Which packs would you recommend for a newbie to this game to get? «12...Next Go

sulfurstyless

Hello! My first discussion post! I've had in mind to make a discussion about this - I think it's a neat idea for us to recommend which packs newbies should get so they don't get scammed out of their money, that if they want to buy any. I'll start.

I recommend Get Together for more in-depth relationships - for example, you can literally gather people in a specific place and have your Sim interact with them and who knows, maybe they'll get a lover or a best friend out of this. Your Sim can also go to nightclubs and pools, the latter having been in TS3 base game, mind you. Or even group activities -- if interested in this, then go all out.

I'm sorry in advance if a post like this has been made before aaa.

SheriSim57

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.

crocobaura

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

viola-illyria

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.

GirlFromIpanema

Interesting discussion.

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.

Mariefoxprice83

Parenthood and Get Together.

RememberJoy

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.

Onverser

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

GirlFromIpanema

@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).

GreenTurtle

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.

FanPhoria

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.

Olalla1986

I would recommend Seasons and City Living. Those were first I bought after playing for some time with just base game and even today I think it was a good decision.

Seasons adds changing of weather, temperature effects and holidays which is something that I couldn’t play without. It’s one step closer to more realistic gameplay, even when someone plays in hot worlds like Oasis Springs, there will be periods of heat weaves that makes sims miserable.

City Living because it adds big city and real apartments. Many worlds in Sims 4 has a skyscraper landscape in the distance and sims inhabit only the suburb part of the world. City Living add those skyscrapers to the game and makes them usable plus a taste of living a little bit different lifestyle than in suburban family house. On top of that you get karaoke bars, festivals, ability to be street musician etc.
Those two packs may have some weak points and could be done better, but in my opinion they expand the game and its world by adding something truest different.

I don’t recommend Get Together for new players because Windenburg while gorgeous and big, is not that much different from other worlds. Sure it has German style to it, but it’s nowhere near big metropolis. Club system depends strongly on how person plays. I myself rarely use this feature, maybe because there is a bug that makes the bored moodlet stay even after sim is no longer club member heh. But bugs aside, my sims are usually lone wolfs or have close knit life style so they don’t need big gatherings. This is how I play most of my families and clubs are not very useful in this case.

netney52

For an ep I would say seasons it offers gameplay without it being too overwhelming. For a gp maybe parenthood and stuff pack one of the earlier ones. FYI these are not my favourite packs just more the basics the game needs. It’s hard to advise as this is for realism players. For those that want occult I would say vampires and paranormal stuff pack.

babajayne

Get whatever looks good to you that’s on sale. It all adds up fast.

Atreya33

My advice would be to go easy on packs and get to know the base game first before adding to it. Get a feeling for this version of the game, find out what you like most. Is it building, playing, creating Sims in CAS. Find out what you miss most in your game and go for that. I would start with just the base game or maybe one or two packs.

If you want a pack to start I would recommend seasons as a starting EP and perhaps an EP that adds a world/more lots in a world that appeals to you personally.

Wait for a sale, especially for bigger packs. That really helps if you want to get more of your money.

Heathertibb

I think that Get Together is probably one of the first packs you should buy. I think that pack is a lot of fun and it gives sims a better opportunity to make friends because of the clubs featured in the gameplay. It also encourages your sims to leave the house more often because just sticking to gameplay in your sim's house can get boring....

I also really enjoyed City Living. There are a lot of activities to participate in because of all the festivals that are featured in this EP. It also adds some new careers to choose from as well....

If you're an animal lover such as myself, I would recommend Cats and Dogs also. You can buy a vet clinic and play as a veterinarian. I think that having pets adds another element to gameplay as well.

joRN1414

Probably Seasons and Cats/Dogs

cyncie

I like @Onverser’s breakdown above

I’d get basics, like Seasons, Get to Work, City Living and Get Together.

After that, select packs based on preferred style of play. And yeah. Shop the good sales.

SnaveXs

I would certainly recommend buying the packs when they're on sale. This game is an expensive investment buying all the packs. I have no recommendations on what a person should buy first. People say luxury party stuff is one of the worst stuff packs because it doesn't have much to offer, other than "my first pet stuff" but I feel it's still useful because of the buffet table. It's also one of the first stuff packs and maybe we will get a refresh for luxury party stuff.

Arrojacast

I'd say if anything in a bundle looks good, get a bundle first, just because if you're planning on collecting content, you want to get all the discounts you can.
As for which bundle, that's going to vastly depend on preference. If I could go back and advise past me on which to get first, I'd say the City Living/Vampires/Vintage Glamour bundle.

Melisendre

You can't go wrong with City Living. It offers so much gameplay for every kind of player.

ncisGibbs02

sulfurstyless wrote: »

Hello! My first discussion post! I've had in mind to make a discussion about this - I think it's a neat idea for us to recommend which packs newbies should get so they don't get scammed out of their money, that if they want to buy any. I'll start.

I recommend Get Together for more in-depth relationships - for example, you can literally gather people in a specific place and have your Sim interact with them and who knows, maybe they'll get a lover or a best friend out of this. Your Sim can also go to nightclubs and pools, the latter having been in TS3 base game, mind you. Or even group activities -- if interested in this, then go all out.

I'm sorry in advance if a post like this has been made before aaa.

Expansions: Get Together, Cats & Dogs. (Clubs, more relationship dynamics and pets!)
Game Packs: Vampires and StrangerVille (more for the build and CAS items!)
Stuff Packs: Romantic Garden & Paranormal. (Have the best stuff I use all the time)
Kits: Country Kitchen & Oasis Courtyard. (Fab!)

8 packs = hours of fun! 😎🎉

ldmarko

I would say Seasons and Cats & Dogs, because those two packs had the most impact on my game's dynamics. Everything else can be fairly easily worked in at any point in the game.

SERVERFRA

If a simmer likes fun, fantasy, animals, history & beautiful seasons I suggest to get:
Get Together for the beautiful historical world meets modern & outdoor parties
Cottage Living for the beautiful early 1910's world with farming gardens, farm animals, wild bunnies, foxes & festivals
Seasons for seasonal fun
Snow Escape for the beautiful snowy mountain, winter fun & festivals
Island Living for the beautiful island, Mermaids, ocean swimming & festival
Vampire for a good old fashion scary fun with very cool Vampire powers
Realm of Magic beautiful green neiborhood, hidden magic world & lots of magical powers
City Living for apartment living & the festivals
Vintage & Bowling Stuff goes great with Get Together & Cottage Living
Spooky & Paranormal Stuff goes great with Vampires & Realm of Magic
Courtyard Oasis & Fashion Street goes great with City Living

Also, if a simmer likes Sifi fun I suggest to get the following:
Get To Work for the Aliens, Scientist Career & Sixam
University for the Robotics Skill, Robots & some sifi decor
Strangerville for a good old fashion Sifi mystery, Motherplant, Military Career, Men-in-Black Career & the sifi decor
Journey to Batuu an actual sifi world to play with plus some alien costumes to dress your Get To Work Aliens in

The final pack I suggest to get is Get Famous. It's full of many theme items, outfits & costumes that will go with all of the above.

And have fun.

Sindocat

For anyone planning to have Sim babies, Parenthood is my top pick.

Discover University is probably my #2 - not so much for campus life (I vastly prefer to earn a degree attending from home) but for the skill gains & career boost.

The rest are situational, depending on how and what you want to play. "I want that style of apparel" or "I want those Build/Buy assets" are as likely to sell me on a pack as gameplay.

CarvedCrayonRoses

Parenthood is a must for family simmers or legacy players.

Seasons is great!

I'm kind of neutral on stuff packs but if I had to choose, I'd pick Kids Room Stuff.