's Blog

Thank you everyone!

Just want to say a big fat thank you to all those who left congratulatory messages in my guestbook! I'm really really grateful to be chosen for SA of the month when there are so many more talented creators and artists out there. Creating for the Sims is fun, and even more so when you know that people enjoy your work:)

The NewWalls System

The NewWalls System
By: 71robert13
SKS

Introduction
Which do you need
What it is
The choice revolution
Magic!
Pre-trimmed wallpapers
Final notes

Introduction:
     Welcome to the NewWalls System, a totally revolutionary way of decorating your walls! Keep in mind that as of this day: 4-16-10 I have only uploaded the basic set and many more options are on their way. I have planed at least 2 more complete set and several special individual additions so keep checking back to expand your collection.

Which do you need:
     I have (and will continue for the new additions) to upload “duplicate” items. They will be designated as Basic or MGAL. The difference is only in how they are cataloged.
 For those who have either Mansions & Garden stuff  or Apartment Life Expansion (or both) you have a catalog option that is otherwise unavailable: Build mode / Construction / Architecture.

It is designated by an ionic bracket located 2nd from right on the bottom row. This catalog section is relatively empty as only those 2 packs use it and it allows for repeated purchasing (you don’t have to select for every piece) These factors makes this cataloging preferable, however even with these added packs you may choose to use the basic sets. If you don’t have either one or the other MGAL designated items will not show up in your catalog - USE BASIC SETs.
     Basic sets are cataloged under Buy Mode / Decorative / Miscellaneous,

which is already rather congested with numerous items but the base game dose not really have any other viable options. With these sets I strongly recommend setting up a collection folder to help keep all your NewWalls objects together & easy to find. Basic set is also available by room sort and community sort under “Other”.

Personal note: I really like Mansions & Garden stuff and recommend getting it if you haven’t already. Most of the stuff packs I don’t think are worth the expense but this one is. (My opinion only of course)

What it is:
      The NewWalls System is a collection of trims, moldings and wainscot add-ons. They can be used on almost all Maxis wall coverings as well as most standard formatted custom walls. However it is best used with 4 way tileable wall patterns (Generally: any that do not have trim already pained on). This type of wall pattern allows for wonderful design possibilities when constructing multi storied walls, overhanging balconies an the like because the uninterrupted portion of the wall can have a seamless pattern trimmed only where it should be.
     NewWalls trimmings are also 3D meshed allowing better visuals achieved by natural highlights & shadows. Another advantage to the 3D mesh trimmings over the standard flat painted ones is seen at wall edges such as corners and terminal ends. Because NewWalls trim is 3D it adds shape, volume & dimension in these areas. Far more realistic! A complete set will include Crown molding, Chair rail, Wainscot, & baseboard. Each of these have the primary form, an outside corner and an end cap for terminal walls. The baseboard, Chair rail & wainscot also has left and right stair angles.: See “ Magic” section below.
     For those who are mesh conscious: I do endeavor to minimize my vertices and planes as much as possible without having to be excessive on the size of the texture file or sacrificing form. A wainscot panel for example only has 2 faces & 4 vertices.

The choice Revolution:

Here is a page from my in-game walls catalog showing a variety of wall papers, the “Gratuitous” wallpaper  set is highlighted as this set is what I will use in the following examples. As you already know (and can see in the illustration) with the original system you have 1 catalog entry for every option.

The “Gratuitous” Wallpaper set has 1 solid 4 way tileable and 6 available variables for a total of 7 entries and 7 options. This creates excessively burdensome catalogs while providing very little choice.
     For use with the NewWalls System we only need to have the 4 way tile basic pattern. And our NewWalls catalog entries.:

 These are the entries for base game Standard set (the one currently available) This set has 18 catalog entries (which will be common for all complete sets). In this set each form comes with 11 texture options. With this setup we get 78+ Options!

77 trim options, still retaining the untrimmed option, + stair angles (see magic section below). That’s 78+ choices for each & every base 4way tileable wall pattern. 10 4way walls gives 780+ design choices, Add another NewWalls Set (if it also has 11 textures) & 10 walls your available choices would be 1560 for a total catalog load of 46 entries! And that’s only calculating all matching textures (Like all white or all oak), But with this system you can mix textures a white baseboard & rail with oak wainscot etc. Base game comes with 57+ 4way tileable wall patterns. When this project is completed  the number of design options will be virtually unlimited.
Here are some examples of 2 story wall layouts possible trough use of the NewWall system that would not be possible with standard method (atleast not without a whole lot of wall files!).

Magic!
     Try this with standard wall technique!

Yea right, like that’s possible. But it is with the NewWall systems left & right stair angle pieces.

 It’s magic! Now you can smoothly transition your walls from floor to floor. Yet another advantage to using the NewWall System.

Pre-Trimmed Wallpapers
     You can overlay NewWalls components to most pre-trimmed wall patterns. However the standard Baseboard dose not completely cover painted on wide baseboards (ie.: “Gratuitous“ wallpaper with kick molding has a wide baseboard). (The baseboard from my next set will). NewWalls units also don’t work well with panel formatted walls (ie.: “Frank Lee Scarlet” Paneling), or most walls that have boarders (ie.: “Hopalong” boarder on…). This system also is not well applied to special wall patterns (Ie.: “Churning Energy” or “the Happy little pattern” in …). The best wall patterns to use are un trimmed 4way tileable wall patterns.

Final notes
     I have used the “texture repository system” here. With the standard set you must have the baseboard (master) in order   to have the chair rail (slave). Crown & wainscot have their own textures.
 For a full selection of currently available NewWalls pieces enter NewWalls into the search box on TSR
 Searching 4way will show my selection of currently available 4way tileable wallpapers.
 As of 4-16-10 I have only the standard sets. Other sets & special add-ons will be available soon.

    Artists:
      Anyone wishing to add to the NewWalls collection with creations of their own are free to do so but please give me credit for concept / inspiration as the initial creator of the NewWall system.
      Wallpaper artists are encouraged to add “4way” to their keywords list if it applies to their wall pattern.
 
 Downloaders:
      All genuine SKS items bear my SKS logo.

Thank you for reading this posting and your interest in the NewWall System. Have fun & Play well.
SKS

Pinky?

Don't ya just love pink?   

THANKS!!!! Sims 3 Story Pod

I am too excited!!!

When I opened my minipage today, the first thing I noticed was that Fred & Barb were looking at me. I had to look twice, and yes... Good old Frank Cooper, with his butt on fir, who had been sitting there for centuries in my story pod ....was gone... finally! Finally I have my Sims 3 stories featured on my minisite! Can't tell you how happy I am.

Who do I thank? I have no idea, but I will say a BIG HUGE thank you to TSR staff! I LOVE you guys! THANKS!!!

The Merindylen Chronicles

Hi everyone!

It's been a while since I have posted anything of substance here on TSR - real life has a habit of getting in the way of my leisure time!

However, I thought I would take this opportunity to share with you a new project of mine. I am currently working on a story called "The Merindylen Chronicles". Unlike my other stories, this one is set not in modern times but in the fantasy kingdom of Merindylen where magic, evil, politics and love blend together to make life ... er ... interesting! This is a story I have been writing on and off in my (infrequent) spare time over the years, since before I had even heard of the Sims. The main female character is Illandrya, my namesake.

As a sneak peek, I offer you the (extremely) unfinished Merindylen Castle. My heartfelt thanks and appreciation (and apologies for making it "pretty") go out to Cyclonesue for her wonderful "Castle Lore" sets, without which this project would have not been possible. I have based the architecture on Bodiam Castle in England in the vain attempt to create an authentic looking medieval castle.

Stay tuned, there is more to come :D

~Illandrya

Edit: Image updated

Amazing Oppurtunity For The Sims: Virtual!!

If EA decides to take The Sims to  virtual era, i would so drop the funds on picking it up...now some may say WTF? but wait think about interacting with the large 3D world of The Sims, an expensive project, yes...but make by request and limit the quality of this new technology...If i could, i would propose this and watch the feedback of this extremely cool project.

~VIRTUAL EDITION~

coming whenever EA Inc. says "let's do it"

What I have been working on The Big Bang Theory

What I have been worrking on making and creating is the charaters from the The Big Bang Theory and now I have finally finished them I wiil now be now submitting them. So look out for them as I think I have done a pretty good job of them so any of you Big Bang Theory fans  and simmers watch this space.

Getting tired of playing legacy's

I have finally worn myself out on legacys! Which is why I will be taking a break from my Beckett story. It was just in the beginning and my first so I don't think the readers will be too outraged. I don't think there are many tied to my story anyways at the moment, haha. My fiance came home the other night to me playing a new game FULL of cheats! I went a little crazy on the cheats. He just laughed at me. Maybe I will find another story to work on, that is NON-LEGACY. Sorry to anyone who was connected to my story, but I am not ending it completely.

houses

i am currently working my way through each house in my game and re-vamping them and uploading onto tsr. i have already done 2 but it is slow moving as i don't have much spare time at the moment. bear with me and new houses will be uploaded as soon as i get chance xx

Sims 3 ?

15-04-10:  I've just ventured testing my first Sims 3 luxury house today.  Would appreciate your comments as not sure on which Sims pack I want to focus yet.

Thanks

Drib.