Uploading a "used" lot

[starrling]

What are the drawbacks to uploading a (very) used lot?  (NOT to the exchange - I avoid that place mostly).

When I first started building for uploads I would playtest the lot, then refurnish it after moving a Sim out.  Then I found Inge's Stay Things shrub (I think that's the name) and used that.  However, I could have sworn I saw mention someplace here (and damned if I can find it again) that it boogers up your lot for others to play.  I started using a duplicate of the lot instead and keeping the uploadable one pristine but that was a pain in the ass when adjustments were necessary.  Advice?  Thoughts?  Pointing and laughing?  I'll take anything you've got.
 

[MistyBlue]

I just create a random sim and kill him/her off when I'm done play-testing the house. That way adjustments can be made if needed and the furniture stays when I'm done. It works the best for me.

I should say that I use a completey unplayed neighborhood for creating houses. There is no risk of having too many dead sims there, but if you create in your playing neighborhood, I don't recommend killing off your sims. You could just package the lot, plop it down next door, play-test, and make changes to the other one if it needs it...that will work, too.

By-the-way, I love the little community you've been unploading! 

[Theo]

JM warned about this in the lots contest.

Apparently it devalues every object to zero, besides corrupting the lot (no details on what corrupted really means).

Besides killing a test sim, you can create a lot in an University neighborhood. The objects remain there even after moving the students out of the lot.

[starrling]

See?  I knew I'd seen him mention is somewhere!  Thanks Theo.

But still, I'd like to know just how "corrupt" it makes the lot.  I haven't had any complaints from the people downloading my stuff (that I used the shrub in) so far (keeps fingers crossed) and there have been a ton of downloads. 

Thanks, MistyBlue for the compliment - good feedback like yours helps to spur me on. 

[Inge]

It's all down to a choice of words.  Yes of course the shrub adjusts the attributes - it's the attributes that decide whether an object should stay on the lot or not.  If you didn't want those adjustments made it's corruption, if you did, it's a fun addition to the game.

I don't advise using it or any other hack or cheat for a lot you want to share.  If you want to test a lot for liveability, it's best to make the lot first, complete with furniture, and put it straight into the lot bin.   Then place it back onto the terrain leaving the virgin copy in the bin and test it.   It is better to always upload a virgin lot as it will be freee of stuck controllers and kicky sacks and all the other clutter a used lot accumulates.

[ElfPuddle]

(Have I said welcome back, yet, Inge? WELCOME BACK!)

[Inge]

Thank you ElfPuddle

[MsMaria]

Wonderful to see you again, Inge.

[starrling]

Hey Inge!  And thanks - that's exactly the info I needed.  I will continue to use "pristine" lots for uploading   

[Process Denied]

I have a question about this.  I took a risk out of sheer desperation.  I have a habit of corrupting the Goth Mansion,and I was looking around for one to download--not finding one that I was satisfied with--I took matters into my own hand.  I went to my vanilla--never played game and went into the Goth house.  I sent all of the ghosts to a community lot--left the house-then moved the Goths out.  I went back into the house(in lot's build mode,for good measure).  I uploaded the house to file.  I went to my used game and set it down--furnished and redesigned it.  Uploaded it again to file--then installed it(through clean installer--deselecting everything--but the lot segment).  How much damage have I done---I was really desperate.

[Inge]

You're probably in a better position to tell us than vice versa, seeing as you've done it.  Let's put it this way I would be happy to use a tweaked pre-loved lot in my own game, but I wouldn't post one on a site for sharing and take that responsibility for other people's games.

[J. M. Pescado]

The only safe way to generate a "clean" used lot that does not have all of the object values corrupted is to do the following:

1. Locate the lotfile in your NXXX/Lots directory, then back it up.
2. Evict.
3. Revisit empty lot, save.
4. Quit game, restore backup.

There's also the option of murdering your sims out, but this will leave dead character files, which is bad for a playing neighborhood, but if it's a build-only neighborhood you don't really care about, then this is not a problem.

[Gwill]

Will the lot be OK if you remove everything but the lot segment with clean installer?

[J. M. Pescado]

In theory, but that has to be done at install-time, which means your user has to be aware that this is necessary.

[Gwill]

You can remove stuff from the sim2pack file and re-save it.  I've done that with uploads containing recolours not actually used.

[starrling]

I've been running my lots through the Clean Installer and selecting "lot only" then resaving before I upload them.  Please tell me that's a good thing and that I'm not wasting my time?  Or ... does the "end user" have to do it again and my Cleaning doesn't matter for shit? 

[MistyBlue]

No, the users don't have to do it again...so thanks for saving us some time! 

[Process Denied]

You're probably in a better position to tell us than vice versa, seeing as you've done it.  Let's put it this way I would be happy to use a tweaked pre-loved lot in my own game, but I wouldn't post one on a site for sharing and take that responsibility for other people's games.

So far,so good.  I've played it for a while and all seems good.  I checked memories in SimPE just to made sure there are no duplicates.  Everything seems fine.  I would never upload it--don't worry.  I felt that it wouldn't be the first time that I would have to start my game over.  Also kept a pre- house back up copy.  Frankly,I would(at this point),rather start over than replay this segment of game over---boring!!!  The new and improved house is fantastic though.  Hope it works out okay.