Everything You Need To Know About The Sims 4 Ecology

During a live last nightThe SimGurus presented The Sims 4 Ecology. A short, homemade presentation of the new features of the update due for release on June 2, including CAS, Construction Mode and gameplay. We were also able to put our questions to the developers during a presentation with other GameChangers. Here's everything you need to know about the game!

Free update

Many new features are coming in the update that will be offered a few days before the release of the expansion, on June 2.

Firefighters are back in The Sims 4! They'll come to your property if you have a smoke detector, or by calling them. Children can call them to play a prank. In rare cases, the atmosphere could become "hot" when they arrive. No further details yet, but we'll remember the bachelorette parties in The Sims 3 Generations. Note also that the firefighter's outfit, available in CAS, will reduce the risk of catching fire.
New NPC to make its return too, the bailiffs. They will be able to come to recover your furniture if you do not pay your bills.
Speaking of bills, they have been completely revised. You can see the details of what you owe in taxes and charges by clicking on the mailbox.
Doors and windows can be placed freely with the Alt key, without respecting the floor grid.
The inventory has been redesigned and now allows you to filter the items in it by type and sell them in groups
On consoles, a new option will allow to display the commands available in game (such button allows this, etc...)

What's new in the extension

The ecological footprint

The extension does not force you to have an environment and green Sims. You can choose to stay in a polluted universe or work to reduce this pollution. Both have their advantages.
Each land in all existing worlds (except Stranger Ville and vacation worlds) has an impact on the environment depending on the Sims' objects and actions. You can see the level of ecological footprint from the Manage Worlds mode.
The impact on the world will be seen mainly in Evergreen Harbor, with a polluted atmosphere or, conversely, gardens that breathe clean air.
Each neighborhood has its own level of pollution.
As mentioned above, the objects and coverings in the home have an impact on the footprint. A grass roof will make your home greener.
Electronics/appliances can be upgraded to use less energy.
The amateurs of recycling will appreciate, you can excavate the dumpsters to recover furniture, to eat, etc... You can even make crac-crac there.
You can store water and electricity for your own consumption or sell them directly.
You can compost the piles of garbage lying around
Compost toilets have been added. They will be by definition water efficient but will have a risk of catching fire.

Interested in The Sims 4 news? Take a look at First answers to players' questions about the Ecology extension

Community life

By reading the bulletin board, you will be able to read the current project voted by your Sims and their neighbors as well as the projects submitted for voting.
A voting phase lasts several days, you can see who is in the lead by hovering over the panel. There is one vote per week.
Projects can influence the way the world looks. Some will modernize parts of Evergreen Harbor, add a train station, bike lanes, etc. Others are more "classic" like initiating a kind of day of love etc...
It is possible to deactivate neighbor voting.
It is possible to use cheat codes to win a project.
It is possible to cancel improvements.
Some improvements may take several days to implement.

Evergreen Harbor

3 districts. One initially polluted, one clean and one neutral
Apartments in the "neutral" district with a maximum of 3-4 floors. Accessible even to players without City Life.
A new type of community plot that can evolve according to the votes of local residents. It can be a Marketplace, Manufacturing Square or Garden. Four sub-types and therefore four different appearances, all of which can be modified at the same time in Buy mode, but only the one voted for will then be displayed in Life mode. There's nothing to stop you adding or removing other elements, just the voting panel.
A sign indicating the actions undertaken by the neighborhood for the community is present in each neighborhood.
You can swim in a disused granite quarry.
If your neighborhood is very clean, the northern lights may appear.

Polluted neighborhood evergreen harbor sims 4 ecology

Manufacturing Competence

A career as an independent manufacturer has been added. The various contracts will consist of the realization of specific objects.
It is possible to recycle and reuse almost any object in a house.
Items created at the workbench are sent to the home inventory.
As for cooking, several "recipes" of items are available depending on the level of skill in manufacturing.

The candles

45 different candles can be made by sims
Candles melt over time or with cheating.
It will be possible to add scents to the candles, which will have an effect on the sims around.

The gameplay

You can place an insect house on your land that can contain worms, cockroaches or crickets. Insects that can be eaten by your Sims. New recipes with crickets have been added for example. The insect house works similarly to the beehives in the Seasons expansion.
The operation of the "Off-grid" terrain feature has been improved. A category of compatible objects has been added to the purchase mode. Even when off-grid, you'll be able to generate your own electricity and water from generators (diesel or wind-powered, for example).
You'll be able to make juices from a variety of fruits and vegetables. This will be done in a rather huge machine (pancake machine style), and the resulting mixture may have particular effects on your Sims. Juices are packaged in small bottles or six-packs. A secret trait can be obtained if you drink all the existing drinks.
If you have The Sims 4 Seasons and your city is polluted, an acid rain phenomenon may appear. Possible impact on plants.
It is possible to disable the ecological footprint and the community system in the game options.
Death by flies makes a comeback. Flies will hover around the Sim's garbage cans.
Addition of vertical gardens to grow plants or vegetable meat. This meat can be eaten of course but also named, a bit like a cow plant in fact.

Buy/Build mode

Solar panels can be placed on the ground and on almost any roof (sloping or not)
To go with the "Ecological" and "Modern" style, container doors have been added.
All coverings and objects have an impact on the environment. Some also have an influence on fire (the floor will increase the speed of propagation of a fire) or on water.
Some types of roofs can generate energy.
A new type of land: Reduce and recycle.
New wooden bikes
Addition of a cardboard dollhouse.

Interested in The Sims 4 news? Take a look at Leak reveals first details of ecology expansion

Create a Sim

Lots and lots of new outfits for the simettes
The style of the clothes as well as the objects is quite sober and minimalist
The garbage bag seen in the trailer is part of the hats in the create-a-sim and can be worn by all age groups, even toddlers...
Several new character traits (approximate translation pending FR version): Ecological monster, Disciple of recycling, Fabricator, Close to his pennies.
Two new aspirations: Ecological Innovator and Master of Manufacturing