Estate and Vineyard ideas
The idea for this comes from some research I was doing for both a writing project and something I was looking at doing for a potential build in the game.
Essentially, I was pondering building an "estate" in the Sims.
Now I am well aware that in modern terms, an "estate" in pretty much a synonym for a manor or mansion for more folks. However, I am looking at both "the historical context of what constitutes an estate" and "what often classifies a mansion or manor as an estate in modern times".
Historically, "an estate comprises the houses, outbuildings, supporting farmland, and woods that surround the gardens and grounds of a very large property, such as a country house or mansion". An example of this would be The Builtmore Estate in North Caroline here in the US. In addition to the insane size main house, the property has a vineyard, guest houses, and other farm land. In modern terms, a manor or mansion can be classified as an "estate" formally (legally) when it includes the surrounding land and that land produced rent and and other profit. (Trying to paraphrase from Wikipedia with my own notes.)
Now a few things of note regarding the Sims 4:
So here's a few ideas on how this could be implemented
Either a game or expansion pack: People have been talking about wanting some sort of farming pack. I saw someone else here recommend the idea that it include vineyards. Well why not have it include a whole "estate building" set up as well. Basically with two central houses / lots (maybe even 3) in a world "owning" some additional land surrounding it that could be "traditional farmland and greenhouses", vineyards, and even some other shops, thrown in to the mix. If you want to get really fancy, add in multi-purpose lots so folks could build a proper "bed and breakfast". Honestly, I would be happy with a game pack that gave us even a portion of this (as long as that portion included the ability to own a vineyard and make wine that was adjacent to the main property but not on it.)
Kit I know a lot of folks here don't like kits all too much. I will be honest here: I have not bought a one of them. Can't say that I will at the moment.
That said, if there was a kit involving giving us some content to create a vineyard and wine making, I'd buy it.
I'd get a kit that allowed for us to better simulate an "estate" like a "Builtmore Estate".
Though honestly... I would say this should be a game pack or expansion pack not a kit unless we were just getting a vineyard and wine & mead making in it. I could also see a kit pack adding a destination world like a "Builtmore Estate" or "Castle Hill" (in Ipswich, MA) or Hearst Castle which all function like "historical estates" minus the technical 'jurisdiction elements' that were had historically.
Free Update Just giving us some new blank worlds that with a few larger (either 50x50 lots or 64x64 lots) 'connected' to a few smaller lots (like the small island in Windenburg appears to be) would be reasonably acceptable. (By that same accord, a few blank world maps to expand Sulani and Del Sol Valley would be nice too. Especially Sulani.)
Again this is just an idea. I would love to see something akin to The Builtmore Estate as a destination world in the game. And I would love to be able to make my own estate in the game with a vineyard. And I know a few other people have referenced similar ideas. Plus... Sim Households owning addition property (which would in part simulate this) would be greatly welcomed. (Though just my opinion.)
Essentially, I was pondering building an "estate" in the Sims.
Now I am well aware that in modern terms, an "estate" in pretty much a synonym for a manor or mansion for more folks. However, I am looking at both "the historical context of what constitutes an estate" and "what often classifies a mansion or manor as an estate in modern times".
Historically, "an estate comprises the houses, outbuildings, supporting farmland, and woods that surround the gardens and grounds of a very large property, such as a country house or mansion". An example of this would be The Builtmore Estate in North Caroline here in the US. In addition to the insane size main house, the property has a vineyard, guest houses, and other farm land. In modern terms, a manor or mansion can be classified as an "estate" formally (legally) when it includes the surrounding land and that land produced rent and and other profit. (Trying to paraphrase from Wikipedia with my own notes.)
Now a few things of note regarding the Sims 4:
- Several folks here would love multi-purpose lots. Including myself. Both for the purpose having a combination of Residential and a Commercial lot AND a combination of two (or more) commercial lots.
- Several folks would also love for a sim / sim household to be able to own a second lot (or even a third). I'll go a step further with this... I would like to see the feature of a sim owning their own business (from Get to Work I think it was) fixed, working properly, and expanded.
- There are only 4 buildable 64 x 64 lots in the game. (Five counting the one in Strangerville) None of them are blank maps. There are no 50 X 50 lots either on a blank map. The closest thing we have is the single 50x40 lot in Newcreek.
- Some folks here (again, myself included) would love a few additional maps for the expanding of words like Sulani, Del Sol Valley, etc.
- Having a few more "destination worlds" is not a bad thing.
- And last but not least, not only would the ability to have vineyards be fantastic for the game but expanding the mixology skill and career with something like things like "wine and mead making and the making of craft beer and spirits" would be a fantastic addition. (Though I would say focus on wine and mead.)
So here's a few ideas on how this could be implemented
Either a game or expansion pack: People have been talking about wanting some sort of farming pack. I saw someone else here recommend the idea that it include vineyards. Well why not have it include a whole "estate building" set up as well. Basically with two central houses / lots (maybe even 3) in a world "owning" some additional land surrounding it that could be "traditional farmland and greenhouses", vineyards, and even some other shops, thrown in to the mix. If you want to get really fancy, add in multi-purpose lots so folks could build a proper "bed and breakfast". Honestly, I would be happy with a game pack that gave us even a portion of this (as long as that portion included the ability to own a vineyard and make wine that was adjacent to the main property but not on it.)
Kit I know a lot of folks here don't like kits all too much. I will be honest here: I have not bought a one of them. Can't say that I will at the moment.
That said, if there was a kit involving giving us some content to create a vineyard and wine making, I'd buy it.
I'd get a kit that allowed for us to better simulate an "estate" like a "Builtmore Estate".
Though honestly... I would say this should be a game pack or expansion pack not a kit unless we were just getting a vineyard and wine & mead making in it. I could also see a kit pack adding a destination world like a "Builtmore Estate" or "Castle Hill" (in Ipswich, MA) or Hearst Castle which all function like "historical estates" minus the technical 'jurisdiction elements' that were had historically.
Free Update Just giving us some new blank worlds that with a few larger (either 50x50 lots or 64x64 lots) 'connected' to a few smaller lots (like the small island in Windenburg appears to be) would be reasonably acceptable. (By that same accord, a few blank world maps to expand Sulani and Del Sol Valley would be nice too. Especially Sulani.)
Again this is just an idea. I would love to see something akin to The Builtmore Estate as a destination world in the game. And I would love to be able to make my own estate in the game with a vineyard. And I know a few other people have referenced similar ideas. Plus... Sim Households owning addition property (which would in part simulate this) would be greatly welcomed. (Though just my opinion.)
