punkabelle2's Blog
My Misadventures in Custom Content
Sooooo, I decided that I was going to get all fancy and make custom content. I already have Photoshop, and am relatively proficient at using it, so I figured how hard could it be? Then I ran into one major issue. The fact that I run OSX and not Windows. I haven't owned a Windows-based PC in about four years, and up to this point, I had been lucky in the sense that it hadn't prevented me from being able to do something. Until now. Because I hadn't ever really branched out into creating CC before, I was blissfully unaware that everything developed to insert custom content was made solely for Windows. Now I'm not going to sit here and whine about the notion that nobody has developed something that can be used on OSX. I understand, while there have been some major gains in the number of people running OSX, Windows is by far the most commonly used operating system in the world, and it makes absolutely perfect sense that what is being developed is using what is arguably the standard when it comes to operating systems. However, it was definitely an eye-opening situation. I hadn't thought too much into how much work goes into making CC, and this whole debacle makes me appreciate the creative people who are behind some of the amazing CC that has been uploaded. Of course, my attempt might have been complicated by the technical issues, and maybe it's not as difficult as it appears to be. Nevertheless, I am bowing out gracefully from the world of creating CC. At least until I can get past this technological roadblock! So for now, my creations will continue to be without any kind of CC, since I struck out on my attempt to create my own, and I respect the hard work of others entirely too much to add something that is not my own creation (or at least part of the software that I paid for).
And I also want to give a big thank you to those who have downloaded my lots so far. I have really enjoyed making them, and I hope that everyone who downloaded is enjoying using them in their game!
Working on a couple of new lots...
...and I'm pretty excited about them! Right now I'm working on the finishing touches on a waterfront estate that has some really awesome features, and I can't wait to share it with everyone! I'm also starting construction on a smaller home, one that is going to be a lower budget lot, to try to expand my building and as a (temporary) departure from the super luxury homes that I can't seem to stop building. I'm setting a limit for a furnished cost of 100,000 Simoleons or less on the new property. Seeing as my usual furnished lots run in the range of about 500,000 Simoleons, this is going to be difficult, but I am looking forward to it and I'm up to the challenge!
I have not been using Custom Content in my home designs. Everything used comes from the base game and the expansions that I have. While I do have some Custom Content that I use in lots for my personal Sims, I choose not to use it in the lots that I upload and share. Part of the reason is the file size issue, the other that I do not want to step on anyone's toes by using their creations in something I am presenting as my own work. I have tried to make my own Custom Content, but I found it so difficult and frustrating that I have even more respect for those who create some of the amazing things I have seen on TSR!
Okay, enough rambling for now. Hopefully my newest lot will be ready for submission in the very near future, I think people are going to love it! :)