Want to make it look like you have a sim performing on stage? Here's how to build a nice set for a realistic look.
You will need Open for Business so you can use the stage tool.
1. Start by making a big ol' box on your empty lot.
2. Then trace over that box on the second floor. You now have a two-story box.
3. Line the front wall of the box with windows. Remember, there is a direction to the lighting coming into your lot, so the front is whichever way the light is coming from. Do the same on both levels.
4. Now cover the walls on both levels with a basic wall texture. I'm using blood red paint. You use whatever is appropriate to your setting.
5. And cover the floor with a basic texture. I'm just using a basic Maxis wood.
6. Use the Stage Tool to draw a stage along the back wall a few tiles deep. The depth of your stage will depend on what kind of venue you're trying to emulate... We're going for more of a small venue club or playhouse stage here, so my stage is only three tiles deep. This will give a closer, intimate feel to pics taken on this stage.
If you're going for a larger venue, like an operahouse or concert stage, you may want to do more like 5 tiles deep. Try to resist the urge to make a HUGE stage - it will be hard to get a good background going, and any details you add to the background will likely be lost.
Now cover the stage with a floor texture. I'm just using the same wood I used for the sub-floor. You can also cover the front wall of the stage with a texture now if you like, but I think I'm going to leave it as-is.
7. Line the front of the stage with lights placed a single tile apart. I'm again using the outdoor lights from Open for Business. Turn them on in live mode.
8. Now finish the edge of the stage using a fence. I'm using the Edge Smoothers from
Ailias at MTS2.
9. Line the front of the stage with lights placed a single tile apart. I'm again using the outdoor lights from Open for Business.
Make sure to switch to live mode to turn them on once placed.
11. Now that my stage is coming together, I think I want a more interesting texture for the back wall.
This one is part of the Esoteric Wallset by Von40Mouse at MTS2.
12. And that's about all you need. We'll go into exactly how to pose your sim for stage performances later.
