Testers Wanted: Middle Earth Neighborhoods, Part 1, The Shire

The next step in bringing Middle Earth to the Sims 2 was finding neighborhoods to put everything in. Since I didn’t find what I was looking for, I decided to learn to do it myself. The results have been pretty good, if I do say so myself.

A huge thanks to travellersside whose tutorial made it so easy!
http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=118117

This is The Shire and surrounding area. This one surprisingly was the hardest. Don’t look for an exact map, I was limited by both my skill level and the difficulties in bringing all the details in to a playable hood.

What I did was take a map of Middle Earth found here:
http://www.aloha.net/~shaug/pix/lot...h_1161x1024.jpg
divided it in 4 sections and used it as a (very) rough guide.

These work fine in my game and my son’s, but they haven’t been tested thoroughly. I’m such a slow player that it will take me forever to completely test them. I think there is room for roughly 100 lots.

**These will be unusable unless you download GunMod’s camera hack here: http://www.modthesims2.com/showthre...ighlight=camera
Any of the 3 versions should work. Pay careful attention to the installation instructions, this hack replaces game files. It is well worth it though.**

**The zip contains the terrain file and 5 PNG images. After you unzip, put everything in: EA Games\The Sims2\SC4terrains. These DO NOT go in your download folder.**

The pictures are named for the terrain types that came with NL. If you don’t have NL, you may have to rename and delete some pictures. See this thread for a complete description: http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=118117

In my game, I have a neighborhood called Middle Earth. Gondor is the main neighborhood and the other 3 are sub-hoods for NL, UNI and OFB.

The hoods themselves are quite plain. Only the terrain and roads are in place. When I added trees in Sim City 4, I got some pretty weird effects in TS2. I’ll upload a picture of mine eventually, but no telling when I’ll finish it. Here are links that will be useful in completing the neighborhood:

Downloads by QwinsepiaSquared that change the striped roadway to a dirt road on lush and dirt terrains:
http://www.modthesims2.com/member.php?u=198277
I’ve linked to their profile, you’ll also find some great lots.

Neighborhood objects by Numenor:
http://www.modthesims2.com/download...ge=2&showType=2
The waterfalls are spectacular, and the ruins are very cool too.

This medieval townset by Lethe:
http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=113099


Here’s a few links for houses:

Toumix’ LOTR lots are the best I’ve seen anywhere:
http://thesims2.ea.com/mysimpage/up...&asset_type=lot

BabyJaneKitty has some great lots:
http://thesims2.ea.com/mysimpage/up...&asset_type=lot

Here on MTS2, there are wonderful castles, hobbit holes, etc., do a search. :p

Hope this is something you find useful. Please post if you run into any problems, as I said they haven’t been fully tested.

My policy:

My neighborhoods can be reposted or file shared if you do the following:

1. Give me credit and link back to this thread.
2. Link to GunMod’s camera hack, the neighborhood won’t work without it.
3. Don’t put it in a set you charge money for.

My other neighborhoods and Middle Earth characters are here: http://www.modthesims2.com/member.php?u=189694

The pics are of the neighborhood in lush and dirt terrains and a shot from Sims City 4 of how all the neighborhoods fit together. Don’t know how useful that is, but I spent a lot of time matching the rivers, etc.