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THE one & only Discover University complaining thread!

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  • bizuktagbizuktag Posts: 552 Member
    Should we be concerned that when showing this game off they didn’t have seasons (and who knows how many other packs) not installed? I’m betting going by performance issues in the past this year alone (RoM crashing) that this game will suffer some bugs and poor performance. Call it a hunch.

    I'm concerned that Rebecca was trying very hard to minimize the number of loading screens they encountered. She said it several times, but didn't explain why. I can't see the reason being that they're boring, because anyone who plays TS4 expects loading screens. It felt like there was a risk of poor performance or a crash - and that's without all of the packs even installed...
  • CK213CK213 Posts: 20,525 Member
    edited November 2019
    jooxis wrote: »
    Hooookay, My 2 cents...

    I like the majors and feel they are diverse. I like that you can attend uni from home and have roommates there (pretty good use of apartments). I LOVE lockable computer (should have added this earlier imo). CAS is amazing, but it always is. It's pretty cool that you can swim in the new world and I like the bikes and that you can ride them anywhere.

    So on to the negative...

    First off, they could have chosen a more enthusiastic and charismatic person to carry the livestream and PROMOTE their game. Some preparation would not have hurt.
    Despite the positive points I mentioned the pack feels weak overall. The positive bits are minor and the stuff that's missing is major stuff. It's lacking in gameplay and most of the stuff I like are rabbitholes (classes, science labs, sports games).
    Unfortunately I do not care about robots or any Jetsons style gameplay and they seem to have spent most of their resources on that. Again, in a uni pack I wish they'd have invested in fleshing out sports and music bands instead of robots which are very niche and not something I associate university with.
    A university pack that is all about "discovering yourself" features no new traits (because they focused their effort on lot traits? All two of them?) and we get yet another "expansion pack walkthrough" aspiration which seems to be the norm now.
    Not to mention uni seems pointless because the jump start in careers isn't something you can't do without uni during that time. We could have gotten a new trait slot as a reward or some other meaningful upgrade for graduated sims. Speaking of graduation, I'm aware they didn't show it in the livestream but it's safe to assume that's a rabbithole as well. You have to dress them up in a graduation gown and play pretend... which I'm tired of doing. I'm tired of my imagination being the sole driver of my gameplay, filling the gaps in everything the game can't do.

    I'm not that excited about this and think I will take a break from The Sims. Planet Zoo really got released at the right moment for me.

    This just boggles my mind.
    They advertise this game as sims discovering themselves at Uni.
    As the school year progresses, Sims become their best selves and discover who they are meant to be.

    By being the first University game that does not reward graduates with extra trait slots, leaving us with the three they earned from the earlier age stages? In TS2 and TS3 Uni, I would look back on my sims Uni experiences and gave them traits that I felt defined how they where shaped by their experiences. What a missed opportunity. :s

    Here is some of the stuff I do like:
    Stuff I like
    -2 Schools
    -Lockable computers
    -Individual storage chests (ICYA chests)
    -Teens can visit the University town
    -I should be able to make my custom dorm (housing) somewhat. I think.
    -You can go to University and live anywhere.
    -It’s possible to work while being a student.
    -You can make a robotics store
    -It should be possible to make sororities and fraternities.
    -Transfer funds when moving out. (I hope that's not just for Uni.)

    But something seems off about the reasons for even bothering with Uni, other than the experience.
    I wonder if my sims are actually better off just slogging through the lower levels of careers and save time and money instead of going to Uni.
    Post edited by CK213 on
    The%20Goths.png?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds
  • CamkatCamkat Posts: 2,329 Member
    CK213 wrote: »
    jooxis wrote: »
    Hooookay, My 2 cents...

    I like the majors and feel they are diverse. I like that you can attend uni from home and have roommates there (pretty good use of apartments). I LOVE lockable computer (should have added this earlier imo). CAS is amazing, but it always is. It's pretty cool that you can swim in the new world and I like the bikes and that you can ride them anywhere.

    So on to the negative...

    First off, they could have chosen a more enthusiastic and charismatic person to carry the livestream and PROMOTE their game. Some preparation would not have hurt.
    Despite the positive points I mentioned the pack feels weak overall. The positive bits are minor and the stuff that's missing is major stuff. It's lacking in gameplay and most of the stuff I like are rabbitholes (classes, science labs, sports games).
    Unfortunately I do not care about robots or any Jetsons style gameplay and they seem to have spent most of their resources on that. Again, in a uni pack I wish they'd have invested in fleshing out sports and music bands instead of robots which are very niche and not something I associate university with.
    A university pack that is all about "discovering yourself" features no new traits (because they focused their effort on lot traits? All two of them?) and we get yet another "expansion pack walkthrough" aspiration which seems to be the norm now.
    Not to mention uni seems pointless because the jump start in careers isn't something you can't do without uni during that time. We could have gotten a new trait slot as a reward or some other meaningful upgrade for graduated sims. Speaking of graduation, I'm aware they didn't show it in the livestream but it's safe to assume that's a rabbithole as well. You have to dress them up in a graduation gown and play pretend... which I'm tired of doing. I'm tired of my imagination being the sole driver of my gameplay, filling the gaps in everything the game can't do.

    I'm not that excited about this and think I will take a break from The Sims. Planet Zoo really got released at the right moment for me.

    This just boggles my mind.
    They advertise this game as sims discovering themselves at Uni.
    As the school year progresses, Sims become their best selves and discover who they are meant to be.

    By being the first University game that does not reward graduates with extra trait slots, leaving us with the three they earned from the earlier age stages? In TS2 and TS3 Uni, I would look back on my sims Uni experiences and gave them traits that I felt defined how they where shaped by their experiences. What a missed opportunity. :s

    Here is some of the stuff I do like:
    Stuff I like
    -2 Schools
    -Lockable computers
    -Individual storage chests (ICYA chests)
    -Teens can visit the University town
    -I should be able to make my custom dorm (housing) somewhat. I think.
    -You can go to University and live anywhere.
    -It’s possible to work while being a student.
    -You can make a robotics store
    -It should be possible to make sororities and fraternities.

    But something seems off about the reasons for even bothering with Uni, other than the experience.
    I wonder if my sims are actually better off just slogging through the lower levels of careers and save time and money instead of going to Uni.

    This. They haven't said how far up you start, but if university takes 3 sim weeks to finish, could you not have gotten an "A" in high school, and/or gotten the connections and business savy rewards and started at lvl 3. By the time your 3 weeks are up, your at the same career level as a sim who paid to go to university, while you made money the whole way and didn't have to sit through rabbit holes. There is zero benefit to this system that I can see. I feel like my sims progress through the careers pretty fast that this is completely unnecessary without more added rewards like a new trait slot or something.

    Origin ID: Peapod79
  • simfriend1968simfriend1968 Posts: 578 Member
    edited November 2019
    Camkat wrote: »
    CK213 wrote: »
    jooxis wrote: »
    Hooookay, My 2 cents...

    I like the majors and feel they are diverse. I like that you can attend uni from home and have roommates there (pretty good use of apartments). I LOVE lockable computer (should have added this earlier imo). CAS is amazing, but it always is. It's pretty cool that you can swim in the new world and I like the bikes and that you can ride them anywhere.

    So on to the negative...

    First off, they could have chosen a more enthusiastic and charismatic person to carry the livestream and PROMOTE their game. Some preparation would not have hurt.
    Despite the positive points I mentioned the pack feels weak overall. The positive bits are minor and the stuff that's missing is major stuff. It's lacking in gameplay and most of the stuff I like are rabbitholes (classes, science labs, sports games).
    Unfortunately I do not care about robots or any Jetsons style gameplay and they seem to have spent most of their resources on that. Again, in a uni pack I wish they'd have invested in fleshing out sports and music bands instead of robots which are very niche and not something I associate university with.
    A university pack that is all about "discovering yourself" features no new traits (because they focused their effort on lot traits? All two of them?) and we get yet another "expansion pack walkthrough" aspiration which seems to be the norm now.
    Not to mention uni seems pointless because the jump start in careers isn't something you can't do without uni during that time. We could have gotten a new trait slot as a reward or some other meaningful upgrade for graduated sims. Speaking of graduation, I'm aware they didn't show it in the livestream but it's safe to assume that's a rabbithole as well. You have to dress them up in a graduation gown and play pretend... which I'm tired of doing. I'm tired of my imagination being the sole driver of my gameplay, filling the gaps in everything the game can't do.

    I'm not that excited about this and think I will take a break from The Sims. Planet Zoo really got released at the right moment for me.

    This just boggles my mind.
    They advertise this game as sims discovering themselves at Uni.
    As the school year progresses, Sims become their best selves and discover who they are meant to be.

    By being the first University game that does not reward graduates with extra trait slots, leaving us with the three they earned from the earlier age stages? In TS2 and TS3 Uni, I would look back on my sims Uni experiences and gave them traits that I felt defined how they where shaped by their experiences. What a missed opportunity. :s

    Here is some of the stuff I do like:
    Stuff I like
    -2 Schools
    -Lockable computers
    -Individual storage chests (ICYA chests)
    -Teens can visit the University town
    -I should be able to make my custom dorm (housing) somewhat. I think.
    -You can go to University and live anywhere.
    -It’s possible to work while being a student.
    -You can make a robotics store
    -It should be possible to make sororities and fraternities.

    But something seems off about the reasons for even bothering with Uni, other than the experience.
    I wonder if my sims are actually better off just slogging through the lower levels of careers and save time and money instead of going to Uni.

    This. They haven't said how far up you start, but if university takes 3 sim weeks to finish, could you not have gotten an "A" in high school, and/or gotten the connections and business savy rewards and started at lvl 3. By the time your 3 weeks are up, your at the same career level as a sim who paid to go to university, while you made money the whole way and didn't have to sit through rabbit holes. There is zero benefit to this system that I can see. I feel like my sims progress through the careers pretty fast that this is completely unnecessary without more added rewards like a new trait slot or something.

    Iron Seagull said in one of his "thoughts" videos that he thought the bonuses for attending university involve boosts, money and vacation: that is, starting at a higher level, making more money throughout the career and gaining extra vacation days. Some careers I think don't earn enough money for the level of difficulty and prestige, so I appreciate that possibility. As for boosts, I hope sims start their chosen careers at level 4 or 5 or it won't be worth it. As well, I was hoping for much more, like significant perks related to skill-building, job performance and mood regulation, or an extra trait slot, or much better promotion and career rewards. (I wonder what the Academic aspiration reward will be, whether it will involve skilll-building somehow through a reward trait).
  • logionlogion Posts: 4,712 Member
    jooxis wrote: »

    I'm not that excited about this and think I will take a break from The Sims. Planet Zoo really got released at the right moment for me.

    I will do the same, if this would have been released at any other time, then maybe I would have bought it. But there are so many other games now that I would rather spend my money on.

  • HannaZojaHannaZoja Posts: 93 Member
    edited November 2019
    I have got mixed feelings.

    I have been playing the Sims since Sims2, loved Sims 3 (despite the fact that I had to buy a gaming PC to minimize loading screens) and generally I am ok with Sims 4. After a while I accepted that there was no open world ("play with emotions" is a joke), because the game was pretty stable and there were no rabbit holes. Then came the lagging, the bugs and after IL the game crashes roughly every 20 Sim hours.
    Now EA shows me a game with a SINGLE EP installed AND plenty of RABBIT HOLES that is still full of BUGS. They did not even try to demonstrate how it worked with Seasons.

    The Gurus did well: if we had to sell a game with lots of glitches, bugs and rabbit holes without anyone noticing the weaknesses, then we would have a hard time faking excitement.

    To be fair, some things are very nice:
    - it is good that students can choose to have kids.
    - The new world is beautiful and full of detail, eg the house boat on the river.
    - Two Unis are great, it suits storytelling. Two words - one for each university - would have been better
    - The new subjects are cool, esp Law and Psychology (it is ok for me that SOME subjects are rabbit holes, lecturs in law are not exciting to watch.)
    - I love debating
    - Being able to lock my computer is a small thing - but it matters a lot to me. I hate it that my kids are constantly playing video games.
    - we can swim in the river
    - everybody can visit the university. Yeah!
    - the choice between a dorm, a shared private accommodation or staying with mummy and daddy.
    - professional cleaning in dorms is common in many countries, they should have added a caretaker for broken stuff
    - Great that they made an attempt to show us a non US home world after Windenburgh and Island Paradise

    Of course there are many annoying things:
    - no new traits (obviously traits change the gameplay - the two lot traits are a joke)
    - no reason for going to Uni. Some careers have to be exclusive to a degree - That's life! Without a degree you should not be able to be a doctor, scientist or a lawyer. Becoming a nurse, clerk or lab assistant without a degree is fine. But further promotion ought to depend on a degree.
    - Lack of interest in developing careers. Psychology without therapists? Wait, was TS4 not meant to be "Play with emotions"? I would have preferred an open world, but now that we have emotions, PLEASE LET US PLAY WITH EMOTIONS.
    - More videogaming - I hate it. My Sims are playing games on the phone, on the PC, now there is an additional machine or G-d knows what. Seriously? I am playing the Sims, whenever it is too late to see friends or if I am too tired. I would like to escape reality. However, my antisocial sims are already playing games.
    - Robots. Again. Recycled robots from TS3. This EP is supposed to be about humans is their most interesting period of life. Remember "Play with emotions"! And anything the bots can do is already done by other machines/Patchy/service sims,...
    - A term is by definition a season, three terms plus summer holidays a year. A week is nonsense.
    - I like the US but nearly all worlds are US based - and the majority of your customers live outside the US. I love the UK aspects. But why not be properly British? The coffee stalls, cheer leading and mascots ought to disappear.
    - The mascot is a nuisance. In TS3 we had to put up with one, now we've got two. I refuse to believe that real American campuses are overrun with these creatures. Please give us the option to delete them.
    - What is this childish vandalism? Completely unrealistic. Annoying and distracting. Of course there is rivalry: Debating and sports and university rankings are great ways to demonstrate that. But defacing statues? It is not even funny.
    - In real life most children like cycling.
    Favourite Game: Sims 3 <3
    Favourite Worlds Sims 3: Hidden Springs, Barnacle Bay, Riverview, Isla Paradiso, Sunlit Tides, Monte Vista, Dragon Valley, Al Simhara, Shang Simla, Roaring Heights, Lunar Lakes

    Favourite Worlds Sims 4: Britechester, Windenburg, Sulani - possibly Mt. Komorebi
  • popstarsleypopstarsley Posts: 1,086 Member
    edited November 2019
    I initially thought this pack looked really good. But re watching the stream as I am at that moment, I’m changing my mind. I was ready to scream with every time I heard “Thats the story you what to tell”

    What if I don’t want to tell a story? Just play a game? Just see what happens and get lost in a world?

    THIS. 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽

    Free us from the diorama! Let us play a game! I think they are really overestimating the % of general public that has a wild and vivid imagination. 🙂
  • HannaZojaHannaZoja Posts: 93 Member
    I love this remark
    CK213 wrote: »
    jooxis wrote: »
    ...

    This just boggles my mind.
    They advertise this game as sims discovering themselves at Uni.
    As the school year progresses, Sims become their best selves and discover who they are meant to be.

    By being the first University game that does not reward graduates with extra trait slots, leaving us with the three they earned from the earlier age stages? In TS2 and TS3 Uni, I would look back on my sims Uni experiences and gave them traits that I felt defined how they where shaped by their experiences. What a missed opportunity. :s

    .....
    Favourite Game: Sims 3 <3
    Favourite Worlds Sims 3: Hidden Springs, Barnacle Bay, Riverview, Isla Paradiso, Sunlit Tides, Monte Vista, Dragon Valley, Al Simhara, Shang Simla, Roaring Heights, Lunar Lakes

    Favourite Worlds Sims 4: Britechester, Windenburg, Sulani - possibly Mt. Komorebi
  • Horrorgirl6Horrorgirl6 Posts: 3,170 Member
    I think that is z problem.This game became less of a game, and more of a story simulator.
    th
  • SimaniteSimanite Posts: 4,833 Member
    I'm sad to admit this because I've been waiting for this pack for so long, and they did such a great job with Seasons and Pets that I thought Uni was another one they couldn't mess up, but this looks to be a very disappointing pack.

    The bikes are AMAZING - watching them drive anywhere and skillfully work their way through obstacles, and actually park the bike instead of just teleporting made me so happy. This is the attention to detail I crave. But then you compare the elevators with zero animations (which I despise, still), the way when you enroll you simply teleport to uni without a wave-off from your family or lugging your case with you (like in TS3) and the way it looks like families won't come for graduation... Everything just looks half-done. I hate that the dorms are in skyscrapers, that there isn't even one open class or lecture, there isn't a student union like in TS3 where you sign-up, that cafeterias look poorly done.

    There seems to be no unique gameplay that would compel me to send Sims to Uni, at best. And at worst (given the way dorms are handled and how the towns only consist on rabbit holes) it looks like it will be a chore to get through a degree.

    And five day terms?! :s
  • SimaniteSimanite Posts: 4,833 Member
    And let me not forget that there are no degree-specific items or activities like TS3 had. I would rather have had fewer degrees (perhaps with different branches) than many degrees with no real focus.
  • marcel21marcel21 Posts: 12,341 Member
    Just found out the classes are rabbit holes too from pixelade. I read the comments and a lot of them were saying they are fine with it which is funny because I remember a lot sims 4 players were saying that was one of many reasons they didn't like about sims 3. Now they are okay with it? Interesting... plus if seeing your sim go to class every day would get boring, wouldn't waiting for them to pop out that rabbit hole all the time get boring as well?

    No offense, but alot of Sims 4 praises will praise and ACCEPT ANYTHING .... it doesn't surprise me.

    agreed
    Origin ID MichaelUKingdon


  • keekee53keekee53 Posts: 4,328 Member
    The pack feels so empty that I can't believe is shipping like this.
    We can't expect a lot from packs in TS4 because many issues come from the core base game but that doesn't mean we have to accept something as empty as this. This costs 40€ at full price. Island Living was empty as well but at least it brought a completely different arquitecture and lifestyle. Oh my! I can't believe I'm saying this but I think IL might be a better pack that DU :s
    I have a lot to say, like a lot! But I want to wait a little bit to gather my thoughts properly and word them in a cohesive way.

    In the meantime, I just need to say:

    all Sims get the embarrassed moodlet when showering in the communal showers??? Really??

    That is my thoughts exactly and it scares me...LOL
  • keekee53keekee53 Posts: 4,328 Member
    Cinebar wrote: »
    Is it true the caffeteria is on a different lot and not in the dorm building? And a loading screen to eat breakfast, lunch, dinner? Worst game design idea ever. Who said yes, that's a good idea! :s:s

    OMG this right here is crazy!!!! It seems they put very little thought into that. I think you can sort make the cafeteria inside the dorm by adding the special stove or whatever. I suggest people do that because loading to eat somewhere all the time is just crazy.
  • Horrorgirl6Horrorgirl6 Posts: 3,170 Member
    So the stream was terrible, and I just look at Carls summery.They are stuff that I am excited for. Like robots, the clubs, secreate society.Im excited for some the objects like ping pong,mini fridge, and chest .Thee some skills I'm excited for like research, and debating .Aldo create of sim.Still there is seem to be stuff lacking, and can get bored very quickly.
  • 12JEREMIA12JEREMIA Posts: 3,143 Member
    I still want college rock and greek houses back, or else I'll play a new life simulation game
  • AP_PepperAP_Pepper Posts: 465 Member
    I was excited, but in terms of rabbit-holes for me is that a game like the Sims reminds me of the Mobile game Bitlife where you just get pop-up messages about what is happening with your characters. Like this is not what I would have personally expected from a PC/Console game in 2019. I personally would have favoured 50-50 with regards to rabbit hole classes and careers.
  • Baconisgood123Baconisgood123 Posts: 4 New Member
    I'm so sick of them making the game so family friendly like you can't even have affairs with professors. The sims 3 was waay more laid back and it was more believable it was over 12.I hope they stop tying to make it so family friendly in the sims 5 or even the next pack
  • Baconisgood123Baconisgood123 Posts: 4 New Member
    why are they looking for us to be shocked and proud of them for adding bikes in the game?! they should've been there from the start like thanks for finally giving this to us?
  • MirichaMiricha Posts: 470 Member
    There are some things I'm really happy about in this EP (especially Sims being able to live off campus, and uni not just being for YAs). But there are a couple of things that I have complaints about.

    The restriction on stoves is ridiculous (and as others have pointed out, unrealistic... I leant to cook at uni!). A Sim who lives in a dorm is going to have to go through a loading screen every time they want a proper meal! Because of that, I probably won't play with dorms... which is a shame. But I hate loading screens and try to avoid them as much as possible, and 6 times a Sim day is way too many.

    The boost a degree gives you is pointless. Worthless. An extra trait would be a much better incentive, considering how quickly Sims can progress in their careers even without uni (I actually installed a mod where my Sims have to request promotions, rather than getting them automatically, because career progression is so quick). I'm also disappointed that none of the new careers are restricted to graduates only... how can you be a lawyer or a teacher without a degree? I liked that back in TS2 we had certain careers which needed a degree to be available.

    It's also silly that there's no law or education degrees to go with the new careers, although I am happy that we're getting more degree options than in previous games. I'm disappointed there's no specific medicine degree, although I suppose Biology will do to cover that. Perhaps modders will be able to create some extra degrees for us.
    수리수리마수리 수수리 사바
    my new simblr
    lWAXrDZ.png
  • VageniusVagenius Posts: 487 Member
    I can't believe that 5 days is one semester. That is just the worst part of it to me. I can deal with not going to class with my sim but for my sim to be able to complete all of university in 3 sim weeks is just dumb. Maybe some people like that and that's fine, I just wish they'd think about players that want a longer university experience for their sims. Sure someone will probably make a mod but why do I have to get mods for something that seems like such an easy idea to implement? The work around of only taking 1 class a semester is awful. There will be little to no challenge involved. This is the most frustrating part of it all for me right now. Also the fact that they decided to leave apartments out again. I guess I can figure something out with the dorm living but if they did it with the dorm living why can't they just let us do apartments? These devs are frustrating.
  • Writin_RegWritin_Reg Posts: 28,907 Member
    Vagenius wrote: »
    I can't believe that 5 days is one semester. That is just the worst part of it to me. I can deal with not going to class with my sim but for my sim to be able to complete all of university in 3 sim weeks is just dumb. Maybe some people like that and that's fine, I just wish they'd think about players that want a longer university experience for their sims. Sure someone will probably make a mod but why do I have to get mods for something that seems like such an easy idea to implement? The work around of only taking 1 class a semester is awful. There will be little to no challenge involved. This is the most frustrating part of it all for me right now. Also the fact that they decided to leave apartments out again. I guess I can figure something out with the dorm living but if they did it with the dorm living why can't they just let us do apartments? These devs are frustrating.

    That's why I did not like Sims 3 Uni as it was very unrealistic - with their and 1 or 2 week semesters. It is why I liked Sims 2 better and even though it was shorter than real Uni's it was more realistic to me.

    "Games Are Not The Place To Tell Stories, Games Are Meant To Let People Tell Their Own Stories"...Will Wright.

    In dreams - I LIVE!
    In REALITY, I simply exist.....

  • simfriend1968simfriend1968 Posts: 578 Member
    Writin_Reg wrote: »
    Vagenius wrote: »
    I can't believe that 5 days is one semester. That is just the worst part of it to me. I can deal with not going to class with my sim but for my sim to be able to complete all of university in 3 sim weeks is just dumb. Maybe some people like that and that's fine, I just wish they'd think about players that want a longer university experience for their sims. Sure someone will probably make a mod but why do I have to get mods for something that seems like such an easy idea to implement? The work around of only taking 1 class a semester is awful. There will be little to no challenge involved. This is the most frustrating part of it all for me right now. Also the fact that they decided to leave apartments out again. I guess I can figure something out with the dorm living but if they did it with the dorm living why can't they just let us do apartments? These devs are frustrating.

    That's why I did not like Sims 3 Uni as it was very unrealistic - with their and 1 or 2 week semesters. It is why I liked Sims 2 better and even though it was shorter than real Uni's it was more realistic to me.

    I am puzzled by this comment because Sims 2 terms were even shorter -- 3 days each only (although it took 4 years in total to complete a college degree). I personally thought 2 weeks a term was too long in TS3, so five days is a happy medium for me in TS4. I do wish they were customizable though, so players could decide for themselves how long they want them to be (like the length of seasons in Seasons). One thing I do like is that players can decide for themselves how many courses to take per term and by extension how long their sims' degrees will take.
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