Hatley Castle / Luthor Mansion

[Sleepdrunk]

Good ideas never get old - well, at least not forgotten, since I'm too stubborn to give up.
Some of you might even remember the first attempt (http://www.modthesims.info/showthread.php?t=377693).

For those who don't know the original Hatley castle (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hatley_Park_National_Historic_Site):
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/120/308451146_88e5c3f39c.jpg

This building had been used in many films, for example as Luthor Mansion in Smallville,
or Xaviers school for the gifted in X-Men. Some of you might even be studying there -
or had the pleasure of visiting a marriage at this marvelous place.

Floorplan I found on the web:
http://img834.imageshack.us/img834/3541/firstfloor.png

What I have done so far:
http://thumbs2.modthesims2.com/img/1/6/0/3/9/6/MTS2_kathascha2_1130472_Shell.jpg

The floorplans:
http://thumbs2.modthesims2.com/img/1/6/0/3/9/6/MTS2_kathascha2_1130464_1st_floor.jpg

http://thumbs2.modthesims2.com/img/1/6/0/3/9/6/MTS2_kathascha2_1130465_2nd_floor.jpg

http://thumbs2.modthesims2.com/img/1/6/0/3/9/6/MTS2_kathascha2_1130466_3rd_floor.jpg

http://thumbs2.modthesims2.com/img/1/6/0/3/9/6/MTS2_kathascha2_1130467_4th_the_roof.jpg


Some close ups:
http://thumbs2.modthesims2.com/img/1/6/0/3/9/6/MTS2_kathascha2_1130470_shell_front_left.jpg

http://thumbs2.modthesims2.com/img/1/6/0/3/9/6/MTS2_kathascha2_1130468_Shell_front_middle.jpg

http://thumbs2.modthesims2.com/img/1/6/0/3/9/6/MTS2_kathascha2_1130471_Shell_front_right.jpg

http://thumbs2.modthesims2.com/img/1/6/0/3/9/6/MTS2_kathascha2_1130474_shell_garden_left.jpg

http://thumbs2.modthesims2.com/img/1/6/0/3/9/6/MTS2_kathascha2_1130469_shell_garden_middle.jpg

http://thumbs2.modthesims2.com/img/1/6/0/3/9/6/MTS2_kathascha2_1130473_shell_garden_right.jpg

[Sleepdrunk]

Same old problems tho:
- Can't place windows at the half-height deco-roofs.
- Tho it's a 5x5 estate I don't have the room to copy the complete gardening.
Think hard abt costumizing it - or just creating two community lots.

Currently the whole castle is build downloadfree. Can't deceide whether I keep it that way -
or throw in the occassional mods such as costum windows, etc.

Critism of all sorts is always highly appreciated and welcome. ^^

[malfoya]

You should go for an old brown mural wall on the outside.And maybe make the castle top over 2 floors? It seems like it's supposed to be a little taller in your source pic :) I love these old types of castles btw^^ It's a nice project!

[Sleepdrunk]

Thx malfoya.

At first I build the castle with two floors at top - but at Sims 2 Section everyoen told me it was too high.
Will change it tomorrow and give you some pictures in comparism, so you can deceide what actually looks better. ^^

During loading up screenshots I recognized the entry being a bit small - will widen the part in question tomorrow aswell.

Tapestry.. you suggested a brown mural wall. Got any fence in mind that will fit? I basically took the grey stones due to the fence at top of it.

[malfoya]

Ah of course, the fences are not recolorable (stupid maxis). Then I do understand about the color.

There are some brown recolors of a stone fence here, but the pattern on it seem a bit off when it comes to this castle.

http://modthesims.info/download.php?t=368695

http://modthesims.info/download.php?t=368691

I'll look to see if I can find something useful :)

[HugeLunatic]

Fences are recolorable and have been for many months. If yours are not then you need to patch your game.

[malfoya]

Oh, there's a lot who has happened in TS3 while I've been stuck on TS2.. Just installed TS3 again today :P So I thought the fences were still "annoying".

[candlelight82]

- If you have trouble to place windows on some walls, use the "moveobjects on" cheat. If the walls are still visible "inside" the windows, just deactivate the cheat, use the hand-tool, grab the windows and press the esc-key,.. fixed :)


@malfoya
some fences are still annoying :lol:

[malfoya]

- If you have trouble to place windows on some walls, use the "moveobjects on" cheat. If the walls are still visible "inside" the windows, just deactivate the cheat, use the hand-tool, grab the windows and press the esc-key,.. fixed :)


@malfoya
some fences are still annoying :lol:

Oh, good ol' maxis :)

And about the windows in the walls, I didn't know about that tips. Thank you for sharing. It's always annoyed me when windows seem to get stuck in the wall without any opening!

... and back to the castle. The fron door should be a castle door. You'll want that autentic castle look when you're finished :D

[Sleepdrunk]

I broadened the entry room - and put a 3 tiles door onto it.
http://thumbs2.modthesims2.com/img/1/6/0/3/9/6/MTS2_kathascha2_1131127_shell_revamped.jpg

After finding out that some fences are recolorable and some not - I started playing with colors. As you can see I'm not gifted when it comes to that tho. Any suggestions of colors that might fight (red/blue/greencode / hex-code?) would be highly appreciated.

I aswell added another story above highest level - but made it a 50% height wall, just like the small deco-window-roof-things one level underneath. A full size top just seemed to bee too high imho.

If you have trouble to place windows on some walls, use the "moveobjects on" cheat. If the walls are still visible "inside" the windows, just deactivate the cheat, use the hand-tool, grab the windows and press the esc-key,.. fixed
I need to try this immideately :D

[malfoya]

The two stored top looks better I think!! Keep it that way :)
I think you should go with a brown/rustic color, and also I can't wait to see how the garden turns out :) There's so much fun to work with just at that part.

[Sleepdrunk]

To use your not to use the awesome "Monticello Windows" (http://www.modthesims.info/download.php?t=408314), is that really a question?
I wanted to keep the house costum content clean - but I simply just fail at doing so.

Ultimate reason:
http://thumbs2.modthesims2.com/img/1/6/0/3/9/6/MTS2_kathascha2_1131261_windows.jpg

I really need a window, that doesn't fight with my half-height walls at the roof.
A window with the height as marked with the red box would help me big time.
Help on finding a fitting window would be highly appreciated.

___________________________________________________

For the wall covering:
I started trying out stuff like that: http://thumbs.modthesims.info/getimage.php?file=1131329

http://thumbs.modthesims.info/getimage.php?file=1131328

What do you guys think?