Am I the only one noticing that I can't get mods in my contest game at all? I can't get the Chris Hatch globe in my contest game, either. I tried the CEP route already. Inserting it doesn't seem to help. Normal CC, such as default skins and facial templates, are fine. I know Rosebine had a problem with the Sim Blender. The only mod I seem to be able to get in my game is the no red pause mod. I still can't get Mootilda's mod.

I'm also noticing that having the two Sims 2 folders in the EA Games folder does put a strain on things. Maybe that's why some people are having problems? I've now been taking the contest folder out unless I intend to play it. Maybe it's good that I have a couple of days before the next round. I made a backup of the contest game in case.

My computer is pretty old and I have 4 separate sims 2 folders and all work just fine. One is my modern game 10gigs, one is my medieval game, about 9 gigs, one is for testing and one is for hood checker since that won't run without Plesantview.

If I try to run my regular game with the contest game in there, it just lags on the loading screen. if I remove the contest folder, it runs OK. I have 8 gigs of memory, so it's not that.

(Shrugs)

What Windows are you on? I am on 7.

I have 3 game folders, one being for the contest.
For the contest folder, I only added NoSimLoaded, the Smarter EP check, the no red line pause, and Mootilda's turn lights on. All working.
However, the mods - all of them, including the Sim blender, work in the 2 game folders.
I am on Windows 10 and have the UC, just for the record. I wish I could help, Gazania, but I really don't know why yours don't. Perhaps it will be worth asking on the Help thread, somebody with more knowledge may be able to help.

I don't know if it's worth asking for the contest folder, since it's temporary. My main game folder does have all the mods, and all work with no problem. Strangely, when I do vanilla 50/50s, the modded items do show up. And I've done lots and lots of vanilla 50/50s.

I'm on Windows 7. Googling isn't helping, since I get the skin and hair just fine. It's not all CC; just the modded items.

Of course, in a doofus move, I forgot to put NSL in my contest folder when I made the first lot. Duh. Oh well.

EDIT: It helps to read the FAQs here. I had to alter part of my user.Props file. The first part was fine; the second part was not. Never had to do that before; not in the probably fifty to a hundred or so times I've had to do vanilla CC testing, so that was a huge surprise. All the mods usually show up, and have since 2006/2007, when I did the first vanilla 50/50. But the Chris Hatch globe is showing up now, so perhaps if any of my lots are worthy of uploading, I now have it to help de-HugBug them, if this game is HugBugged. (I'm not sure of that, but I ALWAYS assume my lots are hug-bugged now, no matter what, even if they aren't, since my main game has SDHB.) Now to get plenty of inspiration in these rounds! Oh, and FINALLY get the Mootilda buttons in there.

If anyone else has this problem: http://modthesims.info/wiki.php?title=Game_Help:GCCTSU3 . Even this old dog can learn new tricks.

The Mootilda buttons still won't work in my game, but they're there. I put the Blender in to see if that would work, since its effects would be much more obvious (using the Chris Hatch globe in an occupied lot is a huge no-no) and changed my Sims' clothes. That works like a charm, so I think I'm doing things right this time. Go figure. I'll have to resort to my usual means of taking pictures without the buttons. Hopefully, using the Blender to change clothes and boost motives is OK in this contest; if not, I'll remove the Blender. It will sure help when I'm trying to take a picture and everyone is in their underwear or PJs which they generally seem to prefer in this game. I'd rather not have my pictures look like lingerie ads.

I tried the globe on my last version of the lot before I packaged it.

Progress
If you restart the game again and the Mootilda mod still does not work - I would download a new one. Can't do any harm, maybe it just needs a new copy, sometimes files don't seem to like being copied or moved.

You don't need the Blender if you have the testingcheats on.

Ellu, I really like the color theme you used. I also wanted to go with black-white-red combination when doing a modern house, but now, since both you and HugeLunatic did something similar, I wonder if I could really offer anything new and different in that segment. Lovely lot, I think it suits your Sim's needs perfectly.

AndrewGloria, I like the shed very much. I love that you managed to fully furnish it so it doesn't look empty. For some reason, I have a problem with most of your screenshots; the pictures all appear more or less blurry, especially the textures. That can be slightly distracting to me.

Scottiedoag, I absolutely admire your budget handling! Like others have already said, it is unbelievable what you were able to do for the Lamberts with that tight budget. I must single this screenshot out. Love it! Very creative way to appease both teenage girls with different personality and still put them in the same room.

TheFlyingRaccoon, as usual, the Rhodes family is the most inspiring one. I actually like your woody approach very much, it left you more options for furniture matching, because the required objects are mostly wooden and brown. That made your little house very compact, ending it with really well-matched interior as a whole.

Phantomknight, what I value most in your build is how you managed to cleverly use the space the lot provided. All of it. You managed to make a beautiful and original modern house, but also didn't forget to give attention to the outdoor. It sometimes bothers me when contestants focus all of their creativity and resources around the foundation and leave the rest of the space empty; well, you found the balance perfectly, exactly to my taste. :lovestruc

***
I love when I'm gone for few days and come back to a bunch of inspiring entries. :lovestruc
Jo, will the new foundation be posted as soon as this round ends, or will the judges have an extra 3 days like the last time?

A little off topic here, but I have to say this, I simply freek out every time when Jo gives the mention tag It is that staff-triangle
Good side, it is very hard to miss :P

I'm hoping the new foundation posts in two days. I'm as ready as I'm going to be for it. The judges can get the three days. At the rate I build and revise my lots, I should be up to Revision 2 by then with the new lot. This current lot had 12 main revisions (not counting the minor ones, like forgetting to change the wallpaper on one panel). The original plan looked absolutely nothing like the final one! Really, really different. I was up to the third revision or so even before the cabin idea.

I plan to use Revision 12 as a standard lot in my good game and all (now that it's also been "globed"), but from now on, I think I should wait at least until I test the crap out of the routing before submitting a new entry. First submission does not get any special bonuses!

And when I saw the triangle, my first thought was, "Crap. What did I do?"

Lol, very same here :D

That's why I use mention tag sparingly.

I would also prefer if the foundation gets posted as soon as possible, because I don't think I am going to be able to work on it with the same intensity as the last time. If the judges need more time, Jo could maybe ask the contestants not to submit new entries for a couple of days?

Gazania, you're a legend. Every time I click on your entry, the edit time is a little later.
Your entry has changed so much. I actually like it better now, kitchen and bedrooms fit much better to a new style. The rest of the house is also better matched. If one doesn't want to experiment with colors much, white and light wood are a perfect choice for required pet furniture objects. I still remember your old kitchen, though, I remember liking your first chairs better. With that older color theme, I remember I thought those matched better, but now, since everything is changed, these ones fit just as well. I'm also glad you opened the space up a little. If I'm not mistaken, pet food bowls were in a separate room in one of the earliest versions. I remember wondering if that one near the diagonal door is fully accessible now, but I believe you've play-tested the hell out of that house, so I don't think there is anything thoughtless, or unplayable, or not considered in all possible existing ways .

Me too. Less so when I was a mod myself, but now that I'm not, the anxiety returned.

Jo can't post the new foundation until all entries are in. Otherwise, some crazy fast builder could see the new foundation and change their mind on which family to build for and redo this round with extra sneaky unfair knowledge. Since we are allowed to change our photos until the round officially closes, she has to wait until then. She might choose to close the round early, but that's a little unfair to anyone who is still hoping to make a few image changes. Two more days feels like an eternity to me as well, but we'll survive. We have the bar! In the mean time I've been working on my downtown hood. This contest really reignited my love of the game.

No, no, there was a misunderstanding. I didn't mean to ask if she could post new round before all entries are submitted. This is what I asked:



So "as soon as possible" referred to the time after the round is officially closed, of course.

I can check the one near the diagonal door again. I didn't notice anything in all the times I've play-tested. The computer is in that small bedroom, one of my Sims seems hopelessly addicted to it (not like someone here! ), and he's constantly going in and out while my pets are being fed. Plus, the animals seem to think that bed is their personal private sleeping mat, as you might be able to see in one photo. But I can check again, making sure the pet is eating out of that particular bowl. I could be wrong. I have been. At the very least, it might be a helpful photo to show judges if they ask about it later. Thank you for the comments!

What's a few more retakes if I move the bowl? Goodness, how many have I done now? I think I lost count at 100 or so! Seriously, I think I'm up to that number. It feels that way! Any retakes shouldn't be tricky ones, though. No awkward angles. Two interior and the layout.

There was originally a half-wall, but it clipped into the fridge and apparently caused a minor routing issue, so I got rid of it. No matter. It freed up quite a few Simoleons for redecorating.

But no tweaking now. A business professional provided me some info upon my request, and obviously didn't verify her links. The first one I clicked gave me a virus. Right now, I'm doing a lovely boot scan. So far, I think I got rid of the pest. But I may be doing tweaking of another nature for a while.

EDIT ... Boot scan finally finished, and didn't show anything anything, so I went into the game. The door and dish have no issues. I have posted a fresh picture (it replaces the old one with the phone) showing Paul exiting the room as Allemande was eating. Turned out Allemande was happy to oblige me, and went right to the feeding bowl as soon as I entered the lot. Paul did not need much prompting to use the computer, and he was cooperative when I made him exit the room. The two went for a hearty game of fetch after Allemande finished, so if Allemande was stuck at all, it as only at best for a few seconds ... no stompies. I like this picture better than the other one, so I'm going with it, and it will be a good way to show judges that the routing works. Thank you again, MystAngel!

@Kukamuukaanmuka lol and I have done it again. But secret- getting a staff triangle use to freak me out too, I always thought something terrible was found in one of my uploads and I was being alerted to that fact.

P.S I have not yet looked over the new posts today, just spotted you saying that.

Jo, it is actually helping I cannot miss it cause of the triangle :D

Triangle makes me to panic and .. "okay, what did I wrote last night, I must have been tired... hmmm.. nothing.. HEY did my hubby wrote something??? noot likely but I have to see.. no... HMMMM .. okay I look what it is.. AAAHHH.. it is a mention from Jo at contest!! why I did not just looked first before panic :DD

The new foundation will be posted after the judges have had there 3 day head start. I know its hard waiting but the judges need plenty of time, especially now they are at work and not on Easter break.

I'm fairly sure this goes without saying, but this is quite obviously not CC free It's quite loaded actually, lol.

I popped in to update the table. Just in time Jones, what a lovely lot.

I understand, Jo, I've actually expected it. I'm glad that's clarified, and I hope the judges don't feel rushed and can also enjoy their role.

Gazania, glad to help. I like you , your enthusiasm, the energy you bring to this thread , and your entries.

JustJones, that's some CC put to good use. That fence made from recycled bottles is absolutely brilliant! And the Beetle is exactly the kind of car I would give them. You really captured the spirit of the Rhodes, everything is there - recycled furniture, colors of the hippy styled furniture, artwork, and a beautiful garden. I want to build for the Rhodes family so much! I hope Jo doesn't choose precisely this round to be especially generous with a budget or especially suggestive with a foundation, so I don't have to make a more reasonable decision, because you guys made me gravitate towards Rhodes family so much. :lovestruc

I had all the foundations and budgets ready ahead of time. Just so you know that I am not making any decisions based on posts or applications. Jones blood sweat and tears just about went into making that bottle fence.

The lot is a knock-out, @justJones! I hope it is going to be uploaded, it will look really pretty in my hood That fence - wow. A job really brilliantly done.

Getting the fermented fruit juice bar dolled up for the End of the Round Party!

Put to good use