My Sims 3 Arden Villa/FLAG HQ recreation is done... sort of

[manlai]

So I set out a while ago to recreate the Arden Villa in my Sims 3 game. Just to be a little random, I decided to put the KITTcave in the garage. I followed the dimensions and general floorplan about as closely as I could but had to make some changes due to some limitations in the game. I moved the garage to the other end of the estate because otherwise it'd be blocking views of the front of the house. I also had to eliminate the gazebo and some of the shrubery in the backyard due to lot size restrictions. To be honest, when all was said and done, it doesn't look much like the Villa we know and love.

I'll probably upload it for sharing after I mull over a few other changes in case any KR (or Arden Villa) fans play Sims 3. Here are some screens:

Rear View game


Rear view actual


Front view game


Front view actual


Pool view game


Pool view actual

[manlai]

The rest of the pics are in my photobucket album. They include some interior screens.

http://s253.photobucket.com/albums/hh46 ... FLAG%20HQ/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Dr. Graiman]

AMAZING

[manlai]

Thanks, here's the link on the sims 3 exchange:

http://www.thesims3.com/assetDetail.htm ... Id=1182937" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Bandit778]

Anyway you could upload it to modthesims.com? for some reason the exchange gives me fits so I use modthesims and they all work fine.

[manlai]

Suuure, trouble with exchange I'll get to that in the next couple of days. In the meantime, my profile on exchange has the original KR team as a household (hard to get them to look like them though) and a depreciated version of the Arden Villa for better affordability along with some minor tweaks. I also made a "KITT Happens" (great for T shirts) plain pattern that I'll upload later.

Note, the houses I uploaded to the exchange are minus the KITTcave I built in the garage since it's obscenely expensive with it from being loaded with many flat screens and the premium sports car. Instead I just gave the garage its 3 car spaces back.

You can access my profile from the previous link or my profile name is the same as here.

[manlai]

geez MTS is such a pain in the butt with all the submission requirements. I understand the need for standards but they border on OCD. It'll take me a lot longer than I initially thought, bear with me. I'll start working on it when I get home later.

[manlai]

version 2.0 is done. Added the smoke stacks to the left of the house (reflected in the ss) and the little windows on the roof in the front - although I had to trick it to do that by putting chimneys on the attic level because there were no chimneys shown in the real house photos. Fixed the short smoke stack issue as seen in the pool view. An almost total overhaul of the roof to more closely resemble the original. Found a good terrain paint for the driveway and so I was able to delete the crappy stone tiles in v1.0. I think the red brick driveway looks great now and makes the house brick color choice even better.

It is up on exchange already in my profile: http://www.thesims3.com/mypage/manlai" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I've submitted it to MTS as well. They're "reviewing it." If they reject it, I'll upload the zip somewhere and anyone not wanting to go through exchange for one reason or another can get it there.

[manlai]

hah, I just got a message from MTS saying they rejected my Villa submission because "it looks nothing like the house that is pictured" and because 1 screenshot with gridlines on it out of the 7 I submitted (I wanted to upload one screen that had the lot values on it; the other screens were compliant). That issue is of little consequence, mostly ridiculous, and a pain in the butt but at least I know where the issue is. As for the first issue, I know it doesn't look a ton like the actual house and made some creative departures. But for the post to be rejected on those grounds is being extremely pretentious to say it kindest. I did what I could with the limited external shots available.

I'm always happy about tweaking the house and taking input about improvements but I refuse to jump through hoops for the MTS people. They don't say where the recreation falls short and I'm just not going to put in more time and effort guessing at what THEY want.

Anyway, sorry for ranting but I'm not uploading to MTS again. v2.0 looks just like the front view pic in the first post. The zip is at http://home.att.net/~manlai/AVDv2.zip" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I'm currently working on v2.1 - looking for a new paint job and working on a new slightly difference front entry. I could use some input. Here are some colors I'm considering (any input on a different color not shown would be appreciated as well):

This is that yellowish color that the house is currently painted in:


This is that brownish that I think was more like during the show's run:


This is dark red, just something I was playing around with:

[Tex 67]

very good job i like it a lot but was also wondering if maybe anybody had considerd maqkeing Robin's Nest from Magnum P.I.

[manlai]

I'll make Robin's Nest my next project. It's kind of a weird estate and I want to get away from using 60x60 lots so that more people will download and use it. I haven't quite decided yet. I guess I can build the main house on a smaller lot and then place a copy on the big lot and add in the guest house + the other touches. Stay tuned.

I'll also been releasing v2.5 of the Villa soon. I put some flowers on the back windows just like the real estate and added a garden hidden underneath the trees in the back for practical use purposes. There's new paint and a slightly new entryway as well. It's done, I just need to fix a couple of nicnacks and upload it to my webspace. I'll post a new link soon.

[Tex 67]

Thnks for the update cant wait to see what u come up with for robins nest I know it will be cool becasue of ur work on the FLAG HQ good luck on it and keep on doing what u do.