Here is my pretty-much done lot. I may switch a picture over the next day or two, but I'm a play-along and come Thursday, I won't have time to do very much for a while, sooo ....
Skate Away Roller Rink (Bar/Rink/Arcade; American Southwest desert)
Skate Away Roller Rink was built back in the 70s. Originally named Brand New Key after the Melanie hit earlier in the decade, the owner changed the name to Skate Away in 1980 after realizing that roller rink skates did not have keys. The couple liked the Dire Staits song "Skateaway" better anyway.
There has been a generation change in ownership since then, but the newer owners enjoy keeping some of the essence of the original design of the rink. The carpet may be a little faded, but the owners have kept the place in very good shape and keep it clean. Nearby residents enjoy having juice at the smoothie bar, trying their hand at old arcade games and, of course, skating. Occasionally, a few more adventurous Sims (those drinks ARE non-alcoholic, right?) enjoy getting a little silly or naughty in the photo booth.
Back when the first owners still ran the place, their children, who were excellent skaters in their own right, actually won a couple of first-place trophies in skating contests held in the nearest large town. The kids' trophies are still on display at Skate Away. Today, the children own the rink, but the original owners still stop by from time to time.
This place is a fragment of a memory in this small town, when cell phones did not exist and people greeted each other. Sometimes, a moment in the past can be a refreshing break from the present.
As the song goes:
"Come slippin' and slidin'
Life's roller ball
Slippin' and a slidin'
Skateaway, that's all"
Let's get the required shots out of the way, before I forget them:
Indoor rinks are generally boxes. I tried to mix things up a little, though, by using a simple split level and indenting the walls at different points. There's boxy as in the Box Motel and boxy as a building like this.
Was I supposed to include the dummy floor as a floor? I did, anyway. If I can take this out, I'll take it out.
In order for the glass to show up, you need to put the glass on EVERY floor and the ceiling of the floor where you want the glass effect. I also put glass on the roof of the dummy floor. The glass has a slight yellow tint to it.
There are two skylights to get a little of the natural sunlight in the building.
Now for (counts on fingers) 10 more pictures. I like to do the sides, so I'll start with those:
The car facing the other way is deliberate. There are always those who will back in a space!
A bunch of interior shots:
Three disco balls might be too much, but one or two just didn't show up well enough on the rink. I always liked skating under the reflections of the ball, so why should my Sims be deprived?
No matter what I tried, the red bled just a little bit under the design. Sorry.
Front to back.
More shots (four more ... )
The smoothie bar is well-known for a concoction mixed up by Mayme Simms. a local resident, back in the 80s. People liked the drink so much that the owners persuaded Mayme to make a version of the mix for Sims to buy, take home, and mix themselves with juice or milk. All-natural, organic, non-alcoholic, legal, and if used in juice, dairy-free. Gluten-free and low on sugar. Full of nutrients and it doesn't taste crappy. Good stuff.
A skate rack! And skates!
I originally had four machines to make a proper arcade. I kept everything within budget. Sims wound up not going on the skating rink. I had to remove a vending machine for the same reason. I think the main focus of a roller rink should be to actually ... well ... skate.
COMING IN ROUND THREE: Gazania actually does non-flat roofs! I thought a flat roof worked better with this lot again.
Thank you to all the CC creators out there; especially Michelle for all the recolors and JodelieJodelie for the skates and skate rack (as well as the art on the sign). Sunni, wherever you are, thank you for the car statues.
This was a case of slow inspiration at the start (I needed a roller rink, and wanted to reflect a bit of the 70s and very early 80s, back when I used to skate with friends) that, as I went on, built up more and more as I came up with different ideas, such as Ms. Simms' drink mix to keep that cashier NPC at least a little busy. If I went to the wire, maybe I would have been even more inspired. Dunno.
But my treatments start again on Tuesday, and right now, I'm aiding a sick mother and a sick daughter. (Mom has heart issues, my daughter came down with bronchitis; probably after running herself down trying to take care of two majorly-ill women. I hope my girl is getting the rest she needs.) Honestly, it was time to show the lot as is; incomplete or not. No regerts (sic) about that.
Thanks to ALL free-site creators, admins and mods.