Hi there! You are currently browsing as a guest. Why not create an account? Then you get less ads, can thank creators, post feedback, keep a list of your favourites, and more!
Test Subject
Original Poster
#1 Old 23rd Jun 2019 at 4:20 AM
Lot trait - Off the Grid, not all it should be
Tried the lot trait "Off the Grid"
You can place stoves, showers, and sinks that work with the trait.
Water is all grimy, the sims complain all the time about the water,
but toddlers and dogs that are given long baths (in the select few tub/shower mix) are not bothered by it.
Adults can't take baths either even though it's a tub/shower cause there is no electricity but yet there is gas for the stove.
You need gas to cook food on the few stoves that are allowed
but it's single plate food items such as grilled cheese and eggs and bacon. Other items won't unlock.
You can't even bake or just cook, what B.S. is this, you can cook many things with a gas stove.
Then it tells me I need a fridge (god knows it needs electricity to run) to cook things,
but only gives me only the regular salad and fruit salad at all times.
I can put the grill in to give more food options but they don't put the food out and place it in the inventory.
Can someone please make a mod to fix this stupid idiocracy.

[/B]
Quote:
Friends help you move, best friends help you move bodies.
Advertisement
Field Researcher
#2 Old 23rd Jun 2019 at 11:49 AM
Off the grid is either broken or there’s been no thought put into it.

The wash tub - the one item that should work after one use doesn’t. Its very disappointing.
Mad Poster
#3 Old 23rd Jun 2019 at 2:46 PM
It’s like they wanted to do off the grid but didn’t want to commit to it. They realized Sims couldn’t get their needs in order so they decided to make some horrible exceptions.

If I’m living off the grid, why is there still gas and plumbing? The only stove that should work is the wood burning stove. The refrigerator should not function except as a pantry for non perishables. Otherwise, food expires.

They should have added gameplay objects to support living off the grid. Having a portable generators that needs to be refilled (with money) would have been perfect, or wind turbines, solar paneling, etc. (which also break and need to be repaired). A rain water collector or similar items for Seasons would be great for plumbing needs. If it doesn’t rain, you pay to fill it up with water (like you do the generator), otherwise, water doesn’t work at all. Using power or water put a strain on these resources.

Much better than cheaping out and added gas. Commit or quit, EA.

->> Check Out Checkout: Journey To Employee Of The Month! <<-

~ Just a click a day is nothing short of helpful! ~
Scholar
#4 Old 23rd Jun 2019 at 2:51 PM
It's embarrassing how badly executed the Off the Grid lot trait is. I can't believe they even promoted it, considering how awful it is. They should have left it out entirely, because it's not playable in the state it's in now. I hope they actually listen and fix at least some of the problems that players are reporting with the next patch.
Mad Poster
#5 Old 23rd Jun 2019 at 4:31 PM
It's almost as if it was a half-baked idea that didn't get the attention it needs to be a viable method of gameplay... wonder why?

At the very minimum, a set of non-grid items should have been provided, like these ones a modder had to make:
http://www.modthesims.info/d/629073...e-off-grid.html
https://modthesims.info/d/629083/ru...e-off-grid.html

Basically a bucket for your toilet, a bucket/tub for washing, a rainwater barrel for the two, candles/lanterns, and maybe a pantry (fridge) and wood stove for cooking. They wouldn't be for everyone, and a neat sim might get a grossed out moodlet from time to time. Without a rainwater barrel, the water would be grimy.

The next step up would be a composting toilet, a windmill + water pump to enable running water. The composting toilet would produce fertilizer that you could use for gardening. A similar item could be used to turn garbage into fertilizer as well.

The final step up would be wind turbines, diesel generators and solar panels, which would basically provide some electricity able to run basic things like lights, fridges and laptops.

This could have easily dovetailed into the conservationist career and provided a new way of gameplay. But as of now, doesn't seem to be the case. I wonder if bills are smaller with the Off-Grid trait?
Instructor
#6 Old 23rd Jun 2019 at 6:35 PM
Reading all these posts just makes me even more disappointed in the game. I don't have the pack and I haven't played in a while but I was willing launch again to get a feel of the trait. I wanted to make granite falls and the campgrounds In Selvadorada completely off the grid and a few other lots some being in Windenburg. But with how limiting it is and how it's basically broken/ unfinished it just upsets me. What's wrong with these devs and Maxis? They should truly be embarrassed.
dodgy builder
#7 Old 23rd Jun 2019 at 7:32 PM
Does that mean you actually do need a fridge to cook things? When it comes to the stove, they do have the old wooden stove I guess, or doesn't that work.

It would have been fun with a working Inglenook
Test Subject
Original Poster
#8 Old 24th Jun 2019 at 10:48 AM
Quote: Originally posted by Volvenom
Does that mean you actually do need a fridge to cook things? When it comes to the stove, they do have the old wooden stove I guess, or doesn't that work.

It would have been fun with a working Inglenook


Wood stove is one of the few that works. I don't have the newest pack either, few eps behind as well. But really wood stove that uses gas.. Or electricity doesn't add up. The fridge that matches can't even be used and its the closest to an old ice box... The fridge I guess is only good for veggies but only salad... Still fun but annoying.

[/B]
Quote:
Friends help you move, best friends help you move bodies.
Mad Poster
#9 Old 24th Jun 2019 at 11:02 AM
I can empathize with the little bastards though. Dirty water is the worst.

Because the earth is standing still, and the truth becomes a lie
A choice profound is bittersweet, no one hears Cassandra Goth cry

Top Secret Researcher
#10 Old 25th Jun 2019 at 6:48 AM
Is there a way to filter all off the grid items? Don't feel like trying them one by one lol
dodgy builder
#11 Old 25th Jun 2019 at 7:51 AM Last edited by Volvenom : 25th Jun 2019 at 8:10 AM.
I have been testing this. The wood stove really doesn't work. Instead I found a BBQ, the barrel kind. She could make hamburgers, chicken and sausages.

When she started feeling dirty I equipped a bar with a shower and a washer/dryer. She washer her clothes there and took a shower. Works nicely.

The ability to heat water on open flames either a BBQ or what do you call those fire pit thingies, and dump it in a shower or cook with it, would be nice.

Or they could make an inglenook, make it possible to just heat water on it, and cook above the fire.
Lab Assistant
#12 Old 25th Jun 2019 at 1:57 PM Last edited by WaytoomanyUIDs : 25th Jun 2019 at 2:04 PM. Reason: more thoughts
Well, you do get paraffin & LPG powered fridges. But then those should be new items.
And if they had bothered to include wind turbines and solar panels, then they could hand wave the electricity.
And of course they should have had boreholes, (or rainwater tanks as mentioned above) so water shoulnd't be a problem either.
Mad Poster
#13 Old 25th Jun 2019 at 2:09 PM
And it will probably remain like that unchanged/improved, LOL. Quite fittingly, perhaps whoever developed it needed to start a funraiser at patreonâ„¢ to finish this lot trait.

P.S. Sorry for my bad english.
Mad Poster
#14 Old 25th Jun 2019 at 3:33 PM
According to a couple of Let's play videos, I think you can cook fish (possibly other things) on the smallest bonfire that came with one of the EPs or GPs. There's possibly one fridge that works (one that looks like a closet) and I think there's a cooler that holds certain foods. You can shower in the waterfall (without negative moodlets?).
Mad Poster
#15 Old 25th Jun 2019 at 4:11 PM
They should work on the lot trait in their free time and slowly improve it over the course of a year. That, or actually release a stuff pack to accompany it and fix what’s in the base game (if they must be greedy about it).

->> Check Out Checkout: Journey To Employee Of The Month! <<-

~ Just a click a day is nothing short of helpful! ~
Mad Poster
#16 Old 25th Jun 2019 at 5:19 PM
Quote: Originally posted by matrix54
They should work on the lot trait in their free time and slowly improve it over the course of a year.

As if I heard any upgrades and stability improvements over first person mode, I won't bet they have the initiative to do it particularly on spare time. Even when on the job they rarely prioritize the right things like that for updating (well, in my wish list at least).

Quote: Originally posted by matrix54
That, or actually release a stuff pack to accompany it and fix what’s in the base game (if they must be greedy about it).

I like that idea, but... they don't really stuff packs heavily by demand. Wish to be proven wrong and they offer, but I myself suggested such pack.

P.S. Sorry for my bad english.
Mad Poster
#17 Old 25th Jun 2019 at 5:48 PM
Someone will probably make mods that add some of the more logical items to the off-grid option, and fix various annoyances. It's already been done to some of the lamps, here: https://silverhammersims.tumblr.com...the-grid-lights

Players often have to fix and mod stuff EA kind of mess up, just give it some time. The pack has only been out for like a week. Sometimes modding takes time, and tther times people need to get really tired of a thing happening in their game before they decide to mod it out or fix it.

(It does seem like a fun pack with some interesting options, but personally I'm waiting for it to come on sale).
Scholar
#18 Old 26th Jun 2019 at 7:50 AM
I dont even see the point of using non-grid toilets and showers because once they get dirty, you can't clean them! Nobody likes icky plumbing. To be truly off grid, you need some kind of generator that is run on some other energy source, like say, solar power (SULANI has plenty of sun! Oh my god how great it would have been to have SOLAR POWER!), and some kind of rainwater collection system that can be converted to drinkable water and heated by said generator. Perhaps we'll get that kind of stuff in a farming pack? (one can dream). In the meantime I guess I'll have my sims shower in the waterfall and piss in bushes.
Test Subject
#19 Old 26th Jun 2019 at 11:57 AM
Quote: Originally posted by matrix54
They should work on the lot trait in their free time and slowly improve it over the course of a year. That, or actually release a stuff pack to accompany it and fix what’s in the base game (if they must be greedy about it).

Wasn’t Laundry Day supposed to be “off the grid” or “energy saving?” I mean everything was leading up to it until people voted on the gameplay part :/
Field Researcher
#20 Old 26th Jun 2019 at 7:15 PM
Quote: Originally posted by Gargoyle Cat
I get what you're saying, but this stinks way too much like My First Pet. If a pack comes that out that contains solar panels and other things that would be used in a camping or off grid environment, it will be My First Pet II.



This isn't a modding problem, this is a Maxis problem.

Modders and players shouldn't have to 'fix' the game in the first place, that's Maxis' job. They're the ones that are being paid over 100k per year on average, not the person that is making recolors and or ripping their hair out going through spaghetti code because Maxis can't resist shoving crap out their door and calling it top quality or best thing ever. Mods and custom content should enhance and or build on game play, not trying to patch the so-called 'solid foundation' for TS4 that 5 years later still resembles a piece of Swiss cheese.


I could not agree more. It's like some modder put out all the fixes to fix the vampires that this last EP or GP really screwed. Modders who for the most part work on this in there spare time shouldn't have to fix devs problems who get paid big money to work on a game and are supposed to know what they are doing and end up putting out bugged EP's that screw up the game as a whole!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mad Poster
#21 Old 26th Jun 2019 at 7:50 PM
Quote: Originally posted by Gargoyle Cat
Modders and players shouldn't have to 'fix' the game in the first place, that's Maxis' job.


I agree fully with this one. However, we all know EAxis by now - when they start "fixing" things, they often end up messing up something else, and there are a lot of strange bugs they leave in before patching (with TS3 and TS4, the patches have had a tendency to screw up even more things). A few funny/weird patch examples from 2, 3 and 4 below (and I'm still wondering how they managed to screw up these in the first place)

Mad Poster
#22 Old 27th Jun 2019 at 2:50 AM
Maybe they should release less content and spend more time fixing what they already have.

They said they fixed the bug about trim on curved walls, if it’s srill broken. Someway. Somehow.

->> Check Out Checkout: Journey To Employee Of The Month! <<-

~ Just a click a day is nothing short of helpful! ~
Scholar
#23 Old 28th Jun 2019 at 10:36 AM
Well that explains why the 1 shower and 1 tub/shower that should work suddenly stopped working. MAN I should have checked this site for issues first before trying off the grid.

Disclaimer: I am just being a goof ball, please ignore me if offended.
Lab Assistant
#24 Old 2nd Jul 2019 at 8:16 PM
Quote: Originally posted by simmer22
TS3:
-Fixed an issue that caused Sims to leave their Toddler inside a bar at closing time.
-Toddlers can no longer get fleas.


I was a bit sad when they fixed these two, quite realistic IMO.
Test Subject
#25 Old 20th Jul 2019 at 6:26 PM
Quote: Originally posted by jje1000
It's almost as if it was a half-baked idea that didn't get the attention it needs to be a viable method of gameplay... wonder why?

At the very minimum, a set of non-grid items should have been provided, like these ones a modder had to make:
http://www.modthesims.info/d/629073...e-off-grid.html
https://modthesims.info/d/629083/ru...e-off-grid.html

Basically a bucket for your toilet, a bucket/tub for washing, a rainwater barrel for the two, candles/lanterns, and maybe a pantry (fridge) and wood stove for cooking. They wouldn't be for everyone, and a neat sim might get a grossed out moodlet from time to time. Without a rainwater barrel, the water would be grimy.

The next step up would be a composting toilet, a windmill + water pump to enable running water. The composting toilet would produce fertilizer that you could use for gardening. A similar item could be used to turn garbage into fertilizer as well.

The final step up would be wind turbines, diesel generators and solar panels, which would basically provide some electricity able to run basic things like lights, fridges and laptops.

This could have easily dovetailed into the conservationist career and provided a new way of gameplay. But as of now, doesn't seem to be the case. I wonder if bills are smaller with the Off-Grid trait?



These are all excellent points. I'm currently playing the Accidental Time Traveller Legacy Challenge,and was thrilled to see they'd added this venue trait recently, but I am so tired off my sims complaining, tired of not being able to bathe the toddler or clean the toilet, or cook a family sized meal for the whole family to eat so my kids don't just eat cereal. The candles work, and some of them even on shelves so you can have lighting, but mostly this is so badly executed that one wonders why EA bothered at all. Surely the developers who made it aren't thrilled with their work? There's so many ways this could have been done well, it boggles the mind that it hasn't been. You can't even change the water in the clothes washtub! So my sim has to rebuy it each time. It all just makes no sense.
Page 1 of 2
Back to top