The Sims 4: Outdoor Retreat

The Sims 4: Outdoor Retreat is the first game pack for The Sims 4, and was released on January 13, 2015. It includes a new destination, many new objects, new outfits and new interactions. It is priced at $19.99 USD and £14.99 GBP, the same price as a stuff pack for The Sims 3. There is currently no physical release of the game pack, and Origin is required to install it, same with the base game.

Similar to The Sims 3: World Adventures, The Sims 2: Bon Voyage, and The Sims: Vacation, Sims can go on a vacation. However, it focuses more on camping, similar to vacationing in Three Lakes in Bon Voyage.

Description
Explore the Outdoors!

''New surprises await your Sims out in the wilderness. Explore the all-new destination of Granite Falls, where your Sims can go camping, sing songs or tell ghost stories around the campfire, and enjoy all sorts of new activities!''

Explore the All-new Destination of Granite Falls. Your Sims can escape from their everyday lives into the pine-filled air of Granite Falls. Lay back for a night of stargazing and let your Sims’ imaginations run wild, or join a game of horseshoes to unwind with some friendly competition. Alternatively, find out what adventure awaits within the nearby bramble patch. There are tons of things to do in Granite Falls!

Set Up the Perfect Camp. No camping trip is complete without the proper supplies. Be sure to outfit your Sims with a tent and new hiking gear. Treat your Sims to some roasted marshmallows and share fireside stories of adventure, wonder, and fright with the gang.

Create Exotic Potions as an Herbalist. Build your Sim’s herbalism skill to create a variety of useful potions, ranging from insect repellent to a concoction that can help soothe a tense Sim. This new skill will be useful to help Sims identify which wild plants are edible or poisonous.

Features
Outdoor Retreat introduces a new world, Granite Falls, which is only accessible while on vacation. It consists of two neighborhoods which feature a national park in one, and 5 lots for rent (4 houses and a campground) in the other. Sims can go vacationing in this world and can do so via smartphone under the Travel section. A vacation can last for up to 7 sim-days, however they can be extended through a Sim's smartphone. These days count against Sim's Vacation Days if they are employed, so job performance will lower if employed Sims vacation too long with no vacation days available, but only on days they have work.

Sims can now Stargaze and Cloudgaze, which can make them Inspired. Sims can also take part in group activities with other Sims such as telling a group story, or Stargazing/Cloudgazing in a group.

A new trait, aspiration and skill are introduced in Outdoor Retreat. Sims with the Squeamish trait will become Uncomfortable at the sight of insects, vomiting, violence, death and anything dirty. Your Sim cannot be Squeamish and Love the Outdoors. The aspiration (a Nature one), is called Outdoor Enthusiast. These Sims "want to experience everything nature has to offer." Sims can learn the Herbalism Skill, and with it they can identify plants, insects and even make remedies, such as an insect repellent.

Sims can now host a new party: Weenie Roast. Getting a gold award will unlock the Hand Carved Chess Table, and getting a silver one will unlock the Let's Go Fishing Chair. One Sim will be the "Grill Master," as well as 1 host and at least 2 guests.

New food can be cooked through the use of a fire pit. These include marshmallows, hot dogs and even bugs.

Over 60 outdoorsy items are introduced in Outdoor Retreat. Some items are designed to be used when camping (such as portable beds, tents and foodstuffs), and can be purchased from the Ranger's Station in the National Park or in Build Mode; the other pieces of furniture can also be purchased through Build Mode.

New clothes are also available, including a bear suit. When a Sim wears a bear suit, they gain access to some new social interactions, such as a Mean social interaction called Roar. The roared-at Sim will get a Tense +2 Moodlet "Scary Bear!".

Before Patch 12, the main menu would show clips of Sims using the various items from Outdoor Retreat. This is because Patch 12 updated the main menu and replaced the clips with a static picture with animated confetti, as well as the Play and Create a Sim buttons moved to the middle-right of the screen.

Styled Rooms
The Sims 4: Outdoor Retreat features six new Styled Rooms which can be purchased in Build Mode.

Natural Washroom
Price: §3,498

The Great Outdoors
Price: §3,776

Rustic Sensibility
Price: §4,415

Grunge Retreat
Price: §5,475

Fab Plaid Commons
Price: §5,735

Lumber Living
Price: §7,265

Pricing Controversy
Players of The Sims 4 in New Zealand have started a petition over the price of Outdoor Retreat in New Zealand. Players feel that it is a rip-off as it was $49.99 NZD. EA has since dropped the price to $39.99 and provided refunds for those who purchased it, however, players still think it's a rip-off, considering the Australian price is $29.99, and that the Australian and New Zealand dollar are of similar value,  as well as that US $19.99 is approximately $26.52 NZD (as of February 18, 2015).

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