Forgive me, but I don't understand the frequent complaint I am seeing (here on this site and from many game changers today) that this ought to have been a game pack. I see a lot of at least potentially new EP-worthy gameplay here, and elements that are usually present in EPs
There is a whole new world, with many new objects and CAS assets, including for kids and toddlers. These are the features that I am looking forward to which appeared in the trailer: new gameplay objects like solar panels, dew collectors and wind turbines, which will probably integrate well with the patched-in basegame trait of Off-the-Grid, as well as a trash compactor or recycling machine.
There are now ladders (patched into the base game, hurrah!) and a few new crafting stations and crafts to go with a new Freelance Crafting Career: candlemaking and some kind of brewing or juicing, I think. At least, a new kind of juice was mentioned and shown, which could imply a juicemaker, and one of the renders showed a woman selling both bottles of "Fizzy juice" and some other kind of jar, perhaps containing preserves or honey.
There was also a lot of mention of something called "upcycling" which I can assume means refurbishing or reclaiming old objects. They get their own online store, which seems like it will integrate well with online selling from "Knitting Stuff."
There might apparently be electric scooters/ mopeds as well (at least there were a couple shown). The insect farm or farms implies the possibility of composting, which is very eco-friendly. There was also one shot where I spotted a wooden birdhouse, but that could be just decor. Perhaps the death by flies from Sims 2 is also back?
From the blog, there seems likely to be a new semi-active career called Civil Designer (along with the Crafting Freelance career), which is probably similar to the Conservationist career in the way that it apparently affects the whole neighbourhood of Evergreen Harbour, even the look or style of the houses. It looked from the trailer like the woman was designing and building her own tech for cleaning up a neighborhood too, perhaps as part of this career.
However there is also a new idea of campaigning for a certain style of neighbourhood/ community space to make it either a community vertical garden, performing arts space or whatever, which didn't appear in the game before, and the fun element that if you fail you have to wear a paper bag on your head.
EPs also often come with more developed systems than do Game Packs, and I would be thrilled if there was a system for recycling and eco-friendly activities, as well as some new skills (like crafting or upcycling) or upgrades and enhancements to existing skills (such as Handiness and Gardening).
Personally I feel that if this was a gamepack, there would not be as much in it, like foraging, composting, recycling, upcycling, crafting candles, making fizzy juice, community votes on the shared space, campaigning and winning support, dumpster diving, etc.
Most of all, I love the look of the Industrial World with its shipping containers, and the design of the objects, decor and houses. The idea of reclaiming things from the trash is neat, and perhaps even making your own furniture or clothes from reclaimed items (mentioned on the blog). I don't find that this pack's style is similar to what we have already: all the clothes and build objects look industrial, quirky and neat rather than sleek, pristine and modern. To me it looks sort of homemade and grimy, and I have been wanting something more industrial and reclaimed for awhile.
On the blog, there was also a brief mention of vertical gardens (maybe reminiscent of the hydroponic garden from sims 2) which probably allows for more compact or indoor gardening. Anyway, it also seems like it will integrate with a number of other packs like Seasons, Island Living, Tiny Living and Knitting. This is not a weakness but actually a feature, and a welcome one here since EPs often have the best crosspack integration. Similarly, this pack could also have new aspirations, and perhaps a new trait or traits (and I certainly hope it does), but we just don't know yet one way or another.
All in all, at a first glance, it seems like there is more in terms of content and varied activity than would be present in just a gamepack. I also have faith that if they brought something like the Conservationist Career back they will have done something new with it here (which it sounds like they have done by adding the campaigning and collaborative elements).
EA Staff
