In the articles a lot of old information is summed up again, but a few things are new. For instance the sports party is elaborated on a bit more. During such a party drinks and crisps will be available - of course - while the Sims watch the sports channel. They can watch several sports, including boxing, American football or soccer and probably several other sports. And if they don't agree with the referee's decision, they'll show it. The grade bar is also mentioned. If you keep this green, then there's no problem - the grades are well enough to stay in university. But if it drops to red, it's time to start worrying as being kicked off might happen before you know it. Besides that it also mentions jobs and some fun objects like the cow plant. When bribing Grim Reaper to revive a Sim and you don't pay enough, the Sim will come back as zombie. New info is that the zombie will look blue, and it will be hard for zombies to walk in a straight line. The conclusion is that the expansion brings something new for every kind of player.

The interview Tim tells a bit more about the development of the pack. As told before, Maxis wanted to make a similar expansion for the Sims 1 but there were technical problems which didn't allow that. The Sims 2 on the other hand does - and Maxis has done research at Berkly, a university near San Francisco, close to the Maxis studios. There they checked out what people at the University do and what keeps them there. Even their fashion was closely inspected.

Sims have to go to lectures and such for four hours a day. As this is pretty boring to sit through as a player, Maxis has made this similar to the existing jobs - each major is like a different job. You'll see your Sim leave and return, but you won't guide them all the way. The main part of the expansion consists of things that happen outside those hours, and the strategic element relies on the different ways to graduate.

University is divided in several years. After completing a year, the Sim gets rewarded. The reward for the first year for example, is an extra slot for wants. After the second year the aspiration track can be changed, and after the third it will be possible to lock two instead of one want or fear. Finally, after the fourth year, another slot for wants will be added.

As for earning money, there is of course the option of getting a job, but a college fund - which you might receive depending on your grades - is also nice. The rest of the interview contains old information, including some about the different jobs, the neighborhood that can be customised to your wish, and the lifetime want that'll keep the aspiration bar green. If you want to read the original, German articles, head over to the special.

Written at 12:52 on Saturday, 15 January 2005 by ChEeTaH.