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Rogue Redeemer
retired moderator
Original Poster
#1 Old 28th May 2012 at 6:49 PM Last edited by Arisuka : 8th Aug 2012 at 2:30 PM.
Brookwoods - A new CC free all-in-one world! 96% done
I've always liked the layout and feeling of Riverview, but so many things bothered me too much to enjoy it. The world was way too brightly colored, the homes and lots were damn ugly, there was no room for exapanding the town area and the area for camera and sims to move around was way smaller than it needed to be, making me feel kinda claustrophobic... So I rebuilt the whole thing into a new world experience! The only thing left from the original Riverview is the old town centre island and the layout of rivers. Everything else is totally new!

So this is Brookwoods! I wanted to make a world that would be big enough to fit ALL aspects of ALL of the EPs, while at the same time feeling believable and cohesive, a all-in-one world! Here's information on what this world offers, and I'll start adding pictures as I work the world further. You can tell me what areas you'd like to see pictures of!
Also this world will be pre-populated, with the empty homes and residents ratio being around 50/50 in all areas. I'll also customize ALL NPC sims' too, to minimize pudding in this world!

What I'd like to hear from you guys is just general impressions, questions and suggestions! I really want to make this a world built to last without any weirdness, so don't be shy! If you want to know something specific about any aspect, just ask away.

This historical town has always seen motley crues of sims come and go through the town's harbor and railways, and a variety of travellers can still be seen in the local population today. The mysterious woods surrounding the town seem to hide strange things, and the town seems to attract strange people... What secrets lie beyond the idyllic image?


This world has A LOT of different types of homes and residential areas to choose from, so that any type of sim is sure to find a home in this world!

-A thight knitted suburban area includes a lower middle class area, middle class area and upper middle class areas. These homes are cost-efficient classic suburban homes just outside the town. Perfect for couples starting out their families!
-The downtown area has affordable but spacious urban apartments.
-Beachfront homes are located just outside the pier and boardwalk area, viewing over the beach and across the bay!

-Right outside the old town centre is an area of fancy suburban town homes.
-On the other side of the old town, right at the edge of brooks and forrests is an area of grand old victorian homes. There are both smaller victorian townhomes as well as bigger victorian estates to choose from!
-Even fancier, utterly luxurious mansion estates view over the whole town from a hilltop. These are colonial style mansions are equipped with horse stables, which can be converted into gyms, poolhouses or recording studios if horses aren't your sim's style!
-Farm area has a total of 5 64x64 farm lots
-Little grungy trailer park

Here's how the EPs have taken into account:

WA:


AMB:


GEN:


LN:



Pets:


SHT:


Some future EP aspects are taken into consideration too -
Magic themed EP:


Weather & seasons themed EP


Performance:









And here's more detailed pictures, around 15 pics:



Please keep in mind that this is still a work in progress! You may see weird empty spaces, odd things in buildings, the terrain painting is not done and the foliage is roughly placed...

Also, please don't ask me when this will be done or when a BETA version will be released. I really can't give any specific schedules, but the whole thing should be finished during this summer.
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Field Researcher
#2 Old 28th May 2012 at 7:16 PM
I like it a lot! I wish Riverview was originally like this. I like all the space avaliable and variety of buildings.
My personal favourites are sircus, gypsy camp and appartment lots - very realistic and well done! And not to forget the fields as well.
Some questions though - the skyscrapers near the lighthouse, are they for decorative purposes? How many lots do you have so far?
One thing I find weird - the map seem to be set in several climatic zones (or seasons), at least I get this impression due to variety and colouring of foliage.
I think you've done a great job on the world! Good luck on comleting it.)

Noone expects the spanish inquisition!
My simblr and my downloads blog .
Rogue Redeemer
retired moderator
Original Poster
#3 Old 28th May 2012 at 8:20 PM
Quote: Originally posted by Miuki
Some questions though - the skyscrapers near the lighthouse, are they for decorative purposes? How many lots do you have so far?
One thing I find weird - the map seem to be set in several climatic zones (or seasons), at least I get this impression due to variety and colouring of foliage.


The highrises you can see across the bay near the lighthouse are just decorative. The area looked so empty without anything, so I added those to give more of a lively look. They also look awesome at night, since they can be seen directly from the boardwalk and beach!

I don't think that using a couple of different types of foliage is a problem, since they are all in their own areas and blend into surroundings. EA does this in their own worlds too. Most of the world's trees are oaks, with the exception of the beach area, which has palms right at the shoreline. These can't be seen far away from that area, so it doesn't look weird. Also I've used banyan trees at the farm area, along the river and near farm homes to give more of a rural feel (plus an endless amount of oaks is quite boring looking). Oh, and there are an occasional autumn-colored trees on farm lots to bring a little variation, but since they are part of lots they can be easily removed if it bothers somebody's eyes.
Also the total lot count is 169. I don't think no more lots will be added, so that should be quite static number.
Destroyer of Worlds
retired moderator
#4 Old 29th May 2012 at 1:32 AM
I've been waiting to see more pictures of this world. I think you have a great thing going and I look forward to more information. I especially love the circus tent; I think it is ingenious! That bottom right area in the last picture looks rather empty at the moment. What is going there?

Heaven Sims | Avendale Legacy
"On the internet, you can be anything you want. It's strange that so many people choose to be stupid."
Top Secret Researcher
#5 Old 29th May 2012 at 2:01 AM
I like it.

What's in the big, flat, industrial looking area down by the lake? Is that the new downtown? Or is it warehouses?

TS2 and TS3: Where adult sims potty train their toddlers.
TS4: Where adult sims make Angry Poops.

Which game is made for the juvenile minded?
Rogue Redeemer
retired moderator
Original Poster
#6 Old 30th May 2012 at 8:30 PM
Here's the previous post combined into this one to avoid cluttering.


I changed the whole base color of the world a bit... It just felt a tad too dark, so now it's a bit lighter and fresher toned (you can see the change if you look at the lots which still have the old color visible temporarily). Does it look better? I can change it to any direction easily still at this point, so do tell what you think!
I also added some new trees, those lighter colored elms to bring more variation. They have a bit of yellowness in them, which complements the distant terrain nicer than before!


Here's a sports field, which is flagged as a gym! The audience benches are also usable, so sims can actually sit down. But keeping the possible future Seasons EP, the city has a regular indoors gym too.



Then I re-built the Boardwalk fair a bit! It still has no buildings, but some of the rides are now done, and the nice thing is that they are actually usable! The two carousels have the spring-riders from GEN, which sims can use. The classic carousel isn't usable though, it's just there to look nice. You can also use the arcade style 'machines' I built. The fortune cookie machine will give you fortunes, and the toy grabbing thing will actually give you toys (gnomes). I like a bit of a grungy touch, but I'd really like to hear opinions if it looks too gritty!

Test Subject
#7 Old 31st May 2012 at 1:39 AM
Fantastic work so far, I love the grungy look.
The benches on the field are amazing. I've been trying to do something similar using cfe but with no luck, how did you manage to get the different heights so close to each other?
Instructor
#8 Old 31st May 2012 at 3:11 AM
I really love this. But I don't really see the grunge going with the Riverview (or even Brookwoods) vibe. How did you achieve the magic of the toy grabber working?

My true to life tumblr: http://smargent.tumblr.com/
Rogue Redeemer
retired moderator
Original Poster
#9 Old 31st May 2012 at 12:24 PM
Quote: Originally posted by van Dorn
I really love this. But I don't really see the grunge going with the Riverview (or even Brookwoods) vibe. How did you achieve the magic of the toy grabber working?


Yeah, maybe I'll just make the whole thing look just a tad worn out instead of fully grungy... The toy grabber functions as WA's tomb tool, you can actually choose the treasure for it so I chose gnomes!

Quote: Originally posted by Kraven Juelle
The benches on the field are amazing. I've been trying to do something similar using cfe but with no luck, how did you manage to get the different heights so close to each other?


It's hard to explain, but I did it with cfe by elevating each a bit more than the previous step. It worked out quite easily, since each foundation step is symmetrical!
Field Researcher
#10 Old 31st May 2012 at 2:57 PM
I like the new trees, they blend in really well, but make the view much more varied and the broadwalk arcades look awesome! You're very creative in using what the game offers.)
I do agree though with previous poster, it's a bit too grungy, maybe you'd go for slightly weathered look instead.
Are the benches on screenshot 5 outside the lot? I actually had some trouble with these - sims tend to use them to eat ice-cream and so on, even if they bought it on the opposite side of the map.
P.S. May I steal your arcade ideas for me world? With credit, of cause.

Noone expects the spanish inquisition!
My simblr and my downloads blog .
Rogue Redeemer
retired moderator
Original Poster
#11 Old 31st May 2012 at 4:35 PM
Quote: Originally posted by Miuki
Are the benches on screenshot 5 outside the lot? I actually had some trouble with these - sims tend to use them to eat ice-cream and so on, even if they bought it on the opposite side of the map.
P.S. May I steal your arcade ideas for me world? With credit, of cause.


Yes, that's fine with me. I'll probably put that lot for upload too, it would be a nice performance venue in many types of worlds, since those SHT lots don't quite fit all worlds too well...
The benches are indeed outside the lot... I had no idea sims could sit down when eating the ice-cream, mine usually just stand a few steps away from the truck eating. :/ Thanks for that info, I'll have to test that and if it doesn't work out I'll just remove them!

Allrightey, the colors for the rides are now more cheerful! But if you zoom in close you'll see a bit of worn texturing for a touch of realness. I also added planter boxes, palms and lights to the Boardwalk! Oh, and the classic style carousel can now be used too, with those Gen spring ride horses. We don't have Boardwalks in where I live, so hopefully I'm doing this right!

Field Researcher
#12 Old 31st May 2012 at 5:19 PM
These colours suit much better, as for me and with palms and planters the broadwalk has really come to life. Good job!

Noone expects the spanish inquisition!
My simblr and my downloads blog .
Field Researcher
#13 Old 1st Jun 2012 at 12:50 AM
I love this so much, however I think it does have some visual blemishes. With just some cosmetics, you can get this world looking REALLY nice... not that is doesn't look nice already, don't get me wrong this is amazing! But I have some suggestions for you, involving the distant terrain.


RylandHomes - Dorian Lard
Rogue Redeemer
retired moderator
Original Poster
#14 Old 1st Jun 2012 at 1:53 AM
Actually in the pictures the sort of gaps you see between the decorative highrises is due to a weird problem. There are really no gaps, but some of the highrises disappear when moving the camera to a certain angle, leaving those gaps between them... It happens in other worlds too, I've noticed the lighthouse of Sunset Valley doing the same thing. :/ That's why the highrises look just slammed in, because I'm trying to figure out how to position them to show up properly. So no worries, it should look much better when it's all finished in a more aesthetically nicer manner.
Scholar
#15 Old 2nd Jun 2012 at 12:41 AM
Very nice! You're doing a great job manipulating the objects provided into replicas of other objects - like the carousels. Did you recolor the planters? They look good, especially for this setting. My only comment would be to avoid having the trees coming out of the concrete. I really like the Pets sidewalk terrain, but perhaps you could add squares of dirt or sand for the trees? I'll be looking forward to an update!
Rogue Redeemer
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Original Poster
#16 Old 3rd Jun 2012 at 7:10 PM
Allrightey, the Boardwalk is closing the finishing line!


I'm really excited about the new pier, which I had to re-do three times because of crashing and then corrupted saves... After a full-on EA rage because of re-doing a day's worth of work, it's now presentable looking again! : P Anyway, you can actually walk on this pier, and hopefully, fish on it too. And you can see the empty lot on it, it's going to be a cafe or a restaurant!
I'd also want to add these lights to go around the fencing of the restaurant lot (not the whole pier), but I'd really like to hear opinions first if it sounds like a good or bad idea since the lights don't have a cord between them, they're just individual lights giving an impression that they are connected and dangling together. I think they look super-romantic, but I'm asking just in case if it would look silly to others!
Rogue Redeemer
retired moderator
Original Poster
#17 Old 3rd Jun 2012 at 9:37 PM
Alan_Gast The highrises still are just crammed there randomly, that is by no means the end result! I've planned that first I'd remove all of them and then place individually highrises back so that they'd blend better to the distant terrain. Then, I'd cutter the waterfront by them with boats, wharf building and a cruise ship. Before doing that I can of course take pics of how the distant terrain looks with nothing on it but the lighthouse, or with just some trees and the lighthouse.

The pier has two different boats used to decorate it. The bigger ones aren't animated at all, they are just static decorative objects. But the other boats that you can see between the bigger ones are a version of the sailing boat effect already in the game, but this one doesn't sail around, it just tilts slowly in place as if it is actually in water. So no, they won't sail away or run poor sims over! The beach BTW already has a big SHT stage, and the other Boardwalk lot of the two, the one with the arcades also has a little stage and the lot is flagged as a low-level performance venue.

I added some fan leaf trees and decorative tiles and some trash cans, does it look better now?


Field Researcher
#18 Old 3rd Jun 2012 at 10:11 PM
Arisuka, this looks great, and I love the little carousels you have constructed. I'm jealous of your world building skills
Rogue Redeemer
retired moderator
Original Poster
#19 Old 3rd Jun 2012 at 11:04 PM
Alan_Gast Great! I'll start adding details to the beach, maybe some dig-spots for the dogs too!

Quote: Originally posted by Prawler
Arisuka, this looks great, and I love the little carousels you have constructed. I'm jealous of your world building skills


Well, it's all just due to a long string of dead-end world projects since the release of CAW... I'm just cramming all of those ideas into this world! Hopefully this world will be the one that'll be finished!
Field Researcher
#20 Old 4th Jun 2012 at 1:26 AM
I like it, but I think the pier should be a little higher up-maybe about twice as high as it is now, if you can.

"It's written amazingly well... but if you don't take out the part that says, "I don't care if you kill L", I'll die." -L Lawliet
Instructor
#21 Old 4th Jun 2012 at 5:52 AM
How have I missed this thread? Everything is looking so lovely! *add thread to list of things to lurk*

Well that's what happens when you're on your own and you're alright at letting nice things go
Rogue Redeemer
retired moderator
Original Poster
#22 Old 15th Jun 2012 at 12:33 PM
Quote: Originally posted by Lennon7777777
I like it, but I think the pier should be a little higher up-maybe about twice as high as it is now, if you can.


I actually tried that, but the edges didn't look very good... :/ The railing that surrounds the pier isn't very tall and I couldn't find any other fence that could fit. I'll look into that though again, to see if I can figure out something else!


I now removed the high rises on the distant terrain across the bay, and replaced them with woods and some little huts. Maybe I could add some streetlights there so that it looks lively during evenings and nights too... The other edges of the world now look pretty much finished otherwise!





Here's three random shots of different residential areas. I think the view from the Victorian lane looks quite historical! Also right across the street from those homes is the edge of the forrest, which creates a nice feel for those witches when we have Supernatural... There are 7 victorian homes on that street, and I just added hidden basements, attics and towers so that they can be used for witches. The forrest isn't quite done yet, but I'll show pics when it is!


The Circus area is coming together also! The field needs just a bit of terrain paint and it should be finished. All of the bandwagons are decorated inside for the style of each performer sim that'll be included in the pre-population.

Instructor
#23 Old 15th Jun 2012 at 2:15 PM
Looking fantastic! Very authentic! :D

Well that's what happens when you're on your own and you're alright at letting nice things go
Destroyer of Worlds
retired moderator
#24 Old 15th Jun 2012 at 2:29 PM
I have to say, I love how your residential areas really look like they flow together in color and size and architecture style so that it looks plausible that they were all built around the same time without them all being the same house with teeny-tiny changes. It makes me so excited to play this world.

Heaven Sims | Avendale Legacy
"On the internet, you can be anything you want. It's strange that so many people choose to be stupid."
Rogue Redeemer
retired moderator
Original Poster
#25 Old 15th Jun 2012 at 3:17 PM
heaven That is so good to hear, because I've really worked hard for exactly that! I've re-built and re-decorated many of the homes over and over again, so it's great to hear that they now look believable!
Locked thread | Locked by: Yogi-Tea Reason: Old - OP may want to re-open thread
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