Playing Sims 3, I recently discovered it's possible to build swimming pools on any level of a house provided space for the "tank" of the pool exists on the level below.  That also enables windows to be installed on any flat wall of the pool so Sims below can watch other Sims swim (requires "moveobjects on" cheat to install windows). I've also managed to build a functional four-story penthouse atop a 12-story tall building. That little trick is a bit too complicated to get into here.

I'm an artist (painter) and I'd like to use some of my painted images as paintings in Sims 3 houses I've made.  What utility is best suited to creating buyable artwork for Sims 3? Where can I get it?

I've had the same problem with Riverview not showing up in the game.  It does show up in the World folder but not in the Saves folder.  Thanks--

I recently installed the newest patch for Sims 3.  Everything seems to work fine EXCEPT, I can no longer create new Sims because they must have traits and lifetime ambitions, neither of which are accessible now.  Also, I can no longer play existing families.  The loading starts, but then stops and the game locks up every time I try to select a family to play.  I can, however, access unoccupied houses and lots.  I've checked and find no reference to either of these problems.  The same thing happened when I installed World Adventure (which updated my game).  So I uninstalled everything and reinstalled the base game (no patches) and it worked fine.  I've got a lot of custom content but it seems to have no effect on either of these problems.

I'm running XP with an Nvidia GeForce 9400 GT video card with one gig of memory.  I have 4 Gb of RAM.  Any help anyone can supply would be appreciated

Joefish--

I think what you're asking is for a pool not on the ground floor.  Yes, it is possible but it ain't easy.  MTS2 has a number of tutorials using a variety of methods to try to accomplish this feat.  Basically the method I've found that works best is to build a stage then build a wall around the edge of it.  This will put the swimming area on the second level.  You'll need to find some pool surface tile at MTS2 as well and download them.  They go on the upper surface of the pool (2nd floor so to speak).  Your Sims won't use the pool properly however unless they enter the water from a "flattened" second floor which is no small task to build and is much too complicated for me to cover here.  Again, MTS2 has tutorials on how to do that too.  Anyway, once you've created a level 4 "clicks" above your pool surface along one or more edges of your pool, build decks, steps, diving board, pool ladder all from that level and that level only (you may need the "moveobjects on" cheat for the board).  Also, you'll need some kind of low trim "fence" along the edge of the water (on the lower level) or the Sims will stroll right across it, "walking on water" so to speak.  Using this method it's also possible to put windows or even entire glass walls around the pool so as to be able to see your Sims swimming from below.

I've really made a long story short and I don't really expect you to do this without the tutorials, but at least you have some idea what's involved and which tutorials to look at (because there are several approaches).  Some methods are simpler than this BTW.

Hope this helps--

Jay61

I'm not sure this is Pets related but the problem seems to have arisen around the time I installed Pets.  (I've got all the other EPs too).  Anyway, I can now no longer install Sims2 Pack lots.  I've researched this problem both here and MTS2 and found others have encountered it but none of the solutions offered seem to work for me.  It's been suggested that I use MTS's Clean Pack Installer but that offered up an error message involving not being able to find a file called "localpackages.txt."  The TS2 installer says I'm missing expansion pack files (it'd be nice if it said which ones).  Compared to some of the other problems I've been reading about from Pets users, this is relatively minor, but solving it would allow me to do some things with my neighborhoods I've not been able to do recently.  Let me know if you need more details.  Anyone who can help I'd greatly appreciate it.  You may PM me if you'd like.

Thanks-- Jay61

So much for the Sims, now if you could just make a mod so I wouldn't have to take out the trash...  Thanks!