Can someone critique my lots?
Hiya! I've been building houses and lots in the sims since Sims 2, but for some reason, I just cannot get that wow factor. I wondered if anyone would be kind enough to take a look at my lots in my ga...
Forum Discussion
2) Building tips
This is a bit more 'style driven', personal and subjective. i will NOT tell you which style people prefer, cause I don't know. I usually do modern builds, but I also see classic builds getting a lot of attention. Just do you and what you feel comfortable with, anything that feels forced usually looks a bit off and will not be hugely popular anyway :)
1) The right amount of pazazz
Too little
https://athena.thesims.com/v1/images/1/0x0000098d/2636C5FA-7E32-11EB-8BD9-C3C6F37CF8C6/00.jpg
Judging by the pictures, the hospital is 'ok'. the lighting is good, the colors of the facing are nice, but there is not much going on. It is a fairly basic shape and the entire inside looks beige and blends together. I see this house has a nice shape though and a lot of effort must have gone into it. Maybe see if pictures from a different angle work? if a build is a basic shape, but you want to build it anyway, build on the diagonal or build a part on the diagonal, it provides interesting angles for your first picture. People will NEVER download first, look later :p Also, if you look at your pics and you see the inside blend like this, add more lights, add a splash of color, maybe an accent wall, a carpet, anything to break the monotone picture. (Even if in the build it looks great, if it doesn't show on the picture, people will most likely never see it!)
Enough pazazz
https://athena.thesims.com/v1/images/1/0x00001052/3450E79D-7A6C-11EB-8CA3-C3C6F37CF8C6/00.jpg
I actually think this is a very lovely build, it is interesting, contrasting colors, a pop of green, but not enough to hide the building itself or look messy. I think with the right lighting this could be a great one! If you want it more popular, it has a bit too much blue/green I think and I would finish of the leftmost part with a roofing of some sort, maybe just a small platform or a wider edge, but now it just sort of.. stops. The sloped roofs further back are nice though! They look great. I stick to the fact this one could draw some attention
Too much
https://athena.thesims.com/v1/images/1/0x00000b4f/912198AD-70CD-11EB-8C25-FCAA752B5B46/00.jpg
Yeah, I think I explained this one already :)
https://athena.thesims.com/v1/images/1/0x00001ede/D61FFCF6-767B-11EB-85C4-6EADD5D6A7E6/00.jpg
This one I think actually looks great. Not bad lighting, nice colors, nice contrast. The red flowered bush hides the detailing and lowers the appeal of the first picture. Try not to have trees or bushes actually cover anything of your house that has detailing. If they are in the picture, have one that is see-through or have it on like a blank wall or a part that does not take away from the build. The decoration is also a lovely old castle feel. I think this is creative and fun, but usually people don't prefer to play in houses this size with no bedrooms. People like to see a home they could play in and while some people actually want this stuff, if you want to appeal to most people, most people like normal/common stuff :) Just for me, I would not put a white detailed glass roof on it, it's a bit much for me, either black or not even transparent (unless it really has a function). This is MY opinion though, you stick to your style :)
2) Filling the picture
https://athena.thesims.com/v1/images/1/0x0000003e/60FC9C32-7CC1-11EB-8D8F-CACBBEC83282/00.jpg
This build is actually nice, I think the shape is interesting, the build is creative and there are some nice elements to it. The picture, however does NOT do it justice. I mentioned the lighting before, it does not help you at all here. Also, I would elongate the walkway and the front left and right piece, placing the build further in the back. This does not overcrowd the picture with 'house'. If more than 3/4 of your frame is filled with wall, it's too much, push the building, or a part of the building back. Add a little more detailing in the sides or make them assymetrical, that also helps. Why not add a balcony to the sides or your round part (the 2 blank walls you see now) It would add not only a window, but also a fence at an intermediate location, maybe a bench, it generates some more interest. Keep in mind: public lots are -in general- less popular than residential ones!
Me personally, i love to work with bits and pieces of buildings pushed back and forward, definitely in more modern builds, just an example here.
https://athena.thesims.com/v1/images/1/0x00001dc2/BFD31708-00D6-11EB-89AB-E9CAD1B3EEB7/00.jpg
For this one, I think it is too little house for the picture
https://athena.thesims.com/v1/images/1/0x00000d04/300D1BA6-6F6B-11EB-8B26-3CBA924B87DD/00.jpg
This house has lovely detailing, but it is so far in the background, it becomes hard to see in an instant. People don't usually bother with clicking if there is no immediate "oooh" reaction. I would bring this one a bit to the front, maybe declutter a bit for the pictures, but I think this one is lovely.
3) Defining the facade
This is actually a major thing.
https://athena.thesims.com/v1/images/1/0x0000060a/4B590269-F733-11EA-8210-EE457666E674/00.jpg
This is a nice build... from the second picture. The main picture looks all blended together, there is nothing separating the different parts of the facade of your building. I do think this is the hardest part, i would really just prefer us being able to pick our pictures... Add a different color to parts of your build, add a trim, pillars, pull a part of the facing back and have shading do the work. These are all things that define different parts of your facade and keep the picture from looking flat. The trim under your window is a great start, but why not paint the inside of the area below it also white? Why not use a paint with a corner stone and push the left roof back? Why not pull the lower roof a little more to the front, these are all tricks that help make this picture look more appealing. :)
4) The right angle
https://athena.thesims.com/v1/images/1/0x000017c0/F3B10DE6-86FF-11EB-82F3-C80C31D3D2E6/00.jpg
Sometimes it is just a basic question of not having the right side of your lot facing the camera... Maybe try another angle? If all else fails, I place my builds on a bigger lot (ex: 20x30 on a 30x30), turn it the right way and mention: "fits a 20x30 lot", just to have some decent pictures to show.
Alright, i hope this was helpful. I do love your builds, you just don't have the right pictures I'm afraid, maybe this can be a bit of a guide to reupload some of these? For me, I just build whatever I want, if I get downloads, yay, if I don't, I had fun building :) I build most of mine based on pictures of real life buildings and get my satisfaction out of trying to make the impossible work in the sims lol :D Just have fun with it, dress your stuff up for the crowd and see if there any takers ;)
This is a bit more 'style driven', personal and subjective. i will NOT tell you which style people prefer, cause I don't know. I usually do modern builds, but I also see classic builds getting a lot of attention. Just do you and what you feel comfortable with, anything that feels forced usually looks a bit off and will not be hugely popular anyway :)
1) The right amount of pazazz
Too little
https://athena.thesims.com/v1/images/1/0x0000098d/2636C5FA-7E32-11EB-8BD9-C3C6F37CF8C6/00.jpg
Judging by the pictures, the hospital is 'ok'. the lighting is good, the colors of the facing are nice, but there is not much going on. It is a fairly basic shape and the entire inside looks beige and blends together. I see this house has a nice shape though and a lot of effort must have gone into it. Maybe see if pictures from a different angle work? if a build is a basic shape, but you want to build it anyway, build on the diagonal or build a part on the diagonal, it provides interesting angles for your first picture. People will NEVER download first, look later :p Also, if you look at your pics and you see the inside blend like this, add more lights, add a splash of color, maybe an accent wall, a carpet, anything to break the monotone picture. (Even if in the build it looks great, if it doesn't show on the picture, people will most likely never see it!)
Enough pazazz
https://athena.thesims.com/v1/images/1/0x00001052/3450E79D-7A6C-11EB-8CA3-C3C6F37CF8C6/00.jpg
I actually think this is a very lovely build, it is interesting, contrasting colors, a pop of green, but not enough to hide the building itself or look messy. I think with the right lighting this could be a great one! If you want it more popular, it has a bit too much blue/green I think and I would finish of the leftmost part with a roofing of some sort, maybe just a small platform or a wider edge, but now it just sort of.. stops. The sloped roofs further back are nice though! They look great. I stick to the fact this one could draw some attention
Too much
https://athena.thesims.com/v1/images/1/0x00000b4f/912198AD-70CD-11EB-8C25-FCAA752B5B46/00.jpg
Yeah, I think I explained this one already :)
https://athena.thesims.com/v1/images/1/0x00001ede/D61FFCF6-767B-11EB-85C4-6EADD5D6A7E6/00.jpg
This one I think actually looks great. Not bad lighting, nice colors, nice contrast. The red flowered bush hides the detailing and lowers the appeal of the first picture. Try not to have trees or bushes actually cover anything of your house that has detailing. If they are in the picture, have one that is see-through or have it on like a blank wall or a part that does not take away from the build. The decoration is also a lovely old castle feel. I think this is creative and fun, but usually people don't prefer to play in houses this size with no bedrooms. People like to see a home they could play in and while some people actually want this stuff, if you want to appeal to most people, most people like normal/common stuff :) Just for me, I would not put a white detailed glass roof on it, it's a bit much for me, either black or not even transparent (unless it really has a function). This is MY opinion though, you stick to your style :)
2) Filling the picture
https://athena.thesims.com/v1/images/1/0x0000003e/60FC9C32-7CC1-11EB-8D8F-CACBBEC83282/00.jpg
This build is actually nice, I think the shape is interesting, the build is creative and there are some nice elements to it. The picture, however does NOT do it justice. I mentioned the lighting before, it does not help you at all here. Also, I would elongate the walkway and the front left and right piece, placing the build further in the back. This does not overcrowd the picture with 'house'. If more than 3/4 of your frame is filled with wall, it's too much, push the building, or a part of the building back. Add a little more detailing in the sides or make them assymetrical, that also helps. Why not add a balcony to the sides or your round part (the 2 blank walls you see now) It would add not only a window, but also a fence at an intermediate location, maybe a bench, it generates some more interest. Keep in mind: public lots are -in general- less popular than residential ones!
Me personally, i love to work with bits and pieces of buildings pushed back and forward, definitely in more modern builds, just an example here.
https://athena.thesims.com/v1/images/1/0x00001dc2/BFD31708-00D6-11EB-89AB-E9CAD1B3EEB7/00.jpg
For this one, I think it is too little house for the picture
https://athena.thesims.com/v1/images/1/0x00000d04/300D1BA6-6F6B-11EB-8B26-3CBA924B87DD/00.jpg
This house has lovely detailing, but it is so far in the background, it becomes hard to see in an instant. People don't usually bother with clicking if there is no immediate "oooh" reaction. I would bring this one a bit to the front, maybe declutter a bit for the pictures, but I think this one is lovely.
3) Defining the facade
This is actually a major thing.
https://athena.thesims.com/v1/images/1/0x0000060a/4B590269-F733-11EA-8210-EE457666E674/00.jpg
This is a nice build... from the second picture. The main picture looks all blended together, there is nothing separating the different parts of the facade of your building. I do think this is the hardest part, i would really just prefer us being able to pick our pictures... Add a different color to parts of your build, add a trim, pillars, pull a part of the facing back and have shading do the work. These are all things that define different parts of your facade and keep the picture from looking flat. The trim under your window is a great start, but why not paint the inside of the area below it also white? Why not use a paint with a corner stone and push the left roof back? Why not pull the lower roof a little more to the front, these are all tricks that help make this picture look more appealing. :)
4) The right angle
https://athena.thesims.com/v1/images/1/0x000017c0/F3B10DE6-86FF-11EB-82F3-C80C31D3D2E6/00.jpg
Sometimes it is just a basic question of not having the right side of your lot facing the camera... Maybe try another angle? If all else fails, I place my builds on a bigger lot (ex: 20x30 on a 30x30), turn it the right way and mention: "fits a 20x30 lot", just to have some decent pictures to show.
Alright, i hope this was helpful. I do love your builds, you just don't have the right pictures I'm afraid, maybe this can be a bit of a guide to reupload some of these? For me, I just build whatever I want, if I get downloads, yay, if I don't, I had fun building :) I build most of mine based on pictures of real life buildings and get my satisfaction out of trying to make the impossible work in the sims lol :D Just have fun with it, dress your stuff up for the crowd and see if there any takers ;)
