The off the grid mode is one I haven't played with or even wanted to play with. Now, however, I have a few ideas I want to put together. So:1: How do you play off the grid? 2: Is there a way to pull up off the grid items only in the BB mode?3: Do you dress your Sims a certain way for OTG play?4: What kind of traits work the best with OTG play?5: Homes for OTG... what items do you put on your lot?Give me your headcannons.

1. I am playing a BACC, a Build a City Challenge, which has a rule of lots being off the grid until a Sim reaches a handiness skill of level 10 which "unlocks electricity and plumbing," so removes the off the grid lot trait. I've found playing this way has inspired me to create a community lot that acts as some sort of workshop where Sims go to gain handiness skill, and can then unlock the off the grid trait for other lots. However, I've found that playing off the grid is a lot of fun and I'm not sure I want any of the residential lots in the city to be on the grid (no random pulling out of the cellphone as it doesn't work OTG, and no bills!!! which means I can have all the stuff I want on a lot without having to figure out how my Sims will pay for it). I am trying to think of a way that I can alleviate the Uncomfortable moodlets that come with living off the grid by incorporating something into my gameplay. I think there is something within the Herbalism skill that can cure Uncomfortable? I'm not sure. Either that or isn't there some bottled shower from Jungle Adventure? If that doesn't cause Uncomfortable moodlet, then I might set up like a small market where people can trade other goods for this in town, or it's just a resource they all have free access to so residents don't have to worry about brackish water. I'm in the early stages of building my city, so this is the time where I can think of the way of life for the entire town, and living off the grid is part of that way of life.2. I don't know if there is a way to do that, so far I just scroll through the different sections until I find the Functional Off the Grid label. It's not that cumbersome but that's because my Sims are also poor (you can't have a career off the grid) so I'm not often trying to buy things for them.3. I do dress my Sims a certain way, but actually not because of OTG, but rather because of this culture I'm trying to think up for the world. As I'm still on the Founding generation of my BACC, I'm using my four Founders to help me establish things such as style, decor, social norms and values, etc. It's a kind of fantasy world that's trapped in the normal Sims world.4. Do you mean Sims' character traits? I think mostly all traits could work. Ones I don't think could work tho are like Ambitious (because they want to get promoted in their careers) and Geek. It's actually Aspirations that I think struggle more with an OTG lifestyle. I have a Sim who has the Best-selling Author/Writer Aspiration; she wants to write 2 books. Well, she can't have a computer, so not sure how she's going to achieve that. Another is a Renaissance Sim who wants to get to level 3 in 3 different careers or whatever is the goal. Can't get a career, can't achieve that. Sidenote about the careers: I'm not sure if I were to go to another lot that's not OTG and get them a job is that a roundabout way to get in a career OTG, but I also don't want my Sims to have careers right now for this BACC as part of the way the society works, so I've yet to try.5. As far as practical items, things I have are like: the kids cooler, the stove that looks like it burns wood, the refrigerator to match that stove, the sort of oldish looking bath/shower and toilet, with the rusty looking sink that looks like a huge metal bucket? (don't know which pack it came from), chess table, foosball table (although I'm thinking of deleting it as my Sims never use it and it doesn't fit into my worldbuilding), small stack of books, mirrors, woodworking table, a garden).Things that are decorative and just add immersion: well (think it came with base game), random jugs and boxes that look like they store food and other goods.The world I'm trying to build is like, I like to think of it is as Diagon Alley with less straight up magic (although still magic will eventually be involved). Basically I have this idea that there is this society of people who created their own way of life from the rest of mainstream society, but they're not like...hippies or a cult. It's like they're based in magic and they just live differently and don't value money/capitalist society. The workshop I mentioned, in my mind it would be like a smithy (if Sims were able to work metal), and it's one of the few lots with electricity and running water. There will be multiple farms like one for fruit trees one for herbs, that all of the people have access to when they need to gather food. The large lots I will try to build a makeshift village so I can have multiple families living on one lot. I want to build a library/place of scholarship to replicate a learning center where they study their history, culture, language (yes I've made up a language complete with a working?? alphabet - it's a very basic alphabet based off of English and Korean, and I built it backwards after I had already created 4 Founders and their dogs thereby establishing some of the sounds found in the alphabet via the names I'd chosen. It'll help me generate my own names without having to go to a random generator). I want to build a public bathhouse complete with hot tubs and I'm thinking of getting Spa Day for a sauna, so that Sims can meet and bathe properly since you can only shower OTG. I'm thinking of maybe some sort of forum, where Sims can also meet for socialization (which would be where Sims go to level up their charisma skill). And all of these lots will have appropriate traits that makes increasing their appropriate skills easier. For example, the forum would have the Convivial trait, while the farms would have Great Soil. I'm still in the early stages of planning so I have a lot of work to do. :D

wow, that's fabulous @NationalPokedex Thank you for all the info. So cell phones can't be used OTG, can they travel? Can you still buy the food for meals when you are cooking them or supply your own garden vegetables? How does school work with kids?

@joRN1414 The phone still allows for phone calls and texts (unfortunately for me as that breaks my immersion), and Sims can still travel (I've only traveled once and I'm pretty sure I went via the phone and not map view). You can still make food by buying it, but the type of food you can make is significantly reduced. A lot of meals for whatever reason need to be on the grid to be made (because of THIS reason, I'm thinking that in my market there will be place for Sims to get meals that are cooked on the grid ). School...I haven't gotten that far yet, and I'm gonna be disheartened when I have to send my children to the school because I think the game makes them go or they will get taken away? Maybe someone else can confirm or deny this. My main Founders are expecting a baby tho, and as soon as the pregnancy was announced, I put the game on pause as I try to think up how the world will work overall. This particular Sim is really important to me and the town because she was the first Sim made in CAS for the save and she is the one who reached level 10 handiness and therefore unlocked electricity AND in my mind she's named after a goddess in their culture who is said to have made a harp from stardust and strands of her own hair, played a song, and created life. So it's a really big moment and I just want the world to be ready for this baby lol. Technically in the rules of the BACC, schools are unlocked when there are 5 children in the town (and also you can only introduce 1 new Sim to the town via CAS when one Sim has reached level 10 charisma (so the population is growing slowly, and that's why I thought up the idea for the Forum as a place for Sims to meet to raise their Charisma skill), but I don't know when I'll reach that point. So it's kind of a peculiar situation I'm in right now. Honestly, a lot of the restrictions that come within the game are helping me to think of how to build the world as I work around them.

LOL, that's a fabulous back story. I'm going to have to look at that challenge too. My original idea wasn't that immersive, but I do like to read the challenges and pull aspects from them. Give me new ideas.

@NationalPokedex I love your backstory!

Off the grid Questions and Comments

14 Replies

beadierturtle
6 years ago
"joRN1414;c-17443579" wrote:
Is there any way to fix the brackish water issue?

No, the brackish water is something you'll just have to deal with living off the grid, at least there's nothing I know that can prevent the water from being brackish. Something that does help though is saving up and purchasing the "Carefree" reward trait. That will prevent them from becoming tense from the water.

"joRN1414;c-17443579" wrote:
Also, is one fireplace enough to warm a whole house since the thermostat can't be used.

No, the fireplaces work like items that give off an aura in that it will only warm up to a specific area (size is unknown to me) and will not travel outside of a room. So, if your lot is in a particularly cold area in the winter, you may want to consider a fireplace in every room.
NationalPokedex
6 years ago
@joRN1414 It's not to say there isn't a solution, but I haven't figured out how to fix the brackish water. However, I've found upgrading appliances and plumbing serve as...distractions from it. There's one moodlet that comes with upgrading the sink which is like a Soap dispenser or something and it always gives a Happy moodlet after Sims wash their hands.

I haven't added fireplaces because I always forget but if you try this out, let me know how it works! I'm still in summer in my game, so have yet to really experience any cold weather.

I've had one fire break out so far in the 4 Sim weeks I've been playing this save and it was quickly extinguished.

A lot of things that seem like they could potentially work OTG, but don't have the Functional OTG tag, I'm hesitant to purchase so I don't know the extent of what works and what doesn't. I'm definitely learning a lot about what's in the game and how things work still.
MasonGamerBoi
6 years ago
I have a "Medieval Fantasy" Save, and it works.

1: How do you play off the grid? certain Lots I assign OTG trait to. Castles, and large manor houses I give the luxury of having running water, however I like Having to think about Fireplaces and Candles for heat and Lighting.
Certain Stoves/Ovens work well. (Wish we could cook more dishes in a cauldron (RoM) or at a fire place/over a fire pit) Plumbing is tricky, cause certain sinks do work off the grid, and it's the one you actually wouldn't think, does work off the grid. and bath tubs.
Kind of wish we had chamberpots or something. Because it's kind of odd having a Huge castles and then leaving the castle to go use a bush.

3: Do you dress your Sims a certain way for OTG play? I do have cc medieval clothing, robes, armor, tunics, breeches, baroque gowns and suits many different varieties.

4: What kind of traits work the best with OTG play? I Go for the Skill traits, Bookworm, Art Lover, etc. with the exception of Geek. and then play around from there.

5: Homes for OTG... what items do you put on your lot? I do varieties of Cotteges large and small, Castles. Get Together, Romantic Garden, Vintage Glamour, Vampires, and Realm of Magic are packs I tend to use when building and furnishing.
JoRN1414
6 years ago
Thank you! So far I'm stuck on lighting. There is a candle chandelier that I placed that isn't working. I think I remember the vampire chandelier's work though. It's fall so a couple more fireplaces. I've used the island living plumbing items for OTG. Vintage Glamour! I'm going to have to look at that. @NationalPokedex I forgot about that upgrade, thanks for the reminder.

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Off the grid Questions and Comments

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