Rave about starter homes and 20k? Loan, we need loans!

[jsalemi]

The main problem I have with starter houses is that I hate having to move my sims once they're in a lot.

I don't like building, but I don't mind renovating, so most of my sims still live in the same house generations later.  The house, however, bears no resemblance to what it looks like in the lot catalog.

[jolrei]

The main problem I have with starter houses is that I hate having to move my sims once they're in a lot.

I don't like building, but I don't mind renovating, so most of my sims still live in the same house generations later.  The house, however, bears no resemblance to what it looks like in the lot catalog.

I'm not sure I actually like renovating.  I do get into a building mode sometimes and have built a couple of things I quite like, mainly beach comm lots, since those are a bugger to transfer between hoods.  I do the renovation thing a lot though.  Emma's house in Matysdoorp is a transfer from my first hood and is actually an evolved base game 1 bedroom bungalow/cottage (not sure what it was called).  It now has 2 floors 4 bedrooms, 2 baths, a workout room, deck with hot tub, upstairs patio, large library/music room, and a nursery.  I think the kitchen is original to the house.  I think the thing I really don't like is moving families from one house to the next.  Once they're established, I like them to stay put.

[Ellatrue]

If the elders had the ability to encourage anyone, and if their lot were full of skilling objects and such, it could be like a neat knowledge monastary thing on the mountain. They could meditate to avoid peeing, and encourage the neighborhood to have better personalities. Perhaps something combined with Inge's school hacks?

[Zazazu]

Hrm, I could see that. Set all the kids on student tokens and call them in, then have them do tai chi, play mah jong, and garden for an Eastern theme.

I think the thing I really don't like is moving families from one house to the next.  Once they're established, I like them to stay put.

I hate re-placing decorations and objects. I'm really not a huge fan of decorating for the Sims anymore, despite how it looks from my screenshots. The only things I care about are the highly individual things like wall hanging recolors for specific families, and 'hood objects for advertising stores and individualization. New houses get the basics and flood-filled the same paint color, then I go back and decorate a room each day. If money allows, of course. I'm not going through that crap more than once for the same (adult) sims. That's why families that get larger than I want start getting culled if I can't find a way to squeeze the extra family members in. I'm not building on, and ruining the concept I had, and decorating another stupid room, just because they couldn't keep it in their pants. Someone gets to die.

[gethane]

I'm not building on, and ruining the concept I had, and decorating another stupid room, just because they couldn't keep it in their pants. Someone gets to die.

 

[Ellatrue]

I just use the grand trianon bunkbeds, or put someone on the couch.

[gynarchy]

I've been sticking unplanned Sims on hammocks on a balcony or porch. Sometimes I have to get them inside in the winter to warm up but it's been cool enough at night so far that they aren't overheating.

[jjsy]

I look at it in the light of what you get when you rent an unfurnished apartment:
- toilet
- sink
- mirror
- bathtub/shower
- couple of counters
- stove
- refrigerator
- lights
You don't get a phone included in a new place. I don't even have a "real" phone. You don't get a bed, or a couch, or any of that sort of thing. You bring/buy your own. Generally, you don't get a microwave. I rented one place with an included microwave, and it was so tiny it barely held a cup of tea, and it was perhaps 2 watts. Never used it.

In real life, you don't move into an apartment with less than 50 dollars left not enough to even buy anything.  not enough to even live in a reasonably civilized manner (at least for the first day if your sims are forced to take up whatever crappy jobs that are available on the first day's newspaper)

I organize the list based on needs.  Another note is that my standard is "basic", not some "spartanistic minimalist".

FOOD: phone to order.  unless you have optional 4 with the fridge.  but phone is cheaper.. it is also a basic equipment for social and for calling services.
BLADDER: toilet.
ENERGY: bed
HYGEINE : bath

SOCIAL/ENVIRON/FUN are not even considered.

I really don't see how this can be unreasonable.  My request for it being included in a starting lot is more to ENSURE that they can be BOUGHT.  If the price of the lot is carefully tweaked to ensure that the basic stuff can be bought, then it's perfectly alright that they are not included in the lot.  unfortunately, most people take "starter" to just mean "under 20k".  Which is sort of like, "you can afford to move in, the rest is none of my business. Go pee in the bush (if there is even a bush)"

[jjsy]

Interesting resources pointed out.  I;m taking a look at IJ's mortage shrubs.  Looks very usable except that it.. well... looks like a shrub .. (was hoping for something more reminding of the debt status like a mortage contract or something.  sounds kindof silly if a shrub starts deducting money) and that there's no grace period.  Maybe when I can draft out enough stuff I can try to bug IJ for an improvement?

I use dentedtrain's Loan Paintings & Investment bonds.   http://forums.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=122224&highlight=painting They are based on Inge's mortgage shrubs but are perhaps more in line with what you were wanting?

oh yes.. this is pretty much what I require.  Thanks for the link!

[Zazazu]

Kiddo*, edit posts instead of double-posting. It's cleaner.

In real life, you don't move into an apartment with less than 50 dollars left not enough to even buy anything.  not enough to even live in a reasonably civilized manner (at least for the first day if your sims are forced to take up whatever crappy jobs that are available on the first day's newspaper)

Well, that entirely depends on the circumstances. Sometimes the equivalent does happen in real life. But that's not really the point.

I really don't see how this can be unreasonable.  My request for it being included in a starting lot is more to ENSURE that they can be BOUGHT.  If the price of the lot is carefully tweaked to ensure that the basic stuff can be bought, then it's perfectly alright that they are not included in the lot.  unfortunately, most people take "starter" to just mean "under 20k".  Which is sort of like, "you can afford to move in, the rest is none of my business. Go pee in the bush (if there is even a bush)"

I think this is where the difference between a CAS sim and a born-in-game sim starting a new household becomes the issue. As I start any new 'hood from one sim and never go into CAS again until the next 'hood, I don't focus on a new CAS sim being able to afford to fully furnish a place on the $20k they got when booted out of the temporal rift from which all townies spawn. They'll struggle. They are a 'hood founder, so they should struggle. A founder is perhaps the only sim I'll do house rebuilds for. Typically, I start them off in a tiny one-roomed box. And they like it, because they know that they will have their pictures in all their descendants' households, and that future community lots will be named in their honor. Plus, they get their pick of townies before they've been sullied by past relationships.

A born-in-game sim has the advantages that a CAS doesn't. They can get money from mom & dad. They can start in their career during their teen years or go to uni so that they aren't at an entry level as an adult. They can grab random abandoned furniture items from their parents' house (because, let's face it, that's how most of us started our first place) and get the rest from Ikea until they can afford "real" furnishings. They are the sims who might get shoved into a starter home. Not downloaded. I like my crap only in my game, thank you, with the exception of that one lot of Witch's that she was kind enough to point out went with my stuff.

One of the most important things, if you are posting starter homes, is to post how much it costs and what is included. Then you the downloader can decide whether you want to bother with it or not. My shared houses are facades, and I say they are facades.

*not meant as a diminutive term.