The Sims 2 Builder Interview: ehaught58

Read our interview with one of the community's top lot builders - ehaught58. Check out how he got started and what inspires him!

Read the interview

Top builder, ehaught58 has over 200 lots on the Exchange! From cabins, hotels, parks, and landmarks, this versatile builder has been featured many times. You've probably downloaded his lots for your game!

Congratulations on having over 200 Exchange uploads, ehaught58! We're really excited that you're taking part in the fan interview. Without further ado, let's get to the questions:

How long have you been playing the Sims?
I have been a Sims fanatic since its inception. I started with the Sims 1 base game and have purchased and played every expansion pack and stuff pack to date up through the Sims 2, and soon to be Sims 3.

What got you into creating lots for the Exchange?
I have always had a fascination with architecture, and the Sims really let me stretch my imagination with building. I always wished I could share my creations with the community but was inhibited by the upload process before the Sims 2 and the Exchange came along. Once it was made easy, it just took off!

What was the first lot you built like?
With the Sims 1, it was a sprawling mansion! LOL! I hadn't learned any cheat codes yet and was playing it straight, so I slowly added on, and on, and on - you get the picture! Finally, I learned that blessed word "rosebud"! It changed my entire outlook on the game and opened up a whole new world of gaming to me. With the Sims 2, I did a lot of experimenting for about the first 3 weeks, and then I built something I always wanted to build in the Sims 1- a football stadium (my first upload.)

Where do you get your ideas/inspirations for building your lots?
Most of my ideas come from actual buildings and houses I have seen throughout my life. But there are quite a few lots that I have done that I have no idea what inspired them. They just kind of fell together as I experimented with the building tools.

What kind of building routine do you follow, if any? Do you draw it out on paper first? Or do you just wing it?
With over 200 lots uploaded to the Exchange, it would be hard for me to pinpoint one routine that I would follow. The only way I can explain how I build my lots is that I have a general idea that I lay out first, and then I kind of mold it like clay. I experiment with cheats and new objects, and sometimes, that determines how I finish the lot.

What is your most favorite building feature in build mode? Terrain? Roofs? Multistory?
Compared to the Sims 1, there are too many features to mention! But, if I had to name one, I would say the multistory feature was my first favorite building feature.

What was the most challenging lot you've built?
Wow! That is a hard question to answer. I have lost so many lots learning how to use the cheat codes, it would make you cry! LOL! I guess most every lot that I built was somewhat of a challenge. Like I said, I like to experiment with the cheats, and sometimes that can lead to a lot of trouble.

What do you feel is the most challenging about building lots, in general?
Making it as realistic as possible. I have always focused on details in my lots, and I try to make them completely functional.

How long does it usually take for you to create a lot?
I would say, on the average, that it takes about 12-15 hours over a 2-3 day period. Usually, the house does not take all that long to build; it's the decorating and landscaping that takes the longest.

What programs do you use to make your custom content?
I like to keep things as simple as possible. I just use Paint and HomeCrafter.

What cheats do you favor most?

• Move_Objects On/Off
• Boolprop allow45degreeangleofrotation true/false
• Boolprop constrainfloorelevation true/false
• Boolprop snapobjectstogrid true/false

Do you have any tips or tricks for our fellow Simmers who want to create super awesome lots?
Lay out your basic design first and look for every possible way to add more detail. Give everything you put in the lot a purpose. Don't be afraid to experiment, that is the best and most fun part about building.

Again, thank you so much, ehaught58, for chatting with us! Don't forget to visit his SimPage and check out his lots:
http://thesims2.ea.com/mysimpage/pod.php?user_id=173930