How to use pool-tiles & pool-wallpapers with the "fake-pool" approach to make anywhere swim-pool.


Copyright:
This tutorial is freely redistributable provided that no credit is clamed on or no fee or trade before, during and/or after the tutorial accessment.. Also, this tutorial must not be chopped into pieces.

Reports, problems, trouble-shootings, suggestions, ways to use, comments are welcome though. (I want the infos to be easier to find so I wanted to avoid thank posts in tutorials, but am I being too robotic? An aunt just said I'm so )


This tutorial is just to show a way to build a "fake-pool" with pool-tiles and pool-wallpapers. After grabing the technique and the concept, one can be free to build in whatever way...

There're 3 parts: A [To build a "fake-pool"]; B [To apply the pool-tiles and the pool-wallpapers]; C [To activate the swim-pool animation](There're 2 ways now! May also read "note 3b" and grab the recolour-mods here)



Pt A: [To build the "fake-pool"]

A001. Let's start from an empty lot.

A002. Build 3 stories/levels of walls. (The lowest will be an enclosed level; the middle one will be the pool; the third will be the "compressed level/story" or a "dummy level" for the "moveobjects on"-cheat-enabled.pool accessories like ladders and dive boards.) May make a room inside the third level/story for the pool platform\stage.


A003. Build a foundation block anywhere (as long as its third level's upper floor can reach the building third level's upper floor by means of the "levelling tool" from the "terrain tools. Skip this latter clause when not understanding it and move on to the next step..)


A004. Build 2 levels/stories of screen decks or column decks.


A005. Get the cheat out by simultanously pressing "Ctrl-Shift-C". Then, input "boolprop constraintfloorelevation off"and then press the "enter" key (to activate the cheat). Choose the "levelling tool" out of the terrain tools section and use it to level the uppest floor of the building in whatever way. The following just depicts how it was done in this instance. For those using "requiresFlatTop false" for wall1 in their wall.txt or the unlevelled wall of Numenor's wall mod, the cheat is unnecessary as long a the uppest floor is not tiled.


A006. Let's go down a level and tile the area for the pool. A 2-sided/doubly-sided bluish transparent floor tile or some pool-surface-tiles was used in this case.


A007. On the uppest floor, tile the platfom/stage for the pool accesory placement in the next step..


A008. Get the cheat out by simultanously pressing "Ctrl-Shift-C". Then, input "moveobjects on"and then press the "enter" key. Now, let's place some pool accessories such as ladders and a dive board.


A009. nothing to do in this step but just check out how it looks....! (Lights were added to brighten up the inside.)


Pt.B: [To apply the pool-tiles and the pool-wallpapers]

B001. Now, let's apply the normal wallpapers on the walls above the pool layer.


B002. Then, apply the pool version of the wallpaper (some pool-wallpapers) in the middle level (where the pool is).


B003. Afterwards, tile the floor with some corresponding pool-tiles. Why using the stony set? Coz that's the only custom set made so far...!


B004. Let's get up back a level and have a full look at pool. Lol, one may develop the building a bit more...


Pt. C: [To activate the swim-pool animation] or read "note 3b" and grab the recolour-mods here to activate the caustic animations instead of the following way!

C001. Surely, in this example, the lot was developed more for aesthetic cause. But now, let's get back to the point. Here's the trick to activate the swim-pool animation for the pool-tiles and wallpapers...


C002. Just build AT LEAST 1 block of swim-pool in your screen along with the pool-tiles and pool-wallpapers...


C003. Voila...! The swim-pool animation is activated for these pool-tiles and pool-wallpapers...


Just remember the golden rule of the game of pool-tiles and pool-wallpapers... The swim-pool animation on pool-tiles and pool-wallpapers requires at least 1 block of swim-pool located in the scope of your monitor screen. It doesn't matter if the swim-pool block(s) is/are shown (probably as decorations) or hidden (under a basement or foundation or else), the animation will work for these pool-tiles and pool-wallpapers... under this condition. That's why a re-wallpapered swim-pool need no extra care... :moose:

Lol.. may watch how these sims have funs in the pool...!





Links to similar topics/ contents: (ordered in terms of characteristics, no offense, but just a list of choices.)


TYPE 1 (no default pool at all and so unbound to the ground at all, with moveobjects on cheat)(Fat D)
how to build a swimming pool upstairs [tutorial]
http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=79002
Upper level/roof "fake" pool tutorial.. [tutorial](with a very similar approach)
http://forums.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?p=783760
Tutorial: How to use pool-tiles & pool-wallpapers with the "fake-pool" approach
http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?p=1342216
Above ground pool tutorial
http://thesims2.ea.com/exchange/sto...asset_id=101402

TYPE 2 (no default pool wall, mostly unbound to the ground, with "moveobjects on/off" & "boolprop constrainfloorelevation false/true" cheats)(Metranisome)
Creating pools on multiple floor levels [tutorial]
http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=83325

TYPE 3 (still with default pool walls, mostly bound to the ground, with "moveobjects on/off" & "boolprop constrainfloorelevation false/true" cheats) (Incompitent8 @ Maxis)
1. The Atlantian Family [tutorial]
http://thesims2.ea.com/exchange/sto...&user_id=811289
2. invisiblesims2.com's tutorial aquarium pool for 2nd floor level [tutorial]
http://invisiblesims2.com/stairtuto...um01/index.html
3. how to build a swimming pool upstairs [thread]
http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=79002
4. Swimming pool trick [thread]
http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?p=690562
5. 2nd Story Pool [thread]
http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=35617
6. swim-pool on the "ground level" (post)
http://www.modthesims2.com/showpost...064&postcount=6


TYPE 4 (still with default pool walls, completely bound to the raised ground, with moveobjects on cheat presumably)(rld6869)
Building Swimming pools upstairs (Updated Guide) [tutorial]
http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=79144

TYPE 5 (still with default pool walls, completely bound to the raised ground, no cheat)
pool on roof [thread]
http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=7654



How to make pool-tiles and pool-wallpapers?
To learn how, may read this post .



Where to get the pool-tiles and pool-wallpapers shown in this tutorial?
To get them, may read this post


To download some pool-surface-tiles, may go here


***Added***
Also, may check out Frillen's tutorial and lot, he has made an animated pool-surface tile (that's a gem, isn't it?) for the fake-pool approach (probably along with the OFB stage).
Above ground pool tutorial
http://thesims2.ea.com/exchange/sto...asset_id=101402
Above ground pool tutorial lot
http://thesims2.ea.com/exchange/lot...asset_id=391186

Thank you for all this useful information and tutorial niol.

Very handy! Thanks a lot, Niol.

Niol swimpool surfaces are available, they are used for the upper fake floor : download them... and thanks Moi_ ! (for me it's done )

Thanks for the tuto, very easy to follow and to do

Thanks Slight problem is I can find the pool surface tiles but I am not sure where to find the pool-walls and pool-bottom?

Inge, They are in the simstone pack

Aha thank you!

Inge --
There are some great pool walls at komosims, http://www.komosims.net/, made by Simlin55. They are in the forum, under Simlin55 Wallsets, Pool sets. You have to register to download, but it is free and the walls are wonderful. I've included a few examples.

Niol--
I had thought the diving board was sufficient for the swim animations. I've built several fake pools, no pool tiles on lot and played them enough to quickly check out that my sims could get in, swim and get back out. i may have never checked entry from ladder, in these lots -- so that might be a consideration.

There is one lot that I built, no pool tiles and played a lot. It seemed to be fine. However, I'm sure I had also used the 'delete pool' trick to remove posts from the post-type foundations -- it had a bridge over to it.

Guess I need to move my downloads folder out (so the game & lots load in less than 30 minutes) and try a few variations.

Overall, a well written, easy to follow tutorial.

Thanks for the link. It wasn't immediately clear whether or not they were animated, but I guess I can find out when I play

bluetexasbonnie,

Yes, the pool accessories like ladders and diving boards are responsible for the swimming animations.


Inge,

The pool-tiles and pool-wallpapers used in this tutorial can be found here
They all borrow their textures from the Simstone set.

Those pool sets from komosims and simlin55 have no caustic animations defintions.


All,

Nice links.

oh -- you were talking about surface animations, not sim animations. ***The light bulb feebly glows, then goes out again. ***

Just the quick sketch trials I've done with the flooring look nice.