Difference between revisions of "MTS2:Creator Guidelines/Full Neighborhoods"

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(Uploading)
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==Quality==
 
==Quality==
{{Guidelines-Quality-TimeandEffort}}
 
  
{| class="collapsible collapsed wikitable" style="width:100%"
+
{| class="nicetable" style="width:100%"
 
|-
 
|-
! style="text-align:left" | Is Your Neighborhood Unique? (*)
+
|  
|-
+
*'''Use Blank Templates:''' All neighbourhoods must be built using blank templates. Before you start building your neighborhood, you need to install clean and empty neighborhood templates. If you choose to include sims, you may do so after, but the blank templates are a requirement. Most of the templates are available for download on MATY, so do a google search for them.
|No matter what style or design you choose, your neighborhood should be unique and different. We already have plenty of perfectly flat grid neighborhoods available, so try to do something interesting that other people haven't already done before.
+
|}
+
  
{| class="collapsible collapsed wikitable" style="width:100%"
+
*'''Uniqueness:''' Your neighborhood should be unique and different.
|-
+
! style="text-align:left" | Make Sure Your Neighborhood is Playable (*)
+
|-
+
|A neighborhood that's lumpy all over with few, if any, flat, buildable areas, and very few roads is really not going to be very useful for anyone.  Remember, you're creating something that people are going to actually use in their game, so it should be as useable as possible!
+
|}
+
  
{| class="collapsible collapsed wikitable" style="width:100%"
+
*'''Playable:'''. Make sure you have some flat buildable areas and a practical road grid.
|-
+
! style="text-align:left" | Use Realistic Shapes (*)
+
|-
+
|We don't need any heart shaped, spiral shaped, star shaped, etc. neighborhoods.  Getting creative with your terrain sculpting is fine, but remember to strive for realism.
+
|}
+
{| class="collapsible collapsed wikitable" style="width:100%"
+
|-
+
! style="text-align:left" | A Sense of Realism(*)
+
|-
+
|No matter what style or design you choose, your neighborhood should be unique and different.  We are looking for quality neighborhoods that have depth to them. It should feel like this neighborhood could really be alive and has some history to it that is as individual as it is. While we are calling this a 'Sense of Realism' we are not trying to exclude fantasy neighborhoods. On the contrary! As long as the neighborhood feels like it could believable exist within its own universe, then it would definitely be considered 'real'.  
+
|}
+
  
==Screenshots==
+
*'''Realistic:''' Getting creative with your terrain sculpting is fine, but remember to strive for realism.
People want to see what they're downloading! Your screenshots sell your upload - if people don't like the look of your screenshots, they're not going to download - and if your screenshots are too bad, you won't get your upload approved.  
+
  
{{Guidelines-Screenshots-BigEnough}}
+
*'''Decorations:''' Your decorating should add to the overall beauty and theme of your neighborhood, with good choices and placement of items - neither too many nor too few. Try to keep your decorations to a particular style - use trees and flowers that make sense for the type of region you're building. Giving your neighborhood a particular unique flavour and style makes it more charming and realistic than just using one of everything, or a random pyramid because it'd look cool.
  
{| class="collapsible collapsed wikitable" style="width:100%"
+
*'''Sims:''' It is a good idea to first make a backup of your neighborhood without any of the families in it in case the sims themselves are the reason why your neighborhood is not being accepted. This will give you the chance to create new families and try again, or simply upload without them. After a sim has been added to a neighborhood, it is impossible to remove all it's data from the neighborhood, so if your sims are the only problem with your neighborhood, you can't just delete the characters and try again. It will mess up the neighborhood, and we will not accept it. So PLEASE BACK UP YOUR WORK!
|-
+
! style="text-align:left" | Main Image (*)
+
|-
+
|We need a main image for your hood, and it should look like how your neighborhood would be presented on a post card. Please do no show map edges and have it at a low enough angle to look pretty. This is a fantastic shot to use as your thread thumbnail. You should also make sure that this image is the one that shows up in the Neighborhood Picker window in game.
+
|}
+
  
{| class="collapsible collapsed wikitable" style="width:100%"
 
|-
 
! style="text-align:left" | Top Down Image (*)
 
|-
 
|We also need a top down view that shows the layout of your entire town. Again, it's better not to show map edges if you can help it, but don't cut off any roads. You can also add a key system to this image to help users match up your lot descriptions.
 
 
|}
 
|}
  
{| class="collapsible collapsed wikitable" style="width:100%"
+
==Screenshots==
 +
{| class="nicetable" style="width:100%"
 +
{| class="nicetable" style="width:100%"
 
|-
 
|-
! style="text-align:left" | Detail Pictures (*)
+
! style="text-align:left" | Hood screenshots
 
+
 
|-
 
|-
 
|
 
|
Show '''at least THREE other pictures''' of some of the views people will see in your world.  This should be nice scenic views, taken from a lower angle (a sim's eye view, or a low player's eye view).  You can of course take more pictures to show off all the pretty sights.
+
*'''Main Image:''' We need a main image for your hood - it should not show map edges, but it should also not be too low to show the whole map. Please remember to show all of the roads - don't cut any off!
<br style="clear:both" />
+
 
 +
*'''Detail Pictures:''' Show '''at least THREE other pictures''' of some of the views people will see in your world.  This should be nice scenic views, taken from a lower angle (a sim's eye view, or a low player's eye view).  You can of course take more pictures to show off all the pretty sights.
 
|}
 
|}
{| class="collapsible collapsed wikitable" style="width:100%"
+
{| class="nicetable" style="width:100%"
 +
|-
 +
! style="text-align:left" | Lot screenshots
 
|-
 
|-
! style="text-align:left" | Individual Lot Pictures (Full Map) (*)
 
  
|-
 
 
|
 
|
If you have built on the included lots, you will need to give a full set of info and pictures for '''at least 10 lots - 5 residential and 5 community.'''  You may choose which 10 lots you show, but we suggest you choose lots that are representative of the overall style of the world.  We have this requirement so both MTS staff and people who may download your lot can see that your lots are good quality.
+
*'''Individual Lot Pictures:'''. If you have built on the included lots, you will need to give a full set of info and pictures for '''at least 10 lots - 5 residential and 5 community.'''  You may choose which 10 lots you show, but we suggest you choose lots that are representative of the overall style of the world.
  
 
The pictures you must include for individual lots are:
 
The pictures you must include for individual lots are:
 +
* '''Front view:''' A picture of the front of your lot with all levels showing, from a low enough angle that it shows the structure well.
 +
* '''Floorplans:''' An overhead picture of each floor.
  
* ''''Front View:''' One picture from the front of the lot, taken from a sim's eye view.
+
Please remember, for your required pictures:
 +
* '''No photoshopping:''' Do not apply filters like sharpen, contrast, etc. to the required pictures, as downloaders want to see what your lot will look like in their game, not your skills at using Photoshop.
 +
* '''As packaged:''' Your pictures should show your lot as you have packaged it, so that what downloaders see is what they'll actually get, or need to download, for the lot to look the same in their game.
  
* '''Floor Plans:''' At least one overhead floor plan type picture of each floor/level.  If your lot has three levels plus a basement, you will need to do four floor plan pictures.
+
* '''Comparison Picture:''' If your lot is based on a real-life or fictional lot (for example, a replica of the Falling Water house or the Disney Castle), you will need to include at least one comparison picture of the lot it is based on.
 
+
* '''Comparison Picture:''' If your lot is based on a real-life or fictional lot (for example, a replica of the Falling Water house, the Disney Castle, or the house from the Munsters), you will need to include at least one comparison picture of the lot it is based on.
+
  
  
 
[[Image:RightArrow.gif|left]]  '''For examples of the types of pictures required, what information you must require, and for much more information on taking good pictures, please see our [[MTS2:Creator_Guidelines/Lots_and_Houses|Lots and Houses Upload Guidelines]].'''
 
[[Image:RightArrow.gif|left]]  '''For examples of the types of pictures required, what information you must require, and for much more information on taking good pictures, please see our [[MTS2:Creator_Guidelines/Lots_and_Houses|Lots and Houses Upload Guidelines]].'''
<br style="clear:both" />
 
 
|}
 
|}
 
+
{| class="nicetable" style="width:100%"
{| class="collapsible collapsed wikitable" style="width:100%"
+
 
|-
 
|-
! style="text-align:left" | Sim Pictures (*)
+
! style="text-align:left" | Sim screenshots
 
+
 
|-
 
|-
 
|
 
|
If you are including sims with a save file, you will need to give a full set of info and pictures for '''at least 5 sims.'''  You may choose which 5 sims, but as with lots, we suggest you choose ones that are representative of your creator style and quality.  This is so MTS staff and downloaders can see that your sims are good quality.
+
*'''Sim Pictures: ''' If you are including sims with a save file, you will need to give a full set of info and pictures for '''at least 5 sims.'''  You may choose which 5 sims, but as with lots, we suggest you choose ones that are representative of your creator style and quality.
  
 
The pictures you must include for individual sims are:
 
The pictures you must include for individual sims are:
Line 95: Line 66:
 
* '''Full Body:''' One picture of the sim from head to toe, preferably in a neutral pose (just standing there or walking), not animating wildly.
 
* '''Full Body:''' One picture of the sim from head to toe, preferably in a neutral pose (just standing there or walking), not animating wildly.
  
* '''Comparison Picture:''' If your sim is based on a real-life or fictional person (a celebrity, character from a movie, tv show, anime, comic, etc.) and not made up out of your own imagination, you will need to include at least one picture of that real-life or fictional person for comparison purposes. Please make sure it is a large picture so we can see their face clearly, and similar to the "neutral face" picture of your sim.  A picture with them making a big smile, yelling, etc. is not going to help us see that it's a good likeness.
+
* '''Comparison Picture:''' If your sim is based on a real-life or fictional person (a celebrity, character from a movie, tv show, anime, comic, etc.) and not made up out of your own imagination, then you will need to include at least one picture of that person. They must have a '''neutral''' facial expression, and be shown as front-on as possible.
 
<br style="clear:both" />
 
<br style="clear:both" />
|}
 
  
{{Guidelines-Screenshots-Photoshopping}}
 
 
{{Guidelines-Screenshots-InlineandAttached}}
 
 
{{Guidelines-Quality-ContentNotAllowed}}
 
 
==Required Lots==
 
 
A new change has been implemented here. Instead of requiring full images of every lot included in your neighborhood, we are loosening back to what we require of TS3 Worlds. You are only required to show 10 of your lots now. Please remember though, that they are still subject to all of the [http://simswiki.info/wiki.php?title=MTS2:Creator_Guidelines/Lots_and_Houses TS2 Lots Guidelines]. Your moderator also will be looking at the images from your neighborhood to make sure you aren't just doing 10 good lots and all the rest sub par. It is within their right to ask for images of any additional lots to check on quality.
 
 
==Sims and Blank Templates==
 
{| class="collapsible collapsed wikitable" style="width:100%"
 
|-
 
! style="text-align:left" | Required Blank Templates (*)
 
|-
 
|
 
Before you start building your neighborhood, you need to install clean and empty neighborhood templates. This will allow you to create a neighborhood free from any default sims and random townies. This is a requirement. If you choose to include sims, you may do so after, but the blank templates are a requirement. Most of the templates are available for download on MATY, so do a google search for them.
 
 
|}
 
|}
 
+
{| class="nicetable" style="width:100%"
{| class="collapsible collapsed wikitable" style="width:100%"
+
 
|-
 
|-
! style="text-align:left" | Optional Included Families(*)
+
! style="text-align:left" | General Screenshots Requirements
 
|-
 
|-
|
+
|{{Guidelines-ScreenshotsBigClearEtc}}
If you choose to include families in your neighborhood, remember that ever sim will be required to follow the [http://simswiki.info/wiki.php?title=MTS2:Creator_Guidelines/Sims MTS Sims 'Other' guidelines]. It is a good idea to first make a backup of your neighborhood without any of the families in it in case the sims themselves are the reason why your neighborhood is not being accepted. This will give you the chance to create new families and try again, or simply upload without them. After a sim has been added to a neighborhood, it is impossible to remove all it's data from the neighborhood, so if your sims are the only problem with your neighborhood, you can't just delete the characters and try again. It will mess up the neighborhood, and we will not accept it. So PLEASE BACK UP YOUR WORK!
+
 
|}
 
|}
 
==Right Info/Right Files==
 
Once you have your creation made and screenshots taken, you need to make sure you have all the fiddly bits in order.
 
 
{| class="collapsible collapsed wikitable" style="width:100%"
 
|-
 
! style="text-align:left" | Unique Neighborhood Number (*)
 
|-
 
|
 
One of the most important things is to make sure that your neighborhood has a unique number. If two neighborhoods have the same number, one of them will not appear in the user's game. MTS has created a [http://simswiki.info/wiki.php?title=MTS2:Creator_Guidelines/Neighborhood_Numbers_Repository Neighborhood Number Repository] so you can be sure that your neighborhood does not conflict with any existing neighborhoods. If/when your neighborhood is approved, your number will be added to the list to protect you from future neighborhoods clashing. After creating your neighborhood, it will likely have a very low number. You will need to rename all of the neighborhood files and folders to your new number. This can either be done by hand, or with a bulk renaming tool. In your upload you will have to also have to list your number.
 
 
|}
 
|}
  
==Uploading==
+
==Information==
  
When you have the required screenshots and you are about ready to upload your world, you'll be ready to do the following last steps:
+
{{Template:Guidelines-InfoFiles-TitleDescription}}
  
{| class="collapsible collapsed wikitable" style="width:100%"
+
{| class="nicetable" style="width:100%"
 
|-
 
|-
! style="text-align:left" | Title (*)
+
! style="text-align:left" | Lots
 
+
 
|-
 
|-
 
|
 
|
You probably already have a name for your hood - it makes a good title for your upload. 
 
  
* Good world titles: "Oceanside Bay: Small Tropical Hood" or "Garland Falls" - your name for the hood, plus maybe some short descriptive text.
+
A new change has been implemented here. Instead of requiring full images of every lot included in your neighborhood, we are loosening back to what we require of TS3 Worlds. You are only required to show 10 of your lots now. Please remember though, that they are still subject to all of the [http://simswiki.info/wiki.php?title=MTS2:Creator_Guidelines/Lots_and_Houses TS2 Lots Guidelines]. Your moderator also will be looking at the images from your neighborhood to make sure you aren't just doing 10 good lots and all the rest sub par. It is within their right to ask for images of any additional lots to check on quality.
  
* Bad world titles: "My first hood!" or "My first upload!!!!1"
 
<br style="clear:both" />
 
|}
 
 
{| class="collapsible collapsed wikitable" style="width:100%"
 
|-
 
! style="text-align:left" | Description (*)
 
 
|-
 
|
 
You need to write a decent description for your upload.  You don't have to write a novel here, just at least a few sentences about world's theme, history, landscape, people, whatever.  Let people know you've put some careful thought into your creation.  If your English is not good, you can ask for help writing a description in [http://www.modthesims.info/fd.php?f=473 Creator Feedback].
 
 
* Good description: "Oceanside Bay is a cozy seaside community, with windswept cliffs falling into crystal blue water, studded with wide sandy beaches.  As a fishing and seafaring society, Oceanside Bay's residents reflect their love for the sea in their homes' styles and furnishings.  Living in such a small town, everyone is close knit, but they like it that way - and your sims will too!"
 
 
* Bad description: "Plz download and thank!!!" or "Just look at the pictures and download!!!"
 
<br style="clear:both" />
 
|}
 
 
{| class="collapsible collapsed wikitable" style="width:100%"
 
|-
 
! style="text-align:left" | Lots (*)
 
 
|-
 
|
 
 
* '''Number:''' Total number of lots, and lot sizes and quantity of each (example: 50 total lots - 25 of 20x20, 15 of 40x40, 10 60x60)
 
* '''Number:''' Total number of lots, and lot sizes and quantity of each (example: 50 total lots - 25 of 20x20, 15 of 40x40, 10 60x60)
  
Line 182: Line 97:
  
 
* '''(Full Map Only):'''  For the 10 representative lots (5 residential, 5 community) you've chosen to include pictures for, you need to also include the standard required info for them.  That means you need a '''description''' of the lot in text, describing its purpose, features, style, etc.  You will also need the '''lot size''' (25x30, 64x64, etc.) and the '''lot price''' (the price of the lot, both furnished and unfurnished).  For more on where to find and how to provide this info, please see: [[MTS2:Creator_Guidelines/Lots_and_Houses|Lots and Houses Upload Guidelines]].
 
* '''(Full Map Only):'''  For the 10 representative lots (5 residential, 5 community) you've chosen to include pictures for, you need to also include the standard required info for them.  That means you need a '''description''' of the lot in text, describing its purpose, features, style, etc.  You will also need the '''lot size''' (25x30, 64x64, etc.) and the '''lot price''' (the price of the lot, both furnished and unfurnished).  For more on where to find and how to provide this info, please see: [[MTS2:Creator_Guidelines/Lots_and_Houses|Lots and Houses Upload Guidelines]].
<br style="clear:both" />
 
 
|}
 
|}
  
{| class="collapsible collapsed wikitable" style="width:100%"
+
{| class="nicetable" style="width:100%"
 
|-
 
|-
! style="text-align:left" | Sims (*)
+
! style="text-align:left" | Sims
 
+
 
|-
 
|-
 
|
 
|
If you are including a save file with sims, please include some basic information for the 5 representative sims you have chosen to take pictures of:
+
* '''Sims:''' If you are including a save file with sims, please include some basic information for the 5 representative sims you have chosen to take pictures of:
  
 
* '''Description:''' A basic text description of their personality, history, hopes and dreams, whatever.  Again, you don't have to write a novel, but at least give us an idea of who the sim is meant to be.
 
* '''Description:''' A basic text description of their personality, history, hopes and dreams, whatever.  Again, you don't have to write a novel, but at least give us an idea of who the sim is meant to be.
  
 
* '''Age, Career, Location, Etc.:''' Toddler/Child/Teen/Young Adult/Adult/Elder?  If they have a job, what is it?  What lot do they live at?  Are they married?  Since sims included in a world are already living their lives, give some basic info on who they are and what they're doing.
 
* '''Age, Career, Location, Etc.:''' Toddler/Child/Teen/Young Adult/Adult/Elder?  If they have a job, what is it?  What lot do they live at?  Are they married?  Since sims included in a world are already living their lives, give some basic info on who they are and what they're doing.
<br style="clear:both" />
 
 
|}
 
|}
 
+
{| class="nicetable" style="width:100%"
{| class="collapsible collapsed wikitable" style="width:100%"
+
 
|-
 
|-
! style="text-align:left" | Custom Content (*)
+
! style="text-align:left" | Custom Content
 
+
 
|-
 
|-
 
|
 
|
Line 208: Line 118:
  
 
Make sure to state whether or not the content is included or not (as downloaders need to know if they need to download it all separately or not).  If you do include content, it must be okay with that content's creator.  Please check their policies.
 
Make sure to state whether or not the content is included or not (as downloaders need to know if they need to download it all separately or not).  If you do include content, it must be okay with that content's creator.  Please check their policies.
<br style="clear:both" />
 
 
|}
 
|}
 +
 +
==Files==
 +
{| class="nicetable" style="width:100%"
 +
|-
 +
! style="text-align:left" | Lots
 +
|-
 +
|
 +
Once you have your creation made and screenshots taken, you need to make sure you have all the fiddly bits in order.
 +
 +
*'''Unique Neighborhood Number:''' One of the most important things is to make sure that your neighborhood has a unique number. If two neighborhoods have the same number, one of them will not appear in the user's game. MTS has created a [http://simswiki.info/wiki.php?title=MTS2:Creator_Guidelines/Neighborhood_Numbers_Repository Neighborhood Number Repository] so you can be sure that your neighborhood does not conflict with any existing neighborhoods. If/when your neighborhood is approved, your number will be added to the list to protect you from future neighborhoods clashing. After creating your neighborhood, it will likely have a very low number. You will need to rename all of the neighborhood files and folders to your new number. This can either be done by hand, or with a bulk renaming tool. In your upload you will have to also have to list your number.
  
 
{{Guidelines-InfoFiles-ZipRar7z}}  
 
{{Guidelines-InfoFiles-ZipRar7z}}  
 
{{Guidelines-InfoFiles-EPRequired}}  
 
{{Guidelines-InfoFiles-EPRequired}}  
{| class="collapsible collapsed wikitable" style="width:100%"
+
 
 +
{| class="nicetable" style="width:100%"
 
|-
 
|-
! style="text-align:left" | Split RARs (*)
+
! style="text-align:left" | Split RARs
 
|-
 
|-
 
|
 
|
For a complex neighborhood, it's likely that your upload will be over the 10 mb file limit that we have at MTS.  You will need to upload your creation in parts.  To do this, you will need an archive program like [http://www.rarlabs.com WinRAR] that can compress a file but split it into multiple pieces.
+
. For a complex neighborhood, it's likely that your upload will be over the 10 mb file limit that we have at MTS.  You will need to upload your creation in parts.  To do this, you will need an archive program like [http://www.rarlabs.com WinRAR] that can compress a file but split it into multiple pieces.
  
 
To create a split RAR/ZIP:
 
To create a split RAR/ZIP:
Line 232: Line 152:
  
 
When it's done, you will have one or more RAR files, ready to upload.
 
When it's done, you will have one or more RAR files, ready to upload.
<br style="clear:both" />
 
|}
 
  
{| class="collapsible collapsed wikitable" style="width:100%"
+
Include Install Instructions. Because a broken rar is not something our downloaders usually face, you will need to include instructions on how to put them back together. You may use this text, or write your own.
|-
+
! style="text-align:left" | Include Install Instructions (*)
+
|-
+
|Because a broken rar is not something our downloaders usually face, you will need to include instructions on how to put them back together. You may use this text, or write your own.
+
 
<blockquote>Download all the files. Remove the MTS_Creator_(numbers) from their names and you should be left with Hoodname.part1.rar and Hoodname.part2.rar and so forth. Unrar them together, to do this, highlight all the files together and open them at the same time in WinRar. Then place the resulting folder into your Neighborhoods folder. Place any CC into the Downloads folder.</blockquote>
 
<blockquote>Download all the files. Remove the MTS_Creator_(numbers) from their names and you should be left with Hoodname.part1.rar and Hoodname.part2.rar and so forth. Unrar them together, to do this, highlight all the files together and open them at the same time in WinRar. Then place the resulting folder into your Neighborhoods folder. Place any CC into the Downloads folder.</blockquote>
|-
 
 
|}
 
|}
  

Revision as of 19:22, 30 November 2013

Contents

Full Neighborhoods

Have you made a new neighborhood in game and want to share it? This guide will walk you through every step of what we require on MTS. After you've read through this entire article, you may start the upload process, which is a bit different for TS2 Neighborhoods. The correct way to upload a TS2 Hood is through our Creator Issues forum. There you will be able to start a thread and add in as many comment posts as you need to include the lots and their images. After you have completed your thread, create another thread in the same forum asking for your neighborhood (with a link to it) to be moved to Moderation.

Quality

  • Use Blank Templates: All neighbourhoods must be built using blank templates. Before you start building your neighborhood, you need to install clean and empty neighborhood templates. If you choose to include sims, you may do so after, but the blank templates are a requirement. Most of the templates are available for download on MATY, so do a google search for them.
  • Uniqueness: Your neighborhood should be unique and different.
  • Playable:. Make sure you have some flat buildable areas and a practical road grid.
  • Realistic: Getting creative with your terrain sculpting is fine, but remember to strive for realism.
  • Decorations: Your decorating should add to the overall beauty and theme of your neighborhood, with good choices and placement of items - neither too many nor too few. Try to keep your decorations to a particular style - use trees and flowers that make sense for the type of region you're building. Giving your neighborhood a particular unique flavour and style makes it more charming and realistic than just using one of everything, or a random pyramid because it'd look cool.
  • Sims: It is a good idea to first make a backup of your neighborhood without any of the families in it in case the sims themselves are the reason why your neighborhood is not being accepted. This will give you the chance to create new families and try again, or simply upload without them. After a sim has been added to a neighborhood, it is impossible to remove all it's data from the neighborhood, so if your sims are the only problem with your neighborhood, you can't just delete the characters and try again. It will mess up the neighborhood, and we will not accept it. So PLEASE BACK UP YOUR WORK!

Screenshots

Hood screenshots
  • Main Image: We need a main image for your hood - it should not show map edges, but it should also not be too low to show the whole map. Please remember to show all of the roads - don't cut any off!
  • Detail Pictures: Show at least THREE other pictures of some of the views people will see in your world. This should be nice scenic views, taken from a lower angle (a sim's eye view, or a low player's eye view). You can of course take more pictures to show off all the pretty sights.
Lot screenshots
  • Individual Lot Pictures:. If you have built on the included lots, you will need to give a full set of info and pictures for at least 10 lots - 5 residential and 5 community. You may choose which 10 lots you show, but we suggest you choose lots that are representative of the overall style of the world.

The pictures you must include for individual lots are:

  • Front view: A picture of the front of your lot with all levels showing, from a low enough angle that it shows the structure well.
  • Floorplans: An overhead picture of each floor.

Please remember, for your required pictures:

  • No photoshopping: Do not apply filters like sharpen, contrast, etc. to the required pictures, as downloaders want to see what your lot will look like in their game, not your skills at using Photoshop.
  • As packaged: Your pictures should show your lot as you have packaged it, so that what downloaders see is what they'll actually get, or need to download, for the lot to look the same in their game.
  • Comparison Picture: If your lot is based on a real-life or fictional lot (for example, a replica of the Falling Water house or the Disney Castle), you will need to include at least one comparison picture of the lot it is based on.


RightArrow.gif
For examples of the types of pictures required, what information you must require, and for much more information on taking good pictures, please see our Lots and Houses Upload Guidelines.
Sim screenshots
  • Sim Pictures: If you are including sims with a save file, you will need to give a full set of info and pictures for at least 5 sims. You may choose which 5 sims, but as with lots, we suggest you choose ones that are representative of your creator style and quality.

The pictures you must include for individual sims are:

  • Neutral Face: One picture of the sim from straight-on (not a profile or 3/4 view) with the sim wearing a neutral expression (no big smiles, wide open mouth, etc.)
  • Full Body: One picture of the sim from head to toe, preferably in a neutral pose (just standing there or walking), not animating wildly.
  • Comparison Picture: If your sim is based on a real-life or fictional person (a celebrity, character from a movie, tv show, anime, comic, etc.) and not made up out of your own imagination, then you will need to include at least one picture of that person. They must have a neutral facial expression, and be shown as front-on as possible.


General Screenshots Requirements
Keep the following in mind for your screenshots, especially the required ones:
  • Size: 800 pixels wide by 600 pixels tall is a good size for the smallest pic you would want to upload. Your images can be up to 2560x1440 pixels, and 800 kb, so you have lots of space to work with!
  • Lighting: For most things, it's best to take pictures in an interior room with good lighting. For lots, pictures should be taken during a nice sunny day, for floorplans, take the pictures with the lights ON.
  • Clarity: Neither blurry, nor pixellated/crunchy. Do not size up small pictures to make a large one as this will blur them, and make sure not to use too much compression/too low quality when saving your images.
  • Distance: Take your pictures so that your creation fills the screen without anything cut off at top or bottom - neither zoomed in too close, nor zoomed out too far.
  • Distortion: If you resize your images, retain the aspect ratio so they don't get stretched or squashed. Take care when zooming in and out with the camera that you do not create a fisheye effect on your pictures.
  • Photoshopping: Do not apply filters like sharpen, contrast, etc. to the required pictures, as downloaders want to see what your creation will look like in their game, not your skills at using Photoshop.
  • Attached: All required images must be attached directly to the MTS upload, not just inserted using the img tag, so that even if the pics get deleted from your Photobucket (or other host), the upload on MTS is still complete.
  • Show all items: For most areas, if you are uploading a set, you must take all the required pics for each item in the set. If there is an exception, it will be noted.
  • Picture limit: You may upload up to 100 pictures for a single upload thread, so feel free to add some additional pictures just to show off your work to its best. Of course, keep it reasonable - nobody needs 50 pics to show off one sim or hair.
  • Inline pictures: Inline pictures are those that use the [img] tag to show up in with the description text. So that it doesn't take too long to load, please keep this to no more than 4 pictures done inline, unless you put them inside an [infobutton] tag. To do this, see our guide on post formatting.

Information

Title & Description
Give your upload a descriptive title and write a text description for your upload, describing what you're uploading. Your title and description must be in English or provide an English translation. If you are not a native English speaker, using Google Translate is okay. You can also ask for help writing your description in the Creator Feedback Forum.
Lots

A new change has been implemented here. Instead of requiring full images of every lot included in your neighborhood, we are loosening back to what we require of TS3 Worlds. You are only required to show 10 of your lots now. Please remember though, that they are still subject to all of the TS2 Lots Guidelines. Your moderator also will be looking at the images from your neighborhood to make sure you aren't just doing 10 good lots and all the rest sub par. It is within their right to ask for images of any additional lots to check on quality.

  • Number: Total number of lots, and lot sizes and quantity of each (example: 50 total lots - 25 of 20x20, 15 of 40x40, 10 60x60)
  • Community Lots: None / All / Some (list)
  • Residential: Number of residential lots, and lot sizes and quantity of each (as above).
  • (Full Map Only): For the 10 representative lots (5 residential, 5 community) you've chosen to include pictures for, you need to also include the standard required info for them. That means you need a description of the lot in text, describing its purpose, features, style, etc. You will also need the lot size (25x30, 64x64, etc.) and the lot price (the price of the lot, both furnished and unfurnished). For more on where to find and how to provide this info, please see: Lots and Houses Upload Guidelines.
Sims
  • Sims: If you are including a save file with sims, please include some basic information for the 5 representative sims you have chosen to take pictures of:
  • Description: A basic text description of their personality, history, hopes and dreams, whatever. Again, you don't have to write a novel, but at least give us an idea of who the sim is meant to be.
  • Age, Career, Location, Etc.: Toddler/Child/Teen/Young Adult/Adult/Elder? If they have a job, what is it? What lot do they live at? Are they married? Since sims included in a world are already living their lives, give some basic info on who they are and what they're doing.
Custom Content

If you have used any custom items in your world, you MUST provide full links and credit for ALL items used in the world. This means any custom build items, objects, patterns, or content used on any included sims must be linked and credited.

Make sure to state whether or not the content is included or not (as downloaders need to know if they need to download it all separately or not). If you do include content, it must be okay with that content's creator. Please check their policies.

Files

Lots

Once you have your creation made and screenshots taken, you need to make sure you have all the fiddly bits in order.

  • Unique Neighborhood Number: One of the most important things is to make sure that your neighborhood has a unique number. If two neighborhoods have the same number, one of them will not appear in the user's game. MTS has created a Neighborhood Number Repository so you can be sure that your neighborhood does not conflict with any existing neighborhoods. If/when your neighborhood is approved, your number will be added to the list to protect you from future neighborhoods clashing. After creating your neighborhood, it will likely have a very low number. You will need to rename all of the neighborhood files and folders to your new number. This can either be done by hand, or with a bulk renaming tool. In your upload you will have to also have to list your number.
Zip, Rar, or 7z
To upload your file(s) to MTS, you will need to compress them into an archive file, which makes them smaller and allows you to include many files in one download. The archive file formats we currently accept are .zip, .rar, and .7z.

For instructions on compressing your files into an archive, please see: Creator Guidelines: Creating Archive Files.

  • Do not include multiple archives with the same contents - that is, please don't put your files in both a .zip as well as a .rar because some people only want .zip files. Choose one format.
  • Do not double-compress your files... a .rar file inside another .rar file (or any other archive inside another) doesn't compress it anymore, and it makes it so we can't see the contents without downloading, and also just makes an extra step for the people downloading.
  • The file size limit on MTS is 50 mb. If you exceed this limit you will need to split your archives. This should probably never come up except for large worlds for The Sims 3, or huge sets of smaller items.
Expansion Packs or Stuff Packs required?
Particular items may be added with expansion or stuff packs, and depending on how your creation is made and the item you based it on, your creation may not work for users who do not own that expansion/stuff pack. You need to be sure of which packs are necessary for the items you have made. If users don't have the EP, your stuff may not work! If you are unsure of whether or not your creation will require an expansion or stuff pack, you can ask about it in the appropriate Create forum (under the Create menu on MTS) before uploading.

Make sure you only mark the EPs/SPs required that your upload actually needs! Don't just mark them all! For specifics, please read: MTS2:Creator_Guidelines/Compatibility

Split RARs

. For a complex neighborhood, it's likely that your upload will be over the 10 mb file limit that we have at MTS. You will need to upload your creation in parts. To do this, you will need an archive program like WinRAR that can compress a file but split it into multiple pieces.

To create a split RAR/ZIP:

1. Find the sims3pack file for the world you have created.
2. Right-click on the sims3pack file and choose "Add to archive" from the menu.
3. On the box that comes up, give your file a name where it says Archive name.
4. Select ZIP or RAR (RAR is preferred).
5. Change "Compression Method" to Best.
4. Under where it says "Split to volumes, bytes" type 9 mb. Leave the other settings alone.
5. Click OK to create your file(s). This may take a few minutes.

When it's done, you will have one or more RAR files, ready to upload.

Include Install Instructions. Because a broken rar is not something our downloaders usually face, you will need to include instructions on how to put them back together. You may use this text, or write your own.

Download all the files. Remove the MTS_Creator_(numbers) from their names and you should be left with Hoodname.part1.rar and Hoodname.part2.rar and so forth. Unrar them together, to do this, highlight all the files together and open them at the same time in WinRar. Then place the resulting folder into your Neighborhoods folder. Place any CC into the Downloads folder.

Additional Stuff

If your upload is rejected or marked as changes required and you're not sure why, ask in Creator Issues.

If you're not sure whether your neighborhood is ready for uploading, use the Creator Feedback Forum to get feedback on it.

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