Tutorial: Clean custom neighborhoods and Townie creation (Updated for BV)

[gynarchy]

They are attached to this post.

[lerosenoir]

I have a question, and I really hope it does not make me look stupid. And I apologize if I am not "smart" enough to instantly understand parts of the tutorial, okay? Peachy-Keen.

For the purpose of a new legacy challenge, I downloaded modified names for NPC/Townies and replacement CAS faces, so that my townies wouldn't be funky. The threads directed me here, so that I could start a nice clean neighborhood.

I just completed the process and I hope I didn't mess anything up.

1. Say I've gone through the whole thing, and my townies/NPC are generated. When a townie is taken out of the townie/NPC pool will another one spawn? I do want townies to spawn if one dies, gets married, etc. So will this still happen?

2. On the subject of FT, does anyone know the number of characters that will be created since we don't have clean templates yet? I checked my characters folder and there were files in there. But, I am assuming they are from FT because I followed the tutorial carefully.

I appreciate kind and tolerant people. 

[toad]

There is an empty FT template here: http://www.moreawesomethanyou.com/smf/index.php/topic,4306.msg317272.html#msg317272
I think if you want townies to respawn, you will have to make sure you haven't put in the notownieregen hack.  NPCs will respawn if you take one out of the pool on their own, as far as I can tell.

[lerosenoir]

I was wondering...does anyone have or know of a tutorial that guides you through the process of creating your own townies, downtownies, dormies, NPCs, and BV Locals? I really would like to customize my own but the whole thing is a bit overwhelming. I just don't want to mess up my computer or corrupt the game for good. 

I really hate to be a bother but if anyone could help, I'd be most appreciative. 

[BattyCoda]

If you read the OP in this thread, it walks you through all of this I believe; unless I'm misunderstanding your question.

Edit because my spelling was off.

[lerosenoir]

It does...but in a very vague manner. And believe me I have read that first post countless times to try to understand it more.

Mostly, I was just hoping for some more detailed help, especially with NPCs and BV Locals. But on that subject, NPCs and BV locals are two entirely separate issues. The latter of which makes me worried that I'll mess something up.

All in all, I was hoping for a little more of an explanation on how to create these custom NPCs and BV Locals. What I really would like is a numbered list of sorts telling me the steps in which to create custom townies, etc. Hopefully this could be concise yet detailed enough to keep me from asking more stupid questions.

Perhaps, I am asking too much. But if somebody has successfully created custom townies, NPCs, BV Locals, etc., I would appreciate a nice concise list of instructions or guidance.

[seelindarun]

No one here is going to give you better guidance than the first post in this very thread.  This is not the sort of place that generates a lot of instructional posts, especially for those things which have already been explained.  A better approach would be:

1. Read this thread and learn from the other questions that people have asked.
2. Back up your game.
3. Back up your game again.
4. Attempt to execute the instructions in the first post.  If you screw up your game, you have a back up right?  If you still feel timid, make another backup.
5. If you really have not understood and cannot get your game running, return here with a concise list of what you did and what's wrong.

You are far more likely to get responses for individual problems you actually encounter, than an exhaustive list of how to avoid everything you're afraid of.

[witch]

Akshully, I was just wondering if someone wouldn't mind coming round to my house and doing it for me? 

[gynarchy]

Akshully, I was just wondering if someone wouldn't mind coming round to my house and doing it for me? 

Is airfare included? I could use a vacation! 

[lerosenoir]

Akshully, I was just wondering if someone wouldn't mind coming round to my house and doing it for me? 

You're a trouble starter, aren't ya?

I get it; I shall make a grand attempt at it. But expect questions because, unfortunately, I am obviously not worthy of instantly understanding all things greater than I.

I just hope that when I do have particular questions that they will be answered, and that I shall not be ridiculed simply because I am not omniscient.

In fact, I have the most burning questions. I would simply like to know if there is a particular amount of locals needed at each vacation destination, so that the game does not freak out. I am also wondering if I need to create tourists or not. Is it necessary for the game to have them? Or are they simply townies appearing as tourists?

And just to cover my ass, I did read the entire thread about the Make Vacation Sim (Local) Fix. Yet, it does not answer the above questions. And since necromancy is bad, I didn't know if that was one of those cases in which you could post there. So, if I should post this question there, I apologize for my ignorance.

[witch]

You're a trouble starter, aren't ya?

Shit-stirring we call it here. 

I had a go at this a while back, and got it wrong the first time! What I did in the end was print out the instructions, then do each one bit by bit. I backed up each of the original files before I replace them. I crossed out each instruction when I'd done it.

Just be clear where you are going, read, don't assume. It's worth taking the time and having the patience, it's so lovely to have hoods without the EAxis sims.

Good luck.

[lerosenoir]

*sigh*

Alright, I'm having a problem with creating custom NPCs. Let me get a few things straight:

1. Do use the name process as creating a townie, then just make the sim an NPC?
2. Or am I supposed to generate an NPC with the NPC creator?

If the latter, how do I "set your desired age, skintone, and gender settings?"
1. Is the NPC creator used to do this or is it simPE or something else?

Also, why exactly do we need to use the Lot Sync Timer to keep the paperboy away?

Thanks.

[gynarchy]

The Lot Sync Timer keeps the time early enough that the paperboy/girl is not generated before you have a chance to create one yourself. This is the first NPC I usually create in a new neighborhood because I often start thinking about other things and forget to set the clock back. The options for skintone, age, and gender are on the Townie & NPC Maker itself - perhaps this post may help answer some of your questions.

ETA: Sara's post deals specifically with spawning a Grand Vampyre but the steps are basically the same for creating all NPCs. I don't think it's mentioned in that post but if you spawn a Sim you do not want, DO NOT SELECT KILL. This creates an unlinked, crap character file that does nothing but take up space. Instead, exit the lot without saving and re-enter to try again.

[Kyna]

*sigh*

Alright, I'm having a problem with creating custom NPCs. Let me get a few things straight:

1. Do use the name process as creating a townie, then just make the sim an NPC?
2. Or am I supposed to generate an NPC with the NPC creator?

If the latter, how do I "set your desired age, skintone, and gender settings?"
1. Is the NPC creator used to do this or is it simPE or something else?

Also, why exactly do we need to use the Lot Sync Timer to keep the paperboy away?

Thanks.

To make an NPC, I would use the townie & NPC generator (the townie tree in earlier EPs, and the townie gun in later EPs).  The only exception to this is if you want your BV locals to look like they come from their region - in that case make them in CAS and then use Argon's fixed townie maker to turn them into the appropriate NPCs.

You can set the age, skintone & gender on the townie maker before you make the NPCs.  Save after creating each NPC that you like.  Don't use the *kill* option if you don't like the NPC's appearance or name, as that will create a useless dead character file.  Instead, if you don't like the NPC created, simply exit the lot without saving.

Resetting the time via the lot sync timer stops the game generating a paperboy.  If you want to make all your own NPCs and approve of them first, then you don't want the game generating one.  I recommend setting the time to 11am or later - that way you also won't get a mailman created by the game.

For names, if you don't like the standard EAxis generated names, there are mods that will replace the name list that the game uses.  I use this one by Jordi.  This mod doesn't change the name of any NPC or townie that already exists, it only affects the names of game-generated NPCs or townies that are created (including via the townie maker) after adding this mod to your downloads folder.

[lerosenoir]

So, unlike townies/downtownies, etc., you cannot add any makeup, different hair, etc?
Thus, essentially all you can really do with the NPCs is pick their skin color, gender, age, and facial structure, correct?

Then ultimately, it would be a bad idea to create an NPC via CAS and then try to make it an NPC via the townie maker? If this is true, then I could come to the conclusion that NPCs must maintain quite a bit of genericalness?

Therefore, unless I want to micro-manage the facial structure of my NPCs, I should just let the game create them?

[Kyna]

So, unlike townies/downtownies, etc., you cannot add any makeup, different hair, etc?
Thus, essentially all you can really do with the NPCs is pick their skin color, gender, age, and facial structure, correct?

You can't pick their facial structure, and some NPCs need to be a particular age and/or gender (e.g. nannies are always elder females, headmasters are always male, paper deliverers are always teens).  You can choose not to save a particular NPC if you don't like their facial structure, but that's not the same as picking a facial structure yourself.

Then ultimately, it would be a bad idea to create an NPC via CAS and then try to make it an NPC via the townie maker? If this is true, then I could come to the conclusion that NPCs must maintain quite a bit of genericalness?

Therefore, unless I want to micro-manage the facial structure of my NPCs, I should just let the game create them?

The problem with creating an NPC in CAS is that you need to somehow add the required NPC code to their character file, so that the NPC then behaves as it should.  While the townie gun will do this for you for BV tourists & locals (if you have Argon's fixed version), I don't think it has the ability to turn CAS sims into other NPC types.

[seelindarun]

If you don't create any NPCs at all the game will generate them as you need, so I usually don't bother with this step.  If I need them to wear a different costume for some themed 'hood, I customise them cosmetically as I encounter them.

As a general rule, you really shouldn't make NPCs playable since that forces the generation of another one.  Make pretty townies in CAS if you like, and use them for genetic fodder instead.

In fact, I have the most burning questions. I would simply like to know if there is a particular amount of locals needed at each vacation destination, so that the game does not freak out. I am also wondering if I need to create tourists or not. Is it necessary for the game to have them? Or are they simply townies appearing as tourists?

And just to cover my ass, I did read the entire thread about the Make Vacation Sim (Local) Fix. Yet, it does not answer the above questions.

You did not cover your ass enough, the answer to your question is in this thread:
http://www.moreawesomethanyou.com/smf/index.php/topic,4306.0.html

However, that thread is unwieldy.  I think the minimum number of locals is one for each BV 'hood, 'cause if I use the clean templates, anti-redundancy + notownieregen, that's what I get.  If Pescado thinks one vacation local is enough, who am I to argue?  The locals are not quite NPCs but they know the local gestures so that's why you have to have at least one of them in each BV destination.

You are on the money about BV tourists. (See? You can deduce more than you realise!)  They are just townies living in a different 'hood.  You don't need any if you don't want.

[lerosenoir]

The spasmodic twitching my brain is almost gone! Thank you guys for all the help you've given me!

The only thing I'm worried about is using Argon's Townie Brick, for making BV locals. I heard that it has some errors with FT and Argon has not responded to his thread in about 2 weeks. Should I use his old fix...or...? I am going to be making those locals soon.

[Emma]

You can use the brick to make your townies/npcs etc, but I advise you to take it out as soon as you have finished and before you start playing.

[missaaliyah]

I have a few questions on generating/making tourists.

1.  What is the best way to generate tourists?  The gun or CAS.

2.  The Townie brick does go absolutely crazy when in game, if I create these tourists in CAS and use the brick, to make them into the various townies eg, Asia etc... will they automatically know he local gestures?  If not how do I make them know it?

3.  Which face template is suitable for Asian townies, if I made them in CAS?

[Jelenedra]

I would suggest using the teleport shrub plus (jordi's?), if you're afraid of the brick. It's what I used to make my townies. I kept it on my "townie lot" (it's nothing but a shrub, townie gun, and the Lot Debugger)

Tourists or locals, btw? I didn't bother making tourists for my game. I just made the locals. Made them in CAS, plunked them on my townie lot. Zapped them with the shrub to make them townies then used the gun to zap them into vacation locals. Then used the shrub again to banish them all to their vacation hood.

There is a nice Asian replacement template in Peasantry (I helped make it. =P ) I always use it for my Asian townies. It's a replacement for the 6 or 7th template I think.

Editted to add: Link to asian template replacement

http://www.moreawesomethanyou.com/smf/index.php/topic,5370.0.html

My suggestion: (this is what I prefer to do) Make two distinctive looking sims for the vacation hoods. Then in CAS use the "add a baby" thingy. Switch the option from child to adult. Hit the random button until you have an adult sim you like and fiddle with them from there. That way all the locals look similiar (if that is what you want of course).

[missaaliyah]

Thank you for yout quick response, I shall certainly do the add a baby one, cause it will be much quicker to do, I generally do that If I want a large family of siblings.  I take a brother and sister and then make 6 adults and connect them as siblings.

[Jelenedra]

You don't have to connect them as family, I dunno what that would do. Making CA sims into townies usually fries their relationships and whatnot.

[missaaliyah]

Do I need to add the 3 Neighbourhoods for Bon Voyage first before creating them?
I downloaded a clean template(s), but I still get the Bellboy, etc... Is that meant to happen?
How do I access the clothes for the Far East, are they in CAS?
When making them a local / tourist - do they automatically know the gestures etc?

Sorry if I sound blonde, but I did it and it messed up, and now I can either delete my whole hood or start again.

BTW, if I wanted to give a permanent makeover/surgery to the tourists, could I copy the NPC's into Bodyshop and then replace them with SIMPE Sim Surgery.  And if that was possible, what files would I copy? And where to?

[seelindarun]

Do I need to add the 3 Neighbourhoods for Bon Voyage first before creating them?

A little common sense goes a long way.  You can make the townies in CAS without attaching the vacation 'hoods, but obviously when you actually apply the brick or the gun, they have to have a sub-hood to be sent to, don't they?

I downloaded a clean template(s), but I still get the Bellboy, etc... Is that meant to happen?
When making them a local / tourist - do they automatically know the gestures etc?

Both of these questions stem from confusion about townies vs. NPCs.  This is a very basic distinction which you need to clarify in order to use clean templates.  Read more.  I answered the question of locals, tourists and gestures above.

How do I access the clothes for the Far East, are they in CAS?

This is plain laziness.  Look for yourself and ask questions when you are actually stuck.

Sorry if I sound blonde, but I did it and it messed up, and now I can either delete my whole hood or start again.

You do not sound blonde.  You sound lazy.  If you skimp on research before starting something new, you can expect mistakes.  Nothing wrong with that, but you then have to be prepared to start over and try again.  Read some more.  If you learn, then your next 'hood will be more successful.