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Original Poster
#1 Old 17th Feb 2019 at 7:58 AM
Empty swimming pool?
So I decided to makeover Strangetown into an abandoned town, no families, all of the houses are empty and derelict. The problem I am having is that I want to have the pool at the Smith Family home empty of water. I don't want to use the foundation tool because that would make it look like the pool is on a foundation. So without altering the pool in any way, is there a way to just get rid of the water? Has anyone made a mod that would hide the water, make it invisible? Thanks in advance...this is driving me nuts.
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Alchemist
#2 Old 20th Feb 2019 at 1:41 AM Last edited by Sunrader : 20th Feb 2019 at 3:32 AM.
The easiest way, I think, is to use Grid Adjuster to create a basement and then decorate it to look like a pool. You can have a "basement" that is just a hole with walls and a floor, a pool without water. I don't have the right CC for the walls and such, but you get the idea.



One for fun.

Former Hamster
retired moderator
#3 Old 20th Feb 2019 at 9:21 AM
Or you could just use CFE (constrain floor elevation) to dig out the area you want the empty pool in and get the same look.
Alchemist
#4 Old 20th Feb 2019 at 3:29 PM Last edited by Sunrader : 20th Feb 2019 at 3:45 PM.
Quote: Originally posted by mustluvcatz
Or you could just use CFE (constrain floor elevation) to dig out the area you want the empty pool in and get the same look.


GA is doing the same thing as CFE, just faster and without some of the headaches, but, yes, of course, you can.

I was also wondering, I've never looked at the files, but I would think the pools are doing exactly that, but textured with water? I wonder if that could be cloned and changed.
Mad Poster
#5 Old 20th Feb 2019 at 3:44 PM
Brilliant ! But what happens when Sims decide to use the ladder? Because you know they will...
I'd use a deco one to avoid all the annoying swimmingz.

Je mange des girafes et je parle aussi français !...surtout :0)

Find all my old MTS Uploads, on my SFS, And all new uploads Here . :)
Alchemist
#6 Old 20th Feb 2019 at 3:46 PM
Quote: Originally posted by Rosebine
Brilliant ! But what happens when Sims decide to use the ladder? Because you know they will...
I'd use a deco one to avoid all the annoying swimmingz.


Actually, I'm not sure they would if you put it off by itself with no reason to traverse the area, but if so, you could adjust autonomy or, yes, deco. I also used moveobjects on to place it, so it might not work for that reason as well.
Mad Poster
#7 Old 20th Feb 2019 at 3:48 PM
They will. The swimming pool itself, calls no one in. The ladder, diving board and slide are the objects that advertise fun and call sims in.

Je mange des girafes et je parle aussi français !...surtout :0)

Find all my old MTS Uploads, on my SFS, And all new uploads Here . :)
Alchemist
#8 Old 20th Feb 2019 at 3:50 PM
Quote: Originally posted by Rosebine
They will. The swimming pool itself, calls no one in. The ladder, diving board and slide are the objects that advertise fun and call sims in.


Interesting that you mention the slide. Midgethetree, Hexagonal-bipyramid, and I exchanged a few comments on Tumblr recently about being unable to make the slide auto. They couldn't figure it out, either... yet.
Mad Poster
#9 Old 20th Feb 2019 at 4:04 PM
We also had this discussion on here, I tried but cannot find the actual thread/posts..maybe @iCad remembers...

Je mange des girafes et je parle aussi français !...surtout :0)

Find all my old MTS Uploads, on my SFS, And all new uploads Here . :)
Alchemist
#10 Old 20th Feb 2019 at 4:33 PM
Quote: Originally posted by Rosebine
We also had this discussion on here, I tried but cannot find the actual thread/posts..maybe @iCad remembers...


Yes, I remember. We didn't manage it. http://www.modthesims.info/showthread.php?t=613546
Alchemist
#11 Old 20th Feb 2019 at 5:58 PM Last edited by Sunrader : 20th Feb 2019 at 6:47 PM.
Default Mini-Tutorial on Using GA for basement/pool
By request, here's a simple step-by-step to get you started with Grid Adjuster. GA is an amazing tool with many uses, but here's an easy one.

1. Go to your lot, wherever you want the basement/pool to be, and build a shape like this. It's easiest to go ahead and paint floors and walls now.





2. Anything you want at the edge of the basement/pool area that affects terrain, like flooring or plants, place now.



3. You'll need to tell GA where you want it to work. To make it easy to count size and placement of the basement/pool, I take a top down pic (Fraps), or you can make a note (see step 7 for the numbers you'll need).

4) Make sure you have a pic or note and know the name of the hood and lot. Save and exit the game.

5) Run Grid Adjuster. http://modthesims.info/download.php?t=327439 (This is tool that works outside the game like SimPE, does not go in downloads.)

6) Navigate to your lot.



7) Count the placement of your pool/basement as shown (note that we start counting in front with the sidewalk as #10), fill the From and To according to the pic, set the Pattern to basement, and use the Elevation of -16 to sink the entire thing below ground.



8) Exit GA and reopen game.

9) In hood view, it probably won't look any different at this point. You may want to pick it up and put it down again to help it reset. Go into lot view and your basement/pool should be there. It's good practice to move something, save, exit to hood, and then go back in. This will create the correct hood view of the lot.

10) Go back into lot view and your basement/pool is ready to decorate.



*I realized my green roof looked a bit like grass at the bottom of the pool, so changed the color for the pic. Use shift+click to change floors because placing individual ones may mess up your terrain elevation.
Former Hamster
retired moderator
#12 Old 20th Feb 2019 at 7:26 PM
Quote: Originally posted by Sunrader
GA is doing the same thing as CFE, just faster and without some of the headaches, but, yes, of course, you can.

Well, the reason I posted about using CFE is that I personally hate having to quit the game, load another program then load the game again. So was just giving an alternative method. BUT I'm pretty good with CFE so it doesn't bother me at all to use it.
Mad Poster
#13 Old 20th Feb 2019 at 7:48 PM
The sims - will swim in that empty pool they swim in terrain paint.

Great ideas from you and a really scary looking pool
Alchemist
#14 Old 20th Feb 2019 at 9:34 PM Last edited by Sunrader : 21st Feb 2019 at 3:33 PM.
Quote: Originally posted by mustluvcatz
Well, the reason I posted about using CFE is that I personally hate having to quit the game, load another program then load the game again. So was just giving an alternative method. BUT I'm pretty good with CFE so it doesn't bother me at all to use it.


Sure, that's a good point. I can see that, especially if a player has long load times. Mine is less than a minute, so not too bad. I use CFE for some things, too, of course, like an quick, easy 4-click dummy level (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydXN1lkX1lg) but there are a few things I don't know how to do with it. Can you create a complete no-slope single-wall basement with CFE? And, can you make 2-click levels, rather than the 4-click norm, for 2-click foundations or 2-click dummy walls to raise the roof above the window. Those are my main uses for it right now because I like really tiny lots, and basements and 2-click proportions are great on tiny buildings.



Also, I kinda want to promote GA because Moo worked to make us this incredible tool, but, I guess, because it seems a bit mathy, a lot of people don't use it much.

Quote: Originally posted by Justpetro
The sims - will swim in that empty pool they swim in terrain paint.
Great ideas from you and a really scary looking pool


Silly Sims, yeah, looks like OP will want deco ladders, etc. (No idea why my emoticons don't work sometimes.)
Alchemist
#15 Old 23rd Feb 2019 at 12:28 AM Last edited by Sunrader : 23rd Feb 2019 at 12:55 AM.
Quote: Originally posted by Sunrader
Actually, I'm not sure they would if you put it off by itself with no reason to traverse the area, but if so, you could adjust autonomy or, yes, deco. I also used moveobjects on to place it, so it might not work for that reason as well.


Update: I ran that lot above with the sim on it for many sim hours. The lot had nothing but her, the mailbox, and the pool with the ladders. She jumped rope, she birdwatched, the neighbors came by to welcome her, Humble came, the matchmaker came, more jumprope. No one ever approached the pool ladders at all. Maybe the off placement of the moveobjectson? Either that or the ladders are just like doors and have no advertising - I didn't check, but at one point, I thought they worked that way.

She does, however, try to leap to her death if I put the diving board, no matter how off grid I place it. Fortunately, she can still swim and climb out, so no blood splatters. I guess, if you want blood in your grungey, you'll have to paint that on.

Bonus Fun - I'd never seen this. I guess I never left a sim with nothing else to do for long enough before. Once the diving board was removed again, she went back to birdwatching and the birds showed up.
Mad Poster
#16 Old 23rd Feb 2019 at 1:05 AM
Placing a pool ladder, diving board with moveobjects on is common practice when creating swimmable lakes. You really don't need a real pool for Sims to enter or get out of what they think is a pool, you really just need the pool ladder. Maybe it is more a personality thing than anything else that stopped your Sim from throwing herself in the *pool* using the ladder.

Je mange des girafes et je parle aussi français !...surtout :0)

Find all my old MTS Uploads, on my SFS, And all new uploads Here . :)
Alchemist
#17 Old 23rd Feb 2019 at 2:00 AM
Quote: Originally posted by Rosebine
Placing a pool ladder, diving board with moveobjects on is common practice when creating swimmable lakes. You really don't need a real pool for Sims to enter or get out of what they think is a pool, you really just need the pool ladder. Maybe it is more a personality thing than anything else that stopped your Sim from throwing herself in the *pool* using the ladder.


No one touched it, though. She happily threw herself off the diving board. That's a good point, though, about the lakes.
Mad Poster
#18 Old 23rd Feb 2019 at 2:02 AM
Well, you might have found something quite interesting...for me anyway! ahah. Maybe grid adjuster did something...

Je mange des girafes et je parle aussi français !...surtout :0)

Find all my old MTS Uploads, on my SFS, And all new uploads Here . :)
Theorist
#19 Old 2nd Mar 2019 at 6:25 PM Last edited by ScaryRob : 2nd Mar 2019 at 8:31 PM.
Quote: Originally posted by mustluvcatz
Well, the reason I posted about using CFE is that I personally hate having to quit the game, load another program then load the game again. So was just giving an alternative method. BUT I'm pretty good with CFE so it doesn't bother me at all to use it.

Good point - I too fail to see how Grid Adjuster is in any way easier to use than CFE, although it does obviously allow non-slanted walls, among other things.
The way the squares are counted is not very intuitive. And while GA might be easy enough to make a simple hole in the ground, as in this case, or perhaps a basement for a simple-shaped house, I've found that it becomes a nightmare to use with any half-way complicated footprint, especially if frequent changes have to be made during the building process.

However, how do you figure on using CFE for making an empty pool, since you end up with slanted walls?
Alchemist
#20 Old 5th Mar 2019 at 3:38 PM Last edited by Sunrader : 5th Mar 2019 at 8:08 PM.
Quote: Originally posted by ScaryRob
Good point - I too fail to see how Grid Adjuster is in any way easier to use than CFE, although it does obviously allow non-slanted walls, among other things.
The way the squares are counted is not very intuitive. And while GA might be easy enough to make a simple hole in the ground, as in this case, or perhaps a basement for a simple-shaped house, I've found that it becomes a nightmare to use with any half-way complicated footprint, especially if frequent changes have to be made during the building process.

However, how do you figure on using CFE for making an empty pool, since you end up with slanted walls?


@ScaryRob, some good points. As for counting the squares, I think it's not so difficult once you see the idea behind it, as I've shown in the pic above or below. You can also make consecutive changes to a lot without going back to the game. For example, to make an L-shaped basement, you could do both pieces at once in GA, then go into game again. For me, it think it works best if I take a screenshot to refer to. GA also lets you change the height of a level with more flexibility, for example, to 2-clicks, instead of 4. With CFE, I think you have to find some way in game to build something the height you want to match, is that right? Or, do you know a way to make a 2-click deck/foundation/dummy wall with CFE?

Theorist
#21 Old 5th Mar 2019 at 9:17 PM
Quote: Originally posted by Sunrader
@ScaryRob, some good points. As for counting the squares, I think it's not so difficult once you see the idea behind it, as I've shown in the pic above or below. You can also make consecutive changes to a lot without going back to the game. For example, to make an L-shaped basement, you could do both pieces at once in GA, then go into game again. For me, it think it works best if I take a screenshot to refer to. GA also lets you change the height of a level with more flexibility, for example, to 2-clicks, instead of 4. With CFE, I think you have to find some way in game to build something the height you want to match, is that right? Or, do you know a way to make a 2-click deck/foundation/dummy wall with CFE?

Thanks for the picture and clarification, but the things you mention don't come close to what I would like to do.
I'm trying to recreate a real-life house. Need I say more? Every Sims lot builder that has ever tried to replicate a real-life house will be familiar with the associated travails of doing so.
To summarize, the house I would like to make sits on an uneven lot that slopes down a hill from street level. It needs a basement level, but without having to step up onto a foundation. There is a huge retaining wall that runs the entire length of the house, overlooking the hillside. There is also a swimming pool and driveway, both of which need to be at a correct level so as not to have to step up onto a foundation to get into the house.
It's complicated.
I could maybe do all of these things reasonably well using the normal foundation and some CFE, except the pool, which would end up being just some water-colored floor tiles with a couple of pool ladders going in.
I messed around with the Grid Adjuster a little bit a few years ago, but I'm nowhere near familiar enough with it to attempt this at this time.
Here's a few pics of the house I'd like to make. It's called the Taggart House, by Lloyd Wright Junior, son of Frank Lloyd Wright:
Screenshots
Alchemist
#22 Old 6th Mar 2019 at 12:31 AM Last edited by Sunrader : 6th Mar 2019 at 12:52 AM.
Quote: Originally posted by ScaryRob
Here's a few pics of the house I'd like to make. It's called the Taggart House, by Lloyd Wright Junior, son of Frank Lloyd Wright:


That's an amazing design. Quite the challenge.
Former Hamster
retired moderator
#23 Old 6th Mar 2019 at 3:17 AM
@ScaryRob
Tbudgett's retaining walls. You can use them as they are, since the walls are textured or build a room in the sunken part and use them to bridge the gap.
Alchemist
#24 Old 6th Mar 2019 at 6:53 PM
Quote: Originally posted by mustluvcatz
@ScaryRob
Tbudgett's retaining walls. You can use them as they are, since the walls are textured or build a room in the sunken part and use them to bridge the gap.


@mustluvcatz, did you tell us how you'd make the pool shape with just CFE? Do you have a way to make a 2-click deck, too? Because that would be useful not to have leave the game.
Theorist
#25 Old 7th Mar 2019 at 10:26 PM Last edited by ScaryRob : 8th Mar 2019 at 3:34 AM.
Quote: Originally posted by mustluvcatz
@ScaryRob
Tbudgett's retaining walls. You can use them as they are, since the walls are textured or build a room in the sunken part and use them to bridge the gap.

Do you have a link?
Found it, thanks. Looks promising.
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