I use reshade with HORROR PIXEL preset by Lavenfur. It's technically for Gshade but I believe you can use it if you have gshade shaders in the shaders folder.
I removed 90% of actual roads and used fake dark rural lane roads - TeaAddict edit. I also use this default invisible desert roads to complete the look.
Here's the list of grungy lots I used to fill the town:
Pleasantview Apartments by Pikkonsimming HERE.
Various Lots by Maryata - War, War 2, Haunted House, Abandoned House etc. HERE.
Various Kativip Lots - Abandoned House, CHBL, DOS
Falling Oasis by Purity Project HERE.
GOS favourites - Toxic Pond, Lucky's Tattoo & The Pitts, The Factory
Forgotten & Abandoned Gas station by RecklessJerry HERE.
Backstreet Place, Tin Can Alley by Cyclonesue HERE.
Funfair lot by Paranoia0612 HERE.
Ramshackle Cottage by Aya20 HERE.
Dereliction House by eedgan HERE.
Ottomas Cottage by Aurora HERE.
Simulado Ranch by Andrevasims HERE.
Edit. Disturbia by Tilly HERE
I plan to update the list when I find missing links to some of the lots, like Replica, Old Sport Complex and Farthing Alley.
I was a toddler when TS2 came out, but even I remember the exchange since it closed fairly recently (I think). I remember everybody downloading sims from the exchange to get cool new cc since back then there were still paysites (I think, because I remember watching a couple of cc tutorial videos).
I made this lot for my new hood called Mountain Village.
This lot is not a functional hotel, but I did make a functional restaurant. I will probably not share it because I think this lot would be a routing hell because I put tables into different buildings, such as the caffe one. I think there are seven beds in total (three double beds). I also put the mobile phone machine (LOL).
I don't know why, but this lot has kind of a capitalistic feeling. I don't know how to word it properly...
This is my save file that I am currently building. I mostly finished the lots, but the deco is no where near finished. I think there are four main families. This is the third generation for some families. Also, I have default replacements for the trees and cars (I think the name of the creator is Criquette). I also apologise for the bad quality of the photos...
Note that I was changing the build as I took photos.
The name pretty much sums it up: the stadium was build for an ancient sports game, but, after centuries, it was converted into a basketball stadium. There are no seats (my bad), so take this build with a grain of salt. I did put four bathrooms though.
This is my version of the royal familiy estate, with four bedrooms (five if you count the bedroom for the service), a library, a dining hall, and a gym. I have used a lot of cc for this build, primarily from TSR and MTS.
This lot was made for a hood (Magic Town) that is curently under progress. I might upload the lot, but I won't upload the hood because I made families for it and I play those families.
Sorry for no landscaping skills being shown; I might put more effort in it later or when I decide to upload the lot to the internet.
The biggest activity on this lot is the culinary competition. There is a small classroom in the basement and a small library on the second floor. The lot also has a coffee machine, so your sims can drink some coffee as well.
EDIT: I updated the post with the finished version.
I used a lot of cc from Parsimonious for this build, such as walls, floors, windows and doors and the roof pattern. Also, cc from Mutske and MsBarrows from TSR. The biggest apartment is about 2,631 simoleons and the smallest one is about 1,250 simoleons. The flowers on the platform are plastic flowers cc, so don't worry!
Title : TS1 Inspired Reshade / (Pre-Rendered Sprites Style?)
After many experiments, I finally found the visual approach I've been looking for. Thank you so much for all the support, likes, comments, and reblogs on the previous post, it kept me motivated to finish this preset.
This preset started from one simple thought while I was playing or editing screenshots: "hmmm, this still looks 3D."
By using VidTheKid's Isometric Camera Mod as the main foundation, I tried to bring the look of TS2 closer to the feel of TS1. At first, I really liked it. However, over time I realized that this is still a 3D environment that has only been given an isometric perspective. Lowering the lighting, turning off shadows, even when the lighting is turned off completely using the "boolprop lightingEnabled false" cheat, those objects just look like 3D models sitting in a dark room. And this is not the fault of the mod or the game. TS2 was indeed built as a 3D game rendered in real-time, while The Sims 1 used pre-rendered images (sprites). This difference is what makes the TS2 look stay smooth and dynamic, but makes it difficult to bring the solid and static impression of TS1's pre-rendered objects, as seen in the comparison images above. Both are the same indoor scenes, one with default Maxis lighting and the other with my Reshade. You can see how the object textures and colors in my Reshade stand out even in a room with no windows or lamps. Additionally, the object edges are bolder and statically composed, as if each object carries its own texture or color without lighting influence, or simply, sprite-like.
Additionally, I can't decide which one I like more, as every player certainly has their own preferences. I will provide other examples with images labeled code 01-03 :
01. Maxis no ReShade (Settings : Lighting High, Shadow Off)
Take a look at CODE 01, this is the default Maxis lighting without my shader. The terrain paint textures are barely visible, perhaps due to the very smooth color transitions or the game's lighting influence? I'm not entirely sure about the technical details. Additionally, the edges of each object are still somewhat uneven.
Then look at CODE 02, the game's color palette starts to become limited, yet each object still receives in-game lighting. The color transitions show a dithering effect. If you notice, the terrain textures, like the blades of grass start to become visible, and the edges between objects now have distinct borders and visible separation lines.
And finally, CODE 03, the game's natural lighting is completely disabled. All the colors pop out and become flat because I've enabled the "boolprop lightingEnabled false" cheat. Technically, this is similar to Image 02, but by enabling this cheat, the lamps or any other light sources in your game become purely decorative, their glow no longer affects the light or darkness of objects. Even if there's a light effect around the lamp itself, it becomes purely cosmetic or in other words, it's just part of the lamp's image itself (referring back to that sprite-like feel). I will further explain the technical side of the CODE 02&03 setup using another indoor and outdoor example below.
Take a look at the images of Mrs. Crumplebottom below, both indoors and outdoors. All of these are shown without my shaders. only pure, default Maxis lighting.
The first image shows the default Maxis lighting with in-game settings (Lighting: High, Shadows: Off). Here, you can see Mrs. Crumplebottom outdoors being hit by the game's sunlight, while indoors, she receives reflections from the lamp next to her, visible as a glow on her face and body.
The second image shows what happens when you enable the "boolprop lightingEnabled false" cheat. As I mentioned before, this completely disables all in-game light sources; as a result, Mrs. Crumplebottom looks exactly the same whether she is outdoors or indoors. However the lack of this cheat is, it makes everything look dim and dark. Notice that even though there is a lamp next to her, the light doesn't affect Mrs. Crumplebottom or the toilet she's sitting on. the lamp's glow effect exists in isolation, looking like a fake or "phoney" effect.
The third image shows a side effect or glitch that might occur when enabling this cheat. Don't panic! This will return to normal if you refresh it by reopening the cheat console (Ctrl+Shift+C), selecting the cheat again, and pressing Enter.
Next, here is how the same scenes look with my Reshade applied, bringing out that specific visual style I mentioned.
The first image, If you liked the "Code 02" version from before, This image is an example of the results you will get. My Reshade combined with the default Maxis lighting. With this setup, light sources and the outdoor environment still provide reflections to your objects or Sims. You can see how the colors appear limited yet pop out, the color transitions look sharp, and the edges of objects or Sims are visible and static. Then, if you look closely, there is a dithering effect in the colors (I hope it’s still visible once uploaded; I’m not sure how much Tumblr will compress the image quality, but you can always test it in-game to see the full effect yourself). The textures also look much denser, take a look at the cloud wallpaper and the green grass carpet; everything brings out its maximum texture detail without the blurriness found in the version without Reshade.
[NOTE: For those of you who prefer this version, you can adjust the White Point value in Levels.fx from my default of 160 to 230–255.]
The second image, if you prefer the "Code 03" version, this is the result you will get. Personally, I really love using this one in my gameplay. Technically, it’s the same as Code 02, but I feel this version truly delivers that pre-rendered visual. It effectively fixes the dim and overly dark colors that usually occur when you enable the "boolprop lightingEnabled false" cheat. Since all lighting is even, there is no in-game lighting/shading, so any light or dark spots you see are just from the textures or 'baked (is that the right term? idk 😂), Your objects look as if they are standing on their own, with every color and texture popping at their maximum. What I love most about this version is how my Sims skin tones resemble the look of TS1.[NOTE: If you feel this version is a bit too bright, you can adjust the White Point value in Levels.fx from my default of 160 to 170-180.]
Anyway, Mrs. Crumplebottom I’m using is available for download from amazing @bayoubashsims thanks and sorry for putting her in such a weird room setup haha 😆.
Then If you notice a #ffff00 yellow outline with 0.15 thickness on the edges of your objects, that’s actually intentional. I chose this color as a tribute to old TS1 CC creators, whose objects sometimes had a bit of yellow leakage perhaps leftovers from the P-Sprites (is this the right term?). So, this is my love letter to them. Hm, I wish I had been playing TS1 back in their era haha.
[NOTE : Don't worry, this outline isn't always super visible, sometimes it subtly blends in with your floor, walls, or terrain. I actually experimented with black vs this yellow, and it turns out this one looks much better! It makes the edges look more defined and clear]
Bonus for you! I’ve included 3 terrain paints inspired by The Sims 1 (Grass, Dirt, and Sand). I didn’t extract these directly from the original TS1, instead, I found some textures online and edited them myself. While the colors might not perfectly resemble the original TS1. But here's a fun fact, these textures really pop and show their detail much better once you use my Preset.
sheep and tree : Kativip, large bushes : beautifulnerdkitty , small bushes : sim_man123 (TSR) , rocks : tony-veis (4t2 Snowy Escape)
Lastly, this preset is a visual interpretation inspired by TS1, not a 1:1 recreation. These two games use different systems, so the results will never be exactly the same. But even if this doesn't fully feel like TS1 yet, at least this approach can lean towards the visual feel of classic isometric games with pre-rendered sprites. (Also, a huge shoutout to VidTheKid on MTS for the isometric camera mod, it's what makes this whole look possible, You're truly a legend!).
[NOTE : I’ve included a guide inside the RAR file, please make sure to read it! The total file size is about 25 MB because I’ve also included several preview photos, which you can delete anytime. If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment or send me a message!]
Testing out my custom TS1-inspired ReShade preset at the Broke house. Honestly, I'm pretty happy with the results! The objects actually look like real 2D sprites now, especially with those outlines. It's definitely a step up from my Mashuga house post where I edited the screenshots manually in GIMP. The objects there still looked way too 3D for my taste. I also love the effect on the Sims skin since it gives them a cartoonish texture. But when I switch back to 3D mode, my Sims get slightly transparent and I can even see those weird lines showing through (I don’t know what they’re called, but the ones used to move the Sims). Then, for some reason this preset seems to have trouble reading the color pink. Brandi's kitchen walls should be pink here, but they appear white. Also, the dithering in the dark areas looks a bit chaotic compared to TS1 smooth dithering, so I might need to tweak the settings more.
Anyway, it's Beau's birthday (and no, that's not the present from Mr. Humble lol 😝)
The build is supposed to be a courthouse (two rooms) with offices and a restaurant on the top. There are tables inside as well as some tables on the balconies. The room with the red chairs is supposed to be a fancy meeting room, but it is ideal for a huge group of rich sims as well. There is also a main office room, but I haven't designated it to any sim (or profession) specifically.
I called the build corporate goth because it was inspired by the goth style, but it has that corporate feeling; it looks like a skyscraper. I wanted to include a fourth apartment, but I quickly realised that there needs to be a common space, like the gym. As you can see, each apartment has two bedrooms, so smaller families can live here as well.
I have used a number of career and aspiration rewards for this build, as well as cc for the hospital equipment. I kind of put the hospital equipment randomly and logically at the same time (if that makes sense).
WareHouse Club: note that I changed some things here and there while taking pictures. I used spiral staircases, so sims might get routing errors while going upstairs.
