New University Term at Mossy Lane

(Year 232, Fall) Fall means the start of another term for university students, and in Britechester, both dorms and public spaces become busy these days! At the private dorm, Mossy Lane Dorm, a group of 5 young adults prepares for the new term. The current group includes a Baron and a Lady, but all 5 are actually children of Aristocracy.

From left: Mr Zaviar Jupiter (Physics), Dr. Valeria Phlum (Biology), Lady Corva Saxor (Biology),
Baron Rainert of Myshuno (History), and Mr John Phlum (Drama). 

Located at Gibbs Hill (Region 2 Rossie), the dorm serves both Britechester University (U-Brite) and Foxbury Institute (Fox). There are two nicer suits intended for students from top of society, meaning children of the 5 dukedoms, or even of the counties and baronies if vacant. Those suites are rented for the double cost, which will normally sum up to §8,000 for all 4 terms - and that is not including school fees!

 

Educational Format Adjusted

(Year 230, Spring) The new Science & Education department has already proposed their first big case to The People Chamber, and today it was clear that all three chambers did approve on the Education Act.

The adjustments are minor, but will make it easier for everyone to navigate not only between possible school offers, but also through their own study.

The new Science & Education department visits The Showbiz Academy in Del Sol Valley. Left to right: Knox Greenburg, Evergreen Harbor (MIDDLE), Leader Emma Ratchild, Tartosa (RIGHT), Jurton Summerton, Britechester (LEFT) and Bianca Sterner, Crafthole (LEFT).

Last week the Science & Education dept. traveled to meet all Principals to discuss the new format with them, and also to see the many educational institutions.

Photo booth is back in High School Years EP!

Yay, we finally have the return of the photo booth!

You probably heard the news, but come July 28th the new High School Years Expansion Pack is released. Although the photo booth got my attention, so did tons of other content - this pack really seems to be - well, packed!

The trailer video is quite amazing, and although I think I'm covered with the Discover University EP, I will obviously need to reconsider. Can't wait to learn more about this new pack!

Here's the video:

University - New term

(Year 228) It's that time of year again! Another term is about to begin at University, and six young adults are ready to grab their books and projects with desire! Well, for the first week, the least.

Mossy Lane Dorm has grown very popular with students reserving their stay years in advance. It's basically intended as a better standard dorm for noble youngsters, but after they picked their better roms on 3rd story, there will normally be rooms for regular students as well.

This term there are two young women from the same low nobility house, House of Rab-Saxor, but none of them rank very high, anyway. And - it naturally means fewer photographers at the term opening...

Expanding your community lots

We all want more lots, more community lot settings and multi functional malls. So far this is all more or less restricted, but nobody can stop you adding features to your standard community lot.

The old library at Gibbs Hill in Britechester got some new features!

I often add one or more extra features that has little or nothing to do with the lot category. Those tiny corners might not attract the NPCs, but the point is to create more arenas for my active household to enjoy.

A new term starts at Mossy Lane dorm

(Year 227, Britechester) This Fall the popular Mossy Lane Dorm, known to be the temporary home of high nobility University students, is full again! It means the place will be rather packed for the coming term. The group include students who origin from San Myshuno, Gloomville, Brindleton Bay, Rossie and Windenburg. Several of them would probably never have met if it was not for Mossy Lane. 

They started off the term with attending the Sims Sessions music festival at Gloom Garden in Gloomville. It's only a 60 minutes bus drive from Britechester - lots of pictures to be posted later today, just wanted to introduce the 6 students first :)  

From left: Paula Mox, Leon De. de Cavalier, Lizzy Rab-Saxor,
Wolfgang Munch, Micka Kessler and Rohan Elderberry.

The dorm is located at Gibbs Hill in Britechester, Rossie. The standard is a little higher than the regular dorms, and living a bit away from campus might give the m ore serious students a better focus. It's also a fact that anyone staying here earning a degree with honors will be gifted 1% ownership in Mossy Lodgers, Inc., the company that owns the dorm. There is normally a few years waiting to stay here, and the queue is ranked by ownership - some finer houses might benefit from this in the long run.

University of Britechester 100 Years Anniversary

(Britechester, Rossie Year 226) This year was the 100th anniversary of University of Britechester, and festivities were arranged all year long. Here are just a few pictures from a ceremony arranged at the UBrite Commons, Darby's Den this Fall, with a small group of guests enjoying speeches, a history lesson and refreshments.

Previously this year, there were a wide range of contests and celebrations involving students as well as professors. Some related to specific classes, but also a series of history quests involving the many old buildings.

Noble Graduates

(Britechester, Year 226) This Summer two graduating university students reached the regional media. One Baron who will become Duke when he takes over his father's dukedom later this year. And one Lord who will become a high nobility Baron, probably next year.

Baron Charlopold de Cavalier supported by Duke and Duchess (left) and siblings (right).

At the old University of Britechester Baron Charlopold de Cavalier (35) got his History degree, in fact a family tradition as the dukedom expects the peer to reach upper Officer levels of the Military career.

Dukes unveiling Noble Lodging Trust

[Current year 224] This week the Duke Jarret of Rossie and the Duke Aquess de Cavalier held a press brief at Meadows Gardens. A good bunch of educational involved persons and journalists attended.

Jarret Ross, the Duke of Rossie, started with some general facts about the new trust, that has been founded in order to help students with a better accommodation during their University years.
   - It's no secret that our gest is aimed towards children of noble standards, but when the capacity allows for it, the offer will of course be available to all students, regardless of heritage.

As Sims Go By - Episode 3

Here is the 3rd episode of this season! In my ongoing video series As Sims Go By you follow the ups and downs of Region 12's 5 Councilors and their families. Plus in this season the main story deals with (my take on) the Villareal household's backstory! In this episode Wilhelmina gets lost, there is a party at the Chateau Cavalier, the secret vault project gets released, and there is also focus on University in several ways.

This season has only 5 episodes, each lasting about 16 minutes, so next chapter will be up late February.

If you are new to this series, it's recommended to watch season 1 (6 episodes), but you can hopefully enjoy this episode even if you start here.



Enjoy!

University Discoveries

[TS4 - picture thread] So, I've now enjoyed the Discover University pack for a couple weeks, and I'm still having lots of fun with it. I've focused on setting back time to graduate some of my older locals, who I imagine got a degree when hey were younger. It's been fun making them younger and dressing them up like students, especially hash business matrons like Corinne Dougham and Claudia Tangerin, who are some of the lead characters in my video series As Sims Go By (ASGB). I could of course have pretended they all got a degree and then cheated their career level, but I prefer the real thing! And - I wanted their graduation photo and diploma for their office walls :)

This is a picture thread, but I'll squeeze in some info, too. Who they are and some of the tricks I learned.

I did not count, but I probably graduated 20 locals so far, all taking place in the "past". Although graduation photos of the first lucky are black and white, I'll keep all pictures in this post unedited color wise.

Foxbury Commons - modified

[TS4 Discover University] Many of the lots that come with a new expansion pack are spacious and not directly packed with content. I guess it's like that because it might trigger many of us to add and modify to our taste, after all there are so many ways to play this game. Another point is that Discover University naturally come with only base game content + what's new in this pack. Most of us have tons of content to choose from, i.e. why should not a Common have an office with objects from Get To Work?

Anyway, I found the Foxbury Commons too spacious. It still takes my sims forever to cross the floor, walk the stairs, and then cross the 2nd floor to get to the chosen computer, but with my smaller adjustments this lot now has more purposes for my gaming style.

Basically I locked in the right side area, and turned it into a sports room with a pool. And, in the opposite end I built a few walls to add a small class room and an office that can be used by my future Professors.

Foxbury - a Quick Tour

I'm currently spending my days in Britechester where 4 sims study for their degrees as a test. I mentioned them in a previous post, but did I say they all study at Foxbury Institute? They stay in a residential home so they actually just vanish by their front door, but when they go out to socialize, they mostly go to Foxbury Common.

Here are 3 of the 4, Jill N. Potterfield, Corinne Dougham and Salvador Kessler - all in a younger version than you might have seen them before, as they all appear in my video series As Sims Go By. I simply set them back a life stage to get the education I imagine these sims have, and after graduation they will become their real age again. Magic! Oh, if you wonder why the 4th sim is not pictured - he is taking this photo; Malcolm Landgraab.

Britechester - here I come!

So, my Region 12 community now has access to University of Britechester and Foxbury Institute! I'm enjoying it very much so far, but have hardly explored anything. It takes longer than I thought to get through one term, and with a test household of 4 active sims with 3 classes each, it gets quite a handful! I'm dong a test run with some of my older sims who I imagine did get a university grade long ago. Can't wait to see that diploma on their office wall :)

So, today I'm simply sharing a few pictures from the new world, University of Britechester, to be specific. I find it picturesque, lush and inviting, with some of the old town vibe of Windenburg. There are so many small streets that I want to explore, but the active area is naturally limited. Still amazing to have a look around!

There are some small beaches, and it's possible to wade and swim!

How I Play - High School with no Mods

While everybody are busy with Discover University, I've been busy fine tuning my local school system with a focus on High Schools. My local teens can choose to switch to a private high school for their final 3 years, in order to specialize on specific skills. Teachers have the Mentor trait, and there are actual school builds where the learning takes place.

In this short video (6:20) you get some more details in the form of a TV-show. I might publish a blog post on this subject later on, especially if anyone is interested in a more thorough walk through.



I will probably get the Discover University EP, but RL is too hectic for exploring it in a while, so I'll catch up with that pack later on. When University becomes an option to my locals, having a better skill build from a private high school should definitely be a huge advantage :)

University EP coming soon

So, you might be waiting for the new Discover University EP? I sure want to learn more of the new features, and I'll probably grab this pack at some point.

EA is hosting a play through stream on Twitch right now, and here's a quick screen dump showing the map of the university world called Britechester. I'll post a link to a recap of the stream as soon as it becomes available.

Edit: The recap of 2 hours in game video can be watched on Twitch tv.