon a Time in the 70s (http://www.modthesims.info/download.php?t=398226) by snrubsy
The Rich Guy's Smaller House (http://www.modthesims.info/download.php?t=389760) by lewjen




*If this world is (or the lots included within are) reused, shared, or redistributed in any way, please give credit where credit is due!

I leave the potato-ing up to you!


Community and key lots only download: http://www.mediafire.com/file/qjdzmz2mmtq/BayComLots.7z

Plus Residential download: http://www.mediafire.com/file/zznnkzoz2jt/BayboroughLots.7z

__________

Do not ever install a beta world into your play game! To completely remove all traces and make a final version playable it is necessary to remove the dcdb files created during installation.
To test a world:
1. Remove your play game dcdb files (in My Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3) and place them somewhere safe.
2. Install world.
If Riverview is included in your installed content you will need to remove it via the uninstall world method below. You can then reinstall it in your test game for use with your testing.

To uninstall a world:
1. Use the uninstall option from the game launcher.
2. Delete all caches (including and most definately worldcache).(in My Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3)
3. Delete all dcdb files from your DCCache folder.(in My Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3)
4. Make sure all .world files are removed from your InstalledWorlds folder.(in My Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3)

You can then replace your play game dbdc files and install the final version of your new world for play. I recommend always testing a world before deciding to add it permanently to your game.

This looks very promising. I won't be trying it just yet though, as I have two other worlds I need to play with first, but yours is definitely going on my list of worlds to try. One thing I am hoping for is fewer standard rabbitholes in custom hoods.

The grass looks a bit too dark, and the texture is waaaaaaay too repetitive.

The road layout is interesting but without a shot of lot placement we can't really tell if it's any good or not (curved roads make connecting lots to the street difficult if not immpossible, and this has a lot of them. We need to see where lots are placed.)

The palms by the beach are a tad too cliche, I think, and you can also see the edges of the distant terrain in the ocean. And those mountains are too 6-year-old-drawing-mountains, they look really out of place.

This criticism is based on screenshots alone, for reference.

I do have in mind to do exactly this with my next world attempt, as the theme will call for it. This being my first attempt at new worlding I took some shortcuts.

------

Here are some lot placement shots for you.

I took these with the default grass texture so you could compare it to the one I used. It could be my computer settings but the darker one I used fits the "lush" look I was going for and is a lot less noticeable in it's repetitiveness. Unfortunately, any lighter grass textures I try have the extreme visible tiling or they are too yellow. Perhaps I just haven't found the right texture pack yet.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v122/rnkis/th_pofolklots.jpg) (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v122/rnkis/pofolklots.jpg)  (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v122/rnkis/th_mid2upc1.jpg) (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v122/rnkis/mid2upc1.jpg)  (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v122/rnkis/th_wm2uc.jpg) (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v122/rnkis/wm2uc.jpg)  (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v122/rnkis/th_uc.jpg) (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v122/rnkis/uc.jpg)

Here's a bird's eye comparison of the grass:

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v122/rnkis/th_arialLghtGrass.jpg) (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v122/rnkis/arialLghtGrass.jpg)  (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v122/rnkis/th_arialDrkgrass.jpg) (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v122/rnkis/arialDrkgrass.jpg)

I'd be happy to upload an alternate version with the lighter grass if you would prefer.

*edited for correct pics

What would you expect him to put by the beach?  They are cliche because they belong there.

Man, what textures are you using? they repeat every 4 feet.

The lighter one is the one that comes base standard with CAW. The darker is the WA light Nile. Default game textures.

I tried using textures from both Martine and bsi and the tiling is even more extreme. You have some particular textures in mind that don't have this effect? I'd love to try them.

*ETA: The distant terrain visible in the ocean is not so visible in game. That's a CAW shot that shows the edges pronounced. I'm not sure what to tell you about my 6 year old mountains. Rolling mountainous hills combined with the distant terrain with use of the camera non-routing was meant as a backdrop to the town.  I do appreciate criticism, as it lets me know where to improve what. I'll see what I can do to improve my mountain making skills.

Neither of those textures have that affect for me. I figured you must be using some cruddy textures.

Perhaps because they are CAW shots with fog/shadows turned off and my constrast/brightness settings are different than yours?
Not really sure, but if they are as crappy for others in their games I'll have to try to figure out why.

Last time I went to my local beach, it was markedly lacking in palm trees. Have I been ripped off? Should there have been palms? Is there someone I can write to regarding this problem?

I'm pretty sure it has more to do with your graphics settings.  I would guess the detail would look different on another computer, or with different settings.  I usually set mine as high as my computer will allow, before taking screen shots.   I lower it again when I play the game so I don't get as much lag.  


BTW I think you world looks rather nice.  If you are still working on it, I have a few hints to make it look even better.  Your trees look pretty evenly spaced out.  You might try clustering them more.  In the wild you will have clusters of trees in one spot where the mother tree dropped its seeds.   Also perhaps play with the dirt textures near your dirt roads a bit more; maybe some tilled farm texture.   

Definately still working and looking to improve it. The advice/input is greatly appreciated.

Maybe in crazyland, but "sand" does not equal "palm trees grow here".

I am downloading it now and will play around with it this evening. I will get back to you tomorrow on how everything hangs together. :)

Well, in his world they do. Sheesh-o-peesh.

I've actually taken the palm trees out. While they do denote "beach here!" in majority, Claeric is right. They are cliche and since this isn't actually a tropical paradise or tropical anything, alternatives are a better fit.

So I've done some more detailing around the dirt roads, clumped up my trees and made my woodsy areas woodsy, and the palm tree nazies invaded the beach.
I'll play with my settings in game and see if I can't get some more eye pleasing screen shots.  

______

I played with my graphics settings but am finding no changes to the tiling effect. All game settings set to high and even attempting to tweak things in my graphics card settings result in the exact same appearance. I'm sure I'm doing something wrong but far too tired to care at the moment.

The soil lining the dirt roads has been tilled:
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v122/rnkis/th_roaddirt.jpg) (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v122/rnkis/roaddirt.jpg)

Trees have been clustered:
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v122/rnkis/th_clustered.jpg) (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v122/rnkis/clustered.jpg)

Palm trees removed:
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v122/rnkis/th_nopalms.jpg) (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v122/rnkis/nopalms.jpg)



*Edit: File may have been corrupt. Link replaced.

Well, I notice an improvement in the photos, and the trees look much more realistic.  It's really coming along.   

In map view the grass tiling effect is really noticeable, even when I switched my setting around, at higher graphical settings it isn't as noticeable during play. I am learning to ignore it.

So far everything works well, though I found a couple of EAxis blorts that amused me. I had a married couple join the police career together and while the wife shows her husband as being her "partner" the husband doesn't and cannot "meet" anyone at work.  Ah EA, your lameness continues onward.

Having two science labs is interesting, I have had to do opportunities at both of them and I like the ability to "transfer" from one lab to the other. It makes jobs somewhat more realistic.

Nothing has crashed yet and no BFBVFS, so kudos!

Good to hear it's running well for you.

The two science labs was done with a good science vs. evil science thing in mind. Seedy scientists working on evil research plans in the warehouse district in league with the villains of the Outstanding Citizens Warehouse Corp. and then the good guys on the Landgraab end.

I noticed terrain clipping on the curved roads in the 30x30 subdivision and found a couple more address woopsies. Plus I think the beach side of things needs some work. After the museum it just sort of drops off and feels too barren to me. So I'll be working on fixing those issues and any others that might crop up in this thread for a, hopefully, final "no meat" version of the world.


*eta: Looks like I found the problem with the horrible tiling. The texture used was a default game texture that had been extracted at a 512x512 dimension. Should be remedied in the next version.

New Textures sample:
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v122/rnkis/th_newtex.jpg) (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v122/rnkis/newtex.jpg)

Yay for finding a solution to the tiling problem!

I have traveled to all three foreign destinations, done opportunities etc, still without BFBVFS. I will declare this world usable and sound. :)

The curved roads with lots do require some adjustment in my lot building technique, since some of the lots don't perfectly touch the road, making pathways out to the road look a little off. I am specifically thinking of the large community lot right at the bend of one of the roads that I have made into a park. But I can't be bothered to muck around until its perfect, its usable, so who cares. LOL

I really like the layout of those roads and the placement of the workplaces, that layout makes sense to me. I'm really interested to see how it looks once you're finished.

Thanks very much for the feedback!

I should be able to upload a 'final' unpopulated Bayborough this evening. Hopefully in 2 versions: A community and specialty lots only world as well as a version with several residential lots in place. I'm just waiting for permission from the creators of some of those lots.

I'll update the original post with pictures and download links and the unfortunate process that must be undergone when installing an updated version of a previously installed world.

Changes to note:
All textures have been replaced.
I adjusted lot placement in the upper middle class subdivison (the one with the circle road near the farm road. I just couldn't remedy clipping on the curve lots so I moved them.
Added an easter egg or two.


I'm actually pretty darn pleased with how things have turned out in flow. I wish I had planned more of a residential downtown space but I'm actaully liking the the novelty of having two apartment areas only to stash "townies".
I planned the one empty downtown community lot to be a firehouse but with how the science facilities are working out I'm considering putting in a 2nd DooPeas. Battle of the Newspapers!

EDIT: Original post updated.
*Housed version now available.

Would anyone be interested in a populated version of this?
I had originally planned on doing one but if there's no interest I won't waste my time on it.

I'd be interested in a populated version - I love your neighborhood.

I installed the residential version, since I wanted to rummage around and see what was there. However, loading it up, I noticed that there was something missing - the houses. Not only do both of those links lead to the same file, but they're actually the same link, duplicated.

Heh. Is this an intelligence test or a mistake? I'm just amused that nobody has posted anything about this.

Link is fixed. Glad someone noticed I mis-pasted because I sure didn't.

I was halfway through a rebuttal of jaldeer's post, having done a fair bit of Science to be damned sure that I knew what I was talking about. Good thing that there's that preview function!

Thank you, Myskaal. I'll check out the new link now.

To be fair, the com lots file does have a couple residential lots included. I can see how (s)he could have mistaken the version.

Have fun with it. Playing it myself I did notice a few quirks. One WeeBarnoid is turned the wrong direction (mailbox not on the streetside) and I forgot to change the name for St. Helena back to just St. Helena. I also should have added more street lights. I was counting on the idea lights from the lots themselves would illuminate the areas they would be most needed in, but no. Lot lighting does not persist outside of a lot, apparently. The darkness is great int he woodsy parts of town but a little off in the downtown area and subdivisions.

All in all though it plays pretty smooth.

This is one of the best looking neighborhoods I've seen out there, but is there a chance of release for a base game-compatible version?  The only thing that possibly compels me to even consider looking at getting WA is the fact that I can't download decent custom worlds like this because the creators all own WA for some reason.  It's not that I'm some cheapskate, I just really, really don't like WA. 

I just installed this in my game and like it ..... but ...... did you use the camera routing tool? In my game the camera is going off the edges everywhere. It looks like you still need to do that.

I did use it. Your camera shouldn't be going off the edges. I can get close but not over. Because I placed things close to the edges in some spots, some areas were left more free than others but you still should not be able to route completely off any edge.

I definitely could see off the edges in several areas. Did you happen to use the blank SV template to start the hood? There is one area that really looks like the back of the waterfall area the way the terrain is painted in the area that cannot be edited. It also looked like there was that divide line  between the EA painted area and the work area. I did a drastic redo of SV and it looked familiar as far as that goes in a few places. I had to really work to hide that line and get rid of the view of some other areas.

You did a great job on the hood, but IMO if you can clean up the edges it will be even better.   :)

Nope, I used a flat blank map.

I'm not entirely sure I'll be revisiting this hood. Perhaps in the future I may get the inkling to fix it up but as for now, I'm working on other projects. It was a good learning process, though. I'll definitely be taking my experience plus the feedback from this thread with me as I make new worlds.

I did about 8 before I was happy enough with the one I have now to use it as my main hood. It is good enough, but not perfect. As you say, I think we learn with each one. I want to do at least one or two more.

The thing I don't quite understand is how you got that look of the SV blank with a clean start. I started with a totally flat large one and never had that divide in mine.

Typical EA/Sims ..... we cannot predict anything.

Post a screen shot of the area you're talking about? If it's on the edge, it's likely because of how the distant terrains are melding together.  I haeve't messed with the SV or RV lite templates at all so it's hard to say without knowing where you mean.

Looks like "practice" is at a standstill for me now, anyway. I installed Ambitions. No more CAW at least until EA gets around to fixing it.

Here are some pics. In my large hood where I started from the blank flat one, I do not have any of this.  I have only the terrain in the square template and no distant terrain that cannot be altered. I have the edges routed, so like in R and SV, the edges cannot be seen.

That is what is confusing me, is that I do not have distant terrains as EA used in SV and R. All of mine flows together and if not routed still would not have any divide. So I am not sure why your hood has this starting from the blank template.

Gotcha. I used 2 of the SV type distant terrain (the non WA terrains that is). They overlap and are rotated/tilted and lowered/raised in an attempt to "hide" them/merge them into the bay and each other. That's what's causing those effects.

That explains it. I knew it looked like they were used. I am glad to hear that I am not totally losing it .... yet.