Ok, since the topic IS "build apartments" I would love to share some tips on building apartments so far from what I have observed:

- You should not use those room dividers (from the fences section) otherwise the game will not consider it to be a part of the Sim's apartment, and you will get the "out of bounds" message. Or you shouldn't fully enclose a space without having a gate, door, etc. You will not see objects vanish if you did something wrong.
-You cannot add objects to the common areas, so it is advised that you put objects in the common areas before you use the lot zoning cheat.
- Patios, decks can be built, just make sure that there is a door connected to that area of your apartment.
- Most build mode items are disabled (that's a given).
- It is best and time saving to have trash chutes right outside of the apartment, and that will have to be done before you use the zoning cheat.
- It is a good idea to furnish the apartments in question, because one may never know when a Sim will want to visit an NPC.
- Build your layout, place objects, etc. and then use the code (only logical).
- Community gardens are sweet! XD

I forgot to mention... DO NOT under any circumstances place the University stove in your apartment. The cafeteria worker shows up, and locks out your ability to use the stove/fridge correctly even though she/he cannot get into your apartment.

When I tried to change the lot to an apartment, I got this message:

"There is an invalid apartment on this lot. To fix it, you can revert the lotzoning back to residential and then correct the architecture of your apartment."

I have no idea what's wrong with the architecture, everything seems fine. Are there architectural guidelines for apartment lots?

Mhrm, there shouldn't be. I think as long as everything within the apartment is enclosed correctly, the lot zoning cheat should work successfully.

Well...

[First floor]
[Second floor]
[Exterior]

Everything seems to be properly enclosed...I don't know.

Simply_Sims... The apartment doors with the mats always need to be facing outside. As in, the mat needs to be outside the apartment unit. I see one door with it's mat on the inside of the unit rather than the outside (on your first floor picture).

Oh, I must have turned the door the other way. Thank you so much, bP! :valentine

You're welcome Simply_Sims. I had the same problem, so that's why I noticed it right away

i can't for the life of me figure out where the trash chutes are *angst*

*edit
LOL i totally found it as soon as i hit reply.
Its in Misc/Misc.

has anyone had the problem when they build the lot and zone it to be an apartment and then move a family into the lot the game IS NOT IN LIVE MODE? i'm forever stuck in build/buy mode. HALP!!!

Is there any way I could take a wall down from my sims' apartment while they're living in it? There's a wall that's preventing them from having a double bed and I really want to get rid of it >_<
I tried boolProp dormSpecificToolsDisabled false but it didn't work.

Nope. i think you have to move them out, then go in and redesign yourself with the rezoning cheat.

Ah, okay. x_x
I might just leave it then.

actually that's wrong - you can have a second entry to an apartment providing that it is closed off to any access except from inside the apartment itself (ie: an apartment front door and an ordinary back door into a fenced off yard section for each townhouse / apartment).

Oh yeah, and heads up, I found out that if I wanted to make a little foyer for the apartment, not to separate anything with that little divider that you can use to delineate different floor spaces. I had this little four by four square just inside the door that was marked off that way, and that's the only spot that registered as an apartment. True, that made my luxury apartment's rent only about 40 simoleans, but I couldn't decorate or anything, since it won't let you change stuff in the 'common areas'.

I wonder why EA hasn't (or didn't I should say..) make all of these things clearer in the Prima Guide or even the Readme file. The only thing they stated was not to make beach lots into apartment lots cause itll mess up your game. They didnt say any rules on putting trash chutes in the common areas, not being able to put the deviders that came with pets in the apartment units, only being able to put fenced in back yards if your building isnt on a foundation.... THAT by the way makes all those row houses and apartment I made pre apartment life USELESS!!!
I KNEW something would happen like this which is why i was so convinced not to prebuild apartments at first, but gave in out of anticipation
EA has to makes things TOTALY clear before telling everyone that they can just make their own apartments and use the cheat. NONE of this stuff is written down anywere confirmed by EA themselves. Its sad that they expect us to figure all this stuff ourselves while hurting our game, our sims AND OUR TIME, in the process. Makes me want to seriously write a LONG complaint letter to EA about missleading their customers

We had a similar message coming up in build mode tonight. I discovered through some trial and error (as all my doors were facing the right way), that non Maxis arches/pre AL will also bring up this message, as will non maxis doors. Therefore, make sure that all foyer entrance doors are AL foyer doors, and all internal apartment doors and arches are maxis ones (any EP).


I am assuming that, in particular regard to foyer entry doors, the AL issue doors do not allow the 'lockable' versions that OFB did, but I didn't get around to testing this out. Will do so and report back if this is not correct.




And finally, thank you for this thread as it got me thinking about what I was doing wrong to encounter these problems. I can understand how disappointing some of the building process may be in this context, however, with threads like these I'm sure we'll all be building great apartments in no time!

When I try to make apartment buildings, I do everything correctly, follow all the rules, use the proper doors facing the right way, and yet the game says that my lot has no apartments. Why is it doing this?

Post pictures of your lot, maybe viewing will help.

I've tried on several different lots, and I even built one lot that just had two cubes with apartment doors and it still didn't work. I will post pictures of my townhouse lot in a second though. EDIT: I've been having trouble uploading pictures. In the meantime, is there anything special that I should know about building apartments that could help (other than what's posted above)?

I think the issue is the mailbox. I was able to force the game to reset the single mailbox with the group apartment mailbox by changing the lot zone (with everything built to my satisfaction), going back out to the neighborhood, and then re-entering the lot BEFORE I move any families in. Then, the mailbox is automatically changed to the apartment style mailbox and I was able to move in my first family with no problems.

I made an apartment way back in the day and I just took out patios and balconies and put the only entry in the front with the door with the mat and it won't let me move people in...what am I missing?

I don't know if anyone has already said this but if you build an apartment on a foundation you CANNOT have the backyard a step down, even if it is fenced in. The game will see it as another apartment and because its connected to the one apartment, will reject your zoning cheat. You can however have a back deck since its all on the same level.

I have a question about the garbage chutes.....

I am building a trailer park type thing where each "apartment" is a separate house and there really is no common are or hallways.... do i still have to put the chutes in each home as I have read people say you have to have them?

Yes you have to have them or you will soon have piles of trash on the lot. It may look stupid but you could just put the chutes on the backside of the trailers.

Oh my god, so that's why I couldn't get my aparments working! Thanks! Bit stupid really though.