DIY Howell Island- Spookiness Abounds- or will it!?

Once upon a time (2011), there was an October spooky theme at MTS and I decided to whip up a tiny world for it. Then my videocard started smoking. Then my RAM's solder melted away (no, seriously, long story, long and arghomgmypoorcomputer). So anyhow, it didn't get done for October. In fact, it still was just in beta testing the next July, and I decided to release the CAW files without my lots for anyone who might be speedier than me.

So if you have CAW but no time or desire to start entirely from scratch, and want to create a far more customized neighborhood than a fully finished neighborhood map allows, I present one of my "DIY Neighborhood Kits"! (Zomg it's well in time for Supernatural, too!*)



THIS IS NOT A FULL NEIGHBORHOOD READY FOR GAME!
The files were saved when CAW was patched to go with 1.33 patch for TS3- they may or may not work with unpatched CAW, use at own risk if you lack patch or the following EP's: WA, AMB, LN, Pets

Tests on another set of CAW files saved at same time do suggest these WILL work without all the EP's but I can't guarantee it!

So if you have CAW but no time or desire to start entirely from scratch, and who wants to create a far more customized neighborhood than a fully finished neighborhood map allows, I present one of my "DIY Neighborhood Kits"!

To use these CAW files, you must extract them and then place them into the following directory or its equivalent on your machine:

C:/My Documents/Electronic Arts/the Sims 3 Create A World Tool/User Tool Data/Worlds

Once you have the .world file, the .settings file and the world folder all in your directory, you can open it in CAW to edit however you want to. You change how sidewalks go, delete or add trees, add streets, add lots, and so forth!

Please note I am not including my terrain paints- If you rework terrain painting you may just want/have to replace them. You can find great terrain textures in the Create A Worlds Forum here, under resources to use- I used some from Martine's pack and some of HP's but mostly used common EA ones- just recolored the HECK out of some of them for my own use.

While this kit has trees, paths, EVERYTHING already in place (except lots), you can easily delete objects since for the most part I kept things to their own layers, with only a bit of spill over.

This World was created using the modded SUPERCAW and some items I placed like the lighting effects and junk piles will not be available to you unless you also mod your CAW or you find and grab them from the Resources Thread in MTS CAW forums . (remember to read about setting up CAW framework!)

This world is a SMALL map! There is not a lot of room for lots- it's great for a possible vacation world or limited legacy/storytelling one. As a side note, to cram more things in, you can/might want to look up RavenShadow's rabbit hole rugs and doors. Just sayin' =D (there is no CC in the files!)

This world has stuffed within it custom INI files and also a recolored (red!) moon texture! As far as I know they will remain unless you go in and change them yourself if you do not want them. For in game screenshots to compare check the included images and/or visit the Photobucket WIP gallery for Howell.

The custom INI files are why the world looks a bit 'off' in CAW, with the water being so see-through.

If you feel like lots of playing and testing, visit this thread on the CAW forums to read about how to edit the lighting and weather INI files to your taste. (This is somewhat advanced CAWing). You can also hunt down the tree textures using S3oC/S3PE and edit them to your tastes. Check the CAW forum and tutorials if you feel like doing so =)

ALSO! Using these files means they keep the ID they originally had when I made them, so if you don't want your world to keep my name and risk it conflicting with anyone else using these files:

Back up your files, then open your CAW world file (from Documents/ Electronic Arts/ The Sims 3 Create A World/ Usertooldata/ Worlds) in S3PE and then delete the WPID resource. Save the file and close S3Pe.

After that, open CAW and open your world. Check that the world has a title, description and thumbnail picture. Then save it as a different file name. Now you should be able to export that world and install it and/or upload it to the free content site of your choice *cough*modthesimsisgreat*cough* successfully

SHARING POLICY:

You may alter the everlovin' heck out of this map for your personal use, and may then also share it under the following conditions:

You may NOT upload your altered neighborhood to any pay site. Any site you upload it to, every single bit of content must be absolutely free, no special prize content for subscribers or donations (donation buttons are OK but the site cannot REQUIRE a donation to get content). Cookies for you if you share on MTS!**

If you upload the altered map anywhere, PLEASE plainly credit me as the originator of the world files in both your description in the upload site's text areas and in either the thumbnail image and/or the neighborhood description, with a link back to my profile here on Mod the Sims.

Have fun! I am unfortunately unable to help you learn CAW for whatever you need to do- there are great tutorial videos on Youtube, and tutorial articles at Mod the Sims and the Sim Supply. Google for the help you need if all else fails or try the Create-A-World forums on Mod the Sims or the MTS create chat! Please do NOT PM me asking me how to use the files!

If you have issues unzipping the .rar files, and have tried all the troubleshooting here, you can find the files mirrored in the downloads section of http://www.bakasims.com but please be kind to my bandwith and only grab them in one go there if you cannot get the multiparts to work for you =)

*I am hoping to make a release when Supernatural EP hits, because OMG YES just what I needed for stories! There may be unpopulated version finished before that, you can check Bakasims but as of this post, it's still in BETA there. ('course more testers is a good thing)

**Imaginary, internet cookies, and also not official MTS internet cookies, just generic internet cookies.

Additional Credits:
MTS in no way backs me in my offers of cookies.

Big thanks to all the Create-A-World forum dwellers here at MTS.

Thank you Atavera for helping unlock the might of CAW for us to toy with.

Also huge thanks to Inge and Peter Jones for S3PE without which so much would be impossible!

And lots of snuggles and so forth to mi compadres in the create chat for all their support xD