Sectional plots

[Bored Peon]

I am really surprised with all the creativity for the Sim Settlements that nobody thought of this earlier...

Why has nobody made sectional plots?

I seen a bunch of suggestions wanting bigger plots. So why not make a "plot" that is meant to be sectional? I mean you got a bunch of plots with themes, so why not take it a step further and just make it so they sorta snap together.

For example you could make a design that requires 2 2x2 plots, 4 2x2 plots, or 6 2x2, or use up 2 interior plots. Set it up into NE, NW, SE, SW corner, and middle sections for the 6 2x2s.

Of course having these sectionals chosen as random could suck. However that is what the ban plan and choose plan options are for right?

 

[uituit]

My War Truck/War Trailer is a combo plot . the truck is a martial plot and the trailer is a home (JunkTown)
I think one of the vault addons also have a similer thing , fire and ice I think its called.
and CptCoots also has one I think .

I think using more than 2 plots will be harder to do in a combo plot. Would be cool if some other addon makers can do some to

 

[Bored Peon]

Didn't notice those particular ones.

Well I had the idea when I was preplanning my 50th some odd version of Sanctuary and constructing a diner. I wanted an outdoor section with bar stools and an indoor section. Each took up a 2x2 section.

Then I was like I wonder nobody has done this sort of thing yet? I suppose city plans designed by people would sorta work like that.

 

[pra]

Well, you can always use interior plots to approximate that.

 

[Bored Peon]

Well, you can always use interior plots to approximate that.

I could do that, in fact I did do that. However the whole purpose of Sim Settlements is so someone does not have to.

I just figured it would be an interesting idea for someone to toy around with.

 

[woodfuzzy]

I just figured it would be an interesting idea for someone to toy around with.

That someone could be you.
Builders Tool Kit WARNING!! It is addictive!!

 

[Bored Peon]

That someone could be you.
Builders Tool Kit WARNING!! It is addictive!!

Yeha well I am great at ideas, and absolutely horrible on the follow through. Rather than sit on it, I figured suggest it.

 

[uituit]

there was a few people interested in making sectional homes using sanctuary assets but they MIA.
lol I started a addon called Steel city that was for snapable homes and stackable plots but that fizzed out on me
maybe one day ill get back to it

 

[Bored Peon]

Yeah the more I think about it the more I think it is like using a city plan, but not using a city plan feature, lol.

 

[uituit]

the hardest part is getting motivated lol

 

[VersusXV]

I am really surprised with all the creativity for the Sim Settlements that nobody thought of this earlier...

Why has nobody made sectional plots?

I seen a bunch of suggestions wanting bigger plots. So why not make a "plot" that is meant to be sectional? I mean you got a bunch of plots with themes, so why not take it a step further and just make it so they sorta snap together.

For example you could make a design that requires 2 2x2 plots, 4 2x2 plots, or 6 2x2, or use up 2 interior plots. Set it up into NE, NW, SE, SW corner, and middle sections for the 6 2x2s.

Of course having these sectionals chosen as random could suck. However that is what the ban plan and choose plan options are for right?

I actually have thought about this but didn't know how I might set it up so as to not be confusing for people. How exactly should each corner be designated for 4 square arrangement of (2x2)Plots or 3 by 2 of (2x2)Plots?

I'm unsure how it'd be organized so people don't get confused

there was a few people interested in making sectional homes using sanctuary assets but they MIA.
lol I started a addon called Steel city that was for snapable homes and stackable plots but that fizzed out on me
maybe one day ill get back to it

That sounds epic, would be a favorite!

the hardest part is getting motivated lol

True! Especially when free time limited & IRL in the way.

 

[Bored Peon]

I actually have thought about this but didn't know how I might set it up so as to not be confusing for people. How exactly should each corner be designated for 4 square arrangement of (2x2)Plots or 3 by 2 of (2x2)Plots?
I'm unsure how it'd be organized so people don't get confused

I have thought about this a few times.

The first thing you would have to do is explain on the mod page this is how it works. Maybe take some screenshots or make a video.

The second thing would be figure out what size you want your sectional building. It could be two plots side by side, an upper and lower, four plots with each being a corner.

Then I would make the plot names into corners, middle, bottom, roof, etc. Maybe even work with that mod that does a plot preview?

Something really advanced could be both upper/lower with the four corners. Then maybe even toss in middle sections to make then a 3x2 plots. You could even go with something like Roof, ground floor, middle floor which would allow for multiple middle floors.

The of course you can always go with making the design into a plan.

The possibilities are there it is just a matter of hashing it out with others. There is a lot of talent in the community and no reason it could not be a joint venture.

 

[Bored Peon]

Here is an example for you. Someone made a comment they liked the concrete building in the corner.

​

To make that into a multi sectional plot project you would cut the building in halves for each level. You would have the ground floor two halves, the middle section two halves and the roof in two halves. This is because the building is 2 foundation tiles by 3 foundation tiles, well 2x4 on the ground floor and 2nd story.

Getting the halves and the stories to line up would probably be the hardest part.

 

[woodfuzzy]

The easiest way I can think of is to take 1 2x2 plot and overhang what you want. Of course you'd have to make it divisible by 2x2 foundations.
Once your plot was chosen, the *construction material* would include the flooring that would show the player where to add the extra foundations.
You could also name the plot according to the size, like "Cleo's 2x4 Hooker Emporium" or "Bubba's 4x4 Mud Pit"

 

[Bored Peon]

The easiest way I can think of is to take 1 2x2 plot and overhang what you want. Of course you'd have to make it divisible by 2x2 foundations.
Once your plot was chosen, the *construction material* would include the flooring that would show the player where to add the extra foundations.
You could also name the plot according to the size, like "Cleo's 2x4 Hooker Emporium" or "Bubba's 4x4 Mud Pit"

I was thinking more of a modular type thing. That way someone could make their "building" anywhere from 2 stories high to 12 stories high. Or even 3 plots wide to 5-8 plots wide.

By using the overhang like you suggest you are limiting to a single plot. Which also runs into the issue of can only assign 1 settler to the complex versus one for each plot.

Of course with your idea you could throw interior plots inside it to correct it, but if you designed it in sections you could avoid that unnecessary extra step of interiors.

Think of how the houses went in Skyrim. Then the different wings had choices. Of course with Fallout 4 we can do it on grander scale.

 

[Koeran83]

It seems to me that it might be worth creating some building shell pieces, preferably with all 3 development levels. They could be terrace style; a normal 2x2 sized plot intended to have more plots stacked on top. Or more complicated to allow for larger buildings.

It wouldn't be too hard to come up with a logical naming system, the plot sections would need to specify if they're at the front, back or side, or corner, or an internal section (no external walls). Front Left Corner, Front Side, Front Right Corner, etc. It might be worth also having them specify if they include a door.

New plots would need to be created, as you wouldn't want the regular power pole on all the plots. And they'd probably need their own section within the build menu.

The hardest part might be getting the designs to be consistent. If you have concrete, warehouse, barn and shack designs all capable of being used in the same building, it might work on a floor by floor basis, but probably not on the same floor.
Defining where the access to a different floor is could be a problem, unless that's also standardized for the multi-part plots.

 

[Bored Peon]

New plots would need to be created, as you wouldn't want the regular power pole on all the plots. And they'd probably need their own section within the build menu.

For people using Place Everywhere it wouldn't be a problem. For those that are not it could pose a problem.

If you have concrete, warehouse, barn and shack designs all capable of being used in the same building.

I would probably stick to keeping barn and warehouse separate overall. I still dont get why they made those a different height.

I swear they made them the odd height just to be aggravating on purpose. You know like if you visit the random encounter rare NPC, nobody is even protected, except Ness who is aggroed to all of them and proceeds to start killing if you enter it.

Defining where the access to a different floor is could be a problem, unless that's also standardized for the multi-part plots.

​

I was thinking if you went with the standard height, then the concrete stairs actually do not touch the floor when you place them. You could also just leave the hole in the floor for the player to have a choice, board up the hole or place stairs.

I would be more worried about walls and rooms lining up in some modular designs, because two adjacent plots cant really both have a wall on the edge. it would do the overlapping glitchy look or not allow it. I mean it can be done, just gonna take a bunch of creativity, lol.

Anyways, you are getting the idea, someone could do a big factory, mansion, fort/bunker, apartment building, etc. I mean it is just about he same thing as a plan, but you wouldn't have to be forced to use the entire plan.

 

[Fielran]

As far as lining everything up in megabuildings, you might find some inspiration from the OpenLOCK system of modular 3d printable RPG terrain.

For less complicated setups, I would tend towards an oversize plot with snap points for additiobal interior plots

 

[Bored Peon]

For less complicated setups, I would tend towards an oversize plot with snap points for additiobal interior plots

As I stated in the beginning the whole thing is like half sectional plots versus being a plan. If you make your building too big and complex with interior plots and such it moves from being something that can be tossed in and existing settlement to becoming a plan.

For example if my sectional building consisting of 18 large plots (6 plots per floor and 3 stories high, and 9 interior plots, that becomes a plan.

I do like your idea though it comes closer to being a plan, especially for low end PC users and Xbox.

 

[VersusXV]

As I stated in the beginning the whole thing is like half sectional plots versus being a plan. If you make your building too big and complex with interior plots and such it moves from being something that can be tossed in and existing settlement to becoming a plan.

For example if my sectional building consisting of 18 large plots (6 plots per floor and 3 stories high, and 9 interior plots, that becomes a plan.

I do like your idea though it comes closer to being a plan, especially for low end PC users and Xbox.

This would be pretty awesome if I can figure custom snap point(or else simply requiring careful placement with PE). I think for larger than 4 plots 4 corners making up one building it probably makes more sense to have large buildable static like a big set-piece. I am not sure how to solve the issue of giant pieces in build mode. If we get exportable/importable Layers in WS+ someday that will be the best way for sure. Alternatively it could be a marker & indicate where the entrance is at floor level, though that will require trial & error for placement. Which I don't mind as it becomes easy when used to it but others may mind. The marker would be grab-able but the structure would not be.

For 4 plots 4 corners what comes to mind is doing a "Downtown Centerpiece" that's simply a 4x4 with the plot zone representing the front-right corner. If all of the structure is 1 static that can save on resources a lot, though upgrades & especially if construction stages are included could make the file size a little out of control. Like maybe adding 100mb just for "Downtown Centerpiece" plot's statics for L0-L3 plus some in-between construction stages. I guess it simply would have to be excluded from Xbox since 100mb for one plot is pretty unreasonable. That would be a rough size estimate if I had simply 4 of my plots placed into one combined plot. I wonder though, would potentially adding as much as 500mb or more for the Main.BA2 be unreasonable for PC users as well? For a variety of "4-square" plots &/or some bigger ones?

Most likely this single plot that acts as 4x4 is the most probable one, since special measures like custom snaps or difficult placement won't be needed, you'd simply have to place 4x4 worth of foundations first. And it won't be quite on level of being a plan, in terms of the large quantity of individually spawned objects. For instance, what I'm picturing for a "Downtown Centerpiece" would if done as all individually spawned objects take up 50%-100% of the build gauge. My one martial plot when I had it as individually spawned objects was like 100 objects per level. "Downtown Centerpiece" would be 400-500 per level, conservatively estimated and that is without really decorating at all, just basics.

The second thing would be figure out what size you want your sectional building. It could be two plots side by side, an upper and lower, four plots with each being a corner.

Probably 4 as corners is most likely.

Actually I think that if I could keep "Downtown Centerpiece" smaller somehow that very large combined static like this could be useful for Xbox & City Plan contest. Maybe some tricks like:

• 1-way outside with 1-way inside to make interior space somewhat smaller
• Blocked off floor: It could be 3 or 4 story but have the top floor not be accessible
• Having the corner buildings be essentially connected use 1 wall between them, like a 2-way interior for rooms connecting them

What file size would be reasonable, if you imagine a foursquare sort of plot made up of brick set, Deco set, House set like my existing VFX Downtown plots? Basically 4 of mine combined?