I prefer university. It is more flexible because sims aged young adult but also adults and elders can attend uni. If you live in a dorm in the University world, it feels very involved with roommates and buildings to go to for classes. But if you prefer your sims can also attend from home or live in a dorm in any world.
The three careers are nice to have more variety in jobs. All three can be done as work from home careers or rabbit holes. Building robots is fun.
I also like the building style which is split into a old fashioned classical style and a modern tech style.
High school years is more repetitive with the downside that there is only one high school lot in the game, no matter what world your sim lives in. And default high-school buildings look awful. The calendar is very cluttered with high-school years events. But the beds and other build buy items look great.
Be aware that the afterschool activities you mention are limited to age groups. The soccer team and e-sports from DU are only available for uni students, not for teens. The 4 afterschool activities from high school years are only available for teens, not children. Children can only do scouts (seasons) and drama club (get famous)
I think high school years has a better world, CAS, and BB. I don’t know how I would decorate teens bedrooms without high school years anymore. It’s probably what I use the pack the most for. The gameplay is repetitive and I rarely use active school and when I do I limit it to a couple days or a week. But I do enjoy having proms and graduation. And well, social bunny isn’t a great feature. I do it exclusively for teens. Helps build relationships. I also sometimes like to use the teen exclusive aspiration. I almost forgot about the photo booth. I like to add this to community lots and sometimes wedding venues. The pictures are really cute. Sadly, this is only for teens set up.
I personally like the gameplay in university better. I enjoy having my Sims live in dorms or going to school while at home. The new careers are interesting, especially engineer. I like to use the roommate feature even for non-students. Live-in partner that I don’t have to control. I would say that the CAS is good. I personally don’t get a lot of use out of BB. I also like to use Discover University to differentiate between my young adult Sims and my adult Sims. I use the ping-pong table, juice keg, and shower woohoo a lot.
evilyn_37Thank you for this! I am starting to understand High School Years has a better World, CAS, and Build/Buy. I wouldn't use much active school, either. It's good to know the photo booth is only for teens!
The new careers in Discover University and the roommates appeal to me. It's helpful to hear how you've used it, and how you use university to differentiate between your young adult Sims and your adult Sims. I'd probably enjoy that type of gameplay--not only career-driven for 2-3 life stages!
Photo booth is teens and up so that includes young adults, adults and elders. I just meant no children’s and toddlers.
also, you don’t have to be a young adult to go to university so you can tell the story of older person wanting to go to school again. There’s lots of options.
atreya33Thank you for this! I didn't realize there is only one high school in the game, or that the after school activities are limited to university students (DU) and teens (High School Years). I suppose it makes sense, as neither are packs for children, but I wish you could be in them longer and in more variety in terms of storytelling! (Also, I sometimes find it hard to finish Scouts with a child, and appreciate the extra years as a teen!)
It would have been nice if the afterschool activities were for all ages. When I look at my own children, many boys in primary school play soccer. But for some others they seem more appropriate for a specific group. I hope we can get some more after school activities for children in the future.
