Just for the "record" I also interpreted the Newman's 2 room requirement as one of them could be a pet room. I was working on a lot for them for round 2, but could get the budget to work out with my vision, so just went back to my Evans house. Glad I did because my second bedroom was also for the pets.

And thanks judges and Jo, I quite like the closet as well, and feel free to steal it! Yes, Jo, the columns and the deco piece. And those have the same textures so work perfectly together.

Judge 3, the window as shower divider trick is a favorite of mine as well

Just for the record - I don't like the "sun lamp" either, but it IS the only one that looks like a sun (kind of)

I do like orange, though, especially in cocktails

I hope the judges are thoroughly fermented by now!

LOL! Being from the "Sunshine State" (Florida) I tend to overuse/abuse those lamps myself *hick*
...and I happen to have half a bottle of 'Goats' left... Yum!

Morning all. Some of you may be receiving some extra points to the requirement section.

Requirements are 'easy points' make sure they are in your house-and showing and that is worth 5 points.
Wants on the other had are more open to interpretation and the best ones the ones that wow will receive a 5.

Requirements don't have to wow, just be there. If you have lost points on requirements but do have everything please give me a shout out.

Next things that don't work on an angle and has been said before (but I know it's easy to miss) is the easel, the crib, TV, lounger beach type chairs and appliances. No need to test, they are already known and established.

Clock updated, round extended by 2 days.

Thanks, judges.
I'm another one who though the recliner worked at an angle. Damn. More picture retakes for round 4. (Done). At least my other two angled chairs don't need changing.
I do have to disagree regarding railing beside the pool. It was left like that on purpose so James could, theoretically, jump into the pool. He's an athlete and the steps were very wide so it's highly unlikely it was a safety issue.
The blue floor in the kitchen was supposed to remind James of a pool, and the colour matched the kitchen appliances. Oh well.
And yes I use the sun lamp but only because the other limited choices didn't suit.
Thanks again.

Quick post about work out items. While the TV is allowed, that was more of an allowance for base game players since most of the workout equipment came with Uni. So while you may use it, it's a rather poor choice if you have a range of items that you could use instead. To be a yes you need to test the TV with a sim because they will only work out to it if there is enough space. So if you used a TV as a piece of workout equipment can you please confirm that a sim can use it for that purpose. ~Thanks.

Going to fix the db links in the playalong table- sorry guys.

Jo, you're missing a bracket for the clock link (after the first "url").

Should be fixed now.

I'll believe you (my tablet is refusing to show an update)

Well gdayers fixed it for me since I am running here and there like a chook.

Now I feel a little silly! I obviously misinterpreted the scoring with the wants. My apologies to that judge.

After I had still more problems trying to place stuff diagonally with the Rhodes, I pretty much have given up on doing this for the contest.. .

Well, Strike me dumb founded... Never thought I'd get that score. Thanks! O.O

You never know in these contests.

Table updated.

I have a work in progress. Since there's a bit of extra time, I wanted to try a different build for the Rodney's. I'll say it's Victorian "inspired" because it started of Victorian in my head, then veered off somewhere and mixed with urban and modern themes. The roof is bothering me a bit, but I can't really lower it without losing the window and I'm thinking the inside flooring may be too dark. Oh and the stairs--I usually don't place wrought iron stairs inside, but the wood stairs look out of place to me. Idk. Any feedback would be welcome at this point. I've got about $18,000 left and I'm hoping to splurge on the kitchen and bedroom, then use a few well-placed fun items that take up a bunch of space, like the poker table, dart board, or even a pool table. I might delete the second bedroom to create a little extra space/cash, but it's very weird for me to build such a huge one bedroom. I feel like there should always be a spare bedroom, just in case, ya know?

Oh, and thanks for all the comments judges!

I would reduce the roof pitch and lose the little window. Also the downstairs bathroom looks huge. I would go with the same windows throughout as well. The 'Open me' window looks odd with the 'Classical curves' ones. The Classical curves look nice so I would swap the others out and use them all the way around

Steep roof pitch is always something to look out for and easy to fix if you have M&G (I think that's the sp/ep what came with the angle adjust tool) Watch out for mixing of styles, to me the right side is kind of dark/goth/creepy looking while the left is bright and sunny with flowers and white brick work. It's the roof to the left that needs lowering.

Are those CFE boxes holding the columns up? Make sure to mention that. I would fill in under the stairs and not use lounge chairs outside as rain would quickly ruin them in RL.

I like your garden and those stepping stones.

My feelings/opinions:

I'd go with a less modern looking brick for the white exterior. You could keep it light but make the bricks smaller and less uniform, or try stucco with an aged looking colour. If you want to mix modern and Victorian, keep the building itself old fashioned with modern furnishings inside, unless you can make it look like part of the building is older and has later been added to.

I can't remember if there's another matching window to the stone ones without the curved roof thing. If there is one without, use the curved ones upstairs and matching windows with a straight top downstairs.

I'd be tempted to replace the flooring on the ledges at the front (for the gargoyle bit) with grey stone or grey wood, so that it matches the walls better. But keep the balconies etc with that brown and cream stone tile.

I like the roof, I wouldn't change it. Perhaps choose a darker tile. I don't think it's too steep personally. You could possibly break up the left side with a dormer? Or even some solar panels. That would bring in your modern/old style fusing too.

Look at changing the pool wallpaper, particularly where it meets the house wall.

Maybe place a wooden bench where the white armchairs are now, with some plants growing up around it. That would also allow sims to get a little romantic by the pool in the evening. You could even fit in a hot tub where the recliners and parasol are, though that might use too much of your budget.

I don't like the triangle walls inside downstairs. Panelling matching your upstairs hallway would look nice or wallpaper or a plain white painted wall perhaps with crown/kick moulding. You could get away with tiles down here. Look for diagonal ones. I'm thinking the marble ones with the large diamonds or the dark green/white diamonds. You could cut out or seriously reduce the downstairs bathroom, which saves money, as you don't need two full baths for a two bedroomed house A downstairs toilet for guests should be enough.

I like the two bedrooms and I don't think it would work to remove one. You can always put ikea furniture into the second one, as ikea is perfectly functional for guests. Your bottom right bedroom I'd extend right to the front wall, full walls next to the stairs to move the bathroom to the other side of the second bedroom, so that you encounter the bathroom immediately at the top of the stairs. That gives you space to make the master bedroom quite impressive perhaps with a four poster bed. (See pic, I got a bit carried away the lighter lines show an alternate hallway layout.) I'd extend the floorboards into each bedroom and place rugs or create carpet rugs, because this looks more elegant and of the time period as well as being in fashion for modern purposes.

When Big Jim Elliott was killed in that motorcycle crash, young James was adopted by the Evans family. The Evanses lived in a city apartment, so he had to give up on his beloved butterflies and flowers. But, hey, they treated him well, and they were really into their sports and fitness activities. They got James involved in these, and look where he is now! One of Simnation's brightest medal prospects for the upcoming Olympics!

James's sponsors have been generous, and he has been able to move into a small modern house, which has been adapted into the ideal training venue. No excuse for lack of preparation now!



Price and other external shots


Plan views


Compulsory Object


Additional pictures

It's orange! But I don't see any of the sun-lights

Phantomknight, Personally I like the steep gable with the weather vane on top. Which just goes to show how personal opinions can vary. I take it that this is an old Victorian house which has seen many alterations and accretions over the years. Such buildings often do lack consistency of style. I agree with Karen Lorraine though that the OpenMe windows really don't go with the rest. I think one of the reasons why I like the gable and weather vane is that it reminds me of a school that used to stand near where I live, but was destroyed by fire nearly 60 years ago. (The fact that I remember that school -- though I didn't go to it -- says a lot about my age!) The school actually had crow-step gables in the Scottish Baronial style -- I wonder if that's possible on The Sims 2.
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I've finished my house for the Rodneys, and they've started their "real" career of entertaining the other neighbourhood residents. Their home is quite the best-appointed property in the neighbourhood, and an invitation to a poolside party there is becoming highly desirable. They have however today discovered the disadvantage of an §80,000 house:- Cash on Hand §220, Bills §334! Lucinda Rodney quickly looked in the paper and found a job! I should be able to post my play-along entry soon.

I managed to get my house done.

Done enough anyway I am still sick, so did the best I could. It is what it is at this point!

I have to do my pictures and probably will tonight.

Uploading pictures may or may not be tonight. Unfortunately, I figured partiers like that would have a privacy fence due to all the "extreme" partying at their house, so I had to pick from the "limited" fences available, so picked one to go with the pool, then matched the house to the pool

Please tell me we can use custom content next time without it hurting all our points we can get as I am ready for some CC! I will be making me a very nice lot in my 20s hood if that is the case! (am not sure the castaway one would be appropriate )

Been out of things for days now! I've missed so many things! you've all been so busy!

Thanks to the judges for all their hard work. It must be a really difficult job. Judge 1 I do have a phone it's visible in the pic with them eating in the little alcove with the tyre seating. I'm tempted to repost the pic not for the phone but just for an excuse to drool over Mr Zappa some more
I can't believe my score! I really didn't think it would be liked so thanks again. Most of my builds in sims 3 are like that but I didn't think they were to many peoples taste. I love the Olympia Brewing pic. I'm thinking of trying to find more images to try to recreate it. It looks like an amazing place and I'd love to live there too.

Hope all those feeling ill are better soon and those dealing with RL issues get them sorted too. I think gazania and I have been looking at the same floorplan sites so I now have a list as long as my arm that I want to build.

Jo yeah Wee Toon means small town I have a habit of using Scots or Welsh names for things as I'm a mix of the two. Andre is indeed a vampire. My self sim and him met in sims 3 at university and now I recreate them a lot. He seems to end up in a lot of my games for some reason. I can't think why. Afterall it couldn't have anything to do with the muscles and the long black hair I'm sure

I can't wait to see what you have in store for us for the last round. I'm sure it will be "fun"

Congrats to those you got their lots uploaded saying I'm proud of you sounds patronising or sarcastic but I really am. Big hugs all round I think (I'm way to much of a coward to try!)

Scottiedoag

Ah! I see it now - sorry I missed it before! @joandsarah77 - will you please adjust Scottiedoag's score? All the "requirements" ARE present, so it should be a 5, not a 4. Thanks

Scottiedoag - you have inspired me (and I don't know why it didn't occur to me before) I'm gonna build the Oly Brewing Co in my game. Duh! Why didn't I think of that? I've done old factories before - but why not the one I've actually been to and dreamed about refurbishing in RL? Sometimes I can be a bit dense

Wow! I'd love to see it. It really looks like a cool building and I love old factories. The town I live in was famous for it's jute mills so we have a lot of them.
Scottiedoag

My Rodneys put in a section of transparent fencing just behind the diving board, so that passers-by can admire the beautiful partygoers inside. . .