The Sims 4: May 18th Live Stream Notes

Here are some of our notes from the May 18th Livestream!

5/19/2021 Interior Design Pack Update!

Today brings the release of the Courtyard Oasis Kit – and a short “Inside Maxis” livestream. We take a look at the new kit, as well as some updates to the functionality of bunk beds, and a short Q&A from the last 411 “open forum” feedback session.

The Courtyard Oasis Kit is now live! Head on over here to check out our Courtyard Oasis Kit review, written by Jezi!

Base Game Updates

Bunk Beds

Bunk Beds will be receiving an iterative update! This update will allow additional items to be placed underneath of them, and to remain functional.

These new possibilities include:
– Loveseats (2-Tile)
– Chairs
-Dressers
– Desks
– Double Beds

You will soon able to also place items perpendicular to the top bunk – including single beds. So if you have bunk beds that are placed in a corner, you can have one bunk going against one wall, and the other bunk against the other wall:

This functionality will extend to all items that can be placed under the top bunk!

Children? No, thank you.

Secondly, the next update will also seek to resolve the issues surrounding the “Hates Children” trait seemingly being forgotten when a sim in is a “Dazed” state. If you have a sim who has the “hates children” trait, they will now consistently remember that they have this trait.

Speculative Updates

Next up we have some topics that were touched on from the results of the last 411-open-forum posting.

What determines the size of a pack?

Pack size is based on the scope of the idea compared against what the overall experience of the idea should be. A grand, sweeping theme will be better suited to an Expansion Pack.

Smaller, more focused ideas are generally better for a Game Pack.

“Hyper-specific” ideas are saved for Stuff Packs and Kits.

Now, what WE think of the pack ideas as users is generally always going to be different than the scope of the idea as presented by EA/maxis. For example, the Paranormal Stuff Pack could have been an entire expansion if the original idea was really expanded upon. Likewise, an actual expansion like Island Living could have also been shrunk down and presented as something like an island-themed beach kit.

Can Story Progression be expanded?

Yes, this is something that “can” be expanded on and may be possible at some point in the future.

Can Whims be expanded to add more depth to the game?

This “could” be done – like so many other things – but it is not currently being worked on.

Can we get customizable pronouns?

This is tricky because the game is available in 18 languages. EA is looking into this, but if they do it, they want to make sure that it’s done in the best way that it possibly can be.

SimGuruDoi states that “Representation is a journey, not a destination” and so things like this are tackled gradually as they can be.

While such inclusion is important for a game like The Sims, we also need to consider that in many other languages aside from English, the entire language is structured in a way that nouns (including inanimate objects) are assigned a masculine or feminine gender.

Getting the translations correct in such languages is going to be quite a task!

Free Updates!

Lastly, SimGuruDoi states that they are devoting more time than ever before in the schedules to work on free updates. Things like bunk beds, and build-mode addons (stairs, platforms, etc) are becoming much more common in free patches, outside the normal structure of including feature updates in packs.

What’s Next?

Coming up in May, June, and, uh, June again (We’re assuming July…) we have a long list of events!

We are starting off today with the new kit – Courtyard Oasis.

Next up, we will have a new career involved in a “creative” game pack! We’ve been seeing many people speculating that could be something like a band or music-related pack. (This probably coming from the phrasing of “Rock Out” with the Sims Event of The Summer.)

For Pride, there is going to be a “Virtual Block Party” – sounds fun!

Then we will be ending out the Summer Shenanigans with a new expansion pack! With the hints towards it being nature-related and charming, many people are jumping all over this to take it as some kind of a farming pack.

Others, following up on a series of tweets from the Gurus, have taken this to mean there is going to be a new life state included. Werewolves were one speculation (not exactly “charming” in the standard sense, but OK) as well as possible faeries. Yet still others are hoping for more robust plantsims.

We have now been left with absolutely no information about the upcoming packs. And so, we continue our journey of rambling speculations.

Coming Soon, to a Twitch near you!

Many of you  noticed there was a new icon shown in CAS in the previous livestream. Stay tuned for the next livestream, next Tuesday on May 25th, 2021, to find out what this new icon represents!

5/19/2021 Update

We have more teasers! It looks like the new career surrounding the “creative” game pack is going to be something interior-design related! This seems SO obvious that most people would never assume that they would add interior design to a game featuring interior design.