News

Our favorite comedy site interviews our favorite game designer.

Visit The Onion.com

---

Interview Will Wright

by Keith Phipps

Editor's note

It's been 33 years since Nolan Bushnell debuted Pong, the first commercially successful video game, and in spite of the predictions, society has not collapsed. In fact, video games have become a fact of everyday life. The video-game industry has continued to grow, becoming as viable and pervasive an entertainment habit as music or movies.

So with this issue, The Onion A.V. Club expands into the world of video-game coverage: Game reviews will join our weekly film, music, DVD, and book reviews. This inaugural issue also offers interviews with two gaming luminaries: Atari pioneer Howard Scott Warshaw, and Will Wright, creator of SimCity and The Sims.

The Onion A.V. Club also extends a hearty welcome to a new contributor who comes to us from Hollywood via the Internet. Each week, actor/author/gaming enthusiast/ icon/renaissance man Wil Wheaton, who maintains an online presence at wilwheaton.net, will take a look back to games past with his Games Of Our Lives column, reaching beyond Pac-Man and Donkey Kong to find the dusty arcade games and worn-out cartridges that paved the way for the games of today.

It might not have been obvious from Pong's first flickers and bleeps that games would enter the cultural conversation in any significant way. But with each year, their presence becomes a little stronger. Would The Matrix's vision of virtual reality have had as much impact in a world without Myst? What does it mean when a popular game series like Grand Theft Auto mimics film in a way that allows players to take on bad-guy roles? And where would the world be without cinematic game adaptations like Alone In The Dark? Okay, bad example. But The Onion A.V. Club is now happy to steer readers toward better ones, this week and each week thereafter.

–Keith Phipps

Will Wright doesn't control the world, but he does determine how game-players control it. After making his game-programming debut in 1984 with the fairly straightforward shoot-'em-up Raid On Bungeling Bay, Wright changed the direction of his programming career. Calling on gamers to exercise skills in civil engineering, time management, and public aesthetics, the original SimCity let players design, maintain, and even destroy virtual cities of their own creation. It took off slowly, but by combining his efforts with Jeff Braun, his co-founder in the game company Maxis, Wright eventually turned SimCity into a breakout hit.

More sims followed–including SimEarth, SimAnt, SimFarm, SimCopter, and more SimCity permutations, among others–before Wright and Maxis applied their simulated-reality skills to humanity itself with the 2000 release The Sims. Players build houses, families, careers, and social network for their Sims, simulated humans who can be guided through careers, form families, fall in love, plunge into despair, and even die. (Note for new players: Be careful around the stove.) The Sims boils human existence down to the complex interaction between a handful of needs, a splash of free will, and the unpredictable forces of fate–it could be the apotheosis of Will Wright's career, if only because when it's played too much, reality starts to look like the game.

Wright followed The Sims' massive success with more Sims-related titles, including themed expansion packs, an occasionally troubled online version, and last year's expansive sequel/overhaul The Sims 2. On March 1st the Sims world will get a little bigger with the release of the first Sims 2 expansion pack, The Sims 2: University. The flesh-and-blood Will Wright recently spoke to The Onion A.V. Club about his creations.

The Onion: You've said that part of SimCity came out of the fact that you enjoyed building the buildings of Raid On Bungeling Bay more than knocking them down. Was that just a glib line?

Will Wright: No, that's quite true. Toward the end of Bungeling Bay, I had created this elaborate system for scrolling around the world and creating the islands and the roads and the buildings. I found that I was having a lot more fun doing that part than just playing the game and going around bombing stuff. After Bungeling Bay was finished, I kept playing with that editor. I wanted to add more behavior to it–I wanted to add traffic, and see the world kind of come alive and be more dynamic. That's what got me interested in reading about urban planning theories, urban dynamics and simulation. It became a kind of test-bed for me, where I would go and read urban planning theories, then go code them up in the simulator. What was a very dry subject in books became very fascinating when I had this guinea-pig city that I could do these experiments on.

O: All your games involve a great deal of research into real-life mechanics. Which comes first: Is it a matter of researching it, or building the game, or does one process inform the other?

WW: Well, I'm interested in reading about a lot of different subjects, and I tend to get obsessed with things. As a kid, I would get totally obsessed with something for six months or a year, and try to learn everything I could about it. I still kind of do that; I just found a way for people to pay me to do it. Once I get obsessed with a subject, I keep stepping back further and further from it and try to figure out, "What is the basis of my obsession? What is it that I think is really cool about this?" I try to figure out how I can communicate that to other players in a game. Basically, how does the game become a caricature of that subject, or some representation of that thing? It becomes a toy. How do you turn these subjects into toys where players will naturally enjoy interacting with those dynamics?

O: Have you ever found a subject that you could not convert into a game?

WW: I had a few that I spent time on, and had a lot of roadblocks. I wanted to do a tactical weather simulation, something where you could sculpt storms, create tornadoes and thunderstorms, and things like that. It had to do with these three-dimensional fluid-flow maps. I experimented with a lot of ways to visualize that, so you could get an instinctive feel for the three-dimensional flow field. I showed it to several people, and it became pretty apparent that a lot of people have a hard time visualizing to that level. When you read about the way that tornadoes form, it's a very interesting kind of process that I thought would be cool to simulate. But in terms of giving the user a very discrete way to manipulate the system, that's where I really hit the roadblock.

O: SimEarth seemed like the logical extension of SimCity, but why did you go small again with SimAnt?

WW: It was one of the subjects that I was always drawn to. I was always fascinated by social insects. Ants are one of the few real examples of intelligence we have that we can study and deconstruct. We're still struggling with the way the human brain works. But if you look at ant colonies, they sometimes exhibit a remarkable degree of intelligence, sometimes almost similar to that of a dog. But the individual ants themselves are really quite stupid and robotic. We've been able to study social insects and really understand how that intelligence emerges from a collection of very simple little parts, to a degree that's far ahead of the understanding of the brain and its processes. That's, at the lowest level, what's always fascinated me about ants. Kids in particular, they see ants, and what ants do and how organized they are, and there's something almost magical about it. It surprised me that no one had ever done a game about ants, and I kept waiting and waiting, and they never did. So it felt like something that I had to do, because I wanted to play it.

O: Getting back to the human brain... Presumably, the idea for The Sims existed at some point before the game did. When did you realize that technology had caught up to the point where you could simulate humanity in a meaningful way?

WW: The first time I really seriously thought that it felt like a buildable concept was as I was finishing SimAnt. In SimAnt, you're basically controlling these land colonies on a very tactical level. We simulated the ants very much in the way that real ants work, where they drop little pheromone trails, and change their behavior. Also in SimAnt was this strategic screen, where there was this entire backyard with a house that you were slowly trying to invade and occupy. There was a little simulation of a guy who lived in the house who would sit and watch television, get food from the fridge, mow the lawn, stuff like that. I realized at the end of SimAnt that the simulation we built for the ants was almost more intelligent than for the guy, because the guy was being done using traditional programming, whereas the ants were done using this distributed environmental intelligence of the pheromone trails. I began wondering, could we build a more robust simulation of human behavior if we adopted this ant model, where we distribute the intelligence not through the agents, but through the environment? Then I started experimenting with some techniques, and that got the ball rolling for The Sims. We needed to build a very robust model, because the user can throw any variety of situations to the Sims, and the Sims have to respond intelligently, because we don't control the environment. We also don't control the characters. The player can make whatever characters they want, and put them in any environment they choose to build, and then that agent has to behave appropriately. So that's a much more open-ended design problem than designing a very specific AI for a game where I'm also designing the level, and the player is very constrained.

O: You pioneered the idea of open-ended games like The Sims, which really has no discernable goal other than what players make for themselves. Have the areas of play that users have chosen to concentrate on surprised you?

WW: Yeah, but I was hoping that they would surprise us. So the fact that I'm surprised was almost expected; at least, that was the success case. I hope that they do things that we could never imagine them doing with this game, which they in fact did, quite a bit more than I was even hoping. I like the idea that our game players are, in some sense, becoming the co-developers of the game, that we're giving them more powerful tools, and they're able to take those tools and make interesting experiences with them. It's not just that we're using our tools to make an experience, and everybody's going down the same rail, even the meta-games that they create on top of The Sims. So it's not just the customizations that they make, but the way that they use the game to create whole new games on top of it. Like in Sims 1, people were actually able to do these little story albums, which were originally meant to be, "Here's my family album, my family over time." But people ended up using them to tell very elaborate stories, like small novels. For Sims 2, we have the extension of that, which is the moviemaking feature. There are over a thousand movies that people have uploaded to our site now, that people have made with Sims 2. They're quite elaborate, and really amazing to see. The game is not just something you sit down and play, but becomes a tool of self-expression for the players. They're actually using The Sims to make birthday cards for each other, or make movies for their cheerleading squad, or whatever.

O: Did you anticipate people imposing narratives on their Sims?

WW: Oh, yeah. We were counting on that. It's about even balance in a game between the technology of a computer and the psychology of a player. There are certain things that the computer is very good at doing. It can tackle all these numbers, and simulate all these intricate scenarios. But there are a lot of things that the computer sucks at doing, and those things are where we want to offload it into the players' imagination, and use their imagination as the co-processor. Like in The Sims, they don't speak English. They speak this kind of gibberish language. In fact, when you're playing the game, and you hear them speak this language, you do get emotional intonations from them. Most people are basically filling in the blanks, and imagining the conversation in their head. That's a much more effective, realistic-feeling conversation than if the computer were spitting out computer-generated text, or scripted conversations. In that case, we're actually levering the player's imagination as a co-processor to fill in the blanks where the computer is weak.

O: Have you ever happened on uses of The Sims that have disturbed you?

WW: Not really. There are some fringe things–there were several adult sites for the first Sims, and there probably are for the second one as well. Most of those are things that any average player would probably have to go looking for to find. They weren't things that kids would trip over. I've seen some pleasantly disturbing movies that people have made with Sims 2, but that was the intent, like horror movies that people make. They're not really fundamentally disturbing. They're just kind of spooky-creepy-horror kind of things. No, I'd say, for the most part, not.

O: One of the more interesting choices you made was in making sexuality fluid. Was there a philosophy behind that, or was it a matter or making programming easier?

WW: It wasn't a matter of the programming. One of the things we fundamentally decided when we designed the first Sims was that we wanted people to be able to put in their family, no matter what kind of family it was, without any judgments, like, "Oh, we don't allow those kinds of families in our games." In general, we try to make our games... not as politically correct, but as inclusive as possible. The same thing is true just in general gender issues. The only difference between males and females in The Sims is whether they leave the toilet seat up. Otherwise, they have the same social abilities, the same sexual options, whatever. The idea is that games should promote some sort of gender equality, especially in a game like this, where players are meant to read in and become the authors. If I was doing a specific story, and I wanted to do a game about The Sopranos, and I wanted to convey these particular characters that have these certain biases, that's one thing. But if the game itself is an open vessel that we want the players to pour their own imaginations into, then it feels like we want to put the least number of limitations on that system as we can get away with.

O: What were your goals with The Sims Online?

WW: Sims Online looks very, very similar to The Sims visually, interface-wise, and content-wise. But if you actually sit down and play them, they're radically different games. Whenever you go into a multiplayer game like that, you can't speed up time, you can't be terribly powerful and be able to wield that power over others. Because of these fundamental multiplayer design issues, it ended up being a fundamentally different game. In Sims Online, we were trying to take the familiarity people had with the tools, the characters, and the situations, and build their own environments–basically, build a world out of these tools. That's why there wasn't a lot of content besides the objects and basic architectural tools that we gave them. We left it up to them to decide to build a store, a nightclub, a house, whatever. That was the general gist of it: "How do we get players to build a world?"

O: Did the way it developed surprise you?

WW: It surprised me in a lot of ways, primarily the sexual dynamics that went on. The players took a lot of ownership over it, and some of the social things that went on in the game were very surprising. There was a whole mafia that developed in it, and even though we had tried to keep players from trying to hurt or inhibit each other, they found ways to kind of socially annoy other players, and use that to enforce their mob power. They thought they were protecting the game, because they had this very particular view of how the game should be played, and they were going after what they called "the griefers." It was layer upon layer of these kinds of strange social dynamics that over time started evolving, like coral, on top of each other.

O: What were the challenges to improving on the original Sims when you made Sims 2?

WW: Probably the biggest single challenge was that the core of The Sims' success was that it appealed to people who had never played games before. A lot of women, a lot of casual gamers were playing The Sims. We pretty much knew that we wanted to bite off certain technical things in The Sims 2, primarily like 3D, closer cameras, and facial animation, which all of a sudden puts more of a load on the player–they have to operate a three-dimensional camera. I'd say the primary challenge was, "How do we improve a game with technology that had advanced over four or five years, without closing the door to the new-player experience?" We still wanted people who had never played the original Sims to be able to pick up Sims 2 and start playing it. That was probably the single biggest design challenge.

O: In an old interview with Wired, from around 1993, you theorized that in 15 years of so, online gaming would be the norm rather than the exception. It's 12 years from that interview, and you seem to be half-right so far. So what will it be like 15 years from now?

WW: I think I would actually fall back a little bit from that prediction, and say that online gaming is going to be a big, significant chunk of the entire gaming audience out there. I'm thinking that it may not be the norm; it may be less than half. But over the next 15 years, the thing that's exciting me right now–and I think this will happen a lot sooner than 15 years, probably five or 10–is that we have the ability for the games to inherently become more malleable underneath the player. The game itself can be changing, reprogramming itself, adding new content, adjusting its difficulty, uniquely to each individual player. The game can look at what you do in the game, what you buy, how you use content.

O: Are video games art?

WW: I would say yes. The use of "art" as a term, to me, is fairly meaningless, but I see games as a place where you can do tremendous amounts of expression. I think under most reasonable definitions of art, definitely.

DeSims2.nl has been looking for a new Belgian moderator the past few weeks, and they have found one!

There were plenty of applications, and the mayors would like to thank all the people who responded!

The new moderator is Justmieke. She will be helping out the current team of moderators.

Justmieke: Congratulations!

Tim LeTourneau, Thomas Vu, and Hunter Howe joined us in a chat to answer your questions about The Sims 2 University Expansion pack and share their thoughts about the new items and gameplay included in the expansion.

Check Out The Transcripts!

---

maxiskane (Jan 27, 2005 6:05:06 PM)
Welcome to today's chat! Today we're talking to the Sims 2 Expansion team!

MaxisTim (Jan 27, 2005 6:05:24 PM)
Hi Everyone

TapWater412 (Jan 27, 2005 6:05:32 PM)
Hello Maxis!

MaxisDoctorVu (Jan 27, 2005 6:05:32 PM)
Hi all!

Nick (Jan 27, 2005 6:05:50 PM)
Will any premade families come with the game?

MaxisHunter! (Jan 27, 2005 6:05:50 PM)
Absolutely. Each college town will have some students all ready to jump in and play (just like the neighborhoods in Sims 2)!

beeph4 (Jan 27, 2005 6:06:21 PM)
Are there any new interactions with the expansion?

MaxisTim (Jan 27, 2005 6:06:21 PM)
Absolutely a lot of new Socials and more Self Interactions as well - Streaking is a team favorite

Aphid (Jan 27, 2005 6:06:40 PM)
Will each neighbourhood's University Town look the same, or will Pleasantview's differ from Veronaville's?

MaxisHunter! (Jan 27, 2005 6:06:40 PM)
There will be 3 college towns with the game, all different. You can actually "associate" whichever ones you want with whatever neighborhood you want.

SugarandFluff (Jan 27, 2005 6:06:45 PM)
We love you!

MaxisTim (Jan 27, 2005 6:06:45 PM)
We love you guys too!

Repichan88 (Jan 27, 2005 6:07:55 PM)
Will we need to keep track of the schedules, or will campus transit or something pick them up at the right time for the class?

MaxisDoctorVu (Jan 27, 2005 6:07:55 PM)
Sims will autonomously will walk off to class if they are in a good mood. You can tell what time they need to be at class by looking in their grades panel, similar to the job panel in the Sims 2.

Mikhail (Jan 27, 2005 6:08:00 PM)
Can you marry a teacher?

MaxisHunter! (Jan 27, 2005 6:08:00 PM)
Yep, but only when you become an adult. You can get engaged to one, for sure! Yay grade bonuses!

Kat (Jan 27, 2005 6:09:01 PM)
If a teen is alone in a house with kids and/or toddlers, will they still be able to go away to college?

MaxisTim (Jan 27, 2005 6:09:01 PM)
Yep, they don't want miss the first day of school. But don't worry, the Social Worker takes great care of the kids.

VampiricDragon (Jan 27, 2005 6:09:01 PM)
Will there be any new Life's Big Moments?

MaxisHunter! (Jan 27, 2005 6:09:01 PM)
If by "Life's Big Moments" you mean the little cinematic cutscenes, then yes.

Aninga (Jan 27, 2005 6:10:21 PM)
What types of music can bands play?

MaxisHunter! (Jan 27, 2005 6:10:21 PM)
Jazz, Rock, and Country.

bettybabysim (Jan 27, 2005 6:10:32 PM)
What will be the new NPCs our sims can interact with?

MaxisDoctorVu (Jan 27, 2005 6:10:32 PM)
There are quite a few new characters to interact with from spunky cheerleaders, evil mascots, pushy coaches, lecherous professors, and even a cafeteria lady!

Vandilyn007 (Jan 27, 2005 6:10:35 PM)
I've seen the career reward objects in college town in screenies.. does this mean sims can take them home with them when they graduate? or you just do that for the screenies?

MaxisTim (Jan 27, 2005 6:10:35 PM)
This is more to show off the objects. You really get the objects as part of the careers as Adults, so will really be getting them at home, not during college.

Krabnagel (Jan 27, 2005 6:11:03 PM)
Is the cowplant buyable or a reward?

MaxisHunter! (Jan 27, 2005 6:11:03 PM)
The Laganaphyllis Simnavorii is only available as a career reward.

miacovaspet (Jan 27, 2005 6:11:39 PM)
will students be able to drop out?

MaxisTim (Jan 27, 2005 6:11:39 PM)
Yes, over the phone or computer.

SugarandFluff (Jan 27, 2005 6:11:55 PM)
Can sims die in college?

MaxisHunter! (Jan 27, 2005 6:11:55 PM)
Of course!

formerstormer (Jan 27, 2005 6:12:18 PM)
can different neighbourhoods be associated with the same college town, and can that mean sims from different nieghborhoods meeting at college?

MaxisTim (Jan 27, 2005 6:12:18 PM)
No. Each Neighborhood can have multiple campus towns, but they are not shared between neighborhoods.

timmy (Jan 27, 2005 6:12:21 PM)
I was just wondering...does the major you choose change which of the new careers you can choose from or can you just pick any of them as long as you have a college dgree?

MaxisDoctorVu (Jan 27, 2005 6:12:21 PM)
Graduating from college will unlock all new careers. Specific jobs (new and old) will have major affiliations, where choosing a major will give your Sim level bonuses in their jobs!

_breezy (Jan 27, 2005 6:12:45 PM)
Please answer! how do u use the cell phones and who can use them?

MaxisHunter! (Jan 27, 2005 6:12:45 PM)
Teens, Young Adults, Adults, and Elders can use cell phones. You access your cellphone my clicking on the active Sim, then you get all the normal phone options.

Lemonade219 (Jan 27, 2005 6:13:02 PM)
Will the new age group be only for those who choose to go to college or will everyone have it anyway?

MaxisDoctorVu (Jan 27, 2005 6:13:02 PM)
The new age group will be only available to those that go to college.

thecrypttohell (Jan 27, 2005 6:13:25 PM)
will there be a dvd version of university

MaxisTim (Jan 27, 2005 6:13:25 PM)
No. It is shipping on CDs

Shananasims (Jan 27, 2005 6:13:45 PM)
I saw a zombie in a screenie, can they really go to school?

MaxisHunter! (Jan 27, 2005 6:13:45 PM)
Yes! I'm hoping to someday make a college entirely attended by zombies. Woo!

SugarandFluff (Jan 27, 2005 6:13:53 PM)
What new objects will ship with the game?

MaxisDoctorVu (Jan 27, 2005 6:13:53 PM)
Cellphones, handheld games, musical instruments, new career objects, bubble blower, etc.

ame (Jan 27, 2005 6:14:11 PM)
Will Sims who know each other get to go to the same university?

MaxisDoctorVu (Jan 27, 2005 6:14:11 PM)
Entirely up to you the player.

Kat (Jan 27, 2005 6:14:18 PM)
Can a student visit home, while away at college?

MaxisTim (Jan 27, 2005 6:14:18 PM)
Yes, they can be invited home by their parents. Or they can invite their parents to college to visit them.

beeph4 (Jan 27, 2005 6:14:37 PM)
How long does it take to graduate in sim days?

MaxisHunter! (Jan 27, 2005 6:14:37 PM)
3 Days per semester x 8 semesters = 24 days. If you go on academic probation, it can be much longer.

sunbonnet52 (Jan 27, 2005 6:16:01 PM)
Please tell us the majors and how going to college will effect the jobs already in Sims 2.

MaxisDoctorVu (Jan 27, 2005 6:16:01 PM)
Each major will have specific skills that are required for them. Doing well in these majors will in effect match skills up with the careers that are affiliated with that major. On top of this, graduating with honors will also give your Sim a career boost!

HorseGal090 (Jan 27, 2005 6:16:09 PM)
How long is this chat?

maxiskane (Jan 27, 2005 6:16:09 PM)
The chat last an hour. It will end at 4 PM PST.

Simmasterralph (Jan 27, 2005 6:16:12 PM)
I noticed that on one of the articles that build mode is not available for dorms? is this true and will you include a method to allow us to build?

MaxisTim (Jan 27, 2005 6:16:12 PM)
It is true that Build Mode is disabled in Dorms. There will be a cheat that will allow you build your own dorms, but while the Sims are living in a dorm, many aspects of build mode are disabled. You can still change walls and floors.

checkerball (Jan 27, 2005 6:16:40 PM)
are all the things on the letters home thing on game spy true? new fear and want slots?

MaxisHunter! (Jan 27, 2005 6:16:40 PM)
Oh yes. Students can leave college with 6 Want slots and an extra want lock. It's huge! Don't fail out, though...that gives you an extra fear slot.

Stash (Jan 27, 2005 6:16:47 PM)
What are some of the non-college features being added to the game with TS2U?

MaxisDoctorVu (Jan 27, 2005 6:16:47 PM)
Great new build mode include arches, smarter fence post logic, giant doors, and multistory columns!

Guest (Jan 27, 2005 6:17:39 PM)
On a swedish chat, they've talked about a new aspiration. True?

MaxisTim (Jan 27, 2005 6:17:39 PM)
No. But there are many new wants and fears specifically related to college.

afstandopleren (Jan 27, 2005 6:18:12 PM)
Can your sims chose what they study?

MaxisDoctorVu (Jan 27, 2005 6:18:12 PM)
Yes, all Sims start out as undeclared, but you can help them choose what major they want using both the computer and the phone.

Mere (Jan 27, 2005 6:18:18 PM)
can they woohoo with teachers?

MaxisTim (Jan 27, 2005 6:18:18 PM)
Only if their relationship is high enough.

thedeadone (Jan 27, 2005 6:18:24 PM)
when will the chat be posted?

MaxisMojo (Jan 27, 2005 6:18:24 PM)
The transcripts for this chat will be posted after the chat has finished.

TS2- 2 good (Jan 27, 2005 6:19:21 PM)
Will there be any objects directed towards other age groups also?

MaxisDoctorVu (Jan 27, 2005 6:19:21 PM)
A lot of the objects can be used by multiple age groups such as the camera and the other career reward objects.

FamousFerguson (Jan 27, 2005 6:19:27 PM)
can you visit inside other student's rooms? and will you be able to sneak out with them ?

MaxisHunter! (Jan 27, 2005 6:19:27 PM)
Yes, you can go inside other students rooms. They can lock the doors and keep you out, though, if they hate you. And no, Sims don't need to sneak out in college. They can do whatever they want!

simsfreak7 (Jan 27, 2005 6:20:01 PM)
can your sim streak also?

MaxisHunter! (Jan 27, 2005 6:20:01 PM)
Yes. Oh yes. It's pretty much one of the funniest interactions I've ever seen.

Sunnygirl222 (Jan 27, 2005 6:20:39 PM)
QUESTION: Was making the University Expansion more stressful then the original game???????

MaxisTim (Jan 27, 2005 6:20:39 PM)
No. But it was hard to roll right into after just shipping The Sims 2. I think everyone on the team would say that it's a lot of fun making expansions because we really get to do a lot of creative stuff with a system we know works, as opposed to building a new system at the same time. Expansions are a blast to make.

Guest (Jan 27, 2005 6:20:52 PM)
The careers that require college have more pay than normal?

MaxisDoctorVu (Jan 27, 2005 6:20:52 PM)
They are generally more difficult to play in regards to skills and friends requirement, but they give huge bonuses in pay and at the top levels, very minimal required time at work.

The Sim Vlad (Jan 27, 2005 6:21:05 PM)
What are the System requirements for The Sims 2 University?

MaxisLucky (Jan 27, 2005 6:21:05 PM)
You can find the requirements on the website: http://thesims2.ea.com/help/detail.php?help_id=21

dubblesimsnuts (Jan 27, 2005 6:21:21 PM)
Maxis hunter, do you like to woohoo?

MaxisHunter! (Jan 27, 2005 6:21:21 PM)
...

simfantic913 (Jan 27, 2005 6:21:28 PM)
when do they gradulate?

MaxisDoctorVu (Jan 27, 2005 6:21:28 PM)
When they finish their 2nd semester of their senior year.

pinkfluffystuff6 (Jan 27, 2005 6:22:01 PM)
will they be able to buy mini fridges?

MaxisDoctorVu (Jan 27, 2005 6:22:01 PM)
Yep!

bbenjamin311 (Jan 27, 2005 6:22:32 PM)
will the insturments actually be able to be played together as a band or is that picture thats everywhere just strategically taken to make it look like it is?

MaxisTim (Jan 27, 2005 6:22:32 PM)
Yep. That's exactly what they are made to do - play together. And it's incredible. They are some of the coolest objects we have ever done.

beeph4 (Jan 27, 2005 6:23:24 PM)
What are the interactions with the vanity?

MaxisHunter! (Jan 27, 2005 6:23:24 PM)
You can do everything you can do with the mirror (change facial appearance), but the really cool thing is that you can makeover townies! No more ugly neighbors!

lazygirl2014 (Jan 27, 2005 6:23:57 PM)
What's your fav new thing about the EP?

MaxisDoctorVu (Jan 27, 2005 6:23:57 PM)
The camera object rocks! You sim can pose in a variety of crazy poses and you can set them up to stand next to, behind, in front, to the side, at an angle to the posing Sims

daisy72 (Jan 27, 2005 6:24:30 PM)
can sims make simoleans from playing together in a band?

MaxisHunter! (Jan 27, 2005 6:24:30 PM)
Yes. The better the band plays (based on all the members and their creativity skill) the more money you make.

TapWater412 (Jan 27, 2005 6:24:41 PM)
Can one sim live in a dorm alone?

MaxisTim (Jan 27, 2005 6:24:41 PM)
Not alone. The other rooms in the dorm will be taken by others students.

Stud (Jan 27, 2005 6:25:09 PM)
Could you possibly make March 3rd come a little sooner, since you're all super-humans anyway?

MaxisDoctorVu (Jan 27, 2005 6:25:09 PM)
Sure thing.

beeph4 (Jan 27, 2005 6:25:17 PM)
Will there be new outifes?

MaxisHunter! (Jan 27, 2005 6:25:17 PM)
Yes, we have a bunch of new hairstyles and outfits.

KamSim (Jan 27, 2005 6:25:39 PM)
What kinds of housing are there?

MaxisDoctorVu (Jan 27, 2005 6:25:39 PM)
Dorms, greek house and private residence.

Aninga (Jan 27, 2005 6:25:55 PM)
Is there longer hair for guys?

MaxisHunter! (Jan 27, 2005 6:25:55 PM)
Yep!

Aninga (Jan 27, 2005 6:26:14 PM)
I heard something bad can happen to a sim who uses the show bussiness carrer award. What is the bad thing?

MaxisDoctorVu (Jan 27, 2005 6:26:15 PM)
They start to get a huge ego and everyone hates them.

Garfungle (Jan 27, 2005 6:26:15 PM)
What one of the maxis people are in charge?

MaxisTim (Jan 27, 2005 6:26:15 PM)
MaxiodMonkey he/she is our leader. WE ALL BOW TO HIM/HER!!! LONG MAY MAXOIDMONKEY REIGN!!!

Guest (Jan 27, 2005 6:26:53 PM)
are there any cults?

MaxisDoctorVu (Jan 27, 2005 6:26:53 PM)
Cults?… *shifty eyes*

Matt (Jan 27, 2005 6:27:05 PM)
Do you guys have a thing for llamas?

MaxisTim (Jan 27, 2005 6:27:05 PM)
Only MaxisHunter...you know that Woohoo question...

MaxisHunter! (Jan 27, 2005 6:27:07 PM)
Hey!

MaxisHunter! (Jan 27, 2005 6:27:16 PM)
Party foul!

Joey (Jan 27, 2005 6:27:43 PM)
Will the giant cow plant eat it's owner?

MaxisTim (Jan 27, 2005 6:27:44 PM)
Only when hungry...

Bigheadless (Jan 27, 2005 6:28:19 PM)
If you, lets say, start printing money, and get busted, do you get sent to prison or something? Or just kicked out of uni?

MaxisHunter! (Jan 27, 2005 6:28:19 PM)
You get fined, lectured, and they steal your machine. They're really lenient, those Simcity coppers.

Lammashta (Jan 27, 2005 6:28:34 PM)
are there new radio stations?

MaxisTim (Jan 27, 2005 6:28:34 PM)
Yeah, there is a college rock station. And the tunes are awesome.

Anime_Luver (Jan 27, 2005 6:29:59 PM)
You guys have gotten so fast with making games! this expansion pack was started not too long ago, and now its coming out march 3rd! yay! i luv u guys/girls!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

MaxisDoctorVu (Jan 27, 2005 6:29:59 PM)
We love you too!

pinkify921 (Jan 27, 2005 6:30:03 PM)
I heard there's a career that you can resurrect people in, do you have to be at the top of that career?

MaxisHunter! (Jan 27, 2005 6:30:03 PM)
Nope. You get the Ressurectonomitron around level 6 of the paranormal track, I believe.

laeuge (Jan 27, 2005 6:30:30 PM)
Can you milk the cow plant?

MaxisTim (Jan 27, 2005 6:30:30 PM)
Absolutely. Our researchers have actually found that the Cow Plant is the source of the Elixer of Life.

NickC (Jan 27, 2005 6:31:16 PM)
How do we change Townies Appearance? How do we get the townie to the vanity?

MaxisHunter! (Jan 27, 2005 6:31:16 PM)
You get a list of all the townies on the lot, and they come over and sit down if you choose them. Then you get the standard "change appearance" tool.

IRock101 (Jan 27, 2005 6:31:17 PM)
Are there toga parties

MaxisTim (Jan 27, 2005 6:31:17 PM)
Yep.

potterfan2890 (Jan 27, 2005 6:31:27 PM)
Using the paranormal career reward, will people be able to bring back Bella?

MaxisHunter! (Jan 27, 2005 6:31:27 PM)
Bella isn't dead.

Firstsheri2 (Jan 27, 2005 6:32:29 PM)
any new dances?

MaxisHunter! (Jan 27, 2005 6:32:29 PM)
There's the bonfire dance....

cartman (Jan 27, 2005 6:32:32 PM)
MaxisDoctorVu, whats your favorite part of the game?

MaxisDoctorVu (Jan 27, 2005 6:32:32 PM)
I love the dorms. The game dynamic within the dorms is really amazing. There is a ton of activity and surprises around every corner.

Simmasterralph (Jan 27, 2005 6:33:00 PM)
How many Maxis Employees does it take to change a lightbulb (i.e. create an EP?)

MaxisHunter! (Jan 27, 2005 6:33:01 PM)
About 65 or so?

Steph (Jan 27, 2005 6:34:34 PM)
MaxisHunter, what is the moneymaking machine and how do you obtain it?

MaxisHunter! (Jan 27, 2005 6:34:35 PM)
Well, it's actually a new aspiration reward object. You just sit there and print money on it...but sometimes it catches on fire or you get busted. That always stinks.

pinkfluffystuff6 (Jan 27, 2005 6:34:39 PM)
no one can die from a pillow fight right?

MaxisTim (Jan 27, 2005 6:34:39 PM)
Not that we've seen. Of course we're always surprised by the things that happen to the Sims.

Guest (Jan 27, 2005 6:34:50 PM)
How do you study for tests?

MaxisDoctorVu (Jan 27, 2005 6:34:50 PM)
There are variety of ways to build your class performance - term paper, assignments, research, hack grades, and even… woohoo with your professor.

sugarcup24_ (Jan 27, 2005 6:35:16 PM)
the cafes and stuff that will be in the student union, will we be able to have those in our community lots as well?

MaxisTim (Jan 27, 2005 6:35:16 PM)
Uh-huh. All of the community objects added to University work in the base neighborhood too.\

kirk (Jan 27, 2005 6:35:17 PM)
will there be finals & tests?

MaxisDoctorVu (Jan 27, 2005 6:35:17 PM)
Every semester ends with a Final.

maxiskane (Jan 27, 2005 6:36:02 PM)
We have a half hour left in this chat.

simgirl678 (Jan 27, 2005 6:36:09 PM)
Is it true that in this EP we'll be able to have an unlimited amount of floors in houses? If so, are you considering putting in elevators? =D

MaxisHunter! (Jan 27, 2005 6:36:09 PM)
Yes, we will be releasing a cheat for this. Infinite floors....given some of the incredible houses/buildings you guys have made with the floor limit, it's going to be awesome to see what you make with this! Yes, we're definitely thinking of elevators...we know you want em.

Doulcan12131 (Jan 27, 2005 6:36:10 PM)
When the team finishes a project, is there a big party, or does everyone just pass out from exhaustion?

MaxisTim (Jan 27, 2005 6:36:10 PM)
Both

Sesmo (Jan 27, 2005 6:37:07 PM)
When on a University lot...is the game able to tell how many Sims on a lot your computer can handle...or do they appear randomly with no limit?

MaxisTim (Jan 27, 2005 6:37:07 PM)
Yes. The number of Sims is limited by your system performance. We want to make sure you always have the best play experience.

Liv (Jan 27, 2005 6:37:19 PM)
will any more Maxis-made families for the Maxis-made neighborhoods be shipped? I really love the Sims and backstories you guys create. Will we be seeing the Mashugas or Chris and Melissa Roomies any time soon?

MaxisHunter! (Jan 27, 2005 6:37:19 PM)
See, we can't really do that, unfortunately, because we have no idea what you guys have done to the neighborhoods. We'll definitely be bringing you new stories in this EP, though!

Rachelj1616 (Jan 27, 2005 6:37:19 PM)
can people have 3-way conversations...instead of just 2-way?

MaxisDoctorVu (Jan 27, 2005 6:37:19 PM)
Not only 3-way, but how about 4-way, 5-way, 6-way, 7-way… group hang out!

Aninga (Jan 27, 2005 6:37:46 PM)
I read somewhere that the college rock station has actual real life artists. Is that true?

MaxisTim (Jan 27, 2005 6:37:46 PM)
Yes. Several new artists have recorded upcoming releases in Simlish. It's very cool.

Anime_Luver (Jan 27, 2005 6:38:28 PM)
I just went to check my sims cause i left it on...i should have paused it....my teen died somehow when i was away....YOUR CHAT KILLED MY SIM! (or maybe it was the fact that i was too lazy to pause it...)

MaxisHunter! (Jan 27, 2005 6:38:28 PM)
Wow. That's sad. If you get University, you could have the Ressurectonomitron!

ToeNailSim (Jan 27, 2005 6:38:35 PM)
Whos idea was the cow plant?

MaxisDoctorVu (Jan 27, 2005 6:38:35 PM)
Collaborative design effort. It started off being a pod that can rejuvenate a Sim's life to the very lovable monstrosity that you've all have seen.

bonbonruth (Jan 27, 2005 6:39:52 PM)
is that how you get zombies in the game? with the ressurectonomitron?

MaxisDoctorVu (Jan 27, 2005 6:39:52 PM)
Indeed, this is one of my favorite objects. I love making zombie college.

Sims2creations (Jan 27, 2005 6:39:59 PM)
Are there gonna be two different expansion? Or will there be only one that works with both editions (CD or DVD)? MaxisTim said: No. It is shipping on CDs... can those CDs also work with the DVD edition of The Sims 2?

MaxisTim (Jan 27, 2005 6:39:59 PM)
Sorry should be more clear. University will ship on CD's (2). It will work with either the CD or DVD version of the base game.

UberGee1 (Jan 27, 2005 6:40:19 PM)
Oooh, paranormal track, you say? Sounds fun!

MaxisDoctorVu (Jan 27, 2005 6:40:19 PM)
Wait until you see the shamen outfit!

Nadnerb (Jan 27, 2005 6:41:02 PM)
So the Ressurectonomitron (wow, that's fun to spell!) will be able to bring back ANY and ALL Sims that have died in the whole history of our game?

MaxisHunter! (Jan 27, 2005 6:41:02 PM)
More or less. If the tombstone still exists, and you had a relationship with them, you can bring them back.

_Coke_ (Jan 27, 2005 6:41:58 PM)
Is there realy going to be a pool table in university?

MaxisTim (Jan 27, 2005 6:41:58 PM)
Yeah, and it's incredible. Scott Phelps, the animator, is a huge pool player. He poured his heart and soul into that object. I love to just sit and watch them play.

SunnySims2 (Jan 27, 2005 6:42:27 PM)
Im going off to college this year, do you recommend taking University to university

MaxisDoctorVu (Jan 27, 2005 6:42:27 PM)
If there's ONE thing you should be taking to your university, it's this game.

pinkfluffystuff6 (Jan 27, 2005 6:42:35 PM)
i love the idea of the EP... but really.. what makes this EP the best?

MaxisHunter! (Jan 27, 2005 6:42:35 PM)
Playing in the dorms is a lot of fun -- there's always action and lots of people to meet and socialize with. It's a great place for those popularity or romance Sims.

Stash (Jan 27, 2005 6:42:53 PM)
Any new tv stations?

MaxisTim (Jan 27, 2005 6:42:54 PM)
Yep, the Sports Channel. What's cool is that you can throw a sports party and everyone will come over and gather around the set.

unknowen9000 (Jan 27, 2005 6:44:03 PM)
What are some of the pranks?

MaxisTim (Jan 27, 2005 6:44:03 PM)
Water Balloon, Suds in the Fountain, my personal favorite...Setting off the Sprinklers

checkerball (Jan 27, 2005 6:44:40 PM)
Doctor Vu, when you said suprises around every corner....literally?

MaxisDoctorVu (Jan 27, 2005 6:44:40 PM)
I've seen some of the most wild and crazy behavior come out of the dorms, from mascot fights to pranks and cheers. There's no experience like it.

Repichan88 (Jan 27, 2005 6:45:05 PM)
Who is your favorite NPC?

MaxisDoctorVu (Jan 27, 2005 6:45:05 PM)
Evil mascot.

Unkown (Jan 27, 2005 6:45:15 PM)
Can Zombies die?

MaxisHunter! (Jan 27, 2005 6:45:15 PM)
They can't die from natural causes (age)...but you can definitely kill them.

Matt (Jan 27, 2005 6:45:55 PM)
What will the new sprinklers do ?

MaxisHunter! (Jan 27, 2005 6:45:55 PM)
Put a sprinkler up on the ceiling...if a fire breaks out underneath it, it immediately extinguishes the fire.

Safari (Jan 27, 2005 6:46:06 PM)
What will happen if you fail a final?

MaxisDoctorVu (Jan 27, 2005 6:46:06 PM)
Huge reduction in class performance if you miss your final.

ASimWen (Jan 27, 2005 6:46:32 PM)
You guys/girls are AWESOME!

MaxisDoctorVu (Jan 27, 2005 6:46:32 PM)
No, you guys are awesome!

afstandopleren (Jan 27, 2005 6:46:54 PM)
Whow, an evil mascot. Where do you meet him?

MaxisHunter! (Jan 27, 2005 6:46:54 PM)
Oh, she'll find you. She just comes around and causes trouble!

dorian (Jan 27, 2005 6:47:15 PM)
what does the evil mascot do?

MaxisTim (Jan 27, 2005 6:47:15 PM)
Pulls a lot of pranks and generally causes mischief.

SpecialKPuddles (Jan 27, 2005 6:47:17 PM)
How long does class last? Do seniors have shorter days?

MaxisDoctorVu (Jan 27, 2005 6:47:17 PM)
Classes are generally two to three hours long and completely optional.

LeSoleil83 (Jan 27, 2005 6:47:19 PM)
Can our sims marry their college sweetheart?

MaxisHunter! (Jan 27, 2005 6:47:19 PM)
Absolutely. You've got to graduate first, though!

PanzerFusion (Jan 27, 2005 6:48:29 PM)
IS the evil mascot always female?

MaxisHunter! (Jan 27, 2005 6:48:29 PM)
Yes...she's major trouble. Major evil. EVIL!

afstandopleren (Jan 27, 2005 6:48:44 PM)
What whas the most disturbing thing you found while making the game?

MaxisTim (Jan 27, 2005 6:48:44 PM)
The Evil Mascot (a cow) was eaten by the Cow Plant. It was very cannibalistic.

Sims2lovr8 (Jan 27, 2005 6:49:38 PM)
You should make the Strangetown college a zombie one,

MaxisDoctorVu (Jan 27, 2005 6:49:38 PM)
You guy can certainly populate college with zombies and aliens.

maxiskane (Jan 27, 2005 6:49:55 PM)
15 more minutes left in the chat!

krunchy444 (Jan 27, 2005 6:50:19 PM)
How do you join the secret society?

MaxisDoctorVu (Jan 27, 2005 6:50:19 PM)
It's a secret. Don't want to ruin it!

Stephanie (Jan 27, 2005 6:50:21 PM)
MaxisHunter!, do sims age in college?

MaxisHunter! (Jan 27, 2005 6:50:21 PM)
You age in the sense that you become a young adult, and then become an adult when you graduate. But you don't "age" in the conventional sense...you just get through college. Also note that the people back home won't be aging unless you play them.

cartman (Jan 27, 2005 6:51:12 PM)
Please answer! Is there a way to have school spirit? If yes, how?

MaxisHunter! (Jan 27, 2005 6:51:12 PM)
Do the school cheer! Everybody loves the school cheer! Vada Sula Gorn! Vo Gerbits!

micl4sims2 (Jan 27, 2005 6:51:30 PM)
Are juice kegs allowed in dorms?

MaxisDoctorVu (Jan 27, 2005 6:51:30 PM)
Sure, it's just juice.

Andrew75 (Jan 27, 2005 6:51:55 PM)
Can the family come on campus for a visit?

MaxisHunter! (Jan 27, 2005 6:51:55 PM)
Yep!

cartman (Jan 27, 2005 6:52:26 PM)
Can you skip classes?

MaxisDoctorVu (Jan 27, 2005 6:52:26 PM)
You most certainly can!

Guest (Jan 27, 2005 6:52:30 PM)
Why should people not particularly interested in the university aspect of the game buy this expasion? What are you offering them?

MaxisTim (Jan 27, 2005 6:52:30 PM)
With great objects, interactions, NPC's, and features like the Influence system. The University experience is only a part of what this pack has to offer.

beeph4 (Jan 27, 2005 6:53:04 PM)
WIll there be lockers?

MaxisHunter! (Jan 27, 2005 6:53:04 PM)
Yes, there are lockers! They function much like a normal dresser.

poo12 (Jan 27, 2005 6:53:08 PM)
Can you paint your dorm a different color?

MaxisTim (Jan 27, 2005 6:53:08 PM)
Yes. You can't move the walls around but you can definitely change the decor.

Stash (Jan 27, 2005 6:54:05 PM)
When will the next chat be?

MaxisLucky (Jan 27, 2005 6:54:05 PM)
Keep an eye on the website - we'll announce another chat sometime soon!

krunchy444 (Jan 27, 2005 6:54:27 PM)
Define Evil

MaxisDoctorVu (Jan 27, 2005 6:54:27 PM)
adj. e·vil·er, e·vil·est 1. Morally bad or wrong; wicked: an evil tyrant. 2. Causing ruin, injury, or pain; harmful: the evil effects of a poor diet. 3. Characterized by or indicating future misfortune; ominous: evil omens. 4. Bad or blameworthy by report; infamous: an evil reputation. 5. Characterized by anger or spite; malicious: an evil temper.

Doulcan12131 (Jan 27, 2005 6:54:56 PM)
How does the influence system work?

MaxisHunter! (Jan 27, 2005 6:54:56 PM)
Well, let me tell ya. You get influence by doing special "influence wants". You can increase your maximum amount of influence by getting lots of friends. Influence allows you to tell other Sims what to do. Clean the dorm! Do my term paper! (And yes, there's plenty of uses for this back in the home neighborhoods.)

Andrew75 (Jan 27, 2005 6:55:19 PM)
Please Answer! Can you be a freshman, sophmore, junior, or senior?

MaxisDoctorVu (Jan 27, 2005 6:55:19 PM)
You can be all of that throughout university.

Hato (Jan 27, 2005 6:55:22 PM)
MaxisLucky, is that a rootbeer float?

MaxisLucky (Jan 27, 2005 6:55:22 PM)
uhhh.... yeah.... root beer.....

pavlovdog (Jan 27, 2005 6:55:24 PM)
will you be able to have a library outside of the university?

MaxisHunter! (Jan 27, 2005 6:55:24 PM)
Sure. You can build any of the new types of locations we've mentioned back on your home neighborhoods.

krunchy444 (Jan 27, 2005 6:55:39 PM)
Are there multi-sim showers?

MaxisTim (Jan 27, 2005 6:55:39 PM)
Sort of. There is a new wall shower that you can you use to make a gym. Actually the GYM stuff is really cool in general. Lockers, treadmill, new weight equipment and a personal favorite, full-wall mirrors.

imsims (Jan 27, 2005 6:58:09 PM)
What happens when they finish? Is there just a ceremony or is there a party too?

MaxisHunter! (Jan 27, 2005 6:58:09 PM)
You can throw a graduation party, with caps and gowns and all that jazz.

Stephanie (Jan 27, 2005 6:58:11 PM)
MaxisTim , do yuo think this expansion is the bsest yet?

MaxisTim (Jan 27, 2005 6:58:11 PM)
Well it's definitely the best for Sims 2 :). That's actually such a subjective question. There are things that I absolutely love about this pack, just like there are things that I loved about every other pack. I think we have really made something that is truly a Sims 2 experience, it really has somethign for everyone and it's a ton of fun to play with.

Guest (Jan 27, 2005 6:58:25 PM)
Can your professor be eaten by the cow plant?

MaxisDoctorVu (Jan 27, 2005 6:58:25 PM)
Professors are tasty treats.

potterfan2890 (Jan 27, 2005 6:58:58 PM)
Is the evil mascot marryable?

MaxisHunter! (Jan 27, 2005 6:58:58 PM)
Yep.

mr_helm (Jan 27, 2005 6:58:59 PM)
Tim, how do you say your last name? like le-turn-oh?

MaxisTim (Jan 27, 2005 6:58:59 PM)
Not like. Exactly. le-turn-oh

wazup7 (Jan 27, 2005 6:59:03 PM)
are zombies green? what is differnet about zombies?

MaxisDoctorVu (Jan 27, 2005 6:59:03 PM)
Zombies are more blue/grayish. They limp…

MaxisTim (Jan 27, 2005 6:59:37 PM)
Yep, wouldn't be an expansion without them.

Guest (Jan 27, 2005 7:00:06 PM)
it sounds like the university is just fun, but is there anything challenging about it?

MaxisDoctorVu (Jan 27, 2005 7:00:07 PM)
The game is both fun and challenging depending on your goals and how you play it.

Tina (Jan 27, 2005 7:00:49 PM)
MaxisDoctorVu, are you a robot?

MaxisDoctorVu (Jan 27, 2005 7:00:49 PM)
Yep. You see... computers are just a series of 1's and 0's.

Safari (Jan 27, 2005 7:00:59 PM)
Can you love a zombie?

MaxisTim (Jan 27, 2005 7:00:59 PM)
We don't discriminate, you can love anyone you like. But yeah, they are perfectly normal Sims, except for that no babies and no aging stuff.

PanzerFusion (Jan 27, 2005 7:01:35 PM)
What school is the evil mascot from?

MaxisDoctorVu (Jan 27, 2005 7:01:35 PM)
The evil school.

Joey (Jan 27, 2005 7:01:44 PM)
Will there be any little pets like hampsters in the University Expansion Pack?

MaxisTim (Jan 27, 2005 7:01:44 PM)
There is a big pet that looks remarkably like a cross between a cow and venus flytrap.

SimsAnnon (Jan 27, 2005 7:02:18 PM)
What happens if your cow plant eats your prof?

MaxisDoctorVu (Jan 27, 2005 7:02:19 PM)
The professor dies and the cow plant is ready to be milked.

Schweighsr (Jan 27, 2005 7:02:48 PM)
Can Zombies play in a band? [I'm really curious about Zombies]

MaxisHunter! (Jan 27, 2005 7:02:48 PM)
Yes! That's a great idea! I'm totally going to make a zombie band. Like, "Hunter and the Decomposers" or something.

cdpengin (Jan 27, 2005 7:03:33 PM)
What are these lifetime goals I've been hearing about? Is it really true that you can have "permanent platinum mode" or is that just a myth?

MaxisDoctorVu (Jan 27, 2005 7:03:33 PM)
Totally true. Permanent platinum mode!

MaxisHunter! (Jan 27, 2005 7:03:43 PM)
Permanent platinum is great.

Kitten01 (Jan 27, 2005 7:03:51 PM)
What can the new camera do?

MaxisTim (Jan 27, 2005 7:03:51 PM)
Glad you asked. This is such a cool object. It works like the easel, but you can get the Sims to pose in front of it in some great positions. I had a blast covering my walls with snapshots.

dvdfrager (Jan 27, 2005 7:04:09 PM)
Do zombies have personalaty?

MaxisHunter! (Jan 27, 2005 7:04:09 PM)
They do have a special personality. They're mean, sloppy, and generally unpleasant. But we love them!

maxiskane (Jan 27, 2005 7:04:18 PM)
That's all the time we have today. Thanks everyone for joining us for The Sims 2 University Expansion Pack chat!

Guest (Jan 27, 2005 7:04:22 PM)
What kind of milk does the cow plan provide???

MaxisDoctorVu (Jan 27, 2005 7:04:22 PM)
Milk that provides extended life essence!

maxiskane (Jan 27, 2005 7:04:39 PM)
Bye everyone!

MaxisTim (Jan 27, 2005 7:04:40 PM)
Bye Folks. Talk to you again soon.

MaxisHunter! (Jan 27, 2005 7:04:42 PM)
Yay! Thanks for coming everybody. Was great talking with you as always!

MaxisDoctorVu (Jan 27, 2005 7:04:43 PM)
Bye all, thanks for hanging out with us!

maxiskitty (Jan 27, 2005 7:04:44 PM)
bye bye all!

MaxisHunter! (Jan 27, 2005 7:04:48 PM)
Byee

"Today GameSpy kicks off an ongoing series chronicling the adventures of a Sim attending The Sims 2 University. She's pretty busy with classes, but has graciously allowed us to publish her correspondence from inside the game."

Read The Letters

---

Sims University: Letters Home

By Dave Kosak

What better way to see the upcoming Sims 2 expansion pack than through the eyes of a Sim herself? We peek in on her correspondence!

Today GameSpy kicks off an ongoing series chronicling the adventures of a Sim attending The Sims 2 University. She's pretty busy with classes, but has graciously allowed us to publish her correspondence from inside the game. This week she talks about campus life, including how she got into a Sorority. Read on for new details about the upcoming expansion!

Dear Mom and Dad,

Well, I finally made it to campus and I'm in one piece. It all seemed to happen so fast! One moment I was a teenager living with you guys, and then we all got that dialogue warning that if I wanted to go to college I should enroll soon. Suddenly all those grades I was getting in high school actually meant something: I really busted my butt to keep that A- average and get a good scholarship.

It wasn't the same for everybody. Not every Sim can get into college, since you need passing grades, but judging by the crowd here I don't think Sim State is too picky. There's a guy who lives in the dorms with me -- everyone calls him Grubs -- who walks around shaking hands with joy buzzers. The other night I caught him chucking water balloons off the porch. But I'm getting ahead of myself.

You should see how grown up I am! My face hasn't changed -- except no more acne, natch -- but my body has nearly the same build as an adult. It all seemed to happen so fast. One minute, you were waving goodbye on the doorstep as I drove off in a cab. The next thing I knew, I was in the Sim bin for Sim State, all grown up and ready to move in.

Gotta run -- Grubs is trying to get my pudgy roommate to play pool with him, and she's insisting I come along. I'll tell you all about the dorms in my next letter.

---

Dear Mom and Dad,

By getting good grades I scored a pretty decent scholarship. That means I have some more simoleons to use as spending money than some of the other students. Still, I'm not loaded, so instead of buying one of the small off-campus houses I decided to nab a space in the dorms.

Here's how it works: I clicked on a dorm to move in, and found that the place was already going off the hook. I chose the largest of the dorm buildings, and it's three stories tall, with something like 15 students living here. Everybody gets their own room, and I scrambled to claim one as my own. I chose a corner room by clicking on the door -- just like that, my picture appeared on it, and the room was mine! The admissions department here is top notch.

I gotta tell you, there wasn't much to brag about when I moved in. Just a bed and a desk, pretty much. That's where that scholarship money really started to come in handy. I painted the walls, bought myself a nightstand, a dresser, and a more comfortable bed, then hung up some posters. Oh, and an alarm clock, so I'm not late for class. Since I live in the dorms, I can't move the walls or anything -- in fact, most of the "Build" mode is pretty much off-limits here. But I'll manage.

My dorm is awesome. There's a library on the lower floor, along with a cafeteria. One of the perks of dorm life is that the cafeteria lady comes by at mealtimes and stocks up a lunch counter. It's all-you-can-eat, which probably explains how my dorm-mate gained that Freshman 15. She says she'll work it off at the campus gym, but every day her and Grubs blow the whole afternoon at the student union.

But I'm getting off topic. What makes the dorm great is that there's so much going on. There are almost always as many as ten students wandering around, and then there are constant visits from professors, cheerleaders, some of the sorority girls I was hitting it off with, even the school mascot. It can be hard to get things done with Grubs and his cronies playing Kicky-bag in the hallways, but it's kinda fun.

Speaking of grubs, he's pelting the school mascot with water balloons. I'd better go. I'll tell you all about the campus in my next letter...

---

Dear Mom and Dad,

I've really settled into the rhythm of life here. I have classes every day -- usually for just a few hours -- which gives me time to roam around the campus.

Sim State is as big as Plesantville, where I grew up! The campus is its own little community. It's a mix of classic University buildings and more modern houses, with a lot of parks and trees. I'm glad I went here. La Fiesta Tech looked promising, but I don't think I could go to school in the desert, no matter how modern the facilities are. Then there was the Academie Le Tour, the Eurpoean-style university, but it looked a little too stuffy for me with its old vine-covered buildings. Plus, you know, no Frats or Sororities were there. No, Sim State was really the place for me.

Aside from the dorms (there are several of varying sizes), there are also a handful of Fraternity and Sorority houses on campus. Some of them are huge! There's a student center, with pool tables and arcades. A lounge, where everybody hangs out and drinks juice. And some stores where I proceeded to blow the rest of my scholarship money on clothes.

There's also a huge library. I really should spend more time there -- when you study with other students, you get a group study bonus, which means you get your work done faster. And better grades, too. Grubs and my dorm-mate go there all the time, but I'm pretty sure that they just make out on the couches in the reading room.

Speaking of my dorm-mate, she finally decided to take drastic action. She had these pudgy chipmunk-cheeks for the longest time, but she just blew a wad of cash on a "makeover machine." Look, hey, I don't know how it works. I just know that it does. She stuck her face in there and a supermodel came out. No, don't worry, I'm not going to try it. My face is staying right here on my head. But it's pretty crazy. Needless to say, Grubs is stopping by a lot more often.

Speaking of which, dorm life is really starting to grate on me. I could lock my door, which would shut out everyone, but I usually leave it open because I love having people hang out in my room. But this afternoon I found a crushed up pizza box next to my bed, and found my cordless phone down in the study room. What up with that?

---

Attention Parental Units:

I finally just got fed up with living in the dorms. Sure, I loved hanging out with people, but when I went to go to sleep last week and found Grubs crashed out in my bed it was just too much. We uh -- how do you guys put it? -- exchanged words. Four letter words. Then he hit me with a water balloon and all the guys in the hall were cracking up. I had to get out of there!

I'd been having a good time with some of the girls in the Sorority right down the street so I decided to give that a try. Turns out that rushing a sorority is a cakewalk. I just got on my phone -- once I found it -- and called them over. The whole Sorority showed up at the dorm!

I had just a few minutes to talk to them all and impress them enough that they would invite me. I pulled out all the stops. I ordered some pizza, we played video games. Things started to get pretty wild. I thought Grubs was going to ruin it when he showed up, but then he started making out with one of them, and that was great, until my dorm-mate showed up and they got into a fight -- well, I guess you could say the party was out of control. The pillow-fight rocked. Anyways, I was like a little social butterfly. By the end of the evening, I was in the Sorority!

Now, you can be a part of a Sorority and not live with your sisters, but I had to move out of those stupid dorms as soon as possible. I sold my stuff and then called up the Sorority house to move in. One taxicab-ride later, and I had new digs!

My sisters and I, we've got a whole building to ourselves. It's a renovated old Victorian mansion. You should see the fireplace! Only eight of us live there, and we can still claim rooms as our own. I've got a nice one with a bay window on the second story.

So, the thing about living in a Sorority house, is that we can completely remodel the place. The Build Mode is totally open to us! We can add or remove walls, change around all the public areas, you name it. I'm trying to convince my sisters that we need to put in a patio and a hot tub downstairs.

The only problem is there's no cafeteria here, so we gotta fend for ourselves. Speaking of which, I gotta go -- Maryanne is about to attempt to make mac and cheese again and disaster looms. More on Sorority House life in my next letter!

---

Hey Mom & Dad,

So the whole Sorority thing rocks. Grubs was so impressed by our digs that he said he's thinking of starting his own Fraternity. You can do that! All it takes is a phone call to the campus, and you can register your own Fraternity or Sorority, then move into a house. That's awesome.

But I'm happy right here. Greek life has some serious benefits for Sims. For one thing, there are other pledges that I can boss around and tell to do things -- I can make them clean up the common room or cook dinner. I can even make them do my homework. Not that I would.... unless I had a date.

Another advantage is that you get special abilities after you've rushed. For instance, I can now sleep on the floor and still get a good night's rest. That's pretty handy after a wild party -- although I guess I shouldn't be telling you that.

Speaking of parties, we threw a mean toga party this past weekend. I swear half the campus was there. A bunch of the guys from the local frat busted out instruments and started to jam together. Oh no, I'm not saying they were good. But we had a wild time. Then a pillow-fight erupted between me and the school mascot, a giant llama.

After that, things got out of hand. All the girls screamed when, through the windows, we saw a streaker run by. He even circled our back yard. Yep, I'm afraid Sim State has a serious streaker epidemic. I wasn't really bothered by it, though. I leaned out the window and yelled, "Grubs! You put your clothes back on!"

Yah, he hangs out at the Sorority all the time. He's bouncing between the sisters here like a ping-pong ball. Me? Not interested. I tell him to talk to the hand. Which he does, because, you know, Grubs is weird.

---

Dear Mom and Dad,

I did it! I'm no longer a Freshman!

I suppose I should explain how the semesters work? Basically my four years of college here are broken up into Semesters, two per year. Each semester I get a different class. Only one class per semester -- easy!

I'll talk more about the types of majors that I can study in another letter. Suffice it to say that Freshman year wasn't too hard. The best part is, now that I'm finished with the second semester, I get a reward! By completing my Freshman year I get an extra 'want' slot. You and dad only have four, because you never went to college, but as of now I have five. That means it'll be easier for me to earn points later in life.

After my Sophomore year, I'll be able to change my life's aspiration if I want. After my Junior year I'll be able to lock in two of my wants at a time, instead of just one. And when I graduate altogether I'll get yet another want slot. Life will be a breeze after that!

I understand that if you get expelled from Sim State you'll get an extra fear slot as a penalty. Don't worry, I'm nowhere close to that. But Grubs, well, I dunno. He's a real slacker. When he's not eating our food at the Sorority house he's watching the new Sports TV channel at the Student Union. I'll be surprised if that loser gets out of here in one piece.

Gotta go -- another year starts right away! No such thing as Summer break at Sim State, I guess. Love you, and keep writing!

Stay tuned to GameSpy for more letters home in the coming weeks!