I think - she just has to have a home office

My story's mother was in the education career and she will go back to it since the kid is at school, and will work web designing after hours, since she is a single parent and can do with an extra income - and she rides a motorbike. A silver Moto Guzzi road bike. Even though that is not in my story

This round is kicking my butt. I've been trying to come up with something for the Lamberts for a week but was stuck. I came up with a few layouts, but the roofs were just so blah. And then the three story versions came out looking too boxy--not to mention I was worried I wouldn't be able furnish the thing properly! For some reason, the tree house kept eating a big chuck of my money. At first I tried making a swimable lake, but that was getting expensive and took up too much space. So today I researched a bit and got some ideas. Then, even though it was already time to go to bed, I stayed up to layout my ideas. At least now I know if this version has a shot of working out. Here's what I got so far:


I decided to get rid of the third floor to save money so the house is a bit more cramped than I'd like--the bathrooms are all 2x3 for example. I normally don't like to go smaller than 3x3, but I think having slightly larger bedrooms makes for easier playability. For me anyway. So it's looking alright (I hope!) but I'm torn on how to furnish it. Without CC, it's really hard to find the right things I want to use. The lack of open-underneath modular stairs in the right colors, matching white fences, and little to no one tile options are particularly frustrating. It'd also be nice to use some custom instruments and save the family money or use recolors in the bathrooms! I might have to furnish two different versions and see which I like better. I just hope I can finish on time.

Thank you for all your effort, Jo

That floor can't be Castaway Stories. I have the UC and no decorative CC in my game prior to this contest, so I'm sure nothing can slip in by mistake. The required item were the lamps on the upstairs balcony, I'll be sure to mention it in the text next time.

You're right, Judge 1. I started planning a summer house and then the idea of Winter-BBQs came into it somehow (People actually do that here, though. They build tables out of snow and barbecue in winter. I hate it when my food gets cold, so I really don't like that. ). In my mind, they move the table indoor in winter or just eat in the reading corner.


I think I have decided to go with the Elliots house for next round. The Newmans just need a lot of work to make it meet the requirements and it feels crowded to me. I like it as it is, so they'll keep living there and I might show some non-contest-entry pictures. The bird and the fish have died in the first week of playtesting. I'm a horrible pet owner.

It's not, see my note at the end. I think that flooring is under miscellaneous.

Scores up! Scoring Party then on next

Thank you, Judges

I don't really know what a ranch style house is, I live in Africa (I know what a Cape Dutch house is ) It may be a good idea to follow gazania's example and do some research, I guess.

As for the security door - it's a prison door? Hehe! We use security doors everywhere, shops, homes, offices - you ring bells to be admitted (high crime) - the idea was that she would be the only one to be able to let anyone in. There is normally a sliding door behind it here, but, of course, Maxi's did not make us one for that purpose. Perhaps the Open Me door would have worked then!

I have improved with 0.5 points

Be warned: there is lots of orange in my next entry

See you shortly at the fermented fruit juice bar!

Sorry, I do not understand what you want me to write in the text? The required poster is the first thing you see, when you get to the tree house pictures. I never use high chair, won't start today. It is a waste of time.

I didn’t expect such a high score, thank you I’m glad that my tikki counters and orange walls weren’t a problem

Oh and I forgot to mention that I really like the roof of Sweet Mystre’s house, I’ll probably steal the idea if I happen to build a holiday house in Three Lakes

@Rosebine. Example.
Random object: Child's picture X shown here.
'picture'

First say what it is because given my memory issues I have to go to page one, open the family and check. Then I have to hunt through your pictures for the object. Both those steps takes up a little more time, especially if I am doing it for 19 entries. Your picture was easy to spot once I was sure of what I was looking for but not all are that easy.

Oh...I see. So I'll go back to page one, reopen this family's description, get the name of the object and update my post. You are good though..cause even with its ingame name, I'd still have to see an image to know whatchoo talking about.

Generous score, thank you judges. (I did well to listen to Samantha telling me to go with yellow.)

I've edited my latest entry to indicate which pic the random object is in, Jo. I have no idea what it's called but it'll be obvious.

Congrats all. I look forward to seeing more creations. They're all brilliant.

@Rosebine @yavannatw anybody else. You don't have to edit the one just gone, the score is done now, it's for the future rounds. It's just something small that helps me get the scores up a little easier and faster. Same way that clear bolded headings help me find entries in your post histories for table linking and walls up help judges see what is what.

If you say Child's Picture then the catalogue name (X stands for the catalogue name), or statue X, lantern X , then I will know what it is. If you just said the catalogue name of that picture, Wanderfall or whatever it was I probably wouldn't remember.

:sigh: I see my taste in decorating/building is not liked. I don't understand the judges comments. My color scheme did blend well overall, and I also love the Storybook windows and doors- to me they go wonderfully with the house.

I learned nothing but our tastes differ. I kept the house in over all one color with accents- yellow and purple. Now I think I have to do a monotone house decor in a plan shaped house at odd angles.
Plus you all used to many RL references to a Sim build- of course the curtains won't get wet and yes Sims love the smell of wet dogs- they won't have so many pets if they didn't.

I'll take this house down and build again.

*I still should and do want to say Thank you for taking the time to do this- judges and host!

Your house is pretty, Sweet Mystre - do not take it down!

Honestly, most of the houses in my hood will never pass the MTS upload criteria - and that is fine, because I like to play them anyway This is they way one learns how judges think and how the mods at MTS look at possible uploads - and tastes differ, and I assure you that, if not for the patience of one mod in particular, none of my lots would have made it to MTS - but she kept sending it back to me and said: "Change this. Change that. Change this too. Change that too." And I have to admit that my lots looked better after I listened to her, but sometimes, one really has a reason to not agree with something, and a right as well - and you can feel free to say that and to stand by that. I would not advise you to go and build a boring house that you will hate next time

Have a drink at the fermented fruit juice bar instead

@Sweet Mystre Don't take it down, it's a cute house. The shape at the front, the roof and the Tudor all look great. I will agree with the judges that the story book wall covering there doesn't go well outside. I also like most of your inside colour scheme. You got scores of 23 from each judge -that's a good score and one I would be happy with.

That is a decent score as well, @Sweet Mystre (I think I got the same - trust me, it is a decent score )

A score of 74 actually means you are one of the top scores.

But I'm not really looking at the score- but the comments should help me know what they're judging and it seems to me it's my taste in decorating- which I've always known is not my strongest part of building.
I feel it's cohesive in colors inside and I love the windows- That means I can't actually win if I can't agree with the judges or me see if their way. I actually really liked that house. Sad, yet true. So, it leaves me not knowing how to do better if we can't agree.

So, what I find Wonderful, they'll find too busy and wrong. That's a bad feeling in a contest - from my point of view.

I don't have to win them all, I just have to be able to SEE a chance of getting to the top- which I don't. No hard feelings to you all- it's a taste thing.

Could the Judges say what is missing in the "Wants" if given less than the 5. That might help. I am sure I put in all the required elements for all the Pets- I know I did, I went through all the options and made sure- plus I did for the Sims, too. So, what is missing that the Family would "Want."

*Maybe a Car? Did they want a car? They didn't tell me they wanted a car... or a hot tub or a sauna...

Sweet Mystere, did you still not catch that you're one of the top scorers here? You have plenty of space to win in. You need to learn to shrug, and stop letting small negatives eclipse large positives. Then you'll be able to learn.

For my own part - that kind of porch along the back of the Rhodes house is called a gallery and doesn't have railings, on the one hand. On the other hand, galleries are usually found along the fronts of cabins with no foundation (and often, no floor!) or on a very low one and I didn't bother to learn to lower the foundation, or explain the feature, so - shrug. My score is still nice and high and I've got a house I love so it's all good.

Nothing in the comments I've seen makes me consider changing anything about how I built my Lambert house, but I've been too sick to turn the game on for the last couple of days and have no usable pictures. So far I'm feeling better this morning so maybe I can get them done without exhausting myself. I suspect nobody'll like my treehouse, but the Lambert boys do, so - shrug!

Look, Sweet Mystre - I once built a lot for a competition. I spent hours on it and I got a good score from the majority of judges - but there was one who felt that my lot was just thrown together in a hurry I just left it there, said nothing at all. Yet - I am perfectly happy with the number of downloads that particular lot has

One has to move on at times, because these things happen. Yet I like your individualism, and in the long run it may pay off well.

It took me 3 or 4 competitions before I finally won a round (it was the last round ) - and I have not won a competition yet - it really is not about winning for me, one picks up a lot of knowledge during competitions, and they are not always related to Sims 2 building skills. I find this one extremely hard - I am not good at building small lots at all. So I am simply going to try to see if I can improve my score with every round. (And I am learning to build small here, which is a win in itself).

Do I agree with what the judges say to me? Very often I do not - I sometimes feel the reality comes in the way of fun. I think some of us are players first and builders second, and some are the other way around, and never the twain shall meet Reality here where I live is obviously different from other places too, I cannot see how my Sim can have a problem walking two steps to her front door in the cold when real people catch trains and buses or walk a lot further to their parked cars in order to get home after dark in the middle of winter. Is it going to bother me? No. Is it going to change the way I put in doors? Not a chance. (But I will refrain from using the sliding door as a front door again - until the end of the competition and only until then .

Get well soon, Peni

William is right - it says nothing in the rules. Yet it has seemed to me that it does count to a degree - from various comments from judges, over time.

Do you all not see- it's not always about the score. I'm at average- I can take that. I read the comments and I don't learn but am more confused. So, I'm Moving on. I love hearing that~Thanks for allowing me to leave comments here and for being patient with my new-ness. :cookie:

There are only 2 more builds, right?
Are these judges ones who judge upload qualifications? I've never tried to upload a lot here so I have no idea what Upload Quality/Qualifications are needed. I only have 1 upload from way back in the TS2 days when it was on my TS2 bucket list.

Please some of you calm down!

When the standards of the entries are very high (and I believe they are), the differences between top and bottom will be very small. No matter how high the standard, someone will still finish bottom. The judges' job is hard, trying to distinguish between high quality buildings built in different styles and embodying different philosophies. Some judgements are bound to be subjective. Don't make their job harder for them. They are just human like the rest of us! I'd rather get "nul points" and be told my house is rubbish than lose my temper over it. Never demolish a building that you and your Sims like, because a judge (or anyone else) doesn't like it. Remember it's a game and games are supposed to be enjoyed.

This contest is supposed to be about having fun! And building community spirit. Let's be an example to our Sims and show some community spirit ourselves!

Loosen up! Chill out! The Rhodes are inviting you to join them at the bubble blower. Then enjoy a relaxed drink at Justpetro's bar!

Hugs and kisses all round!

Look under Create - Creators Guidelines above

It may be not written in the forma rules, but I regard the following as upload guidelines:
- Not a box
-Realism
-Safety issues (stairs should have railings - we all know Sims don't care about them)
-A pathway to the front door
-Some landscaping
- Decorated
-Playable

and we are being judged on those.

There will be more than one drink tonight, Andrew That bubble blowing makes people thirsty!

Pfft- @AndrewGloria - Don't be going all nice and sunshine in a Community Spirit Competition. XD

I'll be doing that, "Don't you try and kiss me" animation and "Is this Sim crazy?" gesture- if you try any of that.

I'll head to the bar, again, as I consider how to build with the Storybook windows and wood for this round. :hiccup: