Once I'd uploaded Tubbs & Edward, the next logical step in my TS3 creation was to make a start on building a home for them, i.e. the Local Shop from The League of Gentlemen.
There are a lot of instances in TV and film where an empty shell structure or facade will be constructed as part of an external set and the internal set is built in the studios. One example of this would be the Bates house in the Bates Motel series. In the case of the Local Shop, we have a three-sided facade of a small and simple two-level structure - enough to work out the general dimensions of the build and not too much imagination required for the look of the missing side. Easy-peasy, lemon-squeazy, right?
Turns out what we see externally and what must fit internally do not match AT ALL!
B2 x
There are a lot of instances in TV and film where an empty shell structure or facade will be constructed as part of an external set and the internal set is built in the studios. One example of this would be the Bates house in the Bates Motel series. In the case of the Local Shop, we have a three-sided facade of a small and simple two-level structure - enough to work out the general dimensions of the build and not too much imagination required for the look of the missing side. Easy-peasy, lemon-squeazy, right?
WRONG!
Turns out what we see externally and what must fit internally do not match AT ALL!
Knowing this would be a relatively small build in terms of the shop itself, and in an unusual approach to this build, I decided to pick a random empty lot to quickly mock up the outside structure in order to get the scaling right. After that, I planned to screenshot it, bulldoze it and stating building it properly on a more adequate lot. The last thing I wanted was to upscale the building and have it looking odd or overly large. This is the home of two characters I love to the extreme and I want it to look as close to the original as possible... that and I'm also obsessive with detail. For doors and windows to sit that closely with the same arrangement, and the sides to look proportionate, I worked out that the building should be 8x5 - effing tiny!
By all means, the shop area is fine. Again, we only ever see this from one or two angles and the unseen areas are where the imagination gets to play. The problem lies within the living area because what we have is a 8x5 squared area that somehow needs to fit a bedroom for Tubbs & Edward, some sort of living area, kitchen and bathroom... and let's not forget that as of series two they also have their son, David living there! A simple mock-up soon became a few hours of head-scratching, 'Bollocks'-ing and occasional pitiful moan at my beloved other half because my game wouldn't play fair!
I'd had a similar issue with Gale Farm in that I could place just about all rooms we see in The Wizard of Oz, but once the kitchen was added, there was nowhere to add a bathroom. However, given the time the story was penned by L. Frank Baum and even when the film was made, the idea of an outhouse wasn't too hard to imagine.
My mind started to go a bit loopy at this point. Should I upscale? No, it wouldn't look right and I'd hate it. Can I get away with no bathroom? No, we see plenty pf external shots that show that there's nothing behind the house on the missing side. Dare I sacrifice David's room? Yes, that could be it. We we never see David through the time he lives there, only ever the door to his room.Okay, David's room can go.
It's worth noting at this point that I have a little Sim who tests all my houses - Tess Ting (geddit?) - and I moved her into this lot with two half-built houses on it so I could work out any kinks. She couldn't even get in the bedroom!
Back to the aforementioned cries of "BOLLOOOOOCKS!!!!"
By all means, the shop area is fine. Again, we only ever see this from one or two angles and the unseen areas are where the imagination gets to play. The problem lies within the living area because what we have is a 8x5 squared area that somehow needs to fit a bedroom for Tubbs & Edward, some sort of living area, kitchen and bathroom... and let's not forget that as of series two they also have their son, David living there! A simple mock-up soon became a few hours of head-scratching, 'Bollocks'-ing and occasional pitiful moan at my beloved other half because my game wouldn't play fair!
I'd had a similar issue with Gale Farm in that I could place just about all rooms we see in The Wizard of Oz, but once the kitchen was added, there was nowhere to add a bathroom. However, given the time the story was penned by L. Frank Baum and even when the film was made, the idea of an outhouse wasn't too hard to imagine.
My mind started to go a bit loopy at this point. Should I upscale? No, it wouldn't look right and I'd hate it. Can I get away with no bathroom? No, we see plenty pf external shots that show that there's nothing behind the house on the missing side. Dare I sacrifice David's room? Yes, that could be it. We we never see David through the time he lives there, only ever the door to his room.Okay, David's room can go.
It's worth noting at this point that I have a little Sim who tests all my houses - Tess Ting (geddit?) - and I moved her into this lot with two half-built houses on it so I could work out any kinks. She couldn't even get in the bedroom!
Back to the aforementioned cries of "BOLLOOOOOCKS!!!!"
** UPDATE ** After pissing about with the idea of a loft room and getting annoyed at the room looking too high, I had a 'eureka' moment. Like an utter fool, I forgot all about basements! Yes, a basement will do nicely. We never see much of the interior other than the main shop. There's a scene of Tubb and Edward in their bedroom, though we don't see how they get there and there's a brief moment where they're outside David's bedroom door. Again, we don't see much other than a wall and the door to his room. They could be anywhere and on any floor, and since the basement has the capacity have a bigger floorspace than the main building it means I don't have to sacrifice David's room.
B2 x
