SimGuruGeorge asked this question on Twitter and I thought it would be fun to see what forum members come up with. https://twitter.com/SimGuruGeorge/status/1131252431608639488?s=19

One of my favorite features is how easy it is to change your aspiration and not lose any progress on the current aspiration.

- Take lots of screenshots! Even if they do not turn out any good, there's nothing like looking back at your first hours with the sims years later. - Create a real big puddle and then use the design tool on it. It's just a minor and very silly thing, but it will make you chuckle.- If you desperately need something (a rare collectable or Ambrosia), look in the gallery. - Almost forgot my favorite: You can disable the filters when dressing up your sim. That way you can use every piece of clothing in every category!

Yes lots of screenshots. Pause the game and experiment with angles and perspective in your shots. And remember to put your walls up. All my early shots I didn't pause or use walls and they look funny.Start with a cat not a dog to learn pets. They need less help and attention and you can get used to caring for a pet.The gallery is your best friend! Can't build can't cas well - other people make amazing stuff and it enhances your game play.Don't make a club where the activity is singing and everyone has zero singing skill You will regret hearing what you hear for ever!

- Don’t get the cheapest stove, it’s a death trap waiting to happen.- There’s lots of different settings you can play with. Why not experiment a little and figure out how you like to play?- Start with more than one sim. This way if something happens to one of them (set on fire, at work, etc), you have another sim to help out.- There’s a magic tree somewhere in Willow Creek. Try and find it!

I second the taking lots of screenshots, and don't forget to share them here! Eat lots of grilled cheese for a fun throwback to sims 2. As for pack recommendations, Dine Out, Seasons, Cats and Dogs and Parenthood are all great for realism every day, but if you like supernatural stuff then Vampires is the pack for you. Just avoid My first pet's stuff ;)

Recommendations For New Players | EA Forums

simgirl1010
Hero
6 years ago
"kaiwrysims;c-17074409" wrote:
The new freelancer career is pretty cool.

And start with a household with different life stages if you want to try out everything.

This is a great suggestion. I currently have a toddler, child, and teen with their young adult parents. I haven't gotten the nerve to move in one of the elder grandparents. ?
floridameerkat
6 years ago
"starrett0311;c-17075505" wrote:
how do you get the calendar feature to work? do you need mods?

As long as you have Seasons, you don't need to do anything. Is the calendar not working for you?
divanthesimmer1
6 years ago
Definitely try the legacy challenge or one of the many Sims 4 challenges. It's really fun and helps you learn new things about the game and play in ways you normally wouldn't.
CrazyWriterGirl
6 years ago
"starrett0311;c-17075505" wrote:
how do you get the calendar feature to work? do you need mods?

Do you have Seasons? You can't access the Calendar without it.
Duhgirl2u2
6 years ago
Be sure to pay attention to the 'quiet' moments. The dev team has done a wonderful job adding in the little life-like details that you just don't expect. I won't go into detail on many of them because its fun to find them yourself, just watch animations, expressions, actions... you might be amazed at how many of those quiet moments occur. My favorite is still, to this day, the pregnancy idle animation where the pregnant sim will rub their baby bump and smile sweetly to themselves. There are so so many more though that are just as great.
alexisgears
6 years ago
Take a few characters from a T.V show and play with them! Don't be afraid to do a challenge or a story!
LindsaySeddon1
6 years ago
"starrett0311;c-17075505" wrote:
how do you get the calendar feature to work? do you need mods?

It comes with Seasons expansion pack
Simmerville
Seasoned Ace
6 years ago
I'd say play more than one household, but make sure they live different lives, so you get variation. I love seeing my not played sims that I know very well, as background characters. It makes the hood/world feel more full fleshed :) It also makes it more interesting to form interesting stories/conflicts/achievements.
coolsim9999999
Seasoned Veteran
6 years ago
Go to Sylvan Glade!
MasonGamerBoi
6 years ago
Play your way, Cliche I know, But don't feel obligated to Fulfill Max Skills, Aspirations, Careers, Event Goals, if you want your story to play out a certain way and reaching a subgoal is actually your Character's Goal then do that.

It took me a while to learn that myself, and now that I live by this, the game is more fun to me.