I went up in score but fully expect to be in the middle/lower middle of the pack. Not because I can't build, persay, but I build lots that I like that usually have more space because I play 12 to 20 sims per household. I don't agree with all of the assessments because we all have different tastes. However some of the suggestions are quite good and when I follow them, it does improve the overall look of the houses. I do agree that normally some of mine would be built differently because I am building to a family that will never be built. I am learning as well. And learning to take better pictures. And that is what I am here for.

The only thing I recall for sure is it says screenshots are mts upload standard.

I have decided that I will build as I like, and if I like a suggestion made by a judge I will incorporate it in future houses. If I don't, you won't see it. Because in the end, I am here to learn. And to hang out and have fun I am not here to win. I guess it all comes down to what you want to come away with.

I might add, judges are people too, and so inherently their own tastes are going to shine through. Not to mention, we all come from different regions where styles vary widely. That plays a role as well. But that is why we have three judges.

@Sweet Mystre, as a fairly experienced host, judge and moderator, but also a very defensive person who's easily "hurt", can I offer this bit of "wisdom"? You scored very high, which I realize isn't what you're "concerned" about. The judges have to tell you their least favorite bits, the reason(s) even the tiniest bit of points are docked. I think it would be worse if they didn't say anything negative but you still didn't get perfect scores across the board. (I'm using you in the general sense in this post, just fyi, not specifically meaning you ) They tell you so you can see what it is they are looking for. And yes, sometimes it's just that people have different tastes. Which can be a bit hurtful at times, I completely understand. (I'd also like to add, that we all try to not let personal taste affect moderating, but that's different than judging. I can't tell you how many sims I've approved that would never, ever see the light of day in my game, because I don't like photoskinned stuff and overly realistic sims). But the main thing in a contest is to have fun. I know it's hard to do, but build for your tastes, and forget about it. (I know that can be really hard, believe me I know. Severe social anxiety speaking here). Just have fun :D

I always feel awful when someone is disappointed with the results. Can't imagine how the judges feel. Before this contest, I would've applied for a judge gladly, but now - absolutely not, never. I realized I just don't have the guts for such position. It is a really tough job; blending honest and fair judgement with gentle and considerate approach is a work of art on itself. But no matter how you phrase it, sometimes someone can get hurt. I talked about it to Phoenoh recently, people are just too sensitive, and can react differently to criticism... so, honestly analyzing their work/creation/vision/style/taste, is an uncomfortable position to start with. Also, people should have in mind that personal preferences can affect someone's judgement and are usually specific, so try not to take their opinions as a signal to start questioning your entire taste, or skills. Sweet Mystre, I don't think you should take the house down, I like it. But, if you feel the judges' feedback could help you make something you would feel more satisfied with, or more comfortable using in this contest - go for it. Just do anything you would think you'll have more fun with, it's what this is all about after all. For example, Phoenoh's feedback was really helpful to me, and I kind of regret not entering this contest earlier, I would have loved to hear comments of the judges! Personally, I really enjoy reading them as an objective observer, and often find them insightful and helpful. I love how often they have similar observations to something I would never have noticed (Charmful and Karen did that a couple of times in this round, and really had me thinking). It can be seen the judges are experienced, they always make sure to mention what they liked next to the things they thought needed improvement, which I thing is the most important part.

I also noticed Jo had problems with finding random objects via pictures. Jo, do you search for requirements in detail in playalong entries too (although I think you shouldn't bother that much, you have enough work already )? I made my entry short this time, with no explanation at all; but if it would help you, I could edit it with important notions in place.

Edit: Great post, JustJones.

This is nothing to do with any entries. But I thought you might like to see. I found butterflies spawning from plants! I was in a totally different hood and it just happened and surprised me I'm sorry, Jo, it seems you were right about the base game butterflies after all! This happened in Spring.

I wish you all would stop lecturing me and see that I'm not mad about my score, I don't understand the feedback. I get Criticism and I get honest opinion, it's when I can't use it and it's personal opinion on their like of a window that I get confused.
I read, "Think Outside of the Box," I read that we should be "startling unique"... and now I get confused when I'm told differently by the judges.

@MystAngel - she gave you advise that was specific to your build in specific areas to specific parts. That's helpful.

Please, everyone, no more lectures. I've "Moved on."

Sweet Mystre, your house only needs a few tweaks here and there to please the judges I think. Though I've written a wall of text, please don't feel overwhelmed or that I'm attacking you. I like your house overall. You mentioned not learning anything from the judges comments, so I've tried to explain the issues I see and how I'd fix them to stay in keeping with your house's vibe. (Sorry, I was writing this while you were all still posting. If you've moved on, feel free to ignore.)



MystAngel, btw, my name has an A in it. (Pronounced Fay-no) Just call me Phae.

Thank you, @Phaenoh
I'll read it all later. Right now I'm working on my "Feels" by making the most outrageously decorated house I can. Aaand by reading just a few on you sentences, it won't be hard for me.
Maybe this is why I usually decorate in white walls and shouldn't step out of my comfort zone.

No, white was not an option for those windows- both bay and front. I looked for white.
There are 3 wallpapers in the living room but the Entry has it own, too. XD

Sweet Mystre, I can't talk for others, but I was not lecturing. Sorry, maybe I didn't use exactly the right words to express myself, so you received the tone wrongly. Lecturing would suggest you don't have the right to feel like you felt (and we're always entitled to our feelings and allowed to experience whatever feelings we're experiencing, no matter how irrational they seem to the others ). I was simply reacting compassionately and really wished everything to be well again. I'm glad you moved on. :lovestruc
I hope the judges will respond and explain what you didn't understand better. Of course, sometimes, no matter how well they explain it, there is a chance you'll disagree with it.

Sorry, Phae. Now off to read your wall of text.

Sorry, @MystAngel I understand no one was really "Lecturing" me but it does start to feel that way when one after another person comes at you (3rd person) with their opinions and telling you how to look it.

Thanks for all the feed back, Everyone, I'm good.

@joandsarah77
Sorry to bother.
I'd like to know if we, as play along, will get comments from round 2? Thanks in advance.

No! These contests are EXACTLY the time to step out of your comfort zone. I've made some of my favorite houses during these foundation challenges. My favorite in particular, the judges seemed to hate, but I absolutely love. When else can you be brave enough to try new things and not have to worry that the ENTIRE world (aka, MTS's Front Page) will see your weird thing? You'll get opinions and help from 3+ people, and countless others will or will not press the Love button. With that sort of feedback, you'll know if you've hit on a good thing or not. Playing it safe during a contest is a wasted opportunity. Go for it! Be bold! Be weird! I NEVER would have built a house for a plantsim (that did not look like a greenhouse) had it not been for jones' contest. I ended up loving it so much, I simpe'd that sim into one of my main playable's families.

Drat, that must be CC I have. Oh well, yellow is close enough. Purple tends to work well too, if the wall is in shadow.

No worries!

Yes please! I'm really hoping to score better than a plain '' this time.

I am just glad I didn't get a 10 ... in total. I don't expect to win. I just hope I don't stink! As long as I don't completely bomb or accidentally re-submit the Box Motel (which would probably get that 10), I'm fine.

And joandsarah77, thanks for giving me the best laugh of the day ... and a good observation. My family had five dogs at one point. I should have realized that the fenced-in area was too pristine, thinking of my own backyard at the time! Perhaps a few bare areas and a couple of ... errr .... small brown spots might have indeed been more realistic!

Just to chime in here really quick (since I tend to be somewhat shy and very quiet in groups), I love how the common theme is to "build something you love, even if it scores low". I have been trying my best to follow that line of thinking during this contest while also taking tips from the judges on what I can improve next round. I do not agree with everything, as yes, some of it is personal tastes as I play for Sim-realism and not human realism, but... eh. I have learned a TON. My pictures are getting better (I think!) and my building and coordination is improving (to me anyway, haha!). I'm spending time shaking my fist and redoing roofs to try and get things that don't have many "valleys" (thanks judge, haha, I will NEVER forget that!). I am not perfect, I am not a master builder, but I am learning and trying to glean a few tips and tricks here and there.

I actually want to try and upload my places (*nervous*), so I have gone back and re-done my first application home using the advice/tips/skills I have gained thus far. I figure if someone doesn't like his fire pit on the balcony (for the Evans home), they will move it when they download it, or generally tweak it to fit their own game. However, hearing the feedback makes me think... OK, so I should have put some other type of flooring there (mental note for next time... not retaking pics again, haha). I do listen to what you guys say, I just want to keep my vision as MINE, and not turn it into YOUR house.

I did some non-official entries just to see what I could do with the foundations. I guess it's OK to post pics here? I know others have, so I'll assume yes. Thanks for allowing me to post my thoughts! For all the ups and downs, I do love this contest.

EDIT: Waiting for someone to post, so I can slap my pictures up here for the axe, err, judging.

I am extremely nosy. So I'll post! I'm finding the alternate entries here as fascinating as the actual ones.

One tip, though ... if any of your builds have that rabbit you want to pull out of that hat for the next round, you might not want to post them. In my case with my alternate Lambert entry, Lambert cat-herding was more than enough to convince me to try one of the other three families. Been there, done that, met the challenge ... next .. in my case!

For this round I chose to go with the Newman family. I love cats, small dogs and fish in real life, so I wanted to have a themed home for them to express their love for their lovely furbabies. My own cats have occasionally been adopted from a no-kill shelter and were already declawed, so no worries on their drapes being shredded. Besides, that is what the squirt bottle is for! Have to train the little troublemakers, right? Haha! I hope you enjoy browsing the pictures.

Please do read the photo captions, I noted where the required item was used in the build. (Picture 8 - Backyard) Thank you!



(Psst... I also have an alternate 1 bedroom version available since I misunderstood the instructions. )

Phae, quite a feedback you provided for Sweet Mystre. You have some judging talent, that's for sure. Were there any contests where you were the judge, and maybe you could link them here? Btw, I browsed through the contest lots you showed, and I love your Artist converted train station. I usually don't use CC in my TS2 game, but that house I will download, I have to see it ingame.

A lot of people here are uploading contest lots. But I have no idea how uploading would work if lots of crafted objects were used. For example, my clean unused copy for this round, has very few decorative items compared to the fully furnished one. I consider it unfinished, and wouldn't be keen on the idea of sharing it in such state at all. Maybe it would be possible to try recreating the look, using Huge Lunatic's buyable craftables or something like that, but I don't know how share-friendly such lot would be. Would it work like a lot with buyable career and aspiration rewards (as a completely No CC lot), or would it be necessary to have the mod installed for it to work?
Other alternative is to take the clean, bare-bones copy and decorate it differently, with available decor from catalogue and without paying attention to the budget. But that could turn out quite differently, so maybe the charm of the lot initially being a contest round application, would be lost. I imagine there are people who would even prefer the completely bare-bones version (not everyone likes clutter, nor would they tolerate tasteless hoarding :lovestruc), but I'm not one of them .

How do other people upload contest lots? Exact replicas, or somehow adapted versions? I know the lot that had family live in it is completely out of the question, of course.

Thanks gazania! I didn't want to double post!
No worries, I don't have any rabbits to hide, LOL! I just kind of go with the flow.

Great house, Goldenbtrfly! Especially love how you placed those plants around the bird cage. :lovestruc

Off-topic, but strange -- What's been happening to this thread? There were 59 pages in it when I went out with my (Real Life) dog. When I come back there are 57. I can't see anything missing. Has somebody deleted all their posts?

Hey, I noticed that too! And have no idea what happened!

I deleted a long post - because the internet dipped here and so it was posted twice

@MystAngel - you could post the links in the upload, or just put them in a separate file with the download.

My lot is done, the Rodneys, rather surprised that they had to move for the third time, seem pleased enough and party mood. Posting tomorrow (or tonight, depending on Insomnia visiting or not).

Off to have a couple.... number... of fermented fruit juices

I was trying to take pics of my Rhodes lot but Moonbeam (yeah I know blame her parents lol) kept dying. They would move in and one or the other would start some kind of interaction and as soon as it was over right out of the blue blam! Moonbeam would keel over and in would come the grimereaper. This happened over and over. I just couldn't figure out what was going on. After several hours (yes I really am that stupid) I finally figured out that I somehow had old copies of sun and moon herbs from PBK! What an idiot! lol
Any hoo I got them to move in and stay alive this time so I have some pics. Once they are edited if I have enough I'll post my lot today, if not then tomorrow.
Thanks judges I whoheartedly agree with your comments on my lot with one exception (oh oh no it's not bad really)
It's so long that I played with toddlers that I thought hygiene could be raised using the changing table. Guess how surprised I was! I put in a bath but it was over budget and I felt I couldn't take anything out in order to meet the budget. By the time I figured out what to do the round was over. Oh that ceiling! The only thing I can say in my defense is that I was convinced I was in poured certainly not carpet. That's what you get for not paying enough attention. The only thing I disagree with is that there is a enough space downstairs for a "living area" I tried moving the table over and putting the sofa and TV in but there were stompies all over the place the sofa was just to close to the table and the boys bedroom door and the stairs. I tried various combinations but none worked. There are only three squares betweem the chairs and the stairway so not much space at all. I will, however, take on board everything else that you said. Your comments are helpful and your job can't be easy!
I did get great news though. I'm now discharged from nursing care so it's almost the end for wound healing and man am I glad of that!
Scottiedoag

I think changing diapers (with or without the table) raises their hygiene up to half.

If I remember correctly, changing the diapers with the changing table does fill up hygiene. Changing it without just fills hygiene up half way, though. But for the most part, you would probably try to potty train your toddlers, so you need a bath after all. =P

@Justpetro , okay I get that. What about craftables, or mods that make them buyable? Or is that considered CC too?
For the TS3, I know better how mods work. For example, the lot that was built with a help of certain mods is considered No-CC-friendly lot (for example: Twallan's Debug Enabler, or velocitygrass's Stencils removal), but I have less experience with TS2, and don't really know of TS2 examples to make a comparison.

Great, I've just seen HugeLunatic reading the thread! @HugeLunatic, maybe you can clarify my questions regarding using your "buyable game objects" mods?