Detail Spending

[MDPthatsme]

How much time do you spend on detail of a set, scene, story, character?

[13pumpkin]

For Chapter 36 in Sunday Sims, I spent a total of 3 days getting the Girls apartment ready.
You know me MDP...you have seen me in action! I am very picky and I have a lot of dl's

[Kiri]

That's hard to say... with the stories on my website - as it was story as I game - none at all.

When I was thinking of doing Petr's story in sims2 because of the pose boxes - I had a month where I was downloading like a mad crazy woman, and finding the correct things. That project is scrapped .... because now that pose boxes are in Sims3 I'd rather do it there.

Sunrise Island - my Sims3 hood for playing. Well, I'm currently writing a book on one of the families... and will be writing one on 4 of the other families as well. So we're probably talking years here.

I'm still building the pub - and creating content for it - so probably a man-week and counting.

I spend way too much time preparing.

[jennifer]

Gosh, it really varies depending on the scene that I want to write. I try to have most sets ready for whenever I think I might want to shoot there.
A lot of shooting of the scenes normally happens at my characters/sims homes. So I really try to have them finished before I even start. Though I only partially finished some this time around because I gave myself way too many to build and decorate.

I do the odd town scene but it really depends on what scene I'm writing and maybe also the feel of the chapter I'm trying to get across.
I did a re-vamp of Sunset Valley, not in CAW but the old fashion way. lol Haven't finished it yet but some of the new lots I built I tried to picture what scene I would shoot there. It's hard sometimes though when your only going off your notes.
Like if you had a night time scene in mind then you'd have to think of the lighting. That would play an important part otherwise you can't see the characters/sims faces and that means a crappy shot.
Sometimes I'll just add things in while I'm there, trying to shoot. I do hate wasting time with stuff like that though, especially if I've specifically loaded up the game to shot a scene.

I guess you could say that I like to be prepared. lol

[Deleted]

I can be a nightmare. If I get it into my head that I want to play a family one way, if they so much as go one toe wrong I'll scrap it all and start again.
I can spends ages creating a house, and more importantly the Sims and then when they are actually in game I get bored with them so easily, usually around the point where I begin to flounder with where the story should go, and wonder why I bothered in the first place.

[MDPthatsme]

I just want to throw this at you. (I hope you're good catchers. I'm sure you are.) This is for spending detail on setting up sets/houses for storytelling purposes, contests, or just because you can. You may or may not need this advice.

Here's a little MDP trick when it comes to building and decorating a house...stop thinking of it as a house. Think of it as separate rooms designed to meet the needs or likings of those living in there. Because you can concentrate on little details more easily when you're not trying to bake the big potato. Bake little potatos seperately in their own little foil wraps. It's much simpler.


For instance...you've got a three bedroom house, 2 bathroom, living room/dining, and kitchen (maybe hallway and a foyer in there as well), and a family of 6 (2: parents, 2: twin teenagers, 1: kid, 1: baby, maybe on the way).

Now for themes you're on your own. I don't really believe in "complete" theme houses. Because buddy, my parents like rustic/western...I don't...so my room isn't going to be in "their" theme. It's going to be whatever style I'm into.

So the parents, of course, get their own bedroom. Depending on the parents, there's going to be relics and pictures of their past times and maybe some pictures of their children (I say if you're going that way, pictures of family and children go in little hallways or the living room where it can be observed more closely). The bedroom spread is probably going to be more to the mother's liking, but not too girly that the husband wants to sleep on the couch. (Well, unless the husband is the decorator that is.)

A little more "grown up" feeling. But also, I think more importantly, the room will be pretty much empty. All the clutter is spread throughout the rest of the house, why not have an empty room to sleep in? So whatever to the parents liking: dresser, walk-in closet maybe, full length mirror and/or vanity table, bed (of course), end tables, dim-lit lamps, and a decorative plant because who can live without one? Maybe Dad's shoes thrown in a corner and Mom's shoes spilling out of the walk-in closet. Whatever the circumstances, show a little character. This couple has been together for awhile, they live with each other and probably fight about every little sock on the floor so throw those decor socks beside the laundry hamper.

Ahem.

Twin Teens, sharing a room. Oh boy, depending on your teens you may have a radical one and a neat freak. I really don't think I've ever met twins that were EXACTLY the same. There's always some difference in personalty. For example one teen likes country music...one likes hip-hop. Throw up them posters like they're having a war! Colors are the best way to show the difference between teens. One likes red, one likes sky blue, different bed spreads. If you have just a plain square of a room, the two walls that connect the seperate sides of the room should be some neutral color while the other walls are painted to the teens liking. The West side of the room is red...well the east side is sky blue. This also marks boundries if you're twins are sick of each other and are fighting over who's turn it is to take a shower.

[Recalculating]

Now the other bedroom is for the kid and baby. It's your average "I'm a kid. I'm messy and have more toys than I know what to do with." That is, depending on your kid. If the kid be a neat freak/bookworm...I know there's plenty of books to download so he/she can be happy.

While that side of the room may be a complete car wreck...the other side is getting ready for a tiny baby so there's going to be gifts, a crib, changing table (if you believe in those things), and whatever else you believe is baby worthy. I personally don't make nurseries all too often, but when I do...they are always in neutral/soft colors because I don't believe that girls should wear pink and boys blue.

Bathrooms are usually a pain in the ass because there's only so much you can throw in there, but main things like toilets, maybe a stand up shower for the teens and kid...sink and counters...oh yeah and mirrors. Teens are going to need hair dryers, maybe straighteners for girly girls, make up also...the kid may have a stepping stool, colorful rug, duckies, sick shit like that.

Master bathroom is not only the luxury item with the awesome big tub, but somtimes can double as the laundry room...if your bathroom be big enough. It should show a romantic/soft setting, towels neatly folded, and again depending on your Sim, pretty much empty. Sure use a rug to make the space not look so big...unless you like small Master bathrooms. I'm not against it.

[Inhale and Exhale]

As for the rest of the house, it's up to whatever theme you picked out. I like contempery...but not too moderny...just casualnessesses. Also remember that people live there...so it should look like people live there. Stuff thrown around randomly, briefcases, shoes, glitter, paper, counters filled with food, appliances, and homework due three weeks ago.

I mentioned the possiblity of an entrance way/foyer...probably one of my most favorite parts of a house. There's gonna be all kinds of stuff there: soccer balls, bat, hats, shoe rack, umbrella, coat rack/hanger thing-mabob...a welcome mat, light switches, security alarm thingy, and I'm a firm believer in a fallen down painting because of how many times those damn kids have slammed that damn door. Just sayin.

Outside also needs characteristics...a car that matches the income of the family...considering it's a family I don't expect to see just the nice muscle cars...there should be a van or station wagon, maybe some type of SUV.

If the house is shabby-ish (13pumpkin) or just old, vines are always a must. Maybe Mom or Dad is a gardener, or the kids need a pool...floats and lily pads...I don't know why, but I like putting lily pads on pools. Try it out, say what you think. If you don't have a concrete driveway, take some dirt terrain and give yourself a muddy/dirt filled mess of a driveway with or without the skid marks.

I'm not saying you have to or should use this advice, you don't, but I believe the house or environment you're around or in, should show a lot about your character, thus, my (real) room is a mess and so is my self Sim's.

This can also be transferred into prose writing. Visualize and describe how you see your character...their room should look pretty close to what they do. Should, but not always.

Get it, got it, good. Have a nice day. Cheers.

[simslia]

I really enjoyed that advice. I"m playing a legacy now that I'm going to start posting when I'm halfway through Gen 2 (chances are then I won't get behind in my posting, also I can't post until I move.. i'm moving 2500km away from where I live now.. oh km, I'm such a Canadian)

But I digress,

I liked that advice. *makes mental note to come back to it*

[MDPthatsme]

It was a little longish...and I forgot about the dining room and hobbies. Teens go through a ton of hobbies so their room and the living room (and probably some of the kitchen counters/bar) should be littered with hobby things.

The dining room...I believe in dining rooms being somewhere near the kitchen. I've seen dining rooms like...on the other side of the entire house from the kitchen and that's been in real life, peeps. So dining rooms are usually warm and inviting, great curtains, a decor plant, maybe sideboard, but nothing too exquisite as the table and food are the main coarse. I believe in nice chairs though that support whatever theme you have chosen. Modern should have modern-ish chairs. Country should have country-like chairs...you know chipped paint, on the boarder of shabby. Also, rugs. USE THEM!!! Especially the round ones.

Again advice you may or may not use.

[lilymayrose]

I think all of it, is excellent advice - think of real life, paint a picture in your mind - then set the scene in your game.

I've only one story that I've shared so far, and it involves the whole of Riverview and the WA destinations. I admire those of you who decide on the story, then work incredibly hard to create the images to go alongside it. I'm afraid I do the exact opposite, because it's easy - though not hassle free. I play the game, take the pictures and then write the story to coincide with them.

The time consuming part, is when I want my sims to visit a community lot or move house. I can't use what's in game, it doesn't take a good picture. EA lots are all rather dreary, suicidal spaces for my sims to endure - so I get to combine all of my loves... building, decorating, gardening, story telling - by revamping, rebuilding, redecorating... so that the images are a tad more interesting than they might otherwise be. Plus, I mostly share what I build, so two birds with one stone .

However, I'm not big on cc so atmosphere is something Ihave to try a little harder to create - it's all very well having an untidy teen - but I don't have that pair of socks to throw beside the laundry hamper!

[simslia]

EA lots are all rather dreary, suicidal spaces for my sims to endure

I agree -- must make a mental note to revamp some of them.. I just groan when my Sims go out on the town or roll a wish to do that.. my houses/buildings are much more exciting!

With the exception of the new park in Generations - that space makes me happy.