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Simmerville's avatar
Simmerville
Legend
5 years ago

Island Living - To buy or not to buy...

When the pack was released I liked the look of the world, but did not see enough content to desire. So, because my game is busy enough as is, I skipped it. I'm awaiting a pack with a new world because I need one new district, and the island does not fit that bill (wanting traditional farming/manor area). But with the ongoing sale - and January looking to be as socially restricted as the past 9 months, I'm back to ponder over Island Living.

I will not play the world thoroughly through sims living there permanently. I play on rotation and my current 80(?) households are enough to keep me busy. But the world would be perfect for vacation homes, right? I skipped the Snowy Escape as well, but I don't need that tech feature in order to go to a home for a limited period of time. My top notch families could even own parts of the islands, and I know I could easily weave in some old family history. Maybe create just one rich family residing a palace at one of those islands.

I'm still not convinced I should get this pack. I would send a few newly married couples there, or a family for vacation, but due to my rotations I can't have anyone stay there fore more than a weekend (2-3 days). I can send Painters and Photographers there, like I do to Selvadorada. I can send Scientists there for excursions (volcano and wildlife), 1-2 days would be fine. I would fill the place with venues for those, plus a Wellness hotel/center, tourists entertainment, restaurants, beach bars etc.

I'd like to know more about what parts of the content can be used back hope. I like the pool furniture/toys and want both floating and pool side chairs. But that is all I can think of... oh, and the beach towels could hopefully be used in any world? Do sunburning work anywhere, too?

I already have an old mermaid story in my game, but all involved are long gone, so I don't think I will play the merfolks in detail. Will mermaids randomly show up in other worlds, too?

I've got several days to decide, pro/con advice would be nice :)
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8 Replies

  • Onverser's avatar
    Onverser
    5 years ago
    I'd always recommend it, the world is gorgeous and totally different to anything else in game and I'd consider it a must have. The world doesn't necessarily have to be a traditional island world, you could make it more "touristy" with lots of places to visit like fancy restaurants over the ocean, luxury spas to visit, retail stores with island apparel, bars with ocean views, etc etc.

    There's one lot which is a 50x50 lot (not over water) which I've placed a big beachside mansion on and I always have wealthy sims or celebrities living there and I turn it into the "exclusive" area for the rich and famous to live and vacation.

    https://i.ibb.co/2qdPTp6/12-28-20-7-37-03-PM.png


    I've also placed luxury Caribbean style builds in the world which the world is perfect for and is a great place for wealthy sims to live in.

    Spoiler
    https://i.ibb.co/wdcFnx1/12-28-20-7-46-04-PM.png


    Then there's another lot just under the volcano which has a really dark ashen look which I think really works for scientist sims, there's such a lot you can do with the world and I'd definitely recommend it!
  • RememberJoy's avatar
    RememberJoy
    Seasoned Ace
    5 years ago
    I was very excited for IL when it was announced and then a little disappointed that it didn't come with certain features I was hoping for, but honestly the more I play in Sulani the less I miss those features.

    It's a beautiful world which feels very open and relaxed, and with the latest update adding rentals to all worlds, you could easily make this a destination world for your sims to relax in for a couple days.

    I guess I would say go for it if you've got the extra money, I've personally got a lot of use out of it.

    Pros:
    Beautiful world
    Great for family play as toddlers can splash in the water and build sandcastles and kids can collect seashells.
    Only world where you can build a house over water
    Some fun new lot traits
    Lots of new fish to catch and a couple new collections (Island treasures and shells)
    The build/buy is great and CAS has a lot of nice hot weather clothing

    Cons:
    The new sim traits are fairly specific and aren't very useful outside of Sulani
    Only one sim at a time can use the jet-ski and boat
    Rabbit hole scuba diving
    Mermaids are kind of useless outside of this world (but that is changing as two other worlds have open water now and more might have it in the future)

    Things you can use in other worlds:
    A lot of the furniture does have a tropical theme but there are a handful of pieces that could be used anywhere (I use the curtains a lot and the loungers are much nicer than the base game ones)
    Barbecue pit
    Kava Bowl
    Towels
    Floaties
    Swings (Also found in Seasons)
    Firepit (Also found in Get Together)
    Also you will be able to make sandcastles on any sand in any world with this EP
  • simsimsere's avatar
    simsimsere
    Seasoned Ace
    5 years ago
    Tanning works in all worlds and I enjoy making sand castles too. I bought Island Living full price and regretted that decision because I didn't think it was worth it. Sulani is nice because it's different, but it's not my dream world or anything. However over the time I have continuously enjoyed my sims visiting there. I have put there community lots a celeberity lounge, shipwreck bar, spa, nightclub and now two rental lots (after the free patch). I've kept the beach lots, but altered one of them to be a vedding venue. Adding the community lots really made the difference for me. I also play some sims who have moved there but they're my sims from my rotation and not native Sulani sims. I think the pack is def worth half price.
  • jimbbq1's avatar
    jimbbq1
    5 years ago
    I am torn. I have always wanted a tropical destination pack. Does island living deliver ? Kind of. It has a pretty world. Really really pretty. But there are almost Nothing to do !!

    You swim and swim. Get a sun tan and build and castle. That is it ! The jet ski and canoe dont do nothing since it is not an open word. You just watch some meaningless animations. Diving is worse! Rabbit hole and you just stare at the buoy. The conservation career is boring. At 50% discount it is barely worth it. Snowy escape has a lot more to offer.

    So if you want a island world for holiday it is kind of ok for 50%. It is definitely a game pack level content.

    To me island living is ranked at the very bottom of the EPs since I am a gameplay simmer.
  • Onverser's avatar
    Onverser
    5 years ago
    Also I think the most important thing to note with Island Living is that the main feature of the pack is the world. If you're not interested in living on an island you probably won't get much from it as the majority of the gameplay is centred around this "Island Living" experience.

    There is nothing in the pack for suburban living, it is all about the island life. So if that suits your gameplay, you'll probably love it, but if you have no interest in island life at all you probably won't get much out of it.
  • ChampandGirlie's avatar
    ChampandGirlie
    Seasoned Ace
    5 years ago
    Would you be interested in the tropical content aside from just vacationing there?

    I like IL and it is part of my rotation. Even if you want to convert it entirely to a vacation island, I think it's still worth adding if you can afford it. When you get it, you might find that you become more interested in tropical themes, in which case, you may do more than you expect.

    If you really weren't interested in doing anything with it, my advice would be different.
  • Disquietism's avatar
    Disquietism
    5 years ago
    I really love Island living, the world is really beautiful, even if you are going to use it only as a vacation spot. As mentioned above, there are still quite a lot of objects you could use in other worlds to enhance gameplay. And I absolutely agree that CAS and build mode has tons of beautiful things to add to your sims outfits and homes.
  • Simmerville's avatar
    Simmerville
    Legend
    5 years ago
    Thanks all!!! Awesome input, I think you guys convinced me to grab the pack. In fact I've already started planning the lots and households, I always make a local history for a new world, because I want to "know" a bit more about the older families and builds etc.

    I'll use the world mainly for vacations, but I'll keep 3 of the premade household in order to have a local culture going. I think I'll add some community lots for specific purposes like already mentioned (Scientists lab, yoga center, etc). I figured my sim won't need to live in Sulan i in order to work with a greener environment, but can travel there on shorter visits to clean beaches and what not. Aaand, some of my noble families will own vacation homes there, I'll just pretend nobody is staying there while they are at home.

    I've come up with certain old tribe beliefs, the volcano is named after the god Taz, and an Admiral discovered the place and arranged for sapphire mining near the volcano, then his project partner and Scientist married the widow of the tribe's chieftain and became the more successful of those two. Elderly Keala Hoapili was just a child back then, and her younger sister turned evil and joined the merfolks.
    Descendants are still around :)

    I'll not include the households in my regular rotation, and they will not have profiles on my online resident registry, but I'll age them with my community and will play some of them occasionally whenever I feel like it. And who knows, perhaps the families will merge with my played households eventually. Not grabbing the pack until January tough, so still time for more planning.

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