Paralives introduces a new simulation where you can build a different life, complete with various skills and goals to help you find happiness in a small countryside town. No two characters are the same, and a story-driven guide will help you explore all the possibilities at your fingertips.
Part of this experience involves learning skills that can boost your career or simply expand your hobbies. For example, we’ll explain how the music skill functions and the different instruments you can learn to play at home or out in the community.
Paralives is currently in Early Access, so some details might change. We will keep updating this guide as needed.
What Is The Music Skill?
The music skill is a general skill that affects all individual instrument skills. Improving this skill requires a positive attitude, since your characters only earn skill points when practicing other talents if they are in a good mood.
You can also increase the music skill passively while sleeping if you have a parkour-making perk that allows for dreaming perks.
This skill influences how fast your characters get better at playing their instruments, no matter what instrument they are using.
How To Improve the Guitar Skill
You can buy a guitar from the build or buy menu and place it in your home. When your characters play it, they stand up and gradually improve their guitar and overall music skills.
How To Improve the Piano Skill
If buying a piano isn’t an option, your characters can play the piano located in town, near the library in a gazebo. Playing in public not only boosts the skill, but also gives you a chance to share your music with neighbors.
How To Improve the Triangle Skill
You can buy a triangle at a much lower price than other instruments. This simple instrument is a great beginner option for your musical journey and adds some variety to the usual set of instruments in life simulation games.
Paralives allows you to start fresh with a new home and build a family from scratch. You have full control over every choice, from the appearance of your characters to how they behave and interact with their environment. What will you decide to do?
The first step is creating your family, then helping them develop skills to succeed. One of the most fun skills to improve is the art skill, which offers many uses. Here’s what you need to know to boost this skill so your characters can become skilled artists.
Note: Paralives is still in Early Access, so details may change. Updates to this guide may be made as needed.
What Is the Art Skill?
The art skill is the main skill that covers all artistic activities in Paralives. Improving this skill helps your characters learn other art-related skills faster. To get better at art, your characters need to focus, since they won’t gain points when they’re in a bad mood or sick. Practicing related activities can help boost multiple skills at once.
You can also increase your art skill by reading books, studying online, or dreaming about art, provided you have unlocked the relevant perk through your storyteller.
How To Increase the Painting Skill
To improve painting, you need an easel, which can be bought from the build/buy menu under hobby items. Once placed in your home, you can start creating paintings of portraits or abstract art.
Note: Creating art costs money for supplies like canvases. As your skill improves, you’ll unlock the ability to make more types of paintings. Completed artworks can be displayed or sold to earn money.
You can also buy a children’s coloring set for a simpler way to draw, but note that it won’t produce displayable art.
In Forza Horizon 6, your vehicle can feel like a rocket or a shopping cart depending on a few basic settings many players overlook. This is where tuning comes into play, giving you control over your car’s personality. You can modify everything from grip and braking to how the car handles when taking a corner too aggressively.
It may sound complicated, but mainly it involves small tweaks that can have a big impact on your driving experience. This guide explains each tuning option in simple words so you can understand what’s happening under the hood without needing a mechanic. Once you grasp what each setting does, finding the perfect setup becomes easier, more enjoyable, and less of a guess.
### How To Tune Your Car
To tune your car in Forza Horizon 6, go to the main menu, select the Cars tab, pick the vehicle you want to adjust, and then choose “Tune Car.” This will open the full tuning menu where you can change performance aspects like handling, gears, suspension, and more.
#### Tuning Options Explained
| Type of Tuning | What It Does | Tips |
|———————-|——————————————————————————-|———————————————————————————————————————————-|
| Tire Pressure | Alters how much grip your tires have. | If your car doesn’t turn well, lower the front tire pressure to improve grip. If it slides too much, lower the rear tire pressure. Higher pressure makes the car feel faster but reduces grip in corners. |
| Gearing | Controls how quickly your car accelerates and your top speed. | If your car hits top speed too fast and stops accelerating, make the gears longer. If it feels slow off the line, make the gears shorter. |
| Alignment | Helps tires sit better during turns. | Adding a little negative camber improves grip when turning. Slight toe-out makes steering faster. Small adjustments are best. |
| Anti-Roll Bars | Manages how much your car leans in turns. | To help turn better, soften the front anti-roll bar or stiffen the rear one. To prevent sliding, do the opposite. |
| Springs | Adjusts stiffness and ride height. | Stiffer springs reduce bounce and instability; softer springs increase comfort but can make handling sloppy. Lowering can make the car faster but may risk scraping the ground. |
| Damping | Controls suspension response to bumps and turns. | Increase damping if car bounces excessively; lower if it feels overly stiff. Adjust gradually for control. |
| Aero | Adds downforce at high speeds. | Increase rear downforce if sliding in corners; decrease for higher top speed on straight roads. More downforce equals better grip but slower speed. |
| Brakes | Sets braking strength and modulates how the car slows down. | If wheels lock up during braking, lower brake pressure. If slowing down too slowly, increase it. Fine-tune brake balance for stability. |
| Differential | Manages power distribution to the wheels. | To prevent pushing wide during acceleration, lower the acceleration differential. To stabilize when slowing down, raise the deceleration setting. |
Getting familiar with each of these tuning options helps you craft a ride that feels just right, whether you’re racing on tight corners or cruising straightaways.
Be The Best Friend
As an adult, your Sim will be more successful when using Friendly Socials on other Sims.
Be A Star
In adulthood, they will move up faster in the Actor career and earn an extra Fame Point (requires Get Famous pack).
Be Curious About Technology
As an adult, the Sim will progress more quickly in Tech Guru and Engineering careers.
Care for the Environment
Adult Sims will advance faster in Civil Design and Conservationist careers.
Experience Death
Once they are adults, they will get promoted quickly in the Undertaker career and be less likely to develop a Fear of Death.
Show Morbid Curiosity
Adults will find it easier to become Reapers (requires Life and Death pack).
Gather With Others
In adulthood, your Sim will become a great mentor, helping others learn skills faster.
Be Curious About Health
Adults will gain the Logic skill more rapidly and find it easier to progress in the Doctor career (requires Get to Work pack).
Be Rebellious
As adults, they will be less likely to feel embarrassed.
Be Disciplined
Adult Sims are more likely to succeed in the Military career.
Future Politician
Adults will advance more quickly in a Politics career.
Think Of Others
Adults’ relationships tend to last longer with less effort, but building negative relationships is harder.
Be A Pet Friend
As adults, they will make and keep friendships with animals faster and find it easier to train them (requires Cats and Dogs pack).
Be A Horse Kid
Adult Sims will form stronger bonds with horses and improve their Horse riding skill more easily (requires Horse Ranch pack).
Be Investigative
In adulthood, progress faster in the Secret Agent career.
Be Active
Adults will advance quicker as Athletes.
Explore The Ocean
As adults, they will lose energy more slowly during water activities and stay invigorated longer.
Master Archery
Adult Sims will remain focused longer.
Explore Nature
Adults will enjoy alone time more and their social needs will decrease at a slower rate.
Share Sibling Adventures
In adulthood, they will quickly develop strong bonds with family members.
Be A Traveler
Adult Sims will stay energized for longer periods.
Be Entrepreneurial
Adults will move up faster in the Business career and as Salarypersons (requires Snowy Escape pack).
Be Useful
In adulthood, they will succeed more easily in part-time careers for Teens and Adults.
Establish An Image
Adult Sims will progress faster in Style Influencer careers.
Feed Yourself
Adults will excel in Culinary careers, and as Baristas or in Fast Food jobs.
Be Crafty
In adulthood, they will improve their Papercraft skills faster and do better in Art and Painter careers.
Be An Aspiring Author
Adults will advance more quickly in the Author career.
Be An Enthusiast
As adults, they will experience boredom less often.
Be A Good Student
Adult Sims will progress faster in Education careers and complete university homework more quickly (requires University pack).
Follow In Their Footsteps (Music)
Adults will develop musical skills faster.
Follow In Their Footsteps (Swimming)
As adults, swimming will drain less energy.
Follow In Their Footsteps (Art)
Adults will improve their Painting skill faster.
Learn From The Past
Adults will be more successful in interactions with other Sims.
Be Annoying
In adulthood, they will learn the Mischief skill more easily.
Be Caring
Adult Sims will form relationships easily with babies and children.
Be Curious About Science
Adults can progress faster as Astronauts and in other scientific careers, and perform better in Engineer jobs (requires University pack).
Be A Collector
Adults will have a better chance to find collectibles from Buddy Scoop.
Be Criminal
In adulthood, they will move up faster in the Criminal career.
Live Dangerously
Adult Sims are resistant to food poisoning, less easily scared, and better at withstanding heat and cold (requires Seasons pack).
Master Cooking
Adults will advance quicker in Gourmet Cooking careers.
Master Fishing
Adults will improve their Fishing skill faster and progress more quickly in the Fishing part-time career (requires Island Living).
Be Homesick
Once adults, they will find it easier to make friends.
Enjoy A Getaway
Adults will stay confident longer.
Master Gardening
Adult Sims will speed up their Gardening skill development.
Master Photography
They will progress faster in the Photographer career.
Be A Survivalist
Adults will gain more Energy when outdoors.
Have A Goofball Imaginary Friend
Their pranks will be more successful as adults.
Have A Creative Imaginary Friend
Adults can build their Creative skills more easily.
Have An Evil Imaginary Friend
Their Mean interactions will be more successful.
Have A Competitive Imaginary Friend
Adults will stay confident for longer.
Mastering Stardew Valley means reaching level 10 in the five main skills: Farming, Mining, Foraging, Fishing, and Combat. If you haven’t achieved this yet, the Mastery system isn’t something you’ll be fully unlocking anytime soon. This new system adds extra motivation to hit those levels, offering new rewards along the way. If you’re interested in becoming a true master and earning these bonuses, here’s what you need to know.
The 1.6 update for Stardew Valley brought plenty of new content, from mystery boxes filled with valuable prizes to the growing moss on trees during the green rain. But for now, let’s focus on how to effectively approach the Mastery system and what benefits it offers for completing it.
What is the Stardew Valley Mastery System?
The Mastery system grants players extra tools and perks for reaching the maximum level in all five core skills. It rewards your effort in training these skills by unlocking a new tier of benefits. To start using the Mastery system’s perks, you’ll need to locate the Mastery Cave.
Where to Find the Stardew Valley Mastery Cave
This hidden area is in the Cindersap Forest. There’s a secret door with a sign just below Leah’s Cottage, set into the hillside. If you try to interact with the door before reaching max levels in all five skills, you’ll see a message saying “Only a master of the five ways may enter,” along with your progress, like 1/5 or 2/5.
Inside the cave, you’ll find five mastery totems. Each one is earned after maxing out a specific skill and grants special items or benefits. However, you can only claim these once you’ve achieved Mastery and earned enough points to spend. Importantly, you can start earning Mastery Points before you unlock the cave or fully master all your skills, but you won’t be able to use the points until you’ve reached the top levels. This secret room unlocks the ability to spend your points on rewards.
How to Earn Mastery Points
After maxing out your five skills, a Mastery level bar appears, which requires experience points (XP) to fill. Working on your skills and reading skill books will help you gain XP and level up this bar. When you collect enough XP, you’ll earn Mastery Points, which can then be spent in the cave.
Previously, once you reached max level, you no longer needed to grind your skills, unless you wanted more gold or resources. Now, the Mastery system introduces a new progression layer beyond that max level.
Be aware that each new Mastery level costs a significant amount of XP, starting with 10,000 XP for the first level, and increasing from there. The challenge grows with each level.
Spending Mastery Points
To use your Mastery Points, head to the Mastery Cave. Each level grants a reward, like a special tree from a mystic seed, an iridium scythe for farming, or a dwarf king statue that offers two mining powers daily. Pick rewards based on your most-used skills or what areas you want to improve—if you’re aiming to make money, perhaps the iridium fishing rod that catches more fish with two bobbers is a good choice. There’s a variety of rewards, so choose wisely.
Extra Rewards from the System
Another perk of hitting Mastery is the chance to find golden mystery boxes. These are super special, containing even better items than regular mystery boxes. They often include valuable books that normally cost a lot from the Bookseller, such as Bait and Bobbers, which can be found in these golden boxes instead of costing thousands of gold.
To keep exploring Stardew Valley, look into guides about Sea Jelly, green rain, or the various trinkets you can find.
If you’re excited about soaring through the virtual skies in games like Microsoft Flight Simulator or Elite Dangerous, it’s time to set aside the mouse and keyboard. Thrustmaster has unveiled its new Sol-R 1 and Sol-R 2 flight sticks, specifically crafted for space-based flight experiences. These sticks are available for preorder and will officially launch on April 16, 2025.
Both models emphasize ergonomic design, featuring a palm rest on one side and a thumb rest on the opposite side. The rests can be swapped to cater to both right- and left-handed players. Each stick is equipped with two triggers, two hat switches, a thumbwheel, a miniature stick for precise control, and a base that boasts 44 buttons.
Offering three axes of movement—X, Y, and Z—players benefit from exact maneuverability, whether engaging in thrilling dogfights or navigating tricky environments. Furthermore, they can enjoy the visual appeal of 11 customizable RGB zones on the flight sticks.
Thrustmaster
The Sol-R 1 flight stick is compatible with Thrustmaster’s existing Viper and Hornet grips, and the company has indicated it will also support future grips as they are released.
The Sol-R 2 HOSAS setup provides an even more immersive flying experience, featuring two fully functional sticks with a staggering total of 88 buttons.
The pricing is set at $220 for the Sol-R 1, while the Sol-R 2 combo will run you $400. Though this may seem costly, it’s worth noting that premium flight sticks can go for much more. Thrustmaster’s offerings fall on the higher end of the price spectrum, especially compared to budget options that can be found for as low as $50, but they come packed with a range of advanced features that help to justify their cost.
In The Sims 4: Spa Day, players can embrace relaxation through yoga, massages, manicures, and pedicures. With the release of The Sims 4: Businesses & Hobbies, players can now also purchase and manage their own spa. Are you excited to bring your dream beauty spa to life?
Thanks to cross-pack integration, your Sims can oversee every detail of their spa, whether it’s at home or in a designated community space. Here’s a comprehensive guide to launching and managing a spa.
Setting Up Your Sim’s Spa
Your Sim can run a spa from home or a community lot. If you have enough Simoleons (or don’t mind using cheats), starting your spa on a community lot could be a better option, especially since Maxis has included prebuilt lots in the library.
Don’t forget, you need to own both the Businesses & Hobbies and Spa Day game packs to operate a spa as a small business.
Buying a Spa
Start by entering ‘Manage Worlds’ and selecting the world where you want to open your spa. Next, access your library or the gallery, filtering for Maxis content or specifically for spa lot types.
You have three pre-built spas to choose from:
Name
Price (Simoleons)
Aham Ashram Yoga Studio
99,497
Center of Center Massage
114,271
Perfect Balance Spa
125,089
If these spas are too pricey, think about buying a starter home and transforming it into a spa by adding the right items. Alternatively, you could dedicate a portion of your Sim’s home for the business.
After choosing a spa, place it on an empty lot and confirm your selection. Return to Live Mode with the household you want to manage the spa and use a computer or phone to select the Buy Small Business Venue Lot option.
If you’re using a computer, the option is in the Small Business menu. On the phone, look under the Business menu as indicated by the golden briefcase icon.
Find and select the spa you just placed and make sure to buy it furnished. Be sure to check the box below the lot preview to automatically register the business, which will help you set the proper business settings later on.
Running a Spa from Home
Sims can also save money by operating a spa from home. To do this, simply follow the usual steps for starting a home business and purchase the necessary equipment, potentially hiring some staff as needed.
To register your home business, select your Sim’s phone and follow these steps:
Select the business section.
Click on ‘Register Small Business‘.
Fill in details about your business, including activities and a name.
This is an economical way to start a spa, but keep in mind you need 750 Simoleons to register your business. Additionally, ensure you have money set aside for any essentials, like massage tables or yoga mats.
Selecting Activities for Your Spa
After you’ve set up your business, it’s time to focus on the particulars, including:
Selecting your business activities.
Determining your target customer base.
Branding your business.
If you purchased a community lot designated as a spa, many of these details will be handled for you. But if you didn’t, you can easily customize everything yourself.
To get started, open the ‘Owned Businesses Panel’ while playing as the Sim who registered the business. Next, navigate to the ‘Manage Businesses‘ menu to get an overview of your establishment.
A spa with automatic registration will include the spa preset, meaning it will be named ‘Spa’, feature a tranquil leafy logo, and have the ‘Do Spa Activities‘ business activity included. Spa activities cover:
Bathtubs
Massage chairs and tables
Meditation stools (including cushions)
Yoga mats
Saunas/Steam rooms
If you’re customizing your business manually, Do Spa Activities is a crucial activity to include. You can add it by clicking on one of the plus icons in the business activities section or by selecting the Spa preset from the dropdown menu.
Additionally, you might consider adding other activities based on your DLC, such as:
Drinking tea
Using hot tubs
Taking baths and showers
Practicing yoga
Meditating
While it may sound misleading, the ‘Use Hot Tubs’ activity also applies to Sims using hot spring items. Make sure to provide showers and lockers to maintain hygiene.
Some activities like ‘Do Yoga’ and ‘Meditate’ are already included under ‘Do Spa Activities’, so you don’t need to add them again. But if you’d like more control over specific spa activities, you can adjust accordingly.
Hiring Staff for Your Spa
Although a single Sim can manage a spa, it can be quite challenging, especially if you offer various services that require attention. For instance, massage tables and chairs need employees to function.
Open the ‘Owned Businesses’ panel again and select ‘Manage Employee Tasks’. You’ll see the Sim who owns the business along with three empty slots available for hiring.
Now that you have employees, you can assign them specific tasks. Click the plus icon and select ‘Do Massages’ to enable them to manage the massage tables or chairs.
Be sure to have staff ready to handle any other activities offered in your spa. For example, if you’re including ‘Bathe and Shower’, ensure you have an employee with the Clean task to maintain hygiene in the plumbing.
Your employees will come for their shifts the next time you open your spa. The ‘Owned Businesses’ panel allows you to set their hourly wage and uniform style.
Currently, there isn’t a task specifically for an employee to lead yoga classes. This may require your Sim’s involvement or hiring a yoga instructor through interaction with a mat.
Tips for Operating a Successful Spa
With your spa operational, focus on enhancing the experience to make your first few Simoleons. Hire skilled staff, invest in quality equipment, and strategize your business approach.
Approaching Customers Directly
When a customer arrives, select them as if you were about to introduce yourself. If you have the appropriate equipment, you can offer them a service directly.
This approach can be beneficial, as customers may take time before spending Simoleons, but direct offers can expedite the process. It clearly indicates your potential earnings from the service.
Even if they decline at that moment, it doesn’t necessarily mean they won’t spend later on.
Choosing Staff with High Wellness Skills
It’s advisable to hire the most skilled Sims possible. This can be tricky, as your Sim can only hire Sims they’ve met, and there aren’t any pre-made Sims with the Wellness skill.
A good strategy is to visit a spa community lot that your Sim doesn’t own and engage with the staff. This way, you can recruit skilled employees for your own business without worrying about competition rules.
Satisfied customers tend to give tips, making it worthwhile to invest in quality staff.
Another method is to interact with spa equipment and hire staff. Initially, they’ll act as freelancers, offering their services to your clients. After introducing yourself, they can become potential employees.
Decorating and Furnishing Your Spa
Make an effort to furnish your spa with luxurious baths, massage tables, and yoga gear. A well-equipped spa will enhance customer satisfaction, providing more opportunities for them to spend their Simoleons.
Consider adding corner jet baths for a luxurious touch. There’s one included in the base game and others that correspond with the Fitness Stuff and Get Famous packs.
You might also want to introduce other products that aren’t directly spa-related to encourage spending. Customers will buy food from vendors, or you could establish a mini gift shop for luxurious items like face masks, crystals, and candles.
Adding mood-enhancing features can significantly improve your business. Consider placing and lighting incense to influence customers’ feelings or using crystals around the spa for a similar effect.
Ticket kiosks are another new feature from Businesses & Hobbies that can increase your revenue. You can find them in Buy Mode and set prices through the Manage Business menu.
You can either charge a flat entry fee or charge by the hour for customers. This approach can generate additional income to offset expenses like staff wages.
Charging for entry may lead customers to spend less on additional services since their entry fee covers some costs.
Experiment with your pricing strategy to optimize your income.
In Civilization 7, while religion isn’t the sole path to victory anymore, it remains a vital component that players must understand to succeed over the span of about 500 turns. The religion system has been made more straightforward compared to previous versions, yet there are specific steps you’ll want to take to lead your civilization to prominence.
Whether you’re aiming to fulfill the Cultural Legacy path or simply seeking to enrich your society with various benefits through religious structures and units, mastering religion is crucial. This guide will provide you with everything you need to establish a flourishing theocracy in Civilization 7.
What Is Religion In Civ 7?
As in earlier entries of the series, Religion plays a significant role in gameplay and must be developed from the Antiquity Age onward.
In contrast to previous versions, the focus on religion is now much clearer. The religious combat system from Civ 6 has been removed, and your main responsibility will revolve around using Missionaries to convert both your cities and those of other civilizations.
Here are some key aspects of Religion to consider as you advance through the ages:
Focus on the Right Civics – To establish a religion, you will need to study specific civics (explained below).
Prepare to Produce Missionaries – In the Exploration Age, invest time in producing or purchasing plenty of Missionaries for success.
Look Out for Bonuses – In the Antiquity Age and beyond, you can gain bonuses from collecting Reliquaries (crucial later) and for founding a selected Pantheon. Keep an eye on these to enhance your religious strategy.
How Religion Works In The Antiquity Age
Your journey toward founding a religion in Civ 7 starts in the Antiquity Age byestablishing a Pantheon, an action that can be taken fairly early in the game. Pantheons provide various passive bonuses, which should be chosen based on your play style.
Pantheons are key to how Religion plays out in the Antiquity Age, and they lay the groundwork for religious practices in the upcoming Age of Exploration.
Here are some examples of effective Pantheons.
Pantheon
Effect
God of the Forge
+10% production toward constructing buildings in cities with an altar.
Monument to the Gods
+10% production toward constructing Wonders in cities with an altar.
Fertility Rites
+10% Growth Rate in cities with an altar.
City Patron Goddess
+3 Influence on the altar.
God of the Sun
+1 Culture, Food, Gold, Happiness, Production, and Science on the altar.
How To Found A Pantheon
To establish a Pantheon, you must first research the Mysticism Civic, which is available early on in the game. Focus on this research task as soon as it’s unlocked.
While establishing a Pantheon is important, remember that the Antiquity Age is not heavily centered on Religion.
Feel free to prioritize other Legacy Paths and win conditions during this period if you are looking for a more balanced civilization.
How Religion Works In The Exploration Age
The Exploration Age is where Religion truly begins to flourish in Civ 7 and represents the most crucial age for faith development.
If you’re aiming for a Culture Victory, and you have tutorials enabled, your Cultural Advisor will provide tips on leveraging Religion to your advantage.
As this age commences, you will receive specific objectives. Once you complete these two tasks, you can establish a religion that will provide a range of bonuses.
Study the Piety Civic
Construct a Temple
If you’re focusing on a Culture Victory, prioritize completing these objectives over anything else. Don’t waste valuable turns!
How To Found A Religion
After completing your temple, you’ll be prompted to establish a religion where you can select several bonuses detailed below.
Belief
Effect
How to Unlock
Reliquary
Provides bonuses and new methods for obtaining Reliquaries, which are essential for Legacy Paths.
This is a unique benefit you receive upon founding a religion.
Founder
These buffs increase as your religion spreads.
Unlocked at the time of founding your religion; you can gain more by expanding your faith.
Enhancer
Offers even greater buffs for gameplay.
Unlocked through studying the Theology Civic.
How To Spread Your Religion
Once your Religion is established, you should aim to spread your faith worldwide. The primary method to achieve this is by producing Missionaries and dispatching them to other civilizations.
Once you’ve created a Missionary, you can use it to convert your cities or those of another civilization to your faith. Follow these steps:
Send your Missionary into the borders of the settlement.
Select the Convert Action to convert the city (required for first-time conversions).
If the city is already following a religion and has both rural and urban populations, you’ll need to perform two Convert Actions to convert both groups.
When trying to convert a city with both rural and urban populations, ensure you execute the Convert Action once on an urban tile and once on a rural tile to convert the entire city successfully.
How To Earn Relics
During the Exploration Age, earning and showcasing 12 relics is essential as part of the Cultural Legacy Path. Gaining relics through Religion and other respects is crucial for achieving a Cultural Victory before the game’s conclusion.
There are several ways to obtain Relics during this period.
Method
Details
Use Your Reliquary Belief
The Reliquary Belief selected when founding a religion will provide unique ways to acquire Relics.
Research Civics or Technologies
Certain Civics or Technologies, such as Theology or Education, can provide Relics.
Narrative Events
Randomized narrative events may grant you a Relic.
Construct Wonders
Building certain Wonders will yield Relics.
When you earn Relics, ensure you display them properly. Make sure to construct Temples and Wonders that support displaying Relics. You can manage Relic display options in the Great Works menu.
How Religion Works In The Modern Age
While Religion is influential throughout all three ages, it is particularly significant in achieving legacy points during the Exploration Age. In the Modern Age, although Religion remains a factor in gameplay, it is not the central focus.
If you effectively spread your Religion during the Exploration Age, you will continue to reap benefits from your Reliquary, Founder, and Enhancer beliefs, as well as from your Pantheon beliefs during the Modern Age.
The Legacy Points obtained in prior ages from advancing your religion can significantly aid in achieving victory in the Modern Age.
The aspirations in The Sims 4 help steer your gameplay and shape your Sim’s character through Bonus and Reward traits. One particularly beneficial aspiration for budding gardeners is the Freelance Botanist, which teaches essential gardening skills such as grafting, fertilizing, and nurturing plants.
This aspiration falls under the Nature category in the base game, making it especially appealing for players who are passionate about gardening. It’s also a fantastic option for those who want to interact with a cowplant, as the final level requires your Sim to cultivate this unique creature.
Starting this aspiration is ideal if you plan to create a PlantSim. If you’re not playing the Plant-a-Sim scenario, the only way to become a PlantSim is by growing the Forbidden Fruit of PlantSim, which requires reaching level 10 in gardening skill.
Guide to the Freelance Botanist Aspiration
As your Sim works through the Freelance Botanist aspiration, they will enhance their gardening skills and improve the quality of plants in their garden. This process takes time but rewards you with 4,825 aspiration points, which can be spent on various Reward Traits and bonuses, such as the Potion of Youth or a Money Tree.
Choosing a lot with the Great Soil trait from The Sims 4: City Living can significantly ease the completion of this aspiration.
Reward: Naturalist Trait
With the Naturalist trait, your Sims become more resilient to fire and can extinguish it more easily. This trait is particularly beneficial if you have inexpensive appliances, fireplaces, or bonfires in your home.
Reward: Green Thumb Achievement
Upon completing this aspiration, your Sim will max out their gardening skill. If this is your first Sim to achieve this in your save file, you will unlock the Green Thumb Achievement.
Reward: Grow an Excellent Quality Garden
The various levels of this aspiration focus on caring for plants, which will gradually enhance the quality of your plants. Just like in reality, plants in The Sims 4 flourish in optimal conditions—they need to be watered, fertilized, and exposed to adequate sunlight. Higher-quality plants yield better harvests, allowing you to sell them for more Simoleons or craft superior meals.
Once your Sim reaches level 2 in gardening skill, they will unlock the Evolve interaction for plants nearing the next quality level. Each quality tier for a plant is referred to as its evolution level, and it can be:
Normal
Nice
Excellent
Magnificent
Perfect
Harvesting plants can be a profitable venture in The Sims 4, especially for players engaged in challenges like Rags to Riches or Legacy. It provides your Sims with a relatively passive income stream that can easily carry through generations.
A Complete Breakdown of Aspiration Levels and Tasks
The Freelance Botanist Aspiration has four stages, all aimed at developing your gardening skill to unlock new interactions and create an ideal garden. The growth of plants is gradual, so finishing the aspiration may take some time.
While the pace can be slow, it’s a rewarding challenge that can be completed alongside other gameplay elements, such as advancing in a career or nurturing a family. Additionally, gardening often earns more money than many low-tier jobs, providing a valuable head start in a new game.
Milestone
Task
Notes
Naturewalker
Plant something three times
Your Sims can plant items found in your garden or purchase seeds through a computer, phone, or planter. If you have The Sims 4: Cottage Living, steer clear of oversized crops.
Weed or water plants three times
Plants will dry out and develop weeds over time. Building a roof over them or taking planters indoors can reduce natural watering from rain.
Garden Variety
Achieve level 4 gardening skill
You can raise the gardening skill by maintaining plants or reading books on gardening. Books can be purchased directly from a bookshelf.
Evolve five different plants
At gardening skill level 2, your Sim can evolve well-tended plants. Look for sparkles in your garden or hover over the plants to check their status.
Nature Nurturer
Achieve level 6 gardening skill
More plants lead to more skill-building opportunities. You can also buy medium and high-level gardening books to boost progress.
Graft onto three plants
The Sims 4 has a grafting feature that allows you to create rare or unique plants. By reaching gardening skill level 5, you can take cuttings from plants. Once your Sim has a cutting, choose the Graft interaction with another plant.
Fertilize five plants
Fertilizer becomes available at gardening skill level 3. You can buy fertilizer by clicking on a planter or use items from your garden to save money.
Freelance Botanist
Achieve level 10 gardening skill
Continue honing your skills until you max out the gardening skill. Once you reach level 10, you can purchase Rare Seeds, which you’ll need for the PlantSim transformation.
Grow a cowplant
To grow a cowplant, you’ll need to locate or graft a cowplant berry. These can be found while fishing in Oasis Springs and San Sequoia. If you have time, try grafting snapdragons and dragon fruit to create a cowplant berry. Once acquired, you can plant it just like any other crop.
Evolve ten Excellent plants
To evolve a plant to Excellent quality, it must evolve three times. Make sure to water, weed, and fertilize your plants to enhance their quality. Your best bet is to continue evolving plants you developed during the Garden Variety milestone.
Tips for Completing the Freelance Botanist Aspiration
Completing this aspiration may take some time. Here are some tips to speed things up:
Skill building can be slow, but certain personality traits can help. Traits like Practice Makes Perfect and Overachiever can enhance skill gain over time.
If you have The Sims 4: Seasons, growing plants indoors or under cover will help bypass seasonal effects, allowing for more frequent harvesting and the ability to buy more gardening supplies.
The Loves The Outdoors trait can increase your Sim’s happiness during gardening tasks. This trait can be found under the Hobby menu.
Taking on the Gardener career provides additional opportunities to develop your gardening skills. Once you hit level 5, you may choose to follow the Botanist career track, resulting in a cowplant berry.
Do not give your Sim the Super Green Thumb Reward Trait, as this reduces the care plants need, making it harder for your Sim to level up their skill.
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 made its debut this week on Xbox, PC, and through Xbox Game Pass. However, many players are facing significant performance issues, including lengthy waiting times to access the game and, in some cases, being stuck at 97% during loading. In a video update released on Wednesday, Asobo Studios expressed their regret regarding the launch troubles, citing that they “underestimated” the demand for server access.
Jorg Neumann, the head of the series, remarked, “We anticipated a high level of excitement for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, but we completely miscalculated just how overwhelming it would be, straining our infrastructure. We sincerely apologize for this situation.”
As players continue to encounter issues, the game’s support account on Twitter suggests restarting the game if it stalls above 90% and recommends checking the Xbox Status page for updates. They also noted that the problems related to login queues have mostly been addressed.
The current challenges stem from the introduction of new features in this edition of the game. To minimize the amount of data loaded at once, such as maps and assets, Asobo Studios has employed cloud storage technology. This allows the game to retrieve only what is needed for a player’s flight path, resulting in requests sent to the server that can take time to process. As a result, a significant amount of data is cached. This approach was previously tested with simulations involving 200,000 users.
In the video update, Asobo’s CEO, Sebastian Wloch, elaborated that the slow loading times and performance issues arise from the servers’ cache becoming overloaded due to the high volume of requests. “We attempted to restart our services, manage player numbers, and expand the queue size for faster access, but these measures were only temporarily successful before traffic overwhelmed the system,” he explained. This has also led to some in-game elements, such as optional default aircraft, failing to load properly.
Wloch added, “We are diligently investigating these problems, and our priority is ensuring that everyone can access the game as quickly as possible.”
It’s not unusual for massive games like Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 to encounter issues at launch. The game is notably demanding, requiring 64GB of RAM to operate under optimal settings on PC. The previous iteration, Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020, prompted many players to upgrade their hardware. However, the current situation has escalated, with players quickly noticing the shortcomings. The Steam version currently holds an “Overwhelmingly Negative” rating.
If you’re looking to save some serious playing time in Stardew Valley, using cheats can be a great way to do just that. While it may seem like a straightforward game where you manage crops or socialize at the Stardrop Saloon, there’s more complexity involved than meets the eye. If the grind gets overwhelming and you’d rather take a shortcut to reach your goals, we’ve got some cheats that can help you out. There’s no need to feel guilty about taking the easy route!
Perhaps the 2AM curfew has you feeling restricted, and you want to take control of your time? There’s a cheat for that! Or maybe you’re eager to explore beyond the boundaries of the game? There’s a cheat for that, too. Keep reading for a comprehensive guide to some of the best Stardew Valley cheats available.
Gold Spring Onions Cheat in Stardew Valley
(Image credit: ConcernedApe)
In your first year, spring onions can be a valuable source of energy. There’s a cheat that allows you to forage exclusively gold-quality spring onions, which are more beneficial for both energy and profit. Simply fill your inventory, ensuring one slot contains a gold spring onion, and avoid having any lower-quality onions. When you collect a spring onion, only those of gold quality will be added to your inventory. For more details, check our Year One guide, as you can find these onions throughout spring in the southeast corner of the map.
Out of Bounds Cheat in Stardew Valley
(Image credit: ConcernedApe)
To access out-of-bounds sections of the game, simply walk to the edge of an area, equip a tool or weapon, and swing it. Repeating this motion will propel your character out of bounds and into areas like the ocean or dark spaces around your farm. This can be particularly useful for fishing, allowing you to reach bubbles that are generally inaccessible if your fishing level is low. Additionally, there are mods available that enhance your fishing experience by showing fish locations.
Extended Fishing Cheat in Stardew Valley
(Image credit: ConcernedApe)
Reaching level 10 in fishing requires significant time spent by the water, not to mention the time it takes to travel to fishing spots. Thankfully, there’s a trick that allows you to extend your fishing time as long as you have an active quest. Cast your line, then open your journal. While your journal is open, time continues to pass but you’re free to fish without interruption. When you hook a fish, reel it in, and repeat this process for far longer sessions than normal.
Delay Sleep Cheat in Stardew Valley
(Image credit: ConcernedApe)
Days in Stardew Valley last from 6 AM to 2 AM, and after midnight, it’s usually wise to head to bed. If you’re still up at 2 AM, you’ll pass out and be taken home, losing 10% of your money (up to 1,000g) for the service. If you want to avoid this costly sleep, the trick is to open your journal as your character starts yawning. This will prevent passing out, allowing you to finish tasks without incurring the penalty. Just be ready to open it multiple times if your character yawns again!
Item Duplication Cheat for Unlimited Money in Stardew Valley
This cheat is one of the most powerful in Stardew Valley! Every item in the game has a unique code. By using up to three of these codes, place them in [square brackets] as your character’s name to spawn those items in your inventory whenever the game references your name. For example, naming yourself [163][166][434] will grant you a Legend fish, Treasure Chest, and Stardrop—items worth 5,000g, 5,000g, and 7,777g, respectively (though the Stardrop is often consumed upon acquisition). To further streamline this, talk to Gus at the saloon, where your name is frequently mentioned.
You can also use this cheat when naming and purchasing an animal to receive those specific items once. A chicken works well for this purpose. If you’re encountering issues with the same codes, try reordering them or adding a number/letter at the end to help bypass restrictions.
Note: This exploit has been patched in the console versions of the game since the 1.3 update.
Here’s a list of item codes you can use to obtain almost any item in the game:
0 – Weeds
2 – Stone
4 – Stone
16 – Wild Horseradish
18 – Daffodil
20 – Leek
22 – Dandelion
24 – Parsnip
30 – Lumber
60 – Emerald
62 – Aquamarine
64 – Ruby
66 – Amethyst
68 – Topaz
70 – Jade
72 – Diamond
74 – Prismatic Shard
75 – Stone
…and many more!
If you’re interested in exploring more about Stardew Valley, consider reading up on our guides for Stardew Valley co-op, Stardew Valley gifts, and Stardew Valley mystery boxes!
Honing in on the perfect gifts in Stardew Valley is essential for building strong connections with the game’s 12 eligible bachelors and bachelorettes. Whether you’re captivated by Abigail, with her purple hair and passion for the supernatural, or intrigued by Shane, who harbors a mysterious past, winning their affection is key. So, what’s the best approach to charm them?
Gifts are one of the most effective ways to express your feelings. Each of the 12 characters has distinct items that they love or like, making it vital to know what to offer to avoid jeopardizing your friendship—or romance. We’ve compiled a comprehensive list of the characters you can try to impress, along with the gifts they’ll appreciate. If you want to explore more strategies, be sure to check out our additional guides covering tips, cheats, and mods for Stardew Valley.
The Bachelors and Bachelorettes
In the game, you can befriend the following bachelors:
Alex
Elliott
Harvey
Sam
Sebastian
Shane
And the bachelorettes are:
Abigail
Emily
Haley
Leah
Maru
Penny
Universal Gifts
There are several gifts that all villagers hold dear—these are known as "universal" gifts. They grant 80 relationship points, but can be difficult to procure. Some villagers may not appreciate certain universally liked items, so it’s essential to be aware of these nuances.
Universal Loves:
Golden Pumpkin
Magic Rock Candy
Pearl
Prismatic Shard
Rabbit’s Foot
For gifts that are easier to find, here are the Universal Likes which provide 45 relationship points:
Universal Likes:
All Artisan Goods (except Oil and Void Mayonnaise)
All Cooked Foods (except Fried Egg, Bread, Strange Bun, and Seafoam Pudding)
All Flowers (except Poppy)
All Foraged Minerals (except Quartz)
Fruits from all tree varieties
All Gems
All Vegetables (excluding Hops, Tea Leaves, Wheat, and Unmilled Rice)
Life Elixir
Maple Syrup
Rainbow Shell
Treasure Chest
Bachelors’ Gifts
Alex
Lives: Near Pierre’s General Store with his grandparents.
Loves: Complete Breakfast, Salmon Dinner, Jack Be Nimble.
Likes: Dislikes certain foraged minerals and prepared foods like pizza or pancakes.
Maru
Lives: In a house attached to the carpenter shop.
Loves: Battery Pack, Cauliflower, Cheese Cauliflower, Diamond, Gold Bar, Iridium Bar, Miner’s Treat, Pepper Poppers, Radioactive Bar, Rhubarb Pie, Strawberry.
Likes: Various crafting materials but does not favor honey or pickles.
Penny
Lives: In a trailer with Pam.
Loves: Diamond, Emerald, Melon, Poppy, Poppyseed Muffin, Red Plate, Roots Platter, Sandfish, Tom Kha Soup.
Likes: Enjoys a wide array of items but is not keen on alcohol.
Gifting wisely can significantly enhance your relationships in Stardew Valley, making it easier to build friendships or reach romantic milestones. Happy gifting!
Mastering the art of fishing in Stardew Valley can significantly enhance your gameplay experience, but it takes a bit of practice. The type of fish you can catch varies based on several factors, including the season, weather conditions, your fishing location, and the time of day in the game.
Fortunately, we’ve compiled a comprehensive guide that covers every fish in Stardew Valley, including tips on how to catch them and information on their availability. From elusive red snappers to the common catfish, we’ve got you covered. Once you’re done fishing, you might want to take on a quest to gather the Golden Walnuts or the Prismatic Shards!
How to Catch Fish in Stardew Valley
When you start fishing, you’ll need to engage in a mini-game to catch your fish. A window will pop up featuring a fish icon and a bar. Your goal is to press a button to move the bar up and down while keeping the fish within the bar’s limits. A meter will fill as long as the fish is contained within the bar; if it slips out, the meter will decrease. You must fully fill this meter to catch the fish; if it empties, the fish will escape.
Stardew Valley Fish: Fishing Rod
Certain types of fish in Stardew Valley can only be caught using a fishing rod. To improve your chances of landing fish like the Sturgeon, Lava Eel, Catfish, or Red Snapper, consider upgrading your fishing rod. You start with a Bamboo Pole on your second day, then you can buy a Fiberglass Rod at Willy’s Fish Shop when you reach level 3 in fishing. An Iridium Rod becomes available for purchase once you achieve level 6.
Fish
Location
Time
Season
Weather
Pufferfish
Ocean
12pm-4pm
Summer
Sunny
Anchovy
Ocean
All Day
Spring/Fall
Any
Tuna
Ocean
6am-7pm
Summer/Winter
Any
Sardine
Ocean
6am-7pm
Spring/Fall/Winter
Any
Bream
River (Town/Forest)
6pm-2am
Any
Any
Largemouth Bass
Lake (Mountain)
6am-7pm
Any
Any
Smallmouth Bass
River (Town)/Pond (Forest)
Any
Spring/Fall
Any
Rainbow Trout
River (Town/Forest)/Lake (Mountain)
6am-7pm
Summer
Sunny
Stardew Valley Fish: Crab Pot
Just like with fishing rods, some fish can only be caught using crab pots. You can craft a Crab Pot using 40 Wood and 3 Iron Bars, or you can purchase one from the Fish Shop for 1,500g after reaching level 3 in fishing. Additionally, you can acquire crab pots by completing the Crab Pot Bundle in the Fish Tank, catching various crab pot fish, or winning them during the Trout Derby mini-festival in the summer.
Fish
Location
Clam
Ocean
Cockle
Ocean
Crab
Ocean
Stardew Valley Fish: Night Market
During the Night Market festival, you can catch three special types of fish exclusively through a submarine ride, available from 5pm to 2am (it closes at 11pm) on the 15th to 17th of Winter. The tour costs 1,000g, and you must use either a Fiberglass or Iridium rod for a chance to catch:
Midnight Squid
Blobfish
Spook Fish
Stardew Valley Fish: Legendary
Legendary fish are rare and challenging to catch, requiring a fishing rod. There are five legendary fish—one for each season and one additional. Each can only be caught once per game save unless you’re playing in co-op mode. Here’s where and when you can find them:
Fish
Location
Time
Season
Weather
Crimsonfish
East pier on the beach (level 5 fishing)
Any
Summer
Any
Angler
North of JojaMart on the wooden bridge (level 3 fishing)
Any
Fall
Any
Legend
Mountain Lake near the log (level 10 fishing)
Any
Spring
Rain
Glacierfish
South end of Arrowhead Island in Cindersap Forest (level 6 fishing)
Any
Winter
Any
Mutant Carp
The Sewers
Any
Any
Any
Aside from catching items like Seaweed, Green Algae, and White Algae, these are all the fish you can find while fishing in Stardew Valley (excluding junk). Best of luck in your fishing adventures!
Want more tips on Stardew Valley? Check out our guides on tips, cheats, and mods.
To gather all the tarot cards in The Sims 4: Life and Death, you’ll need to tackle a variety of tasks, or you can simply choose to buy them. While your Sim can easily access a basic tarot deck, you also have the option to create the Lady Ravendancer Tarot Deck, which features 26 unique cards. This special deck allows you to not only conduct readings like the basic deck but also perform exclusive actions, such as summoning Lady Ravendancer Goth herself.
Creating this deck entails completing a series of specific tasks. Some tasks may be repeated for multiple cards, increasing your chances of collecting different ones. Other tasks might require you to complete several steps before receiving a tarot card as a reward. Fortunately, we’ve put together a straightforward guide to help you build your tarot card deck in The Sims 4: Life and Death.
Collecting tarot cards is just one of the exciting new activities in Life and Death, alongside tasks such as learning how to write a will or discovering the secrets of the Guardian Tree.
How to Get Tarot Cards in The Sims 4
To acquire a basic tarot deck, just go to Buy Mode and purchase it under the Activities and Skills tab, where you’ll find Bibbity-Basic’s Tarot Deck. Alternatively, you can search for it directly.
To obtain the special Lady Ravendancer Tarot Deck, you’ll need to complete various tasks, as detailed below. You can also buy this tarot deck for 8,000 points in the Rewards Store, but why not enjoy the game instead?
Collecting All 26 Tarot Cards in Life and Death
Your journey begins by locating a Tarot Tome, an ornate book on a pedestal. These tomes can be found in all neighborhoods within Ravenwood. Select a Tarot Tome and choose the "What’s This?" option to initiate your tarot card journey and learn about the Order of Lenore.
The Order of Lenore consists of four characters: Ekade Aether, known as the Widowed Father; Esther Gomes, the Ghost Host; Zelmira Gomes, who is Death Obsessed; and Nyon Specter, the Grim Enthusiast. Each member has two favors you must complete to collect two unique tarot cards. Keep in mind that your Sim can only manage two favors at any given time.
While the initial tasks are relatively straightforward, the favors from the Order of Lenore can become more complex. Here’s a summary of all 26 tarot cards in The Sims 4: Life and Death and how to collect them:
High Spellcaster: Automatically received at the start of your collection.
Cups: Explore any crypt in Ravenwood (may require several attempts).
Coins: Same as above.
Wands: Same as above.
Swords: Same as above.
Star: Use intuition at the Guardian Tree in Mourningvale.
Justice: Same as above.
The Empress: Use intuition at the Baleful Bog in Mourningvale.
Evil: Use intuition at the Well of Longing and Regret (may take a few attempts).
Tower: Same as above.
Wheel of Fortune: Use intuition at Edith’s grave, located south of the Well of Longing and Regret. Alternatively, use intuition on Specter graves in the center of Crow’s Crossing.
Suspension: Same as Wheel of Fortune.
Hermit: Purchase from the Mysterious Merchant, Waylon Warez, for 200 Simoleons. If he’s out of stock, check back later.
Chariot: Same as above.
The World: Interact with a crow, either one on a perch in Crow’s Crossing or by purchasing the Grim Standard Ascendant Crow in Build Mode.
Temperance: Seek catharsis from a Specter at the playground in Crow’s Crossing. Your Sim should be in a bad mood for this to work.
The Moon: Dig in a dirt patch at the Moon Revelry Festival, which runs from 7:20 PM to 11:20 PM daily in Whispering Glen.
The Advocate: Speak to Nyon Specter, the Grim Enthusiast, and assist with favors. For this task, read the epitaphs of the entire Specter family in Crow’s Crossing. Purchase four souls from Waylon Warez and report back to Nyon.
The Fool: Another assignment from Nyon that involves the Grim Reaper. You can find him at work by joining the Life and Death Reaper career or in Mourningvale. Speak to him and deliver a gnome from Nyon, then report back.
The Lovers: Converse with Ekade Aether in Whispering Glen or at the Moon Revelry Festival and complete the Unfinished Boo-siness favor. Attend Afterlife Anonymous and discuss unfinished business with three ghosts. This happens on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 6 PM to 11 PM or on Tuesday and Thursday from 10 AM to 4 PM in Mourningvale, then report back to Ekade.
The Emperor: Finish the Small Things favor for Ekade by finding frogs in a fountain during the Ravenwood Family Day event held in Crow’s Crossing every Saturday from 12 PM to 8 PM. After that, purchase any toy in Buy Mode, place it in your Sim’s inventory, and give it to Ekade.
Judgment: Visit Esther Gomes, the Ghost Host, in Mourningvale. She can also be found during the Afterlife Anonymous event. To complete the Cake Baked Lies favor for her, check on Percival The Patient, a ghost plant in Mourningvale. Feed it, go home, bake a cake, take a slice, and then deliver the slice to Esther.
Strength: For Esther’s Essence-Tials favor, acquire Ghost Essence from Waylon Warez. If your Sim is developing their Ghost Mastery skill, they can also earn essence through good or bad actions. Report back to Esther once you have it.
The Magician: Visit Zelmira Gomes, the Death Obsessed niece of Esther, who can be found in Whispering Glen or at the Thinned Festiveil at the tarot booth on Wednesdays between 10 AM and 6 PM. Complete her Petal For Your Thoughts favor by reading a Thanatology book and acquiring a Death Flower by purchasing a Starter Flower Seeds pack and opening it in a graveyard. Return to Zelmira with the flower.
The Sun: Help Zelmira with her We All Fall Down favor. Speak to a ghost, visit a graveyard for a memorial display, take a photo, and report back to Zelmira.
Death: The final card is earned only after collecting the previous 25. Select the pack in your inventory and summon Grim. He will arrive and present you with the Death card.
Where to View Tarot Cards
To check your tarot card collection, simply go to your Sim’s inventory. Click on the diamond icon in the top right corner to access your Household Collections, where you can view all your tarot cards and summon Grim for the last card.
Lady Ravendancer Tarot Deck Rewards
Once you’ve obtained Lady Ravendancer’s tarot deck, you’ll gain access to an additional interaction not found with the basic deck. From the interaction menu, select Meditative Divination to unlock the following abilities that will enhance your Sim’s mood:
Affirmation Healing
Divine Slumber
Summon Lady Ravendancer Goth
How to Perform a Tarot Reading in Life and Death
First, make sure your Sim has a tarot deck in their inventory. Then, select a Sim, and you will see options to “Draw Daily Reading” or "Draw Nightly Reading" depending on the time of day. You can charge your fellow Sim 30 Simoleons for this, or you can choose to do it for free.
If you’re looking for more game recommendations, check out our list of 10 games similar to The Sims 4.
If you’re delving into The Sims 4 Life and Death, it’s essential to know how to create a will. This document determines the fate of your Sim’s possessions and those who depend on them. There are various ways to craft a will in this expansion, though it might not be immediately apparent.
A will helps decide various matters, such as your funeral plans, the distribution of your treasured items, and importantly, the care of your children if no adult remains on the property. Given the many scenarios involving death that Life and Death introduces, it’s wise to write a will sooner rather than later. Here’s a comprehensive guide on how to create a will in The Sims 4 Life and Death.
Why Should You Write a Will in The Sims 4?
(Image credit: EA)
Similar to real life, a will in The Sims allows your Sim to set out their wishes regarding their estate, family, and belongings upon their passing. Through this document, you can specify your funeral details, whether you prefer a tombstone or an urn, leave notes, and designate guardians for your children and chosen heirlooms. To mark an item as an heirloom, simply interact with it and select ‘Make Heirloom.’ If that option isn’t available, the item can’t be designated as such.
When you begin playing the Life and Death expansion, a mysterious figure will contact you, offering some Simoleons and suggesting you draft a will. Following their advice is crucial if you aim to have any authority over your legacy. This is particularly important for players involved in the legacy challenge, as knowing the fate of your dependents and their finances significantly impacts gameplay.
How to Create a Will in The Sims 4 Life and Death
(Image credit: EA)
Now that you’re ready to decide the fate of your belongings and your loved ones after you’re gone, here’s how you can draft a will in The Sims 4:
On a Computer
With an Inheritance Lawyer
At the Town Hall
Let’s explore these options in detail.
Create a Will on a Computer
(Image credit: EA)
To write a will using a computer, find one—whether it’s at home, at a cafe, or at a friend’s place. Click on it, go to the Household tab, and select ‘Start Will.’ Your Sim will then get to work.
Create a Will with an Inheritance Lawyer
(Image credit: EA)
To consult an inheritance lawyer, use your phone to schedule an appointment. Under the Household option, select ‘Hire Services,’ and then find the inheritance lawyer.
You can also meet with a lawyer during the Ravenwood Family Day in the Crow’s Crossing neighborhood, which is held every Saturday from 12 PM to 8 PM. If you arrive and the desk appears vacant, don’t be alarmed; a lawyer will show up shortly.
Create a Will at the Town Hall
(Image credit: EA)
Another option is to head to the Town Hall in Mourningvale to draft your will. Although this isn’t a designated travel location, you can still reach it by visiting different spots in the neighborhood. Once there, interact with the Town Hall, and one of the options presented will be to write a will.
How to Access and Update Your Will in The Sims 4
(Image credit: EA)
After creating your will, it will be stored in your inventory. You can easily access it to edit it later. To make changes, click on the will and select ‘Update Will.’ You can also reread it anytime you want a refresher on its contents. If, for any reason, you decide to completely redo your will, you can opt to ‘Destroy Will’ from your inventory and start afresh.
Feeling inspired by The Sims 4: Life and Death? Check out 10 similar games to The Sims 4 for more fun.
Getting started in The Sims 4 can be quite a bit to handle at first. You have to create your Sim, build their house, and then figure out the ins and outs of relationships, careers, finances, and daily life. However, once you get the hang of things, you’ll discover that the charm of The Sims 4 lies in the endless possibilities it offers. Whether you’re new to EA’s iconic life simulation franchise or a seasoned player from previous editions, you’ll notice that The Sims 4 introduces a fresh approach, packed with features right from the start.
To help you kick things off, we’ve put together some starting tips and tricks. If you want to speed things up, check out our guide on cheats for The Sims 4. For everything else in those initial phases of gameplay—like preferences and building relationships—here’s a straightforward way to dive into The Sims 4.
Create Your Sim
(Image credit: EA)
Your first step is to use the Create-a-Sim (CAS) feature, where you can design your household. The game starts with a random Sim, but you can keep that Sim or create a new one to better match your vision.
In the menu at the top left, you’ll select your Sim’s name, gender, age, body type, and even their voice pitch. If you’re creating multiple Sims, you can assign relationships between them too.
In The Sims 4, you have the option to decide if a Sim can become pregnant or father a child, which we’ll cover in more detail later. You can also define your Sim’s interests and life goals, along with choosing outfits for different occasions, such as everyday wear, formal attire, athletic gear, sleepwear, and party clothes.
Design Your Home
(Image credit: EA)
Next, head to Manage Worlds to choose a lot for your household. You can opt for prebuilt homes, either furnished or unfurnished, or move into an active household. If you buy an empty lot, you’ll enter Build mode to construct everything from walls and doors to roofs.
After that, it’s time to decorate the inside. It’s essential to learn how to rotate furniture in The Sims 4. Use the Build/Buy mode to pick everything from tables and chairs to beds and appliances. You can even use the Gallery to find ready-made rooms or homes.
You can modify the landscape around your lot too. In The Sims 4, you have the ability to create ponds or plant trees and flowers to your liking. For those feeling adventurous, you can use the debug cheat code to unlock extra items or the free build cheat to escape the typical grid layout.
Focus on Your Sims’ Moods
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As you begin your journey in The Sims, you’ll start off in a tutorial home with a roommate. This setting teaches you how to manage your Sim’s needs and boost their mood. Jumping right in? Don’t worry; you’ll catch on quickly. If your Sim feels sad, angry, dirty, or hungry, they can become difficult to manage, and things could go very wrong.
Just like in real life, it’s important to address their moods properly: are they hungry? Let them eat! Feeling tired? Time to sleep! Bored? They can watch TV or play a game. Lacking social interaction? Have them call a friend. You can monitor all of this through the Sims’ interface menu—the better you care for them, the smoother the game will be.
Get a Job
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Finding a job in The Sims 4 isn’t mandatory, but it gives your Sim purpose and allows you to earn Simoleons. You can get a job through your phone, a computer, or by using the Career Panel at the bottom right of the screen. A window will pop up showing the various careers available. For guidance on boosting your income, check our tips for making money in The Sims 4.
Every career path requires you to improve specific skills, complete daily tasks, and build friendships. For instance, if you opt for a Business career, you’ll need to handle reports as part of your daily activities to progress. If you’d rather skip the grind, there are cheats available to level up skills quickly.
Spend Time Making Friends
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In The Sims 4, it’s your choice whether your Sim makes friends or leads a solitary life. Making friends can be helpful, especially if your job requires networking. Unfortunately, multiplayer mode isn’t supported in The Sims 4 yet, though some mods may offer that feature.
If you do decide to build friendships, you can do so by visiting community spots, meeting Sims nearby, or forming bonds with other household members. Keep in mind, just like in real life, if you neglect friendships, they can fade away. If you’re pressed for time, you can always use cheats to boost relationships without all the hassle.
Start a Family
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If you wish to start a family, it’s quite easy. Once two Sims develop a loving bond, you can have them WooHoo and attempt to conceive a child, or you can adopt a child of any age through your phone by selecting “Hire a Service” and then “Adopt a Child.”
Raising a family takes a lot of effort because you’ll have to manage multiple Sims’ needs, especially since little ones can’t take care of themselves. Keeping up with everything can be tough, especially since an older Sim may need to take care of the toddler. There are useful tips for aging up toddlers in The Sims 4 to make transitions between life stages smoother.
Earn Some Simoleons
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As you immerse yourself in the game, you’ll quickly discover that Simoleons are essential for turning your dreams into reality. Some players thrive on the challenge of earning and budgeting carefully, while others may prefer to follow our tips on earning more money in The Sims 4.
You can use popular cheat codes, such as the notorious “motherlode,” or explore hobbies like gardening, painting, or writing, which provide solid returns. No matter how you choose to make Simoleons, you’ll undoubtedly find ways to spend them—whether on bills, food, or new furniture.
Get Expansion Packs
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While The Sims 4 base game is packed with content, EA frequently releases new expansion packs (as well as smaller game packs). With nearly 20 packs available—like City Living, Cats & Dogs, and Discover University—there’s plenty to explore.
Once you know what aspects of gameplay interest you most, it’ll be easier to determine which expansion packs will enhance your experience in The Sims 4.
Try Out Some Cheats
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Cheating in The Sims 4 can be an enjoyable and efficient way to reach your goals. Although using cheats is not officially part of the game, the console feature allows you to input cheat codes for a reason. If you prefer to avoid cheats, that’s completely up to you. However, if you’re curious, there’s a multitude of cheats to experiment with!
Learn About Mods
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Finally, exploring the best mods for The Sims 4 can elevate your gaming experience. Just be cautious when choosing which mods to install, and always save your game beforehand. There are numerous mods you can use, ranging from realistic childbirth to immortality to… mischievous toddlers. Mods can truly broaden the game’s world, but if you’re satisfied with what you have, simply enjoy your gaming experience!
Interested in sandbox gameplay? Check out 10 games like The Sims 4 to explore.
The Sims 4 free build cheat lets you bypass the game’s strict grid system when constructing and arranging items in your world. This feature allows you to place items anywhere, in any neighborhood, effectively granting you unlimited building freedom. It’s just one of the many useful cheats available in The Sims 4.
While the grid keeps your layout organized, it can also prevent you from placing items exactly where you want, like doors or achieving a specific cluttered look in your homes. Got uneven terrain? No problem. Want to design a densely packed city? Go for it. Plus, if you’re looking to add unique items, the Sims 4 debug cheat will help you access hidden options. Here’s how to utilize the Sims 4 free build cheat to completely transform your town.
Activating The Sims 4 Free Build Cheat
To start using cheats in The Sims 4, you’ll first need to open the cheat console. Follow these simple steps:
For PC: Hold Ctrl and Shift, then press C.
For Mac: Hold Command (⌘) and Shift, then press C.
For PS4: Press all four shoulder buttons simultaneously.
For Xbox One: Press all four shoulder buttons at the same time.
A text box will appear at the top of the screen where you can input your desired cheat codes, including the free build cheat.
Using The Sims 4 Free Build Cheat to Construct Anywhere
Building in The Sims 4 can be challenging and sometimes costly. However, with the free build cheat, you can unleash your creativity. You’ll be able to construct on lots that were previously restricted and place objects anywhere without the constraints of the grid. Just follow these instructions to get started.
After enabling cheats, type testingCheats true into the console.
bb.enablefreebuild – allows you to build anywhere, even on locked lots like dorms from The Sims 4: Discover University or hospitals.
bb.moveobjects on – lets you move objects freely and adjust their height using 9 to move objects upwards and 0 to move them downwards.
Moreover, you can easily create a home for your Sims without fretting about costs. Just move your Sims into a lot and use the cheat codes below to build their dream house without worrying about Simoleon expenses. For long-term financial relief, consider using Sims 4 money cheats too.
FreeRealEstate On – allows free construction anywhere.
FreeRealEstate Off – disables free building mode.
Looking for more clever cheats? Check out theSims 4 career cheatsto get promoted quickly!
