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LotCatalog Refresh Project ~ a complete Lot Bin overhaul

SCREENSHOTS
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Personal Picked Upload! This is a personal favourite of the creator!
Created by CatherineTCJD
Uploaded: 8th Jun 2022 at 2:34 PM
Updated: 17th Oct 2023 at 7:10 PM
<<< Mistake found! ...and fixed. 10/17/2023 >>>
The Cape Cod (basegame house #cx_00000007) had a problem with the staircase. I am uploading it separately - for those who've already downloaded everything, and just need this house fixed.
AND - the complete project download has been updated with the corrected files...
I apologize for any problems this has created for any of you! Thank you, Cleverhardy on Tumblr/Discord, for finding (and reporting) the mistake with the staircase!

This is a Complete Overhaul of the Lot Bin. Every lot has been fixed, improved, cleaned, and now comes with a custom thumbnail. Many of the lots have been shrunk, and several of them have 2-Step foundations...

After installing these files, the next time you generate a new TS2 Saved Game your lot catalog ("Lot Bin") should look a lot better, and the houses should be easier to use. Your sims will be able to move-in and start living - without having to worry about missing fire alarms and telephones, nasty sim references, or if they paid too much for extra acreage they just don't need.

I really tried to keep EA/Maxis' original intent for the houses in the Lot Bin. They are meant to be a "starting point" for your sim families. I tried to keep each lot's original 'flavor' - just hopefully, they are improved now. Several of the houses are Starters (priced under $20K,) and most of them are very plain inside with sparse furnishings. A few of the lots that came with later EPs/SPs were built to showcase all the new items in that pack (I kept them that way, for the most part, too.)

Every Lot Bin house/lot has been edited. (Except 3 of the houses that came with M&G - but even they have new detailed thumbnail pictures.)

Each lot now has a custom thumbnail that clearly lists the following pertinent information:
Bedrooms/Bathrooms/AvailableParking/Pools-Lakes-etc. AND which EP/SP/Lot# that particular house is. (In case you want to search and destroy!) Houses have a black banner across the top, community lots have a green banner.

As an example, here are the BonVoyage properties:

Each new Lot Bin House now has...
- A stove, fire alarm, fridge, garbage can, telephone, lights, and if there is a bathtub - at least one bathtub will be doggie accessible.
- Routing has been checked. Everything is accessible to your sims.
- I have added several garages, carports, and driveways. If there is room on the property for a parking space, then the driveway is at least prepped. (Mostly)
- Community lots have food available (grill, food stand, or vending) and bathrooms.
- Most community lots also have an arbor bench, photobooth, or hammock.
- All the lots have ceilings. All walls and floors are covered.
- All lots were cleaned of SimReferences using Chris Hatch's LotCleaner.
- All lots were compressed with Chris Hatch's LotCompressor.

I have included a folder with Before/After pictures of each house detailing everything I changed.
As an example, here is the Before/After pictures for the Basegame European Townhouse:




Also included is a NOTES picture that outlines in writing everything I did to each house:

None of these houses are in Sims2Pack form. There are a couple of ways to install this LotCatalog Project:
>>> FIRST - PLEASE make a back-up of your current LotCatalog before installing this new one. (Move your current LotCatalog folder out of your game and save it somewhere, like on your desktop.)
NOTE: Any other downloaded lots that you have "Installed" but not yet placed in a Neighborhood, will be in your old LotCatalog folder. You may rename them to any number greater than cx_00000063, and put them in the new LotCatalog folder to see them in the Bin again. The Sims2CleanInstaller is a great tool to help sort out your LotCatalog!

>>> To see the new Lot Bin houses next time you're in the game:
Open the "01_DOCUMENTS_LotCatalog" folder and follow the INSTALL instructions in there to install the lots in your current SavedGame. You will have a new Lot Bin the next time you run the game.

>>> To make the new Lot Bin PERMANENT and have it generate with every new game:
Open the "02_PROGFiles_Installation" folder and follow the INSTALL instructions in there to install the lots in your ProgramFiles. You will not see the new Lot Bin until you generate a new SavedGame. And, each time you start a fresh game, these lots will be freshly generated and ready for you to play.

- OR - you can do a combination: Put the LotCatalog into your current SavedGame folder, and install the lots in your ProgramFiles for future games.

Either way you choose to install these lots, back-ups are available and included.
- I have a downloadable DOCUMENTS/LotCatalog back-up file (with the original LotCatalog files) in case you forgot to back-up first!
- Each lot in the PROGFiles install folders has the original lot file backed up with it. (See the "INSTALL_instructionsPF" in that folder to learn more.)

There is NO CC necessary. Not even the CEP files.
However, there are 2 properties that use CC (if you have it in your Downloads folder.)
- One house (IKEA's Attractive Abode) has a treehouse in back that wants Marvine's Ladder. An in-game staircase will be substituted if you don't have it.

- The other house (BV Home) has a swimmable lake that requires an invisible floor. But that can be added later, it is purely a visual effect. The invisible floor I use is included in folder "03_optionalCC" - along with instructions on how to remove the floors edges and make it completely invisible.

- ALSO - if you want large dogs to be able to access the 2-Step Foundation houses (of which, there are 7) you will want to get Simler90's Stair Mods.


A huge Thank You! goes to joandsarah77/joplayingthesims for testing each house! OMG!!!
And to my husband and daughter for proof-reading everything - more than once!
And to Honeywell and tvickiesims for beta-testing the project.
Please let me know if I/We missed anything. And, thank you for downloading!
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