Better off grid options please! (Possibly with farming pack)

I would definitely like off-the-grid living to be more sensible/realistic. Some of the options they omitted from off-the-grid seem strange. For example, my sim built a wooden bath via the carpentry bench but his family has not been able to use it while I'm keeping them off-the-grid. The only thing I could do with it is bathe toddlers (thankfully).

I agree, there's barely any change in gameplay beyond having more basic items to fulfil your needs.

"Rhiannonraven;d-970770" wrote:
I love the fact that you can live off grid in the sims - but it seems a little too easy and unrealistic. I think there should be the option to live off grid, but with appliances and plumbing that actually would work off grid. Here are some ideas for replacements:

• Replace the basic sinks that are marked as "off grid" with washing basins that need their water replaced sometimes or with pumps that take longer to use than regular sinks.
  
• Replace the bathtubs with ones where you have to pump to fill them or carry water to them, off grid shouldn't have electric pumps!!!
  
• Have only the icebox fridge work off grid, maybe take the wiring design off the back of it to make it believable. Maybe sims have to purchase new ice once in a while.
  
• Have ONLY the wood stoves and barbecues work off grid, no Yum Cooker! Maybe you should have to have a woodshed if your cooker is a wood stove and sims would have to bring in wood for it when they want to cook.
  
• Have toilets like incinerating toilets, composting toilets, or preferably just outhouses. Maybe you would need to pay for a sewage pick up for the outhouse sometimes.
  

These are just some ideas. In my opinion, living off grid means living naturally, putting in more effort, and having a different lifestyle. To me it makes no sense that random electrical things work off grid in the sims, it's just way too convenient. If you aren't paying bills, you should have to at least put in some extra time and effort.

Another idea is that this update could come with the farming pack (if there is one coming), I would love to make old timey off grid farms and that would make sense.

Comment below if you agree, have more ideas to add, or just have something to say.

Given that Sims take forever to do things, I'd be happy if they just pulled a bucket of water out of their bottomless pockets and dumped it into the bath, rather than going back and forth to fetch water. I'd love to have a pump sink and a pump for baths.

Only having the wood stoves work is logical, but you should be able to cook anything you can cook on a regular stove.

I'd love to have a proper outhouse.

Wants: more lighting - I think the only wall light that works is in the Vampire pack. I'd also like to see some alternate objects - a gramaphone that you crank for music (you can't even get started on the musical aspiration, because there is no way to listen to music for two hours); a typewriter or proper journal for writers (you can't be a writer off the grid, because you need a computer).

Sims should be able to clean things off the grid - I don't understand why this was added as a 'feature'. Having to toss out something and replace it every time it gets dirty runs rather contrary to the whole philosophy of living off the grid. Yes, you can 'upgrade' to self-cleaning, but self-cleaning isn't exactly a feature of 'off the grid' life. Plus, you have to get to a certain level of handiness, and you can't purchase the parts you need without a computer.

I really like the idea of a Farming/country living expansion pack. Which would hopefuly have a few of the following:

- Animals such as chickens, and horses
- Tractors
- Nectar press (like TS3 world adventures)
- A new world (with one 64x64) and a country feel
- Farmers markets (would be really cool)
- Agriculture based careers

Linking to the ideas with selling items in a Farmers Market; I also hope they add some sort of marketplace in the sims, on their mobile or computer. Where you can purchase items from and a sim will soon after purchasing, appear on your lot with the item.

I absolutely agree that it should be possible to work on the writer and musician aspirations without using technology.

"Willsky;c-17356032" wrote:

- Farmers markets (would be really cool)

I made an off-the-grid family, and their sole source of income was a sale table outside their house. It was hard work but quite fun. Being able to save up produce, process it, and take it to a weekly market would be great!

Off-the-grid options with farm would actually be a great idea. I wouldn't mind a better Plant Sim with it too that is closer to a real life state.