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)?
You can adjust the season lengths as a whole by weeks in Options, so each season is the same length but you can change how many weeks they last. But you can’t say you want 3 days for Summer, 5 days for Winter, that kinda thing.
Idk, I just don’t play with the calendar anymore like I used to. I used to think it was a really cool feature and used it often. I would create my own custom holidays. I ended up starting a new game a while back and just never felt like recreating all the holidays I had before. Plus seeing the sad moodlet on my Sim when they didn’t do enough holiday activities was a bit annoying.
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).
Oh thats interesting! In TS2 you can change what season each neighborhood gets but cannot change the intensity. Thank you for sharing!
Well you can decide which season to start in when you make a new save and you can determine how long the seasons are. That is the limit of customization of the weather itself.
Actually no, you can also select whether or not to have thunderstorms and blizzards and whether or not the temperatures will have an affect on your sims.
I think that many packs have some features that are essential to game. Get Together brings clubs, Eco Living has naps, Seasons brings weather and calendar, Get to Work brings three active careers with goals/gameplay, Discover University has class goals and side activities, Get Famous has celebrity/reputation ranks and actor career like in gtw, Cats and Dogs has pets.
But you cannot decide what the weather will be based on which seasons you choose your world to have like in the Sims 2 for example where you could choose to have a neighborhood that is snowy all year round etc. The game has to rotate the 4 seasons without any duplicates so the weather that a world will have will be predeterminded.
The choice to disable blizzards, thunderstorms and effects on Sims is just a way for people to turn stuff off they don't want their game to have. A way for you to "nerf" the features basically.
When I think of which pack I find essential, I think about the worlds that came with the pack. I want my sims to be part of a community. So for me it's City Living because the plaza in the Spice district in San Myshuno is the only place anywhere that feels like a real place where other sims live. Other worlds have locations like Whiskerman's Warf in Brindleton Bay, the town square in Forgotten Hollow, the downtown areas in Willow Creek and Oasis Springs that LOOK like they were designed to be full of sims. but they are only empty areas with lots to visit.
As much as I love Windenburg, there's no central plaza or town square, no real gathering spot that could give us the impression that the world is filled with sims who live there. It feels like an empty film lot.
But you cannot decide what the weather will be based on which seasons you choose your world to have like in the Sims 2 for example where you could choose to have a neighborhood that is snowy all year round etc. The game has to rotate the 4 seasons without any duplicates so the weather that a world will have will be predeterminded.
The choice to disable blizzards, thunderstorms and effects on Sims is just a way for people to turn stuff off they don't want their game to have. A way for you to "nerf" the features basically.
@Wolfium Thanks for pointing that out. I know of this item but no it's not exactly what I meant with a way to determine weather for each world depending on your liking. This is btw not any type of feedback from me. I just wanted to point out to the OP, who seems to play a lot of the Sims 2 that the system is a different one and it does not allow you to create a permanent pattern on how seasons will rotate for each and every neighborhood individually.
When in need, this is an item to create a similar effect but I thought it was important for the OP to know the difference between Sims 4 Seasons and Sims 2 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.
I do get what you mean. For me I describe it as atmosphere.
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 club system is a excellent feature, you pick their activities, where they hangout etc, they will spawn on that lot you've picked and do the activities that you picked aswell, I used this too create my own npcs, you can have fighting club and woohoo club as an activity aswell, you will also get a DJ booth, the world is beautiful and coffee shops, there's also great CAS and Build & buy items aswell, you can also create a music club and a book club,
basically you could create a club for everything that's available in game @StrawberryYogurt
I declined to vote because I have only one expansion pack, Get Together.
I'm not surprised by the high vote for Seasons, it's not what I would have voted for because if I could remove winter from my RL seasons I'd very likely do so . However what I've read here has moved that pack up a notch or two or my future purchases list.
Got Get Together mainly for Windenburg, was impressed by its size and variety though it's managed to not have a museum. Haven't used the club system much, can't seem to get myself out of the loner cranking out as much aspirations as possible play style. Was surprised how highly this pack rated over the others, but I agree with that.
Thinking about City Living for my next purchase next mainly for the city, but now very much considering the advise to go to Game Packs to get myself to try different play styles.
I choose city living, I personally love this pack, it was my first sims 4 expansion aswell, I love the city life, having noisy neighbours, karaoke bars, I love the multi cultural aspect of the pack aswell, the arts centre, the only downfall for me is you can't place apartments everywhere, but if you want to just throw your sim in an affordable home it's awesome, I love the cas, build & buy, there apartments that needs TLC, run down apartments are fun to start off from then work up to the penthouses
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).
Oh thats interesting! In TS2 you can change what season each neighborhood gets but cannot change the intensity. Thank you for sharing!
Well you can decide which season to start in when you make a new save and you can determine how long the seasons are. That is the limit of customization of the weather itself.
Actually no, you can also select whether or not to have thunderstorms and blizzards and whether or not the temperatures will have an affect on your sims.
You’re right. I forgot about that as I never bother with those settings.
I didn't vote because I don't know which pack this came with, but the pack I cannot live without is the one that brought the club system. I use the club system for just about everything in the game. Every single family has their own club and they can be a happy family that does activities together or individualistic where they spend their time doing individual tasks. They can even be a bad family that is mean to each other or picks on certain sims. Then I have clubs for seeing around town that go to specific venues so I always see certain sims hanging out at places. I make clubs so my kids and older nerds hang out at the comic shop/internet cafe, I have a group of bros that hangs out at the dive bar causing mischief and they pick on the nerds. I have teens hanging out at parks picking on kids. Kids hanging out at the library doing homework or the park playing. I have a group of women that hang out at the coffee shop. A group of elders who play games at the park. Anyway, without this pack, my game would be lacking and boring. I love all the other packs, but without this one, there is no way the game would be fun. This pack actually allows me to give my sims personality by having they do certain interactions autonomously and when I'm not actually playing them (since I play on rotation). And seeing them around town actually doing things that I think they would actually be doing when I'm playing makes me love them even more. In my game, I don't just see sims standing around talking anymore like they used to. The clubs make everything more lively and it's wonderful!
Plus, with a mod you can add interactions from other packs for the clubs. It's so worth it.
Get Together.
Ah, thanks! I voted now. Also, Seasons is my second. It would be my first, but TS4 sims don't have much character and the clubs is a way to give it to them.
I had to think long and hard about City Living vs. Seasons, but in the end, I decided that even if I don't always have my sims living in San Myshuno, I often have them go to the festivals - especially Geek Con and the Spice Festival, and occasionally the Flea Market. They're great places to try new foods, socialize with lots of sims, work on skill-building without needing a giant Telescope or a whole rocket on your property, and occasionally find something cool.
I live near a very large city IRL, so the idea of going "downtown" to a festival just feels very natural to me.
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.
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 club system is a excellent feature, you pick their activities, where they hangout etc, they will spawn on that lot you've picked and do the activities that you picked aswell, I used this too create my own npcs, you can have fighting club and woohoo club as an activity aswell, you will also get a DJ booth, the world is beautiful and coffee shops, there's also great CAS and Build & buy items aswell, you can also create a music club and a book club,
basically you could create a club for everything that's available in game @StrawberryYogurt
And there is a mod that adds more activities from the other packs so you can have them do even more as the game expands. I have a club for university students where they do their term papers, presentation boards, homework, research, and studying. I have a skiing club. There's so much you can do with the clubs.
Eco lifestyle is the most fun I had in quite a while. There is lot of potential in this pack whether you are an achievement player, a storyteller or a builder. I definitely suggest getting it although I see in the forums that it is not very popular with other players. Imo though it is a very good value for money.
Evict all townies and demolish all their houses and then rebuild the entire neighborhood to your liking. I technically did this with Willow Creek, just 4 townies remain there lol.
For me its Get Together not because its world I hate the style of the world or the clothing and objects but all for the club system its truly the one thing about Sims 4 I'd miss if I played the older games. Being able to set clubs to specific lots and have families or friends go to these lots and do activities you set for them is truly game changing.
Sims 4 went from "You Rule" to "One of the stories we want you to tell"
None of the expacs will solve the problems you listed in the original post.
My essential is Eco Living. I love to play off the grid and utilize NAPs to help or hinder my sim. I love dumpster diving, the beetle houses, the vertical gardens. Trying to get neighbourhoods green or industrial is also an added challenge.
Get Together ties with Seasons/Island Living/Snowy Escape.
Windenburg in Get Together is a very big beautiful world with cool outdoor parties & you can make any kind of club you want.
Seasons should've been in the base. It has a nice verity of holidays & temperatures.
Island Living is a beautiful island world with island festivals, a dolphin & mermaids.
Snowy Escape is a beautiful wintery world with winter festivals & a secret winter mountain peak lot.
Evict all townies and demolish all their houses and then rebuild the entire neighborhood to your liking. I technically did this with Willow Creek, just 4 townies remain there lol.
Oh yes I usually do that lol!! I just like placing my own lots where i want and i wish i could rename neighborhoods!!
The Sims has currently lost its identity. Bring it back for TS5
Because so many of my shenanigans happen at outdoor venues I've created, my game simply wouldn't be the same without Seasons. There's nothing quite like partying on top of a 4th-floor open-air nightclub during a blizzard or thunderstorm.....
The fame system I find does wonders for adding personality, even if you stick to a one or two star celebrity level there's a bunch of architypes you can make such as the most popular kid in school, the popular dad in the neighbourhood, a highly respected business person, etc. They're not celebrities per say, but with the added fame these sims have restricted interactions which makes it more difficult to socialize with them, and with the added quirks and buffs they even have additional behaviour attributes.
Then there's the reputation system. I like how depending on how good or bad a sims reputation is your relationship may start higher or lower than normal, meeting an atrocious sim will start your relationship with them pretty far in the negative, adding extra flare or surprise when meeting new sims in the world. Sims will also appropriately react to sims with a good or bad reputation which is also a nice added detail.
In order to make the most of these systems though you the player would have to go through each sim in the world and give them the fame and reputation you desire, in the default save, sims who live outside del sol valley have no fame or reputation what so ever which is a shame, these systems really come to life when there are a variety of sims with a variety of fame and reputation levels to meet and interact with.
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).
If this is what you are looking, then you might like eco lifestyle as well. It's not my personal favourites but NAPs can alter the everyday behaviour of your sims a lot. Striving for a particular eco footprint can be quite a challenge and requires editing every lot. Just remember to read up on nap before you enable them because they can have unexpected or unwanted results.
Thanks! Ive heard about N.A.Ps. I really wish you could create your own NAPs. Is that possible in game or with mods? Or can the club feature be extended to every sim so it works like a NAP?
So the NAPs is like a voting system and it is pretty much contained in one world. I tend to ignore it. I do like the community market and the crafting that comes with Eco Lifestyle. I find it probably minimum in changing behavior. It acts more like an event from Seasons in that something can happen but there are ways to influence it too and you earn points like the club system to vote for or against a NAP.
“Although the world is full of suffering, it is full also of the overcoming of it.” –Helen Keller
Comments
You can adjust the season lengths as a whole by weeks in Options, so each season is the same length but you can change how many weeks they last. But you can’t say you want 3 days for Summer, 5 days for Winter, that kinda thing.
Idk, I just don’t play with the calendar anymore like I used to. I used to think it was a really cool feature and used it often. I would create my own custom holidays. I ended up starting a new game a while back and just never felt like recreating all the holidays I had before. Plus seeing the sad moodlet on my Sim when they didn’t do enough holiday activities was a bit annoying.
Actually no, you can also select whether or not to have thunderstorms and blizzards and whether or not the temperatures will have an affect on your sims.
The choice to disable blizzards, thunderstorms and effects on Sims is just a way for people to turn stuff off they don't want their game to have. A way for you to "nerf" the features basically.
As much as I love Windenburg, there's no central plaza or town square, no real gathering spot that could give us the impression that the world is filled with sims who live there. It feels like an empty film lot.
Is Advance Season what you wanted?
@Wolfium Thanks for pointing that out. I know of this item but no it's not exactly what I meant with a way to determine weather for each world depending on your liking. This is btw not any type of feedback from me. I just wanted to point out to the OP, who seems to play a lot of the Sims 2 that the system is a different one and it does not allow you to create a permanent pattern on how seasons will rotate for each and every neighborhood individually.
When in need, this is an item to create a similar effect but I thought it was important for the OP to know the difference between Sims 4 Seasons and Sims 2 Seasons.
The club system is a excellent feature, you pick their activities, where they hangout etc, they will spawn on that lot you've picked and do the activities that you picked aswell, I used this too create my own npcs, you can have fighting club and woohoo club as an activity aswell, you will also get a DJ booth, the world is beautiful and coffee shops, there's also great CAS and Build & buy items aswell, you can also create a music club and a book club,
basically you could create a club for everything that's available in game @StrawberryYogurt
I'm not surprised by the high vote for Seasons, it's not what I would have voted for because if I could remove winter from my RL seasons I'd very likely do so
Got Get Together mainly for Windenburg, was impressed by its size and variety though it's managed to not have a museum. Haven't used the club system much, can't seem to get myself out of the loner cranking out as much aspirations as possible play style. Was surprised how highly this pack rated over the others, but I agree with that.
Thinking about City Living for my next purchase next mainly for the city, but now very much considering the advise to go to Game Packs to get myself to try different play styles.
@Wolfium
Yes and thank you both! Helping me to understand how Seasons work in TS4 😃
Personality,depth,humor,consequences,lore,customization.
You’re right. I forgot about that as I never bother with those settings.
Ah, thanks! I voted now. Also, Seasons is my second. It would be my first, but TS4 sims don't have much character and the clubs is a way to give it to them.
I live near a very large city IRL, so the idea of going "downtown" to a festival just feels very natural to me.
And there is a mod that adds more activities from the other packs so you can have them do even more as the game expands. I have a club for university students where they do their term papers, presentation boards, homework, research, and studying. I have a skiing club. There's so much you can do with the clubs.
None of the expacs will solve the problems you listed in the original post.
My essential is Eco Living. I love to play off the grid and utilize NAPs to help or hinder my sim. I love dumpster diving, the beetle houses, the vertical gardens. Trying to get neighbourhoods green or industrial is also an added challenge.
Windenburg in Get Together is a very big beautiful world with cool outdoor parties & you can make any kind of club you want.
Seasons should've been in the base. It has a nice verity of holidays & temperatures.
Island Living is a beautiful island world with island festivals, a dolphin & mermaids.
Snowy Escape is a beautiful wintery world with winter festivals & a secret winter mountain peak lot.
Oh yes I usually do that lol!! I just like placing my own lots where i want and i wish i could rename neighborhoods!!
Personality,depth,humor,consequences,lore,customization.
Then there's the reputation system. I like how depending on how good or bad a sims reputation is your relationship may start higher or lower than normal, meeting an atrocious sim will start your relationship with them pretty far in the negative, adding extra flare or surprise when meeting new sims in the world. Sims will also appropriately react to sims with a good or bad reputation which is also a nice added detail.
In order to make the most of these systems though you the player would have to go through each sim in the world and give them the fame and reputation you desire, in the default save, sims who live outside del sol valley have no fame or reputation what so ever which is a shame, these systems really come to life when there are a variety of sims with a variety of fame and reputation levels to meet and interact with.