We wanted to showcase every single item that you get in Create A Sim with The Sims 4 Cottage Living Expansion Pack – including the presets!
In the video above you can catch all the items you get for Masculine and Feminine Sims, ranging from Toddlers to Elders!
It’s safe to say that Sims Sessions has gotten us all in the mood for music and before Sims Sessions sadly ends this week, I wanted to take a moment to honour some of my favourite music videos that have come out recently in the form of a mini look book! I wanted to recreate some of the best looks seen in my favourite music videos and here they are!
All of these looks are 100% CC-free! They only use Maxis content from various packs.
This video was my original inspiration for this look book. I just thought Ed Sheeran’s dance club vampire look was so cool and such a big break away from his usual style. I was dying to recreate it in the game!
Taylor has so many iconic looks in this video but I really wanted to recreate the outfit she’s wearing at the end of the video when she finally finds the person she loves. It’s not as glamorous as the more popular white lace dress ensemble but the fact that she’s wearing something simple and homely when she’s with her love is beautiful.
P!NK’s ability to reinvent herself decade after decade and yet still stay true to her original edgy attitude is something to admire and her varied looks in this video prove that. My favourite scene was when she was fighting off the giants in suits in a wasteland so I recreated that look here.
While the Sims Sessions Event has come to an end, you can keep the festival feeling going by creating your own Sims Sessions inspired lot.
Even though, it is not possible to use the Debug Sims Sessions stage on its own, as your Sims are unable to use the stage freely due to the game asking you to wait until after the performances are finished despite there being no NPC performances. However, it is quick and easy to make your own custom festival stage. Simply customize it to how you want, and your Sims are almost set to take to the stage.
Before your audience arrives, you might want to make sure you’ve got your Vendor’s set up ready. Simply pick a food vendor of your choice, and you can find the Sims Sessions Festival Vendor in the Debug menu in the catalogue. Don’t worry, you can still buy the festival merchandise too!
To assemble your audience, you can either Travel with a group of Sims or use Get Together’s Club feature. Don’t forget that when you are creating your Festival Space to set your Lot Type. You can choose the Lot Type that best suits the type of festival space you are aiming to create.
Now that your Sims are festival ready, it’s time for the main event. Either have your Sim perform on stage or hire performers and enjoy the show!
It can be a little chaotic trying to organize your Sims to stand or dance where you want them too, but as long as they are having fun that’s the main thing, right?
Let us know what kind of festival space you are going to create and who you would love to see perform there in the comments below!
Want to check out the brand new world of Henford-on-Bagley coming with The Sims 4 Cottage Living Expansion Pack in action?
In our latest video overview I’ve covered the entire visual tour of Henford-on-Bagley, its 3 neighborhoods, pre-made lots & households, lot sizes and so much more. Check it out above!
SixamCC is the creator behind the beautiful summery custom content pack that will help you create your Sims’ ultimate patio and pool spaces. The Dreamy Outdoor CC Pack features over thirty brand-new meshes and is base compatible. However, you will require The Sims 4 Island Living to be able to have the functional pool floats.
You can find SixamCC’s Tumblr here!
From tables and chairs to patio decor, chair swings, a pergola, French doors, pool floats, and more, there is plenty to help bring that Summer feeling alive. Each item comes in a variety of swatches including more neutral and plain coloured ones as well as patterned swatches.
There really is a number of possibilities to create the perfect patio or even pool area for your Sims with SixamCC’s Dreamy Outdoor Custom Content Pack!
To download the pack, you can head over to SixamCC’s Patreon and Tumblr.
You can also find more of SixamCC’s creations via the links below!
Presented by EA Game Changers
The Sims 4 Cottage Living Expansion Pack comes with 2 new Traits, an Aspiration and a Reward Trait that you get for finishing the new Aspiration. I’ve gotten a chance to try these out and show you what they bring! Please note that this is not captured on final software and features are subject to change.
These Sims are obsessed with animals, and will seek their company often. They will have an easier time caring for animals and getting closer to them.
Animal Enthusiast Sims unlock a wide array of new interactions for all Animals that come with The Sims 4 Cottage Living. There are lots of new interactions that come with this trait so much that I compared down below what options you get when socializing with a Llama as an Animal Enthusiast vs. a non-Animal Enthusiast:
As an Animal Enthusiast you’ll be able to more enthusiastically interact with your Animals and “Smother them with Love”.
Animal Enthusiasts are also able to show a Dance Move to their animals, as well as pull out a Guitar / Violin and practice their skills while the select animal is listening. Yes, you can play the guitar to your favorite chicken!
With this Trait you’ll often get smaller buff boosts that will make your Sim Happy.
There’s also an interaction exclusive to this Trait that lets you Admire an Animal of your choice. However, I did find this interaction to be a little creepy as my Sim only stared at his Llama for a few Sim seconds. No buffs or anything…
These Sims will become sick if they eat dairy, but will feel great if they have avoided it for a while.
It’s a tough world out there for Sims with the Lactose Intolerant Trait. Especially since there’s a bunch of recipes in The Sims 4 that contain milk or cheese. To make sure your Sim doesn’t make a mistake of making a meal that they won’t be able to tolerate make sure you hover over a finished meal to see if it’s Lactose Free. Meals that contain Lactose won’t have a tag, however meals that are Lactose Free will contain the label letting you know that it’s safe to eat.
Some recipes that come with The Sims 4 Cottage Living including Milk Bread and Yorkshire Pudding also come with a Lactose Free variant that your Lactose Intolerant Sims will be able to eat without any side effects.
You can of course always take risks! With the Lactose Intolerant Trait Sims can select meals that contain lactose and “Wonder If it’s Worth It”. You’ll get a notification reminding you that your Sim is Lactose Intolerant, as well as a popup saying that your Sim is wondering if some risks are worth taking…
If you decided that yes, you should definitely ignore all the warning signs and eat a lactose meal as a Lactose Intolerant Sim you’re in for a ride. While your Sim is eating a meal they will enjoy while heating, however when they’re finished…
You’ll get an Uncomfortable +2 Moodlet saying that no, it definitely wasn’t worth it. During these 3 hours they will also fart uncontrollably and their Bladder Need will immediately be cut in half.
However, you can still try and push your Sim over the limits by eating a lactose meal again. This time your Sim will get bloated and have their Bladder Need decayed almost entirely, so watch out!
Your Sim will get a positive buff if they stay away from meals that contain lactose for a while. Still, easier said than done!
The Sims 4 Cottage Living also comes with a brand new Aspiration called Country Caretaker that guides you through Henford-on-Bagley and befriending all the Animals!
Nature Conversationalist Sims have improved relationships with animals, allowing their animals to live longer, happier lives. Rabbits and birds will bring them more gifts. And they can interact with plants in unique ways, receiving more yield from harvests. They will also receive free grocery delivery, and, when residing in Henford-on Bagley, a discount on their bills.
With this Reward Trait Sims will be able to provide their animals a longer lifespan than usual by just…well…having this Trait.
I did witness my Sim getting a lot of gifts from Wild Rabbits and Birds with this Trait, as you can also see in the cute screenshot down below:
Another cool thing with this Trait is that you’ll have Free Delivery on Groceries for the rest of your Sim life! Sims with this Trait will also get reduced bills if they’re living in the world of Henford-on-Bagley.
Over the last couple of days I’ve gotten a chance to play The Sims 4 Cottage Living Expansion Pack and showcase the pack, its features and of course – all of the objects included!
In this video overview of Cottage Living’s Build Mode I’ve gone through every single object including new Kitchen objects, Animal Sheds and Chicken Coops, Chairs, Decorative Phone Boots and well, literally everything. In the video I’ve also gone through each color variant there is.
After 26:10 in the video you’ll see a full rundown of BuyDebug and Live Edit Objects. There are so many hidden objects included in this pack so make sure you check it all out!
Presented by EA Game Changers
The Sims 4 Cottage Living Expansion Pack finally lets you purchase groceries (or order them via phone!).
I’ve dived deep into this new feature thanks to the Early Alpha. Please note that because it’s early version things are subject to change!
Groceries are finally making a comeback to The Sims 4! Whether you’re mising basic ingridients such as Sugar and Flour or you’re out of Fruits and Vegetables, you’ll be able to restock your fridge almost instantly with two new ways of getting Groceries, which I’ll explain below.
This feature is extremely useful if you’re playing with the new Simple Living Lot Challenge and are missing a few ingridients and food in your fridge and inventory!
There are two ways you can get groceries – by purchasing them from a Grocery Market Stall or by ordering the groceries online.
You can directly Purchase (or Sell) groceries at the Grocery Market Stall found in Finchwick Neighborhood, right in the city centre.
At the stall you’ll be able to purchase fresh groceries including:
There are new set of groceries added every day so make sure you check up the shop regularly! If you have multiple Packs installed that bring in new types of groceries they also might get listed!
The Grocery Shop also lets you sell any groceries you have in your Sim’s inventory. Simply click on the stall and select “Sell…” and choose the groceries from your inventory that you want to sell immediately.
Is your Sim feeling confident enough to ask for a lower price on groceries? They can Haggle with the Grocery Shop Owner and get a discount!
There are three ways you can order groceries directly to your home: via phone or by simply clicking the Fridge and selecting Order a Delivery. You can order the groceries via phone > Order a Delivery > Grocery Delivery.
You’ll get the same Grocery Shop Menu with a similar selection of groceries that can be delivered to your lot.
After you finish your order a deliverer will come to your home – in a mater of just a few Sim seconds! They’ll find your entrance doorway and knock on your door until you choose to Accept the Delivery. The deliverer will then place down the groceries on the nearest surface in your home.
You’ll be able to choose whether to put the Grocery Bag in your inventory or Unload the Bag. Unloading the bag will put ingredients in either the fridge and/or your Sim’s inventory, depending or not some groceries need the fridge to remain fresh.
You might’ve noticed that there’s another new Food Delivery service called Zoomers Food Delivery!
The Zoomers Food Delivery allows you to order local specialties and food. The more packs you have installed the more local specialties you’ll also be able to order!
Similarly to Grocery Delivery, the Zoomers Food Deliverer will arrive at your doorstep with the food bag. You’ll have to accept the delivery so that the deliverer can place down the Food box to the nearest surface. Just like with groceries select Unload Delivery Bag, drag the food out of your Sim’s inventory and enjoy your meal!
Presented by EA Game Changers
For these last couple of days I’ve gotten a chance to tour of Henford-on-Bagley – a brand new world coming with The Sims 4 Cottage Living Expansion Pack!
In this overview you’ll see a full rundown of the new world, its lots, lot sizes and households included in the world. The software that I captured is Early Alpha so things are subject to change!
From the natural beauty of Cordelia Falls to the clear, brisk currents of the River Bagley, the mingling of earth and water makes Henford-on-Bagley a lovely place to visit but perhaps an even lovelier place to live. Villagers here connect with the history of the land while finding friendship in the the furry and feathery creatures that inhabit the woods. So what if the average neighbor is a little more gossipy? You couldn’t ask for a better place to grow, tend, and nurture a more natural life.
Welcome to Henford-on-Bagley! This new world consists of 3 different neighborhoods. Down below you can check out the full breakdown of all the neighborhoods and their lots:
The natural beauty of these woods have long provided a picturesque place for many wild birds, rabbits, and foxes to call home. Whether secreting a small surprise under Sophie the Snail, bringing an easel to paint the serene Cordelia Falls, foraging for wild mushrooms, or finding romance among the ruins of the Isle of Volpe, any Sim would be transformed by a day in the Bramblewood.
Lot created by HeyHarrie
Lot created by HeyHarrie
Lot created by Thomas TV
The Bramblewood also has two homes each for wild rabbits and wild birds. You can see where they’re located in the map below:
Nestled along the River Bagley, the old mill village of Finchwick prides itself on its bustling and close-knit community. Its historic square features a pub and quaint stalls amid a flowering garden, perfect for a little window shopping. Tourists and locals alike flock to the weekly village fair, where Finchwick’s Mayor makes a special appearance to judge entries and gossip about the latest happenings.
Lot created by Devon Bumpkin
Lot created by Thomas TV
Lot created by HeyHarrie
Lot created by Clare Siobhan
An area that boasts rolling hills, lush estates, and a small community garden, Old New Henford is perhaps best known for its historical naming woes. Initially known as Little Henford, the neighborhood renamed itself New Henford in an attempt to escape its diminutive origins. However, in neglecting to inform national mapmakers, they ceased to officially exist for a two-week period. When told that to be reinstated would require yet another name change, residents chose Old New Henford, which beat out the other choice – New New Henford – by a single vote.
Lot created by Devon Bumpkin
Lot created by Clare Siobhan
Lot created by Thomas TV
Old New Henford contains a single home each for Wild Bunnies and Wild Birds!
Presented by EA Game Changers
I’ve gotten a chance to play the upcoming version of The Sims 4 and test out the brand new Water Tool Feature that’s coming to Build Mode for FREE! In this article I’ll be showcasing all the water tool possibilities, what it takes to create a pond, showcase the new water objects and also take a look at minor feature improvements for Terrain Paint as well!
Please note that the version of The Sims 4 I got to play is an early version and features are subject to change.
The first thing you’ll notice is a small revamp of the Build Menu on the bottom left – with a new Terrain Tools icon that now also include the new Water Tool, as well as a category for Outdoor Water Decor.
With the water tool you are able to create ponds in your own lot! This tool co-operates with the Terrain Tools, meaning that you’ll have to deepen the terrain in order to fill it with water. Something like this, or however you want to deepen the terrain:
All the way on the bottom of the Terrain Tool categories you’ll find the Water Tool category. Inside there are different brush sizes, a Water Depth Map Option and tools including Raise Water, Lower Water, Fill to Height and Remove Water.
Down below you can check out what each tool does and how it looks like in the game:
FUN FACT: Did you know that you can have multiple ponds at multiple water levels? That’s right! As long as there’s terrain that cuts the water in half at a certain terrain level you’ll be able to create each pond at a different water level!
Remember – each pond on your lot can be placed at a different water level. Terrain and pond holes that you’ve deepened seperately one from another are especially easy to manipulate with their water level. Creating different water levels with the pond you’ve seen above can get a little…challenging.
The Water Depth Map allows you to quickly see in Build Mode which areas are approachable and interactable with water interactions in Live Mode.
There’s now a new category added to Build in the House User Interface – marked with a log. Inside you’ll find 3 new categories for Pond Tools and 2 categories for fountains and pools, including:
There are 6 water styles coming with the Base Game, including:
The Pond Objects Category includes objects such as the log, grass, lily pads, fountains, sculptures and fishing signs!
There are two versions of fishing signs included: one which allows you to stock the Pond with your own Fish and the other sign comes Pre-Stocked with basic Fish types.
You’ve heard that correctly – you can stock your own Ponds with your own fish that you’ve discovered and caught!
Clicking the Fishing Sign in live mode will allow you to Stock the Pond with the Fish you’ve caught. From there you’ll be able to manage which Fish can be in the Pond and used for fishing – either by yourself or other Sims who visit the lot.
Because for some reason fish don’t appear visually after you stock the pond, you’ll be able to fill in the Pond with effects found in the Pond Effects category!
In this category you’ll find the following effects for placing down. Please note that visual effects will only start appearing after you enter Live Mode:
The upcoming update for The Sims 4 also includes new Brush Sizes for Terrain Tools and Terrain Paint! There are no longer 5 brush sizes but a slider that consists of 8 different sizes, meaning you can make the brush as small as a single tile piece…
…or as big as almost your entire lot!
These new sliders will especially come in handy for everyone who uses Terrain Paint, because now you can go into much greater detail!
What are your thoughts on the new Water Tools coming to The Sims 4? Let us know in the comments!
Did you miss The Sims 4 Cottage Living livestream earlier today?
The full replay of the livestream is now up on The Sims official YouTube Channel. Check it out
Presented by EA Game Changers
Over the last couple of days I’ve gotten a special opportunity to check out the early alpha copy of The Sims 4 Cottage Living Expansion Pack!
During this period I’ve managed to check out the full catalogue of Create A Sim items that come with this pack. There are new CAS items for each age in the game, and I’m especially impressed at the hair conversions done for Children and Toddlers!
Down below you can check out the full rundown of all of the new Create A Sim items, for each fashion preference, category and age. I’ll be doing a deep dive into seperate swatches in an upcoming CAS Review video so stay tuned!
Before you check out the CAS preview, please note that this is Early Alpha software, meaning that the game is not final yet. You might see some issues specifically with one of the feminine adult bottoms, as well as the issue with a specific pair of leggings looking “glossy”.
Country Caretaker – Country Caretakers want to tend the countryside and befriend all animals and critters!
Lactose Intolerant – These Sims will become sick if they eat dairy, but will feel great if they have avoided it for a while.
Animal Enthusiast – These Sims are obsessed with animals, and will seek their company often. They will have an easier time caring for animals and getting closer to them.
Presented by EA Game Changers
The Calendar, a feature which was first introduced with The Sims 4 Seasons Expansion Pack is getting integrated into The Sims 4 Base Game for FREE!
I’ve played with the calendar while getting my hands on The Sims 4 Early Alpha and here’s what’s included in the Base Game version, as well as which improvements have been made.
The Base Game version of The Calendar will display things like Work Schedules, School Schedules, Birthdays, Events you’ve made and Festivals happening in the world, assuming you have packs installed that bring in new Festivals.
The Calendar allows you to create an Event like Parties, Birthdays, Weddings and more up to two weeks in advance!
You’ll notice that in The Calendar User Interface there’s a new Filter Category. This will ESPECIALLY come in handy if you have multiple Packs installed since a lot of festivals and events have been added to The Sims 4 over the last couple of years. With these filters you’ll have an easy overview of schedules that you care about the most.
Looking forward to a specific festival or an event? You’ll be able to save multiple ones as your Favorite and keep track of it in the calendar through the Favorites filter!
Features from The Sims 4 Seasons such as The Weather Report, Holidays and creating your own Holiday are still exclusive to the Expansion Pack. You’ll be able to keep track of your favorite Holidays by favoriting them!
We’ve gotten a chance to play with The Sims 4 Cottage Living Early Alpha Access, and with the pack we’ve also gotten the upcoming version of The Sims 4 Base Game!
In this video I’m showcasing all of the new Features coming in this month’s The Sims 4 Base Game Update including new Water Tools, Group Activities, The Calendar and so much more!
There’s going to be a seperate article as well in the near future going into detail with all of the new additions. Stay tuned on our website!
The Sims Team is doing an official livestream for The Sims 4 Cottage Living Expansion Pack!
In this livestream they’ll be showcasing the pack and do a deep dive of the pack’s Gameplay, World, Build and Create A Sim!
The livestream is set to begin at 11AM PT / 8PM CET / 7PM BT. If you’re confused about the time zones don’t worry – the countdown to the stream is included in the livestream linked below.
Don’t go just yet after the livestream’s over! Just one hour after the livestream we will begin rolling out exclusive coverage for The Sims 4 Cottage Living (and the upcoming Base Game update as well) so stay tuned on our website!
