Hello,I haven't played Sims 4 since werewolves and wanted to get back into it. I haven't bought High School Years because I don't play with teen Sims that much and wasn't that interested in the active school days thing that is actually the big feature of the EP. But it does come with many other features. So, for someone who don't plan on using the active high school days feature, are there other notorious gameplay aspects that enhance the game as a whole? What are they? How do you play with them?

I tried the follow Sims to school, but it's lacking a lot, I'm afraid. However, you can send the Sims to school without you, just as the careers from Get to Work offers. Teens can graduate early, which gives them a special Trait, and they are able to attend UNI. As for other aspects, they do make Teens more like teens. They get crushes and then get all bent (angry) if their crush waves at another person, etc. Or they get all nervous if they are in the same room as their crush. It's pretty hysterical. Also, if the boyfriend or girlfriend doesn't invite the other to the Prom, they can get pretty miffed, to the point of a festering grudge.Not, to worry, thankfully there is a cheat that can remove it. Phew. I use MCCC and it allows for teens to become engaged. This couple, along with three of his siblings attended uni together even living in the very same dorm (it's easier allowing me to control all of them). Since, the fiancé, out of high school no longer had the ability to create a Promposal sign, and there didn't seem to be a way to have him ask his fiancée to the Prom, he was in hot-water with her. Boy, was she ever angry. Nearly derailed their relationship. The following week (yes Proms happen every Saturday), he just brought her along with him to the Prom. He was in trouble for that, too. "Why didn't you ask me if I wanted to go?" (or words to that effect). Poor kid couldn't win for losing. Made for some interesting game play, I must say.

I love the pack, but that's because I love to come with my teens to school and play their whole day. I often let them stay behind after the school day is finished the days they don't have clubs to hang out, do homework or practice skills for said clubs. The school has become the place where a lot of their social life happens, both during lunch and after school.That being said, if you don't want to play at school with them, I don't really think the pack has much that can't be achieved with mods. I like the popups where they can go to hang out with friends, but there are mods for that. Prom's fun, but there are probably some prom mods out there that are still functional. The pier is nice, but it's only got three rides and some food stalls, so that gets old pretty quickly. The world is nice, but honestly not *that* different from other worlds we have. The fear system (I don't remember if it was a base game update, or came with the pack) is fun, but not for that price imo. I haven't really played much with Trendi, so can't say how worth it that is.If you like the cas and build assets, maybe if you could get it cheap at a sale at some point. Teens really are the main focus of the pack though.

I think if you are not going to follow your teen at all, it's not worth full price. Maybe on sale. I love CAS and B/B. It really helps with making my teens look the part and also giving their rooms personality.I enjoy the teen aspirations and the new traits. I like my teens to use social bunny. They are the only life stage I use it with in my game because it can be annoying. Having more afterschool activities is nice. But they are mostly just a rabbit hole. I don't follow all my teens to school. When I do it's only for a week, before they are due to age up. That's also the only time they attend prom. So it doesn't get repetitive. The new lot type is pretty cool. The world is just okay to me. I feel like there was a lot of missed opportunities with it. The pier is fun though. LOVE LOVE LOVE the photo boothBut in general it feels like a game pack instead of an expansion. I would miss CAS and BB more than the Gameplay if I didn't have it.

"Evilyn_1007;c-18232597" wrote:I think if you are not going to follow your teen at all, it's not worth full price. Maybe on sale. I love CAS and B/B. It really helps with making my teens look the part and also giving their rooms personality.I enjoy the teen aspirations and the new traits. I like my teens to use social bunny. They are the only life stage I use it with in my game because it can be annoying. Having more afterschool activities is nice. But they are mostly just a rabbit hole. I don't follow all my teens to school. When I do it's only for a week, before they are due to age up. That's also the only time they attend prom. So it doesn't get repetitive. The new lot type is pretty cool. The world is just okay to me. I feel like there was a lot of missed opportunities with it. The pier is fun though. LOVE LOVE LOVE the photo boothBut in general it feels like a game pack instead of an expansion. I would miss CAS and BB more than the Gameplay if I didn't have it.I would second all of this. I don't regret buying mostly because I'm a realistic legacy player and the teen specific aspirations, BB and CAS help create a more rounded out teen experience. But I only send my teen to school a few times a week, sometimes only once a week. The reason for this is manifold: 1) I miss out on the school projects if I send them in every day, or can't focus on other sims/active careers/etc 2)The gameplay at the school is laggy, especially if you have a robust lot and 3) You build skills by going to class, similar to working on a project. So going every day can create an OP sim, especially if you then go to University and then pile more skill points on top of that. I usually go just enough days to get 1 to 2 skill points for my Sims "lesser" skills, and I have a storyline in mind for them (maybe they are an aspiring writer) they'll go more days on the day that class is scheduled. Without active school, Social Bunny, and the styling app/rack this is really just a great teen stuff pack. And of the three main features I just mentioned, I only use active school and even then it's only a few times a week. So even though I don't regret buying it full price, I don't know that I'd recommend that for anyone else.

I bought the High School pack for the CAS and Build/Buy items and never expected to visit the high school. But teen werewolves are hysterical to me and I have used more and more of the gameplay and world than I ever expected. Playing as a teen werewolf is quite different than playing as a young adult werewolf. Some things are easier and harder both ways. I am still figuring this all out.I have a human teen that befriended Greg and he gave her a hug! The teen pack is my biggest surprise. Now I will just buy everything, even if I think I won't use it. This pack showed me that I don't know what I want as much as I thought I did. I didn't think I wanted infants either. Until someone said they wanted to put the baby carrier on a vampire. Someone else mentioned decorating a bowling alley for Halloween. One of my favorite things has become mixing things that seem incompatible and waiting to see what happens.

A few months later, do you think High School Years enhanced your gameplay?

38 Replies

ChadSims2
Rising Rookie
3 years ago
This pack has its problems like no way to control your Sims during class the limited game play added with football and not being keep your set outfits every day and pick your students (though I fixed this with 40 students mod) teachers and principle so you can play the story you want but even with those issues it's comes in second in my favorite expansions only followed by Get Together.
Sharooonia
Seasoned Ace
3 years ago
It's the worst expansion pack for me. The gameplay is minimal and what is there functions so badly that I don't even want to bother with it.
RouenSims
Seasoned Ace
3 years ago
I’m having a lot of fun with the cheerleading. I enjoy seeing robots and manly men shake their pompoms. ?
ck213
Legend
3 years ago
"Daiyu;c-18232676" wrote:
"CK213;c-18232652" wrote:
I don't feel it's worth it if you aren't interested in playing teens.
The pack is pretty much about them and might be more annoying for your adult sims obsessing over their phones.

Teens are a big point of my game play because University is a major part of my game play, and I prep my teens for Uni.
I like to go to school with them because before High School Years they spent most of their time off the lot at the high school rabbit hole and then came home to do homework and build skills, leaving only weekends and vacation days to socialize with other teens.

The school game play is a bit underwhelming since clubs are just more rabbit hole game play, the game attracts mainly generic townies to be NPC students, and the active classroom is a bit boring. I try to make the most of the time spent between classes and the few hours after school.
And I like sending them the Bobatea shop after school as it attracts other teens.

I used a mod to set sims that I play in rotation as NPC students.
That helped a lot.

What is this mod you speak of? :)

I've found it a little bit of a bummer that the same students are there. The way I have got around the problem is to use MCCC controller to summon sims to the lot that I want my sim to hang with. However, they're not technically attending HS.

This one, but it's not simple place and play.
You have to do a little work through the mailbox.
https://konansock.tumblr.com/post/691133958378979328/small-mod-choose-high-school-classmates

You have to pick 5 specific sims that you want to show up at high school.
You have to assign them roles for the different school clubs, so select sims that fit each role.
CaptainMe120
3 years ago
I got the pack on release day and haven’t played as a teen to send them ?? BB/CAS are amazing though.
Everyone’s experience has me interested in making a teen to send
i_love_frogs_11
Seasoned Ace
3 years ago
It slightly did for my teen-specific gameplay, but not enough to have a huge impact like an EP should. It feels very shallow. I think the pier and the actual school gameplay could've been made more interactive, that would've made it a lot more fun.
sireneiles
3 years ago
It did enhance my gameplay but not for the right reasons.

There was nothing to do for teens before, now they can go to high school and attend proms.

The experience is bugged, surface-level and mediocre, but hey at least it's better than nothing.

When you're starving anything will do. This follows the same logic.
FlamingoKicker
New Ace
3 years ago
Why is nobody ever at the amusement park? Or it is always snowing, raining, drizzling, just awful times there. I half expect to see a guy in a ski mask carrying a large axe walking out of the lake it is that much fun to go there after prom. Yes, I have played several teens and it is way too easy. I only wish my high school days were that simple. Wish proms lasted a little longer but given how fast time passes in the game I suppose it is accurate.
Horrorgirl6
Seasoned Ace
3 years ago
Yes and no I am a family player.I like the clothes,furniture,clubs and my teens watching game streams are a nice touch .I like going to the school occasionally.I like my teen gets more clubs.I guess I wish they was more stuff for you to do at home .
PlumbobXing
2 years ago
I haven’t really played with it too much since I haven’t had many teens in my families but I have made lots of use from the clothes and furniture. So in a way it has added more style to my game that I like.

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A few months later, do you think High School Years enhanced your gameplay?

38 Replies

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