University probably offers more gameplay (or splat. seriously, I like the term and would use it instead of gameplay if anyone else knew what I was talking about). But I would think a family player would get more out of IL. First of all, University has no CAS content for children and toddlers and second of all I don't see any family play in University at all (but I'm not a family player, I guess). I use Sulani mostly as a place for my Sims to relax. I changed the lot type of the lot with the shipwreck into 'National Park' and refurnished it. Now my Sims spend long weekends there to swim, sunbathe and boat around. The gameplay overall is lacking for an expansion, but I still would not want to play without this pack. If you don't bother with mermaids, they won't bother you.
Both are great packs. However when I was trying to decide between "Discover University and "Island Living" I chose the later. And I don't regret it. As a builder myself, there is alot of unique build stuff in it. Like a transparent glass floor, for example. Personal boats, instead of bicycles. It's alot more colourful then any the rest that I've seen. It's good for stuff that's "off-the-grid" also. It's what got me to buy "Outdoor Retreat" for the tons of more 'off-the-grid' stuff. It compliments "Island Living" well. The family life is more old-fashion in Sulani. More of a relaxed adventuring tropical island world. "Discover University" would be more of a grind, I think. A bit stressful like school, since it is.
Personally, Sulani is quite enjoyable. I will eventually get DU, probably my next expansion-pack but I'm in no hurry, enjoying IL.
I guess Island Living is more of a relaxed game play in beautiful world of Sulani with lots of water and beach activities. It's one of my favorite expansions. It's hard to explain why I love it so much. My Sims have always had lots of things to do in Sulani, I've never been bored of that pack.
Discover University has great CAS items and the whole University experience is exciting at first, but then it gets repetitive and grindy. I usually get enough of Uni after the first two weeks and my Sims usually spend 4-6 weeks in there. Every time my Sims graduate I feel like "never again". I rarely get bored with Sims 4 but DU has managed to do it few times. I guess I just don't enjoy grinding same things (homework, term papers, presentations, studying) over and over again for weeks.
Personaly I find University boring. Beside I hated school and learning .
But the CAS stuff from Uni is quite nice and I can't live without the bikes anymore... hm... I still go for Island! Just love Sulani with it's beaches and the sea!
Sul Sul!
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If you like building, IL is the way to go. There's some VERY beautiful lots there. Plus it adds swimming in the water and beach play for the tots and kids.
Uni doesn't add much in those terms. Unless you are looking forward to your teen aging up to YA and going away for a degree. For whatever reason.
There is a lot more game play in IL in my OP. Less loading screens as well. Lots of build buy items. Its a breath of fresh air compared to the other worlds.
University is a great idea an the concept is wonderful. But its nothing to crazy different about it. You can do keg stands , build robots, rabbit hole careers an classes. The roommate experience is a good addition. The bikes get annoying quick.
IL you can be a mermaid, go snorkeling, meet dolphins, deep sea dive for shells,treasure,photos. You can sail on your own boat around the section of the world your in. Wile still having your family at home an all are playable. The Sulani culture festivals are beautiful. You can get a tan, become a marine biologist. Save the island and more
University is amazing don't get me wrong. It is a must have addition for story's but Island Living really shakes the game up an brings you into a whole new environment all around.
I think though after reading what everyone has said i'll go with uni. I actually like the whole making sure they get educated and robots are a plus i'll likely get IL the end of the month though . Thank you all for your input and reasonings I appreciate the time you took to reply.
Saying "not to be rude", then blatently being rude does not excuse rude behavior.
I think though after reading what everyone has said i'll go with uni. I actually like the whole making sure they get educated and robots are a plus i'll likely get IL the end of the month though . Thank you all for your input and reasonings I appreciate the time you took to reply.
I have them both, but I find myself enjoying Island Living more because of the beach life, swimming in the ocean, boats, and mermaids (even though they are lacking). I always found myself going back to Sulani. University is somewhat boring to me as all of the gatherings only had a few Sims standing around and debating. I do like the bicycles though, and it was neat to remake the dorms for Sims 2 lol
I actually think DU is quite replayable, I like having more studious sims. It is something where as I'm more familiar with the pack, I am more likely to just send students periodically, but I think it adds to the game. The sims have an opportunity to develop more skills and to figure themselves out. I haven't played with some aspects of it yet.
I really like Sulani but as mentioned, the gameplay needs a bit more. The mermaids aren't really for me. The conservation career is a career option. The setting and some of the lots are interesting. I like the swimming and lounging. There's something slightly missing though. I'll definitely play with it but it didn't completely round out the beach theme.
Well, Discover University completes the roster of standard packs for a Sims game, so I'd go with that before Island Living, which I do think is a good pack in its own right.
I would have picked IL if it had much more robust features and gameplay. I am into education and so that would be my pick also IL has controversity surrounding it as well which is not helpful being it was designated as an GP before becoming an EP.
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I feel like University is more put together, IL feels hollow and somewhat unfinished. The boats you can't use to travel to different neighborhoods and sims seem to just hop on and off of them for no reason.
I feel like University is more put together, IL feels hollow and somewhat unfinished. The boats you can't use to travel to different neighborhoods and sims seem to just hop on and off of them for no reason.
I think that's what I actually like about IL. It's not so rigid and "prim and prompt". I like your comment, @fallenangel66 , got me thinking. Spending so much time in schools, and university type places, the military, (in real life for me), something not so rigid, planed out and scheduled, just more fun and a little bit chaotic in a way, is relaxing.
As a family player, I went with University as an extension of my legacy child-raising with Parenthood. Also, I have been wanting an Education career track for a while, and the others (Legal, Engineering) also looked rewarding.
I am mostly after the educational, Sim-building aspects of play. Personally, I don't find the CAS or BB assets all that compelling in Discover University, and those alone would not have sold me on the pack.
I am also drawn to Island Living, specifically for the BB and CAS assets (I love tiki culture, and yes I do know that is barely related to actual Polynesian cultures, but I like the styles), and to a lesser extent for the careers and the interactive island environment, but I am content to let that one wait for a bit.
In my case, University flowed more naturally as a followup to Realms of Magic, my previous purchase.
I 😍 Island Living I moved all of my favorite households there. Love having the athletic ones go for a sunrise swim and the outdoorsy types for a boat after work. The scenery is just stunning - it never gets old and you feel like you’re there yourself! Love having big family parties on the ocean deck. BB is ah-mazing and the island events are pretty cool too.
I also really like Discover University but I play it far less. I only send Sims I super love to university so it’s only been about 3 so far. I usually like playing more family members at once so it always feels a bit disconnected when I’m off with one young adult at Uni. But I guess that’s what it is like IRL too! 😎
Overall, depends how you like to play. If you want one that will enrich your usual play flow, then go with IL. If you want a special experience you go off and do on a handful of occasions (but doesn’t have much impact on your normal play - other than bikes which I do love) then go with DU.
Sulani is just too beautiful to pass up, honestly... it's probably the most beautiful world in Sims 4 so far! Also, it's a really nice world to use as a "vacation spot" (even though we don't actually have hotels or anything like that). I've made a few "hotels" (one spa with multiple bedrooms upstairs and another is a generic lot with "bungalows") in Sulani that I send my Sims to for a few days and pretend they're on vacation. I also have "tourist" attractions around the islands I use while my Sims are there.
I wish they'd add hospitality features to the game so we can create actual hotels/motels!
I have both and though I enjoy what Island Living brings to the table, mermaids and build items, I love University more for the challenges it adds to game play. Ex: Single sim trying to go back to school while raising a child. Or a slacker failing every class until threatened with expulsion and having to repay their parents the money they spent to send them to university.
I am happy you picked university, although IL is also fun and I do recommend it. There are two ways to play University, one is to fully interact (I recommend the form to start, but after you enjoyed the full play, you can still send your Sims to college and get great benefits to your career.
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Personally, Sulani is quite enjoyable. I will eventually get DU, probably my next expansion-pack but I'm in no hurry, enjoying IL.
Discover University has great CAS items and the whole University experience is exciting at first, but then it gets repetitive and grindy. I usually get enough of Uni after the first two weeks and my Sims usually spend 4-6 weeks in there. Every time my Sims graduate I feel like "never again". I rarely get bored with Sims 4 but DU has managed to do it few times. I guess I just don't enjoy grinding same things (homework, term papers, presentations, studying) over and over again for weeks.
Personaly I find University boring. Beside I hated school and learning
But the CAS stuff from Uni is quite nice and I can't live without the bikes anymore... hm... I still go for Island! Just love Sulani with it's beaches and the sea!
On my blog (German) you'll find two completed vampire stories 🦇 and an ongoing ghost story 👻.
I'm also posting about my I'm surrounded by idi🤪ts! - challenge, in which I've now reached gen 9.
Thanks for stopping by! 👋
Uni doesn't add much in those terms. Unless you are looking forward to your teen aging up to YA and going away for a degree. For whatever reason.
Less loading screens as well. Lots of build buy items.
Its a breath of fresh air compared to the other worlds.
University is a great idea an the concept is wonderful.
But its nothing to crazy different about it.
You can do keg stands , build robots, rabbit hole careers an classes.
The roommate experience is a good addition.
The bikes get annoying quick.
IL you can be a mermaid, go snorkeling, meet dolphins, deep sea dive for shells,treasure,photos.
You can sail on your own boat around the section of the world your in. Wile still having your family at home an all are playable.
The Sulani culture festivals are beautiful.
You can get a tan, become a marine biologist.
Save the island and more
University is amazing don't get me wrong. It is a must have addition for story's but Island Living really shakes the game up an brings you into a whole new environment all around.
I think though after reading what everyone has said i'll go with uni. I actually like the whole making sure they get educated and robots are a plus i'll likely get IL the end of the month though . Thank you all for your input and reasonings I appreciate the time you took to reply.
Saying "not to be rude", then blatently being rude does not excuse rude behavior.
Cheers! Enjoy.
I really like Sulani but as mentioned, the gameplay needs a bit more. The mermaids aren't really for me. The conservation career is a career option. The setting and some of the lots are interesting. I like the swimming and lounging. There's something slightly missing though. I'll definitely play with it but it didn't completely round out the beach theme.
I think that's what I actually like about IL. It's not so rigid and "prim and prompt". I like your comment, @fallenangel66 , got me thinking. Spending so much time in schools, and university type places, the military, (in real life for me), something not so rigid, planed out and scheduled, just more fun and a little bit chaotic in a way, is relaxing.
I am mostly after the educational, Sim-building aspects of play. Personally, I don't find the CAS or BB assets all that compelling in Discover University, and those alone would not have sold me on the pack.
I am also drawn to Island Living, specifically for the BB and CAS assets (I love tiki culture, and yes I do know that is barely related to actual Polynesian cultures, but I like the styles), and to a lesser extent for the careers and the interactive island environment, but I am content to let that one wait for a bit.
In my case, University flowed more naturally as a followup to Realms of Magic, my previous purchase.
I also really like Discover University but I play it far less. I only send Sims I super love to university so it’s only been about 3 so far. I usually like playing more family members at once so it always feels a bit disconnected when I’m off with one young adult at Uni. But I guess that’s what it is like IRL too! 😎
Overall, depends how you like to play. If you want one that will enrich your usual play flow, then go with IL. If you want a special experience you go off and do on a handful of occasions (but doesn’t have much impact on your normal play - other than bikes which I do love) then go with DU.
I wish they'd add hospitality features to the game so we can create actual hotels/motels!
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