Ghosts are back in The Sims 4, swimming pools and new careers are on the way

By Will Fulton October 1, 2014

the sims gender fluidity ghosts — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Ghosts have returned to haunt your Sims in the first free content update for The Sims 4. Maxis has also announced two upcoming free updates that will add in the much-requested swimming pools and some new career options.

On death your Sims can now return as ghosts to haunt the living. Their behavior in death is affected by the means by which they died–someone who died horribly in a fire might be prone to setting a few fires of her own, for instance. Ghosts can be taken in as playable members of your household, and there are even means of bringing them back to life, letting you torment your Sims in an endless cycle of death and resurrection.

Today’s update also introduces, just in time for Halloween, four Star Wars themed costumes for your Sims to wear: Luke Skywalker’s X-wing pilot uniform, Leia’s white robe, Darth Vader’s imposing black suit, and Yoda.

TS4_344_SWCS_02_006 — Image used with permission by copyright holder

November 2014’s free update will bring back swimming pools, whose absence at launch had angered a lot of fans. Soon you will be able to augment your horrific experiments in life and death with the classic maneuver of editing the ladder out of the pool once your Sims are swimming.

December will introduce a variety of new career paths and rewards. All of the patches will also include minor updates based on community feedback, such as more eye colors.

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Will Fulton is a New York-based writer and theater-maker. In 2011 he co-founded mythic theater company AntiMatter Collective…

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Resident Evil 4 Separate Ways DLC: How to open the door in Chapter 2

Ada Wong holds a gun in Resident Evil 4.

Resident Evil 4's Separate Ways DLC tells a parallel story that shows what Ada Wong was up to during Leon's adventure. And although her grappling hook provides some fun new mobility mechanics that can help her reach new heights, she'll still need to solve some puzzles to proceed through certain barriers. The first real puzzle to pop up in the Separate Ways journey is in Chapter 2, when your progress is impeded by a door that can only be unlocked by pressing specific symbols on a mechanism beside it. We'll tell you the correct symbols to press below so that you can get through the door and continue Ada's expedition.
How to open the door in Chapter 2
When you arrive at the door with the mechanism to its left, you'll find that you can only press down three symbols before the puzzle resets. As such, you'll need to press the correct symbols all in one go for the door to unlock. And while you can turn around and scan the area for some clues if you'd like, we've actually got the correct order ready for you to go below. Even better, you don't have to press any of the symbols first or last, so just follow the image below in any order you'd like.

When you've pressed the correct symbols on the mechanism, you'll find that the door opens for you and allows you to continue through Chapter 2. Don't get too comfortable, though – there are some much trickier puzzles coming later in the game.

Gaming

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A shot of Sims dressed in Western-style clothing, performing a line dance. One Sim in a red shirt is sitting down at a piano, playing music.

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Gaming

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how long is diablo 4 diablo4 isometric barbarian

Diablo 4 may be focused primarily on slaying hoards of demons to earn yourself copious amounts of loot, but making the most of all of that gear means applying plenty of upgrades and Aspects to ensure you're in tip-top shape for upcoming fights. You won't be able to do any of that, though, if you haven't accrued a hefty sum of gold in the game, as all of that improvement comes at a fairly significant price, especially as you delve into Diablo 4's demanding endgame experience. Here are a few tips for making money to help you afford everything you need to do.
Best ways to make money in Diablo 4
Simply wandering around the massive open world and destroying groups of foes will earn you a decent income, but you'll have to put some additional effort in if you want to maximize your currency gain. Try these methods.
Sell unwanted gear
The most consistent method of making money in Diablo 4 is to simply sell the gear you discover as you explore the world. Your inventory is likely to be overflowing with unneeded weapons and armor within just a few hours of playtime – and that will continue throughout the entirety of your time in the game. Head to any merchant that buys things and sell them everything you don't care to keep and watch as your coffers fill up.

Complete world events
As you wander around the open world and dungeons in Diablo 4, you'll frequently come across world events, which task you and any other local players with completing a brief enemy encounter to earn a loot chest. If you overcome these challenges, you'll not only get a nice chunk of gold for your efforts, but you'll likely end up with some gear you can sell for even more money. Even more, if you manage to complete the event's mastery challenge, which requires you to meet certain goals during the encounter, you'll get even better rewards, so always be sure to put in the extra effort required to achieve this.
Grind dungeons
The core gameplay loop of Diablo 4 is grinding enemies and improving your build, and that carries over into the world of money-making, too. Dungeons litter the entirety of the game's map, and you'll need to run them anyways to build up your arsenal of Aspects and to complete the game's myriad side quests, so you might as well get used to this method. As with the rest of the game, it's an opportunity to earn an abundance of gear that you can then easily sell at a merchant back in town for big bucks.
Never pass up a loot goblin
As you explore Diablo 4's expansive map, you're definitely going to come across loot goblins, which can be identified by the massive treasure bag they carry around on their backs and their penchant for running away from you rather rapidly. If your build grants you any options for immobilizing enemies, definitely make use of that and then pummel the loot goblin with your strongest abilities. They'll drop an abundance of gold and more gear that, as you can probably guess by now, can be sold back in town.