Misleading promo images in today's (Sept. 18th, 2025) patch notes
I'm sorry, but this photo is completely misleading and causes confusion when coupled with today's patch notes. I understand the need to promote a new pack that is launching soon, but there is a time and place for everything and decisions like this just create false expectations in the community. Please limit promotional photos to articles promoting new packs. Keep photos in patch notes on topic please. Failure to do so just causes negative reactions to spread in the community like wildfire. EA Creator who was also confused by these photos: Iron_Cgull (Twitter post)
Modern Tech UI Overhaul: Phones, Tablets & Computers Should Be Consistent
've been thinking about the technology our Sims use every single day. While the core functions are there, the way we interact with phones, tablets, and computers feels outdated and inconsistent. It's an area that could really use a refresh to feel more modern and intuitive. What area of gameplay is your feedback about? User Interface (UI) - Specifically for the Phone, Tablet, and Computer objects. Objects/Activities (Interactions with technology) What works well right now? The core idea is solid. Having a phone in your pocket for quick social calls, a tablet for portable fun, and a computer for more complex tasks like jobs and shopping makes sense. The phone's categorial menu is quick to navigate and having it always accessible is a great feature. The different designs for the objects themselves are also cool. What isn’t working or feels frustrating? The interfaces and available functions for these devices are wildly inconsistent and feel stuck in the early 2000s. Inconsistency: Why can I "Browse for Recipes" on a computer but not on a tablet? Why is "Research" for only on the computer? In the real world, you can do almost anything on any device. The arbitrary limitations feel artificial and frustrating. Outdated Design: The computer UI, with its large, pie wheel, makes navigating it a chore especially on console. It doesn't reflect the sleek, modern designs of real-word computers. Missing Modern Functions: There's no sense of a connected "ecosystem." Why can't I start writing a book on my computer and finish it on my tablet? Where are the modern apps? The functions feel very basic and don't reflect how integrated technology is in our lives. What new ideas or improvements would you suggest? I suggest a significant UI overhaul to create a consistent, modern, and unified experience across all devices. Unified Interface: Create a similar, sleek visual style and layout for the phone, tablet, and computer interfaces. Imagine a modern smartphone OS. Functional Consistency: Give all three devices access to the same core set of "apps" (functions), with perhaps the computer being slightly better for career-related tasks and the tablet being better for games, reflecting real-world use. A Sim should be able to "Browse the Web" or "Research" on any device. New "App" Icons: Replace the old text-based lists with modern app icons for things like Social, Games, Web, Career, etc. Cloud Sync: Introduce a simple "cloud save" concept. For example, a book started on one device could be continued on another. Why would this improve your gameplay experience? This change would massively improve realism and quality of life. Realism: It would make the game world feel more current and believable, reflecting how we actually use technology today. Player Choice: It would give players true freedom to choose how their Sim interacts with the digital world, rather than being forced to use a specific device for a specific task. Streamlined Gameplay: It would reduce frustration from having to remember which device does what. The rules would be logical and consistent. Visual Polish: It would modernize a part of the UI that players interact with constantly, making the entire game feel more polished and up-to-date. This wouldn't remove any existing gameplay; it would just make it more accessible, logical, and fun to use. Please upvote 👍 this post so we can get this feature in the game.
Suggestion: Baking Stuff Pack
Hi. I thought I would start a thread here for other simmers who might be interested in this idea. I really want to have a baking skill in game. Base game has cooking and gourmet cooking but not baking which currently you need Get To Work for. However, Get To Work is too expensive for simmer who might only want it for the baking skill. I think it would be a good idea to make another cheaper pack like a stuff pack that would add in the baking skill along with some related build/buy items (and maybe CAS, aprons for example). Not all of us can justify spending money on an expansion pack if all we want is one little skill. It would be even better if baking was added to the base game for free like was done with photography, but I realize that might be asking for too much so I would be willing to settle for a stuff pack or other cheaper pack option other than an expansion pack that adds the baking skill. I also thought I would start this thread for other simmers who want to add in additional comments on this topic and upvote it to show EA what level of demand there is for something like this. If you agree, upvote this post and if you have anything you want to add to this idea, comment with your thoughts and ideas.
Update Crashing University Experience
Following the update this morning, almost everything disappeared from my sims' inventories, including work tablets and all of my Uni homework books (haven't verified HS or MS homework yet). I can purchase them via a bookshelf but still cannot put them in the world or my inventory. Every now and then it will allow me to complete one of my courses HW but the book is still invisible and it doesn't always complete it. Additionally, even though I just began a new term for some of my sims, once I placed their presentation boards in the world, they are now no longer registering as belonging to them and cannot be worked on or presented .....I have to withdraw all 7 sims from this term as to not screw up their GPAs or get kicked out. PLEASE FIX!!Screenshot Manager Needs Better Organization - Filters & Sorting Please!
I use the in-game screenshot function constantly to capture moments for my stories and legacies. While the ability to take photos is great, the tool we have to manage them is seriously lacking in basic organization features. What area of gameplay is your feedback about? Game Tools / UI (The Screenshot Capture Manager) What works well right now? The fundamental ability to take screenshots and have them saved automatically in a central, in-game gallery is invaluable. It's fantastic that we can use the "c" key for quick snaps and the Tab key for more controlled camera shots, and that they all go to the same place. Keeping them separate from the regular save files is also a good design choice. What isn’t working or feels frustrating? The manager is essentially a giant, unsorted list with zero organizational tools. This becomes a massive problem for players who take hundreds of screenshots over multiple save files. The main frustrations are: No sorting: The newest images are always at the bottom, forcing you to scroll through hundreds of pictures to find your latest ones. No filtering: There's no way to filter screenshots by the save file they came from, the world, the specific household, or even if they were taken by a Sim vs. the "c" key. No information: You can't easily see how many screenshots you have total, or how many are in a filtered view. It feels disconnected and basic. What new ideas or improvements would you suggest? The Capture Manager needs a significant UI overhaul to include standard organizational features. I suggest adding: Sorting Options: Primarily by Date Taken (newest first or oldest first). Filter Tags: A sidebar with clickable filters for: Save File Name World (Willow Creek, Henford-on-Bagley, etc.) Household Sim Camera Type (Screenshot vs. taken by a Sim) Memory Type (e.g., happy, sad, angry, etc.) A Counter: A simple line of text that says "Showing X of Y images" so you know the scope of your collection. Search Function: Ideally, a search bar that can parse Sim names or other metadata. Why would this improve your gameplay experience? For players who use screenshots heavily, this would be agame-changing quality-of-life improvement. It would: Save a huge amount of time when trying to find a specific picture for a story or to share online. Make storytelling and legacy play much easier by allowing us to review the history of a specific household or save file without seeing everyone else's photos. Help manage storage space by making it easy to see which save files have the most screenshots and delete them in batches if needed. Bring the tool up to a modern standard that players expect from any photo management application. This isn't about changing how we take pictures, but about making the photos we take actually usable and manageable. Please upvote 👍 this post so we can get this feature in the game.Social Events UI Feedback: Add Recommended Objects for Event Success
I was really happy with today's update that added sorting for event locations by venue type—it's a great QoL improvement. It got me thinking about another area of the social event system that could use a similar clarity boost: the event setup itself. What area of gameplay is your feedback about? Social Interactions (Specifically planning Social Events like Parties, Dates, etc.) User Interface (UI) / Information What works well right now? The variety of social events is fantastic. I love having different goals for a dinner party vs. a house party vs. a wedding. The scoring system (Gold, Silver, Bronze) gives a clear objective and a fun challenge. The recent update to sort event locations shows the team is actively improving this area, which is awesome to see. What isn’t working or feels frustrating? The most frustrating part is thetrial and errorof figuring out what objects and set-up you need to achieve a high score. The event description gives goals like "Have 3 Sim conversations" or "Serve a Grand Meal," but it doesn't tell you how to best facilitate that. For example: What objects count for "Play Games" for a house party? (Is it a chess table? A video game? Both?) New players, in particular, can find it confusing and may fail events simply because they didn't place the right objects on their lot beforehand. What new ideas or improvements would you suggest? I suggest adding a "Recommended Objects" or "Tips for Success" section to the social event planning UI. When you click to plan an event (like a "House Party"), the description box should include a bulleted list of objects that you should add to the lot for a better party. For example: House Party Goals: Dance to music, Play Games, Tell Stories... Recommended Objects: A Stereo or DJ Booth A Card Table or Video Game Console Bar This would act as a helpful guide without being a strict requirement, giving players a clear idea of how to set up their space for success. Why would this improve your gameplay experience? This change would drastically reduce the initial frustration and guesswork associated with social events. It would: Lower the barrier to entry for new players, helping them understand the game's mechanics. Act as a helpful reminder for veteran players planning an event type they don't host often. Reduce reloading saves due to event failure from a simple lack of information. Empower players to plan better, leading to more successful and enjoyable events without spoiling the challenge of actually completing the goals. It wouldn't make the events easier—you'd still have to manage your Sims' actions and moods—it would just make the setup requirements clearer. This would be a fantastic next step in polishing the social event experience. What objects do you always forget to place for a party? Please upvote 👍 this post so we can get this feature in the game.
Woodworking & Furniture-making
I’d like to see the current handiness skill separated from woodworking and that skill split apart into woodworking and furniture-making. The decor items, shelves, planter boxes make sense in woodworking. One or two functional new toys that a woodworker could make and a few more statue/decor options to flesh it back out. You could even add nods to other packs. This adds more customization, uniqueness, turns this into a more realistic, every day hobby for sims who could get really into it or keep it more casual. Move the functional furniture like chairs, tables, etc. into the furniture making. Call it artisan or something to be fancy. Add in wooden dressers, different sized tables, let us unlock a custom cabinet set with a separately installed counter top for optimal customization, bed frame for double or twin (while you’re at it, can you add an ability to quilt custom bedspreads), kids furniture… basically, I want my sim to build his whole house. Or most of it. This would be an amazing accomplishment for an aspiring woodworker/artisan, to furnish their home with like 20 different pieces of homemade furniture. What a fulfilling Aspiration to achieve! Imagine passing that down to the next couple generations. Personally, my dining room table was handmade by my grandfather who was raised Mennonite where he learned the skill. Never got to meet the man, but what a connection I have to him. I’d love that for my sims. To be able to retell that story. Add in mentoring interactions, building together options, whittling for kids or teens to get them started. Turn the woodworking table into a workbench. And let sims with a high enough painting skill customize the woodworking/artisan stuff. That wood be a game changer for sure. The handiness skill would be fine for just upgrading and repairs. Still a very useful skill and makes more sense that way.QoL Idea: Add a Frog Breeding Log/Tracker to the Notebook
I've recently gotten deep into the frog collecting and breeding aspect of the game, and while it's fun, it can also be a bit of a headache to track. I had an idea for a simple addition that would make it so much more enjoyable. What area of gameplay is your feedback about? Collections (Frog Breeding) Objects/Activities (The Notebook UI) What works well right now? The actual mechanic of hunting for frogs, breeding them, and discovering new types is a really unique and charming side activity. It’s a fun, passive way to earn some simoleons and gives Sims something to do out in nature. The fact that the different frogs have unique rarities and values makes completing the collection a satisfying long-term goal. What isn’t working or feels frustrating? The biggest frustration is the complete lack of in-game tracking for breeding combinations. Right now, players are forced to rely on external fan-made charts and wikis. You have to remember or write down on real paper that a "Spotted Eggplant frog + Dirt Frog" gave you a Spotted Dirt Frog or a Spotted Eggplant frog, for example. This feels clunky, breaks immersion, and turns what should be a fun in-game discovery process into a chore of alt-tabbing to a browser. The game already tracks similar information for gardening (splicing), so it feels like a feature that's missing for frogs. What new ideas or improvements would you suggest? I suggest adding a new section to the Sim's Notebook specifically for Frog Breeding. This section could work exactly like the Gardening panel: It would show icons for every frog type you've discovered. For each frog, it could list the breeding combinations that have successfully produced it (e.g., "Discovered by breeding: "Spotted Eggplant frog + Dirt Frog"). Why would this improve your gameplay experience? This would be a massive quality-of-life improvement that would make the frog collection process more engaging and self-contained within the game. It would: Eliminate the need for external guides, keeping players immersed in the game world. Add a fun sense of progression as you fill out your breeding log, similar to completing a collection or an aspiration. Reward experimentation by officially recording your discoveries. Make the feature more accessible to players who don't want to search online for answers. It's a logical addition that aligns with existing systems (like Gardening) and would turn frog breeding from a frustratingly opaque task into a truly fun and trackable mini-game. Does anyone else have to keep a notepad next to their computer for this? If so, please upvote 👍 this post so we can get this feature in the game.
Can we have a Arabic based world?
we can have a world similar to the Aladdin movie (it's fanmade of course) World Concept: "Al-Jawhara" (The Jewel) A desert oasis city, glittering with lanterns and domes, surrounded by golden sands and hidden secrets. It’s a blend of traditional Middle Eastern towns and fantastical elements, perfect for genies and storytellers. Neighborhoods The Grand Bazaar Narrow alleys filled with small market stalls: spice vendors, rug sellers, potion shops. Street performers and fortune tellers. A playable market system where Sims can haggle, trade, and discover rare items. The Oasis Gardens Lush greenery, fountains, and palm groves. A community space for relaxation, weddings, and festivals. Rumors say genies sometimes appear here at night. The Sandstone Quarter Residential district with traditional-style homes, rooftop patios, and courtyards. Families gather around hookah lounges and tea houses. Genies might be disguised as everyday Sims living among mortals. The Forgotten Ruins An adventurer’s hub. Crumbling temples, hidden caves, and treasure vaults. Sims can go on mini-quests, solve puzzles, and uncover artifacts. Special lot type: Genie’s Lair, where a magic lamp can be found. Gameplay Features Genies as Occult Sims: Grant wishes (wealth, romance, youth, mischief). Mischievous side effects if wishes are poorly worded. Unique needs like “Mana” or “Essence.” Market System: Active stalls Sims can own and run. Special items: magic carpets, enchanted trinkets, exotic foods. Festivals & Traditions: Lantern Festival at night with glowing skies. Storytelling circles, music, and dance. Trading fair where rare collectibles appear. Build/Buy Style: Intricate arches, mosaic tiles, carved wood doors, colorful rugs. Desert plants, courtyard fountains, hanging lanterns. World: Al-Jawhara (The Jewel of the Desert) A thriving desert city where reality and myth intertwine. Sims live ordinary lives in sandstone homes, shop in bustling souks, and stroll through palm-lined courtyards — but at night, whispers of genies, enchanted lamps, and hidden treasures echo through the streets. Neighborhoods The Souk Quarter (Market District) Inspired by real bazaars in Marrakech, Cairo, and Fez. Narrow winding alleys with stalls for spices, rugs, jewelry, pottery, and magic curiosities. Sims can haggle, run stalls, and discover rare goods (including enchanted items). The Oasis Promenade A lush escape with fountains, palm gardens, and mosaic-tiled plazas. Community hub for weddings, tea houses, and storytelling circles. At night, mysterious lights appear — rumored to be genie magic. The Sandstone Quarter (Residential Area) Homes with rooftop terraces, shaded courtyards, and patterned wooden doors. Family-focused living, traditional meals, music, and gatherings. Sims can host feasts, play instruments, and pass down folktales. The Shifting Dunes Vast desert outskirts with ruins, caravans, and hidden tombs. A special adventure lot type: “Lost Temple,” where Sims can explore puzzles, traps, and treasures. Genies may be encountered in sealed chambers or through ancient lamps. Gameplay Features Genie Occult Sims Powers: wish-granting, illusion spells, teleportation via smoke. Personality twist: benevolent genies vs mischievous tricksters. New life state: Sims can become genies via inheritance or ancient rituals. Market & Trade System Active stalls with dynamic inventory. Rare “Curio Vendor” sells magical lamps, flying carpets, and enchanted jewelry. Haggling skill impacts prices and rare finds. Festivals Festival of Lanterns: Nighttime celebration with glowing lanterns, dancing, and genie appearances. Souk Festival: Food tastings, trading competitions, and music performances. Build/Buy Style Real-world inspiration: domed rooftops, mashrabiya lattice windows, archways, tile mosaics. Decorative lanterns, rugs, pottery, hookah lounges. Magical furniture: floating seating, glowing fountains, enchanted carpets. Al-Jawhara World Layout Central Hub: The Grand Oasis Large fountain plaza with gardens and palms. Acts as the “centerpiece” of the world. Sims can gather here for festivals, weddings, and storytelling nights. Neighborhoods 1. The Souk Quarter (Market District) Lots: Market Plaza (community lot, with stalls) Tea House (café/bar hybrid) Small apartments above shops Empty retail lot (player-owned market stall hub) Vibe: Bustling, colorful, narrow streets. 2. The Sandstone Quarter (Residential Area) Lots: Family courtyard homes (small & medium lots) A rooftop social club (karaoke/music/tea lounge) Park/playground styled like a shaded courtyard Vibe: Cozy, lived-in, community-centered. 3. The Oasis Promenade (Garden District) Lots: Large wedding venue / celebration hall Botanical gardens with fountains Luxury villa (player can own) Desert palace shell lot (optional aspiration tie-in) Vibe: Romantic, scenic, ideal for screenshots & festivals. 4. The Shifting Dunes (Adventure Outskirts) Lots: Hidden Tomb (special lot, like Selvadorada temples) Excavation camp (active careers tie-in) Small caravan tents (starter lots) Vibe: Mysterious, golden desert sands, ruins, and whispers of ancient magic. Special Features Genie’s Lamp Spawn Points: Random rare chance in dunes/ruins. Flying Carpet Travel: Optional replacement for bicycles. Festivals rotate between The Souk and The Oasis Promenade. Think of the overall map like San Myshuno meets Oasis Springs, but more compact and infused with folklore + magical ruins. Here’s a concept map layout for Al-Jawhara Center: The Grand Oasis (festival + community hub) Top left: Sandstone Quarter (residential homes) Top right: Souk Quarter (markets + shops) Bottom left: Oasis Promenade (gardens + weddings) Bottom right: Shifting Dunes (ruins + adventures)
No more live events!
Nobody asked for this. Seriously. I'm sure the executives at EA love live events because they pump up login numbers, but they're terrible for the players: Inciting FOMO- being limited-time events with no other official way to unlock the content, players that can't/won't use mods miss out if they're not playing during the time an event is live. Forcing a specific playstyle- The appeal of The Sims has always been that it's your sandbox to do what you want in, but unless a player completely avoids opening the game in online mode, these events intrude upon gameplay without an opt-out. That was probably the thing that annoyed me most about Reaper's Rewards, having the event pop up in saves I didn't intend to play through it in. Forcing online play- The Sims 4 is a single-player game, therefore playing online should never be mandatory, let alone a requirement to get and keep content. Bugs, bugs, bugs- The Happy at Home content had to be handed out to everyone because so many people had trouble getting it in the intended manner; Answers HQ and social media were flooded for the duration of the event with reports of problems playing Reaper's Rewards and getting its loot. I don't trust that Cozy Celebrations is going to be any better in that regard. Seriously, bugs- The dev time and energy that's going into pushing this mobile-game-esque nonsense would be much better spent fixing major issues with the game, as the playerbase has been clamoring for for years and as EA has promised they were going to devote more time to. When I saw there was a patch today, I was hoping it would include some of those fixes. At the very least, it's unacceptable that trans bodies are still broken several months and several patches after that bug was introduced, despite EA/Maxis's lip service to depicting diverse Sims and a modder showing how easy it was to fix within a week of the patch. Please, EA. Save this nonsense for multiplayer games and/or Project Rene (since it doesn't sound like it's going to be a traditional Sims game anyway.) Sims 4 doesn't need it and the players don't want it. As for me, I may just keep my game totally offline until after the event so it doesn't interrupt my gameplay. Until the next FOMO-fest comes around, anyway...
