personal sims 2 gameplay rules: college

[karurawasabi]

So, because 1 year equals 1 week equals 1 season in my game, college naturally lasts for 4 weeks (or 4 seasons). I try to start playing college rounds on the first day of the season (Monday) whenever possible, for easier time management.

Now, with such a loooong time on college grounds, naturally it should be easier for me to make all students learn their needed skills, get A+ on each exam, and still have a little time socializing on the side, right?

Well, not really.

• The skill learning limitation described in the previous chapter still applies to college students, if not even more so. Which means students cannot (and will not) learn skills if they have no wants for it, no hobbies relating to it, or if they for some reason don't autonomously do the skilling thing themselves.
• This makes Knowledge sims generally have an easier time at college while other sims do worse. Pleasure sims especially, considering they often roll wants to skip class (which I will make them do, unless it's a final exam). Fall season gives all college sims an advantage because it makes them roll skilling wants more often than in other seasons.
• Speaking of going to class, I have dizzy's mod that makes going to class a lot more random according to their needs, personality, Aspiration, etc. I will only force sims to go to class if they have the want to go to class, or if it's the Final Exam. Similarly, I'll tell my sims not to go to class if their performance bar is already full (in which case a trip to the class will be a waste of time anyway), or if they have the want to skip class.
• I also have another dizzy's mod (will link later... if I can find it) that makes college research and doing assignment a lot more random. Sims can only start doing a college assignment if they have already attended class prior (I can pretend it's a sort of homework or something), or if they skipped class prior (to make up for it). In all cases, I'll only make them do their assignment if they have a want for it.
• Influencing other sims to do someone else's assignment follows the same rule. The way I do it is usually I'll let my sim start a college assignment, cancel it, put the assignment on an accessible desk, then influence someone else to do the assignment.
• I almost never direct my sims to start college research on their own. They'll have to autonomously do it (with the aforementioned mod, it makes it a lot rarer). However, if there is already a student or NPC (usually the mascots or cheerleader) that is already doing college research, I can direct my playable student to join them if they have a want for it.
• Students can only do their term paper on the second half of the semester. No reason why, it just feels less cheatier that way, considering doing term paper gives a massive boost to grade. However, students on academic probation can do their term paper on their probation period (if they roll the want to, of course).
• The day after (or before?) the Final Exam is considered a "free period" where students are free to do whatever they please. This is usually when I throw them parties or have them go to a community lot. They can get a headstart on their term paper if they want to, but they can't go to class (I'll just cancel any attempt at going to class). Still trying to refine this rule a bit.