Garden Flowers Visible in Neighbourhood - DEFAULT replacement

[maxon]

There have been a few instances of people improving the appearance of lot imposters in neighbourhood view (or when on another lot) just recently.  So I thought I'd join in and actually release these - they've been hanging around in my Downloads folder for well over a year (if not longer).  

Don't you find it irritating when you build a lovely garden on a lot like this:
   
And then this is what you get when you look at the lot from the neighbourhood view.
   
With these default replacement mods, you get this instead:
   
I mean, it's not fixing the lot imposter issue, I know, but I think it looks a lot better.  

This is what the lot looks like when viewed from other lot:
   
And close up you can see what's happening:
   
What these little defaults do is force the game to use the on-lot mesh (i.e. the regular mesh) of the basic flowers in neighbourhood view so you can now see the flowers in the imposter.  The files are tiny and can be dropped in your Downloads folder.  To see the effect though, you need to go into a lot, make a small build change and save - to force the game to update the lot imposter.  I usually either place a floor tile or build a segment of wall.  You can undo the change immediately - it doesn't matter - all you are doing is convincing the game there's been something changed and it needs to overwrite the last save and make a new imposter.

There are 18 files here: defaults for the half-size flower beds and full-size flower beds for the 9 basic flowers that come with a full version of the game:

• Daisies of our Lives 
  
• Dandy Daylilies
  
• Grand Gerberas
  
• Iris Surprise
  
• Merry Marigolds
  
• NoPalitos Prickly Pear
  
• Papavers Poppies
  
• Perpetual Pansies
  
• Top Tulips
  

There are a few caveats to this:

The first thing is that the game, for some mad reason I have not been able to fathom, has issues displaying all the instances of a plant if you use the same colour all over a lot.  Have a look at the following:
   
On lot you can see it spells NOPE but in neighbourhood view, the game misses out some of the flowers (and now spells Nni).  I don't know why (and if someone can help me solve this, get in touch).

Using different colours, even when you use the same flower, obviates the problem:
   
Other issues:

1. The flowers will be visible all year round - they won't change with the seasons because lot imposters don't.  Lived in lots will update but empty lots or community lots won't.  Personally, I don't care.  I like to see my gardens (see next post).
   
2. As these are default replacements, you can't use these with other defaults for the flowers.  However, it might be possible to combine these with any other default replacements you have.  The default here only replaces the CRES and the SHPE part of the file.  Ask me if you have something like this.
   
3. Be warned, as these defaults force the game to use the on lot mesh, if you have issues with memory management for the game, this might add to your computer's load.  If you have problems, remove the files (sorry but there it is)
   

Last of all, here they all are:
   

[maxon]

OK I'm adding a second post because, basically, I like my gardens and want to post some pictures.

First of all, here's Byrne House I was always miffed Byrne House didn't have its gardens in neighbourhood view. So, here are its before and after pictures:
   
As you can see, some of the native LODs for plants (roses are square!) leave a lot to be desired.  I might try defaulting those next.

and it's new appearance in hood view:
   
Much better.  

Then there's the town park in Carping Magna:
   
And it's before and after appearance.  You can see I had the too many instances of one colour flower problem here.  I could change that but I like Carping Magna's white garden so I'm putting up with it.  I still think it's an improvement.
   
And if you're wondering about the trees, you'd be right.  I fixed those too - in fact, one of the reasons I forgot to post these defaults in the first place was because I went mad sorting out plants to make them appear in nieghbourhood view (well, that and the china obsession).  I've been editing CC plant files all over the place.

Finally, one of my favourite gardens is Polgannon Golf Club:
   
Here's a plan view of the herbaceous border: 
   
And the before and after views from the neighbourhood:
   

[Ellupelluellu]

Thank you! I remember when I saw your pics at MTS (I dunno, maybe the pic topic you started, the "Making Sim Stuff - Whatchoo Up To?" )
So great!

[EllenK]

These are great - thanks

[FactsAboutCats]

When you say you need to make a build change on a lot, does this only affect the appearance of that one lot? If you want to show the flowers on all lots in a neighbourhood, you need to go in, make a change and save all lots? It's a big job with an established neighbourhood. I guess it's easiest to do with a new neighbourhood.

[maxon]

When you say you need to make a build change on a lot, does this only affect the appearance of that one lot?  If you want to show the flowers on all lots in a neighbourhood, you need to go in, make a change and save all lots?  It's a big job with an established neighbourhood.  I guess it's easiest to do with a new neighbourhood.

Yes, unfortunately.  It's because the lot imposter is generated from the lot file not the neighbourhood file.  I agree it's a PITA though I used it as an excuse to review the lots I had in Little Carping (and to add some gardens in several cases - I do like sim-gardening).