Poll: How Do You Play The Sims 4 (Packs v Mods v Base Game)

For me it depends on the game I'm playing, I change from save to save. 

When I was playing an historical game CC and mods were crucial for making it realistic. 

Currently I'm playing a pack legacy of my own making, so now I'm limiting the packs, adding one at the time (just added Vampires today, but haven't started playing with it yet), and limiting the mods to a minimum (there are a few I can't live without), and absolutely no CC. 

Packs Only (Base Game + Packs, no mods or cc)
I tried UI Cheats on my legacy and super sims being played in my current save. The 'family tree' update broke all of their family trees that I had re-connected using the mod when I popped them into a new save. So... even temporarily mod use is not an option for me. No CC ever. I have all packs. I've played since Sims 1, am a very 'type A' player, and play with aging off. (I age up manually when I am ready.) Not sure if I answered more than you were looking for, but this is a fun choice for a thread. 😊

I play with packs and mods. When I first started playing sims 4 I was just playing with mods and the base game, an incentive to buy some packs for me was actually some of the mods I've wanted to play with that required certain packs lol. 

I have all packs except for 3, all of the EP's except Vamps and almost all stuff packs. Very few kits. I play with ALOT of CC, but most is B/B stuff and hair, clothing or makeup. What gameplay mods I have are to fix those bugs with the game, and a few specific mods that help with my game like MC Command or UI Cheats. I have a very large CC folder of about 20gb. 😶 My game runs pretty smoothly now that I have upgraded my desktop even with the 20gb of CC. 

I used to use a ton of CC, but as more packs came out, I finally had much less use for it, so I've been playing without for several years now. Mods, however, I definitely need. But I try to keep it minimal to only the ones I need most because the more mods you use, the greater the chance of conflict between them, and the greater risk of game corruption. MC Command is a must-have. I used to just put in the modules I knew how to use and discard all of the ones that enabled story progression, but after a bit of a learning curve, I've figured out how to turn all of that off so I can now use the entire program. 

Other must-have mods I use are by Bienchen/Sims4Me. The No Autonomous Phone mod has been a savior to my game, ensuring that no Sims use their phones at all. That mod also has a bunch of modules, depending on which packs you have and how little phone use you want. Her other mods that I use are Situation Outfits Begone in the Magic Realm, and No Celebrity Walk Style, because my oldest played Sim got bugged with that and nothing I do will get rid of it. I've also temporarily been using her Bartender Fix mod and Less Tattoo Socials because it's all. the. time. 

My newest mods are from Down in Sims Land, to fix the Masquerade Ball outfits that weren't working, and Less Couples on Public Lots because omg they're everywhere taking up Sim space. 

Now and then I'll try out a new mod when something in my game is disruptive, but I try to keep it to mod creators that have a long-standing reputation for updating after patches and are trustworthy. Little Ms Sam is another great source for small tuning mods. I've used some of hers in the past, when needed, and may again. 

I don't have all of the packs, and don't need the ones I don't have. For EPs I don't have High School Years because it contains even more phone obsession stuff and the high school gameplay isn't at all what I would have desired. (I wanted more social drama, less sitting in class doing nothing.) Plus, it's always bugged, it seems. I also don't have For Rent because I'm afraid to buy it, with the massive game corruptions it brought. 

For Game packs, I don't have the Home Decor one, because all I'd really want is the CAS, and I remember it having a share of bugs as well, so it's fine. I also don't have Parenthood because it's not at all my jam. Love children, don't want to simulate the details of raising them, lol. And the autonomous making messes everywhere would drive me out of my mind. I'm just a Childless Cat Lady at heart. 😄

For Stuff Packs, I don't have Home Chef Hustle because I don't care much about food in the game. There are other Stuff Packs, in retrospect, that I wouldn't have bought if I wasn't so desperate at the time for more CAS, but really, I have no regrets. 

Kits, I own about half, maybe? Perhaps a little bit more. I just buy the ones that I feel I would use. 

Well. That was a novel I didn't expect to write, lol. 

Hi. I have evolved as a player, since I began by playing Sims 2. No mods, (boolprop scared me witless) on up to Sims 3 where I had to mod it just to stabilize that iteration. I still used the packs in Sims 3.  With Sims 4 I use both packs and mods.  The use of mods for me has enriched my gameplay. For instance, I have a Global Superstar Rock Star thanks to Get Famous and the mod, Road to Fame. I'm also having a blast playing with Royalty & Legacy.  Said Rock Star is now a Crown Prince, Royal, besides his music career. Like I said, I'm having a blast. I have also gotten into cc.

Packs Only (Base Game + Packs, no mods or cc)

I own most expansion packs, all game packs, most stuff packs, & a few kits.  I do not own any maker packs.  I refuse to buy Moola.

I play with DLC (no maker packs) and a few mods. The mods I use are mostly small fixes, No big mods with new systems and no big overhauls because of the many updates. 

I play with all packs and kits, and some maker packs.  No mods and no CC , but use cheats occasionally.  I love playing rotationally.

All packs Expansions and kits ( -4 kits i will never buy even if offered them ) with a lot of CAS mods and some work mods see you in 1000 years for an update 💀