LittleMinxUndr wrote:
I have had some false starts in CAW before, but I'm getting back in the game. I've been reading up mostly, doing research and so on. Since your world is kinda in-line what I'm envisioning (mountainous) I'm going to use it as an object lesson, so to speak.
I'm already mightily impressed with the screenshots from you and by the people who have already had a chance to play it.
Johnny, if it is not too much to ask off you, can you please share some tricks of the trade? Specifically:
-How did you set up GB before starting it in CAW?
-Were you able to stick close to your initial vision?
-If so, what points were you able to realise just so?
-Where did you have to compromise with a bleeding heart?
-Where did you compromise with a "meh"?
-Judging by the snow at the peaks, did you go higher than 300?
-Judging by the scope of GB, you're the perfect man to ask: When did you decide that enough was enough?
-And in closing, are you considering a GBII, now that you know what you know dealing with GB?
Props for GB, You've raised the bar, for sure!
Hi LittleMinx, thanks for your nice words, it does the heart good :-)
I`ll do my best with your questions, here goes...
-How did you set up GB before starting it in CAW?
I`m not quite sure what you mean here? But before I actually started work in CAW for Great Bear I had an idea for a mountainous semi "wilderness" world (one half town/one half wilderness), it was originally a large lake in the middle of the map with the town scattered along it`s shores and on peninsulas, but the lake took up far too much space, so I considered a river instead.
-Were you able to stick close to your initial vision?
Well, to a degree. I mentioned the original lake idea which I changed to a river. But apart from that, yes, I managed to create something reasonably close to my initial idea.
-If so, what points were you able to realise just so?
For me, the main thing was an idea of having a town in Great Bear with all the facilities of town living (you know, bars, gym, rabbitholes etc) and having a more remote wilderness valley part of the world where sims could escape the town. I also wanted at least one mountain ridge area where sims could hike and take in the views. It`s rare to do something and be 100% happy with it; if I were to pursue that notion, I`d still be working away on Great Bear and perhaps never finish it, due to a perception of perfection never being quite realized. Sometimes you just hold your hands up and say "it`s done!".
-Where did you have to compromise with a bleeding heart?
I suppose I always seem to compromise when it comes to terrain painting. I`m just no good at it. It doesn`t help that you basically have to work with just 8 terrain paints (to a degree, anyway). But yes, I compromise with a broken heart when it comes to terrain painting (and perhaps a little bit when it comes to interior designing houses after the nineteenth house) :oops:
-Where did you compromise with a "meh"?
This is an odd one? Um...I think I know what you mean. I would have to say, the "mehs" really start to appear when you are building house after house from scratch and you run out of ideas. I used Google to search for ideads when my own ideas dried up, it is invaluable! Anything from "Log cabin interiors" to "Towns in Western Montana"...the internet is a treasure trove :wink:
-Judging by the snow at the peaks, did you go higher than 300?
Well, of the three blank height maps on offer, I chose the 300 Large Flat map. I just sculpted some of the mountains to reach almost as high as they could possibly go. So, no, I didn`t go higher than 300.
-Judging by the scope of GB, you're the perfect man to ask: When did you decide that enough was enough?
I would say I came to the realization that enough was enough when I was adding trees to Great Bear and days were passing by and I was still adding trees. I thought to myself "oh, is this going to be a case of too many trees?". So I left areas of land (particularly in the mountain valley) open, almost as mountain pastures. I usually add trees almost last of all (maybe adding a few spawners here and there after that), so, when the trees are added, I sit back and look at the world and if I really can`t think of anything else, well, that`s it finished.
You may have to come back to it (a very high possibility) to fix certain issues, but generally, that`s when I call it quits.
-And in closing, are you considering a GBII, now that you know what you know dealing with GB?
Oh goodness gracious no :?
I spent eight months working away on GB and I`m back to just playing the game. I actually miss playing when I`m building, so it`s nice just to not think about opening CAW and "having" to "work". Will I go back into CAW again anytime soon? Probably.
I hope I didn`t bore you LittleMinx, and thank you for thinking of me in such high regard. I am very, very flattered :oops:
