Building a Dynasty House

[Pam]

@Vampire:

If you haven't already, take a look at my Immortal Dynasty thread.  If you don't want to take the time to read it, maybe just scan through the pictures.  I tried to detail my house in the story as I built it from a simple one room house to a 5 or 6 level monstrosity.  The link is in my signature below.

[Seabody]

The tour starts on Page 18.

[VampirePlasma]

Thanks Pam, I have read your Dynasty, which I love and was what inspired me to do mine, but I looked at the house anyways because it's lovely. You can;t get tired of looking at a house like that!

[Pam]

The tour starts on Page 18.

Ha!  Thanks for that.  There are pictures of the house before that, though, when it was small and unremarkable.  Those pictures might be helpful, too.

[CarlosLordofTacos]

Wow! Out of sheer curiosity, I  just checked out the tour on page 18 to see how different dynasty houses look compared to "ordinary" houses, and Pam, that house is absolutely amazing!

I love it's zany charm and looking back to earlier chapters, I can really see how it's evolved. You have a lot of store stuff it seems, and you sure were pretty eager to use it all! Hahaha. (Now I wonder why I haven't seen anything by this exceptionally talented builder on the swap shop, hmm? )

[Seabody]

Ha!  Thanks for that.

Don't thank me, thank my Maths whiz mother. She calculated the page from the page it was when there were ten replies on a page.

[Hosfac]

I always find it remarkable when someone can start off with a one room shack and have it actually evolve into a house that's livable.  I've never been able to do that.  It always turns into "Frankenhouse."  Then I get scared of it, transform into a mob of angry villagers, and end up killing it with fire (figuratively speaking, of course).

[RunAmokSims]

I've never done a dynasty but I have done some multi-generational families.  I always love starting with a small house than can be built onto. One of my favorite authors, Norah Lofts, did several books on houses like that. If you ever get the chance read her trilogy of the Old Vine house. I think it's "The House At Old Vine,The Town House and The House At Sunset.  It will really spark your imagination.

[Sportsfan]

How I do it is probably the worst way possible, but I just have my sims live outdoors, and as they get money I spend it to slowly build the house. I have an idea from the start of what I want it to look like, including all the rooms for every generation all planned ahead, and then I build on it when I can. The problem with this is that it can be unfinished for a long time.

[Pam]

Wow! Out of sheer curiosity, I  just checked out the tour on page 18 to see how different dynasty houses look compared to "ordinary" houses, and Pam, that house is absolutely amazing!

I love it's zany charm and looking back to earlier chapters, I can really see how it's evolved. You have a lot of store stuff it seems, and you sure were pretty eager to use it all! Hahaha. (Now I wonder why I haven't seen anything by this exceptionally talented builder on the swap shop, hmm? )

Thanks so much!  I have a long standing disagreement with the members here regarding my ability (or lack of) to build houses.  I say that I don't have any creativity and that I'm not a good builder, then they point to my Dynasty house and say I'm wrong.  Haha!  But really, I can't just start with an empty lot and design a great house.  My mind just draws a blank. 

I have to admit that my Dynasty house is pretty fantastic, but it was built little by little over a long period of time.  You probably saw the first version where it's just one big room for Carina and Christopher.  I just added to it as the need arose.  I do have a lot of stuff from the Store and some was purchased specifically for use in that house.  A lot of the room colors have a rhythm to them (aside from the obvious living areas that go with each Immortal).  For example, Cinnamon's room was red and her daughter is Scarlet.  Scarlet's room was pink and her daughter is Bubblegum.  They were hints as to what the name of the next generation would be.  I didn't do that all the way through, but that's an example of where my mind was at the time.  Of course, each bedroom absolutely had to be a different theme, too.

I submitted a small house to our first building contest that wasn't too bad.  I've lost the file in my current installation, but I might be able to retrieve it from the Exchange and put it in the Swap Shop.  It's a starter house for around $16,000.

[samoht04]

I have to admit that my Dynasty house is pretty fantastic.

Looks like our side is starting to win here!  Also you said you added as needed but really, if I did that I'd end up with a sprawling complex rather than a house, you thought about where to put stuff, you must have done it right because you kept the same house till the end. I'm on my fifth Legacy House and my Second Dynasty house now, although I am hoping this Dynasty one will last my ever changing moods.  I'm nearly ready to do a House Tour of my Dynasty House, I'm going to have to expand it though, I just realised the Bedrooms are too small and there are only 7. So once that is done I'll get the Tour done and post a link here as well.

[Seabody]

Thanks so much!  I have a long standing disagreement with the members here regarding my ability (or lack of) to build houses.  I say that I don't have any creativity and that I'm not a good builder, then they point to my Dynasty house and say I'm wrong.  Haha!  But really, I can't just start with an empty lot and design a great house.  My mind just draws a blank. 

I have to admit that my Dynasty house is pretty fantastic [...]

Well, after that, my debating mind is now trying to get rebuttal on the points that you brought up...
Debate-talk aside, I now see where you were coming from in those "arguments". I still remain adamant that you are a fantastic builder, and I am waiting with baited breath for the Dreamweaver house to be uploaded (should you choose to).

[TheChronicR]

It's also worthy to note that if you're on the first generation and are dependent on the money of Agnes/Thornton/whoever it is, you might not be able to make all your illusions come true. This is where the money factor kicks in, and you can't help but satisfy yourself with the current build, in hopes to earn enough to expand it as soon as possible.

If anyone wants, my Dynasty house in Bridgeport can bee seen here. It's actually a tad bit difficult to make something decent in BP, because the Dynasty/Legacy lot is on a slope and is comparatively smaller than those in Sunset Valley etc.

[samoht04]

It's also worthy to note that if you're on the first generation and are dependent on the money of Agnes/Thornton/whoever it is, you might not be able to make all your illusions come true. This is where the money factor kicks in, and you can't help but satisfy yourself with the current build, in hopes to earn enough to expand it as soon as possible.

I also suggest keeping a large amount of money back for Real Estate. Now at Generation 4 I have earned back all the money I have spent on Real Estate.

If you have a Dynasty in Twinbrook and don't mind moving in several people, DeAndre Wolfe has a Car worth $105,000 and briings in $20,000. Then move in another rich Sim and you could get another $50,000. 

[TheChronicR]

I also suggest keeping a large amount of money back for Real Estate. Now at Generation 4 I have earned back all the money I have spent on Real Estate.

If you have a Dynasty in Twinbrook and don't mind moving in several people, DeAndre Wolfe has a Car worth $105,000 and briings in $20,000. Then move in another rich Sim and you could get another $50,000. 

Twinbrook is good, but Bridgeport is better. You have Lola Belle and Matthew Hamming (who are mighty rich and the latter is rather handsome). I also recommend moving in the "Bridgeport Hagness", Olive Kipling and maybe partners for the ladies -- Jack Porter (maxed out Mixology (oh well), level 5 Cooking, two need bars are permanently frozen) and Like Reddy (level 5 Painting, maxed out Mixology/Gardening) are good choices.

As a matter of fact, I'm using this exact plan in my official dynasty, except I move in Michael Sleep instead of Olive Kipling, as a spouse for Lola and the father of the second generation. I realize that when the second generation is born there will already be 8 Sims in the house, but since Matthew and Lola are Adults (I believe Lola is halfway through it already), and I'm going to make all my Sims wait till they are nearing their Adult birthday to try for baby, I don't have much to worry about. Oh, and Michael, Jack, Liko and Olive are all homeless townies, so it's still a question whether they'll be in the Dynasty household or not, as there is a sheer possibility of them becoming vampires.