Play to change in The Sims 4 Eco Lifestyle Expansion Pack!

Some will like it and if they do hope they enjoy but one thing I remember is the the gameplay in the video does not exactly represent gameplay in the game. I do not see myself paying full price for this but will buy at an reduced price. I do not pay full price just for one item and I hope I am wrong this is another isolated pack like City Living.

"Cherryl93;c-17485300" wrote:
The problem with the sims 4 is twofold.

First of all, it feels too “silicons valley”. Game content creators trying to prove their “creativity”, feeling like they need to give us new/modern/up to date content while all simmers are asking for are the basics. Perhaps just a tiny bit improved. Yes, robots are cool. (University) Yes, changing the world for the better is cool (ecoliving). Yes, different cultures are cool (city living/ get together). But you know what’s also cool? Being able to relate to your sims. How? Well by being able to play out our own ordinary lives for starters. Unfortunately, when it comes to ordinary life, the gameplay is just so limited, players have to resort to mods and custom content to try to create any kind of realistic storytelling.

On the other hand it feels like EA is so desperately trying to prove it’s an ethical company with modern norms and values.
- EA is a sustainable company = eco living
- EA is anti racism = different cultures (names/looks/foods)
- EA is LGBT friendly = Same sex households, transgender sims
- EA cares about equal rights = let’s put a female sim as the main sim on every cover / in every trailer

Don’t get me wrong. These are all very positive introductions to the game. However, it seems EA cares more about its image lately than about its actual games, a feeling that wasn’t around in previous sims series. If only we could go back to the times where the created content was actually about adding value to the game.

YEESSS!!

"Cherryl93;c-17485300" wrote:
The problem with the sims 4 is twofold.

First of all, it feels too “silicons valley”. Game content creators trying to prove their “creativity”, feeling like they need to give us new/modern/up to date content while all simmers are asking for are the basics. Perhaps just a tiny bit improved. Yes, robots are cool. (University) Yes, changing the world for the better is cool (ecoliving). Yes, different cultures are cool (city living/ get together). But you know what’s also cool? Being able to relate to your sims. How? Well by being able to play out our own ordinary lives for starters. Unfortunately, when it comes to ordinary life, the gameplay is just so limited, players have to resort to mods and custom content to try to create any kind of realistic storytelling.

On the other hand it feels like EA is so desperately trying to prove it’s an ethical company with modern norms and values.
- EA is a sustainable company = eco living
- EA is anti racism = different cultures (names/looks/foods)
- EA is LGBT friendly = Same sex households, transgender sims
- EA cares about equal rights = let’s put a female sim as the main sim on every cover / in every trailer

Don’t get me wrong. These are all very positive introductions to the game. However, it seems EA cares more about its image lately than about its actual games, a feeling that wasn’t around in previous sims series. If only we could go back to the times where the created content was actually about adding value to the game.

Yes, the agenda pushing has been obvious since 2013. It's company wide, Bioware and other studios have had the same struggles. I'm guessing one of the reasons is because they started hiring based on physical attributes and woke points rather than on talent but I digress. It's ok to like whatever but don't let it bleed onto your professional work. Remember when Grant refused to put dog houses in TS4 because according to him they are a way of abusing dogs or sumn?

EA, this is NOT an expansion pack. You also already gave us this concept, the career, and all of these features in Island Living. To a lesser extent, you also gave us the remainder of this pack with Tiny Living, base game updates, and Laundry Day. Even the neighborhood feels very Glimmerbrook with the bioluminescence from Sulani, but in the sky as an aurora borealis (like from TS3's Aurora Skies neighborhood). This whole EP feels like an unintegrated mess.

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).

I'm glad to see more positive comments for this pack here than what's on YouTube and Twitter comments - quite brutal over there. I know that I would love improved gameplay and in depth emotions/relationships and all of that, but I think this is an interesting idea.
Although I would have liked chickens for this pack, I don't think a farming pack is an easy one to create. Will they build a huge slaughter machine? Or will you skin the cows and sell the hinds on Plopsy? I think although it's cute to have nice animals around, the logistics of it aren't easy to incorporate into a game. But really, there could have been some small scale sustainable animal husbandry in this. But eggs is the only thing I can think of, and I can see that upsetting a lot of people too - with all the vegetarian safe foods in the Sims - I don't see animal exploitation as a part of their next pack personally. This one is really in line with where we're all at in the real world right now.

"Gordy;c-17485606" wrote:

"AdamsEve1231;c-17485216" wrote:

but honestly, complaining about it isn't going to fix anything. Every game expansion, game pack, and stuff pack adds at least a little bit of value to the game.

If we can't complain, what can we do to get our voices heard? It's not like we can vote with our wallets - so many people buy out of brand loyalty, to be a completionist, because they don't know enough about the pack before buying, because people are desperate for ANYTHING that might change up this stagnant game, or because of EA's often sketchy (and arguably predatory) marketing tactics. They could literally make a My First Colonoscopy pack and make bank.

I realize people are upset. I know people really want certain things in game. I realize most people are disappointed with the EA team, but there's so much negativity. I don't know how that's improving things or making anything better, and that's depressing to me. I really dislike coming on here and see people do nothing but harp and imply that everyone feels the same way they do. Or that everyone wants the same things they do.

We aren't actually getting the expansion until June 5th so I'll reserve my judgment in full until I actually play it. And this is just the first video released... people missed an announcement about ladders being added in a free patch soon. So much negativity could be avoided.

"Gordy;c-17485606" wrote:

"AdamsEve1231;c-17485216" wrote:

I've kept my expectations low with most expansions and packs in general, and I've never been disappointed.

I gotta say that this is a depressing way to view a franchise. We always have to keep our expectations in check and assume we'll get the bare minimum. (And even then, I'm still often disappointed.) Even when we get a pack that we want, tons of us are praying that it's half as good as older takes on the idea.

I have always found creative workarounds when I need to - mods and cc. I realize it would be better if it was included in the actual gameplay, but I make do. I also typically don't buy expansions until several months after they're released due to my schedule. I have learned to accept it and be grateful for what I do have. I have to stretch my imagination a bit and I find that fun. That's my personal style.

I have low expectations because I never know what to expect and it's always a surprise. I can always find something to like. I'm granting the developers some grace. I recognize everyone's entitled to their opinions, and their opinions are valid, just like mine are. I'm just annoyed when people seem to imply that everyoneis disappointed or upset, and that if everyone ISN'T upset, there's something wrong with them. I don't think everyonehates this new expansion, and while we may be in minority, it isn't fair for people to make blanket statements.

I accept it as is because I like to engage my imagination and I like the challenge of working through what I get and making it better in my own way without feeling the need to blast the EA team. I will offer my constructive criticism and feedback whenever I have the opportunity. I know the game could be better. There are simply too many people and too many opinions and playstyles to accommodate and fulfill everything for everyone. It's not going to be perfect. And that's what I accept. I don't think it's depressing at all because this is just how I roll. I'm not depressed by it. Like I said in my original post, it's less about the actual gameplay for me, and more about new storytelling landscape, BUT I recognize I'm in the minority here so I'll see myself out. At the end of the day, it's what you make of it.

Have a blessed day, Sims community!

"lovemy4s;c-17484248" wrote:
Could anybody tell what was in the beekeeping style box shown? I thought chicks at first but it doesn’t look like it.

In case no one has answered this yet... worms!!! :D

Also people got no clue what a bug hotel is. It's a darn pollinator tower, everyone thinking a caterpillar is a chick and thinking that the devs don't know how to do compost bins - no wonder we need this pack, the world's gonna go down the pan with people spraying pesticides on the country farm! Sorry - bit cheeky, but I'm genuinely surprised that people don't know what a bug hotel is. In Britain it's a big thing, to put up little houses for butterflies and pollinators.

"GwennogJones;c-17485978" wrote:
Also people got no clue what a bug hotel is. It's a darn pollinator tower, everyone thinking a caterpillar is a chick and thinking that the devs don't know how to do compost bins - no wonder we need this pack, the world's gonna go down the pan with people spraying pesticides on the country farm! Sorry - bit cheeky, but I'm genuinely surprised that people don't know what a bug hotel is. In Britain it's a big thing, to put up little houses for butterflies and pollinators.

Isn't there more than one? I thought there was one with maggots (shown in the trailer), which is probably a composter, and one painted with flies (shown in one of the renders sent to the gamechangers), which is probably a bug hotel.