We were having a wonderful bookstore discussion in the cottage living positive thoughts thread so I thought we could continue that discussion here along with whatever other preparation and plans you have for Cottage Living. Will you be starting with a new family, playing with one of the families that might come with the world, or moving an existing family to Henford-on-Bagley. What shops or community lots are you planning? Are you leveling up some of your sims' cooking, baking, gardening skills? I'm sure we'll have lots more to discuss as more information is released.

I am not going to do a lot of prep. My plan is to take my fav occult family (Vlad, his added wife and five daughters) and have him decide to buy a house in the countryside. He'll fight with her (as usual when he is autonomous, their friendship bar always ends up red even though the love bar is strong) and pack up his kids and move there (with the fox and raccoon I made for them back when there was only four daughters). His eldest daughter will then become the country vet and I will play through each of their struggles embracing rural life.

I don't want to do too much prep as I'm not sure exactly when I will buy it (I want the bonus items, but I also want to bundle it, just hoping they don't become super greedy and withhold it from bundling that long).I'm going to convert the 64x64 in Brindleton Bay to a farm lot so I may start building that as I won't need so many new items as I want it to fit in with Brindleton Bay still.I also may build some shells with basic furniture/layouts and the terrain done so I can have a headstart in building in the new world.I'll want to make new sims (or maybe some of my sims will have kids that move out), but probably will wait as I'll mostly want to use new CAS for them.

I have the perfect sim for this pack which for ages I have had no storyline for. He lives in glimmerbrook (is not a spellcaster) as a reclusive, outdoorsy gardener who spends more time alone on holiday in granite falls around the nature so maybe moving to henford on bagley may inspire more of a storyline for every day to day play and finally breathe a bit of life into his character as I have no enthusiasm to rotate to play him at the moment.

This is an awesome idea for a thread! Looking forward to hearing everyones ideas! :)

Lol about the bookstore, that was kind of off topic (and sorry, I did contribute to that).I do not usually prep for a new pack, I just plonk it into my game and go forth from there. I will probably be reviving a previously played couple though. I used to play them in Glimmerbrook in an OTG lot and do a mini version of farming crops, so they will be happy to move to the English countryside and farm for real. I will do the lot challenge with them that requires fresh ingredients.

Cottage Living: Prep and Plans | EA Forums

261 Replies

ptanderson98
4 years ago
This actually seems like a good pack for me to start a new save in! I've always built out worlds with Brindleton Bay being a Spellcaster hideaway and I think I might swap that over to the new town. I love old world, farm-style cottage vibes for Spellcasters!
Glimmer50
New Spectator
4 years ago
I am thinking of doing The Island Challenge, then taking those Sims and playing a rotational save with each family doing different challenges. Challenges I am considering are: Rags to Rags, American Style Poverty where they wheel spin every day and can't hold down a full time job. Might work out great with the new pack.

Then one family might do a challenge where I play different packs. Like the Pac(k) Man Challenge. I am thinking the another family could do a live off the land type of challenge. I don't know what else. Maybe one would do a Random Legacy. Not sure yet. These are just ideas. Nothing firm except the Island Challenge. The ones that survive will be my new families. Can't wait.
MasonGamerBoi
4 years ago
Mmmm, I'm interested in updating Graham DeVour's Cottage in Windenburg. He's a Blind Vampire-Spellcaster. Basically my version of "The Blind Witch" from Hansel and Gretel, I noticed some roof options that would make the Cottage more, seemingly edible.

I'm still debating tho, My Family of 8 Sims, the Hoggarths, Reside on the country side of Windenburg in a Castle...
Hoggarth Castle:
https://i.pinimg.com/originals/9d/d8/df/9dd8df6cfce9227c6f09d5d7848b37a0.png
I wonder if it'll look good in this new world. All my builds actually draw from Get Together's wall textures, So rather not convert the building's textures, unless I see something that might fit their style.

I know they'd fit in well In this new world, Host more activities at Harvest Festivals.
Simmerville
Seasoned Ace
4 years ago
@MasonGamer I understand your dilemma of moving a castle to Henford-on-Bagley. I'm doing the same with my Rossie Palace, which was temporarily built on the 64x64 lot in Del Sol Valley. It won't score very well on the cottage vibe (I was perhaps hoping for a nectar district), but I hope adjusting some exterior will help. I won't do much to the size, but avoiding all low building in the farming hood might help a bit. Still a bit nervous for this, lol.

https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NVpJa4gcDgo/YCJ_lmTP-lI/AAAAAAAANrY/Kw9Vb-wohP0e4rC-IqSQWdV4hed8y24NQCLcBGAsYHQ/s16000/20210209a.jpg
MasonGamerBoi
4 years ago
"Simmerville;c-17919310" wrote:
@MasonGamer I understand your dilemma of moving a castle to Henford-on-Bagley. I'm doing the same with my Rossie Palace, which was temporarily built on the 64x64 lot in Del Sol Valley. It won't score very well on the cottage vibe (I was perhaps hoping for a nectar district), but I hope adjusting some exterior will help. I won't do much to the size, but avoiding all low building in the farming hood might help a bit. Still a bit nervous for this, lol.

https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NVpJa4gcDgo/YCJ_lmTP-lI/AAAAAAAANrY/Kw9Vb-wohP0e4rC-IqSQWdV4hed8y24NQCLcBGAsYHQ/s16000/20210209a.jpg

Yeah Unless I rebuild like somewhat of a Cottage Style Castle, a Fortified Cottage.
DarMill
4 years ago
im moving a family there he is working on his gardening has maxed cooking skills and fishing
ncisGibbs_BOSS
4 years ago
"MDianaSims;c-17911733" wrote:
Now, I don't normally really prep for new packs, but this one, especially the setting of a small village in the countryside, really inspires me.
I've got it down to two concepts, that I just posted to my blog, but I'll just post them here, see if anyone has any preference. Not that I'll share much of it, but it's for my own enjoyment, it's always more fun to play with somewhat of a story idea behind it.

Spoiler
https://64.media.tumblr.com/319ddfd9d9053176abd4121abd1b28b9/d64efd00d1d2f48b-3f/s1280x1920/4adf3486d7c3ed7fb3ffd056690ba7a503078a19.png
A Vet’s Life - In The Country
The return of a classic, with a twist.
After the premature demise of his beloved wife Jasmin, Derek has been feeling rather depressed. Little Lynn thinks she knows just the thing to cheer her dad up. How about they move away from Brindleton Bay and make a fresh start? The vet practice in Henford-on-Bagley has been in dire need of a new vet and there’s a little farm for sale in the vicinity. As old Nugget and Sly tag along, will Derek find happiness again among the udder chaos of country life?

https://64.media.tumblr.com/3a2191b47ca982e73d7c4a15dd9be004/d64efd00d1d2f48b-78/s1280x1920/385a948bdc1725665dc2f8fd8d14039e017ef589.png
From a long forgotten (attempt at) legacy, Poppy Addison is all grown up now. She’s recently inherited old Grandpa McAlister’s farm (who died peacefully in his sleep not long ago) in the lovely little hamlet of Henford-on-Bagley. Once Poppy arrives here, the farm is in a sorry state and it’s her job to restore it to its former glory.* She cannot do so without the help of the local villagers. A new adventure awaits and many new friends are to be made.
* Poppy may bring along her sister Holly for this.

I could probably make this a poll actually, but oh well.

As for the bookshop idea, Henford-on_Bagley needs a bookshop! It's a shame that in my grand plan I already have a bookshop in Windenburg... so I may need to change things. I may move the florist from Willow Creek to HoB, though.

I love the vet story best. ??.
SevvyJaye
4 years ago
I don't tend to make too many plans until I've had a look around the new world but I've got three families that I think might be a good fit.

I often modify premades or downloads from the gallery to fit the needs and styles of the families living in the houses so once I've had a look at the available residential lots, I'll determine what needs doing ready to move my families in. I think I am most looking forward to moving my spellcaster couple in. They both love animals but the man also enjoys gardening and he's also maxed out his gardening skill so it'll be nice to see what he can do with the new features of the pack.
crocobaura
Seasoned Ace
4 years ago
The only plans I have right now are for a crocodile infested pond. I haven't decided yet if I will add the crocodiles to a castle moat or transform the Willow Creek park into a swamp or some kind of national park for crocodiles.
justme22
4 years ago
I've currently got a family preparing for Cottage Living -- the male Sim is loosely based on a friend of mine who moved here from England about 60 years ago (he's now 87) so it'll be a case of wanting to return home with his family. I've currently got him working on Gardening and Handiness. His wife was a painter but I just had her quit her job to be a home crafter; along with the painting I've got her working on knitting and I'll add in the cross-stitch once the pack is released. With Plopsy (and with their Money Tree) they'll have enough money to live very comfortably, send their kids to college and such. They just moved to a barn conversion in Brindleton Bay but I plan to rebuild it in Henford-on-Bagley if I can find a large enough lot for it and some of the animal sheds.

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Cottage Living: Prep and Plans

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