Object depreciation is super sneaky.

Glad to see it's not me with the depreciation. Amazing what you learn in these contests!

Jo, allowing crafted objects can be cheaty as hell! When you see how utterly shameless I am, you might reconsider that rule.
The price of my lot before adding crafted items [sewn objects (curtains mostly), flowers and paintings] is under 35000. But when they moved in, the Newmans had full inventories of personal belongings . I had saved a copy of the lot before I moved the family in, in case I want to use it sometime and adapt it to some other specific needs.

This time I was much more experienced, so I was more careful with money. I didn't use any decorations until I was completely finished with building and most of the landscaping. Then I painted the walls. And only then I started furnishing. I made sure to use mostly cheap items, but try to play with colors more. So I think I managed to make a house a little bit more interesting than previous. Of course, I absolutely abused permission of craftables. I didn't know about that last time.

The lot has no CC. It does have career and aspiration rewards, free Mr. Humble computer and a lot of crafted objects. It has all requirements: two bedrooms, womrat cage, bird cage, aquarium, 2 kennels, 3 pet beds + cat condo, 4 bowls, 3 pet toys, a fenced in yard, 2 bone rugs... "Something special" - well, I don't know, let's say a fish pond is something special . The lot is fully playtested with Newman family and is flowing nicely.

Thanks everyone, I had so much fun. :lovestruc

Now, the pictures.

Wow, I'm glad you're just a play along. I feel like giving up.
(Don't mind me - gloomy weather and neighbours cutting down trees so there's even less privacy is affecting my mood.)

There are some lovely entries, people, keep them coming! You're making my job sooooo hard! Please remember to turn your lights on before taking your pics!

Wow, I wish I was that good at roofs. Roofs give me more trouble than anything and that looks so well done.

I'm guessing you mean me, joandsarah77. I'm not sure why the pictures seem dark. I thought I downloaded that Mootilda mod, but couldn't find it in my game. I'll look at the description again. Perhaps I misread something.

Problem is, while trying to retake the pictures, I decided to rework part of my lot. As I understand it, I can change pictures until the deadline, and as I looked at the interior again, certain aspects of the lot didn't quite work for me. Sometimes a break from the game can do that to you. So as I find out why the lighting isn't working right (most lighting mods never work right for me, and I've tried quite a few .. I hope Mootilda's isn't one of them), I have deleted my entry. I'm scrapping all my pictures and retaking new ones. I may retake a couple of them again until I like what I see.

I then plan to move the Newmans into the newer lot after I package it, since at this point, there is no way I can be sure the lots are going to exactly be the same. So my previous entry has been deleted. There will be no, "OOh ... mass unveiling"! You're not going to see a spacious mansion on park-like grounds instead of my cabin, or some Frank Lloyd Wright masterpiece. Most of the basic lot will be the same. Just reworking some small room areas and figuring out why I can't get the lot to light correctly. Oh ... and I scrapped the awning. It wasn't working for me. My pets will have to forgo that bit of luxury. It looked funny against the windows.

@gazania, sorry? Are you referring to an earlier post? I have a terrible memory, so either you a referring to a post that wasn't directed at you or I've forgotten.

Oh ... I thought you meant MY pictures were too dark! So ... it wasn't me?

Well, maybe that was a lucky accident. I'm liking my building edits a little more.

Still, I'm reading this mod, and though I put it in my game, didn't see that blue box. Maybe it's lack of sleep. It's 6 AM here, and while waiting for my daughter last night, I worked on this building while pulling an all-nighter. so sleep may be an issue. I'll look for that blue box in the game again, then I'm ... going ... to ... bed!

It was Karen Lorraine who mentioned lighting.

@gazania I never mentioned anybodies picture being too dark, I think that was Karen.

Anyway I decided to do a play along for round one, don't know if I will have time for the others or not.

Had to remove a few things towards the end to get the roof and column that I wanted as I kept going over budget by about $3-12
P.S the black column is built on a CFE wall, not foundation.

My! You have all been busy while I was asleep!

I'm beginning to see what you all mean about the budget. I've still got over 10K to spend, but the downstairs of the house is still totally undeveloped -- not even internal walls. I've gone for a one-and-a-half storey house with the downstairs wall layout mainly following the edge of the foundations. I see most entries are going for single storey buildings, with much of the foundations used as verandas. But MystAngel's entry gives me hope: if you can complete that beautiful house for under §35,000, then there's hope for my much plainer effort. (btw What's the difference between verandas, which apparently are allowed, and decking which isn't?)

I'm fear I'm going to have to completely redesign my upstairs. I thought it was OK, but then realised I hadn't included a bathroom. (I think it's unreasonable to ask Sims to go downstairs if they need the toilet during the night -- especially in a house as big as this.) Once I tried to squeeze a bathroom in, the layout became unnecessarily cramped with possible pinch points. So I think I'll move his office downstairs -- there' more than enough room there, and I'm not sure how to fill it.

Maybe it's a case of more haste, less speed. I'm desperate to get this finished so I can move the Elliotts in and start playing them. I really must try to remember this is a building contest -- I mustn't rush the building and make mistakes in the process. I think I'm getting withdrawal symptoms having the game loaded for so long and not actually playing Sims! I really am a player rather than a builder -- I need the company of my Sims! I sometimes see building a house as a bit of a chore that I have to do before my Sims can move in.

That is horrible! I just backed up my building 'hood in case I did the same. I'm glad you found it easier to build the second time

Yeah, now I'm confused about the so called Budget. Budget for building but decorating is free as long as the Sims made it- or they're craftables with a mod, then it doesn't matter if it changes the budget? I worked hard to keep mine decorated within budget- when I should have spent it on the build.

Live and learn.

Craftable Note

Build to your budget, take a picture of the price. Then you may move sims in and you may have them craft items from their own money. I didn't know there were buyable craftables. If you use those they would need to come out of the budget and be placed before moving sims in. Adding this to the front page under round two details. Meaning if you want those effort has to be involved to get them.


@yavannatw is your white brick column made on a square of foundation? If so its attached to the house and will cost you build points. You may do as I did and use a CFE wall at 4 clicks as your base.
I really like your outside colour scheme though. Very bright and cheery.

I realize it's your competition, @Jo and you can modify rules as you see fit. It seems Sims were to be optional and not to make the pictures- the whole build- really nice they're needed.
I was asking just a page before how Craftables could be used without changing the price and no one said price didn't matter once Sims moved in and Pictures could be used from the decorated, non budgeted lot. (and then judged by those over budget pictures).

I get it, I didn't understand the loopholes. Now I do, I guess the learning is how rules are never really all spelled out but to Ask Questions for Definite rules.

*You adding the rule change now doesn't help me for this round.
No personal disrespect meant, just a smh moment.

Play-along submission - Round 2 - "Evans' slice of 'eaven"

Backstory: James has one goal, to make the sim Olympics.
Requirements: A modern house with at least three types of workout equipment (punch bag, obstacle course, multi-weights machine) plus an (Olympic size, roof-top) pool.
Random object: "The Measure of a Sim" Wooden Model (on the bedside table)
CC free: NO!

Yes, I saw what you did and changed it to cfe, which was a slight pain but better than losing points.
Thanks re colour scheme. Initially it was beige brick which I found boring. Samantha nudged me towards yellow even though it's not her favourite colour.

I haven't made any rule change on craftables. I was just clearing it up since there seems to be confusion. I said on another page that you build, take the picture of the price, then if you want you may move in sims and again if you want they may make craftables. I just thought some people might like to do so, to personalize it for the families. I know in other competitions people have asked if they might take photographs, this was what I was thinking of, I didn't intend for it to take over the decorating.

I believe in the rules early on I said you can use buyable aspiration rewards or career rewards. I never said buyable craftables and didn't know such a thing existed.

It's no big deal, @Jo -I'm still learning how things work around here.

So, if a family moves in they Have to make them- now, being specific- does it have to be a New Family (made for the household theme)? Because they won't have the money to actually buy a new house nor the budget to actually make the crafted items.
I don't mind either way- move them in, have the skills or not, just... I like clear lines.

Yes a family made from the ones listed. The Rhode's is a good example of a family to make craftables for. Since their requirements mention a fruit and veg garden and a place to sew, paint and make pottery. It was that family that made me think I should allow it since if they do those things and have nothing around it looks kind of strange. You may give them the needed money so they can buy the house and go and plant up the garden etc. You may cheat them badges as well. I think it's nice not to cheat but everyone might not have the time to play them long enough for vegetables to grow.

I’m glad I decided to build my entries in a desert hood – now I have houses for Grunt brothers fro Strangetown, all I need to do is edit them (mostly gardens ), because after finishing uni they both have about 63k – 20k hang-out (I decided to not mod it out) and 43k from sculptures and other things sold from their inventories – during studies they lived in a Greek house (I had 6 sims there – the brothers with their fiancées, and Ophelia with Johnny), and after they all graduated I split the money they earned equally by buying sculptures and putting them in their inventories.

Okay- got it.

So, the pictures of a house that fits the budget are only the overview shots without family, but the rest can be full of free in game items. Not bought once they move in? Just crafting/aspiration.

Cause, I love the look of the houses where they added the pictures and artwork, and am now happy I can do that, too. I just didn't know how- within the budget.

Can someone please post me the link to that mod you were talking about, the one that makes craftable objects buyable?
I had to work my ass off to make everything I needed. The most useful craftables for me were custom paintings, since those offered a lot of animal pictures, which really helped me to stay consistent with the theme and personalize the house to Newmans' preferences. Curtains were also a jewel, since those crafted ones had exactly the colors I needed. :lovestruc

By the way, thanks everyone. I'm glad you enjoyed my entry.
I still haven't managed to properly look into other entries. Looking forward to it.

Here: https://sims2artists.com/index.php?board=386.0

@HugeLunatic , thank you so much!