Thanks to the Game Changer program, Annabel was lucky enough to get beta access to the pack – you can find a list of all her articles here.
In order to focus just on the new pack features, beta access was limited to base game plus The Sims 4 Cottage Living, but we had loads of questions on how the amazing new features on this pack would blend in with the other packs. What impact will things like the weather or NAPs have on your farms? Can you earn fame by winning fayres?
We’ve compiled a list of the questions we had below, along with what we’ve found out once we added the new pack into a very big mix! If there’s anything we’ve not included that you want to know, please drop a note in the comments or on our social media channels! We’ll also update the list as we find any further links and easter eggs!
Overall, the aesthetic in the pack works well with existing content. I found this especially noticeable in CAS, particularly some of the more recent ones, such as Strangerville, Eco Lifestyle, Dream Home Decorator and Paranormal. While some of the build/buy assets are very specific to the pack theme – like the red phonebox or the pub sign – most of it would work in a number of other worlds and themes, especially the recent Country Kitchen kit!
The Sims 4: Get Together
Cross Stitching has been added as a skill that can be set as a requirement for club membership. It’s also been added as a club activity, and has potential to get a boost under club perks. So, you could either create a WI type club, with cross stitch, knitting, baking and cooking (canning is a subset of the cooking skill rather than it’s own skill) or create a farm club, looking after animals and gardening.
The Sims 4: Seasons
So far, the weather in Henford on Bagley has been exactly what I’d expect for an English country village! Sunny spells crossed with torrential rain that conveniently dried up in time for that afternoon’s fayre! Animals will also shelter out of the rain!
We’ve also discovered that if you have a chicken coop on your lot, and have a holiday Egg Hunt, you’ll find the new eggs – normal, blue, orange etc rather than the decorated ones. If you want to decorated ones, you can hunt eggs on a lot that doesn’t have a coop, including community lots.
The Sims 4: Get Famous
I’m curious if we can gain fame from winning prizes at the fayre. So far I’ve only achieved a participation prize, which had no impact, but once I do win something, I’ll update!
The Sims 4: Island Living
It’s possible to farm on the beach!
The Sims 4: Realm of Magic
While scruberoo doesn’t appear to work for cleaning the coop or shed*, copypasta does work on – so far! – eggs, including regular golden and hatchable varieties, llama wool, and treats, but not on fertilizer. Again, I’ll update this with any further spells as I go.
*Update 22/07
With thanks to EmmaVane, I’ve learned that scruberoo *will* work, I just hadn’t let my cows, coops or sheds get dirty enough! Animals need to be visibly dirty, and outhouses need to be at maximum dirty state for the option to be available.
The Sims 4: Nifty Knitting Stuff
You have the option to knit with llama wool – like cooking, you now have the option to cook with fresh ingredients, which saves you money, or just pay upfront if you don’t have any wool handy. You can also knit some of the animal clothing as well. Cross stitches, animal clothes and llama wool can all be listed on Plopsy.
Miscellaneous
Working across multiple packs, you can sell produce on the sale tables found in various packs, such as City Living and Jungle Adventure.
A few areas where I hoped we’d get cross pack impact but haven’t so far found any – Vampires won’t drink from the chickens instead of humans, you can’t use home grown produce in the restaurants and the ice cream maker doesn’t use fresh milk. It also doesn’t seem to list anything as lactose free, although my sim hasn’t yet unlocked all the recipes.
Sadly, I haven’t yet spotted any interactions between Cats and Dogs and the new farm animals or wild animals. I’ve had 3 dogs living alongside rabbits, chickens and a llama, and they seem oblivious to each other. The creature keeper doesn’t sell any clothes for cats or dogs, either.
Overall, the pack is a good fit with the rest of the packs, while standing alone as something a little different.
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