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Mad Poster
Original Poster
#1 Old 11th Apr 2014 at 7:10 AM
Default What do People Want from their Lots?
Forgive my posting this here, but it seems too broad for Creator Feedback... I'm a lot creator, many other people on this forum are lot creators, and many more are lot downloaders, so it seems a likely place to pose this question-

What do you want from your lots?

I don't mean specific lots or buildings you want to see, but what kinds of features really draw you in and capture your interest when it comes to lots? What motivates you to either move your precious Sims onto a lot, or spend their fleeting time in the world visiting them? What makes you choose to devote valuable real estate in your neighborhood to the placement of someone else's creation? It seems to me that this question helps out on both sides of creation- giving creators a better idea of the wants of their "customers," for want of a better word, and giving downloaders a way to give very broad feedback to creators without it being directed at a single idea!

(I post this here because it seems most likely to get a good response from this forum, and doesn't seem too inappropriate to ask, but if the thread gets moved elsewhere, I certainly won't take offense!)
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Pretty Space Pony
retired moderator
#2 Old 11th Apr 2014 at 7:29 AM
Interesting topic! Thank you for raising this question I know you're not exactly looking for my perspective, since I am a lot builder too and not a downloader, but here are my two cents anyway
One of the things I keep in mind during building is to try and use only a couple of EPs and SPs. I have a special AGS for building and I will start the lots there and move them to my full game if I want to use them in my own playing hood or prettify them for a contest. I try to limit myself to NL, OFB, and IKEA, although I sometimes add AL or UNI. The problem with AL is that it has never been made available for MAC, so you already miss out on a couple of simmers. Other than limiting my use of CC, that's as far as I "think of others".
I know a lot of people keep to the 'rule': "build/create for yourself and if you can share it, that's an added bonus and gift from you to the community". I used to struggle a lot with that, thinking well, if I am going to share it, I want others to be happy with it. But honestly, I found that the fact that I enjoy building/making that particular upload, already makes it better. The ones I enjoyed most, that made me feel relaxed (what this game ultimately should be about :P) are the ones that have (more or less) a higher download count, or a pick. I know it isn't about collecting stars, but it is interesting that my level of enjoyment seems to be reflected in the creations.
Sorry for getting carried away, now let's hope an actual lot downloader replies :D
Forum Resident
#3 Old 11th Apr 2014 at 7:40 AM Last edited by teafortwo : 11th Apr 2014 at 9:55 AM. Reason: the usual
Good question and, in my opinion, this is the perfect forum for such an inquiry.

What appeals to me personally when shopping for a specific type of lot:

*No, or minimal CC (flooring, wall covering or siding)
*Lots where a copy has been play tested
*Homes and lots that appear to work well for game play
*Or lots that, even if they are not made part of game play, will add to the theme of a particular neighborhood.
*A choice of furnished and unfurnished homes.
*Apartments with spascious rooms and a choice of from one to three bedrooms.
*Vacation homes that fit in with each of the three BV destinations.
*Bon Voyage vacation lots that can be used in custom vacation nieghborhoods.
*A long list of stuff to go download to be able to use a lot is very off-putting!

When it comes to wall and floor coverings these are things that players can change if need be.
For those of us who become involved in game play and story telling a lot's playability (is there such a word?) can be more important than how fancy it is. (Well, for me it is.) It is so disapointing to download an "eye candy coated" lot only to find that it does not work well in the game.
Needs Coffee
retired moderator
#4 Old 11th Apr 2014 at 8:49 AM
As a downloader
>I mostly download cc free lots or lots with only minimal cc because I already have 18 Gigs and take an hour to load. I have to really think the cc is worth downloading to include it. At the same time I do like the lot to look nice and to be decorated, I'm not likly to download a lot that just come with all plain wood floors and plain cream walls unless the build is rather clever. I want a place a family can move into and have it look comfortable right away. I can always decorate with cc myself later.
> I like small to smallish residential lots because they fit along a road better and play better. Seeing 5 houses along a road looks a lot more normal than 2. How many places in real life unless they are farms or large estates only have 2 houses to a road?
>I like community lots that will either give my sims somewhere interesting to go, that can be used perhaps with some alterations as holiday (vacation for American's) destinations or are real life buildings you would find in a town such as a post office or a bank. I'm more inclined to download the cc here if it's specialized as well as larger lots if I feel it's needed. A bank on a 5 by 5 no, but an African Safari park yes.
> I normally only download playable lots. I would only download a sky scraper as hood deco because unless you stay near the ground they are unplayable. Same with large houses on the top of steep hills. Looks great, playable, no.
> I like lots that have been play tested with a copy and have not had sims moved in.

As a Builder
>I tend to build the same way as I download because I am primarily a player before a builder. I just get a hankering to build every so often. Not that I always finish or decide to share what I have built. Sometimes I don't think it is good enough or ends up with too much cc or I lose interest. I have a light house sitting there, but I think I will have to make a special wall paper to make it look right. I've had a few larger lot's just sit there half finished and then I come back in 6 months to a year and finish them.
> I mostly upload smaller to mid sized lots, usually cc free and something I need for my own integrated hood. If I use cc I try and keep it to a minimum.
> I do think a little about my long list of EP's and Sp's on my uploads (read all) But I find I need it to build cc free. I have only once built cc free up to Seasons and that was for a friend on a Mac. I was pleased with how it turned out but with no cc and limited Ep's and Sp's it was very hard to decorate.
> I like to upload very clean lots. I now use AGS to make sure any lot I upload doesn't contain the Super Duper Hug which I became aware of about a year ago. I always play test a copy and never use a sim to depreciate it.

"I dream of a better tomorrow, where chickens can cross the road and not be questioned about their motives." - Unknown
~Call me Jo~
Scholar
#5 Old 11th Apr 2014 at 9:52 AM
I must admit I hardly ever download lots from other creators. Mainly because whenever I need some kind of building, I enjoy the challenge of creating it myself.
But sometimes I find some that are just too gorgeous to ignore, and I can't help downloading it!
(My buildings downloads are mostly housing, so my comments are related to housing only.)

Features which are a must for me:
- EPs & SPs
I don't care if it uses few or many, I need to own the ones which it requires so... if you ask ofr any SP I don't own I won't download the lot.
Having in mind that some people play with fewer EPs than me, I guess it's an important limit to have in mind.
- Playability
So a lot may be extremely beautiful, but is it actually playable for me? Does it fit my needs?
Too large lots, for example, are a problem in my case. Because I always keep my Sims quite busy and they are too often late to catch the bus/carpool.
Lots with huge bedrooms but the rest of the rooms small are also a uninteresting for me, because my Sims like to buy some items related to their hobbies or career, which often fit better in the lounge than in the bedroom.
- No custom content
Because I am the kind of person who plays with minimal CC, I find that being forced to download the CC the creator liked is a burden.
It probably looks it beautiful, but since playability is my main concern I'd rather would have simply nice lot with no CC than an stunning one with lots of CC.
- No mods requeriment
So to use your house I need this or that mod to keep it as it looks in the pictures? Or I need to use a cheat to make it actually playable?
Sorry, no. Unless I am already using such a mod (which is rarely the case) this becomes the kind of requeriment which makes me decide against download a lot, no matter how nice it looked at first.

Features which are attractive:
- Empty, tested
OK, this is actually a must. But to be honest I think most people simply forget to mention it. I know I do, and all my uploads have been created on an empty AGS hood and tested in my own playing hood.
So unless I suspect the opposite, I tend to assume that uploaders know better and have tested a copy at least for a few simdays to make sure it's alright.
- Furnished
Fully furnished or at least with some basic furniture and decoration. Not that they need too much, but I if the house has its own unique style it's more appealing. Otherwise it's just another simple lot which I'll need to redecorate, and Maxis already gave me plenty of those xD
- Not too cluttered
A bit of clutter looks nice, but since too much is too much. Specially because my Sims may want to add their personal touch, so I end up removing items which came with the lot and adding my own.
And that's almost as much work as downloading an empty lot.
- Kinda cheap
Because my Sims are usually not rich. So I don't download expensive houses. Lately they even prefer living in apartments since they hardly ever have enough for an starter home, so. Not too pricey.


And I would like to add something that I have not had the ocassion to say yet.
Zarathustra , I think your buildings are über beautiful.
I haven't dowloaded any yet, mainly because the last ones are too large for me and because the apartments which I would have liked use SPs that I don't have. Damn.
Needs Coffee
retired moderator
#6 Old 11th Apr 2014 at 10:11 AM
I'll second how beautiful your lots are Zarathustra. Just too large for me and my limping computer.

Amura, so long as you have M&G the walls, floors or items from the Sp's simply wont show up, it won't crash your game. Of course you probably just don't like having things not show up.

"I dream of a better tomorrow, where chickens can cross the road and not be questioned about their motives." - Unknown
~Call me Jo~
Mad Poster
#7 Old 11th Apr 2014 at 1:32 PM Last edited by gazania : 13th Apr 2014 at 12:12 AM.
Love this post!

Think I'll go the same way as joandsarah

As a downloader:

1. There has to be something there that piques my interest. I tend to like lots that I can't quite create myself, or lots that have charm, or are different, or have an interesting layout. However ....
2. Routing ease is a must. Stampy Sims are a pain. This is a challenge on the 1x1 lots, I know. I often get around it by sticking a Targas portal or an outside staircase. Not always pretty, but effective.
3. Small amounts of CC. If I see a lot with more than a dozen items of CC and I don't have most of them already, I skip it, unless it's a lot that is so intriguing that I feel I "must" have it. (It does happen.) In the beginning, I couldn't get enough CC as I was building my DL folder. Not so much now.
4. Opportunities for expansion, whether it's another story or an outbuilding. Even 1x1 lots must have some sort of possibility. Even if it's just an alcove.
5. A lot that has been play-tested is a plus. However, the lot offered should be a clean one. We already know the problems that can occur if you package a lot where Sims have already lived and miss that one thing that can corrupt it.
6. No lot larger than medium, and no cost more than $200,000 furnished ... even the luxury houses. I can stick in more expensive items as I go.
7. If the creator used meshes from another site, he or she should either include them or revisit the mesh site sometimes to make sure the mesh didn't go poof and in that case, add it to the download. Someone here suggested some fantastic windows for me as I was building a lot. They were perfect! Only one thing: the original site that had the master was gone (not even in the Graveyard) and I couldn't find any other downloads that included it. So unfortunately, that lovely download is toast, unless someone manages to find that master mesh. This is especially bad if the missing mesh was integral to the house design.
8. I am fascinated by houses from around the world or around the U.S. I still like and use the "oldies but goodies" here from creators such as Masaharu, larsson1970 and Intel 1397. Oh, and I love retro-inspired houses.
9. "Boxy" is not a bad word for me. The plus about boxy houses is that often, the routing is pretty good, and I can convert the house to my tastes. However, a little creativity in placing the boxes is a bonus. A big bonus.
10. I agree with Amura. Adding mods in a download makes me nervous. I love mods, but sometimes, they don't play nicely with others.

As a creator:

1. The lot must be fun to create. I must look in my growing collection of house plans, or elsewhere on the Web, see one I can actually attempt (because my skills are still so limited) and go, "Wow. I want to try this, even if I fail miserably!" It stimulates my brain and I find it a release from my chaotic life right now.
2. Open-concept is a plus. It leaves me the ability to place things, to add rooms and decor as needed, or just to leave open.
3. Room. Lots of room. I don't want my Sims singing "Don't Fence me In." Even if it means boxy. I ... want ... room!
4. Personal preference leans toward single-family houses.

A picture of a lot I created ... botched up, but still created, and it's usable, anyway ...



And everything else in the section above that I missed, except for the list of CC. It's my CC, so that's OK!

Thanks to ALL free-site creators, admins and mods.

RIP Sunni ... truly a ray of light.
Forum Resident
#8 Old 11th Apr 2014 at 3:46 PM
I would have to say that my biggest gripe with some creators is that they use the AL spiral staircases. It's my problem as I don't have AL at the moment, but I love the lot and it's beautiful it's disappointing when I can't download.

I don't mind some cc, as long as it is walls, floors, columns or architectural. I don't want cc furnishings. Also I like the furnishings to be a bit basic, if there are any at all, so I can have the house to my liking.

Also I quite like my houses to be quite small, well, about medium sized. I don't like massive rooms. I also like the gardens to have some sort of landscaping done (to really draw me in and click download)
Mad Poster
#9 Old 11th Apr 2014 at 3:57 PM
I only download starter homes, and homes that are essentially neighborhood decoration, that I don't expect to actually use.

I'm not fussed about furnishing, as I can tell Clean Installer not to load the furnishings; but if it's furnished, and comes in at a hair over $20K, I don't know whether I can use it unaltered or not. A starter home needs to be far enough under $20K to buy essentials, so I'd really like to know how much it costs without the furnishings, if it's borderline like that. I don't want furnished houses because I don't know what sim's going to move into it and I don't want to have to delete a bunch of stuff.

"Neighborhood deco" houses need to be unusual and eye catching, and seem to "belong" in a particular neighborhood. Which could be anything, really - a Frank Lloyd Wright prairie house, a Queen Anne, a warehouse converted to lofts.

The primary criterion for both is that they be beyond my own building skills, using techniques I haven't mastered. So don't be afraid to show off the amazing things you can do with roofs!

Ugly is in the heart of the beholder.
(My simblr isSim Media Res . Widespot,Widespot RFD: The Subhood, and Land Grant University are all available here. In case you care.)
Lab Assistant
#10 Old 11th Apr 2014 at 4:26 PM
- I download a lot of starter homes. I don't use cheats in my game, especially money cheats, so my sims always start out with §20,000. In the beginning they need a small house with just the bare necessities so I like to have lots of lots to choose from!

- I like homes with a creative (yet still playable!) layout. Something I might not think to create myself!

- Use minimal CC! Many people have a lot already installed and I clear out furnished houses anyway so I can decorate them to suit my sim.

- If you use fewer expansion/stuff packs, more people will be able to download your house. For example, as a mac user many expansions are unavailable to me.

More free Sims 2 downloads at Alyssa's Sims 2 Blog!
Forum Resident
#11 Old 11th Apr 2014 at 5:38 PM Last edited by teafortwo : 11th Apr 2014 at 5:39 PM. Reason: the usual
As a player , when a lot is needed for my game , I will often look for a suitable one to download before building. Building demands a lot of time that some of us prefer to invest in playing. Because we all have different personal preferences, playstyles and wishes just about anything built by any creator will fill a need in someone's game. Because I create custom heighborhoods, subhoods, downtowns, universities and vacation destinations both playable and decorative lots are on my shopping list (and I expect this is the same for other players.)

I greatly appreciate the time, thought, work, imagination, planning and research that those who build and share lots invest. This is something that adds to our overall enjoyment of the game.

Regarding CC and furnishings: if a player wishes to these can be removed when using the Clean Installer ( as already suggested here by others).

Downloading a furnished home means that we do not need to use game play time to do that ourselves. I have learned a lot from seeing how others decorate that has given me new ideas and new ways of using what comes with the game.

Bottom line, there is a market here for just about every type and size of lot :-)
Field Researcher
#12 Old 11th Apr 2014 at 6:55 PM
I despise buildings filled with CC. I mean, I like some CC for clothes and a few hairs but when it's everywhere? No thanks, Maxis things aren't bad for furniture.

I also like smaller lots - too large buildings are just difficult to handle but maybe that's just me. I love small houses an apartments!

As tearfortwo said, pre-furnishing lots are very handy as I get to see how other people do things - it gives me ideas for the future and that's always good to have.

One last thing.. buildings have to be a suitable shape. No decagons or anything silly please!
Scholar
#13 Old 11th Apr 2014 at 7:11 PM
For me, I usually look for houses that already have furnishings; I'd rather just take out what I don't need than start from the beginning. Other than that, I like houses that are attractive and have lots of space for my families; I've no use for small houses
Mad Poster
#14 Old 11th Apr 2014 at 7:14 PM Last edited by gazania : 11th Apr 2014 at 7:39 PM.
Quote: Originally posted by teafortwo

I greatly appreciate the time, thought, work, imagination, planning and research that those who build and share lots invest. This is something that adds to our overall enjoyment of the game.



Good point here. Whether it' s a lot I'm looking for or not, I appreciate those people who make them.

I do digress with teafortwo slightly, though. Some CC is so integral to the creation of a lot that working without it can render the lot looking really odd. If that is the case, of course, I have two options: Use the lot with the CC or don't use the lot. If only life could be that easy.

Mr_Valentine 90, I found that Marvine's spiral staircases worked pretty well before I had AL. However, I'm not sure what other AL content may be in that download, so that might not be of much help at all.

Thanks to ALL free-site creators, admins and mods.

RIP Sunni ... truly a ray of light.
Forum Resident
#15 Old 11th Apr 2014 at 7:46 PM
Quote: Originally posted by gazania
Good point here. Whether it' s a lot I'm looking for or not, I appreciate those people who make them.

I do digress with teafortwo slightly, though. Some CC is so integral to the creation of a lot that working without it can render the lot looking really odd. If that is the case, of course, I have two options: Use the lot with the CC or don't use the lot. If only life could be that easy.

Mr_Valentine 90, I found that Marvine's spiral staircases worked pretty well before I had AL. However, I'm not sure what other AL content may be in that download, so that might not be of much help at all.


I do have those spiral staircase (they're excellent) but the lot crashes as soon as I try to load if it has AL spiral staircases. (I'm assuming it's the spiral staircases, it could of course be something entirely different.)
Instructor
#16 Old 11th Apr 2014 at 8:04 PM
*Playability! It should include:
*attractive and appealing interior layout and floor plan
*clean & safe! - a copy has been playtested and the creator states that
*good traffic pattern for sims (not just on paper!)
*not boxy - if I want boxy I can build that myself
*follow a theme (victorian, tudor, etc.) or an idea (cozy cottage, apocalyptic, trailer park, etc.)
*small to medium sized lots
*minimal cc, some decorating, but not cluttered or over-the-top
*attention has been paid to the exterior look of the house and landscaping
Generally speaking, a light touch overall is better for downloading. It's exciting to see a creator has really thought through every aspect and put thoughtful and creative touches on the lot.

Find all of my Challenges in MTS Sims 2 Challenges "Ye Olde" Section:
Vllygrl's By George! Regency Play Style/Challenge; Regency/Victorian ROS;
The Medieval Charter Challenge & ROS for MCC;
The Crown of Laurels Challenge; & Besieged! New Medieval Challenge & Medieval ROS.
Inventor
#17 Old 11th Apr 2014 at 8:16 PM
Quote: Originally posted by Mr_Valentine90
I would have to say that my biggest gripe with some creators is that they use the AL spiral staircases. It's my problem as I don't have AL at the moment, but I love the lot and it's beautiful it's disappointing when I can't download.

The trouble with Marvine's spiral staircases is that two sims cannot use them at the same time. Invite a sim to join your hero or heroine in bed, and you will leave the prospective mate stamping and waving arms at the bottom of the stairs. After trying to play without Apartment Life (because I hate it), I had to instal it after all, so I could have the AL spiral stairs. I never use lots with straight staircases, because they interrupt my field of vision. I like to see what is going on.
Mad Poster
#18 Old 11th Apr 2014 at 8:21 PM Last edited by simmer22 : 12th Apr 2014 at 5:45 PM.
For downloadable lots, I like rooms big enough to get a camera in without having to resort to the zoom buttons, so nothing smaller than 4x4 per room (including bathrooms - but halways can be narrower, as long as they're long enough). I'm also no big fan of small "useless" nooks. Rooms don't have to be perfectly square (a little shape is fine), but they must be useful. I also like when sims can wander about freely without gettting stuck in doors or any such. I prefer a functional layout and as few "extra" floors as possible (such as when people get too creative with their buildings and you have to click down 3-4 times just to get the roof away). And everything should be proper shapes. A diagonal corner here and there might work, but not everywhere, and preferably not on the outside. I also like it when lots have at least 2 bahrooms and 4-5 bedrooms, because I like to play with big families, and because I want the kids to have separate rooms (perhaps except a nursery).

The outside should also look good. I'm not a big fan of perfectly square houses, but like a little bit of shape, as long as the roof looks good on it. I'm no big fan of very "creative" roofs (going anywhere and poking out where they should not be).

For the size of the lot, I don't like the smallest sizes. At least 4x4, perhaps 5x5 for a home lot with a garden. I usually don't download anything under 3x3.

As for furnishing, I usually prefer little to no CC for regular home lots, because while I like to see how the creator has used the layout, I hate having to clean up the lot. I like to get an idea of the house, and I sometimes use the furniture layout as a base. For "special" lots I don't mind a bit of CC, though. I do hate having to go and find missing CC, so I prefer if all the CC is either included or has working links. The less I need to hunt down, the better it is. As for clutter, I'm not a fan of lots of it in a downloadable house - I prefer to clutter my lots in my own way, because I always end up with tons of CC I don't like.

So basically, photo-friendly and furnishing-friendly.

I don't upload a lot of houses (just one regular house that I can remember). There are plenty already, and I prefer to download them, because I'm not the best at building interesting home lots. I like decorating them, though.

And finally, I prefer if the uploader does the cleaning job. I hate getting lots of hacks/mods/useless recolors/randomnamed files/whatever, and I want to have master meshes already included. I'm so sick of having to clean out 400+ random-named trashcan/mailbox recolors, hunting down flashing blue items, find those modded objects I'm unsure will work with my current game version, (and so forth), you have no idea! I clean, (usually) reinstall in a no-CC game, and hunt down missing items if I upload a lot, and it would be nice if other people could bother to do this as well. It would make things so much easier. And no, the cleaning job is NOT to delete all the CC from the lot package in Clean Installer and expect the downloader to hunt down all the 30-40 missing items on their own (including a few mostly long-gone items, of course). That's just lazy.
Field Researcher
#19 Old 11th Apr 2014 at 9:06 PM
I don't download, but when I consider it I...

-Don't want your CC, or to download CC that you didn't include. My game is CC minimal, save hairs and bedspreads. Too much extra junk is a no-go for me.

-Creative, fully functioning floor plans. Want to put the fridge and the oven in a nice little nook off the back of the kitchen? Sweet! But I best not have five different sims complaining that something is in the way when it comes to routing.

-Something play tested. If it worked no problem for you, good. I don't want to have to worry about something glitching and get worked up about it possibly being corruption.

-Please, please don't decorate the house if it's supposed to be marked down and cheap to buy; or if you ARE going to decorate it, please offer an undecorated version.

-Something on a reasonable lot size. There's no need to build a tiny 2br 1ba on the biggest lot possible.

Take the Hard Hat Challenge. A relatively quick challenge designed to be added into almost any established hood.

Hollow Tune - Brick 'N' Mortar.

{San-Yip-See-Ah}
Forum Resident
#20 Old 11th Apr 2014 at 9:33 PM
Vllygrl mentioning apocolyps theme lots got me to thinking. I expect that those of us who enjoy playing challenges would appreciate lots that meet challenge specifications/ I know I would! And my preference would be to have some CC free - or to have any CC be wall or floor coverings. Would be helpful to have the choice of no CC or the same lot with what ever CC a builder wishes to include.

Apocolypse starter lots would be at the top of my wish list along with asylum starter lots. In fact having lots that meet challenge requirements would very likely inspire us to do more challenges.
Mad Poster
#21 Old 11th Apr 2014 at 9:46 PM
Quote: Originally posted by Mr_Valentine90
I do have those spiral staircase (they're excellent) but the lot crashes as soon as I try to load if it has AL spiral staircases. (I'm assuming it's the spiral staircases, it could of course be something entirely different.)


I once had a lot crash because of a light fixture from an expansion I didn't yet have. Even when the creator replaced the fixture for me (and she was really sweet for doing so) and tried really hard to find anything else that could cause a problem, the lot still crashed. There was probably some seemingly-insignificant item from another EP/SP that she wasn't aware of, but no matter how she tried, she couldn't figure out the cause. Neither could I.

That is probably all the more reason to use AGS, I suppose, if trying to create a lot more amenable to more users. Those spiral staircases were probably one cause, but most likely, not the only one. And all the more reason, I guess, that a creator might want to include what EP/SPs he or she has if the creator chooses not to use AGS. Clean Installer won't help you with Maxis items.

Thanks to ALL free-site creators, admins and mods.

RIP Sunni ... truly a ray of light.
Constant Contestant
retired moderator
#22 Old 11th Apr 2014 at 10:06 PM
Quote: Originally posted by simmer22
And finally, I prefer if the uploader does the cleaning job. I hate getting lots of hacks/mods/useless recolors/randomnamed files/whatever, and I want to have master meshes already included. I'm so sick of having to clean out 400+ random-named trashcan/mailbox recolors, hunting down flashing blue items, find those modded objects I'm unsure will work with my current game version, (and so forth), you have no idea! I clean, (usually) reinstall in a no-CC game, and hunt down missing items if I upload a lot, and it would be nice if other people could bother to do this as well. It would make things so much easier. And no, the cleaning job is NOT to delete all the CC from the lot package in Clean Installer and expect the downloader to hunt down all the 30-40 missing items on their own (including a few mostly long-gone items, of course). That's just lazy.
As a lot builder and uploader at MTS we have to clean out all hacks and extra recolours from our uploads.

Having read through this thread I shall endeavour to use less CC in my builds, and try to include it in the package file. Although some creators do not allow us to package their CC with our lots. And if I use a popular download such as Buggybooz's Kitchen Basic I don't include it as many downloaders already have it in the download folder. I always playtest my lots but I don't always say that I have in my text.

Want a specific style of house or community building? Why not take a look at my profile and see what I build and then come ask me to make it!
Needs Coffee
retired moderator
#23 Old 11th Apr 2014 at 10:27 PM
Quote: Originally posted by Mr_Valentine90
I would have to say that my biggest gripe with some creators is that they use the AL spiral staircases. It's my problem as I don't have AL at the moment, but I love the lot and it's beautiful it's disappointing when I can't download.


If you don't have AL, then you can't download a lot made on the AL game engine. The stairs are just an object, it's the game engine which counts. It looks like Free Time is your latest EP? You should only download lots made up to FT. If you are getting away with some AL lots, I don't know how as any lot made after FT should crash your game, so I wouldn't risk it as crashing can corrupt things.

Not everyone wants the same thing from a lot, some people like it fully decorated and others empty. Clean Installer now has a feature for removing furniture so those who want it empty could try that. Does anyone know if that includes deco? I still use the older older version.

"I dream of a better tomorrow, where chickens can cross the road and not be questioned about their motives." - Unknown
~Call me Jo~
Lab Assistant
#24 Old 11th Apr 2014 at 10:34 PM
I'm probably odd in that I really dislike clutter. I lot of people really love it because it makes the lot feel lived in, but for some reason, it just bugs me.

I also like homes that can hold 2-4 kids but aren't so spacious that it runs slow.

The no CC thing is spot on. Maybe if it's a nice wall or floor. I really dislike when lots have one wall with a pattern done in a way that every wall tile requires a different wall.

It's also a problem if my sims have no conceivable way of affording it. Like, if it seems like a nice little family home but then costs near 200,000....that's essentially useless.

"A man who carries a cat by the tail learns something he can learn in no other way." -Mark Twain

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Mad Poster
#25 Old 11th Apr 2014 at 10:45 PM
Furniture and deco is most likely considered to be the same. The difference is buy VS build (or so is my guess, anyway).
Not entirely sure about OMSPs, but I think they count as tables.

I do wonder if the new version removes all of it (as in also the EAxis objects that replaces missing CC objects).

I've had the upload fullCC VS. noCC problem a few times. My full CC lots can be some 400-500 MB or larger, and there's no way I want to upload those. Some of the lots are also prone to crashing randomly because they're big and demanding. They're also meant for stories and not gameplay, so the routing is quite horrible. So I stick to minimal or no CC for lots I upload. That way there's less cleaning work to do. But removing CC is a big job, and the lot just isn't quite the same with CC as without. Hence why I don't often upload such lots. I prefer making other types of CC to making lots any day, so I don't exactly have a lot of lots uploaded...

Oh, and while we're still somewhat on the theme of how we want lots to look like - please, please put mailboxes and trashcans somewhere on the ground, and easy to find, and preferably don't move them at all. I had a big search for a mailbox on a downloaded lot the other day, but I didn't find any. Might be because the uploader had put in one of the buyable mailboxes (which I deleted, because I already have the AL version of the mod and didn't know which version this was), but that shouldn't make a difference (or...?). Does anyone know if it's safe to plot down a second mailbox if there's already one there?
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