Building Apartments building

After a while if not playing sims 2, a re-install and a switch of computers, i finally got back to what i like to do: building.

This one started as an idea for a shop.. But now i got the outside done, i am thinking.. it would be a nice apartment, too... or a dorm...So i am open to opinions on that.

One of my goals is to use as less cc as i can, and to share the building with others eventually.

Here are pictures of the outside of the building, more will follow as continue on this one.
           

To me it looks and feels more like an apartment building than a shop. It could work as a dorm but you have very little outside space left in which to add things like a pool etc. I like the look of the building but could you add in some colour along with the brick maybe where the windows are?

I agree with karen on the apartment building feel, probably because it seems a little 'cold' to be shops. Maybe path the ground and have some narrow formal type garden around the edge. I'm not sure how much room is there, but not much?

You are setting yourself a tough task with that shape. It is so hard to NOT make a boxy building and get some interest going in the exterior and make it playable and true to life. I agree with Karen - the build does not look very shoplike - it might work in RL, but in Sims - it is gonna be a struggle.

I would definitely look at trying to bring some interest into the sides of the building - why not have a little side balcony per apartment? That way you can get some indentation and create the opportunity to mix up the wall coverings a bit. If you look at this type of buildings in real life you will see that there is often a variation in the brick work; a sort of vertical strip or panel that breaks up the wall pattern and gives some depth. I don't know if you have AL, but there are some excellent brick patterns in there, or try looking at a LITTLE CC. I agree there is no need to fill a lot with cc (especially if you intend to share it) but a little well chosen cc can go a long way.

Do you have any floor plan shots of the interior?

Firstly, thanks for all the reactions. Making it into a apartment building sounds like a interesting idea. I think i am going to try and add a few balcony's, and try to decide how to divide the interior. Another decision that i have to make is whether or not add one of those common areas, the apartments in the game have. ( none of the apartments near where i live have that, so i am not sure on what to put in such a common room. ))

Leefish: there are no interior shots yet, because apart form a central staircase, there is not much interior yet, so i can go in a lot of directions internally.

joandsarah: there is about 4 tiles all around, but since there is no interior, can can move a wall or two still atm. maybe move the ground floor back in front only on the base floor?

Karen Lorraine: thanks for the tip, i will try and add some brick color..

as for cc: i have quite some in my game, but sadly enough do not rember where i got some of it.. things like the glass wallwindows are easy (numenor, MDS) , but some others... if i use cc, and do not know where i got it, what would be the best to do if i share the building?

@engelina-c

We have a feature on leefish called "Mention Me" - what you do is, you write an @ and then the members name right after it. Putting quotes around the name helps with weird usernames (spaces, dashes, that kind of thing) Spelling does matter and there is no autocomplete as that would be quite a terror on the database

Example:

Code:

@"engelina-c" hallo

If a member has the mention me option switched on in the alerts panel then they will get a popup telling them they have been mentioned.

If you reply to a topic a member has started AND quote them AND mention them they will get 3 alerts . So I advise not to do that.

You can switch on the alerts here:

http://www.leefish.nl/mybb/usercp.php?ac...t_settings

(22-06-2013 10:45 AM)engelina-c Wrote:  as for cc: i have quite some in my game, but sadly enough do not rember where i got some of it.. things like the glass wallwindows are easy (numenor, MDS) , but some others... if i use cc, and do not know where i got it, what would be the best to do if i share the building?

Clean installer can sometimes help with attributing CC. Why not add some pieces off CC that you think you would like to use in the building, package it, then open it in Clean installer and see if it helps you to track down the CC?

What Karen said. Also, some unscrupulous types have been known to use the MTS upload wizard to help them identify cc, but of course I would never recommend doing that. Purely a side remark.

I find if you use cc from MTS it all shows up nicely in the wizard. >cough<

Thanks for all the tips! I did not have much time and energy to build further this week, but i have spend quite some time sorting out custom content into folders by site or person who made it. I also have some plans for the building now, and how to transform it into a useful apartment.

What i can use is some tips and tricks for making nice-looking gardens. anyone here have some useful links and/or tips?