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Must Have EPs for Gameplay

classicXcrimeclassicXcrime Posts: 175 Member
I re-downloaded Sims 3 and my god how I've missed it! Now, I just started with the base game and Ambitions and Generations EPs. I know that Sims 3 can get really unstable when loaded up with all of the EPs and so I wanted to get input into what EPs people think are the must haves for gameplay, particularly family gameplay and story progression. I took out Generations because I feel like that's a given and you're only allowed to have 10 poll options.

Must Have EPs for Gameplay 48 votes

World Adventures
12%
Rflong7mw1525bekkasantexxx78comicsforlifeSeashoreLivia 6 votes
Ambitions
20%
PlayerSinger2010Damienf519MikezumiPaikallinenstarguruBlackSandInfraGreenIreneSwiftpuzzlezaddictHolaheye 10 votes
Late Night
6%
Cororonigazorbritpopsims 3 votes
Showtime
2%
ts1depot 1 vote
Pets
4%
ApparentlyAwesomeCalico45 2 votes
University
6%
AvataritNikkei_SimmerTurjan 3 votes
Supernatural
0%
Seasons
45%
Emily4331JaseCamkatZorgaPeachesnDucksairotciv54monjr8302NausTeeSeaBabykittyjadeHal2003StephStebKatNipKelvinBreazonaDestin2016Simtown15Faerie197SimmerGeorgeMaddieplaysgames 22 votes
Island Paradise
2%
chacce 1 vote
Into the Future
0%

Comments

  • MsDaisyMsDaisy Posts: 22 Member
    Seasons
    The holidays from seasons are very good for family gameplay. Your kids can go trick or treating, you can have a Christmas party and open presents, have a pool party on summer etc... I have my sim families go to the beach together on summer all the time and it's the cutest thing when they play with their toddlers. In my opinion seasons is the best.
  • TeeSeaTeeSea Posts: 1,556 Member
    Seasons
    Seasons because it gives you a sense of time. When the season’s change, holidays, festivals but most importantly SNOW!
  • StephStebStephSteb Posts: 2,271 Member
    Seasons
    Definitely Seasons. It adds festivals and holiday fun (like trick or treating for the kids). :)
  • Faerie197Faerie197 Posts: 1,077 Member
    Seasons
    I too have to throw my vote in for Seasons. It just adds so much to the immersion. That said, I can't run a Sims save without World Adventures anymore. The No Bills Ever LTR is just too 🐸🐸🐸🐸 useful.
    Fear not the fae, for they are harmless. Anger not the fae, beware their wraith. Harm not the fae, fear the Faerie Knight.
  • bekkasanbekkasan Posts: 10,171 Member
    World Adventures

    I had to give some love to World Adventures. I would normally pick Supernatural as that is my favorite for gameplay as I love the occult and Moonlight Falls, but you were looking at family play and story progression. I think going on vacation is important for families and if you use the traveler mod from Nraas you can take everyone with you and would not be limited to just those three worlds.
    I recently started playing on a desktop and added back my two missing packs which were Seasons and Pets. Yep, I'm totally loving having seasons in again as well as Pets. When you can afford it, get a desktop and have them all! :grin: Happy Simming!
  • igazorigazor Posts: 19,330 Member
    edited August 2020
    Late Night
    My favorite EP for the huge amount of everyday usable content it brings to the game is Uni. But oddly enough that doesn't make it the highest "must have" if the player is just starting out with the base game, it really seems to fit in better later down the line.

    For me it's a tie between Ambitions for the self-employed careers and Late Night for the musical instruments, dance clubs, subways, and mixology. I'm voting for Late Night because it doesn't have any other votes yet and I always like to support the underdog. :)

    (in fact, I almost voted for Showtime because I don't expect it will get many votes at all and I felt sorry for it...a little)
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    NRaas has moved!
    Our new site is at http://nraas.net
  • Faerie197Faerie197 Posts: 1,077 Member
    Seasons
    Eh, but Late Night is almost certainly already owned due to it being part of the "Starter Pack". Mind you, my first EP (other then Late Night) was Supernatural. I love having Occult types in my game. And while it can sometimes be annoying, zombie attacks on certain nights does add something. Just... Don't try gardening unless it's an indoor garden, rooftop garden, or you have the Stones Throw Greenhouse. It's really hard to keep a healthy garden when zombies keep eating all the plants.
    Fear not the fae, for they are harmless. Anger not the fae, beware their wraith. Harm not the fae, fear the Faerie Knight.
  • Calico45Calico45 Posts: 2,038 Member
    edited August 2020
    Pets
    While Seasons is a good one for everyone, Pets is my absolute favorite in 3. I think it is the best Pets pack in all of the Sims. It brought me back to 3 when I had abandoned it and then I loved the game and started getting everything else for it.
  • Faerie197Faerie197 Posts: 1,077 Member
    Seasons
    Really, they all add something special. Only pack I don't get much use from normally is ITF. And even then I regularly use the all-in-one toilets, windcarver hover boards, and spherical computer.
    Fear not the fae, for they are harmless. Anger not the fae, beware their wraith. Harm not the fae, fear the Faerie Knight.
  • ts1depotts1depot Posts: 1,438 Member
    edited August 2020
    Showtime
    I voted Showtime, because it makes towns feel more alive, what with spontaneous shows popping up from time to time and street performers able to busk.

    I also find myself using the stuff from this EP the most when building worlds, creating sims and decorating lots. The clothing, hair and decor seem very hip, sleek and jazzy.
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  • mw1525mw1525 Posts: 1,214 Member
    World Adventures
    Unlike a lot of Simmers, Generations is the one pack I can do without and have removed from my game. Sure, I'll miss the content but the overall pack just doesn't mesh well with my overall Sim goals.

    In my game, World Adventures is the one pack I couldn't do without. It adds so much flexibility to the game. The objects help expand nearly every career in the base game. Plus, I love the ethnic diversity of Sims from other lands. I also like my Sim being able to make 'long distance' phone calls to a friend they met while on vacation or pursuing (or expanding) their career.

    My close runner-up expansions would be Seasons (for atmospheric depth of days), Pets (extending and sharing love to animals deepens the game-play) and Showtime (for not only adding entertainment but for all of the social objects which comes with it).
  • Faerie197Faerie197 Posts: 1,077 Member
    Seasons
    ts1depot wrote: »
    I voted Showtime, because it makes towns feel more alive, what with spontaneous shows popping up from time to time and street performers able to busk.

    I also find myself using the stuff from this EP the most when building worlds, creating sims and decorating lots. The clothing, hair and decor seem very hip, sleek and jazzy.

    Sadly, Sunset Valley is a bad place for trying to be a showman (or woman). There are few to now venues by default, and there's no real community hot spots you can to to for busking. The park sort of works, but there are rarely more then 2 or 3 sims there. And that's only if you send your sim there. Outside of the theater doesn't work because sims in that town rarely go to the theater. Maybe the sports center, but in my experience that only really gets busy when sims are going to work or getting off work. I haven't found a decent busking location in Sunset Valley.
    Fear not the fae, for they are harmless. Anger not the fae, beware their wraith. Harm not the fae, fear the Faerie Knight.
  • ts1depotts1depot Posts: 1,438 Member
    Showtime
    Faerie197 wrote: »
    ts1depot wrote: »
    I voted Showtime, because it makes towns feel more alive, what with spontaneous shows popping up from time to time and street performers able to busk.

    I also find myself using the stuff from this EP the most when building worlds, creating sims and decorating lots. The clothing, hair and decor seem very hip, sleek and jazzy.

    Sadly, Sunset Valley is a bad place for trying to be a showman (or woman). There are few to now venues by default, and there's no real community hot spots you can to to for busking. The park sort of works, but there are rarely more then 2 or 3 sims there. And that's only if you send your sim there. Outside of the theater doesn't work because sims in that town rarely go to the theater. Maybe the sports center, but in my experience that only really gets busy when sims are going to work or getting off work. I haven't found a decent busking location in Sunset Valley.

    These problems you mention is why I started building my own worlds. I always found the official worlds so lacking when it came to incorporating new EP stuff that I just wound up building worlds that made the most of EP content.

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  • Faerie197Faerie197 Posts: 1,077 Member
    Seasons
    Not all of us however are good at building worlds.
    Fear not the fae, for they are harmless. Anger not the fae, beware their wraith. Harm not the fae, fear the Faerie Knight.
  • Nikkei_SimmerNikkei_Simmer Posts: 9,405 Member
    University
    I've always been an introvert so...the Showtime professions have never interested me. But then again; other people's mileage will vary.
    GYZ6Ak9.png
    Always "River McIrish" ...and maybe some Bebe Hart. ~innocent expression~
  • IreneSwiftIreneSwift Posts: 6,247 Member
    Ambitions
    I wouldn't want to play without any of them. But on my old laptop, which mainly was for record keeping and bill paying, but which also served as a backup for my desktop computer, I had Ambitions and Generations. It didn't have room for more than that.
  • puzzlezaddictpuzzlezaddict Posts: 1,877 Member
    Ambitions
    Ambitions is one of those packs that enhances everything else, no matter which other packs are installed. Sims can be self-employed in any money-making hobby and can sell stuff at the Consignment store. I love having sculptor sims and always seem to have one sooner or later—the statues are wonderful decorations, and it's fun to try to decorate the house with sculpted objects rather than just buying them. Inventing is fun too, and a few of the inventions are very useful.

    The other point is that if the OP is worried about the game's instability when running all packs together, Ambitions is a great choice, since it's much less stressful on the game engine than later packs. The same can be said for World Adventures and Late Night, and maybe Generations to some extent as well. Having all of them installed together may have less of an impact than just playing with Pets, and as nice as it is to have pets, three or four EPs together add a lot more content. So why not keep the early packs installed, and swap out the more demanding ones if necessary?
  • SuzyCue72SuzyCue72 Posts: 526 Member
    And here is My Vote: :)<3:)<3

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  • KarritzKarritz Posts: 21,908 Member
    SuzyCue72 wrote: »
    And here is My Vote: :)<3:)<3

    60pi236.png

    That's why I didn't vote. I have them all and can't work out which one I'd be happy to play with without the others.
  • CororonCororon Posts: 4,275 Member
    Late Night
    I love all EP's but voted for Late Night, because I... Well, check this out:

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  • Rflong7Rflong7 Posts: 36,586 Member
    World Adventures
    I like the trees and the activities.. :)
  • NausNaus Posts: 405 Member
    Seasons
    I feel like Seasons is as good as Generations. I can't imagine playing without it. The festival grounds are my favorite spot to visit, there are always interesting activities to do there. Holiday parties are also a great way to break the monotony of the day to day life. I love throwing costume and gift-giving parties.
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