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Locked thread | Replies: 47 (Who?), Viewed: 14254 times. | Locked by: spladoum Reason: Useful house-making/decorating/landscaping tips.
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Elizabella
Field Researcher
Original Poster
#1 Old 8th Sep 2009 at 7:14 AM Last edited by Elizabella : 8th Sep 2009 at 7:17 AM. Reason: Why aren't my pictures showing up!
Default Jacob Blacks House as in New Moon
Hi all, well while I'm waiting to finish my "Eco house" I decided that I would start on my project because I just know it's going to take forever too. I've decided to continue my theme of the houses from the Twilight Movies and create the Black Family House.

Some things I know are wrong - the windows - I'm having a heck of a time finding good windows that don't require OFB or AL. The ones I do have in there have a brown frame but if you think they'll work, I'll recolor them white.

I think the whole house may be backward but based on my pictures, it was the only way I could get it to "fit" together. Unfortuntately these are the best pictures and angles I've found of the house so far but I'm always looking.

Thanks for helping me with this project.

Elizabella
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Wicked_poppies
Instructor
#2 Old 8th Sep 2009 at 7:16 AM
Hun, i dont think your pics attached right.....

AH!!!! never mind!
I don't take requests. :-)



"You with this lovely baby blue/green huge eyes and this evil touch...couldn't be more adorable" - My Vera
Elizabella
Field Researcher
Original Poster
#3 Old 8th Sep 2009 at 7:17 AM
I did, they were just being difficult and not showing up...I have no idea why it keeps doing that to me!
FlipGuardian
Field Researcher
#4 Old 8th Sep 2009 at 7:40 AM
It does that to me too =[ but it's not a big deal, as long as it shows up.
Anyway, it's pretty good. It needs trees, terrain paints and stuff.
There are three sides to a story:
Your side, the other person's side and the truth.

The Sims Cubed
Elizabella
Field Researcher
Original Poster
#5 Old 8th Sep 2009 at 4:50 PM
Well I really wanted to get the house structure done first before I started decorating or landscaping. I find it so annoying when I have something all landscaped and then I have to move the house and so I lose all the landscaping.
rhedbuddha
Lab Assistant
#6 Old 10th Sep 2009 at 2:42 AM
It looks like the roof on the main part of the house has too high of a peak and shouldn't be stucco. The siding also looks too bright. A dark red colour for the siding, IMO, would look more realistic in comparison to the pics. Another roof note: the porch in the real photo looks like the half roof-can't remember the name, but it's not the one you have on there now. It only has one slope.

I think your windows look good, but white would make things look better. If you can't find similar ones in white, then a little CC work would be worth it. I totally understand about the landscaping-lol!

I know we don't know what the layout looks like in the movie, but since you plan to upload this I think if we can get a layout pic we may be able to assit with the interior as well.
"All religions are founded on the fear of the many and the cleverness of the few."
Marie Henri Beyle (1783-1842)
Elizabella
Field Researcher
Original Poster
#7 Old 11th Sep 2009 at 6:36 AM
I HATE ROOFS! any idea why my roof that I want to go on one direction keeps switching to the opposite direction, as in I want a roof that goes low on the south end up to the north and it keeps giving me low on the west and high on the east!

I'll see what I can do for the interior. I really hadn't thought about it much yet. Do you at least think the basic structural design is good?
rhedbuddha
Lab Assistant
#8 Old 11th Sep 2009 at 6:31 PM
[QUOTE=Elizabella]I HATE ROOFS! any idea why my roof that I want to go on one direction keeps switching to the opposite direction, as in I want a roof that goes low on the south end up to the north and it keeps giving me low on the west and high on the east![QUOTE]

It might have something to do with the direction your lot "faces". This is something I noticed with TS2. Try picking up your lot and rotating it and then placing it in another location in your neighbourhood. This may or may not work, but I have heard of this issue before. You could always do a google search and find some interesting articles from people with the same prob. MTS has some roofing tutorials that are great and you could check out those as well. Hope that helps!
"All religions are founded on the fear of the many and the cleverness of the few."
Marie Henri Beyle (1783-1842)
plasticbox
Pettifogging Legalist!
retired moderator
#9 Old 11th Sep 2009 at 6:42 PM Last edited by plasticbox : 11th Sep 2009 at 6:54 PM.
rhedbuddha, picking up and moving a lot doesn't change its direction. That's hardwired into the lot at the time it's created. But you're correct, which direction a square roof will have depends on the lot direction.
Stuff for TS2 · TS3 · TS4 | Please do not PM me with technical questions – we have Create forums for that.

In the kingdom of the blind, do as the Romans do.
rhedbuddha
Lab Assistant
#10 Old 11th Sep 2009 at 10:09 PM
Quote: Originally posted by plasticbox
rhedbuddha, picking up and moving a lot doesn't change its direction. That's hardwired into the lot at the time it's created. But you're correct, which direction a square roof will have depends on the lot direction.


Ah ha! I can never get it to go right in my lots and have to use some "trickery" to get things to work out (usually involving a different roof). Thanks for shedding some light on the subject plasticbox! This is why I love you!
"All religions are founded on the fear of the many and the cleverness of the few."
Marie Henri Beyle (1783-1842)
Elizabella
Field Researcher
Original Poster
#11 Old 15th Sep 2009 at 7:39 AM
Ok I've redone the house for about the fifth time, I'm thinking it looks better but as always I defer to you all, my experts.
Screenshots
rhedbuddha
Lab Assistant
#12 Old 16th Sep 2009 at 3:00 AM
I think the base looks great now. You did a great job reworking the roofs to be a closer match to the actual house. I still think the red is "too red", meaning too bright. Same with the foundation. I think there's a block foundation that is more grey than white. Try that. The original pics look like a dirty-white, so that's why I suggested more grey.

I would like to see some landscaping too, since you're done with the basic shape of the house. That will give us a better idea of the finished look instead of just going by the house itself.

I also love that you redid the windows. Well done!

Can't wait to see it progress!! :D
"All religions are founded on the fear of the many and the cleverness of the few."
Marie Henri Beyle (1783-1842)
Elizabella
Field Researcher
Original Poster
#13 Old 16th Sep 2009 at 6:00 AM
Is there a way to rotate m house...I don't care how badly I have to cheat! I've built it backwards

Anyway here are some alternate siding colors.
Screenshots
Elizabella
Field Researcher
Original Poster
#14 Old 16th Sep 2009 at 6:56 AM
So as anybody that knows my poor lot building skills knows, I'm REALLY bad at landscaping. I either do too much or not enough so if you want me to add please show me where and what and if you want me to take away please do the same

So here's landscaping version 1 -
Screenshots
rhedbuddha
Lab Assistant
#15 Old 16th Sep 2009 at 8:28 PM
I'm not sure if there's a difference in colour between the first two pics or not, but I think you need to stay with horizontal siding since that is what is on the home in the original inspirational home. I do like the change in foundation choice though.

For your landscaping it just looks like you plunked down a bunch of random pine trees. I'm not trying to sound harsh by saying that, but you spent so much time on the house I would hate to see you not do the same with the landscaping. I would stick with the landscaping in the original pics (inspirational ones) and branch out from there-no pun intended! lol!
"All religions are founded on the fear of the many and the cleverness of the few."
Marie Henri Beyle (1783-1842)
rhedbuddha
Lab Assistant
#16 Old 16th Sep 2009 at 8:30 PM
Quote: Originally posted by Elizabella
Is there a way to rotate m house...I don't care how badly I have to cheat! I've built it backwards


I don't think you can...
You might want to check the "HELP" section of MTS, but I don't think there is any way to do that once you're built the house without having to completely redo it. At least, I don't know of any cheats that would allow you to do that. Maybe Mootilda's "Lot Adjuster" but I've never tried chaning the lot orientation with it; just the size. If you can, make sure you disclose that you used her tool to downloaders.
"All religions are founded on the fear of the many and the cleverness of the few."
Marie Henri Beyle (1783-1842)
Elizabella
Field Researcher
Original Poster
#17 Old 16th Sep 2009 at 9:34 PM
Ok I'm going in... There's a tutorial to use Mootilda's Lot Adjuster so I'll try it. I've made a backup in any case.

Oh and I know what you mean about the landscaping, I'll redo it tonight
Elizabella
Field Researcher
Original Poster
#18 Old 17th Sep 2009 at 7:31 AM Last edited by Elizabella : 17th Sep 2009 at 7:37 AM. Reason: Forgot my pictures :oops:
Alrighty, more adjustments. I got the lot rotated thanks to Mootilda's Lot Adjuster which kind of made everything else fall into place.
Another photo of Jacob's barn

I tried to copy the landscaping as much as possible but I got nervous because there was basically only about 4 trees and I know there's supposed to be more.

Here's some description from the book (paperback edition)

pg 133: A thick stand of trees and shrubbery concealed his garage from the house.

pg 137: The motorcylcles didn't need to hidden any further than simply placing them in Jacob's shed. Billy's wheelchair couldn't maneuver the uneven ground separating it from the house.

pg 148: Jacob grabbed my hand and towed me out of the garage and through the trees, his feet finding thr familiar path easily.

So what do you think?
Screenshots
rhedbuddha
Lab Assistant
#19 Old 17th Sep 2009 at 4:24 PM
I'm glad you were able to rotate the lot! What EPs did you say you have? I know as they progressed they had more and more tree selections available. I don't care for the Birch trees all in a line like that. It doesn't look like a forest but like something on the edge of a driveway to mark the line. Same thing with the Pines in the back. Maybe if you increased the size of the lot it will help with the amount of landscaping you can add so it isn't so tight. Willow trees are usually only found near water sources so I'm not sure if that tree should be on the lot at all. Let me know what EPs you have an I can help you with landscaping choices.
"All religions are founded on the fear of the many and the cleverness of the few."
Marie Henri Beyle (1783-1842)
Elizabella
Field Researcher
Original Poster
#20 Old 17th Sep 2009 at 7:10 PM
Yeah I really don't like the trees at all. I have NL, M&G, Seasons & Free Time. I also have no problem using cc but it's just so hard
rhedbuddha
Lab Assistant
#21 Old 18th Sep 2009 at 3:00 AM
Quote: Originally posted by Elizabella
Yeah I really don't like the trees at all. I have NL, M&G, Seasons & Free Time. I also have no problem using cc but it's just so hard


I will look through my catalogue of trees and shrubs and flowers for those EPs. I don't have MG though. I think as long as you place things in a natural way it will look fine. If you google "landscape design" under images it will give you lots of really great suggestions. Let me know if you want more of my help with this and I can go through those EP's and pick out some things that might look good.
"All religions are founded on the fear of the many and the cleverness of the few."
Marie Henri Beyle (1783-1842)
Elizabella
Field Researcher
Original Poster
#22 Old 18th Sep 2009 at 7:12 AM
Ok I looked through google nd didn't have much luck but I downloaded a big tree and I thik it helps give some perspective to the lot. I don't know HELP!!!

I also did a rough floorplan, the back room is Jacob's. He shares a bathroom with his dad whose room opens up to the open kitchen/family room. There is a hallway leading to Jacob's room.
Screenshots
Elizabella
Field Researcher
Original Poster
#23 Old 20th Sep 2009 at 9:16 PM
So what do you think? improved landscaping? ok floor plan?
rhedbuddha
Lab Assistant
#24 Old 22nd Sep 2009 at 1:40 PM
I'm confused as to what is the front of the house and what is the back for the layout. Can you please upload an ariel view that includes all of the lot (so I can also see the landscaping from an ariel view)? Thanks!

*I still think the trees look too placed. Maybe it's because they are all exactly the same trees. One thing that will improve things, once you're set on the landscaping, is to add a dark progression of ground cover at the base of all trees, shrubs and flowers.
"All religions are founded on the fear of the many and the cleverness of the few."
Marie Henri Beyle (1783-1842)
Elizabella
Field Researcher
Original Poster
#25 Old 22nd Sep 2009 at 7:37 PM
Here you go.

I also added a basically non-functioning girls bedroom upstairs remembering that Jacob had 2 sisters so they would have probably shared a room. It's non functioning because the roof really isn't high enough to have full walls or a ceiling so it might get really cold up there.
Screenshots
Locked thread | Locked by: spladoum Reason: Useful house-making/decorating/landscaping tips.
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