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TUTORIAL: Placing lots of any size - and where (short guide)
BlogpostPublished: Dec 01, 2013Views: 29611
I've been asked quite a few times now what world and location I use for my lot screenshots, and also how to place lots of varying sizes, so I've put together a simple tutorial (using the area I build in as an example) which I hope will answer both questions...
BRIDGEPORT - City of dreams or junk?
I use Bridgeport - the city world that came with the Late Nights expansion pack. This world has a built-up city area with fantastic views of docks, cranes, billboards and tall buildings. It's a great location for any downtown area.
I've marked the area I like to use in the top-down view of Bridgeport below. You can find it easily by locating the Bridgeport docks area. You'll see that there's a building site nearby. I've shaded the area that I've used. It's a great area for screenshots. If you want to use the same area, it will be filled with pre-built EA lots. I recommend you MOVE the community properties to another location, but you can move or bulldoze the residentials (your choice). I bulldozed because I'm just ruthless!
1. To start - EDIT YOUR TOWN
From the game menu, choose EDIT TOWN. Save your game if you need to.
2. Click on WORLD EDITOR - that's the little square with a pencil over it at the bottom. Note: next to this World Editor icon, there is the BULLDOZER tool and, just up above, the MOVE (hand) tool - use these to deal with any properties in the way of land you wish to use...
3. Choose a LOT SIZE
Once in the World Editor section, the first tab (for custom lot bases) is automatically selected. Choose a base that will accommodate the size of the lot you wish to place. If you downloaded the lot from this site, the width and depth of its required base can be found on the download details page. Note: the size you choose doesn't need to be exact. As long as the size is the same or BIGGER than the lot you wish to place, it will fit.
For example - with a lot that is 30 x 40:
- 40 x 30 is fine
- 40 x 40 is fine
- 30 x 30 is not fine
Hover your mouse pointer over each base, and choose one that will fit your lot...
4. PLACE in your neighbourhood
Important - you don't need to place the lot base immediately adjacent to a road. Provided the lot base turns green (as in my picture), then it's a valid spot. Although the spot I'm choosing here has an adjacent road, I also have some lot bases further out of town up in the hills. Even though the road is further away, Sims still go to work and school, and all their deliveries still take place...
To help place your base accurately, you can use the 'less than' [<] and 'greater than' [>] keys to rotate it.
5. Finally, DECORATE your building areas...
EA has added some great decorative objects for world decorating. Some of the goodies I have in my game include reeds, a wrecked car, a rusted tractor, a broken cart and, joy of joys, an abandoned rail wagon on broken track! You might have even more (I don't own every expansion pack). To decorate, simply access the WORLD EDITOR again, and choose from the miscellaneous decor, trees and rocks.
I used a lot of the reeds which really help make the surrounding areas look overgrown. They need careful placement so that reeds aren't bursting through the walls and floor of your lot (unless you like that)!
And that's it! Hopefully, this short guide has helped you with lot placement.
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