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Top Secret Researcher
Original Poster
#1 Old 4th Jul 2006 at 9:20 PM Last edited by corvidophile2 : 5th Jul 2006 at 3:56 AM.
Tutorial:Making a swimmable lake-The safe way
First off ,Tkdjunkie has written a swimmable lake tutorial also here http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=131752
And he has made the wonderful wood recolors of the pool set also.

My version to follow!
(Text will be under pictures to avoid confusion)


I decided to write this tutorial because in the beginning i had problems creating swimmable lakes myself but after playtesting i have found and use a method that is really safe and the sims will actually stay in the lake and won't swim all over.Very easy to do , all you need is custom terrains.Let's start!

Start by picking a place at the back of your lot and using the small lower terrain tool click exactly 6 times. (The size of the lake is up to you the same method goes but it is important that the lake is extended from one side to the other in horizontally or even vertically because we want one part of the lake to be at the edges of the lot so we can ensure safe enclosing of our sims lol)

Then using the level terrain tool drag to level this area

and again drag to level here

and here

Now it looks like that and all you have to do is paint with terrains of your liking, water/rock/pebble/sand whatever you think it's appropriate for your lot.Do NOT use the smooth terrain tool here cause smoothing the edges would enable the sims go through them.By painting this flat hole will look like a real lake/river/pond you name it!

Start by using the medium terrain tool to apply water

Some rock ( it looks ugly now but in the end it will look better, using terrains is like painting a canvas, use your imagination)

I have applied dirt and moss

A note:As we lowered by 6 clicks the ground this part at the edge of the lot can't be painted good enough unless we raise the last set of tiles by 2 clicks to look better and not very flat.

Starting from here do this for all the tiles only at the edge of the lot in the back

I am almost done.

And now i can use the water terrain to paint appropriately

Now let's add a 3x2 column deck foundation as shown here

Done.The deck can be any size and shape you want to as long as you ensure there is placed at least one tile inside the lake and not in corners .

Add stairs and use the moveObjects on cheat to place the ladder and diving board.

To ensure that our lake is even more safe add plants at any edge that it is slopped like in the picture.


Done.Only thing left is to test it.Sims will go through the ladder sometimes when diving but that's no biggie and not causing problems.The important part is that our sims won't escape the lake and swim all over the lot and this is a very safe method for succesing this and has always worked for me.


They can climb out , dive in and after play-testing they won't leave the lake.Success!See the other sim he is at the edge of the rock and can't go out, our lake is working like it should!And of course they gain bodyskills and raise fun like in the pool.


Have fun creating your own safe and glitch-free swimmable lake! Feel free to check my lots and tutorials and if you have any questions don't hesitate asking! Till next time...

~Corvidophile2~


(If approved ,a moderator could move this to the tutorials section, thanks in advance)

You will find my older and newest creations here
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Lab Assistant
#2 Old 5th Jul 2006 at 3:44 AM
Thank you soooo much. I hate it when my simmies swim through the lot. Is the only difference with your method, the number of times you lower the terrain? Is that what prevents them from swimming into the rest of the lot?

He wasn't always an EVIL monkey.
Top Secret Researcher
Original Poster
#3 Old 5th Jul 2006 at 3:51 AM
The number of clicks and the part were you must NOt use the smooth terrain tool.Being at the edges of the lot automatically ensures safety at one side. If you choose making it in the middle of the lot again make sure it's lowered by 6 clicks and add a couple of plants at the sloped tiles.This way is easier and more safe though.
You're welcome , i thought these tricks will be helpful, in the beginning i used to fail also. Oh don't lower the terrain more than 6 clicks cause then Sims will refuse to dive, i guess they are afraid of heights lol

You will find my older and newest creations here
Field Researcher
#4 Old 5th Jul 2006 at 3:52 AM
Thank you so much for this, I have been looking for an easy swimmable lake! I will test it later & if there is any problems I will reply.
Can't believe this is soooo simple
Wish there was a thanks button....so Thankyou!

fev
Top Secret Researcher
Original Poster
#5 Old 5th Jul 2006 at 3:59 AM
You're welcome Fev, i decided to write about it after you asked about swimmable lakes at my upload.Making a swimmable lake it's extremely easy but very tricky if you don't know a couple of important things.

:-)

You will find my older and newest creations here
Field Researcher
#6 Old 5th Jul 2006 at 10:19 AM
It worked...I'm sooo happy!
Thank you again




Fev
Top Secret Researcher
#7 Old 5th Jul 2006 at 12:57 PM
I think I could do this. I got frustrated with my sims swimming away and thru the living room and gave up on lakes -- probably gave up much too soon. I'll have to give it another shot.
Mad Poster
#8 Old 5th Jul 2006 at 1:14 PM Last edited by niol : 15th Sep 2006 at 8:17 AM.
That's a nice tutorial...
Thanks for sharing it...



Swimmable lake tutorial linkage (These're different methods to attempt to create swimmable lakes/beaches/ocean/sea/ponds or else) (alphabetically ordered in terms of username):

corvidophile2
Tutorial:Making a swimmable lake-The safe way (for all game versions) (terrain paint approach)
http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=171505

HabboArwen
Tutorial-SWIM in a lake (for all game versions) (terrain paint approach) (yes, it's back again.)
http://thesims2.ea.com/exchange/sto...?asset_id=20008

JustTheBast
Tutorial: Making real lakes swimmable (for all game versions) (water tool + fake pool approach)
http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=158216

sunni9676
Tutorial for creating pool lakes & beaches (for only the base game TS2 and/or EP1-UNI) (swim-pool approach)
http://www.modthesims2.com/showpost...45&postcount=21
http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=85093

tkdjunkie
Tutorial: The Swimmable Lake Illusion (for all game versions) (terrain paint approach)
http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=131752


Trouble-shooting threads:
Help - Swimmable Lake
http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=190297
Top Secret Researcher
Original Poster
#9 Old 5th Jul 2006 at 2:30 PM
Quote: Originally posted by shrekheatherbelle
It worked...I'm sooo happy!
Thank you again



Fev


Yay Fev! Looks great, right? And no escaping :-P

You will find my older and newest creations here
Mad Poster
#10 Old 5th Jul 2006 at 6:22 PM
Very easy, and no more swimer between my trees ! THANKS !!!

You know a site allowing re-upload of free build/buy stuff in lots ? Help us to update the list !

* Plus j'échoue plus je m'approche de la réussite
* The more I fail the more I approach the success

(Lao patul MMVI AD)
Field Researcher
#11 Old 6th Jul 2006 at 2:17 AM
One question???....there is nooo problem at all but when I click on the ladder for the sim to go into the 'lake', it says "get out", & this is when the sim is nowhere near the 'lake'. It's ok tho, cause I just tell the sim to 'go here" in the 'lake' somewhere!! LOL
Some sims wont jump off the diving board till they have some body skills....my sim I tested with this was ummmmmm tooo 'chicken' LOL

fev
Top Secret Researcher
Original Poster
#12 Old 6th Jul 2006 at 2:35 AM
The "get out" part you can't change it ( it happens because the game recognises the whole lot as being a pool ) ,but as you said it doesn't affect the swimmable lake from working.The fact that they won't jump unless they have some body skill points happens with the pool also , sometimes they just chicken out lol ( and it can happen at a sim with high bodyskill also)

:-)

You will find my older and newest creations here
Mad Poster
#13 Old 6th Jul 2006 at 6:13 AM
Get the sims out of "chicken-out"
Just command the sims to jump/dive in for a few times, the sims may refuse a few times, but after tht, one may eventually try...
Mad Poster
#14 Old 6th Jul 2006 at 8:59 AM
Small pb i have a 1 level house, my sim make sport watching the TV under the foor

You know a site allowing re-upload of free build/buy stuff in lots ? Help us to update the list !

* Plus j'échoue plus je m'approche de la réussite
* The more I fail the more I approach the success

(Lao patul MMVI AD)
Top Secret Researcher
Original Poster
#15 Old 6th Jul 2006 at 11:55 PM
Patul i didn't understand your post , sorry, can you rephrase a bit? Thanks

You will find my older and newest creations here
Mad Poster
#16 Old 7th Jul 2006 at 10:25 AM
Default i apologize my english :lol:
Small pb i have a 1 level house (without foundation), my sim make sport watching the TV under the floor. (watch tv/make sport).


perhaps is it a pb with all swimable lakes ?


You know a site allowing re-upload of free build/buy stuff in lots ? Help us to update the list !

* Plus j'échoue plus je m'approche de la réussite
* The more I fail the more I approach the success

(Lao patul MMVI AD)
Field Researcher
#17 Old 7th Jul 2006 at 11:06 AM
Quote: Originally posted by patul
Small pb i have a 1 level house (without foundation), my sim make sport watching the TV under the floor. (watch tv/make sport).


perhaps is it a pb with all swimable lakes ?



I just saw this lot of yours in the downloads section!
In corvidophile2's tutorial above specifically states you need to click down 6 times. I presume this means exactly 6 times, no less, no more. I think this is the depth that sims will 'swim'. Anything deeper well I'm not sure of, but anything less, I think that sims will umm escape!
Check to see if you have clicked exactly 6 times as corvidophile2 says in tutorial.

fev
Mad Poster
#18 Old 7th Jul 2006 at 11:12 AM
It dont escape from the lake, it is exactly lyke the tuto. but it append when he make sport with the TV

You know a site allowing re-upload of free build/buy stuff in lots ? Help us to update the list !

* Plus j'échoue plus je m'approche de la réussite
* The more I fail the more I approach the success

(Lao patul MMVI AD)
Mad Poster
#19 Old 7th Jul 2006 at 11:45 AM
Quote: Originally posted by patul
It dont escape from the lake, it is exactly lyke the tuto. but it append when he make sport with the TV


Did you get the sims out of the lake through the pool accessories like the ladder?
If you use hacks to teleport the sims out, they'll carry on swimming everywhere....
Only in very rare cases in free-will mode, sims may get out through the pool accessories swimming.
Mad Poster
#20 Old 7th Jul 2006 at 11:54 AM
i use the hack thanks niol !!!

You know a site allowing re-upload of free build/buy stuff in lots ? Help us to update the list !

* Plus j'échoue plus je m'approche de la réussite
* The more I fail the more I approach the success

(Lao patul MMVI AD)
Top Secret Researcher
Original Poster
#21 Old 7th Jul 2006 at 1:00 PM
Quote: Originally posted by niol
Did you get the sims out of the lake through the pool accessories like the ladder?
If you use hacks to teleport the sims out, they'll carry on swimming everywhere....
Only in very rare cases in free-will mode, sims may get out through the pool accessories swimming.


That picture just didnt seem right to me,i thought also that a hack was interfering.As i said, if you follow the tutorial there is no way sims will escape the lake.

Cheers!

You will find my older and newest creations here
Lab Assistant
#22 Old 7th Jul 2006 at 8:42 PM
Default swimmabe bathrooms
Hi Corvi,
Many thanks for yor tutorial, Your swimmable lakes are fantastic.
I will surely try it. Hopefully my Sims will stop swimming around their bedrooms, bathrooms , etc.

I do really appreciate your help. Thanks again.



Mausi
Mad Poster
#23 Old 7th Jul 2006 at 8:58 PM
Default find the solution
My sim go back to the lake, then exit normally, everything is good now.

Thanks to you Mr niol and miss corvidophile2



A+

You know a site allowing re-upload of free build/buy stuff in lots ? Help us to update the list !

* Plus j'échoue plus je m'approche de la réussite
* The more I fail the more I approach the success

(Lao patul MMVI AD)
Lab Assistant
#24 Old 8th Jul 2006 at 12:57 AM
I didn't even realize sims could swim without a pool. Thanks to Patul for using a lake in Le Cabanon and including the link to here.

Great tutorial, Corvidophile! Thanks. :D
Test Subject
#25 Old 14th Jul 2006 at 2:33 PM
id like to know
it really works and every thing thx but i have a question how do i get those water grapics u got on yours and the moss/rocks in the edge
can u tell me please thx
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