Forgotten Hollow: Lights Out
There is a special kind of magic in The Sims 4 that only comes when the sun goes down and the fog rolls in. For players who love gothic storytelling, vampire lore, or medieval fantasy saves, the base version of Forgotten Hollow often feels a little too... bright. The street lamps cast a cheerful glow, the modern benches look out of place, and the overall vibe is more suburban cul-de-sac than haunted village. That is exactly where Forgotten Hollow: Lights Out steps in to save the day (or rather, the night). This mod transforms the world into the eerie, near-total darkness it was always meant to have, making every midnight stroll feel like a scene from a horror novel.
What Does Forgotten Hollow: Lights Out Do?
Simply put, this mod strips away the modern conveniences that break the immersion. It removes all street lamps, modern light sources, and depending on the version you choose, various fences and decorative clutter. The result is a world that relies on the moonlight, the glow of your Sims' home, and the occasional lightning strike to light the way. It is perfect for Halloween storytelling, vampire roleplay, or any save where you want the environment to feel genuinely dangerous after dark.
The core features are straightforward but impactful:
- Removes all street lamps and modern light sources from the world.
- Removes modern fences and select decorative clutter.
- Makes nighttime dramatically darker and significantly spookier.
- Originally crafted for medieval and fantasy-themed saves, but works beautifully for any horror narrative.
Choose Your Level of Darkness
One of the best aspects of Forgotten Hollow: Lights Out for The Sims 4 is that it is not a one-size-fits-all package. The creator offers four distinct versions, allowing you to control exactly how much of the modern world you want to erase. This flexibility is crucial for players who want to keep certain functional elements while removing the visual noise.
- Minimal ("Benches"): This version only removes the chess tables from the town square, keeping the rest of the clutter intact for a light touch.
- Standard ("No Benches"): Takes it a step further by removing the chess tables and the benches, giving the town square a more open and abandoned feel.
- Medieval ("No Benches & Restroom"): Removes everything in the Standard version plus the modern public bathroom, which is a godsend for historical or fantasy builds.
- Complete ("Remove All"): The ultimate purge. This strips away all of the above, including the central statue, leaving the town square as a bare, ominous gathering place.
For those diving deep into medieval roleplay, the mod author suggests pairing the "Medieval" or "Complete" versions with a default replacement for the base game public bathrooms. This ensures that even the functional lots match the aesthetic of your save.
How to Install: A Step-by-Step Guide
This is the most critical part to understand. Forgotten Hollow: Lights Out is not a standard package file that you drop into your Mods folder. It is a world replacement file that requires a specific installation process to function correctly. If you are wondering "how to install" this correctly, follow these instructions closely to avoid frustration.
- Download the mod and choose the version you want (Minimal, Standard, Medieval, or Complete).
- Open the downloaded folders until you locate the file named
GP04_VampireWorld_01.package. - Rename this file to
GP04_VampireWorld_01.world. This is essential—the file will not work if it retains the .package extension. - Move the renamed file into your main Sims 4 installation folder, not your Documents folder.
The exact destination depends on where you have the game installed. For Steam users, the path is typically Steam/steamapps/common/The Sims 4. For EA App users, it is usually C:\Users\<Your Username>\Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 4. If you are using the foxygame.net launcher, you can often find the correct installation directory through the launcher's "Game Properties" or "Browse Local Files" option, which makes locating the main folder much easier when you want to download Forgotten Hollow: Lights Out and manually place the .world file.
Compatibility and Game Updates
It is important to note that this mod modifies files in your installation directory, not your save files. This means it is 100% safe for your Sims, your CC, and your progress. However, after a major game patch or the release of a new Expansion Pack, EA may update the world files. If that happens, you might need to reinstall the mod by simply re-renaming the .package file to .world and dropping it back into the game folder. Your saves will remain untouched, but the visual changes will be reverted until you do this.
Regarding compatibility, this mod is designed to work with the base game plus the Vampires Game Pack (which includes Forgotten Hollow). It should function across all supported The Sims 4 versions, including those running through Steam, EA App, or other launchers. The foxygame.net launcher also offers a handy add-on catalog where you can track mods like Forgotten Hollow: Lights Out and receive notifications if the author updates the file, ensuring you always have the latest version compatible with your current patch.
Uninstallation and Backup Tips
If you ever decide you want the original decorations back, the process is just as simple. You can either use the "Game Repair" function in your EA App or Steam client, or restore a backup of your original game folders. Since the mod only affects the installation directory, it is completely safe to remove without any lasting consequences.
Before you install, it is highly recommended to make a backup of your original files in the \The Sims 4\Delta\GP04\Worlds\Areas\ directory. This ensures you can revert instantly without needing to re-download the entire game.
Final Thoughts on a Darker Hollow
Forgotten Hollow: Lights Out is a masterclass in environmental storytelling. By removing the safety nets of modern lighting and furniture, the mod forces you to engage with the world on a primal level. Every walk to the library becomes a tense journey, and every night feels like a hunt. Whether you are setting up a haunted house for a Halloween special or building a medieval village from scratch, this mod is an essential tool. It is simple to install, easy to remove, and utterly transformative for the right save file. If you are tired of your vampires living in a well-lit suburb, this is the mod that will finally let the darkness in.