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MerryWiddow's avatar
MerryWiddow
15 years ago

BUILDERS' 101 - For Builders from Novice to Beyond

BUILDERS' 101

"Criticism, like rain, should be gentle enough to nourish a man's growth without destroying his roots." Frank A. Clark

This forum was managed by MerryWiddow and the THe Sims Creators' Consortium team. It is now inactive and all questions can be directed to the Admin Team at THe Sims Creators' Consortium.


Welcome to Builders' 101. We will enjoy helping you with all of your questions with regards to every aspect of building from the inception of the idea to the uploading of the lot and Promoting your Asset. This is an opportunity "To Learn Together": You from us and us from you.

Please follow the forum rules when making posts. You will find them here. Forum Rules.
Please take a moment to read them. Thanks.

JOIN US AND LET'S LEARN TOGETHER

This is for all Simmers, of all ages and all abilities who want to build or are already building! Do you feel that you have no idea what to do, where to start? Why did that Lovely House you worked so hard on just slip by unnoticed?

Here we are going to learn 'New Ideas' and get 'Tips and Tricks' from each other and share our 'Ideas and Creations'. We will learn from each other and together we will all grow to become better builders.

HOW IT WORKS

Take pictures of your Work In Progress (WIP) and share it with us on this thread. (See Picture Posting below). Our visitors will look at it and give you constructive tips about his or her ideas on what each thinks you could or should do with your WIP. You will receive comments that may be seen as negative, but please, remember it is only to help you become a better builder. The opposite is also true: You will get a lot of praise for good work and ideas, etc.

Post a link to your build here with links to photo’s, stories or video! We can all have a look at what you’ve built and learn from it, or help you to make the lot better. Get somebody else's view on your build. or ask any question about building. If one of us doesn't know the answer, we can find an answer to your question or problem. Any link to wherever you promoted your build. But wait, did you promote your build? More about promoting your build later.

Thinking of Taking the Plunge and Becoming a New Builder
Or Maybe You've Already Taken the Plunge but are Unsure!

Let’s start with what it is you want to do or learn and work from there.

Novice, Intermediate, Good, All Levels of Builders:

START, POST, LEARN

Remember whatever is said is the opinion of the person posting, the decision to use it or not lies solely with you.

TIME FOR HOMEWORK

Updated: It is now called Learn to Build. You will find it on TS3 Creators' Consortium. Registration is free and it is a fun site for all aspects of TS3.

Learn to Build Assignments

ELEMENTS OF INTERIOR DESIGN CHALLENGES

Elements of Interior Design Challenge Index at TS3 Creators' Consortium II.

Creations that deserve a second look

CFE Learn to Build Assignments are also available at TS3 Creators' Consortium II.

TUTORIALS IN 3RD POST

A WALK THROUGH OF YOUR BUILD IS AVAILABLE BY REQUEST : YOUR BUILD MUST HAVE NO CUSTOM CONTENT

GLOSSARY OF TERMS

MOO = MoveObjects on/off
CFE = ConstrainFloorElevation true/false
WIP = Work In Progress
CAS = Create a Style as used in the interior design aspect
IRO = In regards of
DLs = Downloads
REC = Recommendation
more will be added as they come up.

PROUD SUPPORTER SIGGY

Proud Supporters Siggy can be used at any time if you want to show that you support this Thread.



Copy and paste this code into Signature under My Preferences. Just remove the asterisks.
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d93/evenstar15/proud.jpg

Have fun!

MerryWiddow
build and buy
creative corner
discussion
  • magician1o1's avatar
    magician1o1
    15 years ago
    PICTURE POSTING

    The best size for posting pictures on the thread is 640px wide by 480px high.

    Change the size right in your post. Just right after the .jpg key in "width=640" "height=480" before the final tag.

    There are many programs and websites that can be used to change the size of the picture to be posted.

    Magician1: for example uses ‘Irfanview’ (See link below) to resize. "I open the picture in question in Irfanview and then click on ‘Images’ ‘Resize/Resample’ then I type in the Horizontal value: 640. In the Vertical Value : 480 and click 'OK'. Save the Picture. Then I go to the following Website : Photobucket and load my picture there and once done, I copy the 'Image Code' and paste it in the body of my post on the thread."

    MerryWiddow: "I use TinyPic.com. You can upload your screenshots directly from your Screenshots folder. Then at the tinypic site you can change the size to a width of 640px and a height of 480px. After you upload it, the site gives you the links needed. Use the one that says it's for forums. Just copy from the tinypic site and paste it in the thread body"

    You can also take the picture from the picture sharing site of your choice and change the size right as you upload it. Just choose the forum size of 640 x 480 pixels.

    CHANGING THE COVER PICTURE

    Well there are a couple of methods to change the cover picture of your lot. This is the one both Magician1 and MerryWiddow use. It is by simmer Zinda799. It is very easy to use and safe.

    You will find it on page 2, 3rd post down on Zinda799's forum. Here is the link.
    http://forum.thesims3.com/jforum/posts/list/15/100449.page. Please leave her a thank you.

    To prepare a picture for this wonderful program you will need to create a square 512 x 512 .png file. How do I do that you ask?

    There is a good free program called Irfanview that you can use to edit your photographs. A tutorial available call Ten Things You Can Do With Irfanview will help you to understand this versatile program. Magician1 uses this program and MerryWiddow uses Adobe Photoshop Elements.

    Another Program you can use, Paint.NET: http://www.dotpdn.com/downloads/pdn.html

    512x512 Cover Pic Tutorial using Irfanview by XOX1
    http://forum.thesims3.com/jforum/posts/list/157391.page#1861975

    How to Change your Cover Picture on MAC by Kquinn:
    http://forum.thesims3.com/jforum/posts/list/182189.page#2171740

    LEARNING CFE

    Lesson One Adding a Garage to a Foundation, Sunken Living Room and Raised Bedroom Tri-Level House.

    Lesson Two L-shaped Stairs, U-shaped Stairs and Building on Stilts.

    Let us Learn together

    DOWNLOADABLE CC: At this Link:

    http://forum.thesims3.com/jforum/posts/list/5550/121128.page#2030643


    Please note that roof beams show up under fencing as black squares...and don't actually show up until they are used as a fence... then they float 1 story above whatever level you put them on



    WHAT DOWN LOADERS ARE LOOKING FOR:

    Magic_Dancer wrote:
    Because most Downloaders look for a Specific lot at the time they need it.

    What makes them pick one lot over another is the cover picture.
    And whichever lot is closest to the front. Don't want to go looking through 58 pages of lots. So, High recs bring a lot to the top and Featured lots.

    The_Blue_Maiden wrote:
    What he/she said, first impressions are important. Most times I just glance at the first page and see if anything catches my eye.

    What usually does is either sweet looking country houses or super modern ones. I don't usually go for the big mansions, a. because they take forever to load when you download them, and b. they're not practical! Why would you need an eleventy bedroom house? You can have eight sims at a time, plus a guest bedroom if ya need it.

    87Oranges wrote:

    Hi magician1-

    First of all, thank you for taking the time to organize a thread dedicated to helping people expand their building potential. Even though I'm just reading through it for the first time, I will definitely use some of the old assignments as templates for lots I create. Nice job.

    Now as for what I look for when I download... This may very well be just me, but I pay particularly close attention to the level of detail and how much character a building has. Are there a lot of interesting pattern and color choices, or did the creator just pull something from build mode without making some adjustments in create a style (when applicable)? Is the building a glorified box, or are there interesting angles and niches? How about landscaping? I don't really prefer one style (like modern, suburban, etc.) because I try to match the sims with where they live - this means lots of variety for my neighborhoods. If it's a community lot, I like to find something that won't stick out in the area of town I place it in. And although I like a polished, finished look, I also try to see if there is just a little bit of room for me to make expansions or changes if I would decide to keep the lot for a few generations. I personally enjoy making small changes as my sims age so that the buildings they live in/visit don't seem to stay static but instead develop with them, kind of like real life.

    Ok, apologies if that's more info than you needed. I'm going to bookmark your thread - I'm looking forward to seeing what you all create next.

    judithmgalloway wrote:
    These are some of the things that are important to me when downloading houses etc...

    1. Cover Pic - a good cover pic will catch my eye, but it's not going to make me download the creation on its own.

    2. Form over function - the design may be radical, ingenious or the house/lot may be breathtaking, but how playable will it actually be? Has the builder made something that looks fantastic, but plays like a lame dog? Can I judge this from the pictures and/or floorplans?

    3. Lot description - amusing descriptions always encourage me, but what I really want to know is what I will be getting if I download, not just rooms/spaces, but any perks or tricks (are there fish? harvestable plants? interesting gadgets?).

    4. Custom/Premium Content - personally, I'm unlikely to download anything that contains Premium Items from the store (yes, I know if I haven't got it, the game will substitute - but I still tend to avoid those lots/houses). Likewise, if there is any other CC (EA or other), I want to know about it before I download it. Put the fact that you've used your own custom patterns/CC/whatever in the description, please! Then I can decide whether I want it or not, and I don't spend my time cussing some unknown creator when I'm trying to get rid of "X" patterns or CC.

    5. Lot size - huge lots/mansions, no thanks. Strange-shaped lots that mean I have to bulldoze the Spa/Bistro/Library, no thanks (though CAW will make this less irritating).

    Basically, I'm looking for lots/buildings that look nice/interesting (they don't have to be the most amazing masterpiece ever), don't jar with their surroundings (please don't terrain paint right up to the very edge of your lot unless you're going to give me a fence or some other break between your lot and the terrain beyond it), show some originality, but most important of all, play well!

    But those are just my thoughts, and I'm sure plenty of people will disagree! :D

    snuttdi wrote:
    Magician1

    Thanks for posting this thread as I am a frequent downloader of lots.

    I would suggest more starter homes that still have some uniqueness and personality to them. There seems to be alot of large homes in comparison to small homes which are also needed.

    Mansions...although beautiful for the rich, doesn't always meet the needs of the lower to middle income families.

    I do look for functionality( does the home come with study or hobby needs outside of bookcases (i.e. chess table, telescope, gym equipment, guitar, garden, etc).

    I would love to have Sunset Valley house a number of homes from all income brackets. I like personality or atmosphere more than just beauty. I ask myself does the home look inviting, friendly, homey, comfortable, is it functional, is there a garden? I look for things of this sort.

    I would like to see homes/apartments that have more of an inner city look to them. I think dirt/grime/chipped bricks/ and graffiti has it's place amongst some cities.

    I will be checking out the Creative Corner to learn how to start building myself and to hopefully be able to contribute to the community.

    I'm not sure if what I posted helps, but, these are my thoughts.

    Oh, what about more brownstone homes? I'm no architect and I am not sure if that's the right terminology but I hope you get my meaning.

    I would like to make Sunset Valley or Riverview to look more like realistic cities.

    Thanks for your interest in what downloaders are looking for.

    Another note, I agree with a couple of other posters... I try not to download Premium content because although I might like the home I see posted...it may be part of the Premium content that drew me in and if I don't have it...it kinda spoils it for me.

    Here's another thought...garages are often times used for more than just parking cars...i.e. workshops!

    Grounding the homes/plants/ and such look more realistic than just having them placed. I tend to ground quite a bit of them when I do add them to the game with some dirt, worn out grass, weeds, something...just to make it more realistic.

    Well, I got long winded...sorry. Hope this helps!

    tolkien1001 wrote:I like old styled houses with a nice garden. Rivers with bridges make a nice touch.
    Victorian,winter themed, asian and wooden houses.

  • MerryWiddow's avatar
    MerryWiddow
    15 years ago
    CHALLENGES

    Go to our sister/brother site at http://ts3cc.canadian-forum.com/ for challenges.

    MY THOUGHTS

    NAMING YOUR LOT TO STAY WHEN YOU SHARE
    A BUILDER'S CHECKLIST

    SHELLS

    For those who would prefer not to build, but just like the interior design and landscaping.


    Shell1 A for Learning by magician1.

    The shell is donated by Darkside
    darkside266 wrote:
    I recommend leaving the roof alone. Each time I build a large home with an Angled room or area and a basement. There is always issues with the roof, so unless you know CFE well and know how to level an entire floor I recommend leaving it alone. I am going to include a few interior items, cuz they will fit the room, I'm thinking of. It will be CC, so hoping it transfers. Mainly talking about the theater. Otherwise, I will be looking forward to seeing your WIPs progress. I don't want this to be a contest. There is no money, medals, or simpoints involved, so lets share and get inspiration from each other.

    8 Wildman Road Shell by darkside266

    TUTORIALS

    We offer tutorials or links to tutorials that already exist. If tutorials are added a reference or link to them will be updated in this post.

    Building a Sumptuous Starter for $16,500 by BluebellFlora

    PICTURE TUTORIALS

    Adding Screenshots to Forum Threads by addict1220
    "Imaging 101"- A Lesson by XOX1- This change and grow as time goes on, so check back often.
    How To Take Awesome Photos In The Sims 3 by the_harlequinade

    GURU TUTORIALS

    Here are a few tutorials that are good for the novice builder.

    Tutorial: How to upload Lots by SimGuruWeb
    Tutorial: Convert Lot to Residential by SimGuruWeb
    Tutorial: Bring Media Into Story Tool by SimGuruWeb

    ROOF TUTORIALS

    Roofing 101: Are you hip, or a jerkin head? Part 1 by socalkdl
    Roofing 101 Part 2: Roofing the Wilmington by socalkdl
    Building Victorians: a Tutorial by Socalkdl
    How I Make Who House Roofs by Sophiaraspberry
    How to create a basic roof with different slope angles by feldynn.
    Individual Roofslope tutorial by Mch36504.
    Roof Height Adjustment in Sims 3 by Qbuilderz.
    Slanted floor tile roof tutorial by jisgr8.
    A Million and One Roof Heights! (Beginners+) by cyclonesue.
    Bigger attics by plasticbox. This tutorial is followed by adding dormers or doing a barn roof with this bigger attic.
    Sims 3 Gambrel roofs, dormers, and porches by ricslady99
    If you follow down the page after this one, you will find some other great tutorials.
    The Beginner Skylight Tutorial by cyberman418

    LANDSCAPING

    Landscaping 1: Garden Path and Pergola by MerryWiddow.
    Part 1 - Tools of the Trade by Allium
    Part 2 - Creating Gardens by Allium
    Landscaping Megatorial Part 1 of 3
    Landscaping Megatorial Part 2 of 3
    Landscaping Megatorial Part 3 of 3
    A Swimmable Pond by Amoebius.
    How to make a Green House by Tikigurl0666.
    Post World Adventures Hot Tub Tutorial by MeestorMark.
    Tutorial - Perfectly Sloped Driveway by garbuckle3000.
    Tutorial - How to make pool platforms by MeestorMark

    WATERFALLS

    Making a basic waterfall in 10 steps by ninanuiten.
    Waterfall Tutorial by jisgr8 Post WA.
    Waterfall Tutorial by Dante11111. This one is for effect only and is not an actual waterfall.

    BRIDGES

    Bridges in The Sims 3 by Flabaliki
    How To: Create a short arched bridge by Feldynn.
    Tutorial: Making Angled Arched Bridges. (Beginner +) by LightSide.

    AQUARIUMS

    How to Design a Floor Fish Aquarium by SuperPogimon.
    Fish Aquarium Tutorial by Simeve
    How to Make a Shark Tank with Fog Emitters by Simeve
    Easy Aquarium with Fish by Simeve
    How To Make A SHARK TANK! (EASY!) by chubbalini

    BASEMENT TUTORIALS

    How To Build a Basement by Catfish2933 on YouTube.
    Aquarium Pool - How To by Amoebius.
    Tutorial - Connecting Pools to Basement Walls after Late Night EP by MeestorMark.

    TOMB TUTORIALS

    Tomb Making Tutorial: by SunsetValley01
    TOMBS:How To Use The Processor's "AND!" by bunbunnyny
    Tomb Building: The Processor by TS3 Wiki at TSR
    Tomb Overview by TS3 Wiki at TSR
    Tomb Building Basic by TS3 Wiki at TSR
    Tomb Building Advanced by TS3 Wiki at TSR
    Tomb Building: Triggers and Activated Behaviours by TS3 Wiki at TSR
    Tomb Creation 101 by TS3 Wiki at TSR
    The Sims 3: World Adventures Building Tombs extensive article on GameSpy

    GARAGE TUTORIALS

    Building Garages on Foundation Homes by WhyYouLittle05.
    Connecting Garages to Foundations by Flabaliki.
    Real Sloped Driveways by Flabaliki


    MORE CONTSTRAIN FLOOR ELEVATION TUTORIALS

    3 Tiers 1 Floor MultiSplitLevel Tutorial by WickedKnight. No Pictures
    Cheats, Tips and Tricks by nam24601. No Pictures
    How to build split level stairs in foyer by darkside266.
    CFE Tri-Level Step by Step Instructions by LiLSapphire. No Pictures
    Creating a sunken room with floor-to-ceiling windows by Beefysim1.
    Connecting Garages to Foundations by Flabaliki.
    Tricks with Split Leveling by Flabaliki.
    How To Make a Sunken Room On a Second Floor (Tutorial) by kquinn1990

    STAIRS

    Split Level Stair Tutorial by alanmc12.
    Creating L-shaped stairs in The Sims 3 by BlackGarden.
    Creating U-Shaped Stairs in The Sims 3 by mensure.

    FENCES

    Create Realistic, Stylish Fences by Jasonmazda2

    USING FOUNDATIONS AS EXTERIOR WALLS

    Using Foundations as Exterior Walls by exdemon1120. No Pictures

    INTERIOR DESIGN TUTORIALS

    Inspirational Bathrooms by MerryWiddow
    Fidler's Area Rug Tutorial by fidlerten
    Design 101: Colors and Patterns by ruthless_kk.
    Sunken Bathtub Tutorial By Francis123P.
    Creating Double Coloured Ceilings. A thread tutorial by ~LightSide~
    The Seven Layers of Design by mikkimouse1978
    Make interesting beds without CC by samanthajane26

    MISC TUTORIALS

    Unique Rabbithols - how to by Amoebius
    How to make a nice pyramidal temple (WA) by estyle36

    MORE AWESOME TUTORIALS

    The Sims Supply Video Tutorials

    LINKS

    TS3 Creators' Consortium II

    HOUSE PLAN WEBSITES

    Starting your first home may feel daunting. Having a plan in mind will help you focus.

    HousePlans.com
    Drummond House Plans
    Architectural Designs
    Above All House Plans
    Eplans.com
    Luxury House Plans by Archival Designs

    Start for your first build with something simple like a bungalow. It doesn't have to look simple though. You can spruce it up with an interesting roof line or inviting curb appeal.

    MerryWiddow
  • magician1o1's avatar
    magician1o1
    15 years ago
    RECOMMENDED WEB SITES

    If you're into Interior Design Sim Interior Design Ltd (SID) is an interesting site. For a good place to see the latest creations in Machinima check out Simatography where you will find a Screening Room and Studio. On the top of our list for Building sites is Builders' Boulevard (BB). On this site you need to become a member, but it is well worth it and, of course, it's free.
    Magician1



  • MerryWiddow's avatar
    MerryWiddow
    15 years ago
    PROMOTING YOUR BUILD

    There are many ways to promote your build. Simply uploading your screenshots from your game to TS3 and creating a story is the simplest way. See the tutorial Tutorial: Bring Media Into Story Tool by SimGuruWeb. If you have any questions after seeing this tutorial please ask.

    Taking the screenshots is best done with a sim in residence. In live mode you will have a very powerful and valuable tool for taking great pictures. The tool is called by many "Cameraman Mode" and is accessed by pressing the 'Tab' key. Once you are in this mode, you will not be able to use your mouse to give commands. Your mouse will move the camera like it is your head turning. Other ways of moving the camera are using the following keys given with their function.

    The key on the left moves the camera in the direction listed. This movement is like you walking around the room.

    'q' = down
    'w' = closer
    'e' = up
    'a' = left
    's' = further away
    'd' = right

    The following two are different from the 'w' and the 's' because they do not move the camera. They move the 'lens' so to speak. They can give an elongated or fisheye view. So be very careful using these commands. They are, however, great for taking pictures in tight spots like bathrooms.

    'z'=zoom in
    'x'=zoom out

    And the final step.

    'c'=snap picture

    To exit "Cameraman Mode" press the 'Tab' key.

    MerryWiddow
  • ruthless_kk's avatar
    ruthless_kk
    15 years ago
    :D Great idea you two! I love what you have so far and I can see that it will be a huge help to many builders. Way to go. :D
  • Player_wskj17ts's avatar
    Player_wskj17ts
    15 years ago
    looks great guys :) Merry Widdow, eplans.com has many nice house plans also! you could add that too the list also!
  • magician1o1's avatar
    magician1o1
    15 years ago
    XOX1 wrote:
    Okay... So I have a couple of lots that haven't made the 100 mark yet. I consider the 100 mark to be the criteria for continuing to keep a lot posted on my page for downloading on the Exchange. I have recently learned how to upload with a cover picture, and those builds have exceeded 100 DLs. I work really hard to make beautiful creations, and it saddens me greatly if they do not get the response I think they deserve.

    Here is one that still has only 85 at the time of this posting. It was posted before I learned how to post using a cover picture...



    Another creation by GriffCorp. International's Legendary Scientist, Potter Planter.

    A Complete Makeover of Sunset Valley's Recurve Strand done in a Pirate theme!

    All Skills and Needs are provided, except music.

    10 Money Trees, 10 Life Plants, 6 Omni Plants, and 8 Death Flowers that can be Harvested.

    (Remove old Recurve Strand. Flatten lot in edit town / edit lot mode. Remove all trees and flora. Place Potter Planter's Pirate Strand.) Enjoy!

    The GriffCorp. International motto is- "We are here, to help you, help us!

    A bad day at the beach is better than a good day at work!

    http://www.thesims3.com/assetDetail.html?assetId=945282










    Hi and welcome

    Ty for giving us the opportunity to try and help.

    First I want to say that I'm glad that you have set yourself certain criteria iro your creations. it is a good way to improve on your skill and upon reaching your goals you get more satisfaction and inspiration for your future builds.
    Then I've got 3 comments on this creation:
    1) The house is too Box type and/or the roof can be played with to maybe make it 2 or 3 different styles/types of roof.
    2) The landscaping is a bit on the dull side for me. Use some of the flat beach plants and scatter them in clusters on the beach, u can even lift some of the areas of beach to give it the effect that it's dunes and make some flower beds close to the house, just to brighten things up a bit.
    3) The Interior pattern and wood color is just too much the same right thru the house. I would say, make the bedrooms a different pattern and the ensuite to suit the bedroom then.You can still use blue but play around with different shades of blue.
    There's also a way to let u'r chimney blend in with the house. I don't know if u know how to do it. If u don't just let me know and we can go thru it.


  • magician1o1's avatar
    magician1o1
    15 years ago
    ruthless_kk wrote:
    :D Great idea you two! I love what you have so far and I can see that it will be a huge help to many builders. Way to go. :D


    Thank you very much and we would love it if you can visit us and help where you can iro hints and tips to all people placing pic's of WIP's on, etc.

    Looking forward to seeing your work here.
  • magician1o1's avatar
    magician1o1
    15 years ago
    lkadas wrote:
    looks great guys :) Merry Widdow, eplans.com has many nice house plans also! you could add that too the list also!


    Thank you very much.

    We are looking forward to seeing you visit us and giving us your tips, tricks and comments to all involved.

    And of course your creations.
  • magician1o1's avatar
    magician1o1
    15 years ago
    Architektin wrote:
    great idea, i agree with ruth, this will become THE help-thread for builders! i see the beginners inceasing their skills, but the good builders find some tips and hints, too :-) have much fun with your thread!


    Thank you very much.

    We are looking forward to see you visit us and making your contribition to our thread.

    And seeing your creations.

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