The Sims 4: New Game Patch (November 10th, 2020)

There’s a new Sims 4 update available for PC/Mac and Consoles. If you have auto updates enabled in Origin’s “Application Settings”, the game will auto-update once you open Origin. If you have auto-updates disabled, you will need to manually update by clicking the game in your library.

To ensure your game is up to date, check the game version found in Documents > EA > The Sims 4 > GameVersion.txt. Your game should now read: PC: 1.68.154.1020 / Mac: 1.68.154.1220 / Console: Version 1.33

If you’ve updated on PC/Mac but it’s not showing the correct version, delete the GameVersion.txt file, restart, and all will be corrected.

❗ Remove all MODS and Custom Content before updating your game ❗ 

 

Update 11/10/2020
PC: 1.68.154.1020 / Mac: 1.68.154.1220
Console: Version: 1.33

Welcome, Simmers! A relaxing getaway sure sounds nice right about now. We’re inviting you to take a trip with your Sims to your favorite destination with the newly added ability to vacation anywhere within The Sims 4! Here at Maxis, we’ll be hitting the slopes of Mt. Komorebi with the release of The Sims 4 Snowy Escape in just a few short days. Curious how it works? Read on! We’ve got a big haul of new features and requested fixes in this major update to The Sims 4.

-SimGuruGraham and SimGuruRusskii

NEW & IMPROVED FEATURES

Platforms

Platforms enable you to build rooms at varying heights within a story level. As much as we’d love to sit here and go on and on about how incredible platforms are and how they completely revolutionize Build Mode, you’ll see that for yourself as soon as you try them out in-game! Here are some basics for how they function and how you start building with them.

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You either can use the new Platform Tool directly in or you can place preset platforms that come in various shapes and sizes. You’ll find both of these within the “Walls and Empty Rooms” section of Build Mode.

You easily can add or adjust the height of a platform in any room. Simply click on a room to select it, and the new up & down arrows in the widget that appears will allow you to add or adjust the height of a platform within that space.

Because platforms can have their height adjusted up or down, you can even create platforms that sink down beneath ground… like, really, really deep down. I don’t know why anyone would want to do that *cough* devious players *cough*, but the option’s there! This ability to go deep is reserved for the ground level and basements.

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You can stack platforms on top of platforms, on top of platforms, on top of platforms, on top of platforms, on top of platforms… Seriously, go nuts. Get creative. Make something nobody has ever seen in The Sims before!… On top of platforms…

When a platform’s height is a single step higher or lower than the adjacent floor, Sims are able to step onto it. For anything higher than a single step, connecting a set of stairs or a ladder between the different surfaces will allow Sims to reach them. Here’s your first advanced lesson in platforming: Remember that callout about stacking platforms on top of each other? If each stacked platform is a single step in height, you could certainly make some interesting custom staircases…

• One notable exception – platforms can’t connect across multiple levels. If you build a stack of platforms all the way to the ceiling, the very last step will need to be a staircase or ladder to connect two separate floors of a building together.

Platforms can be utilized as fully functional space or be purely decorative areas – the choice is yours! As you adjust the height of a platform, your Sims will intelligently adapt to that space. For example, you could create a platform with only enough head clearance for a child to enter. The possibilities are endless!

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The visual look of platforms can be customized in a variety of ways. The “Walls and Empty Rooms” section of Build Mode now has a “Platform Trims” subcategory. Here you’ll find trims that match all of our foundations as well as some new trims with basic materials that look perfect in the interior of a building. Want to go even further? Try wrapping the edge of a platform with half walls and then customize the edge with any wall material. Mix and match these methods for creative results!

Even More Half-Walls

Speaking of Half-Walls, we’re pleased to share that we’ve created 12 additional Half-Wall heights to choose from, adding to the 7 heights previously available. One could factually say this is our most sizable Half-Wall update ever! Pity the poor person who was tasked with writing uniquely descriptive names for each of these 19 height variations.

Sentiments

Sentiments are those special fuzzy feelings that form between Sims when they share a memorable moment together. Shared experiences between Sims now offer the opportunity for Sims to develop long-lasting sentiments between each other, which in turn affects how they feel and act in the presence of (or the absence of) another particular Sim. Unlike relationships between Sims, Sentiments can be a one-sided affair. When two or more Sims share an experience together, you may find that all, some, or none of them walk away from that moment having formed a lasting impression of the other Sims that were involved. The base game includes a wide variety of these Sentiments and Snowy Escape has additional ones tied to experiences within that pack.

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Sentiments that have formed between Sims can be viewed in two locations. When socializing with another Sim, click on the heart-covered notebook that appears in the social UI at the top of your screen. Alternatively, you can view the Sentiments that exist between two Sims at any time within the new Sim Profile within the Relationship Panel. Read on for more information on this new Sim Profile …

Sim Profiles

Have you ever gone to check out the other Sims in your Sims’ life, only to be greeted with an overwhelmingly large tooltip that extended from the tippy top all the way to the bottom of your screen? We certainly have, and we weren’t happy with it. There has to be a better way! …And there is! Introducing: Sim Profiles! Within the Relationship Panel, you can now click on the portrait of any Sim and select “Open Sim Profile” for a full breakdown of all the info the active Sim knows about that Sim. It even includes those nifty new Sentiments everyone’s been talking about!

Skin Tone Update Console & Community Identified Issues

We saw your feedback about the October skin tones update and, to improve clarity and transparency, we shared a first look on Twitter of the fix in progress.

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With this patch, the Console game gets the October fixes for texture compression, resolving the banding on the cheeks and foreheads as well as discoloration on the tip of the nose.

In addition, this patch addresses the two community-identified issues of red dots around the lips and a dark blotch between the eyes. The red dots around the lips should be completely resolved at this time. The dark blotch between the eyes was softened to remove the hard edge, but the darkening is expected as part of the shadowing around the nose.

Vacation Anywhere

Couldn’t we all use a good vacation right about now? Your Sims certainly could, and now they can go anywhere! The ability to go on a vacation to any of your worlds has been added to the game for all players along with the “Rental” lot type.

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To vacation to a world, a rental lot must exist within it. Should you purchase Snowy Escape, you’ll find the residential world of Mt. Komorebi includes some pre-built rental lots – a ready getaway awaiting your Sims. If you prefer to vacation in another world (Sulani, anyone?), you’ll first need to enter Manage Worlds mode and update at least one of the lots within the desired world to become a rental lot.

During a vacation, if your Sims are lacking any necessities, they now can “Order Supplies Now” from the rental’s mailbox or from their phone. Happy travels!

Toddler Slippers

We figured it’d be nice to give toddlers a pair of slippers to wear. So we did. Cozy feet!

S-Pop Radio Station

You may remember S-Pop (short for “Sim-Pop”) as a radio station in the City Living expansion pack. While the music tracks that originally came with that station will remain exclusive to City Living, the station itself is now available for all players with five new songs for all players to enjoy:

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“keep on rocking”
Performed by CHAI
Written by Yuki Mizutani (p/k/a/ Yuki), Kanae Obata (p/k/a Kana) and Manami Obata (p/k/a Mana)
Published by Sony Music Publishing (Japan) (JASRAC)
Recording courtesy of Sony Music Japan by arrangement with Sony Music Entertainment

“Kanzen Houki Sengen (Simlish Version)”
Performed by Nanawoakari
Written by Nanawoakari & Tamaya2060
Published by Sony/ATV Music Publishing
Recording courtesy of Sony Music Japan by arrangement with Sony Music Entertainment

“Part. 2”
Performed by SASUKE
Written by SASUKE
Published by Warner Chappell Publishing
Recording courtesy of Warner Music Japan Inc. by arrangement with Warner Music Group Video Game Licensing

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“Ninhursag’s Tone”
Performed by Unite Satisfy
Written by Shintaro Aoki
Published by Syn Songs
Recording courtesy of NNN Records & Cross Groove/Syn Songs

“Harujion”
Performed by YOASOBI
Written by Takuya Shimizu (p/k/a Takuya) and Akira Tsubono (p/k/a Akira)
Published by Sony Music Publishing (Japan) (JASRAC)
Recording courtesy of Sony Music Japan by arrangement with Sony Music Entertainment

And now, onto the fixes:

The Sims 4

• Freelancer Sims now can complete Gigs they have signed up for and harvest the fruits of their labor. Simoleons, Simoleons, Simoooleons… SIMOOOLEOOONS.
• Does your Sim look bored all the time? Even when you think they are having fun, they look bored to you? Not a problem anymore. It’s been… taken care of.
• Calls Dropping? Is your Cell Phone behaving like a certain network is just not up to snuff? We have upgraded all Sims to Simgular – Llama’s Choice Network that does not allow Off-the-Grid shenanigans when your Sims are not Off-the-Grid.
• The NanoCan Touchless Trash Can has been recalled and fixed so now all your trash can be cash in a flash.
• Did you ever experience the Honey I Shrunk the Basil and Sage Plants issue in-game? No longer! *No Sage or Basil Plants were harmed in the fixing of this issue*.
• Ever had Sims show up looking like a product of a bad makeover? Did your Debate Judge just show up to the debate wearing a mascot hat when they’re not the mascot? Did your fellow Spellcasters show up in the Magic Realm wearing not so magical clothes? Say no more… We have applied a fix so that non-playable Sims can be a bit more appropriately coordinated in their outfits and per occasion.
  • To explain a bit further, we created a much more robust set of internal tools that allows us to have greater control over the outfits that the Sims choose to wear in unique situations. We’ve improved a lot of the wacky townie fashion you’ve seen previously (it’s called fashion sweaty – look it up), but if you still see oddities – let us know. It’ll be an easier issue for us to “iron out” moving forward! Together, we can defeat the dreaded eyeball ring.
• Door lock settings now persist when Sims travel. That’s right! If I disallow everybody, it should stay that way when I travel… or when I exit the game… and the occasional restart, too… hmpf!
• Sims who have passed away no longer sometimes disappear from their Genealogy. This is not retroactive, so any Sims that already disappeared will not return.
• Sims no longer ignore the kitchen sink and dishwasher to wash their dishes in the bathroom sink. Okay.
• Oasis Springs’ World Map now shows lots in the correct locations. I see you, Yuma Heights – don’t be sneaky now.
• Sims now can propose to their beloved without rejection (congratulations!). On the same note, Sims with multiple romantic partners now can propose and marry one of them and not get sabotaged by their partners’ predicament of not being able to get married because they are employed together, even when they are not.
• Sims who have finished their workday now get back to things sooner instead of sometimes staring off into space.
• Ever wished your delicious food just never… ended? We thought we did until our Sims were unable to finish their meals. Now they are able to finish Eating Leftovers. They are leftovers, not leftFOREVERS.
• Sims sharing double beds now can Nap or Sleep in any combination. Sim A can nap and Sim B can Sleep… or Sim A can Sleep and Sim B can nap… or they can both Sleep… or nap… well, you get the picture.
• Shower Tubs now can be cleaned enough to be visibly squeaky-clean.
• Another one bites the dust. The issue that generated Error Code: 110:c875d8ff on game load has been fixed.
• Style Influencer Sims now perform Quick Sketch Impression without breaking the Digital Sketchpad. Be kind with your tools and toys.
• Removed incorrect Moodlets such as “Awkward Hug” when Unflirty Sims hugged kids. In the same fashion, we made sure Unflirty Sims no longer receive the “Witnessed Crass Act” Moodlet when parents and children hug or kiss cheeks.
• Adult Sims now Teach Blocks to their Toddlers. Learning in early life is important!
• Sims on vacation now can hire a Nanny and/or a Butler to take care of things while they are away.
• Toddlers no longer will show as “At Daycare” when they are taken back home via the “Care for Self” option. No Toddler clones here… you can’t be two places at once!
• Toddlers left at home while the rest of the household goes on Vacation now receive proper care and otherwise can join the Vacation. THINK OF THE CHILDREN. Toddlers deserve fun and relaxation in new places, too!
• Toddlers no longer get the “Silly Ocean” Moodlet from playing in rivers.
• Children once again can earn Adult skills. *sniff* They grow up so fast!
• Simmers in social events now get a warning when switching to a Sim in another neighborhood rather than the event cancelling automatically.
• Sims with enough Simoleons now can move into empty lots.
• Splitting households and then moving no longer causes an infinite load.
• We told Sims that they should probably not take 45 minutes to drink a single cup of Coffee. As you guys know, I am a coffee fiend, but nursing the same cup for that long is not in the coffee lover’s manual for enjoying fresh coffee.
• We met with our wonderful Sim Firefighters and came to the agreement that they now also will extinguish fires on wall objects such as paintings.
• Action progress bars no longer are interrupted when a new action is added to a Sim’s queue.
• Sometimes items could disappear from your Sim’s inventory after travelling. This should no longer happen. Where is my cup of coffee? Oh, okay, it is here….
• Sims no longer have Clay Blobs, Future Cubes, and/or Sketch Pads spawn infinitely in their Inventory. This felt like grabbing something out of Felix the Cat’s bag… just a never-ending bag of Clay Blobs, Future Cubes, and Sketch Pads… what did it all mean!? We may never know.
• Opening a stack of Inventory items and then going back now highlights the correct item.
• In reviewing items in Inventory, we realized that some item stacks were showing the number 99+ incorrectly on Multiselect. What’s the number? – Stomp, Stomp! – What’s the number? – Stomp, Stomp! – The number of the day… you’re about to see the number is the actual number of items you have! Ah ha ha. That’s the number of the day!
• Sims no longer endlessly play games such as Chess, Sabacc (if you own Journey to Batuu), Voidcritter Cards (if you own Kids Stuff), and your regular Card games. I could play with Meduso forever though… #Meduso4ever.
• Page Up/Page Down and Home/End Keys now work in Free Cam Mode.
• The Aspiration Panel now shows the gender of Sims regardless of whether they are active.
• Now only Gardeners autonomously remove wild plants. Sims with Green Fiend Trait (if you own Eco Lifestyle) were being a bit overly eager in removing plants everywhere, so the professionals will handle it from now on.
• “Listen To Together” on a Stereo no longer resets Sims.
• Sims no longer get “Poorly Decorated” and “Dismally Decorated” Moodlets when decorations are in the room. This applies to new Saves as it is not retroactive, but, my, how judgemental Lots were….
• Columns now can rotate 45 degrees and in Free Rotation. Spin them right round, Simmers, right round.
• The liveeditobjects cheat no longer surfaces items with broken thumbnails that were not meant to be part of that cheat. Pardon our dust.
• Shower descriptions in the catalog said they were “Uncomfortable.” Showers are meant to relax and be a place of meditation, so the catalog now says they provide “Discomfort Relief” unless the specific shower really is uncomfortable.
• The Subtle Saucer and the Super Subtle Saucer now have images that are more distinct from each other in the catalog. Super Subtle, Super Saucer.
• Removed the “Player Feats” door because it wasn’t really a door…
• Dishwashers The Professional Dish Laborer, Washer Pro Free-Standing Dishwasher (from Dine Out), and Industrial Dishwasher Unit (from Parenthood) no longer have a gap between counters.
• Digital World wall tiles have been polished. Shiny and new!
• Career-unlockable outfits no longer show up when filtering for Custom Content.
• Toddlers no longer have bald spots when zoomed out on Low Graphics Settings.
• Frayed jean ymBottom_EF13JeansFrayedCrop_Black no longer clips with several tops.
• Anniversary t-shirts yfTop_EF05ShirtTeeAnniversary and ymTop_EF05ShirtTeeAnniversary fit better on more body types.
• Sims with certain feminine frames now look better when wearing Pants or Full Body outfits.
• Fixed some Create a Sim item backgrounds.
• Selecting what you want to do next at the end of the tutorial on console no longer has the mysterious word “Label” in the background.
• Gallery filters no longer cut off some venue type names in some languages. This was particularly egregious for French and Brazilian Portuguese text.
• Game fonts got some spiffing up to keep all characters looking their best.
• As with every update, the localization team has tweaked, improved, and fixed text across all Packs and previous updates.

Get to Work

• Scientist Sims placing collected crystals and metals in their Laboratory no longer crash the game. Do you ever science so hard, the simulation crashes?
• The “Test Serum” action on a Scientist co-worker no longer causes an error.

Get Together

• Stone Frame Window (window1x1_EP02TUDstoneFrame2Tile_set1), Holey Geometry (window1x1_EP02TUDLow_03_2Tile_set1), and King of Diamonds Classical Door (doorSingle2x1_EP02TUDHigh3Tile_set1) now place properly.
• Sims in Clubs with a Read rule now finish the books they choose to read. No cheating, my friends.
• Wearing their Earbuds (if you own Fitness Stuff) and participating in Club Gatherings no longer causes an error.
• Club affiliation on University Housing (if you own Discover University) now persists after entering Build/Buy Mode.

City Living

• Ultra Speed now works while Festivals are in progress. Some conspiracy can be said about Festivals wanting Simmers to enjoy them in all their glory… at a normal speed at every speed, but these are just conjectures… yes.
• Sims no longer read their mail aloud while conversing with their apartment neighbors. Talk about rude, right?
• “Read about Festival” now consistently displays festival information.
• Sims from specific San Myshuno neighborhoods now have more variety on their appearance.

Cats and Dogs

• Stencils in Create a Sim (Pet) now consistently paint your furry friends without crashing.

Seasons

• The holiday tradition New Skill Day now focuses on starting new skills and improving low level skills so skills that are maxed out don’t count.
• Toddlers who are inside during a blizzard and in a high chair no longer want to Run Inside, so their caretakers won’t take them out of the chair prematurely. You are safe little one; you are safe.
• Now all onions, carrots, mushrooms, potatoes, apples, tomatoes, and growfruits can be planted indoors during freezing weather.
• Plants no longer change their quality or evolve on their own after Sims traveling.
• Some Outdoor Plants that were stuck in summer/fall now turn brown and lose their flowers when winter starts.
• Sims now can book Vacations on the computer during holidays.
• Simmers who have disabled Rain and Snow no longer should see them during Mysterious Weather. Mysterious indeed.
• Male Sims now wear appropriate shoes when working as a Floral Designer or Botanist.
• The beanie hat cuHat_EP05BeaniePom now looks a bit better.
• Sims scheduling an event in the Calendar for a Rental Lot no longer end up in a Lot where they have not been greeted.

Get Famous

• Stans (“stalker fans”) and Kleptomaniac Sims no longer steal Pet food bowls or Cat litter. I have no words for this one. I have nothing.
• Sims with maxed out Atrocious Reputation now maintain their reputation when traveling. Atrocious you shall be forever.

Island Living

• Conservationist Sims now Write Conservation Articles at the appropriate career level (level 4). On the same note, the task for Research Conservation now can be completed.
• Odd Jobs no longer get stuck in a state where Inventory and Build Mode cannot be accessed.
• We had long conversations with Island Celebration Participants and agreed that no random Sims should enter a Sim’s home without permission, barging in as if they owned the place. Excuse you, privacy, and property are a thing, you know?

Discover University

• We chatted with the registrar at Britechester University and got them to agree that students should receive class time reminders before class instead of after. You’re welcome. Now, make sure you go on time, alright?
• School Spirit Day no longer schedules multiple instances at the same time. But… Did you know it is Spirit Day?
• Club gatherings no longer have Sims with their bikes indoors in a disruptive manner.
• Sims traveling long distances including stairs now properly walk the stairs and then hop their bikes and they don’t leave their bike behind. You can’t just abandon your bicycle – what about the poor bike’s feelings?
• Sims now properly get off bikes while on a slope.
• Lawyer Sims now File Court Documents as their tasks dictate at levels after 5. Just because you move up doesn’t mean you stop filing docs.
• Students in a different neighborhood from their University now go to school instead of work when choosing “Go to Class” from the Career Panel.
• Students now can receive only one merit scholarship per term.
• Sims no longer are listed as being at University when they are at home.
• The game no longer sometimes freezes when Sims enroll in University. We get that attending University is life-changing, but freezing a game is taking it a bit to extremes.
• Students now return to Campuses in their leisure time to cloud gaze and play Soccer in the surrounding areas of Britechester University and Foxbury Institute respectively.
• Sims jogging in an Exo-Mech suit no longer get fatigue-related Moodlets.
• For Eco Lifestyle Simmers, “Throw Away” and “Compost” now are available on piles of discarded food. The consequences of not having these were especially egregious at University Dorms.
• Sweatpants yfBottom_EP08LooseSweatpants now look better when paired with scarf yfTop_EP08SweaterScarf in Create a Sim.

Eco Lifestyle

• Recycle Disciple Sims without the Kleptomaniac Trait now swipe household objects less often. We get it, we are all trying to do our best for the environment, but going after your Dumpster was a bit too far… we kinda need that.
• Eco Footprints no longer change very quickly from “Green” to “Neutral.” Knox rejoices.
• Eco Footprints in Worlds no longer become Neutral when entering Manage Worlds.
• We had a chat with Eco Inspectors and they agreed that they should display the correct occupation from now on. And they shall be known as Eco Inspectors… forever.
• Bulldozing Pinecrest Apartments now is possible without damaging the lot.
• Harvestables obtained via a Dumpster no longer disappear from Inventory a few minutes later. Easy come, easy go… would you not disappear, though?
• Recycling is a wonderful thing. Recycling for Inventory exposed missing text on some Grand Meals, so we filled in those names.
• Toddlers living in Lots with the Reduce and Recycle Lot Trait mayyyybe were taking it a bit too far generating trash piles in their inventories. Put that down – No more trash in your pockets.
• Did your floor patterns experience a glow that never went away after selecting all of them? That’s not a problem anymore.
• The Wallpaper formerly known as sheetStandingSeam01GEN has been renamed to Corrugated Metal.
• The Fabricator’s Fabricated Couch (no dye) recipe now creates the correct item.
• Residential Wall Speaker is renamed to Venue Wall Speaker: Americana to accurately reflect its function and music.
• Venue Wall Speaker: Americana now looks correct with the neutral wood option.
• Women’s sandals yfShoes_EP09PlatformSandals now look better when paired with jumpsuit yfBody_EP09JumpsuitUtility.
• Men’s hairstyles ymHair_EP09CurlyBun_Black and ymHair_EP09CrimpedLong_Black have cleaner hairlines now.

Dine Out

• Sims no longer get up from their seats at restaurants randomly and create chaos by speaking to other patrons, grabbing food from their table, putting it somewhere else, and taking over the place by playing the piano or singing. But it was quite the show, wasn’t it?
• Xbox One Simmers now can edit Restaurant Staff Uniforms in Build Mode along with other Simmers.

Vampires

• Vampire Spar no longer negatively affects Conflict resolution for Simmers with Parenthood.

Realm of Magic

• Spellcasters with all spells learned and maxed out no longer lose those when downloaded from the Library/Gallery Muscle memory perhaps?
• Create a Sim no longer has the less-than-attractive skin type that was intended only for cursed Sims as an option.
• Spellcasters have reviewed the terms of their “Always Transportalate” Spell and now can actually teleport anywhere, even places with stairs.

Journey To Batuu

• Sims now are able to complete First Order or Resistance missions and then choose the Hope vs Order – First Steps Aspiration and complete all goals.
• The Lightsaber Collection plaque now has a proper name and description so you can display it with pride.
• The First Order sent a memo stating to change the First Order Blast Door to not accept any decals or wall decorations.
• Create a Sim asset yfBottom_GP09VillagerPatchVertical now goes better with different styles of shoes across multiple Packs.
• The Career Panel now displays the active Mission chosen from the Mission Panel.
• The game no longer freezes when Sims “Freshen up at the Dwelling” at Black Spire Outpost.

Luxury Party

• Create a Sim asset yfBody_SP01SleevesFlutter_SolidBrown fits better when wearing Get to Work’s ymHair_EP01LongWavySwept_Platinum hairstyle.

Movie Hangout

• Movie night has been reclaimed! Sims now can watch complete films from start to finish without getting stuck in a never-ending loop… or I should say not in a Neverending Story? STTOOooooryyyyyYYYY.

Knifty Knitting

• Create a Sim boots cuShoes_SP17BootsBuckled_SolidRedPin work better with jeans cfBottom_SP07JeansPrint_FloralBlueLt.