(Part 2) Top products from r/thesims

Warning: Novel incoming.

One option for finding floor plans is the archive of Sears catalog houses here.

However, I'm going to take a different approach with the rest of my response, because it sounds like you have a lot of the same issues with gallery houses that I do.

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The easiest way to get around this is to understand the design process so that you don't need to copy other's plans. I suggest two of my text books from design school:

• The Interior Plan by Robert J. Rengel. Amazon. A used 2011 version can be had for less than $20.
  
  It's a professional book, but it's meant for 1st and 2nd year students so it's not overly technical. I like it because the drawing style is loose and approachable, and it's a very comprehensive. It will walk you through the creative process and will give you planning tools you can use to come up with your own floor plans later on. There are sections on both commercial and residential design, separate sections on individual rooms, and then how those rooms fit together into a whole building. It even talks about furniture placement!
  
  
• A Field Guide to American Houses by Virginia & Lee McAlester Amazon. Again, get the old version used. Less than $10.
  
  This one focuses on exteriors and has both photographs of homes in styles throughout history and line drawings showing what elements make those homes an example of that style. Because it separates out the elements, it's easier to adapt them to new buildings.
  
  If you really want to get into it, I think it's worth it to get the books. They'll have a depth of information you just can't get online - especially in terms of picking up the design process and explaining why things work.
  
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  In terms of adapting real-world measurements into the Sims...I don't advocate for it. Every time I try, the proportions are messed up visually and/or the room sizes don't translate well for sims furniture and activities. I find that it's much, much better to base room sizes on the furniture layout you want and how much open space you need around those arrangements. In other words - work from the inside out.
  
  Say you see a floor plan with furniture on it - a couch, chair and coffee table. It doesn't matter how big those pieces are in real life and it doesn't matter how big the room is, either. Why? Because you know how big that furniture is in the sims and that's all that matters. You need a room that will accomodate a 3x1 tile couch, a 1x1 tile chair, and a 2x1 tile coffee table, plus walking space. You can do a similar thing by translating building facades into 1 or 2-tile windows and doors. I usually work from what minimums I know work in the game and then add space depending on how luxurious I want it to be. Just keeping in mind how much space each item takes up in the game is immensely helpful.
  
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  I like to harp the most central part of really good design: build for your clients' reality.
  
  Don't build a house for humans. Build a house for Sims. Maybe it's just me, but it annoys the crap out of me when I see fake garages and storage rooms in TS4 houses. It's a waste of potentially useful space and family funds. Also, Embrace the weirdness and don't forget about cool things like bubble blower lounges and rocket ships! If your sim has a weird hobby, don't forget to dedicate space for it.
  
  One last thing! Minimize your corridor space! It's dead space so please, please don't make long rambling hallways. Looking at good plans will help you avoid that. Our professors nagged us on this all the time.
  
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  Ninja Edit: I thought it might be helpful to list out my process steps, so here it goes.
  
  

1. Make a written list of spaces and equipment needed based on the family who will be living in the house. Be sure to include hobbies and activities. This is meant to force you to think about details. For example, how many kitchen applicances you want will change the size of your kitchen - so decide early!
   
   
2. Draw a bubble diagram (loose circles) to figure out room placement and room relationships. How do you want the house to flow?
   
   
3. Start adding shape to the rooms. Include doorways, windows, furniture.
   
   
4. Use sims furniture size and walking space requirements to determine total tile dimensions for each room. Then add together for the whole building. Note: I draw plans inside out. Then build it in the game outside in.
   
   
5. Choose a lot size based on the house size and desired yard size. So this is where I start building in the game.
   
   
6. Refine room dimensions based on exterior details you want. Make sure that the windows and doors will space properly on the facade. Make small changes based on furniture sizes, activities, etc.
   
   I know it's a lot of front-end work, but it saves so many issues down the road. You never have to run out of room, or have too much of it, or have to go back and re-do stuff if you plan a little.

Car boot sales are awesome. Not been to one for a long time, I always come home with armfuls of tools I will never use :D

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Great find though. Sims 2 is most definitely the best of the bunch.

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My books on 3D modelling; https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07TW91PKH https://www.amazon.com/dp/1077426879

That laptop might be able to run TS4 without any problems, but it will struggle with TS3, especially if you plan on using many DLCs (expansions).

Here you have a better option.
Here there’s another one which is also quite good.
And another one rather similar.

In this comment you can find the ideal specs for TS3 + expansions.

Woah, until you brought it to my attention, I didn't even realize that the Katy Perry Sweet Treats Stuff Pack isn't available on Steam or Origin anymore. I wonder why? However, you can get the game legitimately here. They probably still have it in stores like Wal-mart, too.

$60 for the Katy Perry expansion now. Holy cow. I never thought I wanted it.... but now that I can't have it, that kind of makes me want to scratch an itch. lol

Omg ok, so I found listings for it on amazon, but I'm not sure if it has the little booklet! Someone posted a picture of it in their reviews. Is this the right one? I'm legitimately going to buy it lmao.

There is also a PC version. Your best bet might be secondhand or charity shops. I see an Amazon listing for a new copy for $80 (ouch, used is about $50).

I'm pretty sure that you could also find a new or even a used copy online for cheap. Even Amazon has it, new and used, ranging from $26 to $4, including shipping.

That wasn't uninspired, you just took inspiration from old European manor homes! Hallways are for servants!

Seriously though, they were. The concept of connecting hallways was so servants could move unseen through the house and just appear where they were needed. No need for the nobs to see the peons. If you're interested, I highly suggest At Home, by Bill Bryson, a room-by-room historical perspective over the evolution of a western home.

Since the problem seems to be about the constriction imposed by bras and how they both trap fluid in the breast and weaken your breast muscles, I can’t imagine wearing sports bras all day long is better. The most important thing if you choose to wear a bra is not wearing it too long and ensuring it’s not very tight (no marks in the skin). Personally I use Nippies by Bristols 6, which are basically super high quality pasties that can last over a year with daily use. They’re so comfy and I haven’t had to wear a bra for 3 years!

intel HD 3000 is pretty weak. I suggest this for a simillar price range:
http://www.amazon.com/Acer-E1-472G-6648-14-Inch-Laptop-Silver/dp/B00HC3498M/ref=sr_1_5?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1404419465&sr=1-5

The processor is an I5 4200U @ 1.6 and turbos to 2.6ghz and it has intel HD 4000 built in. Also comes with an Nvidia GT820m with 2gb vram
you also get 8gb ram.

edit: here's a list of benchmarks for GT820m so you can get an idea of what games you can play. http://www.notebookcheck.net/NVIDIA-GeForce-820M.108477.0.html

and here's more info on the CPU http://www.notebookcheck.net/Intel-Core-i5-4200U-Notebook-Processor.93563.0.html <it's a HASWELL!

who cares, hogwarts is stuffy anyways. it doesnt matter what you do in highschool only what you do in college.

The Magicians

http://www.amazon.com/The-Sims-3-Deluxe-Download/dp/B0047T7MEW/ref=pd_sim_sbs_vg_3

http://store.origin.com/store/ea/en_US/custom/pbPage.FP_Sims3_en_NA#bundles

They are usually labeled "Sims 3 Plus Expansion".

It's basicallly 10$ for the base game, then you get all the updates for the game, as well as Sim Points that you can use for premium objects on the online store.

I have herd that the Sims Life stories were made for laptops. IGN rated them to be a 7.3 so from what I can tell they are not too bad. http://www.amazon.com/The-Sims-Life-Stories-pc/dp/B000KQ51XA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1343257132&sr=8-1&keywords=the+sims+life+stories

Amazon seems to be the cheapest option at £38 for the basic game

http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Sims-Limited-Edition-DVD/dp/B00E4LGSTS

Based on Amazon reviews from people who bought the game, I wouldn't recommend it. Also the links you listed is for a preowned copy, a new copy of the game. There are no first/2nd version. Just the original, glitchy version based on the reviews.

http://www.amazon.com/The-Sims-3-Nintendo-Wii/dp/B003KM98NK

Think this is the closest we're gonna get

The Sims 2 - PlayStation 2 https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B000AOEUPC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_hQtYzbJXMT2SG

I used to have MAJOR overheating problems with the crappiest of games on my Dell Inspiron, this thing is freaking amazing and cools my laptop very very well.

Edit: I've used several other cooling pads, and I highly recommend this one. I have no had any problems since the buy, and the bottom of my laptop has always stayed cool. Although the top left side has stayed hot during times of high useage, but that isn't really something you can stop. (as far as I know)

You could have easily bought the base game for only 26 bucks.

https://www.amazon.com/Sims-3-PC/dp/B00166N6SA/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=the%2Bsims%2B3&qid=1558126291&s=gateway&sr=8-2&th=1

The expansions, from a quick look, are below 20 bucks. I don't know how much you paid for a used game collection, but IMO I don't condone it. I'm not going to speak on the behalf of the community as a whole. There is a rule in the guidelines that goes over stuff like this.

> > No illegal activity including pirated software, cracks and store content.

What you're looking for could possibly be considered as a crack. I might be wrong, but I just wanted to warn you.