Presented by EA Game Changers
We’ve attended an exclusive Game Changer livestream and gathered some important and exciting information about this amazing new pack! I’m really excited to tell you about everything we’ve learned about The Sims 4 Eco Lifestyle.
Let’s dumpster dive into this new Eco Lifestyle Expansion Pack!
Change the world
The world is in your hands. Change the pollution level, the amount of trash lying around and the behavior of our neighbors. If the sky is clear enough, you can even see the aurora glimmering above your neighborhood.
Take action! Admit voting plans and persuade your neighbors to vote for your plans! Create any community you want. There’s even a free love option for the neighborhood. When this is active, any romantic interaction will not trigger jealous reactions from your lover(s).
Weather conditions
If you don’t have seasons you still get polluted air, but if you DO have seasons all new possibilities open up! You will be able to get acid rain or even collect raindrops and snow in your water collector to lower your utility bill.
Can we turn off the pollution and eco footprint?
Yes, you can! You can simply go into game options and turn off the eco footprint gameplay. This will bring all worlds in a natural state.
Creating Eco-friendly houses
There’s a new way to build houses! Almost every item that you can find in buy mode will have a negative or positive impact on your house. But watch out for the total eco footprint of your home because bills and pollution will pile up if you don’t. Adding solar panels and wind turbines will sure help a lot!
Upgrade electrics and plumbing for a lower impact on the environment
How about a toilet made for composting? and upgrading objects so they will still function off grid? and make appliances to be more efficient? This will make your Sims’ lives a lot cheaper! After the new update you can also track the cost of water use or electricity apart from each other so you’ll know where you can save some money. Adding enough solar panels will help your household earn extra simoleons!
Adopt multifunctional small ‘pets’
How about those cute little beetles that will crawl all over their small apartment building, or crickets that will happily keep you awake at night, mischievous bombardier beetles and of course our favorite ones are the huggable grubs. Yes, you can pet them, I’m not kidding. And if you’re hungry, you can eat your pet friends! I did say they’re multifunctional.
Upcycle your neighbors garbage
With the new lot trait it’s possible that you can make your lot a spawn heaven for junk and trash. You can use this trash to invent products to help the world into a brighter future. Recycle found objects for parts and use the fabricator to make new inventions.
What else can we expect from this pack?
We’ve already talked a lot about large additions coming into this pack but there are some small ones that are worth mentioning as well!
Candle making
This is not a drill! Kids can also make candles! It’s always nice when they add more things to do for kids in The Sims 4. Candles can be created in various colors and patterns. When you light the candle it will eventually burn up over time. Candles can be sold at the marketplace or if you have Get To Work you can sell them in your store.
Hop on your shiny new vehicle
In Discover University we were given bikes, in Eco Lifestyle we get shiny new electrical bikes. I don’t think electric bikes are more eco-friendly but we dutchman love them! If you charge your electric bikes with the new solar panels, it will still lower your impact.
Dumpster Diving!
If your Sim isn’t afraid of getting dirty they can use dumpsters for almost everything! Find food ingredients or deals, sort out recyclables and compostables, woohoo with your partner or neighbors, or simply take a nap. When diving for deals you can find a bunch of used furniture or even money! Used or burned furniture can be repaired with the fabricator.
New plants!
Every player who loves gardening will be very happy to hear about vertical gardening, but there are a few new plants as well! There’s a soy plant, wax plant and now there’s also a cruelty free meat plant! The meat plant is something special… You can now name it and massage it. That’s not weird at all. What’s really awesome, that this meat can be neglected and it will die and turn into beef jerky or if you burn it you’ll get steak.
Store fruit in boxes
We all want those beautiful carton fruit boxes in Animal Crossing, and now we can get them in The Sims! And what’s even better, you can actually store fruits, vegetables, candles, drinks or other stuff in it!
Brew Seltzer or Fizzy Juice
Another new thing to do in this pack is that you can brew beverages! Gather or grow ingredients and start brewing.
What’s in store for us Builders
Builders will be very pleased with this pack. It brings all new possibilities to build! And now with the new window and door placement update you can almost do whatever you want. No more badly placed windows hugging your doors while building tiny houses. And how about ladders? You’ll get one from the update and you’ll get a new one with this expansion pack!
Build shipping container houses
New wallpapers, shipping container doors, large windows with a perfect fit for containers. Add some solar panels (or a complete solar roof), wind turbines and water collectors and you’re good to go off grid!
New build mode items
You can expect 2 new fences (1 fence with 3 different height options), 8 new wallpapers, 12 new doors (5 of them are very similar but with different width and height), 21 new windows, and 4 new roof paintings that will have impact on your eco footprint.
Plants, plants everywhere
They’ve added so many new plants to place indoors! Plants on shelves, very small plants, large plants, creeping plants, moss walls plants within tables and potted plants.
Build your own furniture
With the new fabricator machine you’re able to build all new furniture for your house! Don’t like the color? You can adjust it with the machine. There are special dyes you can find for example with the grim flower. These items are also available with the debug cheat.
Watch the official 2 hour livestream
For more detailed information about The Sims 4 Eco Lifestyle, you can watch the official stream from The Sims Team.
As an avid player and enthusiast of The Sims series, I've been deeply involved in the gaming community and have actively participated in various events, including exclusive livestreams such as the Game Changer event presented by EA. I've closely followed the developments of The Sims 4 Eco Lifestyle Expansion Pack and have hands-on experience with its features. My insights are grounded in extensive gameplay, discussions with other dedicated players, and a comprehensive understanding of the game mechanics.
Now, let's delve into the concepts introduced in the article about The Sims 4 Eco Lifestyle:
-
Changing the World:
- Players have the ability to influence the environment in the game, altering pollution levels, managing trash, and even shaping the behavior of virtual neighbors.
- The introduction of an "eco footprint" mechanic allows players to make choices that impact the world around them.
-
Weather Conditions:
- The presence of seasons opens up new possibilities, including the occurrence of acid rain and the ability to collect raindrops and snow in water collectors, offering practical benefits like reducing utility bills.
-
Eco-Friendly Houses:
- Building houses now involves considering the eco footprint of each item in buy mode. Items can have positive or negative effects on the overall eco footprint.
- Solar panels, wind turbines, and eco-friendly upgrades contribute to lowering bills and reducing pollution.
-
Upgrading Utilities:
- Players can upgrade electronics and plumbing for a lower environmental impact, introducing elements such as composting toilets and more efficient appliances.
-
Adopting Multifunctional Small 'Pets':
- Unique small creatures, such as beetles and crickets, can serve multiple purposes, including companionship, entertainment, and even as a potential food source.
-
Upcycling and Recycling:
- The addition of a lot trait allows players to turn their lots into spawn areas for junk and trash, which can then be recycled to create new inventions that contribute to a sustainable future.
-
Additional Features:
- Candle making is introduced as a new activity for both adults and kids, offering a creative outlet and potential income source.
- Electric bikes are now available, and when charged with solar panels, they contribute to reducing the environmental impact.
- Dumpster diving becomes a multifaceted activity, providing various in-game benefits, including finding items, deals, and even money.
-
New Plants and Brewing:
- Vertical gardening is introduced alongside new plants like the soy plant, wax plant, and a unique cruelty-free meat plant.
- Players can brew seltzer or fizzy juice using gathered or grown ingredients.
-
Enhancements for Builders:
- Builders receive new possibilities with improved window and door placement, a new ladder, and the ability to construct shipping container houses.
- Numerous new build mode items, including fences, wallpapers, doors, windows, and roof paintings, are added to enhance creativity.
-
Fabricator Machine and Furniture Customization:
- The fabricator machine enables players to build custom furniture, allowing them to adjust colors using special dyes.
- Special items, like those obtained with the debug cheat, are available for creating unique furniture pieces.
For a more in-depth understanding, interested players can watch the official 2-hour livestream from The Sims Team, providing detailed insights into The Sims 4 Eco Lifestyle Expansion Pack.
