Template:Guidelines-CleanLot

Clean Lots

It's sometimes easier if people choose to upload clean lots. A clean lot, simply, is a lot with no custom content whatsoever – or a bare minimum of custom content. Why upload a clean lot? If you only use a small amount of custom content, it's no problem if you can't include it for some reason – a short shopping list will still be easy for downloaders to follow. If the content you have used is very popular – stuff from Holy Simoly or MaryLou for example –, it is often easier to just list it as "Required but not included" for those few who don't already have it. If you are on a Mac or cannot use CUSTARD/Clean Installer for some other reason, using only EA/Maxis content makes your life a lot easier – then you don't need to worry about unshareable/unwanted custom content in your lots. Many users prefer clean lots as they like to remodel/redecorate houses with their own selection of custom content. They prefer a nice, well-built clean slate that they can customize, rather a bunch of random custom content that they aren't going to use anyway. Files with no custom content are small, so it's quicker for you to upload and quicker for people to download. It's a lot easier on you in uploading – you don't have to check a ton of policies and track down links for everything. It's a lot easier on the staff that moderate house uploads – it takes a lot of time to check all the content links and policies and stuff on included content, and houses with little to no custom content often get approved quicker as a result. To create a clean lot, use CUSTARD(TS3)/Clean Installer(TS2) to rid your finished lot of all custom content (except terrain paints1.) Or you can simply remove your Downloads folder before you start building, and use only EA/Maxis items – this will also make your game load a lot quicker, and the catalogue easier to browse. [1] TS2 Only. See "Content that CAN be Included: Terrain Paints"