I realize I haven’t posted anything about my Cottage Living save!
I had my sims, Arjun, moved into a rundown (and off-the-grid) version of my Charmant Cottage. My goal was to discover the pack, while earning enough money to renovate the house with animals, plants, and villagers’ errands. And that part wasn’t that hard… after I started growing dragon fruits!
On the other hand, I must admit that, even if the animations are cute, taking care of the animals quickly becomes quite repetitive, and time consuming (especially if you also have to tend your garden). In the beginning, since I still had cheap furniture (Arjun had to sleep a lot), I had little time left to do anything else during the day! It became a little easier when Léon, Arjun’s boyfriend, moved in with him.
Obviously, the world is beautiful and it was fun to explore it while running errands for the villagers. I really enjoyed this part of the gameplay, except perhaps for the more generic requests. I preferred the ones from Agnes or the mayor for example, with a real backstory. Unfortunately, I don’t think it’s really replayable (once you did these once, it’s less interesting).
I don’t really know what to say. Overall, it’s a pretty good pack, I had a lot of fun. But as too often in the Sims 4, most of the new features are only available in the new world. And I’m really annoyed about that. I might continue to play with these two sims, but in another world, just to get a better idea of what this extension adds when you don’t live in Henford-on-Bagley. But before that, maybe there are some things I haven’t tested yet!
By the way, I’m still playing without CC (except for the body hairs, I don’t get why we still don’t have that in game after seven years), and it’s kind of nice. I still wish we had more clothes for guys, obviously, but that doesn’t stop me from having fun!
And here is my first real home for Henford-on-Bagley (I mean, no budget constraints!).
I really wanted to create a cute house in the town center that would include a animal shed, a chicken coop, and a small space for gardening, and after a bit of a struggle, I managed to fit everything in!
It was also an opportunity to use the new buy/build content from Cottage Living. As many have already noticed, it seems that this pack includes less furniture than usual, but they look good. In Build mode, I don’t understand why all the new plants and trees aren’t easily accessible in the catalog (without cheats, I mean). I also wish the different door and window sets had more color swatches in common, if you want to use more colorful options, it’s hard to make everything match.
I created an alternative version this house, on a larger lot, but a bit rundown, and with almost no furniture, to use it for a Rags to Riches challenge. You can find it here.
Anyway, I hope your sims will enjoy this home!
Info: Residential, 30x20, 2 bedrooms and two bathrooms.
Location:Henford-on-Bagley, Finshwick, 5 Cobblebottom Street
Playtested as usual, without CC, use bb.moveobjects on before placing the lot.
We’re over the moooon because it’s finally time to reveal The Sims™ 4 Cottage Living Expansion Pack*! You’re in for an udderly delightful experience in the small countryside town of Henford-on-Bagley, where animals and gardening are all the rage. The best news? This golden egg hatches on July 22!
Join us as we go down the rabbit hole into all the legendairy details ahead!
It’s a Quiet Village
There’s way more to this provincial life than you might expect. It’s a small town, but the Sims who live here have plenty to flap their lips about. Have a Henford heart-to-heart with the pub owners at The Gnome’s Arms or the Sim running the grocery stall for some wild stories and gossip. If you’re feeling brave, you might even approach the Crumplebottoms’ garden booth for some advice. (Just remember: Agatha is the friendly one, Agnes is the grumpy one, but they both love crumpets.) Sometimes the locals need a bit of help, too. If you’re up for it, running a few errands for them might yield some interesting presents.
Every week, the Finchwick Fair blows through the village, attracting all sorts of Sims. The mayor judges the rotating competition entries—from pies to vegetables to chickens—and the rest of the villagers love to join in.
DO Have a Cow
Yes, that’s right: cows, llamas, chickens, bunnies, and foxes all live alongside Sims in this idyllic new world. Befriend wild rabbits, foxes, and birds for gifts and help in your garden, or focus your love and attention on the friends in the animal sheds and chicken coops at home. Or both! The more animals, the better.
Sims with the Animal Enthusiast Trait especially love taking care of critters. Your relationship with each animal impacts how they respond to you, and treats can help you gain their favor. Different animal treats and moods even produce different results! Change the flavor of your cow’s milk, the color of your llama’s wool, or even the appearance of your chickens with specific goodies. (You’ll need to find some chocoberries out in the wild or add them to your grocery delivery order to get chocolate milk.)
Plant Some Roots
And some vegetables, obviously! Thanks to the new gardening patches, folks are overexcited for oversized crops. Fill plots with giant watermelons, aubergines, pumpkins, mushrooms, and lettuce to really wow the neighbors. Get the kids out there with you and teach them how to care for those huge plants, too. When they’re fully grown (the veggies, not the kids), enter them into the Finchwick Fair or just collect a good harvest for healthy meals.
The Simple Living Lot Challenge makes cooking cheaper, but it also means recipes depend entirely on what you’ve got in your inventory. Forage in the nearby woods for mushrooms and berries, borrow some milk and eggs from your animals, and keep your garden full. Missing something? Place an order with the local grocery shop and get all your ingredients delivered right to your doorstep. (Don’t forget to tip the delivery person!) Speaking of cooking, bring the whole family together in the kitchen to make Yorkshire pudding, beef wellington, or any of the other delicious dishes on the menu. It really does make the kitchen the heart of the home.
If this is all moosic to your ears, that’s great news! Even better, if you purchase the pack by September 2, you also get the bonus Gnome on the Go Digital Content** seen above! Ride around town on the Scenic Commuting Bicycle, decorate your garden with the “Onward” The Adventurous Gnome sculpture, and brighten your yard with Bramblewood’s DeLIGHTful Tree.
Preorder The Sims 4 Cottage Living Expansion Pack now to start playing immediately when it launches on July 22 at 10:00 a.m. PT for Mac/PC on Origin and Steam, Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S, and PlayStation®4 and PlayStation®5.
Don’t hit the hay just yet, either. Summer of Sims has a few more rabbits to pull out of its hat before Cottage Living arrives, so milk it for all its worth!
