How To Play: The Sims 4
About Sims 4
The Sims 4 is a life simulation game, similar to its predecessors. Players create a Sim character and explore different personalities which change the way the game plays out. Sims can multitask such as talk while doing a task. Sims' moodlets also change the gameplay. For example, a Sim can do a task while being either angry or totally excited.
Similar to previous Sims games, player-created challenges abound. One of the most prevalent is the Legacy Challenge, in which players control a single Sim and try to make its family line last for ten generations
Create A Sim
One major change to the Sims 4 Create A Sim is that sliders have been obliterated and has been replaced by direct mouse click drag and pull. Through mouse click and drag and pull players may directly manipulate the facial features of a Sim. Players can also directly manipulate any body part including the abdomen, chest, legs, arms and feet. This is a new feature and was not included in previous Sims games where only the fitness and fatness can be manipulated on a Sims body. However, fitness and fatness levels may still be adjusted in Sims 4 as in previous games.
The base games comes with over 40 hairstyles for both men and women
Selections of premade designs of Sims are available to choose from ranging from different body shapes to ethnicities
Six life stages are available including baby, child, teenager, young adult, adult and elder. Although the baby life stage is accessible only through the birth of a Sim and not available in Create A Sim.
Traits have returned with each Sim having three traits and an aspiration containing its own hidden trait.
Compared to previous Sims games where everyday, formal, sleepwear, athletic, party and swimwear wardrobes were restricted to having their own clothing options, all clothing options are now available across all forms of wardrobe and players are allowed up to 5 outfits per category.
Buy/ Build Mode
In The Sims 4, build and buy modes have been combined and is now treated as a single feature.
A detailed build-and-buy system is present along with neighborhoods and landscaping. Some locked buy mode items may be unlocked through the progression of career levels.
Entire buildings and rooms can now be moved across the lot. Wall heights can also now be adjusted.
There is also a pool tool feature, with a custom version and triangular, square and octagonal pool tools too.
There are build mode cheats such as motherlode, which enable the player to automatically gain 50000 simoleons to buy things with.
There is now a search option to search for build and buy mode options.
The Gallery
The Sims 4 includes social features, such as importing Sims and houses other people have made from The Gallery into the player's game. This impacts the world around the player's Sims. Players may publish their creations into the Gallery for other players to download into their game instantly.
Worlds
The Sims 4 base game ships with two worlds including Willow Creek and Oasis Springs. Both contain five neighborhoods, which contain five lots. Through free update, a new world Newcrest also became available which has fifteen empty lots.
Expansion Packs
Get To Work
First released on March 31, 2015, this first expansion pack adds three new playable, active careers: Doctor, Detective and Scientist. Get to Work also gives the opportunity to build your own retail store and start your own retail business. This expansion pack also adds a new neighborhood called Magnolia Promenade, and planet Sixam, an alien home world, as well as playable alien Sims. The pack also adds two new skills (Baking and Photography), new objects and clothing.
Get Together
On August 5, 2015 at Gamescom, EA announced a second expansion pack that will be released in December 2015. The pack will add many features that Sims can go with their friends, such as clubs, DJ booth, dancing and DJ skills, and natural pools. It will also add a new neighborhood called Windenburg.
Outdoor Retreat
The first paid DLC game pack, released on January 13, 2015, adds a new world called Granite Falls. Within the new world Sims can vacation outdoors in a national park. The DLC also adds a new skill (Herbalism); a new collectable (insects); and several new Sims traits, achievements, aspirations, outfits, objects, and game interactions related to outdoor activities.
Spa Day
The second paid DLC game pack, released on July 14, 2015, adds a new building type, the spa. The DLC also includes a new skill (Wellness) as well as several new outfits, objects, and game interactions related to the typical features in a spa like massages, meditation, mud baths, saunas, and yoga.
Luxury Party Stuff
The first stuff pack, released on May 19, 2015. This adds several luxury party outfits and items, including buffet tables and a table-top cheese/chocolate/drinking fountain
Perfect Patio Stuff
The second stuff pack, released on June 16, 2015, added new patio furniture, including hot tubs, as well as new outfits.
Cool Kitchen Stuff
The third stuff pack, released on August 11, 2015, added new kitchen counters, cabinets and appliances, such as an Ice Cream Maker with over 30 different flavors.
Spooky Stuff
The fourth stuff pack, released on September 29, 2015, adds Halloween-related costumes, items including spider webs and a pumpkin carving station, and a new spooky-themed party that Sims can throw.
