Forum Discussion

15 years ago

Exotic World

EXOTIC WORLD

This is my first world that I've fully completed for the sims 3 and my first world I've uploaded to the exchange.

Exotic world is fully play tested.

The Story

Hope Island is a picturesque development on the northern end of the Gold Coast.
In 2012 hope Island broke away from the gold coast, and became to the locals the Exotic world.

YEAR 2020

The Coast area

Here summers are warm, or even hot, with a three-month period when rain rarely falls. When it does rain in this season it is heavy and often associated with thunder. Sunshine is abundant, as much as eleven to twelve hours a day in summer and five in midwinter.

Winters are generally mild and sunny but this pleasant weather is often interrupted by very changeable cold and blustery weather brought by a northerly wind called the mistral. This blows with particular strength in the Exotic valley and around the coast area.

The Mountainous Regions

These areas are the wettest and coldest regions of Exotic World and much of the winter precipitation is snow. Winter sports are best developed in this area and Pyrenees but can be pursued for a shorter period in the other mountain regions. The weather and climate of the is very similar to that found in the Swiss Alps. Plans for a special Xmas Exotic world are already in the planning stages of the local Sims.

Central Eastern Island

Summers also tend to be a little warmer. Rainfall is generally low and tends to fall in summer when it is often associated with thunderstorms.
Winters become colder towards the east and they are not any warmer farther south. In winter occasional very cold spells can occur. There is a definite increase in summer warmth in the south and an increase in sunshine from an average of seven to nine hours a day. This is also home of the main city area for exotic island, most people come here for jobs.

On the north end of the island, a oriental housing zone was established, this was attempt by the city council to introduce a higher cultural level to the island.

Western Island

This is mainly a lowland region, winters are generally mild and cold spells do not last for long.
The summers are significantly warmer and sunnier than in eastern Island. They can be rather wet, particularly towards the border, but the rain tends to be heavy and of short duration. Summers have more sunshine and longer spells of settled weather than farther north.
This area also contains a small french rural area and a medieval castle. Also home for the main science and industry area and boast some great nighttime shopping area's

North Island

Low-lying and rather flat area, there are some high mountain regions around the small island. Since 2015, the military have used this area, still some people live in this area and rumors that several archeologist have set up camp to explore some new ruins bring this place some interest.

KEY FEATURES

* Edit INI files
* All Rabbit holes
* Animated Train
* 122 Lots
* Compressed to reduce loading times.
* DX5 Textures used
* Vista used on the lots
* Texture sounds used
* Street names
* Lighting used on roads
* Emitters used inside lot, will only activate after one save, you will hear a bang the second time you load in the world, to tell you the emitters are working correctly
* Hiking area's used
* The Tricksters Dungeon, 5 levels of death and chaos
* Effects used on world map
* Spawners used in a balanced way
* Working Rainbow
* Edited Moon
* Edited Rabbit Holes
* Edited Posters inside the theater
* Working Ambitions lots with a new fire station

Exotic World
Download Link

Currently down, for maintenance, will be re uploaded soon

LOTS USED

With permission, the rest of the lots are made by me or are edited EA Lots.

Hillside Wedding Chapel
By rinirae
http://www.thesims3.com/assetDetail.html?assetId=2522944#

Briarwood Farm
byEuphorialQueen
http://www.thesims3.com/assetDetail.html?assetId=2281364#

Lone Artist Loft by EQ $39,475
by EuphorialQueen
http://www.thesims3.com/assetDetail.html?assetId=2267998

Greenwood Waterfall
by glitzyangel
http://www.thesims3.com/assetDetail.html?assetId=2459379#

Romantic Oasis
by glitzyangel
http://www.thesims3.com/assetDetail.html?assetId=2661731#

Treehouse Camp
by glitzyangel
http://www.thesims3.com/assetDetail.html?assetId=2459382

Weeb's Cottage
by glitzyangel
http://www.thesims3.com/assetDetail.html?assetId=2732076

21st Century Central Park
by magician1
http://www.thesims3.com/assetDetail.html?assetId=762706#

Doo P's 5 Towers Centre
by magician1
http://www.thesims3.com/assetDetail.html?assetId=960906#

The Villa Dubai
by magician1
http://www.thesims3.com/assetDetail.html?assetId=1171544#

Starter Cottage under 16K
by magician1
http://www.thesims3.com/assetDetail.html?assetId=1490301#

Ocean's 11
by magician1
http://www.thesims3.com/assetDetail.html?assetId=1783522#

Mystical Lodge
by Euka
http://www.thesims3.com/assetDetail.html?assetId=2182096#

Pinehearst Science Lab
by Euka
http://www.thesims3.com/assetDetail.html?assetId=2378690#

Archeologist Camp Site
by Euka
http://www.thesims3.com/assetDetail.html?assetId=2403382#

White Wash Delight
by Euka
http://www.thesims3.com/assetDetail.html?assetId=2569777#

Irish Rose Cottage
by cerridyn
http://www.thesims3.com/assetDetail.html?assetId=2584779#

All the designers of the world have been given credit inside the game for the lots they designed in form a plaque that your sim can read and it will state the designer of the lot.

Tutorials

Here is a full list of all the guides and CAW stuff I used while building this world:

I started a building a world guide, it's split into 12 parts, the guide will cover all the trick I used to build this world.

1-6 http://builders.forumotion.net/caw-101-f122/building-a-world-part-1-6-t1007.htm

7-10 http://builders.forumotion.net/caw-101-f122/advanced-tutorial-tweaking-your-worlds-custom-sea-sky-rabbit-holes-emitters-t1013.htm

11-12 http://builders.forumotion.net/caw-101-f122/building-a-world-part-11-t1187.htm

Large Address Aware

http://builders.forumotion.net/resource-listings-f123/large-address-aware-t1040.htm

Spillway Ambitions missing object from CAW

http://builders.forumotion.net/resource-listings-f123/spillway-ambitions-missing-object-from-caw-t1193.htm

Replacement Dungeons
Pack contain a replacement exotic world dungeon
http://builders.forumotion.net/resource-listings-f123/replacement-dungeons-t1207.htm

World Specific Params files
http://builders.forumotion.net/caw-library-f35/world-specific-params-files-in-testing-t934.htm

How to re-upload worlds to the exchange
http://builders.forumotion.net/caw-library-f35/how-to-re-upload-worlds-to-the-exchange-in-testing-t1159.htm

Exotic World Household Sims
This pack contains 44 sim households to used with exotic world, all the sims are based around lifetime wants
http://builders.forumotion.net/show-your-sims-f19/exotic-world-household-sims-t1205.htm

CUSTOM GRAPHICS

The world contains a large number of custom graphics, all the change are limited to this world only, you will not be able distribute the graphic changes inside any lots you design in this world. The world is mod free and nothing will be installed other than the world file.

UPDATES

Currently I've tested the world so it's very playable, I will continue to monitor for errors. A update will be made to the world after the next ep, anything you find wrong with the world, if you list the errors I will to try to correct them.

LINK TO DOWNLOAD

http://www.thesims3.com/assetDetail.html?assetId=3034982

Writin_Reg
15 years ago
I Definitely plan on installing this one for a try. I have admired it from afar for a while now. Nice tuturial on getting that train animated. So many extras (for both users and other creators as well), you deserve a big pat on the back for triple A effort, extreme generousity to your fellow creators by sharing all that you've learned, and astounding creativity for sure.

A big two thumbs up in my view!!!!
aralysd
15 years ago
I really LOVE this world... It's by far the best I have seen. I am having a problem with it though. Every time I click to Load the world it stops loading at around 25% I'd say and just shuts the game down... I really want to play this world :cry: Please if you have any insight as to why this is happening I would love to know so I can fix the problem and PLAY!! :mrgreen:

Thanks a bunch
caz1974
15 years ago
i absolutely love this world so much, it runs nice and smooth, i think the sunsets look amazing, the weather system is also good, but just a small problem i find, when playing in the daytime its really dark, sometimes when it is heavily overcast, its hard for me to see anything, especially as i have my sim ride her bike everywhere, just slightly too dark, but i overcome it because i do think its the best world i ever played, i can imagine how much hard work was put into it and lots of time to complete.
Thanks so much for brining a totally brilliant and unique world to us.
stw402
15 years ago
Load of replys, I've been out and about this weekend and when I tried to reply yesterday, I couldn't get on the forum and my broadband was playing up.

Jadeleine - Man thanks

Rflong7 - Cheers

Clayworld - Sorry you need to work the weekend, that's a right pain

Judiland - Many thanks :D

Johnnywr- I would like think the world can be enjoyed.

white_lily_1988 - Very nice compliment about the world many thanks

DOLLDRMS1 - "I noticed there are no empty lots. Because of all the effects you have used I wasn't sure whether people can try to put lots down or if that should be avoided." You can remove any lots you wish to change, with no problems, I can tell I plan to release the CAW files next weekend, so you can edit the world anyway you choose.

The sims are very good, I've been using them myself, I tried to match the sims to the lifetime wish. I've enjoyed using them anyway.

"I did try playing inside the house that shimmers and it's impossible to stay in for long."
The shimmer house was really a concept house, it never really got the update it did deserve for the world, I will be a update to this lot next week end, a more user friendly version.

MrCrumplebottom1- Many thanks I'm pleased your ebjoying the world

Writin_Reg - Many thanks, for such a nice compliment, I do have a moto, Share what you learn, if it help just one person then it's worth the trouble.

DarkMirage - Lost count how many, to many sleepless nights, 2 months I think, thou I was doing other things, like working, sleeping and family stuff.

aralys - "Load the world it stops loading at around 25% I'd say and just shuts the game down... I really want to play this world Please if you have any insight as to why this is happening I would love to know so I can fix the problem and PLAY!! "
The World was installed into a empty My document folder, it did have a 10 days of play testing, so at this point I'm ruling out it's the world. So what you can try and do, is remove any mods first and test then. Make backups...
If that fails, try removing your My document Sim folder and let the game spawn a new folder then reinstall the world and see if that works.
Also the world is not tested with Awesome Mod, I can't see while it would conflict with this, if you do use this mod, recheck without the mod installed.
Also you do WA & ambitions to make it work. Good luck

cazg1974 - I'm currently not to happy with the darkness during the daytime, I will be looking into a new daytime lighting system which you should be able to install into your current world, check back next weekend for this

DarkMirage - As above, really, I'm planning a update for anybody who downloaded the world, and a version 2 with a improved daytime lighting, I've started to tweak this already.
stw402
15 years ago
I've done some test already, it's very easy to remove the INI files that control the lights, this did take my just 5 minutes to do and this is on my current save game:-

So what I've decided to do, is but together a small update pack for anybody who downloaded version 1 so it does not mess up any saves, and just re-upload a version 2 with the improved lighting files. I will be working on this the moment I get chance.

The end of the day, most of you reading this will understand some of the problems you can get with worlds, it very easy to overlook something. We don't have the luxury of a team of play tested like EA have. Saying that have you seen all them floating trees near the sphinx in Egypt holiday location, somebody in EA missed that.
boraven
15 years ago
The colors / weather effects are amazing! Loving this world so far :P
It can get a bit dark but I can still see everything just fine.

It's currently the home to my billionth (maybe that's a stretch) legacy family. But I'm determined to keep this one going. :x

>my avatar is the first sim born into the world, She's the daughter of my founder and Jeffrey Ashby :)
stw402
15 years ago
I'm tweaking up the new lighting files, they look much more crisp and less dark the the original, one of the problem with the original was the transition from day to night, I've gone back to the files I was using in the beta and tweaked them this is the latest file.
You can see the sunset and all the details

This is about as dark the world will get, no lights for being night and the sky in is dark with long shadows, you can still make out details etc.

I will be uploading this soon, probable tonight or Wednesday.
dolldrms1
15 years ago
Awesome, you're redoing the lighting! I was coming back to tell you that I had to give up playing in this world because it was too dark for me to tell what I was doing half the time. For example, I had taken a sim to the cemetary at night to tour the mausoleum and when he came out I told him to harvest the life fruit plant. I was totally surprised when he turned around and then started harvesting from a tree. It was so dark that I had not even seen it. Additionally, I couldn't even see the mailbox in the front of my sims home for him to get mail after working an evening job.

EDIT - Oh, I forgot to say thanks for considering updating the shimmering lot so it is useable and letting us know that lots could be added. However, if I add lots it will have to be with the world editor because I don't use CAW. That's not really the optimum way, imho, so if you feel inclined to add an empty lot or two to the second version for growth purposes, I certainly would not complain :)
caz1974
15 years ago
Thanks Stw402, i am looking forward to playing again when you put the ammended lighting one in, i love your world so much and really want to make it my permanent play world, so whilst i wait i think i will just concentrate on a bit of lot building.
Thanks again :-)
dolldrms1
15 years ago
Oh gosh, I almost forgot to report this. Leastwise, it may be a report of something wrong. Since you've done so much with this world, I'm not sure if this is a found floating street lamp, or, if you put it on the cliff face intentionally :)

Anyway, this is across from the diner and library lot.