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Field Researcher
Original Poster
#1 Old 19th Apr 2022 at 3:32 PM
Default Rebuilding Sunset Valley
I decided to take on the challenge of rebuilding Sunset Valley to better reflect the changes the game has gone through with my various expansion packs. I started by removing all the houses, misplaced community lots, and even a couple of community lots I felt like couldn't be salvaged.

But now that I'm working with an almost-blank slate, I feel overwhelmed with choices. What style of houses should I put in? What kind of characters do I populate this town with?

Can I get some advice?
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Mad Poster
#2 Old 19th Apr 2022 at 9:49 PM
This is totally up to you. That is why people like Sims. To play as a sandbox that they can control. Pick a theme you like and go for it. And if you build a lot or two/few and change your mind you can start over. I have started worlds over in CAW too many times to count. Try something and if you like keep going. If not, try another direction.
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retired moderator
#3 Old 19th Apr 2022 at 10:17 PM
What I always do when designing a world is to look at google images to get ideas. For example, if you want to make a desert town, google that and see what pictures come up to get some inspiration. I always save my favourite pictures in a folder, that I can then refer to whilst building.
Field Researcher
Original Poster
#4 Old 14th May 2022 at 4:49 AM
So as of a week ago, I am now in possession of the complete Sims 3 collection (minus Katy Perry's Sweet Treats, but I'm not complaining) through an exclusive sale via Steam. And yet, after exploring the packs I didn't have in Origin, I go back to this challenge of Rebuilding Sunset Valley.

I once again seek advice about how to mold the Sims to my will, so to make this easier, let me lay out what I've observed.

Things I like about Sunset Valley:
-The "climate" of the town is so vague that you could allow just about anything to be planted or placed, and yet it would not look out of place.
-This town has far more lots than any other world in the game (At least I think) which allows for maximum creativity.
-The empty lots available are of various sizes, so any type of building can be placed.
-The Ghosts sims are visually identical to living sims, so there is no visual penalty should you choose to resurrect one of them.

Things I do not like about Sunset Valley:
-Because the Climate of the town is so vague, there is no overarching "Theme" to the place.
-The sim families present are boring and only have basegame traits.
-Pretty much all the basegame houses are decorated via create-a-pattern and make it hard to blend with other packs.
-Some lots are oddly-shaped, making it difficult to find a replacement.
Field Researcher
#5 Old 14th May 2022 at 11:15 PM
[QUOTE=stormcat3
Things I do not like about Sunset Valley:
-Because the Climate of the town is so vague, there is no overarching "Theme" to the place.
-The sim families present are boring and only have basegame traits.
-Pretty much all the basegame houses are decorated via create-a-pattern and make it hard to blend with other packs.
-Some lots are oddly-shaped, making it difficult to find a replacement.[/QUOTE]

EA didn't do much with making expansions backwards compatible (since they never could be sure which expansions a given player would own). Like from the world I was last playing, Moonlight Falls (Supernatural), there are several vampires with the vegetarian trait. However since EA didn't want to assume that you had Late Night, they didn't put any Plasma Fruit plants on their lots. They were slightly better putting in small touches if the expansions were being made around the same time as each other (Supernatural has familiars if you own Pets and Seasons has the weather stone if you have Supernatural for example) but in general the closest we get is the "when you go into a world for the first time, randomly throw bin lots down for lot types from later expansions".

They didn't do anything with leaving room open for stuff that would come from later packs because they didn't likely know what expansions the game would have, no less when they would come out. That comes into play with Sunset Valley as there were no expansions out at the time. So everything ends up generic.

As a note: specifically on the generic climate, you may want to check out NRaas' Tempest to allow you to change what the weather is like.

You need to decide- where do you want to take a remake? What would be fun for you personally? Do you like sending your sims out to public lots to spend time outdoors? Then make SV a small town with some fun outdoors lots (add a poolside lounge lot from Late Night and some of the outdoor activities from Generations/University to the beach). Want to focus on the raise a family aspect? Put in a daycare and plenty of toddler toys in the library. Skills? Add a research center at the Science rabbit hole lot stuffed with things from University and Into the Future- or even look into setting up a homeworld university via mods.

Unfortunately you may have to take your time playing through things to find what you personally like best.
Instructor
#6 Old 16th May 2022 at 4:20 AM
Quote: Originally posted by stormcat3
Things I like about Sunset Valley:
-The "climate" of the town is so vague that you could allow just about anything to be planted or placed, and yet it would not look out of place.
-This town has far more lots than any other world in the game (At least I think) which allows for maximum creativity.
-The empty lots available are of various sizes, so any type of building can be placed.
-The Ghosts sims are visually identical to living sims, so there is no visual penalty should you choose to resurrect one of them.

Things I do not like about Sunset Valley:
-Because the Climate of the town is so vague, there is no overarching "Theme" to the place.
-The sim families present are boring and only have basegame traits.
-Pretty much all the basegame houses are decorated via create-a-pattern and make it hard to blend with other packs.
-Some lots are oddly-shaped, making it difficult to find a replacement.


- Lucky Palms has the most empty lots as far as I know.
- Sunset Valley seems to be inspired by a southern state of USA. I'm not American so I'm not sure which one, so I think any climate is fine as long as it is not too extreme.
- the only pack that mostly blends with Sunset Valley is Ambition I think since the buy/build stuff is some colonial style, which suit well with most of Sunset Valley houses. Late Night stuff seems to do pretty well with the modern houses like Wolff, Koffi, Langerak, and Crumplebottom homes but then most of Late Night objects are celebrity theme and Sunset Valley is no home for celebrities.
- the households of Sunset Valley are fine but most of them look like they get along well. If you're looking for a good old drama, Twinbrook is the one you should play since there are family and neighbors feuds.
- I mostly rebuild and redecorate Sunset Valley close to Maxis style though I wish the downtown area had more lots for venues.

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Scholar
#7 Old 16th May 2022 at 2:17 PM
Depends on what kind of atmosphere, theme, or even climate you want to give it. Or overall what you personally think 'fits' with the place.
I'm filling in Industrial Island, and with the idea I have going, I am making a lot of small, not overly elaborate houses and lots. The houses most people live in are basically quickly-built container homes with basic amenities, there is no healthy vegetation, just using the brambles and scorched or creepy trees a lot. It doesn't look 'pretty' and the idea is that people are more survive-living there than really living and enjoying everything.
Mad Poster
#8 Old 16th May 2022 at 9:08 PM
Quote: Originally posted by legacyoffailures
- Lucky Palms has the most empty lots as far as I know.
- Sunset Valley seems to be inspired by a southern state of USA. I'm not American so I'm not sure which one, so I think any climate is fine as long as it is not too extreme.
- the only pack that mostly blends with Sunset Valley is Ambition I think since the buy/build stuff is some colonial style, which suit well with most of Sunset Valley houses. Late Night stuff seems to do pretty well with the modern houses like Wolff, Koffi, Langerak, and Crumplebottom homes but then most of Late Night objects are celebrity theme and Sunset Valley is no home for celebrities.
- the households of Sunset Valley are fine but most of them look like they get along well. If you're looking for a good old drama, Twinbrook is the one you should play since there are family and neighbors feuds.
- I mostly rebuild and redecorate Sunset Valley close to Maxis style though I wish the downtown area had more lots for venues.


Sunset Valley I believe is sort of generic USA-themed, but a lot of the worldbuilding is heavily California-inspired. I.e. the presence of palm trees, the Monterrey Cypresses, the puffy-looking fir trees.

Plus it has a rather coastal California geography, and parts of it are not dissimilar to the coastline south around Monterrey. I think if the terrain paint was desaturated, it would definitely start looking the part.

Quote: Originally posted by stormcat3
I decided to take on the challenge of rebuilding Sunset Valley to better reflect the changes the game has gone through with my various expansion packs. I started by removing all the houses, misplaced community lots, and even a couple of community lots I felt like couldn't be salvaged.

But now that I'm working with an almost-blank slate, I feel overwhelmed with choices. What style of houses should I put in? What kind of characters do I populate this town with?

Can I get some advice?

I think a strengthening of Sunset Valley's California themes would work really well.


There was this early piece of concept art:

https://simsvip.com/2014/03/10/sims...-concept-art-2/
Mad Poster
#9 Old 16th May 2022 at 10:20 PM
Love that photo. A bit Bodega Bay, Mendecino, No Ca coastline look to it. Do The Birds! Not really, but just do some theme you like. I read years ago about where SV was somewhat based but now have no idea where what was?
Mad Poster
#10 Old 17th May 2022 at 12:01 AM
Quote: Originally posted by daisylee
Love that photo. A bit Bodega Bay, Mendecino, No Ca coastline look to it. Do The Birds! Not really, but just do some theme you like. I read years ago about where SV was somewhat based but now have no idea where what was?


Definitely so, except that that a giant chunk of the Sierra Nevada is dropped right near the coastline! No surprise as Maxis was based in the San Fran area.
Instructor
#11 Old 17th May 2022 at 5:43 AM
I looks more like Maryland, Virginia coast to me, or even Cape Cod.
Test Subject
#12 Old 27th May 2022 at 12:32 AM
Here's an updated Sunset Valley for you: https://www.sunset-valley-2020.com/...world-downloads

There is also this updated version: https://www.thesims3.com/assetDetai...assetId=8434125
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