My game feels overwhelming at the time. I normally like to add new features all over the place, thinking that each world needs minimum one lot with the new stuff. But this time I need to think differently, to limit my initial plans, and rather allow the new stuff little by little.
One big benefit for me will be the posibility to add a residential unit on top of many existing community lot businesses. The more i look, the more lots can now serve as both residential and commercial. This makes it easier for me to focus less on the residential rental feature (For Rent), which I paused up til now. Hoods needing a few more residents will just get a small business residential lot. This will be done in the typical commerce only hoods that we have in Willow Creek and Oasis Springs. And there are so many lots that simply ask for a 2nd floor family - the bar at Gibbs Hill, the bar at Whiskerman's Wharf, maybe the Deadgrass Museum, the café in Win denburg's oldtown, maybe also the Shrieking Llama Bar (WB). In general, worlds like Evergreen Harbor, Ravenwood and Glimmerbrook might come up with a few not so typical combos. Having residential lots without reducing the number of community venues will be great!. I wish I could add a "keeper's" residential unit at the Estate von Haunt (WB) and Meadows (SM), but I understand those lots' categories can't be changed easily.
Small business ideas will come over time, as some of those existing venues might get adjusted depending on the interests and skills of the sims living there. In Chestnut Springs I play a not so successful country music artist. I was planning for her to be a landlord with renters on ground floor (even built the rental unit, but did not set those unit borders yet). Now I think it will be more fun to turn that ground floor into a music lounge where she can perform for her (unlucky) guests, and maybe also provide some nectar tasting etc (her late hubby owned a nectar farm).
Talking of nectars, many of my high nobility households have some kind of farm including nectar making. I now think of giving them a small business focusing ion their nectar. Some bigger estates might offer tours of their manor garden - adding a few activities + sales of local products might be enough, depending on each lot's facilities (ie if they have a famous library room reading can me an activity), in a famouse mirror salon there could be tea serving, etc. Some old families might serve or sell dishes of their secret family recipe. Most of these will probably be open only occasionally, though, and not their main income.
Some knitting household will definitely run a knitting/cross-stitching shop, with a room for classes.
All my 8 Recreation Centers will provide facilities for Lectures. Need to look more into this feature before deciding details, but I will als make sure there are Mentors covering a minimum number of skills.
Also planning a Nordhaven Crafts School which is a historical venue based on pottery traditions, but that will also provide classes covering Woodworking, Gemology (gem cutting in particular) and knitting. It will be a mix of residential including a boarding school section for teenagers staying 6 years, and the commerce including public classes and probably a small exhibition/shop that might be based on what the students create.
Enough for now - there will undoubtfully be lots more new stuff in my game. I'm not so much into the tattoo, but can't wait to get a candy store in many of my worlds :)
