Discover University: SimGuru/Maxis-Sourced Info

YOUR LIFE AS A STUDENT

Settling In: Once your Sim is enrolled in good ole U of B or Foxbury Institute, it’s time to choose a dorm (if they’re staying on-campus), maybe spend some time in the student commons, or set up a study session in the library...

Academics: When it comes right down to it, college is all about the classes and your Sims have a huge selection of them to choose from. Biology? Sure thing. Computer Science? You bet. Villainy? Weirdly enough, yeah! There are lectures to attend, term papers to work on, and presentations to give. And, of course, attending classes (or blowing them off) will affect their final grades. Remember, the more they learn, the better they’ll be in their future careers, so no slacking if your Sims want to succeed. - Announcement blog

Planning for and Applying to University

Game Changer Q&A via @AlbaWaterhouse (Q&A was provided by the Game Changer Program and SimGuru/Maxis Studio):

Is it best to raise a child from birth to young adult preparing them for college or can you just make a Sim with no skills and throw them into college?
Playing a Sim through childhood and teenage years will certainly give you more time to raise their skills, which will help them win scholarships and be accepted into more distinguished degrees, but a YA Sim straight out of class will certainly be able to still attend (and, if played well, thrive) at university.

Do the unis have open day type events for teens to explore and decide their future?
Teen Sims may visit the university campus and all its buildings, but there are no specific open day/recruitment events for teens.

How can teens prepare for university?
Teens can prepare for university by increasing their Skills and applying for scholarships. Teens can also apply to university a bit early, allowing them to enroll right when they age up to YA and become eligible to.

How/when do sims apply for uni? Can you apply for both unis and wait to choose or do you have to choose before applying? Can you be offered a university place or scholarship without even applying if you have high skills/grade etc? (e.g, a teacher applied on your behalf)
Sims can start applying to universities about a week before they age up into a Young Adult. Every application goes to both universities and you may choose which university and which degree to pursue once your Sim gets their acceptance letter. Sims will need to apply before they can enroll in university classes but may be offered scholarships they didn’t apply for if they are accepted into enough distinguished degrees.

Degrees and Courses
https://twitter.com/SimGuruNinja/status/1186752230965182464
Britechester University:

Degrees: Biology, Computer Science, Economics, Physics, Psychology, and Villainy
Distinguished Degrees: Art History, Culinary Arts, Drama, Fine Art, History, Language and Literature, and Communications

Foxbury Institute:

Degrees: Art History, Culinary Arts, Drama, Fine Art, History, Language and Literature, and Communications
Distinguished Degrees: Biology, Computer Science, Economics, Physics, Psychology, and Villainy

- blog

Classes are rabbitholes: https://twitter.com/SimGuruFrost/status/1191991245813342208
https://twitter.com/SimGuruFrost/status/1192140597722669059

- A term is one week
- You can take up to 4 classes in a term. One of them can be an optional elective.
- You need about 12 courses to finish a degree - @icmnfrsh re. the Livestream

- From the Livestream: https://twitter.com/LlamaSimsNews/status/1192901572168171520
https://twitter.com/Iron_Cgull/status/1192885688351498240

Game Changer Q&A via @AlbaWaterhouse (Q&A was provided by the Game Changer Program and SimGuru/Maxis Studio):

How long does a school year/semester take, and how long until you finish a degree?
A single semester (we call them “terms” for this pack) lasts 5 weekdays, which means that it can last from 5-7 in-game days depending on what day the term starts on.

How long is a university degree course? (YA/A life stages are ~3 - 3.5 weeks with Normal aging)
A Sim earns a degree after passing 12 university classes. Sims may take anywhere between 1-4 classes each term, so it may take between 3 and 12 terms to earn a degree, depending on how many courses a Sim enrols in each term.

Can you flunk a semester and have to redo it?
You can fail individual classes and need to retake them. You can also do poorly enough across all your classes that your Sim may face academic probation or suspension!

Do you have to do a degree in one go or can you take classes, take a break, and do another semester after?
Sims may choose to take as long as they wish in between terms, though taking a break will lose any scholarships they’ve been awarded.

Can we use the digital art tablet for art assignments?
You can use it to gain art skill, which will help gain course grades but there are no direct assignments for it.

Must you be a full-time student, or can you just go part-time?
While the game doesn’t classify Sims as full or part-time students, Sims can choose to take between 1-4 classes each term and also choose whether they’d like to live on-campus or in their own homes. We like to think that this allows players to define how much time their Sim is devoting to university.

Lectures/classes might be rabbit holes (I'm fine with this), but are there active workshops/labs/group projects etc for me to follow my Sims to?
There are no scheduled active classes or labs. Sims will actively be able to do things to help their course grades like do homework, write term papers, create presentations, and study. Also, there are several university organizations that have scheduled events that include working on robotics or studying together in the commons.

What is the difference between distinguished degrees and normal ones?
Distinguished degrees will require more skill and higher school grades to get accepted into and will give greater career rewards when acquired.

How do study groups work? Simply "Study together"/"Study with..." interaction, or actual group projects where research is divided, and knowledge combined?
It is a study together/study with interaction that brings Sims together to all study from their textbooks.

If at first our sim only qualified for a degree but now hopes to get a distinguished degree. How would that work?
Sims may re-apply to the universities some short time after their first application. Re-applying with better skills may admit your Sim into the distinguished degree and your Sim can change schools (though they’ll lose some credits). After a Sim has finished and has graduated with a degree, they can’t go back and get that same subject’s degree (or the other version), though.

Can you take skills classes or attend events/expos/art shows/games/concerts etc at the University as a non-student? Universities do things accessible for the general public too.
No Sim will be restricted from visiting the university, where events will be running from time to time. Non-student Sims are able to attend skill classes at the classroom buildings.

Can we befriend/romance professors to boost our grades? If we make an enemy of them instead, do our grades suffer?
As professors are Sims that exist in the world, your Sims may do all the normal things you could do with any other Sim. Having a good relationship with your professor (friendly or...otherwise) will make success easier on certain things you may ask them for, like extra credit.

Can you have a full time job while going to college? Choosing times and how many classes you want to take?
Yes, Sims are allowed to have a full-time career while going to university but won’t have the freedom to choose their specific class times.

How does programming work with university? Can they also to hack their grades? Hack into a scholarship? Or a certain school? Help other kids change their grade for a small fee?
Sims with high programming skill will have an easier time getting accepted into certain degree programs (the distinguished Computer Science degree, for instance), but we have not added additional hacking opportunities for them.

Can you get pregnant at university?
Your sims can get pregnant while at University, but if you’re living in University Housing, you will be encouraged to move somewhere that you can better care for your child. This will not kick you out of the university classes, you will still be enrolled until the end of the term where you will be able to choose to enrol again or wait.

Do we get homework? Is it just paperwork or projects?
All classes will have homework that is similar to high school homework. Each class will also have a final requirement that will either be a final exam (taken in class), a final paper (written on the computer), or a final presentation (a new presentation board object that Sims will need to use to create a presentation).

Are homework/out of class assignments varied by degree course (paintings/photos for art, robotics/handiness for engineering etc) or are they all basic written work/essays/term papers on PC?
Homework, exams, and papers will be identical for each class, but presentations will look different, mainly based on which degree the Sim is pursuing. Each class will only require either a final exam, paper, or presentation. Sims may also pursue skill-building to help them in particular classes.

Are there midterms or finals? Or both? Big projects, similar to the box projects we currently have for kids and teens?
There are final exams, as well as final papers and presentations.

What are the real world advantages of getting an university degree?
Having a degree will help a Sim jump into a career at a much higher level (past the branch for those that branch!), along with giving them higher pay, a signing bonus, faster PTO gain, and better work performance.

Do specific degrees boast certain careers, or does just a degree boost all careers?
Each degree gives boosts to specific higher-level career branches.

Can two or more degrees be pursued simultaneously? Do we have to re enroll the sims after completion of one degree if we want them to do another one?
Can you do more than one degree master at the same time? (Or at all)
(to both questions!): You cannot pursue more than one degree simultaneously. You can re-enrol for a different degree as soon as you’re done with one, though, or even switch degrees between terms, though you’ll lose some credits.

Can Sims take any classes and/or earn a degree online in any fashion? Thanks!
Sims can take skill classes at university classroom buildings or earn a degree slowly by only taking a single class a term while staying at home, but there is no strictly online-only version of getting a degree.

So if terms are a week by week basis how long does it take to graduate?
It takes 12 credits to graduate with a degree. You can take 1-4 credits (classes) per term. We expect the average degree to take 4 weeks (3 credits / term) though you can rush it or slow it down if you like!

Can professors get fired?
University NPC Professors cannot get fired. Players involved in the Education Career, who have selected the Professor branch can become fired like with any career.

Will the YA age normally when in Uni?
Yes, all Sims will age normally while enrolled in University.

Is the time spent in university longer or shorter depending on lifespan?
No, term length does not change for different lifespan lengths.

Can adults or elders go 'back' to University too?
Anyone Young Adult or older may attend University whenever they’d like after being accepted.

Do your sims age when they return like they did in prior games?
Sims age normally while attending university.

If we extend our Sims lives will University be longer?
No the university term lengths do not change

Can you have multiple sims in a household that attend to two different schools at the same time?
Yes, you can live at home together and go to the two separate Universities, but University Housing is restricted to one University at a time, so you will not be able to live in University Housing and go to two separate Universities.

Does Sims life continue for non played sims in a household while a sim is on uni?
If you split your household for a Sim to live on campus or away while attending university, they will behave like two different households (because they are.) If you remain in the same household as your original family, they will all still be playable like a single household is. ... There is some amount of progression that occurs for Sims already enrolled in university that are rotated away from. Unplayed Sims will finish their term and re-enrol, eventually graduating. Played Sims will finish their term but wait to re-enrol until the player rotates back to them. All Sims progressing in this way will earn an “average” grade while doing so.

Can sims end up with a degree when you create a sim with the story mode in CAS?
No, going through CAS story choices won’t give your Sim a degree.

Financial Aid

Whether your Sim chooses the hallowed halls of the University of Britechester with its focus on arts and humanities, or the cutting-edge Foxbury Institute and its science and tech slant, there’s a ton to do, see, and learn as they journey through higher education!

But before they start packing their bags, doing a little research on how they’re going to pay for education is a good idea. There are tons of scholarships and grants available for both academically and athletically gifted students, as well as need-based scholarships. If your Sim has already started down their career path and wants to further their education, they may want to consider a career scholarship. You’ll be able to find out which scholarships are available for your Sims to help cover their college costs.

Your Sims also have the opportunity to take out student loans to help fund their education, but be aware that payments will be due as soon as they graduate.- blog

Nonpayment results:
https://twitter.com/SimGuruMorgan/status/1191775857611698176
From reports on the Livestream, this seems to include the repo man (though from how people have described the Livestream, it might not look or be labelled the same as previous games).
There are both loans & scholarships: https://twitter.com/SimGuruFrost/status/1191823324747157505
https://twitter.com/TheSimCommunity/status/1192896134882172929 - re. the Livestream

Game Changer Q&A via @AlbaWaterhouse (Q&A was provided by the Game Changer Program and SimGuru/Maxis Studio):

Can you do odd jobs or part time jobs to pay your way through university?
Paying for university is done as a lump sum in the beginning (either through household funds or by taking out a loan.) If you choose to take out a loan, you will not have payments due until after you are no longer enrolled. If you’d like to get a jump start on paying off the loan, you may while in university, and you can attend while doing odd jobs or part time jobs. It’s all about managing your time.

Is there a limit to the amount of debt you can accrue with loans?
Loans are only accrued through student debt at this time. There is no reasonable limit, but the amount you get will depend on how many classes you take and the type of housing you selected. Loans are saved per Sim, though the funds come out of the household funds when paying.

Could you please tell us more about scholarships? What are some of the requirements? (eg merit-based, Orphan Fund, Alien Abduction Reparation Fund, etc)..
There are several different types of scholarships: those your Sim gets for just being a strong applicant and those that they need to apply to before enrolling to get a chance to win them. These latter scholarships will be awarded based on things like household funds/lot value (households with less money will be able to apply and more likely to win), particular skills (a sports scholarship will care about fitness skill, for example), and even where a Sim lives (Sims living in Willow Creek have a chance to win the Willow Creek Grant). A number of these scholarships are only available to Teen and Young Adult Sims.

But does the Repo Person only come to collect the Uni loans... or will they also appear when you don't pay your regular household bills?
At this time, the Repo Person will only come to collect on Student Loans. Regular Household bills behave as they always have.

Are loans available to non-students? Is the repoman returning as an unpaid loans bailiff?
The loans we added in this pack are “Student Loans.” At this time, you can only get them through the University flow. The Repo Person will collect on unpaid loans after a few warnings by taking an object, similarly to how they behaved in the past.

Will the repo man keep collecting items and deduct their value from your debt or is it a one-time visit to take something expensive?
You have a minimum payment that is due, which scales depending on the total amount of debt you owe. When the repo person comes, they will take an object that most closely reflects the price of the minimum payment due. After that, the cycle will refresh. If you don’t make your payments, you’ll be warned, and if you don’t pay, they’ll come back. Dun. Dun. Dun.

School Organizations

Extra-Curricular Activities: ... join school organizations like robotics, debate, or art. The campus rumor mill also claims there’s a mysterious secret society on the lookout for new members, but we wouldn’t know anything about that (wink wink). - Announcement blog

- Britechester and Foxbury have unique student organizations- @icmnfrsh re. the Livestream

Game Changer Q&A via @AlbaWaterhouse (Q&A was provided by the Game Changer Program and SimGuru/Maxis Studio):

Are debate club and Robotics club exclusive to their respective universities?
The Debate Guild (Debate) belongs to the University of Britechester and the Bot Savants (Robotics) belongs to the Foxbury Institute. They are both University Organizations, which is different from the Get Together Club system.

Sports Teams: Are there just two/ What can they do game and competing wise/ Can we create our own? Thanks- again. If we can make our own teams can we create Basketball Teams using CL?
Each University has their own Soccer team, and their own E-Sports teams. As a student, you can join either of your school’s sports teams. They’ll practice on weekdays, and home & away rabbithole matches take place each week on Friday & Saturday, at each University’s arena. The two universities always compete against each other; there aren’t additional teams or player created teams to play for/against.

Are there special interactions between members of the sports/esports teams and their rivals? Can you goad to them about the latest win?
As a student, you can hang banners on your university’s arena in support of your team, or you can visit the other university’s arena and prank it by hanging your team’s banners on their building.

Will the secret society robes be in CAS or will they unlock?
The secret society robes (3 variants) are unlocked at the 3 different levels of the secret society organization

General Activities

Both schools offer students a variety of amenities and opportunities to live either on-campus or off. Decorating dorm rooms, hanging out with roommates, or just playing a little ping pong are only a few of the new experiences your Sims can look forward to. Need to study for a big exam? Why not join a cram session at the commons? Don’t forget to squeeze in some fun After School Activities like joining the E-Sports or Soccer Team to put their skills in the spotlight or head to a spirit event at the bar dressed in their best school colors.

However! While pulling pranks on the other university or doing a little painting in the park can be a lot of fun, don’t let your Sims have so much fun they forget term papers, exams, presentations, and homework. Let your Sims get too distracted and their grades will likely drop – which could lead to big problems if they’re relying on a scholarship or grant.- blog

- You can prank the cafeteria serving station by "adding some spice"
- You can also prank the rival school's statue - @icmnfrsh re. the Livestream
- There's a stadium where you can put up your school's banner, join a sports team, or watch an e-sports or soccer match.
- You can also get pregnant while living on-campus
- You can befriend your professors, but the gurus said something about "waiting to graduate" to pursue something more? I'm not sure if it applies to every professor
- you can work a regular job while in university, but it won't automatically check for scheduling conflicts- @icmnfrsh re. the Livestream

Game Changer Q&A via @AlbaWaterhouse (Q&A was provided by the Game Changer Program and SimGuru/Maxis Studio):

Will sims have Ubrit and Foxbury specific interactions after they finish their degrees - Will the uni rivalries and friendships etc. be carried over to the real world post uni ?

Alumni of a university can continue any relationships they've forged while at school. They can also show their alumni pride by trying to start up a round of their school's cheer.

Scroll on down to Build/Buy and Careers/Traits/Activities etc. for more!

https://twitter.com/SimGuruFrost/status/1191876882322427904
https://twitter.com/SimGuruFrost/status/1192857261040750592

THE UNIVERSITIES AND THEIR WORLD

Foxbury and Britechester are neighborhoods in the same world, along with an additional common neighborhood - @icmnfrsh re. the Livestream

Game Changer Q&A via @AlbaWaterhouse (Q&A was provided by the Game Changer Program and SimGuru/Maxis Studio):

Will there be a specific Uni library complete with skill books? {Currently only the Willow Creek library has the skill books.}
We have a new library in Gibbs Hill, between the two universities for everyone to visit. As far as the Skill books, we will look into what is going on.

Can we place almost any lot type, like restaurants, businesses, parks in the new University world?
You will be able to place any type of lot in the University world.

Can you live in the new world without going to school?
Yes. ... The lots in the campus neighborhoods are currently set up for either Student Commons or University Housing lot types so you will need to change the lot type if you wish to use it for any other purpose.

This may have been answered already, but are the two Universities separate worlds or different neighborhoods in the same world?
The new neighborhoods in Britechester with DU are Foxbury Institute, Britechester University and Gibbs Hill (Town area).

Are there any new hidden neighbourhoods?
No

What's the inspiration behind the design of the new world? Cultural influences?
Britechester is inspired by the UK and Europe.

Is there a swimming area in the new world?
... There are some designated area that Sims can go swimming in

Can all ages live in the new world or is it teens or young adult and up?
All ages can live on lots that are not part of University on campus housing.

Is there a gym for students to visit?
There is no premade gym created by us, but you are welcome to change the lots to include a gym or gym equipment as you see fit.

What kind of weather can we expect in the new world?
The weather is based after UK weather; it will have a large amount of overcast and rain BUT we made sure it will not rain all the time. When it does rain it will be in short bursts with a goal of making it feel somewhat accurate but not be too obnoxious

Is there anything in the open street that rotates out depending on the current season? i.e skating rinks, food stalls etc
There are seasonal objects in each of the neighborhoods. Each neighborhood has different things

University of Britechester

With nearly a millennium of history and tradition, the University of Britechester is the oldest university still teaching today. Originally built as a private academy for vacationing royal families, the University of Britechester has kept many of the original building details that Princess Cordelia helped design, along with a collection of her diaries about staying at the nearby castle.

Today, the University of Britechester aims to fulfill its mission: molding students into well-rounded, upstanding Sims. - Game Changer acceptance letter

This bastion of higher education is particularly known for molding students into smart, well-rounded Sims ready to face the world’s challenges. The University of Britechester offers a variety of degree paths for its students, including distinguished offerings strongly focused on the arts and humanities.

Degrees: Biology, Computer Science, Economics, Physics, Psychology, and Villainy

Distinguished Degrees: Art History, Culinary Arts, Drama, Fine Art, History, Language and Literature, and Communications

What else does UBrite offer? On game day in the Britechester Spirit Corps Organization, your Sim can socialize, show off their dance moves, maybe do a keg stand, and promote Dragon pride. If they want to explore their creative side they can head to the canal by the commons for some outdoor figure painting with the Art Society. And they can socialize or go head to head with some of the university’s best and brightest in the challenging Debate Guild. - blog

Foxbury Institution

Foxbury Institute was established only half a century ago with the help of a donation from the generous Landgraab family. Today, Foxbury Institute has established itself as a premier place of higher learning.

Foxbury Institute boasts a striking modern campus, impressive labs and facilities, and a litany of alumni who have gone on to storied careers of innovations. Foxbury Institute sets out to inspire future generations, while teaching students to aim high and dream big. - Game Changer acceptance letter

Your Sim may want to opt for a more modern campus focused on creating innovative leaders, and the Foxbury Institute should be a great fit. This premier university boasts impressive facilities as well as both events and distinguished degree programs geared toward science and technology.

Degrees: Art History, Culinary Arts, Drama, Fine Art, History, Language and Literature, and Communications

Distinguished Degrees: Biology, Computer Science, Economics, Physics, Psychology, and Villainy

Some of Foxbury’s great organizations and events include the Foxbury Spirit Squad, where your Sim can don the red and gold to support their school at School Spirit Day with a juice keg, juice pong, and maybe even a little streaking. When it’s time to take a break from cramming, your Sim can attend bar night with The Brainiacs honor society for a little rest and relaxation. Want your Sim to help lead the way to the inevitable robot uprising? They’ll love creating their future overlords with the Bot Savants. And if your bot has what it takes to reign supreme in the Utili-Bot Contest, head to the quad to enter and see if your Sim will be the next Bot Master!- blog

Mascots
https://twitter.com/TheSims/status/1191343792562950154

Beyond the Universities

on- or off-campus housing - blog post

You can live in the world without going to university:
https://twitter.com/GaylaEstebane/status/1192604246803460096 https://twitter.com/SimGuruFrost/status/1192620934294695936

They added open water areas in the university world - @icmnfrsh re. the Livestream

Dorms & Roommates
NOTE: For dorm building and furnishing, scroll down to the Build/Buy section.

... hang out with their roommates ... - blog post

- You can assign beds to roommates and household sims (and assign specific sides of a double bed), and lock computers to certain sims
- You can put up an ad for a roommate in any world/residence - @icmnfrsh re. the Livestream

- University housing works like CL apartments. They're locked and some have shell exteriors. ... university housing is a new lot type that you can set. You have to set it to either Foxbury or Britechester. You can introduce gender restrictions, and student org affiliations. - @icmnfrsh re. the Livestream

https://twitter.com/TheSpookySimmer/status/1192885556943958022 - from the Livestream
Game Changer Q&A via @AlbaWaterhouse (Q&A was provided by the Game Changer Program and SimGuru/Maxis Studio):

We saw the parent with a toddler in the trailer studying. Can families live on campus?
Parents with kids cannot live in University Housing. But if you want to live on campus you can make any of the lots a residential lot to live on.

Can pets join your Sim on campus? Can they live in the dorm?
This is similar to kids, you will not be able to have pets in University Housing, but if you choose to make any of the lots on campus Residential you will be able to live in the neighborhood with pets and still go to University.

Are Greek Houses a thing, and if not does the dorm system allows us to simulate them? Can we choose dorm roommates, or do they just arrive randomly like previous games?
The University Housing has a few options for roommates including whether it is Male or Female only or No Gender Restrictions. They can also be associated with an Organization from Discover University. ...

About roommates, will they be NPC's that do their own thing, or will we have to control them? Also, how many roommates can your sim have if they're living in a dorm? If for example, I'm playing with 3 sims together in one dorm, will the game only generate 5 roommates for them (so that there's only 8 Sims on the lot)?
Roommates are NPCs. Players will not be able to control them. The limit for roommates is 10 Sims per household. Example: if you have 2 playable Sims in your household, the game will allow you to have 8 Roommates as long as there are enough beds available for everyone The limit is the same for dorms and residential lots. If you are playing 3 Sims together in one dorm, the game will generate up to 7 NPC Roommates.

Can you choose which roommates you want or are they all NPCs?
Roommates are randomly generated in Uni Housing. Players can pick who their Sims Roommates are if they go through the Ad placement flow.

Are dorm roomies basic random NPCs, or is there a chance of real characters who are super annoying or fun?
All Roommates (both uni roomies and residential roomies) have special personality quirks. Some are very annoying, others are super helpful!

Can we have Roommates outside of University? Have household funds been updated to work with separate households etc?
Yes, your Sims can place an ad for Roommates if they are living on a residential lot. Roommates give your Sims household rent just in time to help with the bills.

Will we be able to have roommates in the same fashion, even with non-Uni goers in non-Uni worlds?
Yes.

How do you choose your dorm once on the lot? Do you claim a room or bed?
Claim a bed

Q: You can't live in Britechester Uni housing and attend the Foxbury Institute classes?
Correct. You can make Foxbury University Housing in the Britechester neighborhood, but you will have to pick whether the Housing is allocated for University of Britechester or for Foxbury Institute.

How does the cafeteria bar work? Like market stalls? Can our sims work there for extra cash? What foods does it serve? Are there specific meal times? Are the prices student friendly?
The Cafeteria Station is located on each University in the respective Student Commons. While on these lots or University Housing students will be able to eat for free. The station will only be open at certain times of the day, so pay attention to not miss dinner.

NOTE: For dorm building and furnishing, scroll down to Build/Buy. For living in dorms and roommates, scroll up.


General
https://twitter.com/SimGuruFrost/status/1186671521416134657

OBJECTS AND BUILD/BUY

Active Objects

There's a homework notebook object and a presentation board for presentations - @icmnfrsh re. the Livestream

Bicycles
https://twitter.com/ElisabethMarieF/status/1187757154276724738 https://twitter.com/SimGuruPopcorn/status/1187907787088515072
https://twitter.com/SimGuruFrost/status/1191987900591722496
https://twitter.com/LlamaSimsNews/status/1192903248400863239 - from the Livestream
Re. children: https://twitter.com/TheBoyXp/status/1192900898336497664
Game Changer Q&A via @AlbaWaterhouse (Q&A was provided by the Game Changer Program and SimGuru/Maxis Studio):

Do bikes have limited routing? Can they be ridden wherever Sims can walk?
Bikes can be ridden anywhere if there is sufficient space. There are rules for your sim automatically using a bike when routing similar to how sims run but you can always use it intentionally wherever you would like

Do bikes disappear into your inventory or do they stay parked on the lot?
Bikes are automatically put into your inventory when dismounting but can also be Live Dragged from your inventory and used when in the world.

Will kids and toddlers have bike options?
No

Table Tennis/Ping Pong
Game Changer Q&A via @AlbaWaterhouse :

Can kids play ping pong?
No

Juice Pong
Juice Keg

Robots Servos
https://twitter.com/SimGuruFrost/status/1186673347016318976
https://twitter.com/daniel_willyan/status/1186743010945617921 https://twitter.com/SimGuruFrost/status/1187069258343141376

SERVO IS A CONTROLLABLE LIFESTATE!!! YAY!! You can reprogram traits and even appearance! - @alan650111 re. the Livestream

- You can build and activate a servo. You can initialize it as male or female. No nonbinary options, sorry :grimace:
- Servos are not waterproof, like the TS2 ones
- You also have minor robots like the fixer, party, cleaning, and gardening bots, similar to the TS2 OFB bot-building station. And they're also not waterproof, so they don't mix with rain - @icmnfrsh re. the Livestream

- https://twitter.com/LlamaSimsNews/status/1192901054863683585 https://twitter.com/LlamaSimsNews/status/1192899053920477184 - from the Livestream
https://twitter.com/SimGuruAzure/status/1192960791172939776

Game Changer Q&A via @AlbaWaterhouse (Q&A was provided by the Game Changer Program and SimGuru/Maxis Studio):

Will the robot take up a household slot? Or does it work like the butler and nanny?
When Servo is activated they are added to your household, and will take up a household slot.

Can your sim date / woohoo a robot ?
Yes. Date, Marry, Woohoo, Divorce, etc. Important to note that Servos do not procreate.

Can we protest against robots taking over the world?
Nope

What are the prosthetics/robot arms?
The Robo-Arm is not a prosthetic. It’s robotic wearable tech that Sims can make at the Robotics Workstation. It helps them craft faster and protects them from injuries while working at the table.

Are the drones in DU different than the ones in GF?
In DU, Sims can craft Utili-Bots and RC Quadcopters at the Robotics Workstation. RC Quadcopters are toys that Sims can fly around and play with. Utili-Bots are mini robots that help Sims around the house by cleaning, gardening, repairing objects, playing music, and serving food at parties.

If you woohoo with a robot in the shower, would the robot die of woohoo or water?
Water

Does the robot suit have any gameplay?
There are many tech wearables (Robo-Arm, ExoMech Suit, etc) that Sims can craft at the Robotics workstation. They all have special in-game functionality. Example: The Robo-Arm shortens crafting time and the ExoMech suit and helmet help your Sims gain certain skills faster and allow them to enable a hover mode walk style.

Storage Chest
From the Livestream: https://twitter.com/Iron_Cgull/status/1192883081600020481
https://twitter.com/SimGuruAzure/status/1192956650031706112

Build Mode

Toilet Stalls

Showers:
https://twitter.com/SimsTias/status/1192886762697351169 - from the Livestream

Columns
https://twitter.com/SimGuruNinja/status/1191765250745327617

Variable (draggable) height columns are available in the patch. This is available for existing base game columns - @icmnfrsh re. the Livestream

Elevators
Game Changer Q&A via @AlbaWaterhouse (Q&A was provided by the Game Changer Program and SimGuru/Maxis Studio):

Can we use elevators outside of the university lots?
Elevators function very much the same as those in City Living, so you will only be able to use them on Penthouse lots. There are two Penthouse lots in each University neighbourhood

How will we be able to place elevators?
You will be able to place Elevators the same way they work in City Living.They will only be available on Penthouse Lots, but you will also be able to mix and match with City Living objects.

Dorms

- University housing works like CL apartments. They're locked and some have shell exteriors. ... university housing is a new lot type that you can set. You have to set it to either Foxbury or Britechester. You can introduce gender restrictions, and student org affiliations. - @icmnfrsh re. the Livestream

https://twitter.com/Iron_Cgull/status/1192897116949143554 - from the Livestream

Game Changer Q&A via @AlbaWaterhouse (Q&A was provided by the Game Changer Program and SimGuru/Maxis Studio):

Are the dorm rooms built like apartments (where they will be uploaded to the gallery as a room vs a lot)?
University Housing a venue type so it will be like a Library or a Restaurant. There are 4 new penthouse styled lots, which function like most regular lots.

Not sure if this was also asked, but, are dorms gonna be like apartments where the walls that lead to exterior can't be edited but interior ones can?
While Sims live in University Housing you will not be able to enter Build Buy on those lots. After sims have moved out, if there are no more household sims you will be able to change the lot again. However if you use the bb.enablefreebuild cheat you will be able to enter Build Buy if you really want to change something.

Are the dorms like the CL apartments?
There are two Penthouse lots in each University Neighborhood, but not apartments. University Housing will have some restrictions while Played sims are living on that lot.

Upon looking at real life dorms I found that a lot of dorms had commons in the same building with full kitchens. Are we able to have full kitchens in dorms?
While fridges, mini-fridges, microwaves, and other visual kitchen items may be used in university housing, stoves, grills, and other fire hazards are disallowed, meaning that no lot zoned as university housing can have a true full kitchen.
no full kitchen - not even with cheats?
NOT EVEN WITH CHEATS. The university board didn’t approve fire code cheats. In seriousness, though, you can live at home with a full kitchen and go to university and advertise for roommates, or you can place down a cafeteria station when building your dorm. So there should still be ways to tell the story of living in pseudo-university-housing with a kitchen, but just not the official lot type.

Is 'University Housing' a useable lot trait or specific to the two penthouse buildings?
You can have a University Housing lot on any lot in any world.

Are the lot traits for University Housing locked for the particular lots they are on now (the penthouses), or can we change them to residentials?
University Housing is a Venue type so you can make almost any lot University Housing. All of the University Housing that we have shipped with the game can be changed into residentials or other venue types. If a household is living in University Housing you will have to evict them before you can enter Build Buy to change the lot type.

Can we create/build university housing lot types in other worlds?
Yes, you can create University Housing in other worlds.

From the Livestream: There's a Student Commons venue https://twitter.com/Iron_Cgull/status/1192884454815125505

Lot Traits
Game Changer Q&A via @AlbaWaterhouse (Q&A was provided by the Game Changer Program and SimGuru/Maxis Studio):

Are there new lot traits/sim traits? What new aspirations and will we be getting?
We have two new Lot Traits. One is Study Spot which helps your sims gain skills faster. The other is University Student Hang Out, which encourages University Students to hang out there and the drinks and food are often cheaper there.

Cafeteria Station
Game Changer Q&A via @AlbaWaterhouse (Q&A was provided by the Game Changer Program and SimGuru/Maxis Studio):

How does the cafeteria bar work? Like market stalls? Can our sims work there for extra cash? What foods does it serve? Are there specific meal times? Are the prices student friendly?
The Cafeteria Station is located on each University in the respective Student Commons. While on these lots or University Housing students will be able to eat for free. The station will only be open at certain times of the day, so pay attention to not miss dinner. The station can also be placed on a home lot like a market stall and be staffed for any other lots. There are a variety of meals that are on a set schedule while at University, but when placed on other lots you will be able to choose the menu for a small price.

MiniFridge
Game Changer Q&A via @AlbaWaterhouse (Q&A was provided by the Game Changer Program and SimGuru/Maxis Studio):

Are vending machines returning?
This pack does not have a new vending machine but it does have a mini fridge you can purchase at the kiosk on campus. You can also put a microwave on top. Other food options are food stalls around campus and student commons. Sometimes your roommate may bring food home too. Free food why not.

Do mini fridges serve as full functioning fridges or act as coolers do?
Mini fridges will have quick meals like cereal, instant noodles, pizza rolls and burritos. There are also canned drink you can get.

Do mini fridges slide in to counters?
No

Speaking of the new mini fridge. I've seen it standalone with a microwave on top, but can we also place it underneath counters?
No they do not go under counters
To add on: Mini-fridges do work like fully functioning fridges on normal residential lots. All fridges, while in university housing, have additional rules that make them less functional, mainly due to the cooking/full kitchen restrictions.

Can you only place microwaves on top of mini-fridges, or can you place other things there too, like coffee makers etc?
You can place Microwaves or Coffee Makers, as well as some decorations.

CAREERS, TRAITS, ACTIVITIES, ETC

Careers

careers like teaching, law, and engineering - preorder page

careers have the Work From Home option - @DaWaterRat re. the Livestream

Game Changer Q&A via @AlbaWaterhouse (Q&A was provided by the Game Changer Program and SimGuru/Maxis Studio):

Can professors get fired?
University NPC Professors cannot get fired. Players involved in the Education Career, who have selected the Professor branch can become fired like with any career.

What are the real world advantages of getting an university degree?
Having a degree will help a Sim jump into a career at a much higher level (past the branch for those that branch!), along with giving them higher pay, a signing bonus, faster PTO gain, and better work performance.

Do specific degrees boast certain careers, or does just a degree boost all careers?
Each degree gives boosts to specific higher-level career branches.

Are any careers locked behind degrees?
No

What are the new careers?
There are three new careers: Engineering, Education, and Law. They are Work from Home careers where you maybe rabbit hole to work or work from home and perform tasks to increase your progress. ... Our old careers also align nicely with what you choose to major in. We accounted for all careers.

Are the new careers rabbit holes or active?
Rabbit holes

Can you be a teacher at the college?
No. Professors at the college are premade NPCs. Once they die, a new sim will be created for the role. If you move them in or marry them, they become regular Sims and a new professor will replace them. You can however, join the Education Career and choose the professor path. While you won’t actively play at the university campus, you can be a professor in the work from home/rabbit hole career.

is there any odd jobs specific to uni, i know one of the colleges in my area allow students to work on campus / or be art subjects for quick cash
We didn’t add any additional odd jobs for University. You can however, do our old odd jobs while at University. You can do any of our careers so long as your sim is up to managing their time—just like a real student!

Aspirations

There's a new Academic aspiration - @icmnfrsh re. the Livestream

Traits
Game Changer Q&A via @AlbaWaterhouse :

Are there new traits like technophobe or anti-robot?
No

Will Sims gain an extra trait slot when graduating like they did in Sims 3?
No

Skills
https://twitter.com/LlamaSimsNews/status/1192898573668700160 - re. the Livestream
Game Changer Q&A via @AlbaWaterhouse :

Are there new skills?
Yes, Robotics Skill and Research and Debate skill

Can robotics be learned outside of college?
Yes, it is a skill available to Teen, Young Adult, Adult, and Elder Sims can learn Robotics Skill by reading Skill Books or using the Robotics Workstation.

Any new skill books?
There are new skill books for the Research & Debate and Robots skills.

Activities

Football (Soccer)
Game Changer Q&A via @AlbaWaterhouse (Q&A was provided by the Game Changer Program and SimGuru/Maxis Studio):

How many Sims can play Football together?
Two sims may pass a soccer ball between each other at a time. They may also juggle the ball solo.
Can kids play soccer?
Children, Teens, Young Adults, Adults, and Elders can juggle the soccer ball by themselves, or kick it around with other Sims. Only Sims who are Young Adult or older, and are enrolled in University as students, are allowed to participate in the Soccer after-school activity.

Can your Sim sign up for a football team and go to games?
There is an after school activity for Soccer. During the week you attend practices and on the weekend there are games you can attend (rabbithole). You may also purchase tickets to weekend games (eSports or Soccer) and attend as a fan.

Can your Sims play football competitively or is it just dribbling?
Sims can practice juggling a soccer ball by themselves, or kick it back and forth with another Sim. Sims who are enrolled as a student at either university can join their school’s soccer team. Team members will practice on weekdays, and then compete in Home & Away rabbithole matches at each university’s arena on Fridays and Saturdays each week. Decisions you can make during a soccer game will influence which team wins.

Shower Woohoo
https://twitter.com/catloverplayer/status/1187023688857772032 https://twitter.com/SimGuruNinja/status/1187024625982509061

Shower woohoo is only unavailable for "unwalled" showers like the one in IL and the new communal showers- @icmnfrsh re. the Livestream

Figure Painting

Game Changer Q&A via @AlbaWaterhouse (Q&A was provided by the Game Changer Program and SimGuru/Maxis Studio):

With the figure painting group in trailer there is a sim model. Is posing for paintings making a return (paint from reference) or is it just a new set painting category?
Figure Painting is a new painting category available in the pack. There is also an Art Society Figure Painting Organization event that leverages an NPC Painting Model and the new Figure Painting category.

Do you get to determine the NPC Painting Model's outfit?
We certainly explored that possibility,but went with a form-fitting neutral garment instead to align with the ambiguous figure study visuals of the painting output.

CAS & PREMADES / MISCELLANEOUS

CAS

Swag

new university swag from a kiosk on campus - blog post

Mascot Outfits and Secret Society Robes
Game Changer Q&A via @AlbaWaterhouse (Q&A was provided by the Game Changer Program and SimGuru/Maxis Studio):

I want my lobster family to have lobster children. Is the lobster suit available for kids?
No lobster suit for children.

Will the secret society robes be in CAS or will they unlock?
The secret society robes (3 variants) are unlocked at the 3 different levels of the secret society organization

Piercings

The new face piercings are lumped together with the earring category in CAS - @icmnfrsh re. the Livestream

Game Changer Q&A via @AlbaWaterhouse (Q&A was provided by the Game Changer Program and SimGuru/Maxis Studio):

There is some concern about the size of the brow/nose piercings being too big. Are there different sizes?
All the new piercings are the same size, but we will keep this feedback in mind if we revisit these items.

Tattoos
https://twitter.com/EnglishSimmer/status/1186773949113393152 https://twitter.com/SimGuruMorgan/status/1186774564404989952

Premades

The Pleasant sisters are making a return as premades - @icmnfrsh re. the Livestream

Game Changer Q&A via @AlbaWaterhouse(Q&A was provided by the Game Changer Program and SimGuru/Maxis Studio) :

Will there be any premade townies coming with the new world? Asking for my Day in the Life series
Yes, we have 4 premade households, and a premade ghost that floats around UBrite.

Will we get the trailer Sims in the world or as downloads in the gallery?
Most of the Sims from the trailer live in the world. We can see after the release if there are any sims that everyone feels is missing and add them to the gallery.

Miscellaneous

Music
The trailer song: https://twitter.com/SimGuruNinja/status/1186665075978801152
https://twitter.com/SimGuruNinja/status/1186768781781032960
https://twitter.com/SimGuruFrost/status/1187158811707994112

There's a hip hop radio station! - @12JEREMIA re. the Livestream

https://twitter.com/Iron_Cgull/status/1192895776206315520
Game Changer Q&A via @AlbaWaterhouse :

What new radio stations are there?
There aren’t any new stations that are exclusive to Discover University.

Death
https://twitter.com/Iron_Cgull/status/1192904115053047808 - re. the Livestream

Food
From the Livestream: https://twitter.com/Iron_Cgull/status/1192883260453511168
Game Changer Q&A via @AlbaWaterhouse (Q&A was provided by the Game Changer Program and SimGuru/Maxis Studio):

Any new recipes?
There are a few new quick meals on the mini-fridge (instant noodles, pizza rolls, breakfast burrito) and we even added a few new delivery pizzas! There are plenty of other new foods to order at the food stalls you’ll find on campus.

Pack interactions
More info from the Livestream:
https://twitter.com/LlamaSimsNews/status/1192902910692265986
https://twitter.com/Iron_Cgull/status/1192902329583984640

What's Not Included
https://twitter.com/SimGuruNinja/status/1189314198263783429
From the Livestream: https://twitter.com/Iron_Cgull/status/1192903147162869766
https://twitter.com/Iron_Cgull/status/1192889474277085184

"lexus20;c-17304377" wrote:
There are no pool tables and urinals in DU. This was confirmed in chat.

Game Changer Q&A via @AlbaWaterhouse :

Any new TV channels?
No

Is the pillow fight interaction returning?
No

And Last But Not Least...
Game Changer Q&A via @AlbaWaterhouse (Q&A was provided by the Game Changer Program and SimGuru/Maxis Studio):

What was your favorite part of the Discover University pack as gurus?
SimGuruDoi: For me, it was both balancing the academic rigor of university to provide a good challenge and also writing 312 class names and descriptions.
SimGuruNinja: For Me: I like the quirkier things like odd robotics interactions, secret soci—- nvm, and the mascots. Team Larry
SimGuruMorgan (who isn't here right now but answered on our end): CAS! It’s beauteous. And piercings are exciting to me. AND roommates! I’ve had a lot of fun with them, and I think they add a lot of gameplay possibility even outside of university play.
SimGuruLakshmi: : Hearing people exchange different stories about their Sim's experience at university. e.g. Roommates they loved or hated. Getting straight As or struggling to keep their job and pass 2 classes.

——————————————————————————————————————————

I guess bathroom stalls would go under build/buy ?

Hoping they aren't university exclusive because I'm so tired of using half walls to make stalls.

@luthienrising thanks as always for making this thread. I know we had the leaks and it's probably correct, but where did the official confirmation of 11/15 get sourced from? I didn't see it in the trailer. Hopefully this is not breaking the rules of the thread :)

"jcp011c2;c-17285739" wrote:
@luthienrising thanks as always for making this thread. I know we had the leaks and it's probably correct, but where did the official confirmation of 11/15 get sourced from? I didn't see it in the trailer. Hopefully this is not breaking the rules of the thread :)

No problem! It's in the blog post.

When do the gurus typically start answering question on Twitter?

So many questions ?

https://twitter.com/SimGuruFrost/status/1186682195852685313?s=20