View Single Post in: Wanderlust
#938
28th Mar 2018 at 6:44 AM
28th Mar 2018 at 6:44 AM
Posts: 218
Round 3 - Fire Lookout Tower - Mountain
Front of lot ^^
I mentioned at the beginning of the contest that Wanderlust is my first ever build contest, and I've done lots of contests over the years (I'd lowball it at over 100). I'm experiencing that same thrill of being in completely over my head but loving every minute of it as I did when I was a n00b. You have all helped to make this a wonderful experience, so thank you so much for that.
This is the round that made me really want to join the contest. We all have those projects we've been meaning to do, and I find that contests are often the nudge I need to get going on them. The thing I've wanted to build for years - and what I thought I was going to do this round - was a Sims 2 version of my family's cabin, which is my favorite place in the world. Obviously, this is not a cabin. It's a lookout tower. And here is the back of it.
I bet now you're wondering why I didn't make the cabin. The short answer is lot size: I need a wide lot for that build, at least a 5x3. If I ever do make it, you'll see why. "But Freelala, you could have done that in the the free round!" True, but I have another idea for that which wouldn't fit any of the other rounds, and I didn't want to do another vacation home. I chose a lookout tower because a) I played through Firewatch again last weekend and that game is freakin' amazing, and b) if I couldn't make the cabin, I wanted to do something else that was deeply personal because of what this contest means to me with it being my first-ever attempt at competitive building. This lot draws heavily from the beauty and majesty of my hometown in southern Oregon, and the connections I still hold to the wilderness. I know my builds so far have not been particularly difficult, original, or special, but they have allowed me to learn and have fun, which is why I'm here. At least I haven't had any trouble staying within budget. This one clocked in at just under $46K. It was under $25K before I began landscaping. Thanks for that, expensive trees and flowers.
Below is the floorplan of the main structure. Lookout towers are traditionally small, rather spartan spaces, and with so much to do outside, you won't be spending a whole lot of time indoors anyway. The lucky sims who purchased this unconventional vacation home after the tower was decommissioned by the Forest Service kept the furnishings simple and functional while still making some allowances for comfort. It sleeps four - six, if the other two don't mind napping on the couches - and there is enough room inside for everyone to move around without trouble. The fireplace in the corner of the room keeps the place at a cozy temperature even in the cold months. We have a cast iron fireplace like that in the cabin, and you wouldn't believe the heat that thing puts out!
An interesting thing I've learned about owning private property in a national forest is that you have limitations with what you can and cannot do on the land. Something that we're dealing with at the cabin is that they don't want you building new structures, but you can improve on existing ones. I imposed those same restrictions on my sims. The building you see below was originally a tool shed. It was converted into a shower, because (and imagine me doing a spot-on impression of Mordo from Doctor Strange here) we're not savages. Those macho fire lookouts who lived here before might have been okay with bathing in the pond (or forgoing it all together) but Mrs. Washington insisted on having a proper shower. Originally, I just had the shower in this building. The toilet was added during play testing, because just one toilet (the outhouse in the far corner of the lot) and four sims was not fun.
I mentioned at the beginning of the contest that Wanderlust is my first ever build contest, and I've done lots of contests over the years (I'd lowball it at over 100). I'm experiencing that same thrill of being in completely over my head but loving every minute of it as I did when I was a n00b. You have all helped to make this a wonderful experience, so thank you so much for that.
This is the round that made me really want to join the contest. We all have those projects we've been meaning to do, and I find that contests are often the nudge I need to get going on them. The thing I've wanted to build for years - and what I thought I was going to do this round - was a Sims 2 version of my family's cabin, which is my favorite place in the world. Obviously, this is not a cabin. It's a lookout tower. And here is the back of it.I bet now you're wondering why I didn't make the cabin. The short answer is lot size: I need a wide lot for that build, at least a 5x3. If I ever do make it, you'll see why. "But Freelala, you could have done that in the the free round!" True, but I have another idea for that which wouldn't fit any of the other rounds, and I didn't want to do another vacation home. I chose a lookout tower because a) I played through Firewatch again last weekend and that game is freakin' amazing, and b) if I couldn't make the cabin, I wanted to do something else that was deeply personal because of what this contest means to me with it being my first-ever attempt at competitive building. This lot draws heavily from the beauty and majesty of my hometown in southern Oregon, and the connections I still hold to the wilderness. I know my builds so far have not been particularly difficult, original, or special, but they have allowed me to learn and have fun, which is why I'm here. At least I haven't had any trouble staying within budget. This one clocked in at just under $46K. It was under $25K before I began landscaping. Thanks for that, expensive trees and flowers.
Below is the floorplan of the main structure. Lookout towers are traditionally small, rather spartan spaces, and with so much to do outside, you won't be spending a whole lot of time indoors anyway. The lucky sims who purchased this unconventional vacation home after the tower was decommissioned by the Forest Service kept the furnishings simple and functional while still making some allowances for comfort. It sleeps four - six, if the other two don't mind napping on the couches - and there is enough room inside for everyone to move around without trouble. The fireplace in the corner of the room keeps the place at a cozy temperature even in the cold months. We have a cast iron fireplace like that in the cabin, and you wouldn't believe the heat that thing puts out!
An interesting thing I've learned about owning private property in a national forest is that you have limitations with what you can and cannot do on the land. Something that we're dealing with at the cabin is that they don't want you building new structures, but you can improve on existing ones. I imposed those same restrictions on my sims. The building you see below was originally a tool shed. It was converted into a shower, because (and imagine me doing a spot-on impression of Mordo from Doctor Strange here) we're not savages. Those macho fire lookouts who lived here before might have been okay with bathing in the pond (or forgoing it all together) but Mrs. Washington insisted on having a proper shower. Originally, I just had the shower in this building. The toilet was added during play testing, because just one toilet (the outhouse in the far corner of the lot) and four sims was not fun.
Okay, those are the required pictures. On to the free shots.
Below are two pictures of the inside of the tower. Lanterns are the primary source of light inside. At my cabin, we have no electricity, but we do enjoy the conveniences of hot water, refrigeration, and a lighting system thanks to propane. There's no way to tell the game that your home is off-grid, so I have lanterns in the tower and threw a solar panel on the roof to justify having power for the coffee pot because (again with the Mordo voice) we're not savages. The cooler under the counter is a fully-functional refrigerator, so sims have no trouble storing their groceries and freshly-caught fish for their culinary satisfaction. The fire extinguisher on the wall in the first picture is actually a fire alarm! Isn't that fitting?
Exterior of the tower. Note the 360-degree view! South Fork Lookout takes its name from the south fork of the Chetco River, the primary water source in the Kalmiopsis Wilderness. My hypothetical "real life" location is right around here, roughly on the edge of where the true wilderness area begins. Coming to the spot where South Fork met the Chetco always gave me a thrill because it meant adventure and exploring and seeing some incredibly beautiful land that few people besides locals ever do. A forest fire took nearly 200,000 acres of that away from us last year. Besides the fact that lookout towers are cool, I wanted to build it as a gesture of gratitude toward the firefighters and Forest Service for all they do to conserve, protect, and restore our special places.
Fire isn't a bad thing - we just have to respect it and treat it with care. This lot also features a fire pit where, under the watchful eye of responsible adults, sims can gather around to hang out and roast a marshmallow or two. On the left is the deck leading down to the swimming area. Note the citronella candle to keep those pesky mosquitoes away!
Did I mention that I made a SWIMMABLE POND?!? Ugh, that was hard. I gave up at least three times, but somehow found myself coming back to it again and again, probably out of spite. The kids seem to be enjoying the fruits of my labor, and Burne is pleased that he got a fishing hole out of it, too. I really wanted to include a swimmable pond, not just because it is by far the most challenging thing I've done in this contest up to this point, but also because this one time my brother and I were swimming in the river below our cabin and he felt something touch his foot; when we went back up the cabin and told the adults, my uncle speculated that it might be the sturgeon he's seen a few times that was nearly as long as the boat. My brother freaked out and was convinced he narrowly escaped death. It's been 20 years and I still tease him about it.
Back view of the shower shed, and some of the wildflowers growing on the hilly areas of the lot.
Back corner of the lot, including the outhouse I spoke of earlier. I couldn't find an Osborne Fire Finder to include in the tower, but I did put a telescope so sims can scan for fires if they want! My brother once saw a newly-formed fire when he was out camping in this area, and because he reported it right away it was contained within a few days. He's actually a pretty good guy. I guess I shouldn't tease him so much about the sturgeon thing.
The pond (did I mention that you can swim in it??) and fire pit as viewed from the deck.
Ground level at the front of the lot, featuring the axe-throwing station. Still safer than lawn darts (which we totally have up at the cabin).
Well, there you have it: my entry for this round, and also my life story. Take a trip to the fermented juice bar. You've earned it!
Below are two pictures of the inside of the tower. Lanterns are the primary source of light inside. At my cabin, we have no electricity, but we do enjoy the conveniences of hot water, refrigeration, and a lighting system thanks to propane. There's no way to tell the game that your home is off-grid, so I have lanterns in the tower and threw a solar panel on the roof to justify having power for the coffee pot because (again with the Mordo voice) we're not savages. The cooler under the counter is a fully-functional refrigerator, so sims have no trouble storing their groceries and freshly-caught fish for their culinary satisfaction. The fire extinguisher on the wall in the first picture is actually a fire alarm! Isn't that fitting?
Exterior of the tower. Note the 360-degree view! South Fork Lookout takes its name from the south fork of the Chetco River, the primary water source in the Kalmiopsis Wilderness. My hypothetical "real life" location is right around here, roughly on the edge of where the true wilderness area begins. Coming to the spot where South Fork met the Chetco always gave me a thrill because it meant adventure and exploring and seeing some incredibly beautiful land that few people besides locals ever do. A forest fire took nearly 200,000 acres of that away from us last year. Besides the fact that lookout towers are cool, I wanted to build it as a gesture of gratitude toward the firefighters and Forest Service for all they do to conserve, protect, and restore our special places.
Fire isn't a bad thing - we just have to respect it and treat it with care. This lot also features a fire pit where, under the watchful eye of responsible adults, sims can gather around to hang out and roast a marshmallow or two. On the left is the deck leading down to the swimming area. Note the citronella candle to keep those pesky mosquitoes away!
Did I mention that I made a SWIMMABLE POND?!? Ugh, that was hard. I gave up at least three times, but somehow found myself coming back to it again and again, probably out of spite. The kids seem to be enjoying the fruits of my labor, and Burne is pleased that he got a fishing hole out of it, too. I really wanted to include a swimmable pond, not just because it is by far the most challenging thing I've done in this contest up to this point, but also because this one time my brother and I were swimming in the river below our cabin and he felt something touch his foot; when we went back up the cabin and told the adults, my uncle speculated that it might be the sturgeon he's seen a few times that was nearly as long as the boat. My brother freaked out and was convinced he narrowly escaped death. It's been 20 years and I still tease him about it.
Back view of the shower shed, and some of the wildflowers growing on the hilly areas of the lot.
Back corner of the lot, including the outhouse I spoke of earlier. I couldn't find an Osborne Fire Finder to include in the tower, but I did put a telescope so sims can scan for fires if they want! My brother once saw a newly-formed fire when he was out camping in this area, and because he reported it right away it was contained within a few days. He's actually a pretty good guy. I guess I shouldn't tease him so much about the sturgeon thing.
The pond (did I mention that you can swim in it??) and fire pit as viewed from the deck.
Ground level at the front of the lot, featuring the axe-throwing station. Still safer than lawn darts (which we totally have up at the cabin).
Well, there you have it: my entry for this round, and also my life story. Take a trip to the fermented juice bar. You've earned it!
"Passion makes no accommodation for self-preservation."