Info about The Sims™ 4 Outdoor Retreat:

Official game description:
What's Included in this pack
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About the Game
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Venture into the deep woods to discover new surprises, including dangerous and wondrous herbs, new species of fish, creepy insects, and…bears? Hang out by the campfire before trying to find the hermit rumored to live in the deepest parts of the forest.  
**Key features**  
*   **Wander into an all-new destination** — Your Sims can now make an escape from their everyday lives into the pine-filled air of Granite Falls. Let’s just hope that your Sims aren’t squeamish about insects.  
*   **Set up the perfect camp** — No camping trip is complete without the proper supplies. Be sure to purchase your Sims a tent and outfit them in new hiking gear.  
*   **Enjoy unique outdoor activities** — Lay back for a night of stargazing and let your Sim’s imagination run wild! Join a game of horseshoes to unwind and see what adventure awaits within the bramble patch.  
*   **Gather around the campfire** — Treat your Sims to some roasted marshmallows and tell fireside stories of adventure, wonder, and fright for the whole gang.  
*   **Create exotic potions as an herbalist** — Build your Sim’s herbalism skill to create a variety of useful potions, 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.

Release date: Jun 18, 2020

Categories: Life Simulation, Vacation Gameplay, Exploration, Camping, Herbalism, Collection Game, Character Progression


- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price:
  - Community fair range: $8.00 - $12.00
  - Reasoning: The majority of reviews indicate the product is overpriced at its full price of $20, with many recommending a 50% discount, implying a fair price around $10. One review explicitly states it is not worth $20, and another says it should be cheaper. A single outlier believes it is worth full price, but the consensus is that a discounted price is fair. Thus, the community's fair price range is approximately $8-$12.
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: N/A
  - Story completion: N/A
  - Session length: 5.0h
  - Endgame: N/A
  - Reasoning: The French review directly states a playtime of 5 hours for this pack, while another review mentions spending 5 hours on a bug-hunting activity. These are the only concrete hour figures tied to the DLC, but they are ambiguous between total playtime and a single session. No evidence indicates game completion, story completion, or endgame playtime.
- Time-to-fun: No data
- Player Archetypes:
  - Adventure & Challenge Seeker (buy)
    - Motivation: Fun and adventure through new gameplay opportunities
    - Playstyle: Engages in structured challenges and explores expansion features
    - Experience: mixed
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: N/A
  - Relaxed & Chill Player (buy)
    - Motivation: Adding a relaxed, atmospheric outdoor vibe to their game
    - Playstyle: Casual, prefers slower, aesthetic-driven gameplay rather than high-stakes challenges
    - Experience: mixed
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: N/A
  - Value-Conscious Veteran (sale)
    - Motivation: Maximizing value and avoiding full price for DLC
    - Playstyle: Purchases strategically, waits for sales, and likely owns many expansions
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: sale
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: N/A


Below are summaries of things people say about the game per category.
Each point is assigned a weight that represents how often it is mentioned across all reviews.
What players like:
- Tents and camping items praised (weight 0.56): Multiple reviewers appreciate the tents and camping equipment, finding them convenient and of good quality. The items add to the camping experience and are used regularly in builds.
- Pack is worth full price (weight 0.46): Some reviewers rate the pack highly, considering it a favorite and a worthwhile purchase even at full price. Overall satisfaction is high, with no major issues reported.
- Adds new building options (weight 0.4): The DLC includes new build items, plants, and fish, expanding creative possibilities. These additions are frequently used in Build Mode and Create a Sim, enhancing overall gameplay.
- Better than Journey to Batuu (weight 0.32): The pack is considered superior to the Journey to Batuu pack, especially when combined with the Seasons expansion. Reviewers find it a more valuable vacation world with better content.
- Campfire cooking and activities (weight 0.31): The campfire is usable for roasting fish and offers a central activity hub for camping. Combined with hiking and stargazing, it enriches outdoor experiences.
- Herbalism skill introduced (weight 0.31): A new herbalism skill is added, along with related herbal medicine and collectibles. This provides additional gameplay depth and learning opportunities.
- Tent living gameplay fun (weight 0.24): Reviewers enjoy roleplaying as homeless sims using tents and coolers on empty lots, finding it a fun and unique gameplay option. This creative use of the pack's items adds replay value.
- Summer resort atmosphere (weight 0.23): The pack successfully creates a summer vacation vibe, allowing players to experience a resort-like setting. This adds a relaxing and immersive element to the game.
- Adds new vacation map (weight 0.23): The pack introduces a new vacation map, expanding travel options for sims. This adds fresh exploration opportunities and variety to the game.
- Great vacation with family (weight 0.22): The pack offers an enjoyable vacation experience for families and friends, with activities suitable for groups. It promotes social bonding and shared fun.
- Granite Falls versatile for builds (weight 0.14): Granite Falls is great for building various lot types like parks, campgrounds, community lots, and vacation homes. Its environment supports creative construction.
- Very Friendly trait convenient (weight 0.13): The reward trait 'very friendly' makes it easy to quickly befriend other sims, which is a handy quality-of-life improvement. This trait is valued by players for social interactions.
- Portable showers convenient (weight 0.13): Portable showers are highlighted as a convenient feature, simplifying hygiene management during camping trips. This adds practicality to the outdoor experience.
- Healing and relaxing experience (weight 0.13): Reviewers describe the pack as healing and relaxing, offering a peaceful escape from daily gameplay. This emotional benefit enhances its value.
- Hiking activity well-received (weight 0.13): Hiking is rated as a great activity, adding physical exploration and scenic views to the vacation. It encourages players to traverse the world actively.
- Barbecue recipes expanded (weight 0.13): The pack includes expanded barbecue recipes, offering more cooking options for outdoor meals. This adds culinary variety to camping and gatherings.
- No disappearing trees bug (weight 0.12): Unlike some other worlds, the location does not have the issue of trees disappearing when zooming in. This technical improvement is appreciated by players.
- Moderately usable Create a Sim items (weight 0.12): Hairstyles and clothes added are considered moderately usable, fitting into various outfits. While not outstanding, they provide some customization options.
- Works well on Steam Deck (weight 0.12): The pack performs well on the Steam Deck, ensuring smooth gameplay on portable devices. This compatibility is appreciated by on-the-go players.
- Helped overcome fear of bugs (weight 0.1): The pack's content helped one reviewer face their fear of insects, indicating a positive emotional impact. This shows the game can have therapeutic benefits.

Common complaints:
- DLC not worth price (weight 0.49): Multiple reviewers consider the DLC overpriced relative to its content and value. Specific complaints highlight that the pack feels outdated and lacks the substance of other DLCs.
- Build mode items lack quality (weight 0.46): Build-mode items are few and low quality, with many being unattractive. The pack lacks expected items like log cabin wallpaper and outdoor toilets, making it feel incomplete.
- New map missing (weight 0.43): Several users report that the DLC's new world does not appear in the game despite items showing up, preventing them from accessing the promised content. This bug makes the purchase feel wasted.
- Regretful purchase overall (weight 0.4): Many reviewers express regret for buying the pack, calling it the worst pack they own and noting it adds almost zero gameplay. The pack is rarely used and offers little replay value.
- Limited camping activities (weight 0.4): Camping-specific activities are limited, and the pack feels empty even during short vacations. Reviewers note there is almost no gameplay and the pack is only for vacation, not daily life.
- Map quality poor (weight 0.32): Reviewers describe the new map as mediocre and not good, with limited exploration areas. Granite Falls is noted as having only one real forest area with little to explore.
- Swimming impossible in nature (weight 0.31): Sims cannot swim in natural water bodies even though the site has water suitable for fishing, forcing players to build pools in the woods. This feels bizarre and limits activities.
- Herbalism skill mediocre (weight 0.3): The herbalism skill is considered mediocre, with recipes requiring absurd ingredient amounts and being slower than solving problems directly. It often does little except make Sims angry.
- DLC obsolete due to newer (weight 0.28): The DLC has become obsolete because of the newer expansion 'Enchanted by Nature', and owning multiple DLCs makes management punitive. The pack pollutes store lists with owned content.
- Herb collection time-consuming (weight 0.28): Collecting herbs requires waiting overnight to harvest, and with Seasons expansion, it's limited to summer with high thunderstorm rates causing wasted vacations. This makes herb medicine troublesome.
- Game unplayable due to missing (weight 0.25): Some users cannot play the game at all because it does not show up in their library after purchase, indicating a significant distribution or installation bug.
- NPCs burn at campfires (weight 0.23): Frequent campfire incidents occur as NPCs start or add logs, resulting in burns during events like weenie roasts. This bug disrupts gameplay and can lead to multiple fire incidents.
- Pack only for vacation (weight 0.23): The pack is only useful for vacation stays, and Sims won't use new items autonomously for daily life. It adds practically nothing to the main game, reducing its value.
- Collecting bugs stressful (weight 0.22): Insect collecting is difficult because insects are small, hard to see, and trees block the view, making the activity stressful and frustrating for players.
- Dense forest confuses players (weight 0.22): The thick forest reduces visibility, causing players to get lost and making hidden areas hard to reach. This also makes finding facilities like toilets difficult.
- Cannot follow Sims on walks (weight 0.21): Players cannot follow their Sims during nature walks or join them in the woods, limiting interaction and reducing immersion during camping vacations.
- No RVs as expected (weight 0.21): The pack does not include RVs despite the camping theme, disappointing players. Additionally, the trailer content does not match the actual game content and map.
- Tent mechanics problematic (weight 0.21): Tents can be placed anywhere and cannot be repositioned in build mode without cheats, and tent areas are not visually distinguishable on campsites. This creates placement confusion.
- Publisher monetization concerns (weight 0.19): The publisher monetizes every aspect, making the product feel soulless and pressuring developers to produce excessive content for profit. This leads to a perceived lack of quality.
- Refund denied despite bug (weight 0.14): Steam refused a refund because playtime exceeded two hours after downloading, even though the DLC content was missing. This frustrates users who cannot get their money back.

Gameplay feedback:
- Herbalism skill introduced (weight 0.46): The pack adds a herbalism skill, allowing players to grow plants and craft remedies. Herbs can be used to make medicine, enhancing the survival element.
- Bug collecting is an activity (weight 0.32): Players can collect bugs, and they are found by looking at the ground. This adds a new collection mechanic to the game.
- Camping and cottage vacations included (weight 0.32): The DLC offers camping and cottage vacation activities, allowing Sims to go on outdoor trips. Camping involves buying a tent and staying at a camping lot.
- Granite Falls is vacation destination (weight 0.31): Granite Falls serves as a non-residential vacation world, reinforcing that the pack is about getaways rather than permanent living. This aligns with the vacation-themed content.
- Nature walks and real vacation (weight 0.31): The pack features nature walks and real vacation experiences, including sleeping in tents. This reinforces the holiday theme.
- DLC adds new fishing sites (weight 0.23): The pack introduces new fish and a location with mountains, waterfalls, and water for fishing, expanding the fishing gameplay.
- Dense forest with hidden areas (weight 0.22): The DLC features a dense forest with hidden spots to explore, particularly in Granite Falls. This encourages exploration and discovery.
- Featured activities: fishing, stargazing (weight 0.14): Players can fish, stargaze, camp, roast marshmallows, and talk to someone in a bear costume. These activities create a rich outdoor experience.
- Outdoor items and clothing added (weight 0.14): The pack includes new outdoor activities, furniture, clothes, and hair, enriching the customization options. These items support the camping and nature theme.
- Adds traits, aspirations, skills (weight 0.14): The pack includes new traits, aspirations, and skills, deeply integrating with the Sims' progression system. This enriches role-playing opportunities.
- New plants in forest areas (weight 0.13): New plants can be discovered by exploring forest and campground areas, adding to the collection aspect. These plants are part of the new herbalism system.
- Building vacation and community lots (weight 0.13): Players can build parks, campgrounds, community lots, and vacation homes, adding creative building opportunities. This expands the builder aspect of the game.
- New world and build items (weight 0.13): The DLC introduces a new world and build-mode items, giving players more options for construction. This adds to the overall value of the pack.
- New vacation map included (weight 0.13): The pack includes a new vacation map to explore, providing a fresh destination for Sims. This is a key feature of the expansion.
- Three plant locations available (weight 0.13): Players can find plants in the campground, forest, and deep woods, offering different harvesting spots. This adds variety to foraging.
- Nature experience and camping resort (weight 0.13): The pack provides a nature experience and a camping-themed resort, offering a cohesive theme. This makes it a focused expansion.
- Camping furniture for building (weight 0.13): Building camping houses or living in tents is possible with the new furniture. This supports both permanent and temporary structures.
- Tents and coolers for play (weight 0.12): Players can use tents and coolers for various types of gameplay, including homeless scenarios. This adds flexibility in how players set up their Sims' lives.
- More collectibles to discover (weight 0.12): The pack adds more collectibles, giving players additional goals for completion. This enhances the collection gameplay.
- Plant stages reset on travel (weight 0.12): Plant growth stages reset whenever you travel, affecting the gardening experience. This is a notable game mechanic that can be frustrating.

Performance notes:
- Error 132 crash after pack download (weight 0.14): The game crashes with error code 132 after downloading a specific pack, disrupting gameplay and requiring a fix.
- Crawling insects require laptop mode off (weight 0.12): Players must disable laptop mode to enable crawling insects, which may be an unintended or poorly communicated setting.
- Steam Deck compatibility praised (weight 0.12): The game runs smoothly on Steam Deck, indicating good optimization for handheld devices.

Recommendations:
- Pack not recommended standalone (weight 0.56): Multiple reviewers advise against purchasing this pack on its own, citing that it is better when bundled with other packs or for completionists. It may also be unnecessary for players who don't enjoy outdoor features.
- Wait for a sale (weight 0.51): A strong consensus across feedback is that the DLC should only be bought at a discount, with several mentioning 50% off as a good price point. Buying at full price is widely considered overpaying for the content provided.
- Recommended for outdoor enthusiasts (weight 0.4): The pack is positively recommended for players who enjoy outdoor activities like tent living, barbecues, and a relaxing vacation feel. It is specifically praised for adding value to those with a preference for nature-themed gameplay.
- Pair with other packs (weight 0.31): Reviewers note that the pack is more enjoyable when combined with other DLCs, especially for players doing expeditions in Selvadorada, Sulani, or Snowy Escape. Bundling also provides a discount, making the purchase more worthwhile.
- Better pack alternatives exist (weight 0.11): One reviewer points out that Cottage Living is a better matching pack, suggesting that players might get more value from a different DLC. This could steer potential buyers toward alternatives if they are seeking outdoor gameplay.
- Worth it at full price (weight 0.1): A single positive review states the pack is worth its full price, offering a counterpoint to the majority opinion. However, this is a niche perspective with low frequency compared to the negative value assessments.

Other player notes:
- Weaker than other packs (weight 0.24): Reviewers feel this pack is weaker in terms of additional features compared to other game packs. This implies that it offers less content or value than its counterparts.
- Rugs to riches challenge (weight 0.21): The pack is specifically used for a 'rugs to riches' challenge, indicating its utility in that gameplay style. This suggests that the pack has a niche but dedicated use among players.
- EA accused of dishonest practices (weight 0.14): One reviewer accuses EA of dishonest tactics, such as producing low-quality content to sell fixes and exploiting less tech-savvy customers. This reflects a broader distrust of the publisher's ethics.
- Can be substituted by other packs (weight 0.14): The DLC can be replaced with other packs, implying that its content is not unique or essential. This is a common criticism for lacking distinctive features.
- Criticism of monetization strategy (weight 0.14): The publisher's monetization strategy is criticized, likely for overpricing or exploitative practices. This sentiment can influence overall pack reception.
- Publisher pressures content output (weight 0.14): The publisher pushes developers to produce as much content as possible, potentially at the cost of quality. This is a systemic issue affecting multiple packs.
- Too expensive for features (weight 0.14): The pack costs too much for the features it includes, leading to a poor value proposition. This is a common complaint in game DLCs.
- Trailer mismatch with content (weight 0.13): The trailer content does not match the actual content and map, misleading potential buyers. This dishonesty can erode trust and satisfaction.
- Comparison to Enchanted by Nature (weight 0.12): A reviewer compares this pack to the newer DLC 'Enchanted by Nature', likely to highlight differences in quality or content. This suggests that newer DLCs may offer more value.
- Better than Journey to Batuu (weight 0.12): One reviewer considers this pack superior to Journey to Batuu, suggesting it offers more relevant content. This comparison may help justify its purchase.
- Recommended pack: Cottage Living (weight 0.12): A reviewer recommends Cottage Living as a better alternative, steering players away from this pack. This suggests that other packs offer more value.
- Comparison to SimPeople Vacation (weight 0.12): Comparison with SimPeople Vacation regarding guest NPCs and outdoor toilets highlights shortcomings. This indicates missing features that are present in other games.
- Worth it at 50% off (weight 0.12): A reviewer deems the pack worth purchasing at a 50% discount, implying that full price may not be justified. This suggests moderate value.
- Better with other packs (weight 0.12): Combining this pack with other packs increases enjoyment, indicating it works well in conjunction with others. This may mitigate its standalone weaknesses.
- Steam refund denied (weight 0.11): Steam refused a refund because playtime exceeded the threshold, indicating that the reviewer was dissatisfied and tried to return it. This may lead to negative sentiment.
- Cannot be uninstalled (weight 0.11): The pack cannot be uninstalled, which is a technical drawback for players who want to remove it. This may cause frustration and performance issues.
- Lack of log cabin wallpaper (weight 0.11): Research shows that all expansion packs lack log cabin wallpaper, a missing aesthetic feature. This could be a niche complaint but reflects on pack details.
- Contains a map (weight 0.1): The pack includes a map, which is a desirable feature for exploration. This adds a tangible benefit to the pack.
- Granite Falls location (weight 0.1): Granite Falls is a location in the pack, providing a new area to explore. This can enhance gameplay with new environments.
- Early pack (weight 0.1): The pack is considered an early pack, possibly indicating that it was part of the initial game launch. This might affect its perceived quality.

Emotions:
- Disappointment (weight 0.22): The pack is seen as empty and lacking attractive items, with limited camping-specific activities and little replay value, leaving players feeling it is not worth the money. The trailer content also did not match the actual map and gameplay, reinforcing that the vacation world underdelivered on expectations.
- Frustration (weight 0.15): Technical issues such as game crashes (error code 132), a buggy pack that cannot be uninstalled, and campfire bugs causing fires during events are leading sources of frustration. Gameplay limitations like restricted herb seasons, high thunderstorm rates, and cramped forested lots with no building space further compound the annoyance.
- Frustrated (weight 0.11): Purchased content not appearing in the library, combined with worlds not showing up and a denied refund, creates a strong sense of frustration. The constant NPC campfire incidents, dishonest pricing practices, and hard-to-find hermit or insects add to the negative experience.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.05): The pack is appreciated for the campfire roasting fish feature and is considered underrated compared to worse packs like Journey to Batuu. It becomes worthwhile when bought on sale, which contributes to overall satisfaction.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.05): Players enjoy long cottage vacations and find tent living on empty lots to be fun. Hiking, fishing, and campfire activities all contribute to a positive experience, making the pack enjoyable overall.
- Bored (weight 0.04): Collecting bugs requires hours of staring at the ground, which quickly becomes tedious. The pack is generally boring and barely used after the first playthrough.
- Regret (weight 0.04): The DLC feels obsolete with almost zero gameplay value, making players regret their purchase and wish they hadn't spent money on it.
- Pleased (weight 0.04): The summer resort atmosphere and the convenience of the very friendly trait are highlights that lead to satisfaction. The reviewer is pleased with the pack overall.
- Confused (weight 0.04): Navigating the thick forest is difficult, causing players to get lost and miss hidden areas. The new map not appearing, along with a lack of guidance on how to fix it, leaves the reviewer confused and frustrated.
- Disappointed (weight 0.04): The world is rarely used and the build-mode items are mediocre, with a notable lack of swimming in natural water despite the water surroundings. This leads to underwhelming expectations and disappointment.
- Excitement (weight 0.04): The pack provides a real vacation experience and helps players face their fear of bugs, sparking excitement and positive engagement with the new gameplay.
- Annoyance (weight 0.04): Collecting all new plants requires multiple weeks of camping, which is a significant time commitment. Herb medicine is also troublesome to create when better alternatives exist, adding to the annoyance.
- Confusion (weight 0.04): The spawn point lacks guide NPCs and a reception building, making the world feel uninviting. The absence of a log cabin wallpaper despite the outdoor theme adds to the confusion about design choices.
- Angry (weight 0.02): The inability to get a refund even when the content is missing from the game makes the player angry and feel cheated by the purchase.
- Delighted (weight 0.02): The pack is among the player's favorites and considered worth full price, leading to high satisfaction and delight with the content.
- Indifference (weight 0.02): The reviewer rarely engages with the camping gameplay, leading to a neutral and indifferent attitude towards the pack.
- Stress (weight 0.02): Insect collecting is stressful because insects are hard to spot and trees often block the view, making the activity frustrating and stressful rather than relaxing.
- Relaxation (weight 0.02): The vacation atmosphere is very healing and enjoyable, providing a strong sense of relaxation and positive emotional response from the holiday setting.
- Affection (weight 0.02): Loving the tent sleeping experience, fireside roasting, hiking, fishing, and stargazing creates a deep affection for the pack's activities, making it a cherished part of the game.
- Interest (weight 0.02): The nature experience and the variety of camping furniture options spark genuine interest, drawing players into the pack's unique features and activities.}