Broke down and got the pack over the weekend, couldn't resist the British charm - it strikes an inner chord - and the animals. It's been huge fun so far, taken up way more time than intended, and is amazingly beautiful - even for TS4, The amount of territory a sim can wander through in the rural sections is impressive, seemingly endless. It also feels empty. Lots to see, but very little to interact with other than the swimmable rivers (Yea!), a fishable pond with benches, and a couple of places where one may buy seeds. On the Henford side I've so far found 2 blueberry bushes, 1 rabbit stump, and a lot of empty if green acreage. The season is summer. Is such emptiness typical? I wonder if it's due to Seasons limiting what's available, the gardening glitch that reduces plants to nothingness, or if that is the intention. That much land should have a lot more than 2 blue berry bushes, as in more of those and more varieties. I know the UK has fruit trees, so where are they? What about wild herbs and veggies? Rabbits and birds should be plentiful in such rural settings.At long last we finally have something that feels almost like TS3 style open world, but why bother to go out there if there's nothing to find and do?Thoughts from those of you who have been playing this a while are welcome.

Living in those areas is pretty nice for dog owners. I don't have too many dog families in TS4, because I get bored with the incessant walks in most neighborhoods. But it's quite pleasant in the Bramblewood, in particular. Just be sure to block out plenty of time for it.

I would have thought they didn't add more harvestables in the open areas to increase the challenge for the errands. It's difficult though as a lot of people (me excluded) are looking for everything to be available asap. There's been so much rant about people not being able to harvest something they need for their errands that I can only prey they won't nuke the challenge.Same goes for taking care of crops and animals.But that's only my personal opinion.Moreover, there isn't that much to be done in an open rural area or the woods in real life, is there? I love to think that they also were looking ahead in the future of the Sims 4 and providing rideable areas for horses.They also added another bike for early buyers and I think these areas are great for biking.

At first I wondered why it was so hard to find any of the mushrooms, etc, needed for one of my errands, but then I realized this pack has a very charming laid-back vibe. Nothing needs to be rushed, and I'm making myself slow down rather than get caught back up in the endless cycle of grinding for levels, which gets boring. Now I'm like, oh, I can't get this particular mushroom till winter and I'm in the spring? Ok, no worries, I'll find it eventually. So far none of the errands have had a time limit, so I feel I have time to take things slow.I hope these aspects don't get nerfed. Everything doesn't have to be done at once, and I like that.

"83bienchen;c-17951954" wrote:I would have thought they didn't add more harvestables in the open areas to increase the challenge for the errands. It's difficult though as a lot of people (me excluded) are looking for everything to be available asap. There's been so much rant about people not being able to harvest something they need for their errands that I can only prey they won't nuke the challenge.Same goes for taking care of crops and animals.But that's only my personal opinion.Moreover, there isn't that much to be done in an open rural area or the woods in real life, is there? I love to think that they also were looking ahead in the future of the Sims 4 and providing rideable areas for horses.They also added another bike for early buyers and I think these areas are great for biking.Thank you, everyone, for your input. It appears the emptiness is a deliberate thing, though I wonder whether it's been taken a bit too far. From personal experience while living in New Hampshire years ago such areas are good for finding blue berries, raspberries, and black berries - not vast plots of them (though that can happen), but not scarcer than hen's teeth, either. If one knows what to look for and where, herbs should be abundant. I don't expect to find wild lemon trees, but apple, pear, and cherry should be at least present. Maybe it will take a visit to the real Cotswolds to to have a more accurate picture of what's out there. I'm not holding my breath on the horses, though it would be nice. Fox hunts, anyone?

The vast empty countryside in the game is very realistic for uk countryside you don’t find a lot of wild fruit and veg anymore a lot of it is grown on farms and in gardens etc. Also fox hunting is illegal in the uk so I’m glad that was never added into the game.

Empty countryside in CoL? | EA Forums

amapola76
New Adventurer
4 years ago
Living in those areas is pretty nice for dog owners. I don't have too many dog families in TS4, because I get bored with the incessant walks in most neighborhoods. But it's quite pleasant in the Bramblewood, in particular. Just be sure to block out plenty of time for it.
83bienchen
Rising Novice
4 years ago
I would have thought they didn't add more harvestables in the open areas to increase the challenge for the errands. It's difficult though as a lot of people (me excluded) are looking for everything to be available asap. There's been so much rant about people not being able to harvest something they need for their errands that I can only prey they won't nuke the challenge.
Same goes for taking care of crops and animals.

But that's only my personal opinion.

Moreover, there isn't that much to be done in an open rural area or the woods in real life, is there?

I love to think that they also were looking ahead in the future of the Sims 4 and providing rideable areas for horses.

They also added another bike for early buyers and I think these areas are great for biking.
Isharell
New Spectator
4 years ago
At first I wondered why it was so hard to find any of the mushrooms, etc, needed for one of my errands, but then I realized this pack has a very charming laid-back vibe. Nothing needs to be rushed, and I'm making myself slow down rather than get caught back up in the endless cycle of grinding for levels, which gets boring. Now I'm like, oh, I can't get this particular mushroom till winter and I'm in the spring? Ok, no worries, I'll find it eventually. So far none of the errands have had a time limit, so I feel I have time to take things slow.

I hope these aspects don't get nerfed. Everything doesn't have to be done at once, and I like that.
OldeSimsFan
Seasoned Rookie
4 years ago
"83bienchen;c-17951954" wrote:
I would have thought they didn't add more harvestables in the open areas to increase the challenge for the errands. It's difficult though as a lot of people (me excluded) are looking for everything to be available asap. There's been so much rant about people not being able to harvest something they need for their errands that I can only prey they won't nuke the challenge.
Same goes for taking care of crops and animals.

But that's only my personal opinion.

Moreover, there isn't that much to be done in an open rural area or the woods in real life, is there?

I love to think that they also were looking ahead in the future of the Sims 4 and providing rideable areas for horses.

They also added another bike for early buyers and I think these areas are great for biking.

Thank you, everyone, for your input. It appears the emptiness is a deliberate thing, though I wonder whether it's been taken a bit too far. From personal experience while living in New Hampshire years ago such areas are good for finding blue berries, raspberries, and black berries - not vast plots of them (though that can happen), but not scarcer than hen's teeth, either. If one knows what to look for and where, herbs should be abundant. I don't expect to find wild lemon trees, but apple, pear, and cherry should be at least present. Maybe it will take a visit to the real Cotswolds to to have a more accurate picture of what's out there. I'm not holding my breath on the horses, though it would be nice. Fox hunts, anyone?
netney52
New Spectator
4 years ago
The vast empty countryside in the game is very realistic for uk countryside you don’t find a lot of wild fruit and veg anymore a lot of it is grown on farms and in gardens etc. Also fox hunting is illegal in the uk so I’m glad that was never added into the game.
OldeSimsFan
Seasoned Rookie
4 years ago
Times have changed, then. I remember when no story set in rural England was complete without at least one fox hunt with all the rich folks in their red jackets, odd hats, and hounds baying as the whole lot charged across the countryside. Must have been an early 20th century and earlier thing.
logionX
Seasoned Vanguard
4 years ago
I think they could have placed some more collectibles at the edges of the maps, it's the countryside but it's also a game, doesn't make sense to make the game semi-open world but not place anything worth exploring in the world.

I like the river where sims spawn and go for a swim and the lake where you can fish in Old New Henford. The open garden where sims seems to spawn and plant random plants doesn't really do it for me and the playground with toys just laying on the ground with no kids with them feels weird. At least some sims spawn and hang around there.

The huge area with the snail in The Bramblewood feels more like a thing for Maxis to be honest, I know it's based on the snail statue they have outside of their headquarters but I don't think many people will get that reference and are probably more likely to wonder why it's there and why it takes so long for sims to visit the statue, I love the ruins in the middle though. But again, they could have more collectibles in my opinion.
OldeSimsFan
Seasoned Rookie
4 years ago
Agree. It's like the balance between game features and the area vibe is off. Other than player curiosity the first few times of playing, there's no reason for sims to go out there. The upper left region and island in Windenburg have reasonable area to roam around in, and there is a reason to roam around. Here there is almost none, which is a shame as the landscape is beautiful.
MaggieMae7276
Seasoned Novice
4 years ago
I love the beauty of the countryside and the very rural setting for a quiet but busy farm life. That said, I was disappointed with the very low key festival/competition. I ended up updating the pub to include dart, pingpong, and foosball upstairs and chess, horseshoes, swing set and outdoor doll house in the outside part of the pub. Plan to have my sims enjoy the acttivities at the pub with family and friends while waiting for the competition results. Also update Volpe to a park with chess tables and outdoor equipment for the children and toddlers. A nice family day at the park where the children have something to do so don't get bored. I wish they had the freezer bunny lawn game from sims 3 that was easily put and inventory so could play anywhere. My sims always enjoyed it! It would be great if children could play outdoor games like tag and hide and seek as well with other children to help keep them having fun wherever they are.
SilentK008
Seasoned Newcomer
4 years ago
I hope it will remain as it is with certain crops being available at certain times. My sim is currently growing an pumpkin for an errand. It is nice, took some time to get the seeds and now we wait. I am really enjoying this.

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