Building in The Sims 3 University Life
Along with all of the amazing gameplay and new objects, The Sims 3 University Life adds several new options for builders to use, mainly in the form of new lot types. These new lot types allow for a huge range of buildings, from dorms to hangouts. Here’s a brief run-down on all of the new tools for you amazing builders out there!

Let’s start with dorms, sorority and fraternity houses. In The Sims 3 University Life world, players can build their own dorms. The sky is the limit as you make a place for your Sims to call home during their stay at university. With the new roommate functionality, Sims will automatically occupy dorms to act as roommates for your household (or you can make and move your own roommates into your dorm via edit town). A dorm can hold up to eight Sims, including your household. Sororities and fraternities act very similarly to dorms and follow most of the same rules. The big difference for these lots is that they are not co-ed – sororities will automatically search for female roommates and fraternities for male roommates. These lot types also have a little bit more of a party atmosphere than regular dorms – juice keggers and dares will happen here more frequently. By the way, dorms, sororities and fraternities are free for Sims to live in while at university!



While dorms are specific to the university world, there are tons of new lot options available for your home worlds as well. With the new social groups come new places for these like-minded Sims to gather. Build your own Rebel hangout where Rebels can relax and graffiti the walls to their hearts content. The Arcade is the place for competitive Jocks. This lot type encourages Sims to play all kinds of games from bowling to pool. And of course, every Nerd needs a Nerd Shop. Place a Roentgen Register in your Nerd Shop to allow your Sims to buy and sell comics! Sims of all types will love the Java Hut – which would not be complete without the new Quick Croissants Coffee Bar. Watch as the barista serves up new food types like bagels and brownies or new organic brews from harvestable coffee beans!



Another option for builders to enjoy in home worlds is the new Apartment lot. Similar to dorms, once you build this lot, the game will automatically pull Sims in to be roommates. Like dormmates, these roommates are not part of your active household, and you can use the new bed and door lock options to set aside areas of the apartment for each roommate to use exclusively. Apartments differ from regular houses. Instead of buying the lot completely when you move in, your Sims will pay rent each week just like paying bills. The rent cost is determined by the overall value of the lot.



PlantSims
As many of you now know, The Sims 3 University Life’s new creature is… PlantSims! PlantSims have special relationships with plants and can converse with harvestable plants just like they can a Sim. PlantSims are unique and have different needs than normal Sims. For instance they don’t need to eat, but do need to stay hydrated. To keep their water need high and prevent drying out, PlantSims absorb water. They can do this by swimming, bathing, absorbing puddles and photosynthesizing!



PlantSims have unique ways to socialize with other Sims too. Flower Kisses can cause obsession and Poisonous Kisses can make another Sim sick, ew!  

There are a few ways to add a PlantSim to your family. It is possible (though rare) to meet a PlantSim around town, and Sims brave enough to volunteer as a test subject at the Busche School of Science may have some leafy side effects. My favorite way to make a PlantSim is to grow one of course! Forbidden fruits may become PlantSim babies for you to grow and love.

Fun Facts
Since this is my last blog before The Sims 3 University Life launches on March 5, I thought it would be fun to end with a random assortment of fun facts and info about the game.

• Sims in the Nerd Social Group can play some sweet new video games: SSX and FIFA on the video game console and computer and SimCity on the computer.

• With the new Social Networking skill comes the ability to blog! Sims can select a blog theme and attach photos to their blog. The more they blog, the more followers they get, which can help them gain influence with social groups faster, have better attended protests, and get more simoleans for donations and buyouts of their blog!

• Build Social Networking skill to unlock different smart phone apps. The Sim Finder app helps Sims easily find an unmet NPC Sim and get them to their lot! The coolest app to unlock is the Relationship Transmogrifier which allows Sims to set nearly any relationship status they desire with any Sim!

• All Commercial Dumpsters placed throughout any world can be used to dumpster dive. You can also place new dumpsters in your world to dumpster dive and find cool items from bugs to TVs!

• Sims with a high enough computer hacking skill can use a computer to find exam answers the day before an exam.

• Making friends with The Sims University mascot can lead to an apprenticeship with the mascot to learn their sweet moves!

• Want to avoid that awkward “it’s not you, it’s me” speech? Send a break up text instead!

• Ingesting too many herbs at once can cause herb sickness and herb nausea, so experiment with caution.

• Sims who want the benefits of a degree without all the university experience can buy an honorary degree as a lifetime happiness reward.

• The Movie Theater now comes with different types of movies for your Sims to enjoy. Use the new “Attend Show With” interaction to catch a chick flick or thriller with your friends!

• Your Sims’ new Smart Phones come with a wide range of new skins to apply. Build your Sims’ Rebel influence and Social Network skills to unlock and apply new skins on their phones, including an exclusive Mass Effect 3 version!