The Sims Team has released a Trailer for the latest The Sims 4 Challenge – the Spring Challenge!
For more information about the Challenge and how to complete it, CLICK HERE!
How to Improve The Sims 3 Environment Graphics
Although The Sims 3 Graphics may look old to some, there are still a few tweaks that you can do to improve your visual experience of the game.
Shadows Quality
Even with all Settings set up to max, it still might feel like Shadows are not showing their full potential. They appear jaggered and distorted in most cases, but luckily that can be solved!
Go to Electronic Arts > The Sims 3 > Game > Bin and open GraphicRules.sgr. Use CTRL + F and search for ShadowMapSize. Under ”setting $High”, change the ”prop $ConfigGroup ShadowMapSize 1024” value to ”prop $ConfigGroup ShadowMapSize 3840” if you want 4K shadows or ”prop $ConfigGroup ShadowMapSize 7680” if you want 8K shadows. Here are the results:
Outdoor Lighting Tweaks
Do you feel like the nights are too bright and blue? Is there too much bloom during the day? Are shadows too choppy and don’t move naturally? There’s an easy fix for all of that + more!
dDefinder‘s Outdoor Lighting Tweaks Mod makes the overall Environment of Worlds much more natural. Here are some of the major features of this Mod:
- Shadows naturally ”follow” the sun.
- Nights are no longer overly blue and bright.
- Updated Sunrise and Sunset colors.
- Tweaks to sun intensity, ambient lighting and bloom.
- More natural Environment during weather ocassions. (Requires TS3 Seasons to function)
- Adds 3 new weather types: Heavy Fog, Stormy and Overcast.
You can download the Mod by pressing the download button below. As the Mod comes packed with different variations, we suggest that you read the install instructions provided with the Download link.
[mks_button size=”large” title=”DOWNLOAD” style=”rounded” url=”http://www.modthesims.info/download.php?t=367164″ target=”_blank” bg_color=”#1e73be” txt_color=”#FFFFFF” icon=”fa-arrow-down” icon_type=”fa”]
How do all of these tweaks appear in the game? Check out our Timelapse Video:
The Sims 4: Spring Challenge 2016 Tutorial
The latest Sims 4 Update brought a new Challenge in the game – The Spring Challenge!
Once you open The Sims 4, you’ll be greeted with this Screen in the Main Menu, giving you some more info about the Spring Challenge.
The Growfruit Challenge
Jasmine Holiday is the Challenge Coordinator of the Spring Challenge. She can be found in the Community Gardens of Willow Creek and Oasis Springs.
She’s easily recognized by her Pink Blazer with a Growfruit Icon on her back.
Jasmine doesn’t function like other Townies. She only comes with 5 unique interactions:
Spring Challenge revolves around growing Growfruit in your Garden. It can also be found as a spawnable plant around other Neighborhoods, but the main goal here is to have 20 Growfruit harvested in your Inventory.
The best way to start is by Asking for a Growfruit Starter Pack. You’ll then be given a Growfruit Seed packet with only one Growfruit seed.
If you don’t know what a Growfruit is, here’s some basic info about the new Plant:
If you don’t have a Planter Box in your Lot, go into Build Mode and buy it. Then, use the Growfruit from your Inventory and drag it into the Planter Box. Click on it and select Plant.
Just like any other plant, Growfruit needs to be watered and nurtured from Weeds.
Once its grown, you’ll see the Growfruit in its full glow (literally).
The Growfruit will occasionally grow new Growfruits which you can harvest.
To reach your 20 Growfruit goal faster, plant the harvested Growfruits that you have in your inventory and nurture them. You’ll reach your goal in no time!
Once you have 20 Growfruit in your Inventory, find Jasmine and select ”Give Growfruit”.
You’ll be rewarded with the Growfruit Challenge Garden Pot.
You can find it in Build Mode for 30 Simoleons.
But, the Challenge doesn’t end there. After you’ve completed this mission, you’ll unlock a new Mission to unlock a new Garden Pot. This time, you’ll have to bring one Perfect Growfruit to Jasmine.
Growing a Perfect plant takes time and skill. As you take care of your Growfruit, you’ll notice that the plant will begin to sparkle. That means that your Growfruit is ready to evolve! Select the Growfruit and click Evolve to upgrade your plant quality.
The quality of any plant goes as following: Nice > Very Nice > Good > Great > Excellent > Superb > Magnificent > Pristine > Perfect.
This means that it will take you a couple of sim days or even weeks to reach the Perfect quality. To make things faster, use fertilizers or fish to unlock the Evolve interaction more quickly.
Once you’ve finally grown your Perfect Growfruit, harvest it at bring one Growfruit to Jasmine.
You’ll unlock the Perfect Growfruit Challenge Garden Pot that can be found in Build Mode.
Congratulations! Now that you have finished the Growfruit Challenge, these Pots are yours to keep forever!
Bunny Egg Hunt Challenge
The Bunny Egg Hunt Challenge is the same one that we had last year, only with 2 new Egg colors.
For more information about this Challenge, check out our Bunny Egg Hunt Challenge Tutorial!
The 2 new Rare Eggs are recognisable by their glow:
The Sims 4: New Update! (March 22nd, 2016)
The Sims Team has released a brand new Update for The Sims 4!
To download the latest version of The Sims 4, simply open your Origin program and if the game doesn’t update automatically, right click on The Sims 4 and select ”Update”.
In case you have Mods or Custom Content, the game will automatically disable them for you after first launching The Sims 4 after the update. To re-enable all your Mods and Custom Content, select the Settings option in the Menu and select Settings. Under the”Other” section you’ll find the ”Enable Custom Content and Mods” option. Check it and restart your game in order for it to take effect!
Patch Notes
Update: 03/22/2016 – PC Version 1.16.61.1020 / Mac Version 1.16.61.1220
Greetings Simmers,
How is everything?
We have a small bit of something here in this release… and I know, reading your responses to the announcement, that there are some questions. So, let me see if I can give you some information.
First off, let’s talk about the new stuff. It’s Spring, and there is a Spring Challenge!
Jasmine Holiday, our new Challenge Coordinator, is waiting for you at the community gardens found in Oasis Springs and Willow Creek. And she is looking for your help in gathering growfruit… turns out she needs a lot.
Bring her 20 growfruit and she’ll give you a new planter. Bring her a perfect growfruit, and she’ll give you the bedazzled planter. Jasmine also has a limited supply of super fertilizer that she is willing to share with you to help you grow that perfect growfruit.
We’ve also added back the Egg Challenge from last year. Now with 2 new eggs added to the mix. Gather all 12 from around the world to unlock a stuffed bunny!
- For those that unlocked the stuffed bunny last year – it’s still there along with the new bunny look added to its color options!
Ok, so the couple of questions that may come to mind (or did already get asked), that I can help address here.
- Will Jasmine remain after the challenge?
- Jasmine is just around for the challenge, she is our Challenge Coordinator and is very busy.
- Will she be back?
- I’m glad you asked that…
Other questions that may come up…
- What about the eggs and the growfruit, will they stay around?
- We will not be removing anything you have found, but like last time, the eggs will no longer be scattered about for you to find.
- The growfruit will still grow on your trees, can be planted, and harvested… however with Jasmine departing, you will not be able to buy new seeds.
We also have some issues that we have been addressed.
General Issues
- Gallery lots that have been bulldozed will no longer maintain the pre-bulldozed “original by” information when uploaded to the Gallery.
- Gallery uploads that are using custom thumbnails will now be marked as custom content.
- Sims will now finish reading a book!
- Using moo, to moove wall objects that have a “preferred” height (wall book shelves, mirrors), will no longer reset their position when picking them up from their new moo position.
- Ok…how many of you read that as “new moo poo-sition”?
- Mooving a room that has moo’d objects within it, will no longer incorrectly reset or place in inventory, the moo’d moved objects.
- “Using the cupcake machine (OF DOOM*) will now count towards your daily requirement to prepare food in the culinary career (OF DOOM*).
- * OF DOOM references are for enhanced reading experience only, and are not present in game. Sound fx have not been added post editing. AA batteries sold separately. Batteries however are not required for your text reading experience, unless you are reading on an ancient hand held device that actually runs on AA batteries. In which case I apologize for the “ancient” reference.
- Ownership of an activity table, in regards to the completion of the “Have an Activity Table” aspirational goal of the Artistic Prodigy aspiration, no longer fails if the ownership occurred prior or post to the goals presence.
- “Perform Routine in Space” will now properly count towards the “Perform 3 Comedy Routines” aspirational goal for Joke Star aspiration.
- … pigs in space…
- For no reason except to date myself…
- The whim “Send Happy Text” will now properly complete if the interaction is initiated from the phone menu.
- Becoming friends with siblings (who are of the child age) will now properly track against the “Become Friends with 3 Other Children” goal of the Social Butterfly aspiration.
Outdoor Retreat
- Ultra or Super (fanatical, rabid, outlandish, drastic, ludicrous,…. )… Ludicrous speed (also known as Super Speed) should now properly work when Sims sleep or nap in a tent.
- Dragging a stack of inventory items from one Sim to another Sim, should now properly drag the stack.
- Interesting data point… knowledge that dragging from one Sims inventory to another Sim inventory was possible in The Sims 4 – less than 0.5% of players.
Spa Day
- After a small debate, yoga has emerged victorious – and the Yoga Mat now counts as a piece of workout equipment when attempting to complete the Bodybuilder Aspiration.
- On an unrelated side note, the original engineer would like to know the number of a good chiropractor.
Get Together
- The “Light a Bonfire” whim should no longer appear if there is no bonfire near.
- The whim “Dance to Stereo Music” will now properly complete if the Sim dances to music from the DJ booth.
Wishing you enjoyment in game and out,
-SimGuruGnome
The Sims Online is unofficially back! (As a FreeSO Project)
The Sims Online was the first and so far the last Multiplayer Game created in The Sims Franchise. It released in December of 2002 and since then it attracted many Simmers around the world to connect, chat and play together in a massive virtual reality universe.
Sadly, it didn’t last very long. In August of 2008, The Sims Online has closed all of its servers. The reason?
In April 2008, four weeks after EA-Land was launched, it was announced that the development team had to disassemble, and that the game would shut down on August 1 the same year. This day of announcement was referred to as the “EA-Land Sunset”. Maxis stated that the development team would be moving on to other projects.
For a last couple of months/years, a group of talented programmers have been working on a project called FreeSO (Free Sims Online), which basically includes all the features and content that The Sims Online used to have. It functions using private servers, so you can either join a private server or you’ll need to have your own in order to invite Simmers in.
If you’re interested in installing FreeSO, CLICK HERE for all the steps and details that you’ll need to take in order to play the game. The community of FreeSO is very active, so if you have the time, Join their Forums for all the latest updates about the game and info about private servers that you can join.
KPopp recently made a video about this game project, so if you want to see how it plays out before installing it I recommend that you check it out:
The Sims 4 Custom Content Spotlight: Kitchen Sets
In this Article I’ll be showcasing some of the most creative and original Custom Content Kitchen Sets created for The Sims 4 in the last couple of days/weeks. Before you continue, please note:
- All of these Sets have been tested but we do not guarantee that everything will run smooth with this CC on your end.
- You can install CC by extracting the zipped files in Electronic Arts > The Sims 4 > Mods folder.
- Make sure you enable CC / Mods in The Sims 4’s game options. Go to Game Options > Other > Enable Custom Content and Mods.
You can start with reading this article by pressing the arrows left / right down below and/or above.
The Sims 4: Spring Fling Fanmade Stuff Pack
To celebrate the first day of Spring, some of the top CC creators (@deeetron @nolan-sims @snooderful and @xdeadgirlwalking) have gathered their creative minds to create their own Custom Stuff Pack for The Sims 4 made out of various Custom Content items.
It comes with plenty of new CAS and Build Mode items. Best of all? It’s completely free and it only requires The Sims 4 Base Game to play!
To install, extract the zipped content in your Mods folder (Electronic Arts > The Sims 4 > Mods).
[mks_button size=”large” title=”DOWNLOAD” style=”rounded” url=”http://nolan-sims.tumblr.com/post/141364341877/a-collaboration-between-deeetron-nolan-sims” target=”_blank” bg_color=”#1e73be” txt_color=”#FFFFFF” icon=”fa-arrow-down” icon_type=”fa”]
The Sims 4: More info on Jasmine Holiday NPC and Challenges
SimGuruDrake took some time to answer questions from Simmers on The Sims Forum about the Upcoming Patch that will bring a new Spring Challenge in The Sims 4.
SimGuruDrake: Jasmine Holiday is actually the lovely lady in this particular image in the pink blazer:
SimGuruDrake: Jasmine Holiday has a special blazer on that has a logo on the back (she is the Challenge Coordinator so she deserves something a little special 🙂 ). In regards to whether or not you can romance her: You cannot. She will also be departing when the challenge period has ended.
jackjack_k: Tbh though, this feels like a “Gamepack is not ready we need a placeholder!!!!!!” Rather than intended to be the actual new way to play.
SimGuruDrake: ”no gif”
This was something that was always planned to happen, the gardening portion of the challenge is a new addition. We are actually looking at expanding the way we do challenges, this is just the start 🙂
Also I voted for “Anna Holiday” to be the NPCs name (it was a suggestion by one of the other members of them team…cause it sounds like ‘On A Holiday’ lol –its the little things I get excited over.) But we’re hoping to have her make a regular appearance for future challenges as well 🙂
Behind The Scenes With LittleMissSimmer
BEHIND THE SCENES: CURRENT HOUSEHOLD
Hello Simmers! Today I am here for the start of a very unique series of articles here at The Sims Community. It will give you an insight into what its like for me as not only an author here at The Sims Community but a YouTuber and avid sims player! When I am not recording lets play parts or reviewing the latest releases I do like to try and find the time to work on my own game play. Current Household videos are something I upload every now and then to showcase how I play outside of recording and in today’s introductory post I will be going more in depth into my current off-screen family!
Aoife Pierce: is how it all began! My very first sim in the household living alone in her studio flat hidden away in Windenburg. Aoife is a young adult sim from a big family. Shes started out as a medical intern just as the family members before her had done. She has since worked her way up to Medical Technologist at Cut-N-Gut Health taking after her father who was a world class surgeon. Her aspiration is to have a successful lineage, something her own parents instilled into her from birth. Academic success in the medical field was a must and she didn’t really have much say in the matter. Consequently she would like the same for her own family, not necessarily in medicine though. Aoife is a cheerful, self-assured, domestic perfectionist with a love for writing. She loves to put her stories, experiences and feelings on paper and publish them to the world to read. She has written two successful books titled ‘Love, Her xoxo‘ and ‘Sweet Treats’ .
Wrenn Sears: Aoife’s girlfriend! The two met during a singles night at the Rattlesnake Juice and have been inseparable ever since! Wrenn was living in a tiny bedsit in Oasis Springs as she got her career as a detective at the police station off the ground. After a few months getting to know each other the pair put their savings together to buy a family home in Willow Creek. Although barely scraping together simoleons for the bills each week the two are thriving in their new abode! Wrenn is a very creative sim, like Aoife she likes to express herself. She enjoys looking out from the balcony and painting from her pink easel and earns a bit of money on the side selling her least favourite pieces to the local gallery. Wrenn aspires to have a big happy family, being an only child growing up she wants something different for her future, A big house full of lots of children and family.
Krysta Xias: A lesson in not judging a book by its cover, Krysta is an alien who was dumped on Earth after being overthrown as queen in Planet Sixam. Her disguise is that of a confident, self assured hot-headed mean girl with a sting in her tail… but her looks couldn’t be more deceiving. As queen Krysta had to be confident in herself, however she still remains insecure at times, especially in the human world. She saw her fellows at Sixam as her family, she nurtured and supported them all until her jealous younger sister disposed of her on Earth and took the thrown faking Krysta’s death. Aoife found Krysta lost and alone wondering around the Creek and decided to bring her home before the scientists caught sight of her. Wrenn wasn’t impressed but agreed to let her stay as long as she remains in disguise at all times. New to the sim environment Krysta loves to explore and collect new things. Breeding frogs, finding crystals and gardening are among her most favourite sim activities to take part in. Obviously she doesn’t work just yet as she can’t quite comprehend social conventions which has already got her in a spot of bother (not in her mind though)
Krysta, while strolling around Windenburg stumbled upon Mr. Harvey. Completely unknowing to her Harvey was actually a scientist studying extraterrestrial life forms. He knew immediately that she was an alien, but said nothing through fear of startling her. At first, it was all about acquiring her DNA. This way Harvey could make the ultimate breakthrough and become a world renown scientist in his field. But Krysta had a charm, she quite liked Harvey and may or may not have used her alien abilities to brainwash him into returning those feelings. The couple were smitten, but Krysta didn’t realize she could get pregnant by a human sim. She unexpectedly fell pregnant and recently gave birth to little Eva. Harvey was beyond belief. He had not only found an alien but created the first ever human and alien hybrid! Will he protect his partner and child from his coworkers? or sell them out and commit the worst possible betrayal…
That is all for today’s post! If you enjoyed reading about my off-screen household make sure to comment down below and I will most certainly keep you guys updated! Dag Dag!
The Sims Blog: Grow Growfruit and Hunt Eggs in The Sims 4 Spring Challenge!
Via TheSims.com!
When we think of spring, one thing comes to mind: biting into a delicious Growfruit. You know about Growfruit, right? Green with yellow and blue stripes – delicious. Surely you’ve eaten a thousand of them. No? Well, starting on March 22, you’ll be able to grow them in The Sims 4 as part of a new in-game challenge!
You might notice a new Sim in The Sims 4 named Jasmine Holiday. She’s not some random townie – she’s carrying Growfruit seeds, and if your Sim talks to her, she’ll hand one over.
After you get a Growfruit, you’ll need to have your Sim use their green thumb to plant it to make a Growfruit tree. This tree will – you guessed it – grow more Growfruit. Once you get 20, bring them back to Jasmine Holiday to unlock a reward: a new planter. If you’re able to grow a perfectGrowfruit, then she’ll unlock an even cooler, bedazzled planter for you. Not bad, right?
But this isn’t the only challenge in this update. If you were playing The Sims 4 this time last year, you might remember seeing fanciful eggs scattered around the world. They’re back, kicking off the second annual Bunny Egg Hunt. There are 12 Eggs to collect (up from 10 last year), and if your Sim gathers them all, they’ll unlock an adorable stuffed bunny.
But, just as the season itself, these in-game challenges won’t last forever. They’re only going to be available for the next month – so if you want to get the planters or the stuffed bunny, get ready to start hunting for eggs and growing Growfruit on March 22!
The Sims 4: Spring Challenge and New Update coming this Tuesday
The Sims News section of TheSims.com leaked an image with the following text:
When we think of spring, one thing comes to mind: biting into a delicious Growfruit. You know about Growfruit, right? Green with yellow and blue stripes – delicious. Surely you’ve eaten a thousand of them. No? Well, starting on March 22, you’ll be able to grow them in The Sims 4 as part of a new in-game challenge!
Read More
We reached out to EA and they have confirmed that the Patch is coming this Tuesday!
The Sims 2 Spotlight: Neighbourhoods
Welcome to the very first Sims 2 Spotlight! In this Spotlight series we will find and share custom content for your Sims 2 game. Today we will be showing some wonderful custom neighbourhoods created by dedicated Simmers.
Bayside Flats (Download Here)
Created by the Hood Building Group
Sedona (Download Here)
Created by the Hood Building Group
Quadington University (Download Here)
Created by the Hood Building Group
Riverside (Download Here)
Created by The Riverside Group
The “Beginnings” Series (Download Here)
Created by Marka93
Have you created a custom neighbourhood for The Sims 2 you want to show off? Contact me on SC Social or on Twitter at @SimmerNick.
You can join the discussion about this article HERE!
The Sims 4: Facebook Custom Reactions Plugin For Chrome and Firefox
Do you want to simify your Facebook? There’s now a simple solution for that!
With the introduction of Reaction buttons for Facebook, you can add Custom Reactions for people who use Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox.
Here’s what you need to do to install The Sims 4 Reaction Buttons for Facebook:
- Download the Reaction Packs Plugin for Chrome / Firefox
- Install The Sims 4 Reaction Buttons by Luke Production
Please note that this only works for Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox on PC / Mac and not on Android and iOS Facebook app!
The Sims 4: DotSim and MaryKateAnn Interview SimGuruGraham
DotSim and MaryKateAnn had a chance to interview SimGuruGraham during The Sims 4 Get Together Preview Event in Poland and ask him some general questions about The Sims 4.