I have always understood no CC to mean no CC - in other words, no downloads. That is how it worked in other no-CC competitions.

My understanding then is that something should work without a mod, because a mod is cc. A thing is either a CC item or it is not. If you download a slot, it is cc.

The career and aspiration objects are exceptions because you can get them in game with in game cheats. As all game cheats are allowed, and are not cc and do not have to be downloaded, the career objects are usually allowed. The craftable OFB and FT items are a bit of a grey area here.

Jo, I think you may have to clear this up for everyone before we go any further? Thank you

Peni, please don't think about getting no points

I'm surprised, and relieved at my score. I was so nervous to click that spoiler tag, haha. It wasn't anywhere near the bloodshed I expected, so yay!

Judge 2
- Yup! I can never remember which way that danged tub is supposed to face, haha.
- Is that really a dressing screen?! Oh wow, I never use it that way. Its always typically used outside of a bedroom or bathroom.
- I like to imagine they poached the wedding banner from the party and will keep it a while as a sweet memento.

Judge 3
- Awww, I love two bathrooms in a house. I think of all the butts that need to get ready in the morning, haha!
- I do get your point though on landscaping. It's not something I'm good at (like roofs), but I'll try harder in the future.

Thanks for the comments, judges. It was certainly the first roof I have ever done and I'll keep practicing. I'm so happy with my score!

I'm where I hoped to be in the points. My lot was obviously not the best one!

Comment babble under spoiler tag.



If anyone else has trouble with Mootilda's mod, besides the day-to-night trick (I'm always concerned I'll mess up lights that way when I put them back ... irrational, probably), the light cheat I found while Googling also seems to work (boolProp allObjectLightsOn true).

I think the deduction as mentioned is fine for Peni. Peni took every effort not to use CC. However, I think this should be a "sin no more" rule in future rounds if no CC is specified. At that point, if anyone does it, they would get a more severe deduction.

I think there is no need to split hairs - if they can watch the TV, it works. Doesn't really matter if they stand or sit or jump up and down while watching And if they can sit on chairs and sofas, those work too, even if they may not watch the TV. As long as there is nothing them from stopping using the chair Because a chair is a chair even in a room without a TV. The main thing, I think, is that there should not be stuff preventing them from sitting down or blocking the TV from their view.

@Peni Griffin - I will really recommend another game folder for you, just rename your folder to Sims 2b and let it generate a new one, it won't have any cc in it - but that is not the most important thing. If the final round comes and cc is perhaps allowed, and you download something that crashes your game, your actual game is safe. I had one enormous game crash once due to cc downloaded for a specific build, and I will never do it the other way again.

I completely missed it as being CC too - as I have that floor too, and love to abuse it everywhere! But, I think, after others mentioning it, it might be from LifeStyle/Stories? (Which isn't starred for me because I keep all that extra "Maxis" stuff back in my Bins/ProgFiles folder.)


*WOAH* Ninja'd by everybody! Why didn't my page refresh itself? ...grumble, grumble...

Yes, true In the final round, you may not lose the bonus points, though (not if I know that for a fact, just a suspicion ).

Well, it is clear enough. Application round, no cc allowed. All other rounds, cc allowed, but no bonus points(5) if you use them.
NM. Mordant corrected me, post below.

From the rules on the first post, the last round doesn't have a bonus for not using CC.

Hi

I did better than I expected.
~There was a phone by the front door: It's on me to make sure it's shown well and not take overview pictures from such a far distance.
~I like flowers around my mailboxes- that's just a personal taste thing and I accept it.
~And realistically, small trees have more grass under than dirt, as I know from having to use my Weedeater when doing my yard work every week. Yet I do accept the point cut from my hurry to get into the contest and yet knowing I could go back in an fine tune the landscaping (it's on me and accepted).

**I thought no CC meant No CC which does include mods but it has been pointed out that we can use mods so anything which requires a mod shouldn't be held against us. Yet that is my opinion and I'm not a judge. I do like well defined lines- which can make me a pain and I do apologize for it.

1 question pertaining to the foundation and not editing it- I wanted to have my second story out past the foundation in some areas (balcony), is it allowed or not? Can I extent a second floor area over the foundation (2 squares out is what the game allows without any added support) such as a room/balcony? Thanks.

Tamara Elliot was on her way up in the Education career and had no time for the complications that relationships bring. Yet when she had to teach at the local orphanage, she met a little girl with a lot of hair who changed her life, and decided to adopt Klara. So a new house became a priority. They made some compromises about their favourite colours: blue is a yes, but there can be plenty of pink flowers outside, and Tamara will put some red in her office (hopefully off limits to Klara by the use of a security door ). She has an old red lounge chair which will go into her shed.

No cc used, random object is in the office - thechair - and here we go:

@Justpetro
By that you meant..Round 2!...And I like it. So cute, charming and cozy.

Thank you Of course I do, I think I may need a drink or at least some strong coffee!

Coffee = drink. Go for that, please.
Or bettah! have watah.

I like the amount of blue as it’s my favourite colour (I prefer less turquoise shades though), but why is there sea steam under the playground items?

Oh and I saw somewhere a tip with removing walls to take a picture of a small room – I wouldn’t do that as it’d change the lighting of it. To easily take pictures of small rooms I enter the free camera mode (you need to press tab for that) and use the keyboard to control the camera – WASD for movement, Q and E for angle, and Z and X for zoom level. You can also use PageDown and PageUp keys to make more/fewer floors visible (for example to make the roof visible through the window in the room you are in).

It is sand under the playground items Bought at a hardware store near you!

I will try your camera tips out, thank you.

I found the stress on curtains interesting. Lots of people, especially in Europe, don't use curtains. I won't be using them in the modern house as I think it ruins the look. Do I sacrifice something in my second build for curtains?
I take the point about my decor being "blah". Having recently sold a house it's important that there are neutral colours in order to sell. That doesn't work for a Sim contest.

Curtains and deco/clutter, two things that kill me in contests. I don't do clutter IRL, so I don't in sims either. As for curtains? The only ones in my house are to block the southern sun in the summer, otherwise all my north/east windows have no window coverings. So I think we are getting some personal preferences in those reviews.

Sorry to be obnoxious but I'd like to protest some of my scores/feedback. I will gladly take the lowered build and decorating score, because that makes perfect sense. The rest, not so much.

Judge 1 - Claims a changing table is necessary for this contest. A nursery does not per definition include a changing table. It's not necessary in game or in life, and the text did not specify that the nursery they wanted had to have a changing table. I consciously chose not to give them one because it would be a waste of money on a limited budget since you can get by fine without one. Seems very strange to me to take away points from people for being strategic.

Judge 2 - Claims toaster oven at 45 degrees will cause foot-stomping. No, it will not. If placed with SEP it is functional at 45 degrees without requiring SEP. Again, strategy. It doesn't break the no CC rule, and it means I can have one less counter and put that money on something else. I also don't understand the requirement deduction.

I disagree with thinking curtains should be required on such limited funds, because I don't know many people that would prioritize curtains on a limited budget, but that I can respect as a judgment call. But again with the changing table...

Judge 3 - Also changing table. But here only one point, as opposed to two for the others. Why is the same thing being penalized differently?

I can get over the changing table thing, but the toaster oven thing annoys me because it's simply not true. Would appreciate a tag if there's a reply to this post, I'm avoiding reading the post until I have time to finish my next submission.

Curtains are quite costly actually, I would not use them if I really need the money for something else. My sims normally start curtainless and they get them after gaining some money.

@gummilutt My criteria for the 'Wants' section was 2 for a crib, 3 for crib and changing table, and 4-5 for added extras. I'm not bothered about curtains, they add deco interest but weren't a necessity for me. I had criteria for the other sections too. I couldn't give a 5 for a room with just a crib in it because I couldn't give more than a 5 for a room with a crib, changing table and other things. I think you need to think outside of the box

Re curtains:
In real life all my rooms except my bathroom (has frosted glass and there are no houses to the back of me) have curtains but I don't always add them to my sim's houses :D

This is not only for @gummilutt, but for all new contestants.

The judges will never make everyone happy. One judge may regard one item more important than another judge, and deduct more points if it is absent. It is their right, they are the judges, and these judges have a lot of experience. I've been in a competition where Charmful judged, and obviously Cat and KarenLorraine are master builders.

It is worth trying to learn from them rather than argue with them, in the long run. I am far from a master builder, but listening to judges during past competitions has really improved my skills. My round 1 entry is a very personal accomplishment for me, because it the first proper starter of my Sim career. As I look at this, Jo is forcing me to build smaller than I normally do, so if I get through this with a solid score, I will be very happy with myself and my Sims may just live in smaller houses in the future too In the end, you win, even if you don't have the highest score.

I think it is very important to realise that sometimes, a comment my seem (or even be) unfair - it happens once in a while. My advice will be to not let it get you down. It is not worth it. And, please, realise that I have felt very offended at times by comments, but one survives that too!

Remember - comments are meant to help! When I make a comment (as a judge) I'm trying to give you a hint as to what I want to see in your builds.
Judges don't have to give comments, it's not required. But, as a frequent contestant myself - I really learn a lot from them. And the teacher in me likes to give them
I, at least, as a judge, want to see you win!!! It's like when I'm auditioning a cast for a play I'm directing - I want the auditioner to be great and fill the role I'm looking for. I want you to succeed! I don't want to make anyone feel bad!
Remember too - judging is purely subjective! With all of our different backgrounds, that can't be helped. One judge thinks curtains are a must - so remember that on your next build; another really isn't fond of the color orange (:giggler so use it sparingly *wink, wink* ...unless, of course, you think you can take a few hits point-wise.
Read all the comments for each contestant - take notes - learn what the three of us judges are looking for, and build accordingly. Sometimes a judge just has to make a decision - we can't have 20 people tied for first place can we?
I think all ya'll are doing great; I can't wait to start going over the next round

Yes, I quite remember a certain judge telling a rookie in her first competition (it was a story) that she does not like orange! She did not hold it against me, though

First thing I want to say is this contest is just for fun. There is no money involved, nothing fancy for you to win apart from a tiny blue ribbon under your name. The no CC rule as you can imagine is hard to carry out because of things such as floors with no stars, mods that allow things that we forget are modded. We; my self, judges and you can only do our best. I suggested that if you want to be sure of a CC free enviroment to make a new sims 2 folder. It's quick and easy to do. Even than some things may still creep across, I know I have a couple of fences that don't care that its a new folder. So I expect everyone to try and keep the rules but some are easy to miss even when you are doing your best. If I or a judge spot something that we think is the result of a mod you will be docked a point. If we see something that is CC (And I do get others options in staff chat) then the no CC bonus will come off.

@Peni Griffin I won't be handing out any zero's! I know you used that floor in good faith.


This means round 1,2,3,4 have a bonus of 5 points for using no CC. If you use cc you lose that. The last round, round 5 has no bonus.

Playability up to 5 points


This may have been missed since it's in the scoring area not the rules section. Mods allow us to use double beds against a wall, a toaster over on an angle, the TV on an angle. Items that are usable must be so without a mod. This also goes for slots. Again I know its hard to remember so all I am asking is just try, in good faith to not place things that you know are an added modded slot. For example on top of the fridge and on the back of the toilet.

Judges always have preferences, that is just how things are. They have general guidelines the rest is up to them. They score, I post them. Certainly if there is a mistake scores can be altered.

Wants: These are not solid, in that you get a detailed list. It is open for interpretation. Judges may decide who filled that want best then judge everyone else according to that standard. So with the nursery, someone who put a crib, a change table, a toy and some deco will score higher points. If you just managed a crib you will score less.
@gummilutt Think not so much as points taken away, its points not gained.

There is a lot to read and a lot to keep in mind when you build. I get that it's easy to miss but if you do miss something, oh well. Learn and remember for the next lot. Remember this is just for fun.

@Voeille you will be getting .5 back for the flowers.