New Store World: Aurora Skies

[bubbles]

I really love the shape of the school! It looks much more like the primary schools (Schools for 4-11 year olds) that you would find in the United Kingdom rather than the 2-4 story ones that somehow remind me of the French schools my year 6 (10-11 year olds) French teacher showed us. I really like the look of things! If only could afford to buy the points. I have too many things to buy with £99.

[callycat]

I really love the shape of the school! It looks much more like the primary schools (Schools for 4-11 year olds) that you would find in the United Kingdom rather than the 2-4 story ones that somehow remind me of the French schools my year 6 (10-11 year olds) French teacher showed us. I really like the look of things! If only could afford to buy the points. I have too many things to buy with £99.

I think you might have miscalculated the exchange rate there!

[bubbles]

I really love the shape of the school! It looks much more like the primary schools (Schools for 4-11 year olds) that you would find in the United Kingdom rather than the 2-4 story ones that somehow remind me of the French schools my year 6 (10-11 year olds) French teacher showed us. I really like the look of things! If only could afford to buy the points. I have too many things to buy with £99.

I think you might have miscalculated the exchange rate there!

 
The £99 isn't just for simpoints. I have a laptop case to buy, more Sims games, a watch and Harry Potter DVD's that I really want. I have £99 in my money box.

Sorry to be off-topic.

[Shadowkeepernoir]

Aurora Skies is my favorite town to play in. Growing up in California, it didn't occur to me the houses were too close together *giggles*. I like the sleek modern styling, there are a couple of the stock houses I really like and it works well for my Bauhaus inspired architectural designs (which look completely out of sorts in the other towns) not to mention the small influx of modern styled furnishings to put in it. I like the darker landscaping with the brightly colored homes and the corrugated steel looking roofs. I like the new patterns that were included as well as the new spiral staircase and baby gate.

I haven't attempted to do a legacy or long term story progression there yet because of the inability to buy and renovate properties (specifically the graveyard. I believe it's some kind of glitch, short of deleting the property, the lot, and replacing the whole shebang it will crash on every save. Not realistic or legal for a legacy or dynasty). Also  the salon is super dark inside, makes it a bit wonky especially if you have a Sim in the stylist career (the portfolio shots come out almost black), though other similar properties like the cafe, art museum or toddler center are beautifully lit. Because I purchased the gold version, I have the toddler center, playpen, and walker. I experienced (and fixed) one of the strangest glitches I've seen, it happened with the walker, I left my toddler roaming in it while I followed  my matron to the market. The the camera bounced back to the house for the birthday (oops bad watcher), the aunt picked up the kid and the walker came too, no matter what I did the walker was part of the kid. I ended up waiting till the next day (when the kid could leave the lot) and resetting the sim through the console. Voile la kid and walker separated,  it was the oddest looking thing this tiny toddler body with a giant kid head, making toddler motions in a walker. Even with the couple of issues I've had , AS is my favorite.

[grimsoul]

I was looking around this town today placing some buildings when I found this lot. In edit town mode it showed it as a vacant house but instead of a house there is nothing but furniture on it.
Is everyone's like this or just a strange bug for me?



It's located near the Stadium and Military Base.

[Turoskel]

Did you move or delete a junkyard there at all? if so the spawners might have got left on the lot as it looks like the kind of furniture junkyards spawn.

I've had my junkyard spawn perfect furniture before instead of broken, no idea why, a glitch I guess.

I've not played in this town much since I bought it so can't remember what was on that lot if anything.

EDIT: afterthought, perhaps go into edit town and buy on that lot then turn buydebug on, it should show any spawners there.

[Saturn]

Here are the pics as promised:

The only originally placed building here is the military/police.  I moved the gym across the street so it is close to the military/police and the stadium.  Then I added my builds of a sports bar, (Score!, red building), a remodeled casino which is now a live venue as well as casino, and an updated Pink Flamingo dance club, (white building, blue roof).  You can see I lightened the walk ways on the military and gym but did no other remodel on them as yet.

You're doing a wonderful job so far!! 

I have gone through and remodeled most of the houses to all have hot air balloons AND horse stables.  These are my remodels:

[grimsoul]

Did you move or delete a junkyard there at all? if so the spawners might have got left on the lot as it looks like the kind of furniture junkyards spawn.

I've had my junkyard spawn perfect furniture before instead of broken, no idea why, a glitch I guess.

I've not played in this town much since I bought it so can't remember what was on that lot if anything.

EDIT: afterthought, perhaps go into edit town and buy on that lot then turn buydebug on, it should show any spawners there.

No, There was never a junkyard there and no spawners. I did just try starting a new game and the lot was just a vacant lot. So I guess it was just some weird bug in that game.

[Joria]

@ Saturn:  Lovely remodels!!  I never thought of putting hot air balloons on the houses/lots.  Great idea.  I recently actually used a hot air balloon and the only disappointing part was when you chose to fly to a destination you just pop there and don't get to see the flight at all.

@ grimsoul:  I've had lots in other towns that spawn furniture as well.  I built a small lot to house the Arboretum in Sunset Valley and it spawned quite a selection.  It was interesting because townies then came them even more frequently and would sit in the arm chairs and use the juice bar.  Quite a party!   My first thought was maybe there had been a junkyard there but I don't think so, not where I placed that lot.

[empow14]

Well thanks to all the people who say they don't like the colourful little lego houses - I happen to live in one! Also, I've seen the Aurora Borealis (which we call "polar lights" by the way) quite a few times already, so it seems only fair to have such a town in The Sims. The towns I have to play in (Sunset Valley and Appaloosa Plains) always reminded my of the movie-like north-american suburb. So I'd love to have something that reflects more my own experience of living

[Joria]

Well thanks to all the people who say they don't like the colourful little lego houses - I happen to live in one! Also, I've seen the Aurora Borealis (which we call "polar lights" by the way) quite a few times already, so it seems only fair to have such a town in The Sims. The towns I have to play in (Sunset Valley and Appaloosa Plains) always reminded my of the movie-like north-american suburb. So I'd love to have something that reflects more my own experience of living

I for one love them.  (Houses that is)  We call the Aurora Borealis the Northern Lights.  I don't live far enough north to see them, although I did see them once or twice.  Amazing and beautiful!  However, I've yet to see them in Aurora Skies.  I keep looking but all I get are some pink toned clouds.

 My only issue with Aurora Skies is it is so very dark all the time.  I've surrounded my house with lights but it doesn't matter, still way too dark and that at noon.  Is it like that in RL where you live?

[Janna]

I am one of those who see them as "lego" houses.  We just had a new roof put on, we chose a deep brown wih red and black flakes.  A big difference from those who live with the bright coior roofs or houses. Where we are raised affects our perception of other environments.  Just as with empow14, who lives in an area that has the bright houses or roofs. 

I am sure she would see my house's roof as dull and that would be okay.  We had a new roof put on, dark brown with red and black specks; 99% of the roofs here have similar dark colors.  The other 1% is light greys and browns.  Houses have siddings or bricks in creamy colors or dark colors of browns, yellows (soft, not bright). The brightness here is in plants, trees that have bright leaves and flowers in spring and summer; bright blue, yellow, red, orange and purple colors line sidewalks, around the houses or inside the homes.  I have a bright yellow kitchen, tangerine color in the study (sounds weird, but it really looks nice), warm topaz in bedroom,  and we can't agree in the colors for the family and front rooms. 
Those who live in setting such as AS would see my home area as dull, depressing for them, for me it is warm, welcoming. 

I live in a somwhat country setting, my home (as many others) is 35 ft from the road.   The closeness in AS is unatural to me.  I keep picturing my granddaughter dashing out of the house straight into the path of a car driving by "shudders". 

I am glad for those who live and like that type of homes, but for me it is just doesn't feel "right" I am boxed in, trapped. 

I think for me another reason where I have seen AS in a negative manner is that I suffer from SAD, which is seasonal affective disorder.  Lack of sunlght causes me to become depressed.  My home enviorment is a blenidng of MF and Riverview, which many see as depressing,  I see it as soft, welcoming, the bright blue sky with the bright sun, the lights reflecting off the river, with rainbows after rain, trees with bright green leaves and a wide variety of colors in the fall.   Hills, hills and more hills with rock cliffs tossed in here and there.

I don't want cookie cutter worlds, but for me, AS is depressing but for many others they like it; for many, MF is depressing and to me it is home.  Ironic, I tried last night to again do a game in AS; just can't, too much of a dark, closed in feeling.

I'm not trying to offend anyone who lives in such a setting and prefer it I just am hoping they can understand why I see it in such a negative light. 

[Joria]

@ Janna:  I live in Oregon where rain or grey skies is the norm for at least 9 months of the year.  I too have SAD so it's difficult to keep your spirits up when all seems doom and gloom on the outside.  I wouldn't leave Oregon for anything, (except maybe Hawaii!), and I definitely wouldn't live farther north where you have semi-darkness for half the year.  So I totally understand where you are coming from.

Because of those issues, I felt AS would be horrid, and bright roofs and buildings just wouldn't hack it for me.  For me, I absolutely cannot play in BP because that is the epitome of depressing.  Not only dark and grey with looming big city buildings, all of which are nasty and dirty looking, but because MY city, Portland, is just not at all like that and it really offends me that they made the entire city look so grungy.  Still, there are others who love BP.  I thought AS would be the same.  One more place I couldn't play in.  The saving grace was those bright houses and the knowledge that people who live in those lands often use really bright patterns and embroidery on their clothing and linens.  Absolutely lovely! So I was determined to make AS my own.  It's Sims after all, you can pretty much do what you want with it.

It still was too dark, and I admit, I have a hard time with the dark, ugly, spots on the ground and all the rocky paths and alleys.  However, there are things you can do with a place like that that you can't do in BP.  You can replace a lot of the darker grass with lighter grass, you can add flowers and trees and buildings of your own, you can recolor the paths to a much lighter and reflective stone color and much more.  Since I didn't want to lose the chance to use those hot springs and the aurora,  that is exactly what I did!  Because there are just smaller, closer together houses, there wasn't that sense of things looming over you that I get in BP.  It is a perfect place for ultra modern houses but also for quaint, country houses as well. 

It is a challenge for me because I use pastels pretty much everywhere I build, and this is not a really good area for pastels.  I also never make modern style or minimalist houses.  I just really suck at them!  So here is where I will learn to do modern and use bright, crayon colors for the first time.  Love it!

[empow14]

I for one love them.  (Houses that is)  We call the Aurora Borealis the Northern Lights.  I don't live far enough north to see them, although I did see them once or twice.  Amazing and beautiful!  However, I've yet to see them in Aurora Skies.  I keep looking but all I get are some pink toned clouds.

 My only issue with Aurora Skies is it is so very dark all the time.  I've surrounded my house with lights but it doesn't matter, still way too dark and that at noon.  Is it like that in RL where you live?

Well, in the polar circles things are a little weird: During winter, the night lasts all day (i.e. the sun doesn't rise). That doesn't mean it's totally dark all the time, but there's no daylight, only twilight during the day. This is called the polar night. The more south you go, the less extreme it gets (where I live, it's only mild).

However, during summer, we get the other extreme: It never gets night, there's daylight 24 hours a day. This is called midnight sun, or polar day.

For people with SAD this must be terrible to live here, I realize that. But for me, it's my home and I think it's gorgeous

So, maybe they made Aurora Skies as if it were the polar night? It didn't look so dark to me on the screenshots, though.

[Janna]

empow14 stated   "So, maybe they made Aurora Skies as if it were the polar night? It didn't look so dark to me on the screenshots, though. "

I wonder if they wanted to do a mild version of it?  If they had had it as dark as it would be in reality, it wouldn't have shown up.  Too dark to see what is around, my guess.  This way, they can give the impression of polar nights yet have some light to make it easier to navigate and more acceptable to those who are not used to being without sunlight. 

It is that lack of sunlight that I think affects me the most in my perception of AS.  MV, I like that town, lots and lots of sunlight.