DvdGStwrt

Try http://www.decopix.com/ for some inspiration. Art Deco is a form of architecture which we need more of Big examples of this kind of architecture is the Crystler building, Empire State. Other examples would be http://www.flheritage.com/magazine/winter97/feat_art.html Florida Style.

More Props would be nice. some things that I wish I had to work with: Stones, Rocks and Boulders, the Rock pack that came with one of the Official Landmarks is nice, however they are rather bland. Out here in Central California there appears to be a need to import mossy and lichen covered stones, rocks and boulders. These decrative stones are hauled on flat beds and require a crane to place! My neighbor just spend thousands of dollars for 3 large natural rocks, shipping and handling fees mostly. In my rivers I would love to have some big rocks and boulders, I'm talking stones about 1/2 of a tile in diameter - big substantial things which could be situated in parks, next to buildings and help to give a more natural look to the game. Statues: Even the tiny mayor's statue is too big to use to dress up the cemetaries, or to dress up the lawns of the Rich and Famous Sims - not only that it is rather dull and plain. It would be nice if we could have a few variations on this, from 1/2 Small Mayor statue size to Life-Sim-Sized. Pathways: Using Base Texture and Overlay texture rarely works for me. I find that I spend a good deal of time using dirt circle and Dirt Rectangle and a few other flatish props to make a pathway - I rarely ever get the look that I am striving for. Stepping stones to sidewalks would be nice, Flag Stones, Cobbles, whatever that can come in a variety of sizes and dimentions that can be puzzled out to make a path which can be moved around to fit some of these wonderful buildings. Just yesterday I was trying to meet up a path to the door of one of the cathedrals - I gave it up as a lost cause simply due to the lack of overlay and base textures that fit. Half the Wall/Fence: Half or less even. I like to use the fences, walls, and dividers in game, but many tend to be a full tile in length - lind of difficult to put a chainlink fence gate in the middle of a single tile. Building blocks A couple of nice set of ruins and a pretty church which Lot Editor wrecked due to prop limits were made and offered. I think it would be nice to have more props to do ruin buildings, arches, collums, some laying down, some standing, some broken in half, etc. Various sized blocks. It would be even nicer if we could use these to build buildings which are not in ruins. To that list you would have to add roof panels, domes and other simple shapes all sharing a common texture and that can be puzzled together to make a old, old building. Pool/Water Pack: Yes somebody just uploaded a wonderful swimming pool pack - Very nice, however I'm talking a variety of ponds and lakes and reflecting pools of various sizes and shapes. I know that there is water textures, I'm thinking things more along the lines of the water hazard and koi-pond.

Date: 5/15/2004 8:09:54 PM Author: I purposely made the water transparent so you can see the flora, if I take it out, theres no point in having the underwater flora then.quote> Actually I have a lot of shallow ponds, rivers and similar shallow waters. Now I am uncertain if I like the transparent water - my ocean bottoms are ugly. If possible can make a version that doesn't make the water totally transparent? I have the deep blue coloured water and I like that a lot. Thanks

My help may be nothing more than a nuisance. The texture and the proportion is correct. The problem with the tile size is that you would be left with wider than realistic buildings if you go with the correct height with two tiles. This corner one can mold easily with side ones. but you will be left with an ally gap between the buildings on a straight run IF you stick with the correct width to height. Now what you could do is make two buildings and set them side by side on a 3 tile wide lot for the straight sides. Understand? This way your corner building here would represent the proportions of your France design, you would end up having 2 buildings per lot (strait segments). There are few buildings in Paris which are wider than they are tall - Too few for this. Most are deeper than they are wide. The lots along the street are roughly twice as deep as they are wide, thus the buildings are usually wider than they are deep. There are a few exceptions, some are not as deep but make up the rear space with private gardens/courtyards. This same principle repeats in many cities, San Francisco Victorians though side by side looking small are usually very deep, no front yard but plenty of garden space in the rear. IF you carry the Paris Set far enough, you should also include a 3 building on a 4 tile wide lot, this will give the variation of width. I also believe that there are alleys which are very narrow between some of the Paris Buildings which provide access to the center courts of blocks. I may be confusing this with Rome, again its been a few decades since I been in Europe - If you are planing on making these RCI plopables, you should mix up the lots between R&C. Though in most of these buildings in real life the Residential is above while street level is shops, you can get the same effect in game by having R&C side by side. As for Lighting. DO NOT light up the exteriors. Be mindful that in Paris the upper floors are residential, they are lit from within. The street level is well lit with street lamps and small signs - These are respecting the residents who do not want glaring light shining through the windows at night. In your photo of the buildings you can barely make out the tasteful lighting, single bulbs in a simple lantern shining down from just above the windows and doors of the shops. Also note the drastic difference between the red shop and the white shop front - Carry this notion through your buildings - though they are clashing next to each other, this colouring is used to bring attention to the individual shops. Many of these buildings will have two shops on the ground floor. In this middle building in your photo the central door is the access to the upper floors (apartments). I believe are Parisian Friends will confirm that there is also alley access from the rear of these buildings and that each building has a nice tidy garden or courtyard with iron balconies in the rear and fire escapes providing nearly every apartment with a place to place a potted plant or a place to get some fresh air. Also many of these buildings will have laundry lines strung behind from building to building - That may have changed over the years, used to be that these lines were on pulleys allowing folk to hand their laundry outside to dry. Also note that plants on the balconies is a mainstay. You even see a few trees in your photos. In Game there are store fronts, these can be randomized on Commercial buildings, they colours may work well for you in your set which may save you a lot of time attempting to design a lot of commercial store fronts for your ground floors. Cheers David