Create A World Released!

[mespunky]

Ahh, I'm happy again. Within the last week (no idea when) EA released their world tool thing. So run run run to the link below and download it for yourselves. I think it would be a perfect idea if we shared pics (if we can) of the towns we make!

http://www.thesims3.com/game/tools/world

[Pam]

Thanks for the link!  And welcome to our Forum!!  Let us know if you try this Create A World and what you think of it.

[mespunky]

yeah o did try it i think though that i will wait for people to share, personally I think it is difficult for me, anyways, thanks for the welcome, and your welcome for the link! XD

[Carl]

A new town could be cool, but I will wait to hear good things about playing the custom ones because I'd expect the tool to have to be really powerful to avoid bugs.

[gottogog]

According to EA, it was the one that the designers used to make sunset valley and riverview. I imagine the time it took was because they were making it more user friendly.

[RockinRobin]

I can't wait to try out the new Create-A-World! I'm going to work on it this weekend I think. My daughter wants me to make Norway, because that's where my ex-husband is from and so she's half Norwegian and goes there every summer to spend time with her family over there. I told her that would be a pretty country, so I might attempt to start working on it this weekend.

I need to do a little research first on what a quaint city in Norway looks like....the terrain, and the building styles. I plan to do it mountainous with hopefully, snow covered peaks. Norway is a beautiful country, so if I can do it justice, it'll be really cool.

[bshag]

I too would be interested in hearing what other people think about CAW.  I am not downloading until I hear otherwise that's it's a good thing.  I can't get past the fact that it is a BETA and I don't want anything that is going to mess the game up.

Good Luck to all who are brave.  

[mespunky]

I really like the creator, but not really into it. I'll get used to it. And by the way, it doesn't open up in the game. It's pretty much seperate.

[cory4shrt]

CAW is one of those things that has me feeling like a total dolt. Layers? What's with layers? I fooled around with it a little, set up one lot, edited in game...well, my street was way crooked and the lot was crooked. That only took me an hour. Is it just me or is it designed to be this way? And using the help guide thingy was as helpful as using a mop to clean up cheerios. Any suggestions or helpful pointing would be very much appreciated. 

[gottogog]

Hey cory, did you read BOTH help resources? Additionally, it might be easier to fool around with riverview and sunset valley before trying to make your own world. That's how I'm going to start, with simple things. I might add an Island park to riverview.

[RockinRobin]

I think that's probably good advice gotto. I haven't yet opened it up, but now that it's Friday and I'm off work a couple of days, I'm going to play around with it some.

Cory, as I said....I haven't even opened it up yet, but I imagine that they are talking about layers that are similar to the layers you work with in photoshop. I could be wrong, but I think there is probably some of that going on. I'm going to install it tonight and check it out....I'll let you know if I find out anything that may help.

[cory4shrt]

Thank you much. I'm a photoshop idiot. Never had it. So if knowledge of that is required, then I'll have to start there. You can play with Riverview and Sunset? WOW, I really feel dumb now. Uh...how would I do that? And thank you!

[RockinRobin]

Yeah it seems that I remember reading somewhere that a working knowledge of photoshop is helpful when working with CAW. Fortunately, I've been working with PS for years and know it pretty much inside and out.

[Pam]

That stuff about layers always confused me, too.  I can use Photoshop to a certain extent, but knowledge about layers seems to be on the advanced side.

[RockinRobin]

I had to get good at photoshop since I'm a photographer. I'm a nurse by profession, but a photographer on the side, so a good working knowledge of PS is essential for me. Layers are actually really simple and I just read the tutorial on CAW and if you understand layers in photoshop (or any of the imaging programs) it makes it much easier to understand layers in CAW. My best advice is to google "understanding layers" and there are numerous articles and youtube videos on the topic.

But basically......think of layers as just that.....LAYERS.  Imagine your bed with a sheet, (layer 1) a blanket, (layer 2) and a bedspread. (layer 3) If you had a transparent bedspread, you'd be able to see the blanket below it. If it was just kinda see through, you might be able to kinda see the blanket below it. That's the opacity of the layer......the amount that the underneath layer shows through to the above layer. When you're working with terrain paints, the higher you set the opacity, the less you will be able to see the layer beneath it. The lower you set the opacity, the more the underneath layer will show through. When working in CAW, the layers allow you to easily adjust the terrain with the different terrain paints and objects such as trees. For example, you can set the trees all on their own layer so the game will run faster. It also will allow you to easily delete that entire layer if you decide you don't want any trees in that location. (like taking the bedspread off the bed)  Or you can think of it as making a multi-layer cake with the decorations being the trees or other objects and the frosting being the terrain paints.

Hope this helps a little.   Once I get into CAW more, I'll see if I can explain it a little better.