BESIDES the 3 destination spots?

[mintcookies123]

I've been a firm anti-BV believer even before the game came out but I think I'm going to finally break down and buy it. It was either this or Pets and surprising BV won. I was wondering though, what does BV have to offer besides the 3 destination spots? I really don't like going to community spots in the first place since they all seem so repetetive and a waste of time, so I don't want to buy an EP that only deals with leaving the house and that's it.

NOTE: I really don't want any biased "Oh, BV is awesome! I love everything about it!" or any "BV is the worst EP ever!!!!!!!!!" without a valid explaination. Thanks.

[ancienthighway]

Disregarding the actual vacation aspects of BV, I believe it still has something to offer the one-neighborhood player.  

The "Walk to" bhavior allows going to community lots if you choose to without waiting for a taxi or buying a car.  This is a big bonus for those that like to have medieval or Victorian neighborhoods.  If you avoid community lots, it won't be such a big deal though.

On any lot, you can "Dig for Treasure".  If you decide to have a lazy sim that can't keep a job, selling off the rocks and bones that are mostly found can pay the bills.  He or she could get lucky and find a buried treasure.

Then there's the OCD behaviors associated with beach lots, building sandcastles (and creativity), combing the beach for shells (trinkets that can be sold for a pretty simolean or jewelry to wear), watching the waves, and sunbathing (get a tan or sunburn).  I call them OCD behaviors because sims tend to become obsessive in doing them.  But there are already no autonomous and nerfed behavior mods for these (I rather like the nerfs I made )  Oh, can't forget swimming (body building).

The three most useful things from actually going on vacation are available with the InSIMenator and monique's computer, learning Tai Chi (build body and increase several motives), Ninja teleport (great reaction of those around you), and the Voodoo Doll.

Object-wise, two things stand out for the stay at home player, the massage table and sauna.  Well, maybe three, the tent also.  The first time I saw a visitor crawl into the tent to sleep rather than running home, I had to do a double take.

Vacation homes is something that you may be interested in.  "Time" stops from when you leave you home to go to the vacation home, so you can use that time to skill up, make friends via computer contacts and phone calls.  Just as the home lot, you never have to leave the vacation home, and still get the vacation perks afterwards.

[Cleo999]

Like you, I'm not fond of community lots. BV, however, makes this interesting if you wish to complete all the mementos. Trips are fun as well.
The "walk to" option really makes things easier when/if you wish to move from your lot.

[Sam the T-man]

So "walk to" covers everywhere? I thought it was just holiday lots - if it's everywhere that's awesome Bet you still can't visit other sims though...

Oh yeah, there are extra turn-ons/offs aren't there? That's one of the big pulls for me

[ancienthighway]

Doh!  I forgot about the additional turn ons/offs.  I do with they would have put the inverse to those added in too.

[Dizi]

Ancienthighway, I'm surprised at you! The inverse of many are there and you can always choose for them to be a turnoff, which IS the inverse. Unless I'm totally misunderstanding what you mean.
~dizi

[zaphod08]

So far, I've found this to be my favorite of all the expansion packs. I love the Ninja traveling, as well as collecting the 45 mementos.

[ancienthighway]

Ancienthighway, I'm surprised at you! The inverse of many are there and you can always choose for them to be a turnoff, which IS the inverse. Unless I'm totally misunderstanding what you mean.
~dizi

Not necessarily.  A sloppy sim, could have a turn off of good cleaners, but that doesn't make it a turn on.  Low cleaning skill might be, but more likely the personality rather than the comparable skill would be the turn on.  In fact, in answering your post, it struck me.  Skills shouldn't be there at all, but the personality traits should, imo.

At least the hit the target with the new possibilities.

[lewisb40]

I enjoy the vacation benefits they get when the family comes home.  All the skill building talents they can get, ie: Tai Chi (works wonderful for pregnant sims), different dances, sims gain fun, etc.  I didn't really like Three Lakes, thought is was boring. The family I am currently playing, bought a vacation home and instead of going to community lots, they stayed in their cabin and skilled, builded family relationships, and when things got boring they went walking to the community lots.  Big benefits with the walking. They get a lot of motives boost. Really great!

On those obsessive interactions, Pescado got an anti vacation action at MATY http://www.moreawesomethanyou.com/smf/index.php/topic,9586.0.html

[Dizi]

Sorry, I shouldn't have doubted you, AH. I suppose I didn't take into acct that NOT being something doesn't mean being the OPPOSITE. Honestly I didn't have to have all those extras, all I wanted was to be able to be attracted or not to Zombies, Aliens, Werewolves, and Plantsims since that attraction was built in for Vampires. I've wanted that more than anything else for quite some time and everything else in the game is gravy.
~dizi

[newtosims]

Sounds very interesting, I've had the game for over a week now and have not been able to play it, yet! So I'm definitely looking forward to a lot of the stuff the EP has to offer. I was hoping for a patch to be released by now - to not experience some of the problems ppl are having with the game but, I guess I'll go ahead and play since it seems like a patch won't be released anytime soon.  

Now you say that sims can NOW walk to other lots and community lots. Do we get to see them walking through the neighborhood to these lots or do it just load to the community lot? I hate the fact that we have cars, yet we can't drive through the neighborhood to these lots.

I'm also looking forward to some of the custom destinations, that creators would be coming up with, in the the upcoming weeks.:happy8:

[cmk1356]

Surprisingly this is my second favorite expansion!  (My fav is Open for Business.)  Pets -- my least favorite.  I adore animals, love my dog dearly, but Pets adds nothing to my game for me personally.