Building a community garden/park

[Janna]

I was doing some searching about building a community garden.  I want to build one that has some fruit trees, some veggies, butterflies and maybe other critters.

I have found a couple of older threads, but want to clarify some things and check on others.

To have plants that produce fruit and veggies, I have to first have it as a residential lot and grow the plants to the level I want, from very nice to perfect if I want them to be more than normal.  Then, evict my sim and turn it into a community lot.

I can use the buyDebug to get spawners for my garden/park if I want butterflies and such.   

If I want to have a pond with fish I have to catch and stock it with the fish I want (10 or more for them to spawn more fish).  Can I use the buyDebug to get the fish?

After turning it into a community garden, I can still pick the fruit and veggies, and they will continue to reproduce, not die out as if they are on a residential lot. 

I don't have to weed, water or tend them in any manner, just enjoy the garden/park along with the other sims in the town.

Can I save a garden from another game into my library and then place it in a lot in other games, new and old ones?
 

So, where am I right and wrong, and have I missed anything?


 
 

[Frey]

You can have plants, fish and butterflies directly from Buydebug. Plants will be Normal quality though, so if you want them to be perfect you will have to make a Sim grow them in a residential lot first. Plants won't die after you turn the lot into a community lot and you won't have to water them or weed them or fertilize them, they kind of get taken care of "magically" LOL.

About placing the lot in other worlds, my guess would be yes - It should work like any other lot saved to your library.

Hope this helps 

[Tealeaf]

I'm going to intersperse my answers in with this list of questions, turning the original into italics.  I hope the formatting isn't too hideous.


To have plants that produce fruit and veggies, I have to first have it as a residential lot and grow the plants to the level I want, from very nice to perfect if I want them to be more than normal.  Then, evict my sim and turn it into a community lot.

Correct.  The plants are in buydebug also, but they won't be perfect level.  But you can use them if you don't want to hunt for seeds.

I can use the buyDebug to get spawners for my garden/park if I want butterflies and such. 

Correct

If I want to have a pond with fish I have to catch and stock it with the fish I want (10 or more for them to spawn more fish).  Can I use the buyDebug to get the fish?

Fishing Spawners are in buydebug.

After turning it into a community garden, I can still pick the fruit and veggies, and they will continue to reproduce, not die out as if they are on a residential lot. 

Yes.  All except for deathflowers, which will die if harvested.

I don't have to weed, water or tend them in any manner, just enjoy the garden/park along with the other sims in the town.

Correct.  You don't even need to add automatic sprinklers, though you certainly can do so fo effect if you wish too.

Can I save a garden from another game into my library and then place it in a lot in other games, new and old ones?

Yes.  Heck, you can also upload the lot here to the swap shop section of the forum to share, and to have a copy of it you can download for yourself in case your computer should go kaput for some terrible reason.

So, where am I right and wrong, and have I missed anything?

Many of your questions center around the buydebug spawner list.  Perhaps you'll find this link by Naga helpful.

http://www.carls-sims-3-guide.com/forum/index.php?topic=3357.0

Hope this helps.

[doriankelley]

You can still cheat, of course, such as using static needs with testingcheatsenabled true and reading your way through to level 10 gardening, before toiling day or night without sweat. Another obvious one is obtaining any plants not available at the grocery store through buydebug.

I am not aware if the lifetime happiness cheat is still active, but it works like this (this is a testingcheatsenabled true cheat); Go to the lifetime happiness rewards tab, then control click in the area around the treasure chest icon. The game should be speed 1 to do this, or it may appear to not be working. Each click will give your Sim an additional 500 lifetime happiness points. Get the Green Thumb reward.

However, cheating will never be as satisfying as having your sim build a community garden through legitimate gameplay and hardwork. I reccommend that you have at least two sims to help you with this endeavor, cheats or fair play.

The design of the lot is important too; check for accessibility, functionality (shower, toddler and entertainment facilities are advised) and that you find it aesthetically pleasing (and if your sims do too, that's a plus).

If you have World Adventures then remember to get all the foreign plants, it's a real time saver for nectar making. In fact, building the lot as a nectary is always fun too. Sticking valuable or otherwise important fish in a pond is a useful extra.

[Janna]

Thanks for the link, it will be  help when I create my park.

 I have built a couple of parks, definately not worth writing home about, but good practice.
In AP I build Heritage Park, I put an octagon in the center, leaving one section open with a small fountain in the center,  one side a chess table, a bench on another and a juice bar at the entrance.  Some flowers on the outside with a couple benches against the walls and a couple of small tables for sitting at and having a drink.  At one end restrooms with a couple of ornamental trees and some flowers, with two stalls each side.  Put in one corner a grill with a picnic table. 
It wasn't great but I would check from time to time and there would be sims there even when my sim family wasn't. 

I created a hangout in RV; if my memory is correct on the layout, it has a building with three of the foosetables in one corner,  further down are two chess tables then a small dance area. Between the chess table and dance area is a door that leds outside to a grill and three small tables.   On other corner two juicer bars and  two or three small tables with two chairs.  Past that are the restooms. 
I had put in a play area but no kids were ever brought; so I changed it to the dance area, which does attract sims. But, no fruit trees, veggies or anything else as I am not sure how to add them.   

I want to build a park that has some fruit trees and some veggie plants, not all just a few.   A small pond that has fish and some flower bushes with butterlies and some bettles, or such.  Definitely restrooms, a chess table and a couple of small tables sims can sit at and read or enjoy a drink from the juice bar.   Add a picnic basket or two if I can, and hopefully I can make it nice looking as well as functional. 
I'm hoping I can find a lot big enough to have that and a small play area, swing, slide or tower although I am not sure if any kids will show up.  Only adults show up at the hangout that I have built. 

[Tealeaf]

I think that how you designate the community lot affects what type of sims will show up.  If you lable something a dive bar, for example, kids won't show up even if the place is all outside and there are slides and swings.  If you call something a park, though, then kids will show up even if you have a dance floor and bar set up.

So, if I understand your goal correctly, this is what I would do in your shoes.  Buy a blank residental lot any size, but from what you are describing I think 30 x 30 or thereabouts would do it.  Build a shack with the essensials for a sim to live in, and do whatever landscaping you have in mind.  Put in the spawners and plants you want with buydebug, and then have your sim tend the garden till you have perfect plants.  I don't remember if you can buy picnic baskets for a comnmunity plot, so you might want to buy some while your sim still lives there.  Evict the sim, make the plot a small or large park, then go into buy mode to add whatever play equipement and other items you want.  Either convert the shack into bathrooms, or just demolish and start fresh.

I hope I'm answering what you're actually wanting to know.  Sorry if I misunderstood.

[Janna]

Tealeaf,

That is pretty much what I want.  I was thinking that I would have to have a couple of sims grow a garden if I want the better quality of veggie and fruits.  Also be able to put in some life and/or flame fruit. 

So, a lot with a pond that has some fish and a willow tree, a pomogrante and plum tree around it with some flowers and butterflies.  Garlic, bell peppers, watermelon, life fruit and flame fruit and some grapes from France are in a U shape bordered with some flowers and some chairs in the center to sit and relax in with a juice bar maybe.  Small fountain with a fruit tree or two, a couple of recliner chairs and a chess table.   Set a swing and tower for kids near the restrooms which are divided by a cherry tree amd another flower bush that has a butterfly and some other type of insect 
Now if I can just get it to look pretty. 

[Zyffyr]

If you make the sims needs static, you can probably skip the shack.

[Tealeaf]

Janna, I'm glad I was able to help.  And Zyffyr is correct about the static needs.  I almost never use that option, so I clean forgot about it.  Anyways, I hope your project turns out to your liking!

[Janna]

Couple more questions,

If I build on a small lot, say a 25 x 30,  and save it to be used later, can I put it onto a bigger lot?   I  know that when you move a lot it goes into the middle of the new lot, no matter what size (has to be same size or bigger).  I've moved lots before but never one with plants on it, so am not sure what will happen if I save the lot and then put it onto a larger lot.  I'm figuring it will still go into the middle, but not sure.

I figure if I put a nice fence around it it will help to keep the wild animals (horses, deer) from eating the veggies.  didn't put one around a yard I had in one of my games and the deer ate the three death flower and the flame plants.

[MrsFlynn]

Hi Janna,

Little tip from me, when your building your community garden/park... Yes, put a fence around it. But don't forget to lock the gate to lock out pets. As yes those wild animals will eat your harvestables!!  I took photos of a dear eating an onion plant in my community garden. It was the first time I saw that.  I remedied that by editing the lot and locking the gate.

Good luck with your build!!

MrsFlynn

[Tealeaf]

I've been kinda of playing around with a community/garden park myself, but with multiple underground levels forming an entertainment complex.  It does seem like a fun idea to play around with!

[Janna]

I need a couple of more questions answered, please.

 I have pretty much finished the park, just need to fix some "bugs" (no pun intended) that I find as my sims and others visit.   
I built the fence and decided, not using my head, to not lock them against pets.  I was going that at other times when I had a garden I hadn't had to worry about locking them, a fence seemed to keep the deer and wild horses out.

Wrong !  It may keep the deer out (I hope!), but the wild horses are having a nice free meal of my veggies.  Which are grapes (three french ones), garlic, life and flame fruit, onions, bell peppers and watermelon; rounding it out with lime, cherry, plum and pomagrante trees.  I haven't put any fish in yet, not sure if I am going to, wanted fruits and veggies more than fish, put in a spawner of a butterfly and a bird; I plan to add other insects later.   

How can I lock the gates?  I need to keep those horses out, not only because they are eating the veggies, but they are a pain in the rear with their contant rearing up and whinning.

Other question -- how can I retrieve the park from my library?  I have saved it to library and am wanting, when I have it totally finished, to add it to other games in RV.  I am finding the families that I have played, but don't see the park. 

[MrsFlynn]

Hi Janna,

Take your sim person, click on the gate, and then select lock for pets - I beleive it is, or it's something along those lines. To retrieve your park from your library - go to your community lots tab, find it in the list and either place it where you want it, or if you want to save it click on it and "Share"

MrsFlynn