Sims Talk: Kitchen and Bath Interior Design Stuff

[strangetomato]

For once, I get to hitch a ride on the bandwagon by finding myself the proud owner of Kitchen and Bath SP on the actual day that it is released. I feel like a huge geek for being so excited about this SP, but I couldn't be happier to have it in my greedy little hands right now. I've really been looking forward to this one. I have a little story idea in mind for showing it off, but I promised myself that I'd spend whatever free time I have this evening on trying to finish the second half of chapter twenty-four. I'm going to try my best.

But first, I just had to express my delight over this SP. It may not be much, but what's there makes me quite happy.

Yes, it really is everything I hoped it would be. I LOVE this hair for Frances. I've been planning a little makeover for him in the near future, as part of his move towards a new outlook on life. I've had my eye on this new hair since the early screenshots for Kitchen and Bath, and boy, does it deliver! It's exactly like his old hair, except he learned a new gel technique. I think the volume adds a nice balance to his face.

Here are a couple of different angles...






He should have no problem finding himself a boyfriend with this look. (Spoken like a proud sim mother.)

Speaking of annoyingly proud sim mothers... here I go again, pulling my little snapshot of Ripp out of my wallet and waving it around. I'm just that predictable.

Here he is the next morning, in a cute little robe, making someone (maybe even you) coffee!




My point with showing you this photo (and I do have one), is to demonstrate the use of my new camera mod. It's GunMod's Camera Mod from MTS2. This shot isn't exactly pushing it's capabilities to the limits, but it does show a lower vantage point than the default camera can achieve. It's great. Now I'm completely shocked and embarrassed that I didn't download this sooner. What was I thinking?

In all honesty, I was thinking that the control of the camera would be too different and I'd have to re-learn it, like when I re-learned how to knit. Once I got the hang of the "proper" way to knit, it was much easier, but it took quite a while. That wasn't the case with the camera mod. It's exactly the same, only better, and with more options. Very nice.

Now, I'm off to use the shiny new camera to take some photos for the next update...

Comments

[legacyfreak.livejournal.com]

I'm definately loving that hair on Frances!

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

It seems like it was designed just for Frances. I'm so excited to use it.

[pixelcurious.livejournal.com]

Ooooo nice hair! I like the sideburns, too. Are they part of the hairstyle? The seamlessness leads to believe so.

I also like that sweater on Frances. And the robe on Ripp, and the kitchen. The stove! :)

So the Gunmod camera controls are the same? See, I had always hesitated about downloading it, because I read all the comments saying the controls were hard to use. Are they the same as in tab mode? Because I always go in tab mode for my shots.

And yay next update!

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

The sideburns are part of the hairstyle. That's what makes it so perfect for Frances. The hair and the sideburns are a lot like his original style, only a little more stylish (and, I think, a little more gay as well - a straight guy could wear that, but he'd definitely be riding the metrosexual wave).

The sweater isn't from Kitchen and Bath. I'd have to check, but I think it might be a fanseelamb download. I think it's very Frances too. I tend to dress the Worthingtons in black, since they are so pale with the black hair. I think it suits them.

I LOVE those robes. I'm already working on a little piece to take advantage of them.

I also love, love, love the old stove and fireplace. I love pretty much everything about this SP, really. The crazy orange and yellow fridges? Awesome.

I found the controls so similar that it really didn't make much difference. I always use tab mode too, and I noticed little difference. The camera moves more slowly, but that's usually a good thing (no zipping by what I want to photograph - hoorah!), and you can shift the camera directly up and down. No more horizontal gliding camera adjustments!

I now realize that the old camera was causing me to work in a really bizarre way that only made sense to me because I was so used to it. The camera mod makes it much, much easier.

[music-simbol.livejournal.com]

Frances does look good, but his expression makes him look nervous. "Did I use too much gel? Or maybe, not enough." :D

And that cam mod is really good. I had it at one point, but then took it out cuz I was too lazy to get used to it, or something. You can get reeeeeally close to sims with that. Like, if they had pores, you'd be able to see them. :P

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

*snicker* Just chill, Frances. Your gel technique is fine. Frances just looks like a deer in the headlights 90% of the time.

I know! I'm really loving the camera mod. I didn't find it hard to adjust to at all. I think it has a lot to do with the fact that I always go into tab mode for photos, and the controls are the same (just more detailed, and less sensitive, which is a good thing).

[smjoshsims.livejournal.com]

Frances looks great! I want this SP so bad! :D

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Frances rocks the new look like nobody's business. ;) I highly recommend this SP. It just hits all the right notes for me. I'm sure it's mostly personal preference, but I love it.

[xel-squirgle-ox.livejournal.com]

Oooh! I LOVE that hair on him! Makes his face seem a little less pointy. I really want to see the rest of his outfit now, that sweater looks spiffy. I don't have the Kitchen&Bath SP yet, but I hope to get it real soon. I did get Free Time last week though, and I love it! Wanna know what I gave Purple Frances as a secondary? GRILLED CHEESE! Now he'll be fat forever. *evil laugh*

"Speaking of annoyingly proud sim mothers... here I go again, pulling my little snapshot of Ripp out of my wallet and waving it around." LMAO! I feel like that a lot lately as well. And I think that with the Sims born in game, I've gotten worse. Expect to see a ton of alien spawn spam in the future. Hell, it's already leaking out and they're not even born in the story yet!

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

I think it really balances his short, square face. Here's the rest of the outfit:



I did intend to include this shot, but I forgot.

Fat (purple) Frances must rock out as a grilled cheese sim. I love it! :P

It's hard not to spam people with pics of your favourite sims. Thankfully, most people who read this journal can appreciate my mad love for these sims. I'm all about seeing people squee about their beloved sims. It warms my heart.

[xel-squirgle-ox.livejournal.com]

Ooh I love it! :)
Unfortunately, I have not played Fat Frances since I made him have that as a secondary. He'll be soo much fun though! Unfortunately, I haven't made that purple outfit available for adult yet. Guy is popularity/family now and he keeps wanting to adopt like 10 kids.

Speaking of Frances spam... Have you checked out This entry of mine? Tons of Purple Frances spam there.

[madame-ugly.livejournal.com]

Two questions:

1. With the new stuff pack, do you have use that disk to start the game? If so, did you have an secur rom issues?

2. With the camera mod, hard to install? I just gave the slightest glance via the link you gave and it gave me a mini heart attack. (I'm interested in it--for later--if it really is easy to install/use).

I like Frances's frizzy sideburns. Very cool.

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Okay, quick answers... I don't have much time left here (since I'll be away all day).

1. No issues, since I still play from Seasons. The stuff packs don't have any impact that way, which is why I installed it without hesitation.

2. The camera mod is very easy to install. Just copy the contents to the "cameras" folder. See below for more details.You should go for it. It's quite easy to use.

I like that this style has built in sideburns, which is why it struck me as so obviously "Frances". It's a good update for him.

[jessicus.livejournal.com]

gun mod's camera mod is excellent, I've had it for ages and you get the best shots from it. The bathrobe is too cute! I must look towards throwing some MOAR rams into my overtaxed pc.

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

I can't believe I didn't download this camera mod on day one of my sim storytelling career. I feel like a fool for waiting so long. It's awesome! You can see how I've already taken full advantage of it in my latest update.

The bathrobes are super cute, and so great for storytellers. *does a little happy dance*

[simgarooop.livejournal.com]

Awww! That hair is adorable!

I've been playing a little with Bon Voyage today, and it's actually a pretty neat EP (and my computer is working just fine). I was even able to FINALLY take some pictures for my next update, might even use a couple of them to write a very belated drabble for the simstoryteller's community prompt.

What? You mean you haven't been using the Camera mod all this time?! O_o

Whoah! If you were able to take those shots with just the Maxis camera, I can't wait to see what you'll come up with now! I love the camera mod, it's quite easy to use (or at least I got used to it quickly, perhaps because I learned to use it at the same time I discovered the TAB controls) and it lets you take a lot of odd angles and even get really close to the toddlers.

Those of you who haven't tried the mod yet, don't be afraid of it! It's really awesome ^^ (and it works with all EP and SP's installed).

[pixelcurious.livejournal.com]

But was it hard to install?

[simgarooop.livejournal.com]

Not at all.

You just have to choose one of the three cameras available (I always pick option "A"), download it and extract its contents on the "Cameras" folder at My Documents > EA Games > The Sims 2. You can even pick which camera-files you want to have in your game or not.

In my case, I usually just install the "FirstPersonCameras", "NeighborhoodCameras" and "CineCamCameras" files. For some reason, I get dizzy if I play with the "LiveCamera" at normal gameplay, so I ignore it and stick with the Maxis default.

[pixelcurious.livejournal.com]

Thank you, this is very helpful. :)

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

I'll come back to elaborate this evening when I have the time, but it looks like simgaroop answered your question for me. It's really just a matter of extracting the file into your "cameras" folder (it's a good idea to copy the entire folder to have a backup of the default Maxis cam too). I also chose option "A".

The installation couldn't be easier, really. And the controls are not all that different. The camera moves in a slightly different way, and at a different speed, but in almost every way, it's an improvement. I no longer have to use the same ridiculous strategies to get certain extreme shots. It makes the job a lot easier.

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Isn't he cute with it, though?

I've pretty much decided that, when InSIM is updated for Free Time (I heard it might be within a week, so I'm crossing my fingers), I'm going to install both BV and FT. There are a number of things I really want from that, even if the vacationing thing doesn't do much for me. My main reason, again relating to Frances, is the grand piano. Someone as classy as Frances needs a classy piano.

Heheh. Nope. I've been toiling away with the default camera. I now realize how I was making my work a million times harder by sticking with that. I had no idea! (Why didn't someone tell me sooner?) The camera mod makes things so much easier! I'm just loving it.

I found it easy to adapt to too. The tab mode is very similar, but you have that simply wonderful ability to shift the camera up and down. I'm so excited to get lower vantage points. Again, why didn't I do this sooner? :P

I'm excited about getting better toddler pics! I included a couple of those in the latest update.

I second, and third, the recommendation to just get the camera mod, everyone! Do not be afraid. If you copy and back up your cameras folder, you can easily switch back anyway, but you won't want to. It's the llama's ass, I tell you! The llama's ass! *snicker*

[redqueenofevil.livejournal.com]

I love the new hair. I actually gasped. Frances is sure to have guys all over him now. ;)

Alas, Frys did not have the stuff pack. I am packless.

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Ooh, a gasp? Frances is pleased by your reaction. He's not going to be a wallflower for long, with this look.

[franwi.livejournal.com]

I've always found Frances very attractive, but that hair - I want to run my fingers through it, lol. I can't wait to see him change into this new look. It makes him look less stressed out, too.

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Frances is definitely an attractive guy. He had a very unique look. I think the crooked nose and the prominent lips and borw really add to his appeal. And the hair just puts the cherry on top, doesn't it? And yes, he seems much more relaxed. :) Let's hope the look reflects a bright future for him.

[sofieamalien.livejournal.com]

I just got the Kitchen & Bath interior design stuff pack too! On the release day (the Danish release day that is) I work as a mail(wo)man and was delighted to see the big letter to me from the online shop where I bought it. LOVELY! I just got home and just installed it! I'm SO gonna re-decorate some kitchens and stuff!

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

I'm a big fan of this SP. The stuff included is exactly to my taste. I'm happy to see you've joined me on the bandwagon. I so seldom get on. It's fun to get something just as it comes out for a change..

[sofieamalien.livejournal.com]

I love getting TS2 things just when they're released, I just haven't had the possiblility for a very long time. The last thing I got on the release day (Before Kitchen & BAth) was Pets I think. Isearched ths hops for Seasons and all SPs coming out after, but they're s slow at getting things home here where I live. Then I went 3 weeks to Italy in the summer where I bought Celecration and H&M and then off to USA for 6 monthes, here I missed: BV, Free Time and Teen Style. So I wanted a change for this new SP, I wanted it on the date so I simply ordered it online. :)

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

The only other EP or SP that I acquired right at the time of release was H&M Stuff. I was really excited about that one. I started playing the base game pretty late (it was a little over a year ago, when I bought it on a whim), and had no EPs for quite a while, because I was playing on an old computer that could barely handle it. Then I upgraded on my birthday (slightly less than a year ago... since my birthday is next week), and my SO bought me Pets for my birthday. Then I added University, Nightlife, OFB, and Seasons, in that order, and the stuff packs somewhere in between.

So that's the story of my Sims 2 career. I played Sims 1 too, but I quit cold turkey, because I thought I was way too addicted (I get this from my father, who got so addicted to Tetris that he wore out a gameboy). Then I relapsed. *snicker* It is still a bit of an addiction, but at least, with writing a story, it's a creative use of my time. I figure that there are worse things to be addicted to.

I digitally downloaded this SP. It was to cut back on another negative habit of mine: having too much "stuff" piling up. ;) I'm such a pack rat. Or, as I prefer to say, I have archival tendencies. I'm a born librarian.

[cindyanne1.livejournal.com]

Kitchen and Bath has hair??? Wha.... where was I, lol!

I installed the pack last night but (slaps forehead) ONLY went through the folder in Buy mode to see what all came... and I was unimpressed, lol! But I didn't even think to look for new clothes and hair. And Goddess forbid I actually look through the book! Hee.

So tonight I'll have to go looking and see what goodies came in other areas of the pack! Woooo!

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Yes, it has hair! How awesome, don't you think? It has a number of nice female styles too. I'm just pumped about it.

You should take another look through it. ;) The clothes and hair are half of the appeal.

[80sfiend.livejournal.com]

What great hair on Frances!! :D Very awesome. I've been thinking of downloading that camera mod for awhile too...I just have to get around to it. :D It's good to know it's easy to use though. :D

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Doesn't it seem like it was made just for him? I'm so pleased.

You should definitely try the camera mod. I highly recommend it. It makes a huge difference, and it's not at all hard to use.

[sweetblasfemy.livejournal.com]

oh you knit too?!?!? you are even cooler now!