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What single expansion pack is essential for fun playing TS4 and why?

StrawberryYogurtStrawberryYogurt Posts: 2,799 Member
I don't like Sims 4 overall. I LOVE CAS & Build. I love the gallery. I love the art style. I love the neighborhood system. I love the swatches. I really want to love TS4 because if my grievances were resolved, it would be my favorite game.

But I don't like:
  • The lack of personality
  • No turn ons/turn offs/ memories
  • No story album
  • Cannot create my own neighborhood
  • Lack of consequences.

I like that they have made changes to improve personality in TS4. I've tried testing out the sentiments but honestly got bored trying to play it. Soon after CAS I lose attention. I do like the system in Parenthood. It adds a lot of charm and the direction I'm looking for. Every new big update I DO try the game again but I don't like it all too much.

I am a believer that the base game should be substantial enough on it's own. But I do see the merits of dlc. I own outdoor retreat, dine out, and parenthood. I like OR, and I've seen the systems in parenthood when my sister played. I personally have not tried dine out yet (been in my library for months though!)




Some say Sims 4 is excellent only with X.

Some may fill that X with certain mods. Some fill it with some game packs.


I wonder if I buy an expansion will I enjoy the game? Or am I just falling for marketing :D I think about it when Sims 4 packs are on sale. I only bought dine out & parenthood for my sister to play. OR i got early on when the game was brand new.



With all that being said, which expansion pack (if at all!) MAKES the game for you? Adds the best systems? Most interesting gameplay? Replayability? Best value? I may consider that to be the purchase I make.

I'd especially like any EP that makes changes to the way a sim behaves or influences others, and adds consequences (like parenthood does with the manners system).

I've also watched reviews on nearly every pack too but like to know what you think or any reviews you think I should watch.

I'm interested in everyone's opinions, whether you like ts4 or not. Even if you bought a pack that was good and later you've changed your mind (only fun for a couple of months) let me know. Also which packs may seem the buggiest for you or which mods you think are essential with the accompaing pack. Thank you!!
The Sims has currently lost its identity. Bring it back for TS5

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Personality,depth,humor,consequences,lore,customization.

What single expansion pack is essential for fun playing TS4 and why? 77 votes

Snowy Escape
0%
Eco Lifestyle
7%
Babykittyjadekristenleighwhitetexxx78TTNsimmerCelSimsZoeyevester 6 votes
Discover University
0%
Island Living
0%
Get Famous
3%
mustenicalipossfilipomel 3 votes
Seasons
53%
auroraael14IceyJsims2freak737BreeNillaAnmirlaGoddessBylinestilljustme2Katiardgueztaydevduhboy2u2MVWdeZTPlumbobCrossingkiwi84HarukotyanDaraviSunflowergal227CAPTAIN_NXR7Sigzy05NationalPokedexScobre 41 votes
Cats and Dogs
0%
City Living
7%
CorkysPetalsHopeyStarrNikkihDaWaterRateternalrainnOutlawWoman 6 votes
Get Together
20%
Mstybl95alexspoom13xXPandoraXxxMyrtheEmmaVaneDoloresGreyChadSims2msullivan789Atreya33grassharpAmandèleRouensimsEllupelluelluDMDCTAaleynLazzial 16 votes
Get To Work
6%
crocobaurag01denswaniamoz96CaprianaBElisetom 5 votes

Comments

  • ChazzzyChazzzy Posts: 7,166 Member
    Seasons
    I really like the temperature changes the Seasons pack brings. It was really weird for me to play TS4 without putting a roof on my Sim’s home and they didn’t care one bit. This pack is essential for me for that reason alone. I don’t even need the calendar and all that.
  • EllupelluelluEllupelluellu Posts: 6,779 Member
    Get Together
    Tie between Seasons.. But I had to pick GT as I overuse the club system.
    My love, my love, my fearless love, I will not say goodbye..
    Sea may rise, sky may fall, My love will never die..
    My heart, my heart, My drowning heart, Oh all the tears I've cried
    Oh I may weep forevermore, My love will never die..

    My Story:Villa Catarina
  • StrawberryYogurtStrawberryYogurt Posts: 2,799 Member
    Tie between Seasons.. But I had to pick GT as I overuse the club system.

    What do you use the club system for?
    The Sims has currently lost its identity. Bring it back for TS5

    FixedCoarseFawn-max-1mb.gif

    Personality,depth,humor,consequences,lore,customization.
  • StrawberryYogurtStrawberryYogurt Posts: 2,799 Member
    Chazzzy wrote: »
    I really like the temperature changes the Seasons pack brings. It was really weird for me to play TS4 without putting a roof on my Sim’s home and they didn’t care one bit. This pack is essential for me for that reason alone. I don’t even need the calendar and all that.

    Do you get to adjust the seasons? Why don't you make use of the calendar/holidays (also can you make your own)?
    The Sims has currently lost its identity. Bring it back for TS5

    FixedCoarseFawn-max-1mb.gif

    Personality,depth,humor,consequences,lore,customization.
  • SimmerGeorgeSimmerGeorge Posts: 2,724 Member
    edited April 2021
    Seasons
    In my opinion, the game lack a lot of unpredictability and you know what's a remedy for that? Weather. It at least gives the feeling of something random happening even if it's a small and insignificant thing. This pack is an essential for me and I am similar to you in terms of what I think of this game. But you don't get to adjust the weather!

    Btw. For DLC in general, personally I think Stuff packs are barely worth it. Maybe one or two and that's it. Game packs I like are Dine Out though it is very very buggy and parenthood though in my opinion it feels a bit too empty.
    For expansion packs the only ones I would buy are the ones you are absolutely interested in. One that you like all the features and the execution so make sure you watch tons of reviews to know what's in the pack (cause EA descriptions tend to paint a false picture).
    My second choice would be Get Famous if you're interested in that kind of gameplay because it is kind of well made and Get Together. All the others are not well executed nor very full imo so you'll have to really like the features to buy them.

    If you are unsure if buying packs will make your opinion of the game better then set a certain amount of packs as a limit. For example buy three expansion packs and think, am I enjoying this right now or am I just craving more content because the game still feels empty? If the latter ends up being true then I say be aware not to fall into the trap of buying packs that you will end up never using cause you are bored of the game (which is a trap I fell into unfortunately).
    Where's my Sims 5 squad at?
  • LazzialLazzial Posts: 159 Member
    Get Together
    I'd have to say get together. I like the club system. It's flexible with a ton of things you can do with it. You also get Windenburg which is nice and will be even nicer once they fix the stairs. (Pretty sad that I have to say that)

  • EllupelluelluEllupelluellu Posts: 6,779 Member
    Get Together
    Tie between Seasons.. But I had to pick GT as I overuse the club system.

    What do you use the club system for?

    Kids have their own clubs with kids from the neighborhood, homework clubs at home of one of the member, playground clubs at the parks , swimming clubs, like that.

    Teens have similar, but maybe also including more activities what kids cannot do, like gardening and gym clubs with other teens in the said neighborhood (or world if there is not enough teens in the hood)

    Ya, adults and elders have their own :)

    Its nice to see the clubs gathering around the communitylots when I am not playing anyone who is member of said clubs :) Like if I play with a sim who does not belong at any club, if they visit to playground or park, the clubs what hang around at those places still do.

    My love, my love, my fearless love, I will not say goodbye..
    Sea may rise, sky may fall, My love will never die..
    My heart, my heart, My drowning heart, Oh all the tears I've cried
    Oh I may weep forevermore, My love will never die..

    My Story:Villa Catarina
  • StrawberryYogurtStrawberryYogurt Posts: 2,799 Member
    Lazzial wrote: »
    I'd have to say get together. I like the club system. It's flexible with a ton of things you can do with it. You also get Windenburg which is nice and will be even nicer once they fix the stairs. (Pretty sad that I have to say that)

    What is the issue with stairs?

    What's the most enjoyable about the club system (for example what are your clubs?)?
    The Sims has currently lost its identity. Bring it back for TS5

    FixedCoarseFawn-max-1mb.gif

    Personality,depth,humor,consequences,lore,customization.
  • EllupelluelluEllupelluellu Posts: 6,779 Member
    edited April 2021
    Get Together
    Lazzial wrote: »
    I'd have to say get together. I like the club system. It's flexible with a ton of things you can do with it. You also get Windenburg which is nice and will be even nicer once they fix the stairs. (Pretty sad that I have to say that)

    I belong to the minority there , as nice as the world is because it is big, I never liked it that much. :)
    My love, my love, my fearless love, I will not say goodbye..
    Sea may rise, sky may fall, My love will never die..
    My heart, my heart, My drowning heart, Oh all the tears I've cried
    Oh I may weep forevermore, My love will never die..

    My Story:Villa Catarina
  • StrawberryYogurtStrawberryYogurt Posts: 2,799 Member
    edited April 2021
    In my opinion, the game lack a lot of unpredictability and you know what's a remedy for that? Weather. It at least gives the feeling of something random happening even if it's a small and insignificant thing. This pack is an essential for me and I am similar to you in terms of what I think of this game. But you don't get to adjust the weather!

    Btw. For DLC in general, personally I think Stuff packs are barely worth it. Maybe one or two and that's it. Game packs I like are Dine Out though it is very very buggy and parenthood though in my opinion it feels a bit too empty.
    For expansion packs the only ones I would buy are the ones you are absolutely interested in. One that you like all the features and the execution so make sure you watch tons of reviews to know what's in the pack (cause EA descriptions tend to paint a false picture).
    My second choice would be Get Famous if you're interested in that kind of gameplay because it is kind of well made and Get Together. All the others are not well executed nor very full imo so you'll have to really like the features to buy them.

    If you are unsure if buying packs will make your opinion of the game better then set a certain amount of packs as a limit. For example buy three expansion packs and think, am I enjoying this right now or am I just craving more content because the game still feels empty? If the latter ends up being true then I say be aware not to fall into the trap of buying packs that you will end up never using cause you are bored of the game (which is a trap I fell into unfortunately).

    Thank you! Ok no adjusting weather. Is every neighborhood's weather the same?

    I do feel that way about stuff packs. I don't plan on buying those or kits. I heard Dine Out is very buggy but I haven't tried running my own restaurant because I'm annoyed about it's limits comparing it to TS2 Open for Business. I was happy to have a nice date out (though they kept playing musical chairs and getting distracted).

    What else is satisfying about Seasons? I do like the atmosphere that it brings in TS2 & TS3, but I don't celebrate any major holidays so those features are not interesting to me. Would you say that is a big portion of TS4 Seasons pack, or is the fun mostly in just weather changes?

    I do like celebrities and like the system in TS3 Nightlife. I did wish it was harder to become a celebrity in TS3. It wasn't easy necessarily, but I wish it would even more difficult to be a top star. Is it fairly easy in Get Famous?

    What do you think is best executed in Get Together?


    I also think what you said in bolded makes a lot of sense too. Thanks for that tip!
    The Sims has currently lost its identity. Bring it back for TS5

    FixedCoarseFawn-max-1mb.gif

    Personality,depth,humor,consequences,lore,customization.
  • msullivan789msullivan789 Posts: 16 Member
    Get Together
    If I had to pick an expansion, I'd probably say Get Together because of the clubs. You can basically make a gang or a cult and its very versatile.
    What makes the game playable for me though is not what you mentioned but the vampires and spellcasters, and I usually have at least some kind of club for each. I know there's mixed feelings about occults but for me the more bizarre I can make my sims world the better.

    At the end of the day its what you personally find fun. There's certainly different styles and things of playing.
  • NationalPokedexNationalPokedex Posts: 829 Member
    edited April 2021
    Seasons
    I voted for Seasons but honestly Get Together and City Living are my other two top votes. I tend to use elements of those packs the most without really thinking about them as separate packs, if that makes sense. I think Seasons adds a layer to the game overall that is just always needed but I feel like once you’ve got it installed you’re like okay and??? It’s so integral because it just should be in the base game. I hope you understand the nuance of what I mean here.

    Get Together’s club system is probably one of the most interesting systems added in an EP, in my opinion because it adds to a lot of the social purpose/mechanics of the game.

    City Living’s world I tend to use a lot for the festivals, the karaoke bar, and the apartments themselves.

    Seasons and Get Together both let you customize your own holidays and clubs, respectively so you can feel like your game is very much your own. There’s not much customization with CL tho (you can’t build apartments or make your own festivals).

    To me I pay A LOT of attention to the potential of the systems that packs add before I buy any of them over say the CAS/BB, so I understand how this kind of gameplay would be important for you. So far I don’t think there’s a pack I’ve necessarily regret because I research all of the packs a lot before I buy them and even then I wait for a sale. So when I buy them I have an idea in mind of exactly what I want to use them for.
  • StrawberryYogurtStrawberryYogurt Posts: 2,799 Member
    Tie between Seasons.. But I had to pick GT as I overuse the club system.

    What do you use the club system for?

    Its nice to see the clubs gathering around the communitylots when I am not playing anyone who is member of said clubs :) Like if I play with a sim who does not belong at any club, if they visit to playground or park, the clubs what hang around at those places still do.

    Thank you! So club members gather on their own without your direction following a schedule? That sounds interesting.
    The Sims has currently lost its identity. Bring it back for TS5

    FixedCoarseFawn-max-1mb.gif

    Personality,depth,humor,consequences,lore,customization.
  • StrawberryYogurtStrawberryYogurt Posts: 2,799 Member
    If I had to pick an expansion, I'd probably say Get Together because of the clubs. You can basically make a gang or a cult and its very versatile.
    .

    Yes I don't play occults so it doesn't fit my playstyle but happy for you! Do you think Get Together provides the best kind of new system out of all the expansions?
    The Sims has currently lost its identity. Bring it back for TS5

    FixedCoarseFawn-max-1mb.gif

    Personality,depth,humor,consequences,lore,customization.
  • SimmerGeorgeSimmerGeorge Posts: 2,724 Member
    Seasons
    A thing you might want to know about Get Together is that even though the club system is very flexible and customizable the AI is unfortunately flawed sometimes. You can basically choose which activities your club members are gonna be doing and which are not allowed.

    The "banned" activities often tend to not have a lot of meaning because Sims will barely do them autonomously. So if you want actual consequences for a Sims' actions breaking the rules of the club, well there are often none because nobody breaks the rules unless you set it to like "Eating is banned" which Sims might break if hungry but anything else doesn't really do much.

    The "recommended" activities on the other hand are like serious overkill, sometimes and I want to point out, sometimes and not always. For example. If you make a cooking club and you set the activity to cooking and eating food. Your Sims will not "cook together and then eat together" as one would do in a cooking club. Your Sims will just cook and eat at random all the time. So much so that they will even stop everything they are doing to do these "recommended" activities.
    Sometimes sims in cooking clubs will even stop cooking a meal, just to start cooking a new meal, so you basically end up with your whole kitchen full of unfinished meals cause sims keep stop cooking to go cook more.

    Other than that it's a fun system. Just be aware that the AI, depending on how you intend to play, might not be optimal.
    Where's my Sims 5 squad at?
  • EllupelluelluEllupelluellu Posts: 6,779 Member
    Get Together
    Tie between Seasons.. But I had to pick GT as I overuse the club system.

    What do you use the club system for?

    Its nice to see the clubs gathering around the communitylots when I am not playing anyone who is member of said clubs :) Like if I play with a sim who does not belong at any club, if they visit to playground or park, the clubs what hang around at those places still do.

    Thank you! So club members gather on their own without your direction following a schedule? That sounds interesting.

    Yes :)
    My love, my love, my fearless love, I will not say goodbye..
    Sea may rise, sky may fall, My love will never die..
    My heart, my heart, My drowning heart, Oh all the tears I've cried
    Oh I may weep forevermore, My love will never die..

    My Story:Villa Catarina
  • IceyJIceyJ Posts: 4,641 Member
    Seasons
    Tie between Seasons.. But I had to pick GT as I overuse the club system.

    What do you use the club system for?

    Its nice to see the clubs gathering around the communitylots when I am not playing anyone who is member of said clubs :) Like if I play with a sim who does not belong at any club, if they visit to playground or park, the clubs what hang around at those places still do.

    Thank you! So club members gather on their own without your direction following a schedule? That sounds interesting.

    Yes :)

    One tiny correction: they don't follow a schedule. The groups gather randomly. Or, if at least 3 club members happen to appear on the lot, a meeting will start automatically.
  • StrawberryYogurtStrawberryYogurt Posts: 2,799 Member
    edited April 2021
    I voted for Seasons but honestly Get Together and City Living are my other two top votes. I tend to use elements of those packs the most without really thinking about them as separate packs, if that makes sense. I think Seasons adds a layer to the game overall that is just always needed but I feel like once you’ve got it installed you’re like okay and??? It’s so integral because it just should be in the base game. I hope you understand the nuance of what I mean here.

    I do get what you mean. For me I describe it as atmosphere.

    tumblr_on5be7KxZL1tkb2p0o9_500.gifv

    Do you feel like the club system would add the most for a player like me? I like setting my sims personality and then kinda letting them do their own thing, maybe nudging them in a certain direction as they go, if that makes sense. I feel like TS2 wants/fears was the best for that. Does the club system you think change individual behavior/thinking of a sim without your personal direction? Like is it more just X group likes eating apples so everyone will take up that same habit? Idk what im trying to say tho either lol


    What options are available in the festival building?

    Also, are they any mods you recommend with any of these systems?
    The Sims has currently lost its identity. Bring it back for TS5

    FixedCoarseFawn-max-1mb.gif

    Personality,depth,humor,consequences,lore,customization.
  • EllupelluelluEllupelluellu Posts: 6,779 Member
    Get Together
    OH! One more thing! GT gave us nightclubs!

    Way better option than bars. I have changed so many bars to night clubs.
    My love, my love, my fearless love, I will not say goodbye..
    Sea may rise, sky may fall, My love will never die..
    My heart, my heart, My drowning heart, Oh all the tears I've cried
    Oh I may weep forevermore, My love will never die..

    My Story:Villa Catarina
  • StrawberryYogurtStrawberryYogurt Posts: 2,799 Member
    OH! One more thing! GT gave us nightclubs!

    Way better option than bars. I have changed so many bars to night clubs.

    What do you think makes the difference? I've downloaded nightclubs to the gallery without GT. My sims drink at the bar and dance, but what does the actual nightclub do differently?
    The Sims has currently lost its identity. Bring it back for TS5

    FixedCoarseFawn-max-1mb.gif

    Personality,depth,humor,consequences,lore,customization.
  • SimmerGeorgeSimmerGeorge Posts: 2,724 Member
    Seasons

    Thank you! Ok no adjusting weather. Is every neighborhood's weather the same?
    !

    No every world has different weather depending on the climate which is a great touch.
    What else is satisfying about Seasons? I do like the atmosphere that it brings in TS2 & TS3, but I don't celebrate any major holidays so those features are not interesting to me. Would you say that is a big portion of TS4 Seasons pack, or is the fun mostly in just weather changes?

    The create-a-holiday system let's you create any holiday you want so it doesn't matter if you don't celebrate certain holidays. You can make your own very easily, but holidays are a big part of the pack so maybe keep that in mind. Stuff like Valentine's day, Christmas, Easter, Halloween are all either created for you or you are given options to create them.
    Other than that the clothes are nice. I use the BB a lot and there are other skills like roller skating which I don't care much about but you might.
    I do like celebrities and like the system in TS3 Nightlife. I did wish it was harder to become a celebrity in TS3. It wasn't easy necessarily, but I wish it would even more difficult to be a top star. Is it fairly easy in Get Famous?

    It's not nearly as easy as in the Sims 3 but it's kind of easy depending on what you do. Once I tried becoming a famous photographer which took a century but a famous actor is a lot easier. The perks though are the best part about the pack. You can make a celeb with a good reputation or just a super infamous celebrity everyone knows but hates.
    What do you think is best executed in Get Together?

    The world is the highlight for me.
    Where's my Sims 5 squad at?
  • StrawberryYogurtStrawberryYogurt Posts: 2,799 Member
    A thing you might want to know about Get Together is that even though the club system is very flexible and customizable the AI is unfortunately flawed sometimes. You can basically choose which activities your club members are gonna be doing and which are not allowed.

    The "banned" activities often tend to not have a lot of meaning because Sims will barely do them autonomously. So if you want actual consequences for a Sims' actions breaking the rules of the club, well there are often none because nobody breaks the rules unless you set it to like "Eating is banned" which Sims might break if hungry but anything else doesn't really do much.

    The "recommended" activities on the other hand are like serious overkill, sometimes and I want to point out, sometimes and not always. For example. If you make a cooking club and you set the activity to cooking and eating food. Your Sims will not "cook together and then eat together" as one would do in a cooking club. Your Sims will just cook and eat at random all the time. So much so that they will even stop everything they are doing to do these "recommended" activities.
    Sometimes sims in cooking clubs will even stop cooking a meal, just to start cooking a new meal, so you basically end up with your whole kitchen full of unfinished meals cause sims keep stop cooking to go cook more.

    Other than that it's a fun system. Just be aware that the AI, depending on how you intend to play, might not be optimal.

    Thank you!! Are there any mods that help the system run better?
    The Sims has currently lost its identity. Bring it back for TS5

    FixedCoarseFawn-max-1mb.gif

    Personality,depth,humor,consequences,lore,customization.
  • NationalPokedexNationalPokedex Posts: 829 Member
    Seasons
    Each world has its own climate which affects how it experiences the seasons. A summer in Oasis Springs is not the same as a summer in Brindleton Bay. My sim lives in Oasis Springs and it’s summer and she’s basically been shut in her house all summer because of the heatwaves (by my choice for her to not go out on those days).
  • EllupelluelluEllupelluellu Posts: 6,779 Member
    Get Together
    IceyJ wrote: »
    Tie between Seasons.. But I had to pick GT as I overuse the club system.

    What do you use the club system for?

    Its nice to see the clubs gathering around the communitylots when I am not playing anyone who is member of said clubs :) Like if I play with a sim who does not belong at any club, if they visit to playground or park, the clubs what hang around at those places still do.

    Thank you! So club members gather on their own without your direction following a schedule? That sounds interesting.

    Yes :)

    One tiny correction: they don't follow a schedule. The groups gather randomly. Or, if at least 3 club members happen to appear on the lot, a meeting will start automatically.

    Thank you, I missed the schedule part, indeed no schedules..
    My love, my love, my fearless love, I will not say goodbye..
    Sea may rise, sky may fall, My love will never die..
    My heart, my heart, My drowning heart, Oh all the tears I've cried
    Oh I may weep forevermore, My love will never die..

    My Story:Villa Catarina
  • StrawberryYogurtStrawberryYogurt Posts: 2,799 Member
    Lazzial wrote: »
    I'd have to say get together. I like the club system. It's flexible with a ton of things you can do with it. You also get Windenburg which is nice and will be even nicer once they fix the stairs. (Pretty sad that I have to say that)

    I belong to the minority there , as nice as the world is because it is big, I never liked it that much. :)

    What don't you like about it?
    The Sims has currently lost its identity. Bring it back for TS5

    FixedCoarseFawn-max-1mb.gif

    Personality,depth,humor,consequences,lore,customization.
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