I don't find that very clear, I was looking for a heading that said Round one-this is what you are to build with guidelines. So an office? I guess the other contests I have been in have been more specific about what to build, even given a shell. Are we restricted to how much the office is worth or anything? So no list of set things the office must have? Other contests have had lists such as make sure you have 1 bench, 1 phone, 1 deco item of your choosing etc. The openness of this threw me off.

One more question before I get started, can we take away the fencing and gate thats already on the lot? Or change it?

"If default replacements means that the textures or mesh was swapped, (but their prices haven't changed), then yes it would be permitted."

@d_dgjdhh How would that work with something like the application round when there's bonus points for using BG content only? Or just in general. Should the default replacements be limited in any way?

Frankly, I can default replace my whole catalog to fit the challenge and end up with a nicer, more cohesive build than I could create otherwise for the same price. So I'm not sure what should be the goal here -- do whatever you want with the defaults and good on you for using default replacement CC to get a better result? Or that's not the spirit of the challenge and when you said no CC you're expecting participants to work with Maxis content?

Good question on that too, I am assuming it stays.

Yes the default replace is always a thorny one since it will make lots using them look nicer and may just sway a judge to give that extra point without meaning to. I am thinking of making a new bare sims 2 folder for this. Perhaps 1/2 a point should be taken off for default replacements?

I tried to make it clear by the 2nd reply (3rd post) of the thread which round we're in, and where to find the post. I also have it in the "How To Apply" section of the first post a link to click and read. You can consult the 2nd reply (3rd post) of the thread for future rounds. The summary of financial results is what to keep an eye out for in scoring too.

There is no restriction to how much the office can be worth. Keep in mine the taxes, though. The higher the value of the office, the more taxes you will pay. During this Application Round, there's no budget to how much your company has. You can in theory build a company worth §500,000, but you'll be paying huge taxes that will put your company in debt. There is no list of objects needed in this office, nor any regulations about it. It's a temporary space, you can build it like a trailer, or a multi-level office, etc.

Yes you can. You can change this particular lot anyway you'd like because it is a "temporary space". In other rounds, there will be guidelines that mention what you can and cannot add/remove from them. This application round didn't specify any objects needed or conditions to what needs to be available. This application round is more interest in how well you can budget. You can in theory say that you have an empty space and call it an office. However, your score would be 0. Therefore, no money added to your budget. The incentive amount has been changed to say "up to §5͵965", in case the property ends up below that amount. There's no free money for no structure, lol.

We're expecting participants to not use custom content (with a few exceptions listed in the application post/first post) because otherwise, yes, you can build the best looking structures that look pretty while other inexperienced players won't have access to that easily. The judges could then score highly on those type of structures while others who use only Maxis content could get lower scores. Additionally, custom content may not be priced fairly. Such as the example I gave where a beautiful bed that costs §1 to a player should really be priced at §2,000. The only fair objective way to price a property would be to use Maxis-only content. That way all participants can have a fair chance at submitting their properties, knowing that another participant (who may have larger structure) won't have an understated cost of construction that a smaller structure may have.

No content produced outside of the release Maxis CDs/DVDs is allowed. Not everybody can download the best looking pieces of custom content and so it may disadvantage other inexperienced participants who may limit themselves to Maxis content only. In regards to base game only, it's a bonus (but not an extravagant one) because of the limited selection it has versus having a complete collection from all the EPs and SPs. Your creativity in using only what's available and manipulating the objects to make it look great (especially if it's base game only) may be helpful. This application round has a small number of points (20 points). The regular rounds will be scored out of 50, and a set of guidelines will be provided for those future rounds. The point value received from the judges are not tied to whether or not you use base game only content. That base-game only content bonus is given is separate.

I don't even know how to tell if something is base game only so I don't think I will bother.

This cheat will help you with that, Jo. boolProp ShowCatalogePFlags [true/false]

Oh thanks Karen I didn't know there was a cheat for that. Since I have made a new sims 2 folder free of all cc including defaults and don't care what happens to it, I will use that. Do I put that into hood or lot view?

I think it may be a bit more specific by the time we get to Round One; this is still the Application Round. I think all these contests have an Application Round, don't they? You've done lots of these contests, Jo? This will be my first one. I came to the game too late for the Veronaville Makeover contest, which was just finishing when I was starting to post, and I think most of the ones since were things I really couldn't do. So I'm really looking forward to this one. The openness of the Application Round is one of the things that attracted me to it.
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I've already got Version 1 of the lot file: I take it is still possible just to drop it into the Lot Catalogue folder and use it, rather than use the sim2pack? I think it is easier.

Jo you type it into the cheat window when you're in the lot view.

Yes you are correct Andrew, I should have said a heading saying Application Guidelines. I have a headache across my eyes today I think I probably should not be reading but I am excited for another contest, it's been ages since I have done one. I think I have been in two or three here? Last contest i judged and I found that to be a lot harder than I thought it would be.

Even with the cheat in the walls and floors don't say what EP or SP they are from. Dang base game has nothing. I have all these ideas and everything is at least nightlife. Opps sorry I thought someone on Bootstrap had posted after my last past.

Yes, Round 1 onward will be more specific in what is being sought after. The Application Round is pretty much a balance between how thrifty you can be in building an office (while minimizing your taxes payable) & how nice your lot can look (while not overspending to put your company in debt).

And yes, you can still use the Version 1 file provided earlier. There is no change to the way the lot looks in this Version 2 file.

I wouldn't worry too much about trying the achieve the base-game only bonus, since it's more for those who may be disadvantaged in not having any or all the EPs and SPs. Again, the bonus is not extravagant to warrant a huge lead in the results.

For future reference (and this is for anyone), an easy way to know exactly what day and time a round/contest ends for you on timeanddate.com (being the site used most often for contests here) is after clicking the timer link on the MTS contest, go to the header titled "Time Zones" and click on "Time Zone Converter" from the drop down menu on timeanddate.com. Then all you have to do is input the info from either the contest page or on the countdown page and add in where you are in the places to convert to/from section. (If anyone is unsure of their zone, there is a drop down menu when choosing zones or you can click on "search", enter your location, and the site will figure out your time zone for you.) Click "Convert time" and you'll get the exact date and time a round/contest ends in your part of the world. I've included an example below.

Here's the direct link: Time Zone Converter
And here is what it looks like:

Is it possible to build a wall that is only 3 clicks high? perhaps I've never tried before since I don't use CFE that often, but I seem to be restricted to 4 clicks.

I said 6am so I was right even just with a 'guestamet.'

I dont think this has been asked, we've determined defaults are fine, what about recolours of maxis objects? Im assuming those are fine as its not a new mesh or does not change the price, but thought Id better check first!
Also for the logo, assuming its fine for recolours we can use it as signage on the building? Or is it something that is made just in photoshop?

Surely recolours are cc.

But then what is the difference between a maxis default and a maxis recolour, when neither change the price of the object?

In regards to recolors of an object, it should be fine so long as it's from existing Maxis content. It's correct to assume that the recolors don't change the price of the items. It can be argued that they're like texture replacements because they're just colored differences. I'll have to write that down as another exception. This won't apply to wallpaper and flooring, since one can't recolor said objects. Sorry, recolors of Maxis content are not allowed.

In regards to a logo, the bonus will be paid out for a 100x100 pixel image in your application post. The intent is to use it in the financial results to represent your company in the scoreboard post on the 3rd post (2nd reply) of this thread. You will not the bonus for using it in your property because it will be considered outside of Maxis created content.

Well if recolours are okay whats the difference between that and other cc items of the same price? I'm a bit disappointed as I thought this would be an even playing field. People who use photoshop already have a small advantage, since only those type of signs count not one made in game with game items and those of us who don't recolour items are now even more disadvantaged. I have been building in a new sims 2 folder without even a default. But now people who know how to recolour are going to recolour things and make everything look about 100% better than those of us using the mish mash that is Maxis content.

You're right...

I'll just go back to my original written rule of no custom content, only Maxis items. Much more clean cut. Anything that can't be found in the game is considered custom content. And much simpler for the judges to see. My apologies for my mistake in judgement.

I hope everyone isn't going to hate on me for that, but I am happier with a blanket no cc rule. I know maxis content is hard to work with and shades don't match and so on, but at least we are all working with the same constraints.

No no, I much prefer a clean-cut no custom content rule myself. I was getting worried that this contest was going to be too restrictive and that not many folks would participate because of a lack of content to use (which is why I started thinking it's a good idea to have OMSPs and why not recolors too, etc.). But having a loose rule set for the contest is even worse...so I'm gonna stick with what I originally prepared for the contest prior to submitting this.

Thats quite ok with me, but the other way was fine too, I dont recolour myself but there are lovely recolours of maxis items out there already, so me not being able to do it didnt much bother me!
Half finished already, and there wasnt actually any defaults or recolours in there yet anyway, so at least its not back to a drawing board!