Sims 3 University Life

[Zee Palmer]

The Sims 3: University Life is the ninth expansion pack for The Sims 3. After rumors circulating through listings and ratings, Electronic Arts announced the expansion pack an hour before the live chat was broadcast on January 8, 2013.[2][3] There is also a limited edition available which includes the Partaeus Maximus statue. University Life was released on March 5, 2013 in North America, March 7 in Europe, and March 8 in the United Kingdom.

Sims University is a new sub-neighborhood (similar to the sub-neighborhoods in World Adventures) and its university buildings are New England-inspired with some European influences. Its animal mascot is a llama.

An NPC mascot will arrive at your Sims' lot with a University kit that includes a banner, a T-shirt, and an aptitude test. Your Sim can keep this kit in the personal inventory or put it anywhere in the house. The results of the aptitude test (which can be taken as many times as desired) will depend on their skills, traits, work experience and school grades,[5] influencing how much financial assistance they can get. The results also show the total aptitude score, along with the sub-scores for the majors and credit award.

Enrolling in university can be done at any time via the phone or the computer. Players will be able to choose their Sims' major and how many credits to take, which affects the length of time the Sims will spend at university before completing a degree. The Sims may only study one major at a time, but they can enroll in university after completing one major in order to study another. They can also customize the duration of the Sims' term in university, 1 week being the minimum and 2 weeks the maximum.[4]

When a Sim gets in the university, the Work tab on the UI is replaced with the Academics tab. It keeps records of his/her schedule and responsibilities. The schedule will depend on the Sim's degree and how many credits the Sim has.[5]

During your Sim's university stay, aging will stop in all worlds, though time only stops in the main neighbourhood. Sims cannot marry one another and female Sims cannot get or be pregnant while at University.[4] Married Sims cannot visit each other while one is away at University, but they may talk on the phone.[4] If a parent goes to University, a babysitter will come to their lot and take care of the children.[6] Sims use their family funds to pay for tuition and rent.[7] Sims can also get additional funds at the administration center depending on their academic performance. Sims need to have at minimum 35% of their academic performance in order to apply for aid. They can get from 1,750 up to 5,000 each time they apply for aid. Sims need to wait for another 24 hours to apply for another aid.

Classes start on the first Monday morning.[5] On Mondays and Wednesdays, classes are held on one of the university rabbit-hole buildings. They are seminar-styled, which varies from "Introduction to Dodging Questions" to "Methods and Practices of Tragic Clowns", which are chosen randomly when enrolled. Players are able to choose a variety of tones in these classes, which affects the Sims' academic performances. Some of the tones are: "Socialize" and "Suck Up to the Professor". The Sims can ask a Sim to attend their classes, but by doing so, the professor may notice.[5]

On Tuesdays/Thursdays, lectures are held in the student union building, and Sims can interact with the professors. They can ask questions, take notes, and sleep through the lecture, and these actions affect their academic performances. Sims can also do class activities, also held on Tuesdays/Thursdays, which give Sims a chance to use academic objects to gain knowledge relating to their major.[5] Sims can schmooze with their professors to ask for extra credit.[6]

Sims can apply for Day Jobs, Social Group Jobs, and Dares in University, which they can find by looking on the Bulletin Boards located at Fraternities, Sororities, and Dormitories. They look similar to the Adventure Boards in World Adventures.[6] Accomplishing these tasks can earn you Simoleons and Social Group influence.

Examinations will occur on Fridays. Sims can study from textbooks, computers and smartphones, or create a study group with up to three other Sims (four total). They can also cheat on the examinations by making a study sheet and using the "Cheat" tone, but they might get caught. Sims with a high computer hacking skill can find examination answers the day before that examination on a computer.[8] There is also a final examination. Minimal studying and a poor mood will likely result in a failing grade. Failing it will make a major impact on their final grade.[5]

Sims can drop out of university, but this may affect their life in some way.[4] They can be kicked out of a class for cheating, but not out of the university,[4] although they can lose their scholarship.[6]

Graduations happen after Sims complete their major, the times varying based on major and when the Sim began to attend university. The time needed to graduate will depend on how many classes the Sim takes.[7] Sims graduating will don graduation robes and mortar boards. If Sims graduate from university, they will get an extra trait slot and career benefits, depending on major. The grades will affect the advantages, therefore Sims with higher grades will get more bonuses,[5] while Sims with lower grades will never get any benefits.[6]

Graduated Sims who want to meet the Sims from university can call them to have them visit their home town.[4] These Sims from university are called "university friends", which functions similarly to "foreign friends" in World Adventures.

The java hut lot in University Life is different from the Coffeehouse lot from Showtime. While the java hut has an interior with a barista bar which is interactive, the Coffeehouse does not. The shop will open from 9am to 1am.

Sims can rent a dorm room or pay and rent an individual house in Sims University. Renting a house is more expensive than living in dorms.[7] Unlike The Sims 2: University, dorms are completely customizable. Players can "set bed ownership" for the Sims by clicking a bed. Sims can kick out their roommates, or request for roommate reassignments (only in University).[6]

Sims do not pay bills while in University. However, they do earn money if they have roommates (only applies to in rent houses in University). How much money a Sim earns depends on how many roommates they have.

Sorority houses are for female Sims while fraternity houses are for male Sims. These houses are more for the social side of the Sims' university life.[7] Sims living in these houses are likely to be dared to do some actions by other Sims.[6]

Social groups are groups of Sims who usually socialize with one another and have particularly similar interests, skills, and attitudes. Your Sim can gain influence with as many of these groups they desire. These groups still exist outside of the university. To learn a Sim's social group, hover over the Sim with the mouse.

Sims can choose to join the three social groups: nerds, jocks, and rebels. They can be in more than one social group, and the groups are optional to join. Interacting with a Sim in a certain social group may result in your Sim gaining influence with that group, even if not intended.[6]

The Jocks like to win anything. They usually hang out at B's Bowlarama in Sims University where they practice bowling. They can also throw parties which are considered the best around the university.

The Rebels like to stand apart from the crowd. They usually hang out at The Grotto, a hangout with a new pool table. They work on their Painting and Street Art skills, as they usually tag walls on the university and drink organic brew from barista bars. They like to add herbs to their drinks and they are known for organizing protests on campus.

The Nerds like to be smart. They usually hang out at Keith's Komics in Sims University which is an ideal hangout for the nerds as it has hobbies which they can enjoy such as computers, arcade machines and comics. They love to play video games, perform research from their majors, and win trivia challenges.

Sims can hang out with these groups and gain credibility, which can offer advantages to them, such as lifetime rewards[9] and unlock new social interactions.[7] To check their current status to the groups, there is the "Check Social Groups" interaction on the Sims' smartphones.

There are new romantic options in University Life. Some of these are kiss interactions. These kiss interactions are "Heat of the Moment Kiss", "Juiced Kiss" and "Cinnamon Kiss", which can spice the relationship a bit higher than a normal kiss.[10]

The standard phone in the Sims' inventory is replaced with a smartphone, which looks like a Blackberry 10 or Android smartphone. This smartphone comes with a variety of new skins to apply, which are unlocked as the skill level grows.[8] It functions the same as the standard phone, but with new features such as:

By taking these photos, the player has the option to either print them out and hang them on a wall, or keep them stored in the smartphone. Photos that are not taken out of a Sim's smartphone before the Sim leaves University will be erased from the phone.

Certain traits can now affect how well a student does in University. For example, Ambitious Sims will excel at University, while Absent-Minded Sims will have a harder time. Social Butterflys will benefit in the pursuit of a Communications Degree, while Shy Sims would not be wise to do so. Check CAS for more information.

The social networking features work in smartphones. The skill can be increased by browsing the web from the phone, streaming a video, texting, and blogging, and by doing so, Sims will unlock new social networking interactions.

In blogging, Sims can select a blog theme and attach photos to their blogs. The more they blog, the more followers they get (or lose), which helps to gain influence with social groups faster, have better attended protests and get more Simoleons for donation and buyouts of their blog.[8]

c80f0f1006