The Sims Freeplay has added the next new area for your Sims to live in with the latest update! Welcome to Eco Esplanade.
They’ve put together this super helpful FAQ on the official website. This is an updated version of the original FAQ they posted when Sim Springs launched last year.
I’ve also posted my videos below so you can see exactly how it works!
“Sul Sul,
Welcome to Sim Springs – a tumbleweed town with untapped potential waiting for your Sims to rebuild it from the ground up! Do your Sims have what it takes to save Sim Springs from an oily fate? To hit the ground running, our game team have put together this FAQ. But first, download The Sims FreePlay from the App Store to get the latest update!
A new Neighborhood, Eco Esplanade, is now available, for you to improve! Eco Esplanade features four new lots, including two extra-large lots as well as unlocking new Happiness improvements to Sim Springs.
Event Overview
Q – What is Sim Springs all about?
A – Sim Springs is a huge new map location that’s accessible from the bus stop near the Party Boat in SimTown! The desert map is divided up into a series of neighborhoods, available from Player Level 20. The blank areas on the rest of the desert map will have additional neighborhoods added in future updates.
To begin, there are four “fixer upper” house lots in in each neighborhood that all need a little bit of love:
Neighborhood 1 – Sandy Suburbs
- Tumbleweed Terrace
- Dusty Dwelling
- Arid Apartments
- Wellspring Library – Community Lot (large lot size)
Neighborhood 2 – Palm Promenade
- Cactus Cave
- Tall-Tree House
- Forest Flat
- Barter Boardwalk – Community Lot (large lot size)
Neighborhood 3 – Berry Boulevard
- Alluring Abode
- Poolside Pass
- Rockway Retreat (an extra-large residential lot!)
- Happy Valley Motel Community Lot (an extra-large lot size!)
*NEW!* Neighborhood 4 – Eco Esplanade
- Restful Retreat
- Creative Haven
- Garden Views (an extra-large residential lot!)
- Eco Center Community Lot (an extra-large lot size!) The latest neighborhood 4, Eco Esplanade, is available from Player Level 40 and neighborhood 3 is complete.
It’s up to you to upgrade the lots, then improve each neighborhood, then finally upgrade Sim Springs! We know you’ve been asking for more places to build without demolishing all of your favorite lots in SimTown, so all of the residential lots for your Sims to eventually move in to! The fourth lot in each neighborhood will always be a special one – a brand new ‘Community Lot’ type!
Q – Woah, tell me more about the ‘Community Lots’!
A – They function similarly to residential home lots. You can customize them any way you like, but you won’t be able to move Sims in (exactly like the Hotel Highrise apartment in Downtown).
Community Lots have a free Home Store category from which you can place items for free! In Eco Esplanade, the community lot is an eco center on an extra-large lot. Items in your Home Store ‘Dining Room’ category tab are completely free to use.
In the other neighborhoods, items ‘Living Room’ category tab are free for the Library, in the ‘Decorations’ tab are free for the Boardwalk lot and the ‘Bedroom’ tab for the Motel. These categories contain all décor related to each community lot! Free items can’t be transferred to any other lot. How would you style these community lots if you didn’t have to worry about Simoleons?!
Q – Can I build all four new lots simultaneously?
A – The home lots appear a little differently to other houses in SimTown. Instead of paying for each house lot individually, in Sim Springs you work on one house at a time to build up the neighborhood. Once you finish work on one lot you will unlock the next. After each lot is complete, you can then work on upgrading Sim Springs as a whole instead – the map will change and evolve as you progress!
Q – This all sounds exciting! So how do I start the event and get to Sim Springs?
A – We’ve added a new bus stop located right near the party boat in Sim Town! You can’t catch the bus until after you reach Player Level is 20 or above, but once you’ve been to Sim Springs, you’ll get a new permanent map navigation icon on the bottom right of the screen with some palm trees to take you back to Sim Springs whenever you like.
Q – Who is Johnny Zest and why is he in Sim Springs?
A – Johnny is an entrepreneur that owns the homes in Sandy Suburbs! He needs your help to transform the neighborhood and save Sims Spring from being demolished. Check in with Johnny on the progress of each house and he’ll tell you all about the rich history of Sim Springs and the story about how you can help transform this town.
Q – There are multiple tasks per day for each house lot, how long does it take to complete one house?
Each house event in the neighborhood will run for 10 days, and the Community Lot events run for 14 days. It’s up to you to start making each lot better through a series of daily challenges and multi-Sim tasks. As you complete each lot you’ll receive milestone prizes along the way and a gorgeous new house template grand prize that you can place anywhere – in SimTown or even in Sim Springs!
Most of the daily tasks to upgrade Sim Springs need to be completed in the neighborhoods within Sim Springs!
Check out the Information tab in the Sim Springs menu that explains all the details if you get stuck.
Q – How much time do I have in between completing each house lot before I start on the next one?
A – There is a rolling start of 7 days break in between each one, or you can start the next house straight away – it’s up to you!
Upgrading Sim Springs
Q – I’ve completed all four houses in the neighborhood. What’s next?
A – Once you’ve completed all the daily tasks in all four lots in the neighborhood, there’s plenty more to do! We’ve created optional neighborhood tasks so you can improve the neighborhood to increase its ranking and make it the envy of SimTown. Visit the Sim Springs menu to view the optional neighborhood tasks. They have no timer and no penalties so there’s no pressure to complete them.
As you improve the neighborhood ranking of Sandy Suburbs from “Ghost Town” to “Ultimate” you’ll see a number of visual upgrades that evolve the desert location over time to make it look like a real oasis! Can you spot the new trees, asphalt roads, the greener grass and even lamp street lighting?
Q – If you rank your neighborhood to the highest ranking of ‘Ultimate’, what happens?
At each milestone you’ll receive rewards that include increasing the greenery and trees and improving the roads in the town view of Sandy Suburbs. Additionally, for the first time, you’ll unlock special ’autonomy’ actions that Sims perform on their own if the item is accessible! As you upgrade Sim Springs, your Sims of all age groups can learn how to undertake fun actions without assistance:
Neighborhood 1 – Sandy Suburbs:
- Use a study desk
- Use a computer at a table
- Read books
Neighborhood 2 – Palm Promenade Lots:
- Use landline phones
- Admire most decorations
- Try on random outfits at wardrobes
Neighborhood 3 – Berry Boulevard
- Take a selfie
- Check themselves out in a mirror
- Grab a glass of water from the fridge
Neighborhood 4 – Eco Esplanade
- Water plants
- Use BBQs
- Grab a snack from a fridge
All of these actions can be used everywhere once they’re unlocked!
Q – What are the benefits of upgrading Sim Springs?
A – Sim Springs has a ‘Happiness’ rating that reflects the overall level of commitment you’ve given to upgrade the town. This is measured by the number of tasks that have been undertaken across every Sim Springs neighborhood, including Sandy Suburbs. Upgrading each neighborhood and Sim Springs in turn gives your town map more and more special features to be proud of. Plus, if you visit a friend’s town, you can see their version of Sim Springs and what upgrades they’ve unlocked and vice versus!
Q – How do I track my progress?
A – Check out the smiley face icons at the top of the Sim Springs menu to see how your overall Sim Springs progress is tracking!
Prize Overview
Q – Alright, let’s talk about the rewards! What range of things can I earn along the way?
A – During each house lot event, you’ll receive a mixture of milestone prizes. At the completion of each of the three house lots, you’ll receive a grand prize template of the lot you’ve just finished that you can use anywhere – in SimTown or even Sim Springs!
Neighborhood 1 – Sandy Suburbs:
- Exclusive indoor and outdoor build mode objects to style your own library.
- Staircases
- Book displays
- Counters and benches
- Bay windows
- Street lamps, signs and much more!
Neighborhood 2 – Palm Promenade Lots:
- Exclusive indoor and outdoor build mode objects to style your own shopping district.
- Phone booth
- Plants and tree arrangements
- Outfits for female Sims
- Simoleons, Social Points, Lifestyle Points and Mystery Keys
- And more
Neighborhood 3 – Berry Boulevard
- Larger lots 36×54 (compared to 18×18 and 36×18 sizes in SimTown)
- Increased item cap from 999 to 2,000 objects on ALL lot types!
Neighborhood 4 – Eco Esplanade
- Larger lots 36×54 (compared to 18×18 and 36×18 sizes in SimTown)
- Bow (Bay) windows for a unique house profile
- Outdoor ponds with bridge
As we mentioned earlier, you can also unlock a new ‘Community Lot’ grand prize house lots! In Sandy Suburbs, this is a Library that showcases how impressive the new rewards from the event are – these include a two stories of freestanding book shelving, modular reception desk, private study nooks, bean bags, plus displays, pillars and staircases full of books and so much more!
In Palm Promenade, you’ll be able to unlock the ‘Barter Boardwalk’ community lot grand prize, a stunning strip of shops with multi-story levels, so that you can live the fantasy of running a small business and even enjoy taking your Sims to shop at the plant stores, gift shops, organic grocer, book store, apparel and more!
The Berry Boulevard Happy Valley Motel grand prize includes a gigantic precinct filled with different buildings that can be used by your Sims for almost anything! Enjoy the motel rooms and luxury pool for a short stay, conference rooms for business meetings, plus courtyards and communal dining and bar areas for networking and socializing.
Then finally, there are the unique Sim Springs rewards including the map upgrades and the new ‘autonomy’ actions!
Q – What’s this Extra Zesty Prize I can see?
A – Each house lot has a bonus prize that can be won by maintaining a daily streak of tasks during the final stretch of days and getting it all done on time in the first go. Success earns a bonus prize – the Zesty Prize! If you miss a day however, the Zesty Prize for that lot is gone for good.
Q – Is there a way to still get the rest of the Sim Springs prizes if I miss out?
A – Unfortunately there’s no other way to earn the Extra Zesty prize after missing it in Neighborhood 1 and 2, but can be purchased for Lifestyle or Social Points in Neighborhood 3. However, all other prizes can be won at any point, regardless of if you complete the events on time or not!”
