A Million and One Roofs - new tutorial!

It's out!  A tutorial for having as many different roof heights as you like in one lot.  It's very, VERY easy - not a building cheat in sight and so will suit total beginners too.  The lot on the left has no less than 9 different roof slopes!

I really hope you find this tutorial both easy and useful.  If you don't, I will of course blame you - or a technical fault located somewhere between your seat and your keyboard...

Anyways, I hope you like it!

Tutorial: A Million and One Roof Heights

Cyclonesue makes 'pretty' - downloaders laugh a lot!

Am I getting some flack or what?! 

You think you're all really, REALLY funny, don't you?!  Cyclonesue builds a pretty cottage!  Woo-hoo!  (no, not THAT woo-hoo)

Well, let me tell you this: Pandora0246 is bang on the money when she stated that it was probably built on a toxic dump!  There!  So much for all that 'nice' stuff! 

(by the way - I've laughed my stupid head off at your comments.  I didn't WANT to find them funny, but I couldn't help it!)

Have as many roof heights as you like!

Yes, it's absolutely possible - and very, very easy too!  Not a single building cheat in sight either!

The cottage on the left has no less than 6 different roof slope angles!  Cool, eh?

As soon as TSR has fixed tutorials (unfortunately, my chimney tutorial is STILL broken), I will post up a very simple tutorial showing how it's done.

Then you can make ridiculous roofs too!

EDIT: this tutorial is now written and will hopefully be released tonight (14 July) or tomorrow.  Unfortunately, the Red chimney tute is still being held up by a fault in the TSR tutorial display thingo, but hopefully that will be fixed soon.

The blasted chimney tutorial!

I'm really, REALLY sorry about the tutorial on the front page.  All you can see is the first of eight pages - and all that contains is waffle...

At first, I was tempted to say "yes, that IS the entire tutorial", but I've been told by my therapist that I must be KIND to people.  So, in my forced kindness, I am going to inform you that something in TSR's natty new tutorial gizmo is broken (the page numbers are missing and so also is the ability to comment - which is probably good given that you'd be screaming and cursing at me).

I have reported it and I have my fingers crossed.  We'll be zapping red chimneys very shortly.  In the meantime, why not fire up your wrath by adding horrid, bright red chimneys to all your lots and we'll go on a mass chimney-killing spree together as soon as the tutorial displays properly!

Smokescreen

To ward off any fears that I've gone stupid-nice with my Simming, here is a sneak-peek at my next lot: The Foundry.  This is the kitchen.  The smoke is very real, but my Sims are well used to poisonous working conditions and don't seem to mind.  If I can stop chortling at them for long enough, I hope to have this lot finished later in the week (and yes, that smoke comes with it)!

Hopefully, this will distract you from the previous-mentioned 'nice' creations also headed your way (sorry)!

I thought it fair to warn you...

Yes, after much consideration, I've come to the conclusion that it IS only fair to warn you that there will be a 'little blip' over this next week...

The blip is an unmerited streak of prettiness.  I apologise in advance, but Sims 3 does keep getting the better of me.  I have now battled it back into submission with a new factory/warehouse under development, but meanwhile, in my moment of weakness, a pretty farmstead cottage and two NICE patterns squeezed their way out of my game...

Fur carpet in blue
(default colour is cream)

Pile Carpet

Farmstead Country Cottage

The whole ordeal has left a horrible syrupy taste in my mouth.  Still, I assure you that this little blip won't last and I'll be back to that which spoils nice neighbourhoods very shortly.  Now, where's the engine oil...

TSRAA is up and running for Sims 3!!!

A big, BIG thanks, TSR (and to Per especially who has 3 million tasks on his plate, but still managed to squeeze this one in).  TSRAA (TSR Artists Alliance - a scheme where creators can allow their custom content to be uploaded in lots at TSR) is live for Sims 3.  There is a check-box for patterns, and downloads now show whether they're TSRAA. 

I've edited my patterns so you have it in screenprint - but you knew mine were going to be TSRAA anyway!

Tastelessness alert!

If you despise tastelessness, please move on - there's nothing to see here!

I have a new lot coming up for you.  It will be out some time next week (along with some long-ago promised Victorian Brickwork pattern but who cares about that when we're talking about a neighbourhood-fouling lot?)... 

Yes, this lot will indeed be neighbourhood fouling.  Welcome to the Incongruous Sewage Treatment Works Incorp.  Visitors are respectfully reminded that the waste chute is not a plaything for children, and people should not swim in the filtration tanks....

Another fine lot for you to file under 'infinitely lovely'!  I'm sure TSR will.  After all, they must like it.  I'm STILL not banned!

Sims 3, Featured Artists and the TSRAA...

Just a quick update on TSRAA for anyone wondering...

It will be pretty much 'business-as-usual' for TSRAA in Sims 3.  The TSRAA check-box still needs to be added to the submission form but otherwise, creators will be able to decide which of their creations can be used in uploaded lots.

Happily, TSR is willing to continue the participation of Featured Artists too.  They have placed one small requirement: that we keep back a small amount of content for 6 months so that it really is exclusive to subscribers only, but after that, it too can be set to TSRAA.  This only applies to a small amount though (probably some meshes), and so a sizeable amount of a TSRAA-participating FA's work will be TSRAA on release. 

As for me, all my patterns are already TSRAA.  When a check-box arrives, I'll update them, but do feel free to use them in your uploaded lots in the meantime.

Great news for Sims3 lot uploaders who use custom textures!

With the help of beta testers here (thank-you to all involved), availability of empty games with and without Riverview installed and other entities, I've been testing custom patterns in uploaded lots.  Each lot was built and processed for sharing in the normal way (clicked the 'share' button for the lot in Edit Town, then collect the Sims3Pack from the Export folder).

The results are fantastic news!

1. EA-modified patterns package and install perfectly (of course)
   
2. Custom (made-from-scratch) patterns package and install too - provided they're Sims3Pack-installed patterns*
   
3. Custom patterns installed with a lot add themselves to the downloader's Create-A-Style tool, making them fully reusable
   
4. As an additional bonus, the EA-made paving slab that came with Riverview neighbourhood packages and installs in a non-Riverview game too!

* Note: we have ONLY tested patterns made as Sims3Pack files with the TSR Workshop.  We have tried a non-Sims3Pack file (a .package file) pattern made with another tool and the .package file did not install with the lot.  Therefore, these results can only apply to Workshop-made Sims3Packs for now.