Hey there, been a long time!

Decided it was time to get back to creating, so stay tuned as there will be new lots with no custom content!

400,000 Downloads

I just want to say thank you to everyone who has downloaded my Lots & Neighbourhoods.

It's a huge honour to have reached this milestone & it's you - the fans - that have kept me at the computer creating!

Love & Hugs to all,

Shaz

SIMposium - Sims available to download

As some of you know, I was lucky enough to attend the SIMposium in October 2009. In order to test the World Adventures Expansion Pack, I had to create a couple of sims to do the exploring for me. These sims appeared in my screenshots for Egypt & China & are now available to download at thesims3.com. They are: 

<img src="http://llnw.thesims3.com/sims3_asset/sims3_asset/thumb/000/022/694/18/headshot_large.jpg" border="0" alt="Pat Flynn - My Egyptian Explorer" width="225" height="218" />

Pat Flynn - my egyptian explorer

Shaz Wolf - my explorer in China

So if you'd like a copy of either of them in your game, please head over to my page at thesims3.com

http://www.thesims3.com/userExchange.html?selectedAsstType=all&persona=wolfsim68

Sims 3 Starter Homes

Have just completed my 1st two starter homes for the Sims 3 & I have to say that they were lots of fun to make! As usual there is No Custom Content & No Hacks, so you can feel free to customise them with your favourite downloads. I still love the challenge of only using Maxis items in my creations & I'm looking forward to creating many more homes to suit all budgets.

Thanks to those who've been encouraging me to create for Sims 3... it was just the push I needed to try something new!

Love & Hugs to all

:wub:

Shaz

What's Up?

I've been busy of late completing half finished projects & I still have at least 6 underway. My longest project.. "Ye Olde Stoneyville Shoppes" is finally complete as is the map for "Twilight". The "Cormorant" was another long term project that I finally found the inspiration to finish.

Also in the works, there's a couple of Apartment Complexes, a High School & a Cathedral - but whether they all get published remains to be seen. I won't submit anything I wouldn't be willing to download, hence the reason they're still unpublished after 6 months of "tweaking". There are still plenty of houses in the works - as I always seem to come across beautiful homes I want to create in the game - & I also want to start making maps again as Twilight has whet my appetite for it. 

I even have a noticeboard that hangs above my computer now & it's covered in pictures to keep me focused & motivated. I have lists of house names, pictures & even actual house plans to give me the motivation... not to mention a few ideas for holidays I'd like to take! So if anyone has anything they'd still like to see in Stoneyville or another request, please let me know. You never know... you may even get what you ask for as RelenaYuy0zero1 discovered with Twilight!

Twilight

I had a request some time ago from RelenaYuy0zero1 to create a Neighbourhood for Sims 2 for Twilight. I must say the biggest challenge is the rivers, as there are only 2 bridges that will show up when the Neighbourhood is moved from Sim City 4 to the Sims 2. I'm still working on it, but here's how it looks in Sim City 4 so far (remember that the map will be a mirror image when changed from one program to another): 

Version 1

Version 2 - with town locations

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It has to be as large as possible, since there is a lot that needs to fit in there...

I'm not picky about the overall lay-out of the streets, there isn't a lot of information in the books. But I'll give you what I have and make it red...

- Forks & La Push are the most important and will need to have as much room as possible, Forks more than La Push.
- Port Angeles, Denali (Alaska), Volterra (Italy) & Jacksonville only need to be one "street" each.

Let's start with Forks: Its a small town close to a forest and is build around a highway.
That highway/main road is the starting point to everything else:
La Push, Port Angeles, Denali (Alaska), Volterra (Italy)& Jacksonville...

- Finding the school wasn't difficult, though I'd never been there before. The school was, like most other things, just off the highway.
- The Thriftway was not far from the school, just a few streets south, off the highway.
- The Newtons' Olympic Outfitters store was just north of town.

There are only to things really important for Forks:
- A road that leads to the forest (dead end or corner):
His home was nestled right up against thick woods, with no close neighbors.
- My favorite vamiper familie home, room enough for the biggest sized lot...
I realized, as he drove my truck out of the main part of town, that I had no idea where he lived. We passed over the bridge at the Calawah River, the road winding northward, the houses flashing past us growing farther apart, getting bigger. And then we were past the other houses altogether, driving through misty forest. I was trying to decide whether to ask or be patient, when he turned abruptly onto an unpaved road. It was unmarked, barely visible among the ferns. The forest encroached on both sides, leaving the road ahead only discernible for a few meters as it twisted, serpent like, around the ancient trees. And then, after a few miles, there was some thinning of the woods, and we were suddenly in a small meadow, or was it actually a lawn?

His room faced south, with a wall-sized window like the great room below. The whole back side of the house must be glass. His view looked down on the winding Sol Duc River, across the untouched forest to the Olympic Mountain range. The mountains were much closer than I would have believed. The river is close enough to be considered in their backyard, but it is important that I can use the biggest sized lot!!!

- La Push:
A road starting at the highway, heading south leads to the Indian reservation and its beach. So yes, I need an ocean there where I can build a beach on. The beach is separte from the rez, so maybe the rez to the right and the beach/ocean left and lower? The rez is surrounded with a forest (of course) and isn't directly near the ocean because of the forest and cliffs...
I don't need an exact copy of the information below, do what you can.

It was only fifteen miles to La Push from Forks, with gorgeous, dense green forests edging the road most of the way and the wide Quillayute River snaking beneath it twice. I was glad I had the window seat. We'd rolled the windows down — the Suburban was a bit claustrophobic with nine people in it — and I tried to absorb as much sunlight as possible. I'd been to the beaches around La Push many times during my Forks summers with Charlie, so the mile-long crescent of First Beach was familiar to me. It was still breathtaking. The water was dark gray, even in the sunlight, white-capped and heaving to the gray, rocky shore. Islands rose out of the steel harbor waters with sheer cliff sides, reaching to uneven summits, and crowned with austere, soaring firs. The beach had only a thin border of actual sand at the water's edge, after which it grew into millions of large, smooth stones that looked uniformly gray from a distance, but close up were every shade a stone could be: terra-cotta, sea green, lavender, blue gray, dull gold. The tide line was strewn with huge driftwood trees, bleached bone white in the salt waves, some piled together against the edge of the forest fringe, some lying solitary, just out of reach of the waves. There was a brisk wind coming off the waves, cool and briny. Pelicans floated on the swells while seagulls and a lone eagle wheeled above them. The clouds still circled the sky, threatening to invade at any moment, but for now the sun shone bravely in its halo of blue sky.

- Port Angeles:
Its east of Forks I believe but sinds there is a harbor it needs to be against the ocean.
A single road of the highway to the ocean is enough, I just need enough space for the biggest sized lot. I'll build a community shopping center and that's enough...

- Denali (Alaska): Again it just needs to be one road, starting from the highway heading as far north? as possible. Its a (biggest sized) lot in the middle of another forest...

- Jacksonville: It doesn't really matter where you put this road as long as it starts from the highway and is a little away from anything else...

- Volterra: It doesn't really matter where you put this road as long as it starts from the highway and is a little away from anything else.. I will need enough room for at least the biggest sized lot

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**UPDATE** 

Just had a lovely pm from RelenaYuy0zero1 about the bridges as that's been my major hurdle as it changes the entire shape of the landscape, so instead will just go ahead & start building the roads! Should be published soon...

Welcome to the Asylum....

I'm currently working on a derilect Insane Asylum for my Stoneyville Collection & I also have another 8 or so lots in various stages of construction. I'm also planning to build some simple cottages - like the Mansfield that I've just submitted - using just the University & Open For Business expansion packs, so those of you without the later expansion & stuff packs, will still get to decorate or renovate my lots. 

Thanks to everyone who've participated & to those who are continuing to participate in my poll. It's because of these results that I'm creating the new cottages.

Love & Hugs to all

Shaz

I'm Baaaaack....

Hey Everyone,

Well, 2010 is here & it's time for me to get back to creating lots & neighbourhoods!

I've been using the break to gather a heap of new ideas & to recharge my batteries. I already have a few new lots on the go & will be devoting plenty of time to them. I will be continuing to create in the Sims 2 & hope to make a couple of buildings for the Sims 3. When the World Building Tool comes out for Sims 3 I'll be spending lots of time creating new worlds for the Sims 3 too! I had a blast playing with it at the Simposium & I can't wait to get busy with it!

Thanks to everyone - especially TSR - for their support while I took a break. I'm looking forward to 2010 being another bumper year full of practical lots that run fast on your computer & neighbourhoods that feel both realistic & are fun to play in!

Looking forward to catching up with you all!

Love & Hugs

Shaz

SIMposium - Create A World Tool

When creating a new world, you can now select from 4 different size worlds (Sim City 4 only allowed you to use one size). The smallest world is 256x256 & the largest is 2048x2048. You can choose from Lush or Desert & you can also set the maximum height of the world (100,200 or 300), to allow for huge mountains or a more modest height elevation.

You can also select from a range of Pre-made Terrains as your base or you can import an image to use as a texture map. The tech team showed us an image of a flower which they then turned into a terrain. You could use this option to build on a face or a favourite painting – you’re only limited by your imagination!

TERRAIN EDITING TOOLS

*PAINT*

Select a paint colour to automatically shade hills & mountains

Beaches can be painted along any shoreline, so you no longer have to worry about getting the exact height right for the beaches to show up. BUT... at this stage you can't build along the beach, so lots can’t be built on the water’s edge.

You can now Import paints & textures, so you could have dirt or cobblestone roads if you want a themed neighbourood.

*SCULPT* 

Allows you to change the shape of the terrain (similar to"God Mode" in Sim City 4). Unlike SC4, you can vary the strength & intensity of the "Brush" while using the following Modifiers:

- Flatten - Gentle

- Flatten Terrain

- Hill – Steep

- Hill – Gentle

- Mountain

- Smooth

- Smooth – Gentle

- Sheer Cliff

- Valley – Steep

- Valley – Gentle

*ROUTING* 

- Where the camera can see – so you can hide the edges of the map if you want to

- Determines where your Sims can go/walk

- Although you can place lots anywhere, the tech team recommended making the lots near roads, as sims will have to walk to a road in order to get into their car. They also recommended making the lots flat so that if they are shared, they won’t distorting the surrounding terrain.

*EFFECTS* 

-birdsflock

-geeseflying

-hotairballoon

-jettrailfx

-meteorshower

-oceansurf

-oceansurfreduced

-oceansurfsimple

-oceansurfsplash

-oceansurfsplashsmall

-rainbow

-rapidsnorock

-rapidsrock

-rapidswaternarrow

-rapidswaterwide

-sailboat

-seagullsfx

-waterbuoy

-waterfall_1_med

-waterfall_1_medsplash

-waterfall_1_short

-waterfall_1_shortsplash

-waterfall_1_tall

-waterfall_1_tallsplash

-waterfall_1_med

-waterfall_2_med

-waterfall_2_medsplash

-waterfall_2_short

-waterfall_2_shortsplash

-waterfall_2_tall

-waterfall_2_tallsplash

-waterfall_2_med

-waterfall_3_med

-waterfall_3_medsplash

-waterfall_3_short

-waterfall_3_shortsplash

-waterfall_3_tall

-waterfall_3_tallsplash

-waterfall_3_med

*TREES* 

When placing Trees & other objects like rocks, it’s important to create individual layers, so all the trees are placed on one layer. This enables the game to run much faster as you can "cache the trees" together.

I placed trees on "Layer 1" & the rocks on "Layer 2"

*OBJECTS* 

You can move objects once placed along their axis, which means you can turn them in their current position. This is very useful for placing intersections on curved roads! This feature also enables you to move objects up in the air, so you could have a group of floating rocks, if you wanted to build an alien world. You can also bury rocks or other objects in the landscape so they blend in with the environment for a realistic feel.

You will need to place the objects – like trees & rocks – on the one layer

Spawn collectibles – fish in ocean/river, seeds etc.

*LOTS* 

Lot size – max 64x64

Lots can be placed anywhere – but it's best to place them near the road, as sims will have to walk to a road in order to get into their car.

You can increase an area's property value – so they show up with a "beautiful vista" moodlet

*ROADS & SIDEWALKS* 

Unlike The Sims 2, sidewalks are not automatically placed along the roads, however this tool allows you to place them wherever you like. You can link communities with intersecting sidewalks & that should make for some great visuals, as sims hike across the landscape.

Roads can now be curved & can be moved after placing them, as can sidewalks & if placed over a hill, the hill can be flattened to stop their being unrealistic road angles.

Can add "Sidewalks" now as a separate way of linking lots. Like the roads, they can be curved & can moved after placing them.

"Intersections" can be placed on connecting roads

As you can Import terrain paints & textures – you could have dirt or cobblestone roads – perfect for themed worlds, such as a Medieval Village 

*OTHER* 

Available to download for FREE in December from TheSims.com

Can upload/share via the exchange

Has an "Undo" option which was not available when creating neighbourhoods in Sims City 4

Downside – Bridges must be place in the Sims 3 – can’t automatically stretch a road over a body of water to create a bridge.

Able to move between Sims 3 & Create a World to make changes (no more having to make .png or .sc4 files to import into game)

*CONCLUSION* 

Tutorials will definitely be needed, as the Beta Version we tested was tricky to use. Although the actual sculpting of the terrain was pretty straight forward, I wouldn’t recommend this tool for beginners – at least not until tutorials become available. I admit I found moving roads after placing them & getting intersections lined up correctly a finicky task. For those who love to spend time making sure every detail is just right, there is lots to love...

SIMposium - Sims 3 World Adventures

As some of you may know, I was fortunate enough to be invited to attend the SIMposium at EA Games in San Francisco on the 29th & 30th of October. I had the most amazing time & I got to meet creators from around the world, as well as the Sims design team. I even got to meet the infamous Steve Bonham & the wonderful Cedric from here at TSR! There were 23 people from 10 countries & I'm proud to say that 3 of us were from Australia.

I got a tour of EA Games, a preview of the new expansion pack & I also got to have a play of the new Sims 3 Create a World Tool!

I was given lots of free time to explore each of the worlds (China, France & Egypt) & I had a lovely time oohing & aahing at all of the amazing new objects & build tools. There are 3 new pagoda style roofs from China, lots of new trees & plants for those who love landscaping & an amazing array of new themed objects for your sims to fill their homes. Exploring the worlds brings you into contact with a huge range of collectables which your sim can display at home, much as they did with Bon Voyage. You can even build & buy holiday homes in each of the worlds!  

I spent most of my free time testing out the new Sims 3 Create a World Tool which the design team used to create all of these wonderful new worlds. The program will be made available to everyone to download for free from the Sims 3 website in December - so you too can create your own unique world! I will be posting another blog with more detail on this amazing new program, so stay tuned!

I want to send a huge thank you to Steve Bonham for nominating me to attend the SIMposium & to EA for providing me with an amazing World Adventure which I will never forget.

Love & Hugs to all,

Shaz