Archivist note: This article is from an older recovered archive and might be obsolete or in need of updating.
Most recent revision is shown below, by Aeolus.Cleanslate.
==Builders’ Notecard==
((This notecard is generally given to those who are purchasing land for the first time in New Babbage. Latest revision: March 2009))
===So, you want to build in New Babbage?===
New Babbage is a set of sims that are Steampunk themed, and have a few strictly enforced rules about the builds that are allowed here. This is not to thwart your imagination or creativity, it’s to keep our home a beautiful and characterful place for both it’s inhabitants, and our visitors.
This is a guide to building within those rules, but realize all of this applies equally to things purchased that you wish to place in New Babbage. Not everything labeled “Steampunk” will pass muster in New Babbage, so be sure to keep that in mind when both building and shopping. When in doubt, ask
The most important thing to keep in mind is the general theme. New Babbage is a 1830’s to 1890’s industrial city, cloaked in fog and steam. If you’re planning a rustic hunting lodge or a giant mushroom house, it’s very unlikely to be approved here.
However, this is not a historical reproduction either, mad science thrives in New Babbage, and giant mechanical men, steam-powered houses on wheels, and all sorts of in-theme fantastic creations are welcome.
So let’s get to it. First of all, some exceptions…the following are not subject to the theme restrictions:
# Builds located higher than 1000m.
# Any part of your build that is *not* visible from any point on the exterior.
Everything else has to follow the theme. That means buildings, vehicles, signs…. everything.
====So, how do you stay in-theme?====
First of all, the building materials need to be period. This means your textures need to be of things that could conceivably have been used in the late 1800s. Brick, wood, iron, and brass are good. Steel, plastic, and other modern construction materials aren’t.
Secondly, is physics. Your build needs to reach at least a mad-science level of physics. This means that your flying house needs to look as if it has some reasonably-plausible way to achieve flight. Propellers, gasbags, something along those lines. If you build a house that floats, it has to have some sort of floatation visible.
Thirdly, time frame/technology. No jet engines, TV screens, neon lights, etc. Also, no using modern typefaces or signage.
In the end, we want our town to look as if it could really exist in an alternate steampunk dimension somewhere.
====On to a few specifics, that seem to catch people up quite often====
* ”’Hovertext”’. It’s both a non-period typeface, it glows, and it hovers. Hovertext should not be used where it can be seen from the exterior of your build. Be careful placing it on the inside of exterior walls, as it can often show through to the other side.
* ”’Poseballs”’. Temporary use of poseballs for thing like dances are fine….but if you plan to have poseballs out on a more permanent basis, they need to be without hovertext, and camoflaged with a texture or the like, to make them blend into the environment, rather than stand out.
* ”’Full bright”’. Be careful using full bright…it is a very unrealistic effect, especially for the theme. It’s quite common in product vendors. Consider using lamps or the like to provide illumination.
* ”’Other considerations”’
**Nudity is not allowed in public in New Babbage. Build-wise, this means no images of naked people, anatomically-correct sculptures, or the like.
**Foul language is frowned upon in public, but not allowed at all in signage, posters, etc.
**Prims with the default plywood texture may be out for no more than 12 hours.
**Builds that spend time in the construction should have scaffolding, work materials, etc.