Forum Announcement, Click Here to Read More From EA_Cade.

What Are Your Favourite (and least) Expansion Packs and WHY

«1
MadDoctor61MadDoctor61 Posts: 414 Member
I capitalized WHY to encourage people to explain what they love/hate about them. I really don't want this to be a thread where people just list the packs they've bought. Hopefully it will turn people on to new packs and ideas for how to play.

Edit:
Now that's it's posted, I notice that my title has been converted from initial caps to all caps, so again, I'll emphasize WHY.

Comments

  • CravenLestatCravenLestat Posts: 13,735 Member
    edited March 2018
    Favorite World Adventures,3 worlds in one expansion to visit and explore,photography skill is awesome.

    Least Favorite Only saying Generations cause really feel it deserved it's own town.Seasons did not get one either but it packs enough add on's to everywhere else you go as far as aesthetics.Generations needed the quaint Mayberry type town from Andy Griffith
    I Play Sims 3 On A Potato

    DfydFiZ.gif
  • AdelineRobbinsAdelineRobbins Posts: 140 Member
    edited March 2018
    I'd say my least favorite is Into the Future, the only one I don't have because I was never a big fan of Scifi and it's the most expensive of all expansions, plus the base game with pets, over on Steam. So I'll still pass on it. I'll stick to the time machine from inventing.

    Top favorite I guess Island Paradise just for mermaids and diving. I've always loved water and mermaids. Isla Paradiso is the most laggy of the towns, but if you take a few steps to reduce it, I find it's tolerable. I'll gladly tolerate a little freezing every so often and choppiness when moving around just to play with mermaids under the ocean~ The family I have in there sits between two dive spots, where fishing, snorkeling, and one dive is just a short walk away in this kind of private beach at the end of the road. I'd go so far as to say they are my favorite family to play with and I really look forward to the Sim I turned into a mermaid's daughter to gain her tail so she can swim with mom in the ocean~ Or the indoor pool I gave them since the daughter Hates the Outdoors and probably wouldn't appreciate being in the sea. xD

    Then Pets, being an animal lover, and Seasons, so the world isn't perfectly sunny and boring all the time. I love seeing frost in the morning when it's close to winter. Puddles of water scattered about the town when it rains. The pretty color of the leaves on the trees and as they're falling in autumn.
    "Fool," said my muse to me. "Look in thy heart and write."
    Kq8qeWk.png
    Wordpress
    Origin ID: Hoshicake
  • GoulsquashGoulsquash Posts: 715 Member
    I think my favourite would have to be Ambitions. While I don't use them as much anymore, I really like the professions, and I believe it was the pack that introduced being self employed. Twinbrook is super pretty in its own quirky way. It was also the pack that added tattoos, which I love.

    My least favourite is Supernatural. Not in that I dont like it, I actually like it quite a lot. But it's the game that I use the least amount of features from. I don't ever really play with supernatural sims, so a lot of the content is lost on me. It does contain a lot of items that I love, such as the gem cutter, the indoor planters, and the bee hives.
    My Blog - Currently updating Aurora Skies!
  • Achoo89Achoo89 Posts: 608 Member
    Favourites would be pets, they do help to round off your family I feel. I love that my pets can be adopted because I’m such a big advocate for that in r/l!l
    And University, I always have to remind myself to make sure my sims graduate before sending them to Uni it else it kills your game!

    Least favourites I have many because I don’t really use them supernatural, vampires annoy me and I hate seeing a random fairy sim wizzing past me.
    Ambitions I never use it!
    Island paradise, I don’t like the world but I do enjoy snorkelling and having boats.

    Showtime..meh, but I liked the world that came with it even if I neve use it.

    I would say into the future but I like you can create babies. Because I don’t have mods on my game ( laptop is very old but I have a tonne of cc) it’s nice that same gender couples can have their own babies!
  • SimplyJenSimplyJen Posts: 14,823 Member
    edited March 2018
    hmmm this question again >.> No matter how many times I answer it, I still find it tough. Every pack has something I like. I can never list just one favorite either!

    Favorites Seasons & Ambtions
    Seasons really is a game changer, especially for someone who pays attention to scenery. Ambitions adds self-employment which can be expanded on further with the use of mods. Very useful depending on the sim.
    Least Favorite Generations
    Generations has always felt like a beefy SP. Simple as that.
    i7-13700K • 16GB • RTX 4070
    S3 simblr: http://simplysimming.tumblr.com/
    S4 simblr: http://simlogic.tumblr.com/
  • bekkasanbekkasan Posts: 10,171 Member

    My favorite is Supernatural as I love the town of Moonlight Falls as well as the life states that it provided. I've recently made myself play in another town but it is spooky too (Midnight Hollow)

    Least favorite...that is tough as I like different things about all of them, but, I'd have to say In The Future. I don't visit that world at all, too many glitches messed up too many saves when I tried, and the main content I use is the dirt rugs so my sims can garden in the greenhouse properly.
  • TadOlsonTadOlson Posts: 11,380 Member
    edited March 2018
    My favorite is playing my complete game with a very heavy load of Mods to fix issues like school routing and overcrowding as well as the broken story progression that led to EC12's and too many glitched or corrupted saves from children being taken by the NPC social workers which I Modded out and am adding playable default replacements to my towns as households.I also love managing the town and Generations got a few worlds like Gibsons which is my first CAW project and other worlds were tailor made for Generations.

    My least favorite is playing vanilla and Mod-free as that broke way too many of my older saves and I had a child taken from an inactive family in town when the school became so overcrowded from the EA bugfest going crazy that he couldn't enter the building to attend classes and wound up failing school.That save got corrupted shortly after the child was taken away.
    44620367775_0442f830c1_n.jpg
  • dothesmustledothesmustle Posts: 1,851 Member
    My favourite is still World Adventures, three new worlds, three distinct skills (although I think alchemy rather than photography would have been the ideal location skill), tomb raiding, excavating. To this day nearly every household ends up with visa at level 3 and a holiday home, I love using holiday homes as actual holidays plus it helps to get all my sims skilled up without eating into their home lifetime.

    Least favourite, hmm I think all the packs add something I like to the game, I guess I'll say Into the Future, I rarely use it and that automatic camera zoom to the portal irks me no end. Not to mention the weird hairstyles and clothing that end up in the current time all too frequently, I don't like seeing townies walking around looking like they have combed their hair with a banger and that space suit ends up on my elders all the flaming time. So um yeah ITTF is my least favourite!
    You can call me smustle or Lori if you prefer.
  • cwaddellcwaddell Posts: 4,960 Member
    edited March 2018
    SimplyJen wrote: »
    hmmm this question again >.> No matter how many times I answer it, I still find it tough. Every pack has something I like. I can never list just one favorite either!

    Favorites Seasons & Ambtions
    Seasons really is a game changer, especially for someone who pays attention to scenery. Ambitions adds self-employment which can be expanded on further with the use of mods. Very useful depending on the sim.
    Least Favorite Generations
    Generations has always felt like a beefy SP. Simple as that.

    I totally agree with all of this. I do have a few things to add.

    Favorites

    Seasons is my favorite. I too love scenery and the changing weather makes it so much better. I also enjoy having outer wear, all the seasonal festivals and parties and all the new activities.

    I also really like Ambitions for the self-employment too, plus the build/buy items. And it took me awhile to appreciate but I really like Twinbrook. I like the addition of sculpture, inventing, etc.

    Late Night I love for the high rises and the whole ability to have cities. Bridgeport (if you use the CC version with the routing fixed) is an interesting city to live in. I like being able to play different instruments and have a band. I like the bars, lounges and dance clubs. Celebrities are fun to try. I love the vampires, my favorite occult. I like the film careers and the clothes and build/buys items.

    University Life, another favorite. Love the clothes. Like the 3 new careers, the additional trait slots, the build/buy items and the whole university experience.

    Least Favorite

    Generations is my least favorite of the EPs I have. (I don't have Into the Future - it just doesn't interest me.) Not only does Generations seem anemic I dislike a lot of what it does have. I'm not that fond of most occults but I really dislike the annoying imaginary friend. There is only one piece of adult clothing that I use. I don't like the rest. The prom, after school activities and boarding school are all good ideas but are poorly implemented as rabbit hole experiences. The "parents get a free vacation" opportunity is glitched. The pranks are annoying as well as the teens waking up in a bad mood. There is a glitch were sometimes a child will constantly hold royal court. The romantic system and reputation system that was introduced with Generations almost ruined the game for me. I've got mods to fix most of these things. Generations requires more mods than any other EP to make it playable for me.
    ETA: Other things introduced with Generations I find annoying - the midlife crises that pushes couples toward a divorce and the strict curfew, locked-in scolding, grounding mess.
    Post edited by cwaddell on
  • ARRenschARRensch Posts: 694 Member
    edited March 2018
    Favorite: Ambitions, for all the careers it brought and just so many random things. I especially love screwing up people's houses as an architect, and stealing stuff from people as a detective... maybe killing witnesses.

    Seasons is a really close second.

    Least Favorite: ITF, but I never bought it because idrc that much about scifi. So I'd say, as far as stuff I've actually bought, Showtime for me. I just never really use it. Nor do I use University or Supernatural much. Though there are still things from those three I like so I keep em. Stuff like furniture, microwaved meals, and forcing a Sherlock Holmes sim to become a mime once was sort of entertaining.

    EDIT: I also love the towns, but tbh I still use Sunset Valley nine times out of ten.
    Wearing a gas mask to flex on the coronavirus.
  • dreamerz13dreamerz13 Posts: 9,927 Member
    Favourites...

    Seasons. Just like... everything about this pack. Having changing weather is nice... not much to say about that, it was needed IMO. I love the festivals... my sims go to them all the time. Especially if they're looking for family activities or date activities. There was some nice content added with this pack. It's just all around a great pack.


    Island Paradise. While problematic at times the world is just stunning. And really for me it was just the pack I always wanted and never thought I'd get. I love the ability to run a resort... I really wanted that. Scuba diving is amazing, love going below the surface of the ocean. Love the houseboats. Love sending my sims out surfing. Just... everything about this pack, too.

    Supernatural. The world is beautiful. I really like having the different supernatural creatures, they're certainly entertaining. Some really great items came with this pack, too.

    Least...

    Ambitions. I know... what?! My houses are too busy for active careers tbh. I don't play them that often. I LIKE rabbithole careers, they get my sims out of my hair for a bit. There. I said it. I honestly don't like Twinbrook. I just don't. I find it... gloomy, depressing. I appreciate the theme of the world... it's just not my thing.

    Showtime. While I have had a sim actively in the singer career for like I think it's 3 years now that kind of negates what I'm about to say but... I don't use this pack much. This one sim is pretty much the entirety of my showtime experience. I don't use it with other families. It feels like it included the least of all the packs too (maybe generations also, but I still really like that one and what it added).

    Into the Future. Again, I just don't use it. It's fun when I do. But I don't travel to the future that often. I don't have much need or desire to. My sims have enough going on in the present. As much as I really want to progress a lot with the future and make a utopia... I just can't seem to devote the time to it.


    Now, I will include that my least favourite packs in my favourite game ever... that's still not a bad thing. I've still had some fun with them. I still like having them available whenever the mood strikes. There are (no longer) packs I hate (I did hate WA but it's grown on me).
  • AJC20178AJC20178 Posts: 263 Member
    I LOVE generations! I feel it adds depth to the game

    I DISLIKE supernatural as (in my personal opinion) its not needed on the sims games.
  • IdontrcallIdontrcall Posts: 19,349 Member
    My favorite is Supernatural. I love to play with all of them (especially witches). I like the style of the furniture/decor. I love the new plants! I think alchemy is great. I have bunches of fun with it. Next up would be World Adventures.


    My least favorite is probably Into the Future. I'm not that big on futuristic stuff. That said, I still like it a lot, and there's a lot of things I would miss terribly if I didn't have it. After that, it's probably Pets (although I would miss the small pets that came with it and the pictures from Medieval).
    Check out my cooking Youtube channel: Living with Leigh
  • SillyhartluvSillyhartluv Posts: 73 Member
    My favorite expansion pack would have to be generations, but I am a family player who revels in family drama. I actually enjoy midlife crisis; although, I ignore desires to cheat on spouses, unless I want the drama. I have done it before and the husband was not amused. They ended up divorcing and I paid homage to Reba McEntire and Kenny Chesney's "Every Other Weekend", before getting them together again. :D

    My least favorite expansion pack would have to be Late Night. Nightlife spoiled me, so when I ran Late Night for the first time I was very underwhelmed. I hated that it did not have a sub-neighborhood so the only way my sims could really enjoy the city life was to completely move instead of travel. :( After I learned how to make my own clubs I stopped playing Bridgeport at all. The only things I wanted from that neighborhood anyway was Beau Merrick, Lily-Bo Chiq, and Vladmir Schlick.
  • AvataritAvatarit Posts: 836 Member
    edited March 2018
    Favourite:
    University Life all the way!
    Why: I love the general young and cool vibe, and I feel like it's very authentic (or something I can relate to, as opposed to, let's say, supernatural creatures...). My game tends to be in realistic style. I think this EP has the best create-a-sim items - I use many of the items a lot of times (shirts, accessories, shoes, Hiarstyles, everything!!). I think there are some very cool and useful objects that can be used for fun lots - the billiard, the coffee cart, the washing machines, all the sciense stuff, and more. I love the pre-mades! There are many of them that are awsome to play with / near them. I love the soundtrack that came with this EP, in my free time (when I'm not playing) I listen to the songs. And in general, I think that the university experience provide the sims with nice memories.

    Another favourite:
    Late Night
    and Why: I'm really into music and I think this EP adds a lot in that sense - the musical instruments - the piano, the drums - so cool! There is also the city items that i also really like - the elevator, the train. I think this EP add much for everyone who likes sims parties- there are cool lots/objects/outfits for night out. However I don't really care much about the vampires, that is why I usually do play with late night installed just not playing in Bridgeport.

    Also very much like Ambitions and Generations for the same reasons mentioned above - the realism, useful outfits, outfits lots, and also new interesting professions.

    and now for the least favourites:
    I like realism, I like young vibe, I like families. I'm not a pet person (of any kind) in real life, so even though I own Pets I don't use it all that much. For me it does not add much as far as what I must have in my game. Also own Supernatural but until now I barly used it, I got only because it was 5$ on steam. General note - I use the launcher to pick EP per game session (patch 1.69 via Origin) and my computer can't handle all EP all at once (and I have them all), so usually I pick only the ones that are essential to my game and for my story. Another EP that has a cute idea but somehow I don't use all that much - Seasons. I leave in a country with very short winter and very weak (barely have snow). So the constant summer/neutral season that in the base game actually suits more for my real life. Also I feel like the holiday thing fits cetains cultures more than others, and in general I feel like the game calendar is very stressing, I prefer to play in my own time regardless of the "holidays". However I do like the concept of online dating that came with seasons, and think all the objects used in festivals (the soccer net, the foos stands, the tanning booth and more).

    Showtime and Island Paradise - they are cool, I use them occasionally. Did I forget any EP?


    Edit: forgot ITF and WA, own them from the same sale on Steam, but havn't played them yet so I don't have an opinion. In general I'm very excited about them.
  • MadDoctor61MadDoctor61 Posts: 414 Member
    edited March 2018

    Favourites
    World Adventures - The adventures are interesting to work through, though I wish a lot of them were more difficult. I don't like the lag changing worlds, so I only travel once or twice per sim week.
    - I'm somewhat OCD concerning collecting and this plays into it in a big way (new rocks, insects, fish, plus relics)
    - I like exploring. In real life, I'll often follow a path into the woods just to see where it wanders off to.


    Generations
    - A lot of people don't seem to like this one. I bought it in a combo pack when I bought WA. I agree that it seems like a super stuff pack (lot of kids play stuff), but the new interactions, seem to make it worth while. Ghost stories, after school activities, slumber parties (sleeping bag much better than tent for WA), field trips, Prom, dates, stargazing, treehouse woohoo,
    - don't like the imaginary friend, mostly because they are TOO common. I keep forgetting to alter the mods to reduce them.
    - I like it most because it creates a more vibrant game in its subtle way.
    - Bachelor/Bachelorette parties, complete with exotic dancers.


    Least Favourites
    University
    - I hate the lag while changing worlds, though I have been getting used to that with World Adventures
    - My travellers are addicted to the Maui Bean and can't travel without a dozen each (biggest reason to keep it)
    - Sick of the llama mascot showing up all the time
    - The careers link to social groups which reek of reality tv which I despise.

    Late Night
    - Bridgetown is very dark and depressing (I suffer from depression and don't need more (Unfortunately I'm also into foreign films which are often depressing)
    - Too many vampires gets to be annoying
    - My personal traits include "Loves the outdoors" not really relevant to NL
    - The Celebrity system is much more annoying that UL's social groups. It is even more like reality tv. I used to wall in paparazzi but the game just spawned more. Now I have to change mod settings to get rid of them.
    - I like the instruments but only seem to go to the clubs for my bands to play.


    On my Maybe list.
    Pets
    - Major dog lover (cat hater, biggest reason I don't have it already)
    - Small pet collections (as mentioned earlier OCD collecting)

    Island Paradise
    - More things to collect
    - More places to explore

  • CororonCororon Posts: 4,275 Member
    I love them all, because they all added something nice to the game. But I don't play with the supernatural creatures or time travel. Pets has a special place in my heart since it gave my sim family a new member, Rex the doggie. :heart:
    cUrfGkA.gif
  • Bettyboop55Bettyboop55 Posts: 2,646 Member
    edited March 2018
    Supernatural. It has plenty of adorable CASt items, build and buy objects, some lovely supes and a great variety in gameplay. Also Moonlight Falls is one of the better worlds.

    I also enjoy Seasons and University for much the same reasons I like Supernatural.

    I don't actively dislike any pack but IP is guaranteed to leave me frustrated and angry because it is such a bug fest. Such a pity when you consider it comes with a beautiful world and some amazing objects. And who wants sharks in their game ?

    Edited to sort out auto text which has been asked to leave the building.
    I no longer use Origin or My Page. You can find me on YouTube or Twitter as Bettyboop711000. You are welcome to contact me as I explore options for a PC sandbox life simulation game.
    Wherever I am friends call me Betty

    Sim enim est vita
  • SillyhartluvSillyhartluv Posts: 73 Member
    On my Maybe list.
    Pets
    - Major dog lover (cat hater, biggest reason I don't have it already)
    - Small pet collections (as mentioned earlier OCD collecting)

    I can see where you are coming from. The one thing that annoyed me to no end about Pets is that it seems geared toward cat lovers. The cats have more interactions (in my opinion) than the dogs and horses. Most of the decor is geared toward cats and I hate that the perfect place for the community park in Appaloosa Plains is a cat jungle. It is almost the same size as the horse ranch :( . Okay, I'm done ranting.

    In other news, I do like that I can actually control the pets, which I couldn't do in Sims 2. I also like collecting the birds (Hawk or Falcon) is my favorite one.

  • JoAnne65JoAnne65 Posts: 22,959 Member
    Every EP was a completely new experience for me so I've always reacted to them like a kid in new-fallen snow. In retrospect:

    Favourite: World Adventures. Even though there are entire generations where I don't travel, I always keep going back (I have no problem doing tombs for the second, third, fourth time; it all feels like a new experience with a new sim). Seeing pictures from other simmers whenever I don't play an adventurer literally make me feel 'homesick' if that makes sense.

    Least favourite: I used to say Generations or Ambitions here, but I realize both have features that are essential for me. Same goes for Showtime, but Showtime has genies (my favourite supernaturals). So I'm not going to answer that one, love them all, use them all.
    5JZ57S6.png
  • LinamintsLinamints Posts: 952 Member
    Seasons
    Seasons adds an immersive element that just completely changed the game for me. The different weather patterns along with how beautifully they were done just makes the game feel more alive. Plus I love the festivals, seeing all the houses lit up with Christmas lights, and the invites from neighbors to attend parties. It also comes with a lot of fun activities that almost every household participates in semi regularly.

    Supernatural
    I tend to prefer a decent mix of fantasy in my gameplay, and I vastly prefer doing so with witches and fairies. I don't think I've done a single play through since I got this expansion without having at least ONE witch or fairy. And with the recent witch revamp mod that allows spell casting for children, this has only climbed up my favorites list.

    World Adventurers
    I am a huge archaeology nerd, and even if it's in a very rigid way, it's nice for my sims to be able to live as an archaeologist in a sense. And the tombs are very tomb raider esque, which I loved as a kid and do even still.

    My least favorite is probably showtime. I don't think showtime is bad by any means, it's just that I got it for a single feature and I don't think I've had the inspiration to mess with the rest of the pack yet.
    "Parenting is just like gardening, except if you let your garden die you don't go to prison." - Anna Blast
  • gerefteastgerefteast Posts: 353 Member
    I don't have all the expansion packs, so let me talk about only these few I already tested :wink:

    Pets and Seasons in my opinion are "must have" packs, as they expand the game massively. A gameplay without animals and weather is just unthinkable for me :lol:
    Plus, aliens which were added with Seasons are my favorite life state :wink:

    I like Ambitions for the possibilities this EP gives, especially the self-employment which is super helpful when my sims have a big family and someone has to stay home to look after children.
    By the way I love the furniture from Ambitions.

    Late Night is okay because vampires, bars and some nice items. But Bridgeport with its gloomy landscapes and routing problems is my least favorite neighborhood.

    I bought Island Paradise last autumn and I think I could play without having it. The only thing I like are the beach style clothes and some furniture. I haven't played a mermaid yet, anyway playing this life state has no sense outside Isla Paradiso with its diving lots, and this neighborhood is bugging as hell.

    Supernatural will be the next EP I want to buy, as I need the option of creating supernatural sims in CAS. Then ITF, because I really want plumbots and other futuristic items in my game. I don't think I need the rest of the packs :smile:
    understand the significance of the signatures
  • ParyPary Posts: 6,871 Member
    I find it hard to pick one I love. WA, AMB & SN are essential for my own enjoyment.

    I don't like Pets. The animals are annoying and I mod them out. I'm not bothered one way or another about Season's either. Nor Generations, which I think was just a glorified stuff pack.
    Sims 3 Household Exchange - Share your households!
    PoppySims Archive
    InnaLisa Pose Archive
    Devolution of Sims - a once customisable open world sandbox which has become a DLC Party catalog in a shoebox
    I ♡ Pudding
  • TheSims3GamerTheSims3Gamer Posts: 1 New Member
    My favourite one would be [i](1)Generations[/i] IT is fun because whenever I played Sims 3, I always tend to make it a legacy one so I will have a lot of kids and stuff like that. My second one would be [b](2)Ambitions[/b]. I just loved the new career that added to the game to make it more realism. Like now with ambitions pack, you can be a teacher. My third favourite one would be [b](3)LateNight[/b]. Not only do I love the high rise buildings, I also like the glamour lifestyle.

    Now onto my third least favourite one is [b]Pets[/b]. Pets can be a nuisance to the household especially since you have a large family and the addition of pets just added to more headache. My second least favourite one is [b]World Adventures[/b]. World Adventures pack actually felt more like you are going on to accomplish some mission rather than just relaxing on a vacation. And my least favourite one would be [b]Island Paradise[/b]. I really hate this pack. IT is completely unnecessary
  • Odonata68Odonata68 Posts: 1,076 Member
    If I had to pick just one as an absolute favorite it would be World Adventures. I love the destinations you can visit and you don't have to do the quests. They can just be vacations if you want. The quests do offer a different type of game play for variety. I just think it's fun and different.
    And the scenery is some of the most stunning <3
    screenshot_original.jpg
Sign In or Register to comment.
Return to top