Disabling Seasions But Keeping its Stuff - Want to disable weather or make plants in season year-round? You can do so with my new Seasons Tuner Mod
Improving Sims 4: The past month, I've spent every day tinkering The Sims 4, making quality of life improvements, gameplay changes, and new difficulty settings for the game. If you'd like to learn more about my project, visit the post on Patreon where you can download it now.
Cottage Living brings back the evil chicken. Isn't that all you need to know?
The Sims 4 Cottage Living is available July 22, 2021 and features the first livestock in The Sims 4. I was given the opportunity to play with an alpha build, courtesy of EA Game Changers, so not all my info is final (it may change before release day) however much of what I write here is from publicly available info.
Growing Oversized Crops and talking to a bunny. Cottage Living offers a fantasy life where animals make their own treats.
The new Expansion offers up Cows, Llamas, and Chickens you can care for in a country setting. Wild birds, rabbits, and foxes are also important in this pack and may play a number of roles in gameplay. Let's go over all the new features in the pack and what you can expect from them.
This was the fair. The town is pretty, though.
The new town is not very large in terms of available lots, but quite expansive when it comes to the size of two of its three neighborhoods. They rival areas such as Windenberg in terms of sheer size. There was room for more lots, so some people are a bit bummed they did not include a few more places to build.
The only important people in Henford on Bagley. These guys give you errands that unlock upgrades to your chicken and livestock pens.
There are several residents of the town that are important to gameplay, including Agnes and Agatha Crumplebottom. Several NPCs serve roles such as shopkeeper, mayor, or tavern owner and offer the player "missions" in the form of errands that can be found in the friendly social menu. These are instrumental to obtaining everything that this pack has to offer, as a few upgrade items and treats can only be found by working for them.
Around half of you will purchase Cottage Living just to require ingredients when you cook.
In the upcoming patch for Cottage Living, there is a new feature coming to The Sims 4. Negative lot traits now fall into a "Lot Challenges" category where you normally assign them, and there isn't any limit to how many you can apply! You can put 3 good ones on, and ALL the negatives if you like, at least as far as we understand.
A new Simple Living Lot Trait will disable the ability to cook without ingredients. It even eliminates "quick meals". So if you want to eat, you need ingredients. This is mostly a challenge at the beginning of the game, but other challenges can present in this pack via the "Wild Foxes" Trait that will make your lot particularly attractive to foxes that interfere with your chicken coops. This idea may be something the developers can expand, to allow us to disable parts of a pack we may not like (negatives, in particular).
I'm only including this on the page so I can clear up something to those not in the know: the pond tool is not coming with the new Expansion. Everyone will be given it free of charge in the upcoming patch. Builders will love this, and James Turner has already demonstrated building a home on top of a pond in one of his videos.
A Happy Brown Cow
The pack features a small barn you can place on your lock and the ability to purchase llamas and cows in various colors. Llamas and cows live quite a long time compared to chickens, but you can only have one per building. Cows provide milk and llamas can be shaved to acquire wool for use in crafting via the new Cross-Stitching skill.
Treats can be crafted at the fridge. You learn the recipes each time your Sim uses a new one.
These large animals require quite a bit of care. They are more likely to get upset by a lack of attention than chickens, and can get dirty very frequently. In addition, you'll need to clean out the pen and provide the animals a food supply. You can feed any animal once, or give it a supply of food that is visible on the side of the livestock pen.
A Rainbow Cow will give you Rainbow Milk
Cows and Llamas can be fed treats that increase their lifespan or improve your relationship with them, but a notable type of treat are those that transform the animals directly. For instance, giving a llama a spicy treat will give you a red wool, and feeding a gold treat to a cow will give you golden honey milk. These are harvested once, then the animal returns to its normal state.
Sometimes, your chickens will successfully defend themselves against a fox attack. Other times, the little thieves make out with an egg.
Chicken coops can also be purchased and each coop can house up to 8 chickens or roosters. If you have a rooster, you'll sometimes get eggs that can be incubated to hatch a baby chick. There are no baby cows or llamas, but chickens grow up and it can be cost-effective to wait out a chick growing to a hen or rooster.
Golden Chickens can lay golden eggs, but also cast spells. Of course.
Chickens provide eggs daily, if they're hens (of course) and require just as much care as cows and llamas. If you do a social nearby a group of chickens they will all benefit from the attention you've given them, so there isn't any need to continually socialize with chickens. This is something I'm really fond of in Cottage Living.
Chickens stay the same until death, but Cows and Llamas will revert to normal after one milking or buzz-cut.
Because cows and llamas transform after only one harvest, I like chickens much more. If you feed a chicken a golden egg, it will stay a golden chicken. Plus, nightmare treats will transform a chicken into an evil being that can and will attack foxes and the grim reaper on sight. Don't mess with it too much, or it'll kill you. I'm serious, but of course you are given a warning when the evil chicken is about to go Velociraptor on your Sim.
There are about 5 different fairs you can attend in Cottage Living. Try to win first place one time, so you can complete the tutorial.
There is a weekly event in this pack where the Finchwick Fair is held in the town square. Each week, there will be a themed competition, such as to bring in your best chicken/egg, llama/wool or cow and milk. It's also got one for oversized crops. You'll earn participation up to first place rewards but the fair is mostly unexciting.
Wild birds and rabbits both give you gifts daily. Exploit this.
The three wild animals in this pack all play at least some role in gameply. Foxes may steal your eggs or attack chickens. Rabbits will interfere with your gardening efforts. Birds, not so much. You can befriend these animals simply by spamming socials, though there is a gifting function where you are meant to learn a gift type they like (this is under-utilized in terms of befriending these animals).
A rabbit becoming my best friend.
Once you've befriended them, foxes can be asked not to attack your chickens any more. Rabbits will help with your garden by eating weeds instead of your crops. Wild birds can be tasked with taking care of insects within a large range around your lot. Birds and rabbits both provide a daily gift to your Sim that can include top-end treats and other rare collectibles.
Oversized crops are not a big deal, but are definitely considered a new gameplay feature. You can also plant regular things on these nice tilled tiles.
Pumpkins, Lettuce, Watermelons, Aubergines, and Mushrooms can all be grown on new patches of land. As they grow, they will merge into one in the center. You're required to fertilize them about once per day in order to get them to become giant. It was not a situation that yielded much money due to the cost of fertilizer, but they can be entered in competitions at the Finchwick Fair.
I'm being a bit cheeky, yes, but another tutorial aspiration is included in this pack that tasks you with using all the pack's features. Wow, much excite.
You either love animals or get a bellyache if you eat dairy.
Two new traits are included with The Sims 4 Cottage Living. One is Animal Enthusiast, and makes your Sim have tons of fun being around animals. Basically using this trait my Sim never needed fun or social. You can also be lactose intolerant, which the community was quick to point out is not exactly a personality trait. It may be a trait, yes, but if you only have 3 options not many people would consider being lactose intolerant one of their primary identifying factors. They just don't eat as much ice cream as the rest of us and if they do, they regret it.
The new Cross-Stitching skill has only 5 levels and locks you out for 3 hours when you prick a finger. It also takes materials harvested from Llamas. It gives you a reason to have a Llama.
I'm including this last, because it belongs last. It's an afterthought of a skill with only 5 levels, and very much a rehash of the knitting skill for Nifty Knitting. It almost belonged with that skill. This lets you unlock patterns you get from Henford-on-Bagley residents and by talking to animals and hang them on your wall. It uses llama wool for crafting but is a pretty boring skill in my eyes.
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We now have a Youtube Channel with over 50 guides in video format to go along with the huge site I've already created. Check it out and consider subscribing if you like my style.
The Sims 4 Seasons expansion now has options! Want to disable weather or make plants in season year-round? You can do so with my new Seasons Tuner Mod
The past month, I've spent every day tinkering The Sims 4, making quality of life improvements, gameplay changes, and new difficulty settings for the game. If you'd like to learn more about my project, visit the post on Patreon where you can download it now.
Cottage Living Guide! Here is my guide to new features in the Sims 4 Cottage Living Expansion
You can also find handy Cottage Living Cheats
I have much more to come, since you can actually write a few guides about this pack!
Blender has been incredibly useful in video production, so I made my own Physics and Simulation Improvement Addon that lumps a ton of unique tools into one compact interface.
Snowy Escape Cheats
Lifestyles in Snowy Escape
Climb Mt. Komorebi
Sentiments in Snowy Escape
Rock Climbing
Skiing Skill
Snowboarding Skill
I've released a guide to Sentiments in The Sims 4 & Snowy Escape.
There is a new platform tool in The Sims 4. There's also a new Sentiments system, but it'll take some time to create a guide to that. Players can also use rental lots in any world now by changing lot types of builds in manage worlds.
I've created a massive List of The Best Mods in The Sims 4 that should be very helpful to new players and those who have not yet explored modding and how much it can do for your gameplay.
New - Secrets I have a new guide to secrets in the game. If you prefer, you can also watch a video about secrets in Sims 4.
Nifty Knitting is now available. Learn all about the stuff pack on my guide page here.
NEW - Nifty Knitting CheatsNew features in the Sims 4 June 2020
The Sims 4 Eco Lifestyle Guide
Eco Footprint: How it Works
Neighborhood Action Plans
How to Cheat in Sims 4 Eco Lifestyle
Civil Designer Career
Insect Farms & Bio Fuel
Fabrication Skill in Eco Lifestyle
Juice Fizzing NEW
Traits and Aspirations in DLC
Gameplay Ideas for Sims 4 Eco Lifestyle
Updated
Trait Cheats Updated
Traits List Updated
Aspirations List Updated
Readers who use adblock or those who'd like to thank me for my efforts can now pledge $1/$5 monthly via Patreon. This helps a lot with server costs and provides some stability for my business.
This is inspired by a new series in which I start at toddler and gradually take on the major bonuses. Here's a link to the full playlist!
I now have a guide page to Tiny Living Stuff where you can learn about Murphy Beds, the new death, as well as the lot bonuses you'll receive if you manage to keep the size of your lot down with this new pack's Tiny Home Lot Type.
New I now have a guide to Making Super Sims in The Sims 4. Look for a text version within the next 72h. It won't have THAT much more info but it will help out as a checklist.
This was inspired by a series, "Let's Play a Super Sim" in which I start at toddler and gradually take on the major bonuses. Here's a link to each part for people who are interested. You can also see the Let's Play as a Playlist on Youtube.
The Sims 4 Discover University has been announced for November 15 for PC/Mac and December 17 for Xbox and Playstation 4 consoles. Click to learn more about the pack, see my summary of the livestream or read our FAQs below.
Other Guides to Discover University:
New Lot Traits: Study Spot and University Student Hang Out
New: Discover University FAQ: Gameplay Features
New Video The Sims 4 Discover University Gameplay Tips Video
More videos coming soon!
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Comments (35)
Thank you for the pre-guide it you will. You always provide things I sometimes miss in gameplay so
THANK YOU FOR DOING WHAT YOU DO.
Thank you for this!
The cross stitch skill is really great, as a crossstitcher let me say it is a beautiful art and true skill. You should try it for real. This pack is a lot of fun. We like it so far. Waiting for the cheat list to come out.
I wonder if the Oversized Crops are seasonal or all year if you have Seasons downloaded..
They're all year around
Can u please include how to get butter? I cannot figure it out & ive looked what feels like everywhere.
Near as I can tell, butter isn't a thing? I don't see any option to make it, and even items such as Buttered Scones or Butter Chicken don't call for any butter.
mod the sims has a mod for a butter churn.
I can't figure out how to fertilize. I have two different fertilizers in my inventory,
grow-fast and vitality, but when i click on the plant and choose fertilize my inventory opens but neither fertilizer shows up. I have to fertilize with the few vegetables or fruits I might be carrying in my inventory. What am I doing wrong?
The new fertilizer only works on the giant crops, at least that I've found.
I read that super crops have to be level 5 for fertilizer? Still looking into that tho.
Hi Pam Egan, Travel to Brindleton Bay { World } its the Pets world, go to Salty Inn and then walk up the wooden walk way and there is a Fish Shack selling all sea food. Purchase a lot of Salmon as that is great and awesome for Fertilizing all plants. Sometimes its open and sometimes its closed just keep going there to check on it.
I can't believe they didn't use Eco to free chickens grubs and make the new upgrade parts. Fantastic way to tie packs together and they don't.
I took Lactose Intolerant as my second trait, thank you very much carl. (That was after Animal Empathy or w/e the other trait was called) ((I'm not lactose intolerant in RL but I think the trait was made based on "Vegetarian" which also isn't a strong identifying personality trait for most people who associate with it))
You forgot the new berries & mushroom, but I'll wait patiently
great work! But i think it also adds 2 new deaths and with that 2 new ghost types? speaking of ghosts shouldnt the guide be updated with new ghost types and they powers/abilities?
Are you sure about the ice cream being linked to lactose intolerance? I better check, cross-pack things are not always as they should be.
You wrote, "The pack features a small barn you can place on your lock and the ability to purchase llamas and cows in various colors." ... I think you mean LOT and not LOCK ... Love your guides! Keep up the good work!
When you make a meal with a golden egg and eat it, it will give you the option to use "golden pulse" on your crops (not the oversized ones though) and it turns them perfect and ready to harvest instantly. :)
Awesome, thanks! It's taking forever to get my hands on a golden treat, but golden eggs can sometimes be found at the vendors.
LOL and before a golden egg turned up at a vendor again, one of my sims got a golden treat from a rabbit!
I wonder how you clean a chicken? My chicken coop is clean but one of my chicken thretens to leave if they are not taken care of.
From my experience, once you clean the chicken coop and the chickens go back inside, they automatically get cleaned. There's also a friendly interaction with the chicken, stating something to the effect of, "Discuss preening methods". Im not sure if this has any effect on the cleanliness of the chicken.
They get clean by going into a clean coop, so once you've cleaned the coop do the "Gather Roaming Chickens" interaction.
Hi Carl, thanks for all these details I could have easily missed. By any chance, do you know if there is any uni degrees that helps with farming as a career?
The thing is, farming isn't really a career. Your sim can certainly make a living at it, but you don't have a job to level up in, nor do you go to work. That being said, Biology does require Gardening, so majoring in that will make you level Gardening and you'll be that much better prepared.
Please update your terrific gardening list with the following from the CL expansion pack:
Raspberry; Fall; Festival booth
Chocoberry; Summer; Festival Booth
Blueberry; Summer; Festival Booth
Soy Beans; Summer/Fall; Festival Booth
I actually have an excel spreadsheet which I compiled over the years!
Soy Beans are from the Eco Living pack. But yes, you can buy them from the vendors in town, along with a lot of other things that actually came with other packs.
Can you share your spreadsheet?
I had an errand to deliver a homegrown blueberry... Except it's fall for me, and they grow in summer. So, I built a big roof for my garden. Turns out, you can't put the flock of wild birds under a roof. They'll leave as soon as you do that, and won't come back as long as the tree is under a roof.
There is also the canning ability, added into the cooking skill. Do the cans go bad? It doesn’t seem so. And do you just eat the cans straight, or can you use them in recipes?
Seems they keep forever. You mostly eat right from them, but some of the animal treats call for cowberry jam.
Can you add canning please?
Another tutorial aspiration is included in this pack? What do you mean by that?
Aspirations included with new packs usually end up seeming like a walk-through of the pack's features. And the new aspiration in Cottage Living is no different.
Oh THAT's a Tutorial Aspiration, well gee, I don't know, it seems like the aspirations kinda are lacking to begin with, I've never completed 1, but I've gotten several to stage 3...
I'm sorry, I still don't get it. I remember there was tutorial at the beginning, you could gain 2 special traits by finishing it. Then EA had some troubles and tutorial dissapeared. Is there any new tutorial and you can gain new, exclusive traits by finishing it?
How about a full list of all harvestables including the new ones from Cottage Living?
"This lets you unlock patterns you get from Henford-on-Bagley residents and by talking to animals and hang them on your wall."
I can't seem to be able to hang them on a wall, I can only place them on surfaces. Can anybody confirm they go on walls?
They do. However there is a trick to it. You have to click on it while it is in your inventory and you get an option to turn it into a wall hangable version and then you can hang it up. It is similar to creating a mounted fish when you have a fish in your inventory.
Remind me: What's a tutorial aspiration?
It's just a normal aspiration, but it's a phrase Carl uses to describe aspirations that exist purely to teach you everything about a expansion pack but don't necessarily add much to the gameplay overall.
I'm wanting to move my household. Will my cow and chickens go with me to a new lot?
You'll need to put them in your inventory before you move. This is how you take them to the fair, and also how you can move them with you. Cats and dogs are family members, but cows, chickens, and llamas are objects on your lot. So, you need to put them in your inventory, or you will leave them behind.
What happens when the animals die?
The Grim Reaper comes for them, pets them, and both disappear immediately. No urn or tombstone, and no ghost animals. Your sim might get sad for a while, especially if they had high friendship or the Animal Enthusiast trait.