Since the sims team is now "refreshing existing packs" I figured it'd be a good idea to make a poll on it to see what packs people actually want improved! (and in what order)
You can only put 10 options on a poll on here, so I've tried to pick only the most requested ones but you can put any others in the comments. If you want you can also rank these in order of which needs improving most!
Comments
In my opinion, this pack would have worked a lot better with Granite Falls as an off-the-grid home world themed around living and surviving in the wilderness, with an actual bear in the forest that can be either feared or befriended, and a few more things to look out for. But since we have Cottage Living now, which is basically that in a less hostile environment, I'm not sure what could be done to improve Outdoor Retreat, other than making the world habitable.
Something wicked this way comes!
I don't use MCCC.
- Dine Out - The pack itself is very good and doesn't need much change but it needs major bug fixing
- Get Famous - It doesn't really need any gameplay improvements it just needs a bigger world, ideally some more lots in the existing neighborhoods, maybe hiking trails in the hills so they're not just lifeless dead space and a new beach neighborhood would be a dream
For reference, this is what Del Sol Valley should be:Also DHD, it's just as broken as Dine Out and is still not fixed, ROM could use something a bit more and same for Island Living
Legacy Photomode
I chose Island Living because it's just plain silly to have mermaids but not be able to go under the sea with them. We should have real underwater diving. It would be really cool if we could build them underwater homes.
My other choices (I don't have all packs) Vampires and Realm of Magic need more lots, and we need to be able to live in the magic world. If we can't have more lots can we at least edit that big park in the middle of the Vampire world? It's so empty. Give us an empty version of the Batuu world so we can build our own. Enlarge Sixam, make it livable. Outdoor Retreat (which I don't have) needs to be a world we can live in, maybe they could add hiking to it, and a real bear or bigfoot.
Otherwise bug fixes would be the most important thing they can do. Blank maps would be cool.
I'm trying to guess what they are going to do. the only thing I can really come up with is maybe modifying the hair, and adding extra swatches for the furniture. I guess they may also be doing something with the old code, maybe to make it more stable or efficient or something.
They need to add a toggle button for those shelves to remain visible when walls are down if we want them that way. They are pretty useless as they are if you want to build a walk in closet or wall unit because you can't see it unless the walls are fully up and not everyone plays that way.
Outdoor retreat after the last event and pre Snowy Escape update has no longer sense. I have no idea what to do here.
Dine Out needs some fixes and maybe some new restaurant-related items.
I chose DHD because I think it was a great idea and concept but they missed some things that would have made the pack that much better. I would have liked to have seen a new skill, or atleast have some of the base game skills attached to job performance (like photography). A new trait could have been added too, like "House Proud" perhaps. Also, as much as I like the BB items, and the fact that they added so many to the pack, I would have liked to see some different styles.
My second choice would have been Dine Out. It's one of my favourite packs but being able to work as a chef in your own restaurant and to be able to open your restaurant and make a profit without having to physically be there would be a huge improvement.
And thirdly, I know a lot of players would like to be able to live is vacation worlds, so that too.
I think (and hope) that more packs will eventually get a refresh and this first one is a kind of test to see how it goes.
I would have said DO as well, but that pack more needs a lot of bug fixes, not an overhaul or whatever they plan on doing. The pack works fine for me, it's just those roaming sims and dishes everywhere that cause most problems for me.
If they updated OR, I'd like to see them implement the hiking feature from Snowy Escape. Because right now your sims can only walk or jog around on their own there, and it's kind of lame so I don't do it too much these days. The hiking in SE is nice with a group and they're all interacting with each other instead of just running in the same general direction together. ALSO sims should be able to swim in the water in Granite Falls.
I also agree that GF needs a bigger world, and I was expecting the coast to be a neighborhood option. But I don't know if adding a bigger world is something the sims team has in mind for this update thing. And I really don't think GF needs anything else? Again maybe just bug fixes like gigs not glitching out if you switch households or the problem with celebrities messing up all my public lots.
For the options:
Spa day needs an aspiration. Apart from that, I think it's a good pack.
Dine out, GTW, DHD, Get famous - don't have them, no idea. But, based on what I've read, DHD needs some clarity improvements for the freelancer career.
Holiday worlds should stop aging for the time being, as in TS3. As for OR specifically: Herbalism skill could get a refresh for crossplay (such as ability to brew the herbal remedies in RoM cauldrons without mods) and adjusting the skill-up time (maybe squish it to 5 levels). And maybe add a couple more crafting sculptures - mushroom, tree...
Island Living needs a major refresh. Not just for mermaids but also pathing fixes ("cozy up" doesn't work on the Sulani bonfires) and adjusting the events to work with the calendar.
Realm of Magic seems okay.
Parenthood seems okay as well, but I'd change the unlocks a bit. Having some of the baby- and toddler-care interactions unlocked at later levels is pointless for parenting. Maybe as a grandparent, but that shouldn't be the main point. The second choice for pop-ups should also come sooner.
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Others (from packs I have):
City Living: no idea
Cats and Dogs: needs a dog house in a couple of shapes and sizes. I'd probably add "animals" painting category with a couple of themed items as well as cat and dog sculptures to craft.
Seasons: I think there should be some attention given to how sims react to storms instead of what seems to be "all or nothing" based on whether sims do (or don't) have the storm chaser trait. I'd divide it into 6 categories triggered by specific traits: random (erratic, childish, clumsy, goofball, mean), very negative (squeamish, paranoid, or two negative triggers), negative (neat, perfectionist, lazy, couch potato lifestyle), positive (loves the outdoors, gloomy, outdoorsy lifestyle, energetic lifestyle), very positive (storm chaser reward trait, adrenaline seeker lifestyle, or two positive triggers) and neutral (having nothing of the above or balanced amount of + and - or being in the emotionally mindful state from Snowy Escape).
Eco Lifestyle: I think some tuning for NAPs and water/power consumption would be nice. Cheap electronics should, due to low efficiency, take more power. Lights should reflect their efficiency/size as well - a small light shouldn't consume as much power as massive chandelier.
Snowy Escape+Seasons combo: sims going on a jog trail should either be kept warm for the time being or jog in winter wear instead of fitness.
I also like wandering the hills.
At this moment no one selected spa day... If this pack really gets the refresh they should have asked the player before updating this pack.
I'd say OR or IL are the ones that need improving the most. But RoM is the one that deserves improvement the most.
The Sims 4 hasn't introduced a new musical instrument since 2017
Island Living would probably be my second choice. It is a fun pack, but I wish we had underwater gameplay for mermaids and hotels.
- Island Living and Snowy Escape: matching kitchen cabinets
- Get To Work: home based businesses, multi functional lots for grocery stores and malls
- Spa Day and Bowling Stuff: ownable spas and bowling alleys with the barrier to entry system
- Dine Out: ability to work at restaurants owned by my other households
AHQ Champion
> For me, Dine Out and Get Famous are the ones most in need of a refresh
> * Dine Out - The pack itself is very good and doesn't need much change but it needs major bug fixing
> * Get Famous - It doesn't really need any gameplay improvements it just needs a bigger world, ideally some more lots in the existing neighborhoods, maybe hiking trails in the hills so they're not just lifeless dead space and a new beach neighborhood would be a dream
>
> For reference, this is what Del Sol Valley should be:
>
> Also DHD, it's just as broken as Dine Out and is still not fixed, ROM could use something a bit more and same for Island Living
***
I love the option you proposed under the spoiler! I'd freaking love that. Also, swim-able beach in that world anyone? :D
https://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/comment/17959481#Comment_17959481
Dine Out
1. Restaurant careers as real careers (Don't loose the career when playing on the employeed NPC!)
2. Hire family members / your sim / specific sims as employees
3. Opening hours for restaurants (+set opening hours when playing on a restaurant)
4. Fast food restaurants (no seating)
5. Ability to set restaurant owner(s) when playing on a household (if you want just 1 sim to be the owner)
6. Simple Living Lot Challenge on restaurants (order Groceries or grow your own and serve!)
7. Ability to move a toddler chair to a table in Live mode (when in the tab for Sim inventory)
8. Update Zoomers to include food from the restaurants in your save file +managing Take away orders when playing on a restaurant
9. More challenge to get 5 stars! (maybe a new lot challenge for this?)
10. Faster cooking
11. Ownable bars!
Outdoor retreat
1. Add some Hiking trails (multitasking hiking = take a photo without cancelling the hike) and Swimmable seas
2. Add some wild animals (we already have them in the game) and outdoor hobbies
3. Make Granite falls into a Residental & Vacational world
Parenthood
1. Change the “Ugh-I-Hate-My-Family”- moodlet (from having a negative upbringing) to a lifelong sentiment (= option to reconcile with the parent through ex. Therapy)
2. NEW FEATURE: Parents can set goals for their kids (like get a Biology Degree or Get married with… -other sim / in a specific career/ with specific income). Kids can choose to live their lives against the will of their parents, but this can result in relationship loss and feeling of guilt
( = frequent long sentiments!). This will also affect the “upbringing relationship” ex. “Repressed / Obedient child”.
Spa Day
1. Ownable Spa:s
2. Yoga teacher & Masseur as real careers
3. Yoga and Massage as separate skills! (very weird that you become great at yoga from massaging sims!)
4. Massaging sims for a fee in your home
5. Need some aspirations. Suggestions: A. Self Love Aspiration (Improve the relationship to yourself!) B. Wellness Aspiration (Live a healthy life!) C. Yogi Guru Aspiration (Almost like a Sim guru... but with a little more yoga!) 🙏
6. The bath Soaks & Mud purchasable through the Grocery Delivery service instead of just clicking on the bathtub
Dream Home Decorator
1. Ability to hire an Interior Designer (hire one of the interiors in your save file, or they could even do something online like requesting other players to fix your home)
2. Update the shoes to make them Snowy Escape - interactable (The Use No Shoes / Slippers inside -option). This must be an oversight?
LIFE STRUGGLES PACK
Get to Work would be next on my list, followed by Dine Out.
Aliens need a remake, and perhaps enlarge Magnolia Promenade.
A larger commercial and business district would be nice.