Sims Nation Magazine: March 2022 - Corrected by The Sims Nation Magazine

THE WOMEN'S EMPOWERMENT ISSUE

STUNNING

feminine style books w/100s of LIVE links!

ImsO_Psyched OPENS UP!

Spring FORWARD with a Base Game Gardening Deep Dive! P21

EmpowHER:KawaiiFoxita Speaks

on Femme Gaming and Self-Advocacy

I S S U E

N O .

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M A R C H

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WE ARE THE REVOLUTION

SHOW UP AS YOU ARE:

BREAKING THE BIAS:

A Moment with ImsO_Psyched

Kawaii Foxita Speaks

RUNWAY REVOLUTION

VINTAGE VICTORIAN:

ROARING RUNWAY:

SOULFUL SIXTIES AND SEVENTIES:

EIGHTIES BABY:

TOTALLY CRUNK FITS:

A Feminine Lookbook by Jo_se_oh

A Jazz Age Lookbook by WhataGreatDai

A Groovy Lookbook by WhataGreatDai

A Totally Bodacious Lookbook by WhataGreatDai

A 2000's Lookbook with WiccanSimmie

BUILD THE REVOLUTION

NEW YORK CITY MARCH SHELL CHALLENGES

BETTER BUILD TIPS WITH M A I A M A K E S : Lighting!

A ROOM OF ONE'S OWN:

A Custom Content Bedroom Spread

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

MOROCCO 2.0:

EDITOR'S CHOICE:

A Sims Mobile Build Feature from u/My Nose Tickles

Our favorite Tartosa-inspired builds from the Gallery

THE REVOLUTION MIGHT BE TELEVISED

BASE GAME DEEP DIVE:

FEMME FATALE PHOTOSHOOT:

COOL AND QUEENLY :

What you didn't know about Gardening with JaceChu

Femme Pose Selection with Alaeryn

A Regal Femme Pose Selection by IzzyMomGames

START THE REVOLUTION

CALL TO ACTION:

N.O.W, Days for Girls, OkraProject

UN Women - Protect Ukranian Women and Girls

THE JOY OF REVOLUTION

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MARCH CALENDAR OF EVENTS

WOMEN'S HISTORY WORD SEARCH

TABLE OF CONTENTS

MEET OUR TEAM

ALAERYN EMLU'RATHIAN

IRIMIEL EMLU'RATHIAN

Editor-in-Chief

Executive Publication and Graphics Editor

SHELLYBEE

Chief Custom Content Curator

WHATAGREATDAI

JO_SE_OH Custom Content Curator

Custom Content Curator

WICCAN SIMMIE

Custom Content Curator

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STAFF

MEET OUR TEAM

MAIAMAKES

JACECHU

Chief Build Expert

Staff Writer and Game Expert

QUEENYAYT

Staff Writer and Custom Content Curator

HERALDSIMS

LIZZYUK Assistant Editor

Sims Community Expert

CHYSIMMER

Staff Writer and Storyteller

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STAFF

MEET OUR TEAM

IZZYMOMGAMES

OHTARATARA

Staff Machinima Director

Staff Writer and Custom Content Creator

ISLAND_SIMMER

Staff Machinima Director

OBIGEM

ALEXASIMI Resident Build Expert

Staff Machinima Director

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STAFF

FROM THE EDITOR ALAERYN EMLU'RATHIAN

I am unabashedly a feminist. Thus, Women’s History Month has always been incredibly special to me. Make no mistake; those who identify as female face a unique set of challenges. Often underpaid, overworked, and overlooked, those of the feminine persuasion must work hard to smash through a gamut of glass ceilings day after day. While the “f-word” in recent times has garnered a bit of a bad rap, diluted and contorted by naysayers as some sort of radical, manhating movement, feminism continues to advocate for an idea that, although simple, remains elusive: true equality of the sexes though equal pay, preserved reproductive rights, and the eradication of an inherently sexist western culture.

Women’s History Month is an opportunity for everyone to appreciate the incredible contributions, past and present, of women in all sectors of our modern society. We must work hard to raise their voices, to challenge toxic masculinity, and to dismantle the sometimes subtle (and more often than not– overt) barriers to gender equality.

The often male-dominated sphere that is gaming offers its own challenges to feminine presenting and identified people. Twitch, an extremely popular streaming platform for gamers, offers the sort of opportunity that many people often only dream of - getting paid to play video games. But despite the indisputable fact that women play video games at nearly the same rate as men, the top thirty Twitch earners remain all men.

Sims Nation Magazine embraces Women’s History Month by presenting feminine Sims of all shapes and sizes, by digging deep with feminist phenomenons ImSoPsyched and KawaiiFoxita, and sharing the stories of trailblazing women - the thinkers, the actors, the dissatisfied, the brave, the curious, and indefatigable - time and time again.

Meanwhile, women and people of color have been the target of disparaging vitriol from anonymous users and bots, often forcing women– especially Black women– out of the Twitch revenue-earning picture all together.

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Sincerely,

A. Em 07

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

SHOW UP AS YOU ARE :

A MOMENT WITH IMSOPSYCHED INTERVIEW BY ALAERYN

ImSoPsyched is one of those streamers who makes you wonder if they ever sleep. An indestructible force of self-confidence, energy, and kindness, Psyched is a pillar of good vibes in the streaming industry, particularly amongst Simmers. Her Twitch streams are high-energy, full of laughs and contests, competitions and chaos. It is readily apparent that she and her community are tight-knit; she and her streaming wife ChefG share a whole host of caring, hilarious, and invested friends and dedicated viewers who show up for the Simming team on and off Twitch. Beyond even streaming, Psyched is also a person who is well-educated; she thinks deeply about her work both as an I/O Psychologist and as a Twitch streamer who endlessly networks and takes her game to the next level. Taking pride in her status as a firmly “vanilla” Simmer (a Simmer who plays the game without mods or custom content), Psyched manages to keep the game fresh and her stream entertaining. Sims Nation Magazine sat down with Psyched to discover her unique perspective as a thriving Twitch streamer, Black and Queer gamer, and a vanilla Simmer. The resulting interview is both eye-opening and inspiring.

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when my mind is racing and also encourage me to continue pushing myself. I’ve ALWAYS been a Simmer. I remember growing up and even now, my mom would ask, “what are you doing on that computer?” I’d respond, “playing Sims!” She’s watched me play a few times and tried to get into it, but I don’t think she had the patience at the time. So, when I found a Simming Twitch community, I knew this was a perfect opportunity for me to play the game I love, be my social butterfly self and meet some amazing people who I now call my friends and family.

Alaeryn: Psyched! I’m so excited to finally sit down with you! Thank you for agreeing to a Sims Nation magazine interview! How is life? How is Washington State treating you? Psyched: Life is great! Washington State is truly amazing. I remember my first time visiting to move and when I stepped off the plane at 10pm and took a whiff of the city, I knew I was destined to be here. I’m from the South, so I was used to nature, hiking, camping, etc. I didn’t get the opportunity to really enjoy that in the DMV, so one of the main reasons for moving here was the nature. It’s been 6ish months and I am still grateful for moving here.

Alaeryn: Many know you as a Sims streamer, but some may not know that you also have a Master’s and Ph.D. in Industrial and Organizational Psychology! Tell us why you chose to go into this field. How does your background in psychology feed into your streaming experience, if at all?

Alaeryn: You are deeply loved in the community as a high-energy, welleducated, and effortlessly funny Twitch streamer who loves the Sims! Tell us about the person behind the microphone - how do you manage to take care of you during even the most trying of times? How has your life up to this point prepared you for where you are now?

Psyched: This is a great question. I’ll start with a little backstory. So, when I first began undergrad, I wanted to go into Child Psychology. But after taking a Career in Psychology class and learning about the Industrial and Organizational (I/O) field, I knew that was the better fit for me. I was already managing a Popeyes restaurant which meant interviewing, hiring, training new employees, and making sure the employees on the shift were supportive teammates. I/O Psychology can be described as psychology and science meeting human resources management. So, while someone with an MBA could do similar work, my psychology and research background affords me an opportunity to take work to the next level for my clients. So, whether I am helping a client identify pain points in their hiring process in terms

Psyched: Oh wow, those are some amazing accolades, thank you Twitch community and Psyched Ward. Honestly, lots of Yoga and running. I wouldn’t quite call myself a Yogi, but I really do believe in yoga practice and meditation. Outside of Yoga, I am spiritual when it comes to chakras and stones as a source of healing and renewal. As far as running goes, I just ran my first half marathon earlier this month! While very trying, I am so blessed to have accomplished that goal. How has life prepared me up to this point…? I would say I’ve always been high-energy. So having friends and family around me helps to both calm me down

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of being more inclusive, ensuring employees feel valued/belonged, or revamping their performance system to be more equitable, I am using research and science to back up the recommendations to our clients.

Psyched: Being an amazing streaming duo is quite fun! My wife and I have been married for almost five years and one thing we continuously believe holds us together is the amount of fun and laughter we share. We now bring that energy to Twitch and it’s so super cool.

So, that back story is to say, I am all about Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) and I believe that everyone should feel welcomed in the Psyched Ward. We laugh, we joke, and we even pick on one another, but we will always respect each other’s boundaries, pronouns, backgrounds, and any other factor of our lives that makes us who we are. The Psyched Ward is much like a client in that I do a lot of research and bring a lot of ideas to the channel to help us all grow and have a great time. I know I’m a Simmer and it’s a 1-person game, but it comes with its own challenges. So, I spend the time learning about the game and its upcoming expansions, then challenging the community through game play, building, and storytelling.

Whether we are making unplanned cameos in each other’s streams or have a planned love break, we truly try to show our Twitch community who we are on and off camera– this loving, silly, supportive couple. Now as much as we love each other and the community sees that, streaming does come with its challenges. For us, our biggest challenge has been finding the time to manage careers, Twitch, Discord, and time for us to connect. I’m grateful that Chef is also a streamer because I’ve seen the flipside– when one partner is a streamer and the other partner is not. So, while I’m blessed that we both understand the grind, we still struggle to find MEANINGFUL time with each other. We recognize that and we do our best to find time to focus on us. Funny thing is when we met, we were both Simmers. So, our vacation times are usually spent on someone’s beach or far away hotel cuddling, watching movies, and playing Sims. It gives us time to recharge our relationship stones while enjoying the game we love so much.

PS. Most people also don’t know I run my own resume writing business. I’ve often given resume and cover letter advice, career direction advice, etc. So, whether we are in streams or on Discord, I am always available to give someone just a little knowledge to help them on their career path. Definitely check out the business and reach out if you have any questions about your career! (www.charbrownsolutions.com) Alaeryn: You are married to the wonderful CallMeChefG, Food and Drink streamer extraordinaire; what is it like to be such an amazing streaming duo? How does streaming affect your relationship if at all?

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Alaeryn: Sims Nation Magazine always endeavors to highlight the beautiful phenomenon that is Black life, Black joy, and Black love. What does Black love mean to you? Why is it so important to center Black joy and Black love in our lives every day of the year? Psyched: Black love to me means understanding each other’s struggle and background. Although we are both Black, our stories and journeys are different. Being Black and Queer is different from being Black and heterosexual; that is, being a Black Queer female is different from being a Black heterosexual male, for example. Our intersectional experiences as Black individuals make us who we are today so taking the time to talk to each other about our experiences brings a sense of joy that only WE understand. Black love to me means showing up and supporting each other through the emotional and stressful world we live in. Black love and Black joy means unapologetically showing up as who we are, sharing space with those who may not look like us and being happy to be there, with each other. It's so important to center Black joy and Black love not just in February but yearround because as I just mentioned, we typically don’t have the freedom to do so without being judged or looked at sideways. So regardless of what time of year it is, it’s so important for us to love each other, love our sisters, brothers, neighbors, strangers, and people we meet for a short time.

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So, being a Black Queer nonmodded/non-CC Simmer or “Vanilla Simmer” as Twitchers call me, is an honor that I will continue to be grateful to hold and share.

Alaeryn: How do you navigate the largely white male-dominated industry that is gaming and streaming? Can you talk a little about your experience as a Queer person of color who is thriving on the stream scene? Tell us all about your greatest joys!

Secondly, enjoy what you are doing. Being a Twitch streamer is HARD WORK; it’s hard showing up to stream with zero people in streams; it’s hard to find time to visit your friends and followers when you’re not streaming; it’s hard to juggle a social life, stream, and Discord. We are all on our own Twitch journeys and we may feel like an imposter or that we just aren’t good enough some days. It’s 100% ok to take time for yourself and at the end of the day, PLEASE enjoy yourself, enjoy your games, and everything else will fall into place.

Psyched: I navigate the industry by being Psyched – social, high energy and not letting things outside of my control affect me. As a queer POC on this platform, I am grateful and thankful for the opportunities I’ve received and will be thankful for the ones I receive in the future. I am grateful for the opportunities I receive and do a HELL of a lot of networking to ensure those BIPOC and non-BIPOC know I exist, know I love the game and am thriving. My greatest joy for Twitch is my community. The Psyched Ward shows up every stream and I am always just as surprised by the amount of chaos that happens on a nonmodded and non-CC Sims stream. The Psyched Ward 100% is my greatest joy. They are inclusive, they are loving, they are welcoming, and they truly care about the game, me, and each other. Alaeryn: What advice do you have for aspiring streamers? Do you have any parting words of wisdom for our readers? Psyched: My first advice is to don’t be afraid to put yourself out there and stick to your values/morals. I’m a rarity in the Sims category. As much as I enjoy seeing my friends and those I look up to streaming their mods and CC content. I truly enjoy the Sims game in its original form. I love the growth the game is undergoing and their partnerships with CC creators to bring some super dope content to us “vanilla” players.

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BREAKING THE BIAS:

KAWAIIFOXITA ON WOMEN’S EMPOWERMENT AND SELF-ADVOCACY IN GAMING INTERVIEW BY ALAERYN

The Sims building community is wellacquainted with the name KawaiiFoxita. Gemma, the mind-boggling talent who has fairly cornered the saturated field of fantastic Sims builders, quickly made a name for herself during the pandemic with not only a wide-array of showstopping builds but also with her kindness, gratitude, consistency, and social media savvy.

But even this does not begin to sum up the personality that is KawaiiFoxita. Though many Simmers hail her talent as a top-notch builder, Gemma is also a prime example of extraordinary work ethic, unapologetic boundary-setting, and sheer networking savvy. In fact, Gemma could host a masterclass on the power of self-advocacy, a skill women often must master to even begin to crack the industry glass ceiling.

There is much to love about Gemma. Her builds please a range of artistic palettes: she is equally at home erecting clean, modern spaces as she is crafting grandly intricate Moroccaninspired palaces.

Her efforts have landed her valuable corporate partnerships, ambassadorships with respected brands like Women in Games International and GameHers, and a coveted position in the EA Creator Network!

Her works can be moody, old-world, minimalist, sumptuous, charming, nostalgic, forward-looking, crisply masculine, warmly feminine, or even bravely fantastical. It goes without saying that, as an architect and interior decorator, Gemma has serious chops.

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Sims Nation Magazine sat down with Gemma to catch up with her, to gain insight into her brilliant building brain, and to gather her thoughts about the state of women in gaming.

WE ARE THE REVOLUTION

Alaeryn: Gemma! It is such an honor to have you back with Sims Nation Magazine. We are immensely proud of all your accomplishments. How does it all feel?

I’ve had ups and downs since we last spoke, but I am holding onto those good moments and cheering for myself. It helps to have some great people in your corner though, and I’m very lucky to have some amazing people reminding me that I am doing good things.

Gemma: Thank you! To be honest I’m always humbled by how much support I have in the community. I still think of myself as a new creator here so it’s a bit overwhelming.

Alaeryn: This month, Sims Nation Magazine highlights the accomplishments of women all over the world, but particularly women in gaming. You’re actually an ambassador for the organization Women in Games (WIGI), which strategically advocates to involve women in the traditionallymale space that is video games. Why is this so important?

Alaeryn: You’re a friggin EA Creator now! Congrats! Tell us about the moment you learned EA invited you into their competitive program! What is next for you? Gemma: It was pretty much a surprise for me too! I always hoped I’d see an invite in my emails one day, but to get one was a bit surreal. Unfortunately, there are some in the community who are bitter about it, and there’s a kind of negativity towards folks who are on it, but I’m going to keep moving forward. I don’t know where it will lead. Hopefully somewhere that allows me to do something for others.

Gemma: I joined Women in Games because of all the abuse and hatred, directed at me and other women, that I have seen over the past six years as a content creator. In fact, a perfect example is when I tweeted about the EA Creator invite. A guy posted on my tweet that I only got it because I was “pretty with blonde hair and blue eyes” and that I “don’t deserve it” Two years of work reduced to my appearance. It’s horrid. Women are still devalued and held back from opportunities, and in the gaming space, only 22% are part of the workforce. Misogyny and sexism are a huge problem, and it needs to change.

Alaeryn: We learned more about you in our July issue last year; you are so deeply fascinating. Your story is one of sheer resilience and top-notch moxy. How do you motivate yourself to continue advocating for yourself even when times are difficult?

Alaeryn: In that same spirit, you are also an ambassador for GameHers, an organization that seeks to empower femme-identifying people in gaming and carve out a meaningful, safe, sexist-free space for and by them. Why, in your opinion, is this so important?

Gemma: That’s very kind of you! If I don’t advocate for myself, who will? You can be your own biggest supporter or your own biggest critic. I am both, like a lot of people, but I am trying to be kinder to myself as I get older.

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Gemma: Everyone deserves to feel respected, safe, and represented in the games industry. The voices of LGBTQiA+ people, disabled players, and women are extremely important, but white CIS men still run the show. I am passionate about creating safe spaces for everyone to enjoy the things they love without being constantly harassed, belittled, and judged by people who, most of the time, know nothing about us. We aren’t slabs of meat to be objectified or an inconvenience because we have a disability (I have Crohn’s). Alaeryn: Who are some women that you look up to in your own life? Who is your role model? Gemma: My mum, for her work ethic. She instilled in me, along with my dad, the need to work and have a get on and do attitude. There are also some incredible women in the games industry that I admire for their positive outlook and uplifting spirit. They’ve pushed through the misogyny and all the bullshit to be top in their respective fields. I’m constantly inspired by all the wins I see posted by women in the industry. Alaeryn: Speaking of advocacy and self-advocacy, there is so much that anyone can learn from you. While you are an incredibly talented builder with an artistic eye for lighting, angles, and detail, you are also just downright good at social media. You’ve even caught the eye of Bioware producers! What tips do you have for other women who want to grow their personal brand?

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Gemma: I’ve been on social media for a long time now, but I’ve only really started to find my feet with it over the last couple of years. I don’t have the spiciest or funniest memes – that’s not the kind of person I am – but I have grown on Twitter because of the quality of my work, my kindness to others, my no-nonsense attitude and my consistency. I post daily, which is very important, but it is also content people will either relate to or want to see. I knew when I started in the Sims community that I’d have to find some way of standing out. There are so many incredibly talented builders! So, I found a niche with my builds and I learnt how to edit photos to sell my creations. Alaeryn: You’re also very good at curating your audience; that is, you never suffer fools, nay-sayers, and negative Nancys. Tell us more about how important it is to draw a hard line in the sand for people who cross boundaries. Gemma: It’s the internet, so there are always going to be people who assume they know who you are without ever even speaking with you! I’ve seen all those types of people. You can’t fight against those who have already made up their minds, so I just let them think whatever they want. My core audience and my core support network know how much effort I put in, and ultimately EA and The Sims team know the effort I’m putting in, so that’s all that matters to me. Any other idiots just get a hard block and I forget about them.

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Alaeryn: I’ve gotta get in some actual Sims questions, haha! You are so wellknown for your jaw-dropping work with lighting in the Sims. How do you plan lighting in your builds? Gemma: Thank you! Lighting has sort of become a thing with my builds now and I like that. How the light will fall in a room, either naturally or artificially, is a big deal in interior design and was something I took away from my design course. When I start laying out the plan for my build, I always check lighting first, paying close attention to show the shadows are cast and so on. I always think ahead to how I want a space to feel – be it moody, or warm, or whatever. Alaeryn: You’re also a connoisseur of build/buy custom content in the Sims; have you ever thought about creating your own custom content? You have such an eye for beauty! Gemma: Honestly, I would absolutely love to create furniture and objects for the game. I have considered it and I have the software to do it, but it’s finding the time (that’s the issue). I’d have to train myself with courses and YouTube videos. I am already so busy with all the other things I do, plus being a mum. It’s a lot. Maybe one day. I already have some sets in mind! Alaeryn: As always, we are honored to speak with you Gemma! Do you have anything else to share? Any words of wisdom for our femme-identifying readers? Gemma: Surround yourself with people who want you to be happy and successful, focus on doing what you love to do, and protect your own space. You're doing great. SIMS NATION MAG

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VINTAGE VICTORIAN A FEMININE LOOKBOOK BY JO_SE_OH

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ROARING RUNWAY

A JAZZ AGE LOOKBOOK BY WHATAGREATDAI

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SOULFUL SIXTIES AND SEVENTIES

A GROOVY LOOKBOOK BY WHATAGREATDAI

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EIGHTIES BABY

A TOTALLY BODACIOUS

LOOKBOOK

BY WHATAGREATDAI

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TOTALLY CRUNK FITS A 2000'S LOOKBOOK LOOKBOOK BY WICCANSIMMIE

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MARCH

SHELL

CHALLENGES

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BUILD THE REVOLUTION

#ASHELLY2

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#JELLYBZCUT200

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#TROSETINYCHATEAU

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Better Build Tips with MAIAMAKES :

LIGHT 'EM UP!

Lighting your builds is often overlooked - it's not only supposed to be used to see your build but to adorn it too. Here's proof that lighting is everything.

1. BRIGHT ON THE OUTSIDE Your builds might be looking fine in daylight

but when night falls, it looks as unflattering as the houses in the neighborhood. You can add lights on pillars, on the floor, on tables, and some nooks and crannies to add depth. Even your landscaping needs some lighting too. Don't be limited by the outdoor lights

category! You can try table lamps and floor lights to make it more interesting!

2. COLOR WITH LIGHT If you wanna give your builds a drastic nighttime transformation, try out bold light colors. You can stick with one color or have a whole lighting palette. Their glow shines best on plain and light-colored wallpapers.

3. OWN THE SPOTLIGHT Instead of focusing lights on your Sims, how

about focusing on objects? Add a spotlight or backlight to a centerpiece or painting for

emphasis. If that's too fancy for your liking,

concentrate your lights on walls and common work areas of your Sims (e.g. kitchen, vanity

table). For this to work, make sure to dim down the room's main lights.

4. DITCH THE LIGHTS ! Go beyond the lighting category and explore glow-in-the-dark objects! Most of them are hiding in City Living, Bowling Night, Spa Day, and Get Famous.

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DO YOU WANT TO BE A PART OF

THE REVOLUTION ? We are looking for experienced Simmers to join our team. If you're interested, send an email to Sims Nation Mag at the address below!

SimsNationMagazine@gmail.com

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A ROOM OF ONE’S OWN A CUSTOM CONTENT

BUILD/BUY BEDROOM SPREAD BY ALAERYN

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INSPIRATION

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MOROCCO 2.0:

A SIMS MOBILE BUILD FEATURE

FROM U/MY NOSE TICKLES

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EDITOR'S CHOICE:

OUR FAVORITE TARTOSA-INSPIRED BUILDS

FROM THE GALLERY

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TARTOSA WHITE WEDDING BY SIMSTANIE

SMALL TARTOSA HOME BY SUNNYSIMSIEYT

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BIG ITALIAN FAMILY HOME BY: ELFATHIERA

SANTORINI, GREECE BY ZEECEY

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GARDENING 101 One of the first things one might think of when considering an eco-friendly lifestyle in the real world is plants; we love plants for their simple, glossy greenery, for their flowers, fruits, and vegetables. This is no different in the Sims world. Base game gardening in the Sims 4 is one of the most expansive skills in the base game. In fact, at least five other base game skills either benefit from or give benefits to base game only gardening. Not only that, but gardening gives the player plenty to do! Sims can finish the base game foliage collection or work steadily to improve the quality of their plants.

BACK TO BASICS:

DISCOVERING

SIMS 4 BASE GAME

WITH JACECHU

Simmers who play with aging on and enjoy generational play may find that obtaining all base game harvestables and upgrading all these harvestables to “perfect” exceedingly difficult for a single Sim on Normal lifespan settings. Even if a Sim begins to garden as a child, which players have been able to do since the July 2021 pre-expansion patch for the Cottage Living EP, they may still find it difficult to fully master gardening. Seasons, Eco Lifestyle, and Cottage Living all expanded gardening in Sims 4. However, this article will uncover the surprisingly complex experience that is purely base game gardening.

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Your Sim will need to get to level 3 to fertilize plants and level 5 to take cuttings, which you will want to be able to do if you’re aiming to complete the gardening collection.

GETTING STARTED There are a number of ways a Sim can begin the gardening skill. You can have your Sim go out and harvest the wild plants they can find simply by looking around their lot (some lots are better for this than others). You can also buy starter seed packets or a set of three gardening skill books. Ideally, you would do all three if you are deeply committed to having your Sim focus on the gardening skill. The full set of gardening skill books will set you back 475 simoleons. The following is a breakdown of skill level increases your Sim will experience when reading the gardening skill books: Book

There are a total of 34 harvestables in The Sims 4’s base game, divided into 4 categories: flowers, fruit, herbs and vegetables. There are also several different ways you can collect these harvestables: seed packets, world exploration, fishing, grafting, and more. In fact, players must perform a special task in order to obtain two specific plants in base game. While several DLCs offer other ways to get all the harvestables, base game players can still access these harvestables with a little elbow grease. Of course, the seed packet contents are also random so players will not get every harvestable in every packet. The pool for each type of base game seed packet are listed below:

Skill Level Range

Volume 1

1-4

Volume 2

4-7

Volume 3

7-10

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STARTER HERBS - 35 SIMOLEONS

FARMER VEGGIES AND HERBS - 100 SIMOLEONS

- GARDENING LEVEL 0

- GARDENING LEVEL 7

Basil Parsley Sage

You can find every harvestable item you can find in Starter Fruit and Starter Flower combined together.

STARTER FLOWERS - 35 SIMOLEONS

UNCOMMON - 250 SIMOLEONS

-GARDENING LEVEL 0

- GARDENING LEVEL 7

Bluebell Chrysanthemum Daisy

Blackberry Cherry LIly Rose Tomato Trash Fruit Bonzai Bud

STARTER VEGETABLES - 35 SIMOLEONS - GARDENING LEVEL 0 Carrot Mushroom Turnip

RARE - 1000 SIMOLEONS - GARDENING LEVEL 10

STARTER FRUITS - 35 SIMOLEONS

6 Colors of Magic Beans Orchid Bird of Paradise Pomegranate Death Flower Growfruit Cow Berry

- GARDENING LEVEL 0 Apple Plantain Grape

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If you level up your Sim’s gardening skill to 10 and spend the money to obtain the entire pool of every seed packet, you will have nearly every harvestable outright. However, there are two specific harvestables you must complete a task to do: one is the Forbidden Fruit, and the other is the UFO plant. Since the Forbidden Fruit’s task involves the aforementioned rare seed packet, we’ll start there.

This is why gardening is a good skill for generational play! No matter how long it takes you, once you have collected all 6 magic beans from opening Rare Seed Packets, you can buy the Magic PlantSim Stump for 410 simoleons (search the name or look in Outdoor Activities) and put all 6 magic beans on it. There will be an interaction to water it. Soon, a big, pretty tree will grow! Click the tree to explore it. Your Sim will come out of the interaction with a Forbidden Fruit which, if eaten, can turn them into a temporary Plantsim! You can plant the Forbidden fruit which will let you harvest more for selling or keeping your Sim a plantsim. You can also just keep the magic tree on your lot and explore it.

FORBIDDEN FRUIT First, you will want to collect all six magic beans from the Rare Seed Packet. Again, this will require your Sim to have either achieved Level 10 Gardening themselves OR to be in a household where a sim who achieved Level 10 Gardening once lived. Yes, that means if you are doing a Legacy Challenge and your 4th generation Sim’s great grandmother maxed out the gardening skill, that Sim does not need to max the skill again to buy Rare Seed Packets.

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FORBIDDEN FRUIT The next special harvestable that requires you to do something to get it is the UFO fruit. First, your Sim must build a rocketship. You don’t need all the upgrades, but you might want to consider doing them. Once your rocketship is built, you must “Explore Space”, which will lead you on a series of choose your own adventure text missions. Only certain missions and certain options on those missions will reward you with the fruit.The missions that I am sure of that can give your Sim the fruit will be listed below, but this list does come with a caveat.

Once you have all the harvestables from the seed packets as well as the Forbidden Fruit and UFO fruit, you’ll have all the harvestables except six. It is these six that you will have to find around the world on wild plants - strawberries, snapdragons, pears, lemons, onions, and tulips are the 6 harvestables not found in seed packets. Thankfully, strawberries, snapdragons, and pears are fairly easy to find no matter what lot you’re on, but lemons, onions and tulips are best found on specific lots.

The missions that pop up when you explore space are random, and even getting one of these missions AND choosing the right options does not guarantee you the fruit. You can pick the “Hide the Cargo” on the “Accidental Bootlegger” mission and end up with no fruit and an Embarrassed moodlet instead of the prized fruit. I got lucky on the “Space Pirates” mission and got a fruit while playing to get screenshots for this article, but that is not the only reward you can get! With static needs and doing nothing but exploring space, it took me 3 Sim days to get the plant. Be patient. Again, this is another good reason that gardening makes a good generational task.

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The first three lots listed below are the most important lots to go to if you’re looking to complete your gardening collection, and the 4th lot is another of note, but you’ll find nothing unique there if you go to the other three first. Chances are, your Sim will be living on one of the four lots listed below.

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I personally recommend living on the Oakenstead lot in Willow Creek, which offers strawberries, onions, pears and snapdragons. Then, your Sim can visit the Bargain Bend lot (also in Willow Creek) to grab potatoes. The Yuma Heights lot in Oasis Springs offers tulips and lemons.

NATIVE PRODUCE OF BASE GAME LOTS LOT

NATIVE PRODUCE

COMMUNITY GARDEN AREA IN WILLOW CREEK NEAR BARGAIN BEND

APPLE, STRAWBERRY, POTATO, SNAPDRAGON, CHRYSANTHEMUM, BLUEBELL, MUSHROOM.

YUMA HEIGHTS IN OASIS SPRINGS

LEMONS, TULIPS, SAGE, DAISY, CARROTS

SCATTERED AROUND OAKENSTEAD IN WILLOW CREEK

LILY, ONION, BASIL, PEAR, APPLE, SNAPDRAGON, STRAWBERRY

COMMUNITY GARDEN AREA NEAR HOLLOW SLAUGH IN WILLOW CREEK

ROSES, APPLES, SNAPDRAGONS, BLUEBELLS, STRAWBERRIES, PEARS

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Splicing can also get you entirely new plants. For example, if you graft strawberry and snapdragon together, you can get dragon fruit, which are the highest selling harvestables in the game. Grafting snapdragon and lilies together gets you a death flower, which is another high value harvestable. The full list of special grafting possibilities in the base game is below:

GRAFTING Once your Sim reaches level 5 gardening, they can take a cutting of any plant, including wild ones. An important thing to remember about plants is that they do not grow if your Sim is not in the area. Collecting tulips and lemons from Oasis Springs is particularly difficult because of this. To take a cutting, a plant must be fully grown.

Strawberry and Blue Bells = Grapes

To work around this potential frustration, Simmers can turn Yuma Heights into a rental lot and simply send their Sims on a vacation so they can stay in the area comfortably for a while.

Sage and Basil = Parsley Pear and Lemon = Plantain

Once you have your cutting, your Sim can graft it onto a fastgrowing plant. The fastest growing plants are the herbs (sage, basil and parsley). They’re also the cheapest and easiest to find, so grafting a slower growing but more expensive plant onto them is a good way to get a full harvestable quickly.

Tulip and Chrysanthemum = Bird of Paradise Daisy and Strawberry = Bonsai Buds Grapes and Rose = Bonsai Buds Dragon Fruit + Snapdragon = Cow Berry Snapdragon and Strawberry = Dragon Fruit Snapdragon and Lily = Orchid Apple and Cherry = Pomegranate Orchid + Pomegranate = Death Flower

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Here’s a good look at the entire collection of harvestables before planting. Without Seasons installed, you can get 10 harvestables per plant!

Obviously you can make your garden smaller and yield a larger profit if you plant only the most expensive harvestable(s). Here’s a list in order of base game harvestables and how much a single one sells for at perfect evolution status:

A single harvest of a single plant of every type of harvestable in the game at perfect evolution is worth 34,889 simoleons!

Dragon Fruit: 695 Death Flower: 667 Orchid: 626 UFO: 333 Forbidden Fruit: 250 Bird of Paradise: 142 Lily: 100 Bonsai Buds: 97 Pomegranate:83 Growfruit: 83 Roses: 80 Snapdragons: 43 Tulips: 40 Chrysanthemum: 28 Pear: 27 Strawberry: 24 Cherry: 23

Grape: 23 Lemon: 17 Onion: 16 Tomato: 13 Potato: 9 Blackberry: 9 Apple: 8 Plantain: 8 Carrot: 8 Sage: 8 Daisy: 7 Basil: 6 Bluebells: 5 Parsely: 4 Mushrooms: 3 Spinach: 3 Trash Fruit: 2

All this is without mentioning how much gardeners benefit from fishing and handiness! While perfect growfruit is likely the best fertilizer, fish above 50 simoleons are just as good! In conclusion, the gardening skill in The Sims 4 base game is quite deep as is, as it utilizes at least three other base game skills without even mentioning the obvious cooking and gourmet cooking skills. If you plan on playing a multigenerational game such as a legacy challenge using just the base game, seeking to collect all gardening collection and getting the whole collection up to perfect evolution status won’t be something you can do quickly and would be a fun goal to work on to leave your Sim family feeling accomplished! SIMS NATION MAG

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FEMME FATALE PHOTOSHOOT:

FEMME POSE SELECTION WITH ALAERYN

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SIMS SIMS NATION NATION MAG MAG

76 83

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OFFICIAL MERCH AVAILABLE NOW!

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COOL & QUEENLY :

A REGAL FEMME POSE SELECTION BY IZZYMOMGAMES

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START THE REVOLUTION

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MARCH 2022 CALENDAR OF EVENTS

MON

TUE

WED 01

FREEPLAY

THU 02

FRI 03

SAT 04

SUN 05

Ghost Flustered player favorite Quest New York Loft Live Event

MOBILE

Spring Forward Sims Festival Spring Fling Treaure Hunt

MOBILE

Wumples #73

MOBILE

13 FREEPLAY

FREEPLAY

New! Fresh Fruiternity Live Event

New! Influence Island S24: Tutti Frutti Lounge

FREEPLAY

New! SimChase S40: Sour Squeeze

Country Living STS rerun

MOBILE

Wumples #74

SIMS MOBILE PACKS 3/7- SPRING FLING TH KIT

3/21 - COUNTRY KITCHEN SILVER PACK

3/12 - JEONG MANOR FOR SALE ! PACK

3/21 - COUNTRY KITCHEN GOLD PACK

3/13 - ROMANCE IN SPRING PACK

3/21 - COUNTRY KITCHEN PRIZE PACK

3/21 - COUNTRY KITCHEN BRONZE PACK

3/26 - BRING ME UP, BUTTERCUP PACK

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WOMEN'S HISTORY

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