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Admittedly, I was wrong about Eco Lifestyle...

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Better late than never, but I was one of the biggest critics of Eco Lifestyle when it was first announced and even after release. I thought it was another pathetic cash grab from EA... and I legitimately didn't think it would be worth the $40 (I actually bought it on sale from Amazon for $20 awhile back). I only recently began actually exploring this pack, and I now realize I was entirely wrong to criticize it! I actually really enjoy the features so far! The community spaces are really fun to build and create! I especially love the marketplace! I also love placing the community board around different lots (like parks) because it really creates a nice aesthetic!

Another thing I was critical about was the inclusion of apartments (I felt like it was a ripoff because of 'City Living'), but I really like the idea of being able to live in apartments outside of the city. I never cared for city life in The Sims, but also really wanted to use apartments, so it's nice to actually have the option for non-city life apartment living!

Also, Evergreen Harbor was an extremely fun world to fill with venues (especially in the industrial area). The rusted wall options have become an instant favorite of mine!

I still have more to explore (such as candle making, recycling, etc), but I'm glad I finally decided to give this pack a chance! It's not my favorite, but it deserves A LOT more praise than I've given it. Admittedly, EA did it again... they "Get Togethered" Eco Lifestyle! lol When 'Get Together' was first announced, I was extremely critical of that expansion pack as well... but once I actually played the pack, it became my favorite (until 'Seasons'). Eco Lifestyle might very well be climbing into my top packs too! I'm actually pleasantly surprised with this pack! I can't believe I gave it so much hatred at first... I honestly regret it! This pack isn't as bad as many people make it out to be... at all!
Favorite Packs
Sims 1: Hot Date
Sims 2: Seasons
Sims 2: Happy Holiday Stuff
Sims 3: Seasons
Sims 3: 70's, 80's, & 90's Stuff
Sims 4: Seasons
Sims 4: Paranormal Stuff
Sims 4: Strangerville Game Pack

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Comments

  • texxx78texxx78 Posts: 5,657 Member
    It's one of my favourite packs 😊
  • alan650111alan650111 Posts: 3,295 Member
    edited March 2021
    Eco Lifestyle is good besides for most of the annoying NAPs. Had good traits included too. Especially "freegan"
    Post edited by alan650111 on
  • BabykittyjadeBabykittyjade Posts: 4,975 Member
    It's one of my top packs! It gets a lot of hate but it added so much to my playstyle!! It doesn't really have a clear direction per se but there are so many features and things from it I'm constantly using. Off the grid play is nicely challenging too! Love that we have to gather water and insect fuel 🤭🤭
    My poor sims live on dumpster food and I love the pollution. I just wish we had functional masks for the coughing
    Zombies, oh please oh please give us zombies!! :'(
  • HopeyStarrHopeyStarr Posts: 1,276 Member
    Oh trust me I too was not a fan of this EP when it was first announced. After I got it on sale, made a few new sims, and dove into the off-the-grid features I started loving it.

    My favourite feature is dumpster diving. Surprisingly, actually.
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    *:.。."It's great being ((Queen Bee))!".。.:*
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  • HermitgirlHermitgirl Posts: 8,825 Member
    It's really nice for you to be willing to put this out there OP.
    Personally I haven't played many aspects of many packs and I've gotten everything pretty much as it was released. I don't usually not play with it because I don't think it won't be good, but usually because certain parts of it just don't appeal to me at that time of release, or because it won't fit into how I'm playing at the moment, or I might even feel like that play might never appeal to me. So all this gameplay just kind of creeps by me and builds up, and then I just don't know it's there, forget it or something newer gets me excited and off I go to play with that.
    Right now I'm playing a challenge that is helping me explore a little deeper into various packs and hit some things I missed playing with and it's bringing a new appreciation for many parts of the game I missed before.
    I'm looking forward to getting back to the Eco World eventually. All I really did there the first time through was explore apartments (yes I like these more than city living ones, because they aren't high rises) and make sure I hit all the deviant (to me) aspects of the pack and did the crafts that appealed to me. I also only played through the Civil Design career long enough to get the meat wall, so I still have a lot to explore.
    I have to say I'm really glad you are finding more enjoyment in your game in general now also and hope that keeps happening for you in the future.
    Also yeahh, sales! What's not to like there? It's a better way to be willing to try something out that you are on the fence about for sure.
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  • mustenimusteni Posts: 5,403 Member
    I'm glad you found eco lifestyle :smiley: It's not in my top packs, but that's simply because I have other packs there, I still like Eco lifestyle! I got it was a gift when it was released and I still feel like there's a lot to explore. Especially want to try my hand designing those community spaces and voting for them. Other things I haven't tried yet include the bug hotels and solar panels.

    My favourite moment with Eco Lifestyle has been when my sim Pippa learned fabricating and opened a warehouse with her friend Mara. They sell there furniture and also robots that Mara makes. I know this gameplay is cross pack with uni and GTW, but I wouldn't have been inspired to do it without Eco Lifestyle. The warehouse is located in Port Promise, but they live in an apartment in Conifer Station. The apartments become super nice looking when you vote for the modern development NAP. I like grunge, but I just had to clean up this one neighbourhood.
  • NetzspannungNetzspannung Posts: 2,456 Member
    I think many people would find it difficult to reassess a pack after already have formed an opinion, so the OP was interesting to read. I really like EL for the CAS, BB and the gameplay it brought. I think the implementation of some of the NAPs could have been better, which is why I had to disable NPC voting, but I play with all the features and careers in the pack and still enjoy them. And I do think some NAPs can make for interesting gameplay, especially when using the cheat to instantly enact them. Also I love the 'Maker' trait, I had been waiting for a trait like the 'Handy' trait in TS3 for a long time. Anyway, I could go on but what I really wanted to say is that I think it is great that you had another look at the pack and hope you keep enjoying its features!
    If I just posted an outfit you like, I have good news - there is more where that came from!
    https://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/956513/netz-a-porter-outfits-ready-to-wear-for-your-sims-no-cc-required
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  • smilepandasmilepanda Posts: 101 Member
    I still haven't used many of the eco lifestyle features but it seems completely packed with so much to do and I am sure when I have a sim where it makes sense to use the features, it will become one of my favourites.

    There are a lot of complaints in general around the NAPs in the pack but I have started to try and incorporate them more by having my sims vote and repeal certain ones and it is a lot of fun! I haven't messed with the community spaces a whole lot yet but I really like the concept of them.

    I was also super critical of this pack when it was first announced but I really do like it and the features definitely are more than enough to class it as an expansion and I am always using the CAS and build items.
  • LoanetLoanet Posts: 4,079 Member
    You can't judge a pack if you don't own it, no matter what a review says about it.
    Prepping a list of mods to add after Infants are placed into the game. Because real life isn't 'nice'.
  • Flikka_FlikkaFlikka_Flikka Posts: 431 Member
    edited March 2021
    If you're a rags-to-riches player, this pack is a must-have.
  • SimburianSimburian Posts: 6,907 Member
    I really needed a game manual when I bought this pack. It's taken a lot of time to understand how to manage it properly and I understand why some people turn NAPs off. I still have problems with the community lots but like the objects and build materials that came with it.
  • CAPTAIN_NXR7CAPTAIN_NXR7 Posts: 4,451 Member
    I just want to say that it’s great that you were able to reassess EL and willing to share that change of opinion on the forum.
    It’s rare to see a negative opinion turn into a positive one and I’m happy for you that the pack adds to your enjoyment after all.

    I believe it definitely deserves more credit than it has been given so far. I do turn off the NAPS since I’m not really interested in the voting system, but the pack offers enough outside of that to keep me happy. I also use a cheat to industrialize my worlds. They look much better that way. 😇
  • BeardedgeekBeardedgeek Posts: 5,520 Member
    I absolutely LOVE the Build items and CAS items from Eco lifestyle, both also goes VERY well with Tiny Living if you want to live off the grid and save money etc.
    Origin ID: A_Bearded_Geek
  • SthenastiaSthenastia Posts: 651 Member
    I also was against this pack. It was so useless and uninteresting for me at the realise but after that I was reading the forum and checked some videos which showed me this pack from another, better view. Several months after the realise, I bought EL on sale and I was pleasantly suprised. Honestly this pack is more detailed than Get Famous or Island Living. I really like it, but for example I don’t like the direction of world creation. I don’t like the fact that Evergreen Harbor is full of take houses.
  • JadeleineJadeleine Posts: 2,140 Member
    Ecolife is awesome. It has lot of beautiful simple furniture for decorating simple modern houses. Candle making is fun too and the candles are very realistic. They burn naturally and also melt down. One of my favorite skills in the game at the moment. I am glad they make new and fresh things in the game. We dont always need the same old things from previous games. I enjoy this pack a lot because it has new things to do in the series of sims.
  • haisinhaisin Posts: 948 Member
    That's nice to hear! :smile: I still haven't played EL much. I turned off the NAPs right from the start and tested dumpster diving, but didn't have a sim that would have been interested in to do it more, so I mainly use some of the CAS and BB. Anyway, I think I'm finally getting to the point where I will include EL more in my play. One of my actively played sims lives in Evergreen Harbour and I must say I'm starting to like the neighbourhood. I look forward to having a sim who will try collecting water and other stuff.
  • Akl500PAkl500P Posts: 2,986 Member
    So nice to hear this. I think Eco is a great pack and it’s one of my more enjoyed ones. I really love the added crafting elements, neighborhood and the depth added to off the grid lifestyle which is so much more fun now. I’m also a huge fan of the community spaces! Glad you were able to enjoy this pack.
  • bshag4lvbshag4lv Posts: 9,374 Member
    I too commend the OP, it's difficult to realize you've made a mistake but did not let that stop you from enjoying a very nice ep. Eco is one of my favorites after having some doubts too. Now, I love the "greening up" of the sims' neighborhoods and have made it a challenge to green up my saves. :D
    In my house, dog hair sticks to everything but the dog.
  • AncaryvanAncaryvan Posts: 736 Member
    @Lustianicia
    Do not turn the Evergreen Harbour into complete eco friendly green zone other wise you may suffer from the Polar Light Graphic Glitch. Not only effect the game but also the entire operating system of your computer. They are only playable as Industrial and Neutral Zone.

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    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65VG4IacGsg
    I literally play this music above when playing Sims 4! Cozy and Fuzzy
  • sam123sam123 Posts: 4,539 Member
    I'm in the same boat. I actually like this pack and do appreciate it for what it is. My sims have been living in Evergreen harbour since I bought it and I don't think they will leave for a while. The world is great.
  • sam123sam123 Posts: 4,539 Member
    Ancaryvan wrote: »
    @Lustianicia
    Do not turn the Evergreen Harbour into complete eco friendly green zone other wise you may suffer from the Polar Light Graphic Glitch. Not only effect the game but also the entire operating system of your computer. They are only playable as Industrial and Neutral Zone.

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    Nc3tGaH.jpg
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    I thought I was the only one experiencing this, the worst part is when you look at it my PC lags so much. Even thought my computer is of the highest end.
  • HoveraelHoverael Posts: 1,230 Member
    Those light rays are also an issue for me, they cripple the performance of my laptop. I did report on it in EA Answers HQ thread and even suggested the ability to switch the visuals off specifically but leave the rest of the DLC running.

    I don't know what's going on with that since i reported on it. i just hope some action is taken over the whole thing. it is only one of two things in this the DLC i really dislike. The second thing is "we wear bags" NAP, that is one i would love to see removed from this game.
  • BabykittyjadeBabykittyjade Posts: 4,975 Member
    That light glitch is weird. Maybe a graphic card issue? My evergreen harbor is fully green and looks normal.
    Zombies, oh please oh please give us zombies!! :'(
  • TTNsimmerTTNsimmer Posts: 669 Member
    Eco lifestyle has one of the most complex systems they have ever added in the Sims 4. They way footprint works and the many different ways that you can manipulate it to go either green or industrial is amazing and it gives the pack so much replay value. It also features the largest "chains" of steps when completing the suggested goals. For ex: step 1. You dumpster dive 2. You recycle what you found to get bits and pieces 3. You use the bits and pieces to fabricate eco parts 4. You use the eco parts to upgrade appliances 5. You economize energy that subsequently raises your footprint.This is only an example of the many goals you can set out to do. If you compare this with IL where the chain goes like this: step 1. You click ride around on the aqua zip. 2. You ride around on the aqua zip. Then you can clearly see why the EL gameplay is so much more complex.
  • HoveraelHoverael Posts: 1,230 Member
    That light glitch is weird. Maybe a graphic card issue? My evergreen harbor is fully green and looks normal.

    My GTX 1050 card in the laptop is fine, up to date and is able to run other games nicely without issue.
    The issue appears to be that this game is creating duplicate light rays, the more of them there are the more it hits the performance. it gets so bad at times that it drops to a few frames a second that i have no choice but to either move the camera in to get around the light rays or have the sim go into a basement floor to get away from it and suddenly the performance returns to normal.

    When those light rays cluster like that it is overpowering in other ways, when you move the camera all the way out, all you get is a white screen and 1 frame a second.. so yeah, it is a serious enough problem.
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