During EA Gamescom Press Conference, Rachel Franklin confirmed that The Sims 4’s second Expansion Pack Get Together is coming this November!
Check out our Get Together category for upcoming info!
WATCH LIVE: The Sims 4 Announcement at Gamescom
Starts at 10AM CET. Click Here to watch on Twitch!
Click on the picture below to be directed to our EA Gamescom page!
New The Sims 4 Logo to appear tomorrow on The Sims Studio Wall!
The Sims Poland shared a photo, stating that a new The Sims 4 Logo will join many other logos on The Sims Studio Wall. What do you think the next logo will have on it?
Tomorrow you’ll know what the logo of The Sims family of 4 will be shown on this wall. How do you think, what could it be?
10 Most Insane Deaths In The Sims Series
Everyone, even non-simmers, know the various ways we kill our sims on the regular. The classics include the likes of fire, drowning, electrocution, and starvation. But that’s just the beginning of our little pixel people’s torture. Read on for a look at the wackiest, craziest, most insane ways we’re able to end our sim’s lives.
10. Shark Attack
The Sims 3 Island Paradise
Scuba diving can be quite a terrifying experience. Have you seen some of the demonic creatures they’ve pulled up from the depths of the ocean? Plus, everyone’s seen the movie Jaws before. If you’re diving and you see a shark, you better hope there’s a cave nearby to hide in. Otherwise I hope you’re strong enough to fight it off. Go for the nose.
9. Woohoo’d to Death
The Sims 4
Old people need plenty of rest to make it day to day. If they push themselves too hard, their little hearts could give out. It doesn’t matter how many times it repeats “I think I can” to itself, their hearts aren’t a tank engine. Elders need to monitor their exertion and not exhaust themselves with too many physical activities. This includes woohooing too many times, which will result in their partner having a nice, post-woohoo nap while they collapse on the floor. Talk about a wild ride.
8. Box of Danger
The Sims 3 Showtime
The aptly named Box of Danger is what all the pro-magician’s use to woo their audiences. As its name suggests, it’s not the safest way to earn a living. One slip up and even the greatest of all magicians will meet an untimely fate. Leave your audiences wondering, “Is this part of the act? Where’d that man in the black cloaks appear from?” Just remember, the show must go on.
7. Wishing Well
The Sims 2 Seasons
Impress the gardening club and you’ll receive the greatest gift of all, a wishing well. May all your dreams come true. That is… until they become nightmares. The biggest rule of wishes is that you can’t be greedy. Wish too many times and what you desire most will become your end. But hey, at least your family still gets the sack of cash.
6. Mummy Curse
The Sims 3 World Adventures
No one likes being woken up, especially these guys. But have no fear, you have plenty of time to rid your body of the curse before it consumes you. What’s that? Your vacation just ended and you can’t afford another trip to Egypt? Well then, enjoys your last two weeks while you can. I’m sure you can ignore the curse taking over your vision. Yes, that is an ominous chant you hear getting louder every day. It’ll all be over soon… ish.
5. Transmutation
The Sims 3 Supernatural
Dirty dishes plaguing your house? Turn them into cash. No use for all those apples in your fridge? Turn them into cash. Sick of your kids leaving their toys lying around the house? Turn them into… you get the point. Plop anything on the altar of the Philosopher’s Stone and watch as they turn to gold in front of your very eyes. Or let the item watch as you turn to gold in front of its very eyes. Look on the bright side, you have a sweet, solid gold statue to mark your grave. Better hope your family doesn’t sell it to pay the mortgage.
4. Cowplant
The Sims 2 University
Every gardener’s dream, owning a cow plant. Maybe not every gardener, but at least the psycho, crazy ones with pesky neighbors they need to cleanse from the neighborhood. They’re doing everyone a favor, trust them on that. Just don’t trust them enough to ever visit when they call you.
3. Time Anomaly
The Sims 3 Into the Future
We’ve all heard the warnings about messing with time travel. The butterfly effect and such. So no one would enter a time machine if it was right in front of them, correct? Well, some might, but they’ll mess with the space time continuum too much and no longer exist, so they don’t count. Clearly they never saw the movie where this exact thing happened.
2. Skydiving
The Sims Superstar
Living a celebrity lifestyle is exhausting. And what’s the number one thing you shouldn’t do when exhausted? That’s exactly right, skydive. Some celebrities think they’re above the rules, but this is one they’re definitely not. Actually, they end up so high in the air they might be considered above this one.
1. Flies
The Sims 2
You should definitely keep a tidy house, because you don’t want to attract that annoying fly that’ll incessantly buzz in your ear all day. And you know what’s more annoying than that fly? When he invites all his buddies over to eat everything in sight. Hopefully they take your ears off first so you don’t have to hear all of them buzzing around.
Honorable Mention:
Blunt Force Trauma
The Sims 3 University Life
Gravity is a wonderful concept most times. Other times it just makes things really heavy. Like really heavy. Guess you should have ponied up and bought that better bed or candy bar instead of going the cheap route. Gravity doesn’t like when you’re cheap.
The Sims 4: Building Underground – Creative Tips
Hi. I am a new contributor to The Sims Community and I will be writing articles on how to spruce up your building in The Sims 4.
I am Kai Chen at The Sims Community Social and kaichen04 at The Sims 4 Gallery. I hail from Macapá, a city by the beautiful Amazon river in the north of Brazil. I am a 32 years-old interpreter and, in my free time, one of my favourite activities is to play The Sims. I have enjoyed the franchise since 2001, when The Sims 1 caught my attention on the shelf, when I was around 18 and had gotten my first paycheck!
With introductions out of the way, let’s get to our first tutorial. We will build underground, using a few ideas that will allow your creations to really stand out and be places your sims can enjoy thoroughly. I’ll go over the basics first, so everybody can follow, but, don’t worry: we will transition into more advanced tips in this article as well.
The Basics Of Basements:
So here we are, with a clean slate:
Let’s go down one level:
While you can build a basement from above using the basement tool, it’s easier and more intuitive to go down one level and simply build using the regular wall / room tools.
You can make your basement shallower…
…or deeper.
You can change that at any time. Let’s go with the depth in-between.
Shaping Up The Construction
You can add as many rooms as you want and shape and re-shape the walls, just as you would when building above ground. Perhaps one is in a hurry and just goes with a basic box shape, but, today, let’s think outside of the box, literally, and be a bit more daring. The Custom Room Tool (the third one in the previous picture) is great for flexibility.
I think this space could be great for a couple of shops. I’m thinking a bakery – which will also need an adjoining kitchen – and a clothing shop with a photo studio attached. Let’s figure out where they could be and perhaps a set of restrooms as well.
Time to furnish it and decorate it.
The Entrance
I’m happy with the results. Now it’s time to consider how people will access these shops. The Sims 4, for the first time, allows you to create holes in the ground and I think we can make a nice entrance to our building using that feature. What you to is that you delete the ceiling. First you select the room whose ceiling will be removed.
While the room is still selected, go to the floor above it. There will be a yellow outline. When you position the mouse on that outline, an option will appear: REMOVE CEILING.
Click on it. A hole will be opened in the ground.
Let’s add stairs.
Maybe add some detail around the entrance, so it looks more polished.
Pockets Of Light
The sims can now go in and out and enjoy the shops. Nevertheless, underground constructions can feel somewhat dark and claustrophobic and I suppose we would want our sims to have a better experience than that, when visiting. I think a great solution would be creating pockets of light. They are holes in the ground that allow windows placed underground to receive natural light. They really open up the space!
So, let’s use the Custom Room Tool and create a pocket of light right outside our clothing shop.
Select it.
Go above ground and place your mouse on the yellow outline. The REMOVE CEILING option will appear. Click on it.
Now let’s add some windows.
For this next shot, I removed all artificial lighting, so you can see natural light does come through.
I think now we should turn the hole in the ground into a garden, so it’s more pleasing to the eye. I used the grass floor title and a stone wall paint. I added plants and a few lights, so it will also look appealing during night time.
Let’s add one pocket of light to the bakery, too.
This is what it looks like from above the ground.
What about we use the same stone fencing we used on the entrance to finish it and add a few trees nearby? It will blend better and seem less dangerous.
Some Suggestions Of Where You Can Use These Ideas
You might wonder why build underground in the first place. Well, perhaps you want a somewhat secret facility, like a Science Lab. Or a hidden Prohibition Bar! Or, more practically, you want to add shops to a residential neighbourhood without them standing out too much from the homes around it. You can do that by building a park above ground.
Now you have your modern, sleek shops, but, to the outside world, it’s mostly a quaint park!
You can go into the opposite direction and have the underground shops be a part of a huge, cutting edge complex.
You can even download the complex. I made it available in the Gallery. It’s called Health & Retail Centre and my ID is kaichen04. The download link: Health & Retail Centre.
It’s Your Turn Now!
I am eager to see what you all come up with, using these tips. When you finish your creations, please post them at The Sims Community Social My Gallery forum section. I cannot wait to see them!
The Sims 4: Tumblr Custom Content Showcase
‘Sup Simmers!
GamesCom is starting in three days and I’m so excited for it! So, I have another CC Showcase for you. This one features content that was selected by me and three of my friends, and I hope you enjoy it!
First off, we have these cute onesies made by kiwisims4! Great work!
Next up we have Bear Costumes by Dani-Paradise!
And now, some cute onesies by imadako!
Incredible sweatshirts and sweatpants by unattendedsims!
Congrats on 4K followers, holosprite! Your content is awesome!
The Sims 4 Fun Announcement at Gamescom
The Sims official Twitter account, TheSims, tweeted that they have a fun announcement to make at Gamescom, August 5th. Have a guess as to what this fun announcement will be? Or what else EA has in store for Sims 4? Come tell us here.
The Sims 4 will have a fun announcement next week at Gamescom! Are you excited? #EAgamescom
— The Sims (@TheSims) July 31, 2015
Sims Community will be featuring a live stream of EA’s Gamescom presentation, so be sure to watch it here and chat with us over on our social site – Sims Community Social.
The Sims 4 Cool Kitchen: Q&A with SimGuruGraham!
SimGuruGraham took some time to answer some of your questions about The Sims 4 Cool Kitchen Stuff!
@TurkkiToni Yes! Similar to how you can sell other food, you’ll be able to put ice cream cartons, bowls, or cones on sale.
— Graham Nardone (@SimGuruGraham) July 30, 2015
@LuckyLunayre That isn’t a straw, it’s a peppermint stick garnish.
— Graham Nardone (@SimGuruGraham) July 30, 2015
@luketheplumbob You unlock more ice cream recipes via the Cooking skill.
— Graham Nardone (@SimGuruGraham) July 30, 2015
@catloverplayer A carton is what the ice cream machine makes. From the carton you choose a bowl or cone with various toppings/garnishes.
— Graham Nardone (@SimGuruGraham) July 30, 2015
@AmaratTamara The dishwasher will be available to all players for free in the next game update.
— Graham Nardone (@SimGuruGraham) July 30, 2015
@SamWitts2 @luketheplumbob Sure, if you continuously eat it.
— Graham Nardone (@SimGuruGraham) July 30, 2015
@Rudy8292 @SamWitts2 @luketheplumbob Matter of fact, it just so happens that there is.
— Graham Nardone (@SimGuruGraham) July 30, 2015
@tazreentasnim @SamWitts2 @luketheplumbob Thirty different flavors, plus all the toppings and garnishes.
— Graham Nardone (@SimGuruGraham) July 30, 2015
@Trollie723 @SamWitts2 @luketheplumbob Yup, different flavors or even toppings/garnish combinations can result in moodlets.
— Graham Nardone (@SimGuruGraham) July 30, 2015
@luketheplumbob @SamWitts2 Yup they get brain freeze – it doesn’t bother them much, they just pause a moment before starting to eat again.
— Graham Nardone (@SimGuruGraham) July 30, 2015
@luketheplumbob @SamWitts2 No no, just the ice cream machine.
— Graham Nardone (@SimGuruGraham) July 30, 2015
@luketheplumbob Some of the more… exotic… flavors already come melted when served. Others will spoil – it doesn’t just melt if left out.
— Graham Nardone (@SimGuruGraham) July 30, 2015
@IISuperSimII The dishwasher will be coming free in the next update, and the ice cream machine comes with Cool Kitchen Stuff.
— Graham Nardone (@SimGuruGraham) July 30, 2015
@luketheplumbob Off the top of my head, I believe the timers are the same.
— Graham Nardone (@SimGuruGraham) July 30, 2015
@luketheplumbob Yup, you can sell the machine, the carton, or an individual bowl or cone if you like.
— Graham Nardone (@SimGuruGraham) July 30, 2015
@EmSims81 No new harvestables in Cool Kitchen, though you’re sure to find a variety of fruity flavors.
— Graham Nardone (@SimGuruGraham) July 30, 2015
@luizfer901 Hi Luiz – no fryers, the new gameplay object for Cool Kitchen is the Ice Cream Machine.
— Graham Nardone (@SimGuruGraham) July 30, 2015
@SimmingFan3000 We wouldn’t typically make an object as decor that looks like it should have gameplay interactions on it.
— Graham Nardone (@SimGuruGraham) July 30, 2015
@SimmingFan3000 That said, there’s plenty of new kitchen clutter!
— Graham Nardone (@SimGuruGraham) July 30, 2015
@SimmingFan3000 There is not a Cool Kitchen specific dishwasher.
— Graham Nardone (@SimGuruGraham) July 31, 2015
PLAY IT FIRST: Test new The Sims content with Origin Beta Program!
Reddit user bstr413 reports that Origin has added a new section under Customer Portal called Game Beta Program. According to EA, the Game Beta Program allows you to test new games & content before they release for the world. This offer is valid for game franchises only, including The Sims. It’s not yet clear that you’ll be testing The Sims 4 if you check The Sims Franchise button, but assuming that The Sims 4 has yet to expand it’s features, with this program you’ll have a chance to play those features first!
If you get a ”Page Not Found” error after selecting games of your choice, don’t worry. If you refresh the Origin Beta Program page you’ll see that the website remembered your choice!
Join Origin’s Beta Game Program!
Love our games? Want to help make them even better? Tell us which games you are interested in, and when a beta is released we might just ask you to check it out!
To join our Beta Program, select any of the franchises below that you are interested in testing before they’re available to the public. We use the information gathered from our beta trials to improve our games and services. Please note that joining our program doesn’t guarantee that you will receive access to every beta. If you are selected to participate in a beta, you will receive an email notification from us and the icon for the game will appear in your Origin library. All the beta icons you are selected to participate in will be publicly visible in your Origin library.
All of The Sims Games Work on Windows 10
WARNING – Back up all of your game saves prior to installing Windows 10 as an added precaution.
(I didn’t because I’m too impatient a person and I never said I was bright. Luckily my files were fine, but that doesn’t mean everyone’s will be. There’s a lot of file transferring involved in the upgrade installation process, so there’s countless ways things could go wrong. So in the words of Prince Royce – Baby back, back, back it up.)
The day has finally come for the new, shiny Windows 10 release. While most seemed to be undaunted by the update, simmers everywhere feared for their games. We’ve been through this many times before. A new operating system has every chance to break our beloved games. And how could we survive without the ability to go back and play The Sims, even though it was released over 15 years ago? It’s aged very well, might I add. So before everyone jumped on the opportunity to download the new OS at the first chance they got, many wavered for fear of losing their games forever.
But have no fear! I’m here to confirm that every game from The Sims Complete Collection to Sims 4 and everything in between (looking at you Medieval) runs just as well on Windows 10 as they did before the update.
NOTE: The following results are from my laptop specifically. Other’s results may vary. I have, however, seen several people across the web verify they work for them as well.
I assume it’s safe to say if the games work on your computer now, they’ll work the same after you install Windows 10 as well. Possibly even better than before.
Below is some information specific to running each series.
The Sims Complete Collection
Please be aware users have had difficult times installing The Sims games for many years now as technology continues to change and improve. Most of those issues, however, seem to stem from the original copies and not The Sims Complete Collection. The way they repackaged all of the games together for the collection must have changed the way the games install, so users have an easier and more successful time installing it compared to the individual games. Again, your results may vary depending on your rig.
One of the most common issues with The Sims, no matter what version you have, is the black box glitch. When you initially run the game in windowed mode, you’re graced with this wonderful black box that covers the game screen. It looks like below.
This box covers anything and everything on the screen, so even if you put a window over The Sims window, the black box will cover everything. The way to remove this box is to press CTRL + ALT + DEL on your keyboard. This will bring up a new window with several options. Don’t click any of them, exit the screen instead. Once you exit, the black box will be gone and you’ll see your game.
Sadly, without modding, the screen size is not adjustable and what you see is what you get. Modding is also not a perfect solution as it causes some wonky issues with the UI. Your other option is to play full screen, which also has a major con – when you get in game, you have to stay there. If you ALT + TAB to view a different window and then return to the game, it will completely freeze a few moments later and you’ll have to force close it.
So when playing The Sims, you have two choices: Play in the small windowed mode, or play full screen and make sure you never switch tabs.
The Sims 2
The only issue I faced with Sims 2 Ultimate Collection on Windows 10 was that it reverted my custom GraphicsRules file, so I ran into the same graphics issues many people suffered on Windows 8.1. This was a quick fix as all I needed to do was remake the custom file using a program specifically built for that. It can be found HERE.
After reinstating that custom file, everything was smooth sailing. The game actually runs faster now than it did in Windows 8.1.
The Sims 3, The Sims Medieval,
The Sims 4
Windows 10 doesn’t change anything about these games or what you need to do to play them flawlessly. They all more recent releases, so they play nicely with updated tech. If you run into any issues trying to play any of these, it’s most likely not a Windows 10 specific issue.
As usual, your results may vary, but like Sims 2, these games actually run faster and smoother for me on Windows 10 than they did on Windows 8.1.
I hope this has eased some of your uneasiness in deciding whether or not Windows 10 is for you.
The Sims 4: Dishwashers coming for free next week!
In today’s The Sims 4 Cool Kitchen Stuff Pack announcement, The Sims Team revealed that they’ll be bringing back Dishwashers to The Sims 4 FOR FREE next week!
Oh, and before you start to worry about all the dirty dishes these new creations will make, you should know about something else. The week before The Sims 4 Cool Kitchen Stuff releases, a dishwasher will be added to The Sims 4 for free** in an Update for all players!
Dishwasher from The Sims 3
ANNOUNCEMENT: The Sims 4 Cool Kitchen Stuff Pack coming August 11th!
We received an e-mail from The Sims Team with exclusive new details about The Sims 4’s 3rd Stuff Pack – Cool Kitchen!
We are happy to announce our newest stuff pack, The Sims 4 Cool Kitchen Stuff, coming soon!
Get ready to whip up some cold tasty treats with the new Ice Cream maker and transform your Sims kitchen into a place any chef would envy. With all new objects created just for the kitchen, enjoy new stainless steel appliances, cabinets with frosted glass doors, and more.
Don’t think we forgot about your Sim Chef! There will be some fresh new hairstyles and some trendy casual apparel they can wear while making a culinary masterpiece.
Mix Things Up in the Kitchen
Does your Sim spend their free time making hearty breakfasts, luscious lunches, and delightful dinners? Good news: it’s time for dessert! The Sims 4 Cool Kitchen Stuff* is coming on August 11 and it’s perfect for all of your foodie Sims!
Cool Kitchen Stuff has everything you need to upgrade your Sim’s kitchen, with new, sleek appliances and furnishings meant to help give the room a modern flare. From stylish cabinets with frosted glass doors to new stainless steel appliances, the stuff pack is filled with awesome new items to totally reinvent your Sim’s kitchen. Your Sims will look good as they create new delicacies thanks to new hairstyles and apparel perfect for any chef-to-be.
But besides making things look cooler, your Sims will also have a lot more cool stuff to do in the kitchen (pun intended). With the new Ice Cream Maker, your Sim can make ice cream, gelato, or soft serve! Better yet, your Sims will be able to garnish their ice cream with a variety of toppings. Banana slices, whipped cream, sprinkles and more – your Sim’s sweet tooth will be fulfilled. There are 30 flavors to create, some of which might leave your Sim with… unusual abilities.
Oh, and before you start to worry about all the dirty dishes these new creations will make, you should know about something else. The week before The Sims 4 Cool Kitchen Stuff releases, a dishwasher will be added to The Sims 4 for free** in an Update for all players!
The Sims 4 Cool Kitchen Stuff releases worldwide on August 11 – are your Sims ready to scream for ice cream?