I'm a baby builder and new to it (Getting better!) But I was wondering what are other builder's tips and tricks or general advice for improving one's build game? Good starting points, the whole shebang.
Also while you're at share with me your proudest build! The one where you were like "Yes! I've arrived" lol so to speak.
1. Make sure it's playable. 2. If you are unsure, get inspiration from real buildings and interior designs - Google is your friend. 3. Don't be afraid of using MOO (as long as you play test your entire build after it's done before you share it and make sure it works) 4. Learn from what other players have done and "take" ideas to your own works. (As long as you aren't flat out stealing.. in other words uploading someone else's work that you've changed a tiny bit - that's a huge no no!) Challenges are an exception as you have to upload the challenge host's creation but those always have proper tags. 5. Take a look at building tutorials - i.e. Kate Emerald has done amazing tutorials! 6. Don't make massive rooms and leave them half empty (i.e. there's no point having a room that's say 10x14 squares, if it only has a bed and a wardrobe) In sims 4 the sims can function is way much less space than in any previous sims games! It's a trial and error to learn. 7. Enjoy what you do, it's supposed to be fun after all :D
Builds I'm proudest of (as I can't possibly choose just 1):
Marshal Hall Is actually my 2nd build in sims 4 when I only had the base game without any packs. Don't have a picture in imgur.
Eternal Gardens Was experimenting with terrain tools, pools and jets. https://i.imgur.com/ShYhfez.jpg
Mermaid's Call Was personally a huge challenge for me - spent a lot of time researching old ships. Don't have a picture in imgur.
Willow Creek Greenhouse A mammoth build for me that I was very proud of. https://i.imgur.com/dWZKaWj.jpg
Gift - B&W Modern The very first modern build I've ever done. I used to absolutely hate anything modern but I learned to love it. https://i.imgur.com/CumVWsH.jpg
Blue Cup Café and Club 69 My very first industrial style build. Spend a lot hours building this and detailing the landscape (there's a murder scene at the back, lol) Don't have a picture in imgur.
As for rooms, this is the 1 I'm most proud of:
Pond Took hours to place all the plants and flowers <3 https://i.imgur.com/zD97ZkA.jpg
Don't worry @surlybadger, ALL of us are still learning new things when it comes to building. My main tips are:
1) If you see somebody do something neat in a build that you like, download the build and take a good look at it to see how they did it. You can learn so many cool building and decorating tricks from other players. Keep it in your toolbox for when you have an opportunity to use it. I learned stuff from facing cabinets backwards to enclosing tubs with half walls from seeing other people do it.
2) Keep building. Like with anything else, you get better with practice; nobody was great at it at the beginning. Just keep doing it and trying new things and eventually you'll get better and better.
3) Symmetry is not usually good. I know I have a tendency to want to make a symmetrical building, but I've found that symmetrical builds can be boring, For visual interest, keep some elements the same (for continuity) like the same type of windows but use different sizes, numbers of windows or positioning or use a different color or wall texture to highlight the eye up or across. You USUALLY need some variations to make the build look interesting. Take a look on the gallery and download some builds you like and see how the builder used windows, texture, color, etc. to accent parts of the building and where it draws your eye and also see how they used asymmetry to make the build interesting.
4) Finally, don't be afraid to experiment. This is game and supposed to be fun! Try different things and see how they work. It's a terrific way to learn!
Good luck on you building journey! Hope to see your works posted in the forum!
When I started building I used floor plans to get the basic shape of the house. A lot of them have measurements for each room, and I would cut the measurements in half in game. For example if a bedroom was 10x10 in the floorplan, I would make it 5x5 in game. If it was a number that's not divisible by 2, I would split the difference (9x10 would become 4x5). This helps a lot with proportions, however it's not an exact science. Sometimes things need adjusting a bit but it's a good start.
Another thing I've recently started doing to make the back of a house look as well as the front is copy it. That way if you cut the house in half the two pieces would be mirrored. I do this to keep from the back being so flat and plain looking. Plus, in my opinion, it's usually easier to floorplan.
As for my proudest builds? These modern houses were accomplishments for me because I don't really do modern houses.
Modern Family Home: See what I mean about symmetry?
don't have any pics at my hands right now might add later~
some tips I'd suggest:
1. Sizing
most usual mistake i see is people making their houses way too big so everything they put in the house or out the house looks very dwarfed
easiest way around this is using doors windows and furnitures for guidance while building your overall shape of the house
2. Examples
it also helps to take existing houses from google or such and try to recreate them if you feel like you end up with same awkward box
3. Roofing.
something that can pretty much save or ruin your house from the outsides so it's important to think how you are going to roof the house before you have done whole house and realize no roofing works (guilty and charged)
4. Decorate
house is lit from inside and good size but looks boxy outside?
add some popouts and have fun with the pillars and friezes and balconies and roof deco and whatever
the decoration is there to be used
5. Landscape (i suck at this step but I'll try)
add some trees, bushes, walkways, gardening spots etc.
(rip)
6. Take the surroundings in account
optional but I feel houses look better when they fit the surroundings like log cabin in desert looks pretty off you know
and also if there is any non deletable houses try to match their build style could help
7. realize none of this helped and go watch youtubers build things
Something I suggest, make a separate save just for building. Make some sample households of all different sizes to test out your build and make sure everything is accessible.
I'm not really a builder, but I do have fun building stuffs for my Sims and sometimes joining some challenges too.
1. Get a good reference - it can be from anywhere. Something that you can follow easily & modify accordingly. 2. Don't limit your creativity - it can be unrealistic, or it can be weird. But I would say, that is what we call unique & have its own identity. 3. Roofing can be so frustrating. I'm still learning too. But, you can start with a modern house first & get comfortable in building/renovate the exisiting houses/community lots. 4. Go small first then start expanding. 5. Play with the tools - it can be the terrain or the stairs. I hope that we could someday get a water tool soon. 6. Always test your build if you're planning to share it to the gallery. 7. The landscaping is important. You can build an amazing house, but the landscaping makes it more beautiful. 8. MOO is the best cheat! 9. Participate in building challenges. It will help you in terms of focusing on what to build for that particular challenge. 10. Be proud & don't compare your build with others. Your build is amazing & just getting more amazing as you build more houses.
I would say, this is my proudest build so far because of how I'm using the terrain tool. The house is pretty simple, but I had fun playing with the tool and getting my Sims to walk up along the pathway.
Build. Then build some more. Then, when you think you're done. Build more. As in anything, you get better, the more you do it.
Look at, watch and listen to builders you enjoy and respect. I learn something new, every single day, from other builders.
When looking at blueprints, try to follow the rule that in game tiles are 3' x 3'. (Making them 4.3' on the diagonal) That will help you follow the basic idea of the floor plans you are looking at, easier to do and make your rooms more realistic sized, for your builds.
Wall heights, I usually consider to be; Short - 8'-9', Medium 10'-12' & Tall - 14-16'. I've not found any info on what they are actually supposed to be, but that feels right.
When working a roof with several sections, you usually want to try to adjust the roof heights, so that all of the roof eaves match up in height and don't look all scattered and jagged. You can hold alt and raise or lower your roof, for fine tuning.
Be careful with MOO. I'll often save my build to my Library, turn MOO off and then plop that home on another lot and check what's gone wonky. If there is an issue, I'll demolish the copy, go back to the original with MOO off and fix the problem, then repeat the process, to make sure all is well.
Before you save to the Gallery, run a, or some, Sims through the house and make them touch and do stuff, to make sure everything is accessible.
Some people like hoarder levels of clutter. Some people like minimalism. Some people are more centrist. It's all your call. What make you happy.
Look at interior decorating websites. Search for the style of home you are building (and time period) and get some ideas from people who actually make money doing that sort of thing. You'll be amazed at the inspiration you can pick up.
Never be afraid to ask questions. You are surrounded by the most incredible, helpful, loving and kind Gaming Community, on the Planet. Use that.
Have fun! Simply enjoy what you do. Yes, sometimes there will be builds that cause you to lose sleep, sweat and use bad words, but in the end, they are yours and if you can upload them with pride and bring joy to others, it was all worth it. ♥♥♥
Thanks, @SweetieWright_84 - especially for the room sizes thing. I always end up trying to build big houses, and leaving too much space. You've been really helpful. :smile:
The tips in this thread are wonderful and I'm sure they'll help develop your building style :) There's not much to add that hasn't already been said, but there are a few things I'd like to elaborate on, since I've been in the same 'starting position' (as we all have I'm sure! ;) ).
As others have said, definitely download builds you like from the gallery and take a closer look in build mode! Pick them apart. Why do you like this build? What did the creator do that makes this lot 'work'? What type of wall covering did they use and why does it look good? How did they manage the roofing? Does it consist of many pieces? What type of extra decoration did they add to make the exterior look appealing? However, do the same with builds you don't like. Please note I'm not saying to be mean, but in order to figure out your own style and preferences, it helps to look at both types of builds. Why do you not like this build? Why doesn't it 'work' in your eyes? What would you have done differently? Keep in mind there's no 'right' or 'wrong' way of building. There's only creativity and personal preference! And in order to end up with builds you're proud of, it definitely helps to figure out what your own personal preference is, just so you know what you're aiming for :)
Don't rush your builds. Take your time! There's no need to hurry. I generally have multiple builds going at once. When I get stuck on one, I move on to the other. Or I'll just leave it for a month or two and go back when I have time to play again. Sometimes I'm busy with one build and then get inspiration for another one. Other times I come back to a build 3 weeks later and I don't like the way it looks, so I end up changing it again. Just picking wall coverings can take hours :D I don't know how those speedbuilding Youtubers can finish a great looking build in limited time. Mad respect for them! There's no harm in taking it slow though. Move at your own speed.
Experiment. Build in different styles. Try a Victorian build. Try a modern build. Use woods. Use stone. Use bright colours. Figure out new ways of roofing. Just let your imagination run wild and try to build it! Even if you end up scrapping it, it's still experience you've gained. Every bit of practice will help you improve.
Don't delete your old finished builds, even if you don't like them anymore. Once you've finished multiple builds, you can look back and see the improvement. No one's first build looks the same as their most recent one. You'll notice your building skills have developed and seeing the improvement will only encourage you :) When I look at the, I don't know, ~20 first builds I uploaded to the gallery, I start to shake my head and wonder, "what the hell was I thinking?" I've thought about taking them down, since they're no longer representative of what I'm building now, almost 6 years later. But that's a 6 year journey I'd end up deleting. Isn't it all about the journey instead of the destination? :p
Don't be afraid to share your creations! This forum is extremely supportive and helpful. Also, join build challenges. I did a few Build 'n Share challenges in the past and it's a great experience. You might end up building something you usually wouldn't build and get feedback on what you could improve (if you want). Plus, it's very fun to see multiple interpretations of the same briefing by other builders. Challenges are a great way to learn and try out new things.
And yes, the most important thing... just HAVE FUN! :smiley: It can be hard at times to get things to look the way you want or to figure out how to make something look the way you want, but if it gets too frustrating and energy draining, then stop. Start another build, play something else for a while, just leave it for a bit. Maybe you'll think of a solution on your way to work. Maybe there's no solution but you'll figure out an alternative way to make it 'close enough'. Building should be fun, it shouldn't feel like a chore. Oh, and build for yourself first and foremost. Don't worry about downloads or favorites. When you finish something you're proud of and you want to share it, just upload it! Every builder brings something unique to the table. Enjoy your journey :)
As for the build I'm most proud of, it's Simoleon Supermarket. Someone requested a supermarket here on the forum. As a former supermarket employee, I thought about creating a supermarket before. The request made me do it. I was extremely happy with the way it turned out and thankfully, the requester loved it as well, so it was double joy :) This one really made me feel like, "yes, I'm really getting the hang of building".
(I just noticed one of the corner pillars missing in the bottom picture. Had to go back into the game and check if it disappeared. Thankfully, it's still there. Just a graphical glitch when I took the screenshot. Phew :D
To add a recent one... Landscaping is my nemesis. I hate having to come up with something for every single build. However, with Selamat Siang, I was finally 100% content with how the gardens looked. I really tried my best, as opposed to just plopping down some trees and plants like I usually do, and I was very happy (and still am) with the result.
