Yesterday, The Sims 4 received a substantial base game update in preparation for the much-anticipated Life and Death expansion coming on October 31st. This update introduces a variety of exciting new gameplay features and essential bug fixes. Let’s dive into the most impactful updates for your Sims’ lives, and deaths, with a final note for custom content (CC) users on how to keep your game safe from potential disruptions.
Emotional Reactions to Death
A major focus of this update is the enhanced emotional depth Sims experience when someone passes away. Sims will now react more dynamically based on their traits and relationship with the deceased. For instance, if a close friend or family member dies, expect to see stronger, more prolonged mourning, while witnessing a stranger’s death could even prompt a more indifferent or disgusted reaction.
Playable Ghosts in Create a Sim
The afterlife has become a more prominent feature in The Sims 4, with the ability to create playable ghosts directly in Create a Sim for ages Child through Elder. Ghosts now have their own unique needs, including:
- Goo Waste – A new need for clean-up, related to their ethereal nature.
- Ethereal Sustenance – No longer needing regular food, ghosts now have special energy sources.
- Spooky Encounters – Ghosts crave the thrill of haunting and playing pranks.
- Apparition Cleansing – Helping a ghost ‘purify’ themselves is necessary for their ongoing existence.
Sims will also have the choice to “Become a Playable Ghost” or “Become a Freeroaming Ghost” when they die. This gives players more control over whether their deceased Sims stay involved in the household or wander the world as spirits.
Widowed Sims & New Interactions
When a Sim’s spouse dies, they no longer automatically retain their marriage status. Instead, they become widowed. However, the new “Ask to Stay Married” interaction allows grieving Sims to re-establish their marital bond in the afterlife.
WooHoo with the Grim Reaper
A long-requested feature has returned: Sims can now WooHoo with the Grim Reaper once again. The Reaper’s elusive charm continues to captivate Sims, allowing for some dramatic and often humorous romantic encounters.
Better Ghost Autonomy
Previously, ghosts in The Sims 4 had a habit of being a bit too mischievous, often breaking objects and causing chaos without much control. This update reduces the frequency of such behavior, creating a smoother living-with-ghosts experience. Ghosts are still mischievous, but they won’t constantly ruin your Sims’ lives by leaving puddles and broken appliances everywhere.
Infants and Toddlers Managed More Realistically
Previously, when infants or toddlers were taken away by Social Workers, they simply vanished. Now, Sims who lose custody of young children will see them placed in the household management menu, allowing for potential reunions in the future.
New Gravestone and Urn Options
Players can now manually swap gravestones and urns to better fit the environment or aesthetic of a lot. Additionally, if you own certain expansion packs like Vampires or Island Living, you can choose themed gravestones that correspond with the deceased Sim’s occult status. For example, a Sim obsessed with vampires can now rest in a bat-themed gravestone—even if they weren’t actually a vampire.
New “True Black” Color Swatches
Ten different shoes now have “true black” swatch options, adding more versatility to your Sims’ wardrobes. These updates add more customization to the game, ensuring that players have more diverse clothing choices, especially when it comes to classic black options.
Bug Fixes
Game Stability & Graphics Enhancements
This update also tackled several lingering bug issues. A few of the most notable fixes include:
- Improved GPU Detection: Players with hybrid GPU laptops (such as those with NVIDIA or AMD cards) will now see the game running correctly in DirectX 11, rather than defaulting to the older DirectX 9.
- Sims Not Eating Spoiled Food: Sims will now make better choices when it comes to food and will no longer autonomously grab spoiled meals.
- Clipping & Visual Bugs: Many objects and clothing items saw fixes to eliminate clipping, misaligned textures, and graphical bugs, such as the previously glitched male tank tops when selecting feminine fashion choices or texture distortions on specific hairstyles.
Miscellaneous Improvements
- NPCs No Longer Enter Without Knocking: Some Sims were intrusively entering homes without knocking, which has now been fixed.
- Skill Books in Libraries: All libraries now properly stock skill books, ensuring that Sims can learn new skills wherever they go.
- Toddler Autonomy: Parents won’t get stuck idly in front of their baby’s crib when attempting interactions.
- Calendar Fixes: Festival events from the City Living pack and other scheduled events will now appear consistently on the calendar, preventing festival timing mishaps.
- Invisible Nannies: Nannies who were mysteriously invisible have had their powers revoked—they’re now visible and ready to care for your little ones.
These are just a few highlights of the many bug fixes aimed at improving gameplay fluidity and immersion.
Important Tip for CC Users: Backup and Prepare for Mod Updates
As exciting as this update is, players who use Custom Content (CC) or mods should be cautious. Major updates often break CC or mods, which means you may experience missing or malfunctioning items until creators can release compatibility updates. Here are a few essential tips to ensure your game stays in good shape:
- Backup Your Mods/CC: Always create a backup of your current Mods and CC files before updating your game.
- Disable Mods Temporarily: After updating, it’s a good idea to start the game with mods disabled, then re-enable them once you’ve verified that everything is working correctly.
- Check for Mod Updates: Visit your favorite creators’ pages for any updates or patches they’ve released to ensure compatibility with the new game version.
Stay safe and enjoy all the exciting new changes! And don’t forget to check back at TSR for updated CC and mods from our talented creators!
For full information on the new patch, check out the official EA update here.
