Which packs would you recommend for a newbie to this game to get?

My top two would be Get Together and Get to Work

Get Together for the large world, Club system, and games and things that give teens something to do.

Get to Work for the retail system, though it could use an update to give us a clothing challenge ( to open up CAS pieces, and be able to buy any CAS pieces off a rack or counter like jewelry counter glasses counter, shoes racks, clothes racks etc. And, food bins to make a grocery store look more like a market. It also has the 3 active careers of Doctor, Police Detective, and Scientist., and work places for them.

I recommend warmly all the packs. This game can never have too many gameplay options. ?

For a game pack, expansion pack and stuff pack newbie bundle I would recommend Get Together, Parenthood and Kids Room Stuff.

Get Together adds a large (and beautiful) world and the club system is the least buggy of all the expansions. Parenthood gives the parenting skills and character values/traits and Kids Room Stuff gives Child sims some much needed items and activities. Plus, Voidcritters.

For a non-family player I'd recommend City Living, Vampires and Laundry Day.

CL has my second favourite expansion world, Vampires is solid gameplay with a good build/buy and CAS and Laundry Days adds some fun gameplay.

Interesting discussion. :smile:

Perhaps controversially, I would recommend new Simmers to wait a while before buying any packs at all. The BG (especially with recent updates) can be enjoyable by itself and I would suggest that players take the time to play and work out how the game works without any packs first.
This way new Simmers can get used to the game/controls etc. and find out if they actually like the game before spending money on packs.

As for good first packs, (I'll suggest a EP, GP and SP, if these can be bought in a bundle then even better):

- EP: I'd suggest City Living, if it's your first pack it will add an exciting new world, apartments, festivals, careers, clothing etc.

- GP: Dine Out is probably my most used pack. Yes, there are some bugs, but it doesn't seem to impact my game too much. Dine Out gives new Simmers a new lot type for family outings and dates, or the ability to own a restaurant. The pack also comes with some premade restaurants (like the fancy Chez Llama, or the more Laid back Diners) if you don't enjoy building.

- SP: I'm torn between Movie Hangout and Laundry Day. I really love the CAS and BB items in Laundry Day, so although I don't use the laundry function, the pack is still worth the money to me. But I also feel like I get a lot out of the ability to have my Sims watch films together from Movie Hangout.

Parenthood and Get Together.

For someone who enjoys family/generational play I would recommend Get Together (clubs are great for family gatherings), Cats and Dogs, Seasons, Island Living (Sulani is a great interactive world great for raising a family), or Cottage Living. As for game packs I'd say Parenthood, Outdoor Retreat, and maybe Spa Day now that kids can partake. For stuff packs Spooky, Cool Kitchen, Movie Hangout, Kids Room, Backyard, Bowling, Toddler, Laundry Day, My First Pet, and Nifty Knitting.

For those who prefer the quirky supernatural parts of the sims I'd recommend Get To Work (for aliens), Get Together (for supernatural clubs), City Living (for quirky apartments), or Island Living (for mermaids). For game packs Vampires, Jungle Adventure, Strangerville, Realm of Magic, or Journey to Batuu. For stuff packs Spooky, Romantic Garden (for the wishing well), or Paranormal.

For those who prefer playing single sims I'd recommend Get To Work, City Living, Cats and Dogs, Get Famous, Discover University, Island Living, Snowy Escape, or Cottage Living. As for game packs Spa Day, Dine Out, Jungle Adventure, Strangerville, Journey to Batuu, or Dream Home Decorator. For Stuff packs Luxury Party, Perfect Patio, Vintage Glamour, Fitness, Moschino, Tiny Living, or Nifty Knitting.

Well it would depend entirely on play style to be honest. Some of the packs others have recommended here are packs I would say are a complete waste of money (Get Together and Parenthood) for someone with my personal playstyle

From what I've seen this is the general consensus:

If you're into family play:

• Seasons
  
• Get Together
  
• Parenthood
  
• Kids Room Stuff
  
• Toddler Stuff
  
• Cottage Living
  
• Discover University
  

If you're into aspirational play (living your dreams/doing things you can't do in real life so easily):

• Island Living
  
• Get Famous
  
• Get to Work
  
• Dine Out
  
• Realm of Magic
  
• City Living
  
• Jungle Adventure
  
• Tiny Living
  

If you're into chaos:

• Vampires
  
• Realm of Magic
  
• Dine Out
  
• City Living (it comes with a food item you can use to poison people in both restaurants and dinner parties ;))
  
• Paranormal Stuff
  
• Seasons
  
• Eco Lifestyle
  

@Onverser I think you have the best answer here. It completely depends what kind of play style the individual Simmer has. I like how you've categorised the packs.

I'd personally include Dine Out and Laundry Day into family play too (you can celebrate birthdays at restaurants, and I found that making sure my Sim's children didn't leave for school unhappy due to dirty clothes was quite an important part of my game a few saves ago!).

Possible Get To Work in chaos too (alien abductions and the scientist career).

I honestly think new players should just get the pack with whatever theme speaks to them the most, as those are the ones they're most likely to enjoy. There really aren't any packs that are truly bad and newer packs don't offer that much more over older packs, either, so the risk of picking the wrong pack isn't that high.

Kinda depends on the player, but I agree that Get Together IS a good base starter pack, and for a second expansion, I think Seasons would be my top choice. I might also recommend getting a "bundle" type thing--1 expansion, 1 game pack, 1 stuff pack sort of thing--and then, for the most general player, I'd probably say to get Seasons, Parenthood, and then maybe Tiny Living.

But, as other have said, probably depends on the person I'm talking to--I definitely have friends who I'd be like, no, you need Realm of Magic, Vampires & Paranormal IMMIDIATELY, and others where I'd say Cats & Dogs, Knitting & Toddler Stuff would be the must haves, lol.