Eco Lifestyle SimGuru/Maxis-Sourced Info

Notes from the Livestream

Most statements are SimGuruGeorge or SimGuruJill.

(This is not going to be absolutely every statement or even absolutely every new statement because I'm multitasking :# . For those following along because they can't be at the livestream but can be online, I'll be editing this post probably a few time. I'm especially likely to miss SimGuru comments in the chat.)

ECO-FOOTPRINT

• New UI for the Eco-Footprint.
  
• This new system can appear on most other worlds. It does not affect trash etc. as in Evergreen Harbour, but can produce the environment effects (aurora, sunrays, smog). With Seasons, you can get acid rain. "You might not want to splash around in those puddles."
  
• Industrialized Eco-Footprint allows generated power to sell for more, but Sims can cough.
  
• A Green Eco-Footprint includes clearer air, special effects in the sky, plant improvements. Plants grow slower but with better ingredients. Solar panels work better.
  
• Sources of power and water can also be Green/Industrial (acquired in Build/Buy), as can activities with things like Rockets (base game). Fires have a negative effect.
  
• Eco-Footprint is per neighbourhood
  
• Port Promise starts Industrialized, one new neighbourhood starts neutral, the third starts Green. All previous worlds' neighbourhoods start neutral.
  
• Sims (including Children and Toddlers) embarrassed with the state of their neighbourhood may wear bags on their heads. Children's and Toddlers' bags look like they made them themselves.
  
• Game Options enable/disable NPC Voting and Eco-Footprint Gameplay.
  

BUILD/BUY

• Choices in decorating and impacting affect gameplay. Some building materials have positive or negative impact, which shows in the Build UI (if it's Green or Industrial).
  
• How neighbours build also affects Eco-Footprint.
  
• Can now search for just Off-the-Grid items in Build/Buy
  
• Not only EP items affect the Eco-Footprint
  
• 6-tile sliding window
  
• shipping-container door makes a metal sound when it opens
  
• ladders *patch* - one patched in, a second ladder only in the EP. Option to slide down a ladder to get down faster. Can build multiple storey ladders. Toddlers and Pets can't use them or be carried on them. Children can use them.
  
• solar panels map to roof angles (except curved). Alternatively, solar shingles produce power. Build mode shows the power production rating.
  
• new fireplace
  
• Flooring can have more or less fire resistance. *patch* This can be turned on and off in Game Options.
  
• NO COMMENT on the window placement, but could see that it was shifting freely
  

GAMEPLAY OBJECTS

• Fabricator - creates fabricated objects are not available in Buy mode without cheats, and require materials
  
• Recycler object - gives bits and pieces out of other objects in the game, eg your MySims doll collection. Can recycle from inventory by clicking on the machine. Results can be used in the Fabricator.
  
• Candle Maker (SimGuruPopcorn) - requires wax, which can be bought from the candle making station - hobby contributes to fabrication skill. Children can make dipped candles but not molded or carved candles. High skill can infuse with scents for different moods. Colours come from dyes: 7 regular colours, 2 special colours - 1 from dumpster diving (houndstooth), the other Grim dye. Candles burn down. Shift-click cheat to set level and keep it there. Candle auto-light system is separate from regular lights. Soy wax can be bought or harvest; beeswax can be got if you have Seasons. All candles work off the grid.
  
• Bike - does not need Discover University; pulled from trash
  
• Juice Fizzer - brewing "juice", kombucha (uses flowers and herbs), and seltzer. Ingredients from inventory, including from other packs. Similar to real distilling, you can set it up and walk away. Amount of ingredients = amount of results. Can name it, send it for evaluation.
  
• Insect Farm - grubs, beetles, bombadier beetles, and crickets. They can be nurtured. New recipes use insects, which must be farmed. Crickets can result in Cricket Flour or Bio-Fuel to power your house. Can feed insects with compostables.
  
• Hydroponic Garden - waters itself
  
• Vertical Garden (SimGuruPopcorn) - Civil Designers can grow fake meat, which can be named. Massaging meat improves its quality. If it is allowed to dry, it becomes jerky. If it catches fire, you get a meat cube. Vegetarian & Squeamish Sims don't like standing next to the fake meat.
  
• Dew Collector - does not require Seasons, but does have extra effects with Seasons. Similarly with Solar Panels and Wind Turbines. They can need cleaning, can break, etc. If you break your Dew Collector, it will water around it, including watering plants. It might sprout plants around it. With Seasons, you can upgrade Wind Turbines to collect electricity.
  
• "You should definitely" press the red button on the Power Generator.
  

NEIGHBOURHOOD ACTION PLANS

• One of these plans enables the neighbourhood to turn more green; another enables it to turn more modern. The neighbourhood will continue to change gradually over the course of a week.
  
• Cheats for enacting the plans are available for players by shift-clicking the Community Board
  
• Neighbourhood Action Plans can include "Free Love". Romance interactions produce no jealousy; you can gain Community Influence Points for Romance interactions. Tendency to go streaking.
  
• Others e.g. Clean Energy Production, Foodies United, Self-Sufficiency, Support the Performing Arts, Tech Support, Water Conservation, Juiced Community, We Wear Bags, Sharing is Caring... (I missed some!)
  
• An open-street Community Board is where you vote for the week's Action Plans. What you vote for might be voted down by neighbours. There is a new UI Panel which includes your influence points. Socializing, relationships, hosting events can increase influence. Civil Designer interactions also.
  
• You can only vote on the action plans for your own neighbourhood. You can vote at your mailbox. You can't mess with the votes but you can try to convince others to vote or petition to repeal.
  

CAS

• Two styles: upcycled/remade/repaired and ...?
  
• New accessories include eyebrow rings, nose rings, septum rings, ear gauges/plugs
  
• New beard
  

TRAITS

• Maker - enjoy building
  
• Green Fiend - wants to use renewable technology, garden, make neighbourhoods eco-friendly
  
• Recycling Disciple
  
• Freegan - like getting free stuff out of trash, enjoy dumpster interactions incl. eating out of it
  

ASPIRATIONS (SimGuruJessica)

• Eco-Innovator - involved voting, convincing to vote, ties into Civil Designer career track ...
  
• Master Maker - ties into crafting, recycling; can gain discounts on material used
  

CONSOLE
New option of context-sensitive button callouts in the screen corners

MAP (SimGuruAzure)

• New overlay shows a neighbourhood's Eco-Footprint level
  
• Neighbourhoods now have name-description map tags for all worlds except vacation worlds
  

NEW WORLD LOTS AND DECOR

• 13 lots including 2 apartment lots with 2 apartments each = 15 lots
  
• In addition, one community lot per neighbourhood
  
• World vibe is a 19th century port industry mining/forestry town reviving itself, and includes homages to the past, e.g. the train station
  
• As you remake the neighbourhood, the non-editable neighbourhood changes; one neighbourhood gets a skyway park out of a disused railway.
  
• Apartments - different from City Living apartments: more modest, shorter. Apartments for living in are on the top floor. One building (two levels) does not have an elevator. Cannot edit outer walls except by Neighbourhood Action Plans. No landlords or noisy neighbour functionality. These are rented, not bought.
  

PREMADE "NEIGHBOURHOOD PERSONALITIES" and other NPCs

• You can play the Neighbourhood Personalities but when you aren't playing them they take these roles. They only appear in Evergreen Harbour, instead of the Welcome Party.
  
• Knox is an "Eco Master". He will introduce Neighbourhood Action Plans.
  
• Bess is an "Entrepreneur". You can loan her money for her initiatives and you might or might not get money back.
  
• Eco-Inspector can be hired to check Eco-Footprint and give report.
  
• Civics Inspector is based on Neighbourhood Action Plans and will check for enforced objects and fine you.
  

CAREERS

• Freelance Crafter - different from previous freelancer careers in that it includes more skills; uses new object Fabricator (3D printer)
  
• Civil Designer - (sorry, missed some of this due to a phone call!)
  

SKILLS

• Juice Fizzing, e.g. of kombucha - trait from maxed skill is "Affizionado"
  
• Fabrication, increases what you can make with the Fabricator and Candle Making