New expension pack Cottage Living out 22 July

@DonroaAkashu Ponds are fun, I agree! And covering all of the pool edges so it looks natural is a very fidgety process. I never used MOO for a while, but I always do now. To my defense, though, I always, always placement and play test my lots throughly (for days) to get where everything places properly without MOO active. In the end I must say, I love using MOO! Once I drank the MOO Kool-Ade a world of possibilities opened up... and my job in building and testing became way harder. Lol!

Yes, I feel like a child at christmas every time I hear about a new sims pack! I hope for smaller lots as well, I like the size 20X15 best, I never know what to place on the ones bigger than 30X20. 

Yes, some are very good at moo, and can use it well.

@DonroaAkashu I know, right?!  I build mainly 30x20 lots for that reason, too. Having several lots that are larger than 30x20 in the new pack would enhance the whole game (they are currently overly sparse) and would really be needed in order to have outbuildings, a large garden, a pond, etc. on a lot. 

Yes, I'm looking forward to building a large wood area, deep forest, winding narrow paths between trees, a pond in the middle and whatever magic items I can think of to complete it. 

@DonroaAkashu @PugLove888  Hmmm.... Per my earlier mention, apparently your Sims cannot swim in the ponds, but they can splash at the edge and can stock them with fish and catch them. However, from the trailer there does seem to be a swimmable lake in the new world/town?

Yes, we were discussing that earlier; and since speculation is always fun I'd say it might be a part of the world, like it is in Mt Komorebi.

@DonroaAkashu  @PugLove888 Hip-checking with Seasons calendar feature, Can you imagine an interesting gathering in the country lifestyle?  🙌 I will die if these Sims can 'Cow tip' those cows.  LOL.  omg....Death by Chicken Pug? Really?  LOL.  They are terrifying as it is when they are mad.  Fowls too.  

@IrisuChan Welcome to the Sims community!  ^_^  There is already a lot trait (base game inputted) called Homey that can build cooking skills faster. The thing with the ingredients I think is the up rise to garden and "reward" the sims to use the crops per recipes.  I believe it is reap what you sow nod.  This is including to gather fish in order to make fish related recipes.  

And I'm really curious about the new neighborhood. I just hope it has some small(er) lots. I don't really like to build massive houses.

I'm not here to talk for everyone but I think it's time to get a nice big world especially in a country style world.  Suluni was a breath of relief to gain so many plots. Forgotten Hollow (Vampires GP) and Del Sol Valley (Get Famous EP) had my eyes bugged out at how nice the world looks in game but with 5 lots in the world had me taking a deep breath.  The Realm Of Magic GP has 4-5, (and I'm not here to say buy this now) but the world is smaller yet the beauty of the wilderness vibe of the world does make a really nice esthetic. I like making storylines that is along the line of wilderness/home body kinda thing.  If I don't want Spellcasters as neighbors is an easy remove and place down for more realism/family friendly vibe.  

That birdfeeder though...is a nice touch.  PS. Scare all the seagulls (or are they pigeons?) in Brindleton Bay. 

I am in love which whatever body of water those Sims are swimming in.  gasp! I swear kids learning to cook is going to a lifesaver instead of meal prepping and by chance forgetting to restock the fridge.  Needle pointing clip for the kids is so so cute.  That will be a great feature for all ages, and another hobby to boot.  I think that was on the broad list for the community vote with Hobbies before it got narrowed down to knitting.  I would still be interested in that mention for glass blowing that was also in that hobbies list, I was rooting for that one.  It never ceases to amaze me what these artisans come up with. 

The cow tipping I suspect, by ordinary sims humour, is already included as a interaction; or maybe hen tipping - and that being the reason for the death!

If you mean what I would celebrate in the countryside I would emphasize the closeness to nature, and since I already have added lots for Valborg & Midsummer to Brindleton Bay (national holidays here), perhaps I'd make a lot for easter, with both the egg hunting, the Flower Bunny, the rabbit tree hole - and the hen tipping. Or maybe focus more on the sacrificial traditions; although I'm sure actual gameplay for it might be hard to come by, but the stone hedge in the map looks very interesting to do a spin on..

@sapphirelover1 ,  when I lived in an apartment we would have some bunnies visit our porch!  I read that they love parsley and that it is good for them, so would buy extra just for them!  (I also tried lettuce since my friend's pet bunny loved it, and carrots, but they liked the parsley best! 💗  Maybe if the carrots still had their tops they would have preferred that?)  

I think pigs are tricky... while you can keep a cow for milk, and therefore keep the cow alive, most people usually only keep pigs for meat on a farm (Arnold Zifflel not withstanding! 🤣  Watch the old TV show Green Acres if you don't know what I mean! 🥰 ) So while some people keep pigs for pets, most farms don't.  Yes, I would love to have pigs in the game, but that would pose some problems.  Now, if they ever were to make a Unusual Pets pack, with pigs, snakes, otters, iguanas, etc, that would work better!  🥳

@DonroaAkashu I like your idea of having pigs search for plant items.  You said "quorns" so I am guessing you meant "acorns' .  They could also find truffles!🤤  (But I guess that would mean we would have to take them camping with us in Outdoor Living! 🤣 )

@SheriGR , yes I love the bird feeder as well! 🐦 And I'm glad you found that we can fish if we stock the ponds! 🐟  I will also do both Off and On the Grid farming!  🥰  And I love your builds .  While they look great, what is best is that I can rely on them since you playtest them! 🙌 I can't tell you how many times I have fallen for a pretty or cool build, only to be disappointed that I have to change things to make it playable... or worse , that I can't figure out how to make it playable at all! 😥

@IrisuChan Welcome to the Sims ! 🥰 So happy you are enjoying it!!! 🥳  I assume having to use foods that you harvest (be it plants or eggs, milk, or fish) would be a Lot Trait, but I could be wrong.  I can't wait for the Developer's Livestream on this!!! We don't know when that will be, but they stream it on Twitch.  I'm glad you are enjoying Backyard Stuff!  I really love some of the clutter items and things like the flower pinwheel decorative item . I forget what it is called.  I enjoy the bright colors in that pack! 

@SheriGR and @DonroaAkashu , I actually prefer a bit bigger lots.  Medium size is good (Call me Goldilocks, even though my hair is not blonde!)  For some Sims I like small lots, others large lots , but most I like medium lots!   However, i find when I build, I build best on small lots with the Tiny Living requirements!! 
Also, I think the part of the trailer that you can see Sims swimming and not on the edge is from the river that comes with this world/neighborhood.  I believe I read that somewhere.  I could be wrong, but I heard it from someone else, possibly a Game Changer or a Sim Guru, but it could be a comment I read somewhere.  It would make sense! 
I've never heard of "hen tipping"... only cow tipping! 🤔

@3Rosez , yes, I'm still guessing that the new death is "Death by Chicken Attack"!!!   Also, there was a Sims 3 Sims Store that had a cow and chicken you could buy and if you tipped the cow you could milk it and get a Milk Shake! 😮🤭  But I'm not sure since I never bought the items as that Sims 3 Store was waaaaaaaay too expensive! I would get a few items but that was it.  I'm so glad they don't have that for the Sims 4! 😅
However, that was many years ago... I'm thinking they might not have cow tipping in the game because that is unnecessarily mean to the cows. 
Also, I think one of the Sim Gurus stated that there would be at least one large lot in the new world.  I think we will need some bigger ones if we want to have a full farm with lots of produce planted , and also if you want a family with a lot of kids!  Sadly I don't' remember what size was quoted. 
Now, as to how many lots we get in the world is anyone's guess.  I think that depends on how big the lots are to begin with! 😉

Also, I wonder if the kids helping with the cooking will be with all recipes or just the new ones that come with the pack. I also hope kids can now water plants!!!! That is something that they should have been able to do from the beginning!!!  I can see not letting them use bug spray, and even weeding can be strenuous and time consuming, but watering is quick and most real life  kids like helping in that manner. 🌼🌷🌹

While Knitting was my top vote, I would have loved Glass-blowing as well.  I hope we get it one day, and pottery as well!  I don't know what the number 2 vote was after knitting, but even if cross-stitch wasn't #2, I think the main reason that we will get it in this pack is it gives a use for the llama's wool for those players that don't have the Nifty Knitting SP!   The only thing that would have been better to use the llama wool  than cross-stitching would have been Weaving! 💗

Oh, no, but that was a really good idea @PugLove888 , that way they could add pigs to all of our delight, but no horrifying scenes to raise the rating, since the purpose of them would instead be to search for truffles in the forest. I actually mean the vegetarian substitute, made from mushrooms among other things. And I am also half joking! :P