I’d hoped to get entries in for both this and Q’s contest but apparently my time management skills are still lacking. >_< I had grand ideas for a Las Vegas style themed resort but I didn’t get beyond the basic structure. (In my defence I was MIA for the first half of the month! Lol) I do however, have a little house that I built when the 1.55 patch came out that I intended to be a holiday home for those who didn’t buy the EP so I’d like to show that as a just for fun entry ...it’s not exactly a resort but it’s the best I’ve got atm Anyway...
The castaway cottage is perfect for sims who’ve just had enough of city life, enough bad tv, enough nagging bosses, enough gossipy neighbours, enough... anything and everything! This tranquil little haven has no tv, no internet, no cell service – not even a path to dry land so you can truly cut yourself off from the stress of everyday life for a week and indulge in the luxury of reading a good book without interruption or skinny dipping under the stars without prying eyes upon you. What could be more blissful?
I used CAST and edited the terrain but did not use CFE or fog emitters D: I tried to go back and edit once I realised this would fit the contest but couldn’t think how to incorporate them.
CC Used:
Curtain height adjuster and OMSPs by Granthes
Stencil remover by VelocityGrass
Builder Stuff by Buzzler
Geometric patterns by Simsationaldesigns
EA store content
Additional credits:
Thanks to sciver from #create who came up with a better name for my entry in 5 seconds flat than I managed in several hours
PS I did use more than 5 types of plants but I didn’t realise until I was editing pics just now that I didn’t take any close up pics of them >_<
ETA: Piss! I typo'd on my ad >_< *"rough seas of life!" That's what I get for working on it past my bed time
First of all I want to thank everyone who took part on this contest!
While I only got a couple of entries, I'm not whining at all, made the judging a lot easier anyways
Speaking of which.... I have...
SCORESIES!
Here is the spreadsheet of the scores. You can see total scores, as well as individual judge's scores. The scores have also been categorized, so you can easily see when you got the most points and so on. And green, there just has to be green, cause I was too lazy to edit pics of bushes in.
Notes about scores
The scores on the totals table have been averaged from the individual judges tables, and rounded up to one decimal.
I do have a great sad I had to take of points from nearly all entries for not uploading the pictures to this thread as asked. Maybe you missed the rule, or it was unclear. But I poked about it after I noticed some people had done so, and since you didn't edit your entries in time to attach the pictures, the scores hold. But it would have been a lot more even competition if you had done so... :/
Code:
Formula for pics scores
10 points minus 3 points (front,back,floorplan(s)) minus exceeding amount of allowed inline images
I have also asked judges to write little comments on each entry, so here they are:
Comments for Villa Omorfi
Your hotel looks like a really fun place to spend a holiday in! You also put a lot of thought and effort on your description. Some of the pictures are very small, so I had to really squint my eyes to see better. But all in all your entry is very nice!
I must say that I liked your idea. I love your lot poster, it sure gave a good advertisement of your lot. With the country side and the sea, thats a sure bet for family vacation.You sure did give a vivid description of your lot and that was encouraging.Though your images were good, taking images that shows your work closer but not from a fad distance would be good for a next time.
There was clearly a lot of effort put into the lot conceptually, it's planned out well and everything seems purposeful. The description is the most detailed of all the entrants. It’s clear that the terrain painting and sculpting is purposeful, but the execution is a bit amateurish. I admire the use of CFE and the use of the Fog Emitters- although it isn't grand and spectacular; it is very good for someone who is new to the concept. It's a little hard to see just -what Sims might experience! The photos of amenities are mostly from top-down angles and quite a bit small. All and all, it's a very good effort.
Comments for The Spanish Steps
Looks like you put a lot of effort on your ad picture, great! The lot is in general very well executed, though I wonder how a family of sims would spend their holiday in there, as it seems more of a place to go just for a day or a couple of hours. Very nice work with the fountains!
I love your creative idea. The park and the hotel looked wonderful. I had expected to see more of the terrain editing in the park. Regardless you had 2 beautiful entries.Your two information poster that advertised your lots are just spectacular. I love and love both. I love the garden in the hotel.
Although there is very little text description and the terrain is mostly flat, this lot if just straight up pretty. There's a lot of drab gray, but the focal points are all just gorgeous. I -love- the hanging garden over the bistro tables. It's clearly meant to go in the middle of a city, but it is stuffed with multi-color plants. It seems as though a visit to the Spanish Steps would be a pretty short one- It's not a place you'd sleep overnight, but it does look like a destination to visit whilst on vacation.
Comments for Fredvang Resort
Again a very nice ad picture! This entry is a lot more suitable for a place to spend a holiday in - I can see sims having fun in there for weeks if they just want so. All in all a nicely made lot, with lots of little details.
I love your creative idea. The park and the hotel looked wonderful. I had expected to see more of the terrain editing in the park. Regardless you had 2 beautiful entries.Your two information poster that advertised your lots are just spectacular. I love and love both. I love the garden in the hotel.
Again there's little text description and a small pockets of beauty surrounded by drab gray. It seems cozy- but at the same time has quite a bit of luxury like the in-pool bar, the fountains and the sitting areas. What it lacks in cfe tricks, it makes up for in pockets of prettiness. It makes some damn fine photos, and that is a pretty good tourist draw.
Comments for Mistlemire Hall
Wow, you really went big! This is a great place for sims to spend a holiday in. The lot is also very well presented, and you read the rules about the post too! There is so much to see, I'm sure the sims will be thrilled to spend their holiday on your lot.
Your mansion looks WOW and I had expected to see a very good advertisement poster. You have a great introduction with the under letter, if those were in colour rather than the black and white, it would have been awesome. I must say, I love your landscaping, although I had expected to see more of terrain painting there.The interior is just wonderful. While I enjoyed this, I was a bit confused to which category of the theme your lot falls into. Despite that you did a great job.
WOW. It's such an impressive structure and the heavy use of CAST and CFE is refreshing. (Although the interior is a tad monotone.) The ad concept is great (a letter written to a good friend along with black and white photographs? that seems pretty compelling to me.) I really appreciate that objects are placed off-grid and that rugs are skewed just so. It looks much more natural, although it is a little haphazard for a lush estate. The staff seems to be a bit lazy in that respect But all and all, it's enormous, well planned, well executed, and just all around grand.
Comments for Roadside Kitsch Stop
I know you had to rush with your post, otherwise you would have probably scored a lot higher. The lot is beautiful, and so full of fun things for sims. You have put a lot effort in the build, layout and landscaping. Good job!
What can I say, Firstly your advert image is gorgeous. I love the whole concept of your Kitsch stop and your advert slogan will surly bring visitors in. I love Your terrain painting combined with its landscaping. Its just too extra beautiful.
This place is abso-freaking-louty adorable. Out of all the entries, it's the place I'd most want to visit. I'm sad that I had to remove points for not having the photos uploaded to the thread itself. There's so much detail in the sculpting, painting, CFE and for emitters. It's not the most grand or elaborate adventurous vacation spot, but it's not meant to be. It's that rest stop on the highway you can't help but stop to explore. Butterflies, fireflies, lobsters, pigeons, a giant rusted out dinosaur, a giant lumberjack and some pretty places to lounge by the lake- I'm sold.
General notes from judges
Great job with your entries everyone!
I must say everyone did a very good job. Apart from the essence of a good contest, this was also a test on following instructions. I know that sometimes we get a bit confused about certain things, but it would not hurt to ask about it. Thank you all for participating and it was an honour and a privilege in judging your entries.
I am really sad I had to remove points from all the entries except Mistlemire Hall for not uploading the photos to the thread itself. If I had to pick a favorite, it would be The Roadside Kitsch Stop all the way.
And here is the WINNER!
Who won + my greetings
I want to congratulate cutsocks for winning this contest!
Please poke me by my name/nick in the chat for your prize once you know what you want me to make for you. I am online practically 24/7, though I do sleep at times.
I will see if you have beeped me by nick/name, and will get back to you as soon as I see the message. But I prefer the chat over site PM's, as it is so much easier to discuss stuff real time.
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Finally, I hope you guys had fun with this little contest! Who knows, maybe I'll make another one in the future, if I come up with some ideas.
Congratulations to all that participated. Armiel thanks for hosting. So I want 12 Houses with plenty of Boobies and Bacon. ASP Hahahahaha It was really fun And a big congratulations to cutsocks for winning. Happy simming all
Thank you for hosting this competition, Armiel, I really enjoyed taking part as well as looking at the other beautiful entries - i would love to take my Sims families to Roadside Kitsch Stop as well as my real family
I will try better next time! I did expect to have the lowest score, and if I hadn't already posted when I saw the other entries, would not have had the nerve to post mine - I absolutely agree that it is amateurish and that some of the photos are too small. My homework is to make that better
I hope other people reading this who thought about taking part but decided they couldn't compete with Volvenom's, cutsocks' and Playinsafe's entries will try another time. This is the second Sims competition I've entered, and if I can do it, you can too!
I'll say it again, this was a really fun contest with really awesome lots!
Thank you for hosting and for the wonderful inspiration, armiel.
And thank you to the judges for your time and feedback.
I regret not having a card or PC that could keep up with my endeavor.
I do wish that I could have pulled some wizardry on my graphics for some really great pics of the lot. Soon... very soon.
Congratulations, cutsocks!
When I saw your lot, I said holy shiiiii* So very impressive!
ETA:Armi- I was so tickled to see you come out of retirement, even if it's just a tad. :D
This contest was lots of fun, so thank you very much Armi and the judges!
I really had very different plans when I started out, and only after the contest is over do i feel comfortable sharing, without putting the idea of what "could have been" in the minds of the judges. I have a way of trying to put my own creative spin on things, and I was hung up on the concept of the "ad" and the use of the fog emitter. The initial idea still involved the gilded age mansion, but it was to be in ruins (sorta like Lynnewood is or Whitemarsh was before it was demolished). My ad was actually going to be like a book cover. "Mystery of the Gilded Ruins" or something, like a Hardy Boys or Nancy Drew book, with a blurb on the backside that said something about going to summer camp and exploring the nearby abandoned mansion. There was to be fog emitters galore, weird lights and bug and fog and everything. So I built the shell of the mansion normally, and worked out the layout of the rooms, BUT... my efforts to ruin the mansion with more CFE did not go well. I was really way too much for me, too complex, and I got frustrated very quickly, and was having no fun at all doing it. So it got the normal, non-ruined treatment (after i got back from family) and a letter as an invitation with included photos for an ad. And of course, the super lame sauna fog emitter. :/ The other "additional" lot was far more important with the ruins concept. Oh well.
Of course, my idea of a vacation is to look at buildings or art or just exploring. I could care less about relaxing, I do that enough everyday when I watch TV. :P
However, I thought the other entries were fantastic. I was pretty sure I wasn't gonna do well since I did not make a resort or hotel or camp or lodge or entertainment type lot. My skewed ideas usually barely fit within the general concepts for most contests I enter... :/ And when Armi pointed out the picture upload thingie, I kept praying that everyone would get all the pics done right... (I read over the rules about a hundred times while preparing my most, 'cause I'm paranoid like that, and didn't actually pay attention to the upload requirement until about the 60th time myself...)
Volvenom's Spanish Steps, I think, is my favorite. The fountain looks amazing. I love the pinks and purples, and the fact that it reminds me of Guell Park in Barcelona didn't hurt. (Was only slightly disappointed it was not THE Spanish Steps in Rome, but that's okay. :P )
The Roadside Kitsch Stop is so cute and so well CASTed and decorated. It should have won. Fit everything perfectly, 'cept the photos... Playinsafe will definitely learn to read/understand rules better from now on, I believe.
Villa Omorfi was also well done, including about everything a family could ask for in a vacation spot. I like the the touch of having a workshop/garage for "dads" or whomever to keep occupied. In terms of gameplay thinking, I don't think there's a reason for Sims to leave the lot!