Thanks again for all of your feedback. As far the the Criminal Building entrance area, I will keep an eye for that, but haven't run into any problems there myself. I will see what I can do so that parties can be had at Gazebo Park. I had intended for it to be used for outdoor weddings, so it's important for that to work. I love/hate the small map thing too, but sadly I took the easy way out and did it because it was a size I could handle for just beginning. My goal is to one day have a mainland larger map that actually looks nice. In my previous attempts the terrain painting looks awful.

@ gotchan Wow, those are really cool! Admittedly, not the style I generally go with, but really awesome nonetheless. I got back to building last night and I have most of the block with 10x10's done. There I am doing traditional brick houses. I am glad I put up this version so that I can see the all the different styles people use!

@bestofsmall I really like what you are doing too! I hope everyone keeps posting pics, I will try to get some up myself later tonight.

I'm glad you guys like the layout so far. I have only structurally completed a couple of the 10x10 lots. The are 2 bed 1.5 bath houses with no basement. I might add that in. I would love to see your screenshots, and as soon as my schedule gives me a chance, I will finish one of the houses and upload it. I am planning on making all of the 10x10 lots similar, like in a neighborhood.

Thank you so much for posting your feedback! I'm glad to hear that the small town thing works for you, and that you like my frankenbuildings (which on a world this small, that is about all you can really do). To be honest, I hate islands too for neighborhoods. Since you have a Mac and can't use CAW, you probably aren't aware that when you start a new neighborhood in CAW, it starts as a green square floating in an endless ocean. Before Mapleton, I tried the various methods to not make it look like an island, got frustrated, and ended up making an island. With the current tool, it is much easier to make an island than not. So hopefully, I will have a non-island world in the future, but I don't have the time or patience right now. Thanks again for your feedback, it is much appreciated!

I thought I would give fixing things a try and I can already see why you are burnt out on it. I have found so far that sculpting the terrain does not always behave the way it should (using smooth in some areas leave nice jagged polygons), and conform lots is acting really weird. However, I really like Asherton overall and hope I can fix a few things, even if just for myself.

Just checking in to see if any one got a chance to play it over the weekend. I started work on the built-up version, but with my current schedule, it will take me a bit. Thanks to all who downloaded it so far!

ETA (3/14/10): Just found out that I was accepted to the University I recently applied to so the built-up will probably take a bit longer. I tried posting this on MTS, but mostly because of my non-standardized lot sizes, they rejected it. I made a new version with more consistent lot sizes, and only lost a couple residential lots. Would anyone be interested if I put that one up too?

Thanks for the feedback, I will try to work on that more with the populated version, but I will admit I am not very good at that. The greyish ground is actually paving stones and looks nicer up close, and I did try to do something with each community lot, but I agree that there could be more landscaping done. Out of curiosity, are you going simply off of the screenshots or did you actually load it up in game? Thanks again!

Here is my first real attempt at seriously using CAW. Zazazu's Asherton is what prompted me to give CAW a shot again, and Mapleton is the result. Asherton was a huge inspiration so thanks Zazazu.

This is the unpopulated version, and I will be working to create a built up and populated version. Most of the lots are small and do not match the standard lots sizes of the base worlds, so you will probably have to build your own houses. This does contain WA items and it may contain Store items as well (does have Riverview items). Here's a bit of history about the island:

Discovered in 1843 by Sir Francis Maples off the coast of what is now Washington State, Maples Island has a unique history. A wealthy Seattle man named Doctor West purchased the island for his own private getaway. When building his mansion, workers discovered iron deposits and a mining community quickly built up and was known as Weston. During the Pig War, a fort was built on the island to keep an eye on the British. After the stock market crash, Doctor West's family abandoned the island. The residents petitioned to have the name changed to Maples Island after the original discoverer and renamed the community Mapleton. The eastern island is still known as West Island and that is where the most expansive properties remain.



General
Map: Small
Layers: 2 with 3 sublayers
Requires WA and Riverview
Spawners are all from the base game; however the community garden has WA plants

Lots
Total Number: 58

Rabbitholes (everything but the Diner):
Mapleton Theater: 28x20
Mapleton General Hospital: 28x40
Mapleton Community School: 28x40
Mapleton Memorial Stadium: 50x20
Mapleton Cemetery: 25x10
Fort Mapleton: 40x36
Mapleton Municipal District (City Hall & Police): 20x44
Mapleton Square (Bistro & Day Spa): 22x26
Mapleton Shopping Plaza (Bookstore & Grocery): 22x20
Mapleton Commercial Complex (Science, Criminal, & Business): 22x50

Community (8 built-up lots):
Mapleton Pond (fishing): 20x26
Mapleton Community Park (Garden and play set contains WA plants): 21x22
Mapleton Community Gym (Contains Martial Arts equipment): 16x16
Mapleton Center of the Arts (contains WA items): 15x16
Gazebo Park: 14x22
West Island Park: 17x22

Residential (40 - empty lots):
(2) 30x30, (1) 28x30, (1) 22x14, (3) 22x10, 20x30, (2) 20x20, 20x19, 20x15, 20x14, 20x13, 20x12, 18x17, 18x16, 17x12, 16x18, 16x12, 15x27, 15x25, 15x18, (2) 15x16, 15x15, 15x12, 15x11, (2) 15x10, 11x18, (2) 10x12, (6) 10x10, 9x26



Custom Content Used:
Scalloped Roofs by QBUILDERZ
Immodest Pediment by VoiceIHear
Half Walls by Flabaliki
Creeping Ivy by lemoncandy
CAW Textures by Martine and Hysterical Paroxysm

Usage: Feel free to mess around with the world or use the CAW files and change it however you like, but please credit me if you upload it. CAW files are in the .rar file named Mapleton_empty_CAW

Finally, please let me know of any issues that come up and I will fix them for my populated version. Also, constructive criticism is welcome. Thanks!

Files:
Mapleton_empty the Sims3pack world file
Mapleton_empty_CAW the CAW files

One at least one of the lots, (sorry forgot to check the address, but it is the one to the right of 14 West Gardener Avenue) the lot doesn't meet up with the street. Not sure if you can do much about it, but thought I would give you a heads up. Let me know if you need a screen shot or anything.

You have inspired me to go back to CAW to see if I can make anything myself that looks half-way decent. So far I have a mountain-y island with a nice little cove, so we will see how it goes. It took me 5 hours yesterday to even get that far (I scrapped 3 others before settling on this one)

I look forward to your populated version as I fail at making lots look nice. Just square boxy houses for me. I usually download houses, then customize them however I like, but your lots are too small to do that with. Thanks so much though!

I noticed that the AwesomeMod update includes a fix to romance advancement check. I was wondering what this actually did. I would assume that it checks things for romance advancement (being the bright person I am), however I was wondering what the checks are. I have noticed a lot of my married sims in the neighborhood keep going out for romantic interactions with sims other than their spouse. One was family oriented, but routinely was cheating on his wife, which was kinda funny.

Thank you for the help.

Just realized that it was probably your directions that I followed from you making your own Better Names mod over at MTS... could be wrong, but if I'm right, thanks again.

I'm sorry, but I still don't understand. I had made a new names mod based on steps provided by another person. I turned the STBL to a .package (again following the directions) and was using it successfully in my game, however, with this addition to AwesomeMod, it seemed like I should integrate it. I honestly don't know much about modding, and this names mod was my first attempt. If the .package file will still work, I would like to use that. However if it won't, could someone please provide additional steps/clarification? I would genuinely like to understand this process better.

I am also curious about how to enter the name files in the Auto Config. I made my own replacements, but am not entirely sure how to add them in to AwesomeMod. In other words, I do not understand what the Auto Config is asking for. Also, I have all 3 (male/female/last names) combined into one STBL so I was wondering if I needed to change that. If anyone could help, that would be great. Thanks!