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Off the grid items (confused)

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  • SimQueenie9SimQueenie9 Posts: 2,944 Member
    Amapola76 wrote: »
    Amapola76 wrote: »
    I continue to shake my head over baths v. showers. I mean, for those who are doing retro builds or challenges, think about it: What did people use hundreds of years ago? Baths*, or showers? I think we all know the answer to this.

    (Ok, maybe they didn't take a LOT of baths... but it was at least an occasional option. :D )

    Both. Both is good.

    Don't get me wrong. I don't mind them including showers. Heck, in real life, I own a camping shower that requires zero plumbing: you just fill the water bottle, let it warm in the sun, and then, voila, plumbing-free shower. Perfectly off-the-grid.

    I'm just saying, if you HAD to choose between the two, it makes absolutely no sense to include showers but not baths, which is what they did.

    That's true.
  • BeardedgeekBeardedgeek Posts: 5,520 Member
    I have a lot I've popped the off the grid trait on the lot I'm making for Island Living and I'm trying to figure out what I can and can't use. The oil lamps I had out (basegame) need electricity, so I've swapped them out for the Dine Out candles in the glass domes. Are there any other items that are off the grid friendly, and are they marked in any way in the catalogue?

    They've done a bad job marking things. Only appliances are actually marked, and only with a little text in the description.
    Lamps... all appear to work until you leave build mode and you can't turn them on.

    However as far as I know all things with a visible candle in them works.

    Anyway, my point is that they should just make it impossible to pick (like too expensive items) items that don't work.
    A general hint is that the cheapest usually work, and really "rustic" ones. Like the DIY shower / tub from Strangerville works, for example.
    Origin ID: A_Bearded_Geek
  • Amapola76Amapola76 Posts: 1,904 Member
    I think what would have made the most sense would be to include both showers and baths, but only in certain styles. E.g., showers, but only with the DIY and camping showers. Baths, but only the old-fashioned or rustic bathtubs.
  • SimQueenie9SimQueenie9 Posts: 2,944 Member
    Amapola76 wrote: »
    Amapola76 wrote: »
    I continue to shake my head over baths v. showers. I mean, for those who are doing retro builds or challenges, think about it: What did people use hundreds of years ago? Baths*, or showers? I think we all know the answer to this.

    (Ok, maybe they didn't take a LOT of baths... but it was at least an occasional option. :D )

    Both. Both is good.

    Don't get me wrong. I don't mind them including showers. Heck, in real life, I own a camping shower that requires zero plumbing: you just fill the water bottle, let it warm in the sun, and then, voila, plumbing-free shower. Perfectly off-the-grid.

    I'm just saying, if you HAD to choose between the two, it makes absolutely no sense to include showers but not baths, which is what they did.

    ETA: and my other point was that historically speaking, people did NOT have showers in the past. They did have baths. So obviously plumbing is in no way necessary for baths.

    Some people did. Not a lot, but some.
  • Amapola76Amapola76 Posts: 1,904 Member
    edited June 2019
    Amapola76 wrote: »
    Amapola76 wrote: »
    I continue to shake my head over baths v. showers. I mean, for those who are doing retro builds or challenges, think about it: What did people use hundreds of years ago? Baths*, or showers? I think we all know the answer to this.

    (Ok, maybe they didn't take a LOT of baths... but it was at least an occasional option. :D )

    Both. Both is good.

    Don't get me wrong. I don't mind them including showers. Heck, in real life, I own a camping shower that requires zero plumbing: you just fill the water bottle, let it warm in the sun, and then, voila, plumbing-free shower. Perfectly off-the-grid.

    I'm just saying, if you HAD to choose between the two, it makes absolutely no sense to include showers but not baths, which is what they did.

    ETA: and my other point was that historically speaking, people did NOT have showers in the past. They did have baths. So obviously plumbing is in no way necessary for baths.

    Some people did. Not a lot, but some.

    For example?

    I'm willing to believe that somewhere out there, some ancient culture somewhere had some form of shower. (Now that I'm saying this, I'm thinking maybe the Romans.) But obviously baths were more common. Again, my point is very clearly that baths were more common than showers. So there's no good reasons not to include baths.
  • SimQueenie9SimQueenie9 Posts: 2,944 Member
    edited June 2019
    Amapola76 wrote: »
    Amapola76 wrote: »
    Amapola76 wrote: »
    I continue to shake my head over baths v. showers. I mean, for those who are doing retro builds or challenges, think about it: What did people use hundreds of years ago? Baths*, or showers? I think we all know the answer to this.

    (Ok, maybe they didn't take a LOT of baths... but it was at least an occasional option. :D )

    Both. Both is good.

    Don't get me wrong. I don't mind them including showers. Heck, in real life, I own a camping shower that requires zero plumbing: you just fill the water bottle, let it warm in the sun, and then, voila, plumbing-free shower. Perfectly off-the-grid.

    I'm just saying, if you HAD to choose between the two, it makes absolutely no sense to include showers but not baths, which is what they did.

    ETA: and my other point was that historically speaking, people did NOT have showers in the past. They did have baths. So obviously plumbing is in no way necessary for baths.

    Some people did. Not a lot, but some.

    For example?

    I'm willing to believe that somewhere out there, some ancient culture somewhere had some form of shower. (Now that I'm saying this, I'm thinking maybe the Romans.) But obviously baths were more common. Again, my point is very clearly that baths were more common than showers. So there's no good reasons not to include baths.

    From "America's Women", by Gail Collins:

    In 1798, Elizabeth Drinker, a highly respected sixty-five-year-old Quaker matron in Philadelphia, bathed in a shower box that her husband set up in the backyard of their house.

    I agree that baths would've been a thousand times more common, and should've won out if you had to choose between the two.
  • Atreya33Atreya33 Posts: 4,406 Member
    When it comes to showers vs baths I think baths make just as much sense off grid as showers. Maybe just normal bathing, no special options like bubble baths or mud baths.

    And I'm a bit disappointed in the oven as well. I understand they want some consequences to the number of available meals but we should be able to select more dishes from a gas oven than just 2!
  • HimRumiHimRumi Posts: 1,444 Member
    edited June 2019
    Island Living was originally planned to be a game pack, probably why there are more bugs than normal.
  • CelSimsCelSims Posts: 2,270 Member
    Simsandra wrote: »
    Here you are. Seems like a proof that the washtub is not meant to be working off the grid.

    L4w0M8s.png


    Are you sure thats from the washtub? I got that buff from a tepid shower. The clothes washing from laundry day worked fine until the water was dirty, then you have to delete and rebuy as unable to change the water.
  • SimsandraSimsandra Posts: 315 Member
    edited June 2019
    @CelSims yes, absolutely sure about that moodlet coming from the washtub.

    First time washing was fine, but with dirty water, this moodlet popped up.
  • yagwityagwit Posts: 118 Member
    I have a lot I've popped the off the grid trait on the lot I'm making for Island Living and I'm trying to figure out what I can and can't use. The oil lamps I had out (basegame) need electricity, so I've swapped them out for the Dine Out candles in the glass domes. Are there any other items that are off the grid friendly, and are they marked in any way in the catalogue?

    I hope they add an off the grid filter. Is everyone buying a new wash basin every time? Or just toggling the OG lot trait? You dont need plumbing for a basin. I have an issue where OG items cant be used if SIM is energized.
  • ZaszZasz Posts: 806 Member
    We might not need a basin if they would change pools so they improve hygiene. Maybe add a wash option for the sim and clothing. But washing clothing isnt for the base game, only for a specific pack... So probably scratch that.

    Has anyone suggested campfires for cooking yet? (get together and outdoor retreat)

    This is my attempt at an off the grid lot.
    36108873db.jpg
  • SilentKittySilentKitty Posts: 4,665 Member
    I really want to wash by hand... Don’t expect any nice buffs from it but I would like to be able to change the water because that could be done with a bucket.

    This would give one more chore to do while living off grid that isn’t really done in my usual gameplay. Also, it would make washing by hand that much more interesting gameplay wise if it has the off grid side to it. Now washing by hand is a lifestyle choice when your sim has everything available. If it was the only thing available, with nice animations of my sim toiling away then I enjoy roughing it up much more. Also, then it would be available for historical stories.

    I bought the Laundry-pack but have never used the washing machine because I am not interested in getting more happy buffs for my sim. I already use mods to get rid of some of that. Now having my sims living in the woods or on the beach with no electricity. Keeping a few plants, fishing for food. Washing by hand, no perfect buffs! Slowly buying better stuff and hopefully having a plan for winter. Now that sounds interesting.
  • ZaszZasz Posts: 806 Member
    @SilentKitty Did you look at my picture? That sink works off grids.
  • Atreya33Atreya33 Posts: 4,406 Member
    Zasz wrote: »
    @SilentKitty Did you look at my picture? That sink works off grids.

    Thanks for pointing out there are working sinks. For those people who don't own outdoor retreat, this is not the only one. The cheapest base game sink works too, and a few others like one from laundry day and one from dine out.
  • ddd994ddd994 Posts: 418 Member
    Lol at the comment about not using washing machines as you don’t want happy buffs!

    If you used the pack you’d see happy is hardly every what you get. Unless you obviously upgrade the washing machines with all the features, you always get “fine”. Or at least 9/10 times it’s fine, not happy. And surprisingly this “Fine” buff is actually pretty strong, like it often overpowers other emotions. Which i always thought was weird, why go through all the effort of adding a laundry pack, getting your sims to actually do the laundry, all for a “fine” moodlet??!
  • invisiblgirlinvisiblgirl Posts: 1,709 Member
    ddd994 wrote: »
    Lol at the comment about not using washing machines as you don’t want happy buffs!

    If you used the pack you’d see happy is hardly every what you get. Unless you obviously upgrade the washing machines with all the features, you always get “fine”. Or at least 9/10 times it’s fine, not happy. And surprisingly this “Fine” buff is actually pretty strong, like it often overpowers other emotions. Which i always thought was weird, why go through all the effort of adding a laundry pack, getting your sims to actually do the laundry, all for a “fine” moodlet??!

    ::Sigh:: Mine are always 'confident' when they put on their spiffy, clean clothes. And have a weird desire to sniff each other.
    I just want things to match. :'(
  • SilentKittySilentKitty Posts: 4,665 Member
    Zasz wrote: »
    @SilentKitty Did you look at my picture? That sink works off grids.

    Yes, I saw the sink :) very happy that it will work. Just wish laundry by hand would work too.
  • SilentKittySilentKitty Posts: 4,665 Member
    edited June 2019
    ddd994 wrote: »
    Lol at the comment about not using washing machines as you don’t want happy buffs!

    If you used the pack you’d see happy is hardly every what you get. Unless you obviously upgrade the washing machines with all the features, you always get “fine”. Or at least 9/10 times it’s fine, not happy. And surprisingly this “Fine” buff is actually pretty strong, like it often overpowers other emotions. Which i always thought was weird, why go through all the effort of adding a laundry pack, getting your sims to actually do the laundry, all for a “fine” moodlet??!

    Feel free to lol :) The let’s plays I have seen had quite a bit of “happy” going on and that wasn’t too interesting to me.

    I got the pack for buildmode, it got the theme I voted for. I voted for off grid so that is what interests me in this pack. Have toyed around with an idea of having a historical save and then washing by hand would be good. Laundry in itself doesn’t interest me, especially if there are more happy buffs involved. Off grid functionality would make the gameplay in this pack more enjoyable to me because I was so so disappointed when laundry won.

    Edit: Adding this just as an answer to why going through all this work for just a fine buff.

    Hmm, I think some simmers perhaps have their “happy zone of playing” in the style of making a good life for their sims. My personal “happy place” in playing is less of seeing my sims being happy and more about overcoming challenges and living through a bit of hardship. I don’t get my creative gears going on the idea of putting a load of laundry in the machine before making dinner. Need a way to make things difficult, interesting.
    Post edited by SilentKitty on
  • ddd994ddd994 Posts: 418 Member
    @SilentKitty same I really wanted off the grid, maybe as a game pack though to really go to town on some good features. But they seem to have split the off grid elements across various packs instead. Kinda a shame really as I doubt we’ll get an actual pack dedicated to it now. I’m not sure if IL did it justice.
  • GalacticGalGalacticGal Posts: 28,284 Member
    Simsandra wrote: »
    Here you are. Seems like a proof that the washtub is not meant to be working off the grid.

    L4w0M8s.png


    That makes no sense. Way back in the beginning, one of the EA people suggested that the way they were doing this iteration would be things would all tie together in the end. I thought, wow, now the wash tub has it's true place. In the 18th century, it was common to have to draw water from the nearby river or creek. That water would have to settle for a few days so that the sediments would sink to the bottom of the pot. Then they would boil that water and commence washing their clothing and things. They used a bucking bat to swirl the load, unlike the washboard we got, which came later in time. Once the water was well-used, they would replenish their pots by gathering more from the body of water used in the first place. Since they didn't often do laundry in the winter/inclement months, and waited for the first good day of weather, sometimes that meant a whole month's worth of clothing for the family had to be done.

    Makes no sense that the washing tub water in game, cannot be replenished. I guess one would just have to keep buying a new washtub. Face/palm. Who gets this money? And why are our Sims being oppressed? LOL
    You can download (free) all three volumes of my Night Whispers Star Trek Fanfiction here: http://galacticgal.deviantart.com/gallery/ You'll need to have a pdf reader. New websites: http://www.trekkiefanfiction.com/st-tos.php
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  • Jaelk01Jaelk01 Posts: 113 Member
    edited June 2019
    Laira wrote: »
    It seems counterintuitive that a fridge can work off the grid... What the heck is it running on?!

    A fridge can run on gas.

    I guess... but still seems to go against the whole ethos of living off the grid :D Oh well

    There is also a really dodgy stove that sort of works ... using gas. I can get it to cook things about one time in three.
  • Jaelk01Jaelk01 Posts: 113 Member
    I was annoyed when I saw what items work with off the grid. an OVEN? Sink?? Really? How? And then no working tub for laundry.. What the ****
    I wish they would just give us new objects that would make sense to be used without automatic flowing water or electricity off the wall. An outside old fashioned oven would have been a lot better then just flagging already existing items that do not look very off grid to me.
    Or a shower with a bottle as if it was man made would also been a lot nicer. They got to work a little harder on these things. The sims is not about easy solutions. You can't sell this to us.

    I spent like 20 minutes looking for solar panels. lol
  • deblyseriousdeblyserious Posts: 1 New Member
    Has anyone figured out how to order upgrade parts for an off-the-grid lot? It seems like the phone functionality is limited when I’m home and I can’t find the “order upgrade parts” option at the library computers.
  • RouensimsRouensims Posts: 4,858 Member
    In case you're interested, there's a decorative kava bowl in Island Living that provides light off-grid.
    Ooh Be Gah!! Whipna Choba-Dog? Whipna Choba-Dog!! :smiley:
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