Introduction & Welcome

Good day, class. It is good to see that many of you are continuing with this course. I hope many of you have already worked out an educated judgement on the quality of the expansion that we are looking at.

Today's lecture looks at choosing a major, the new concept of influence, moving new students into a dormitory and making money with the new musical instruments. Our thanks again go to Giselle Jones whose email home we will look at first that helps to set the scene. The handout is in front of you in the pack provided.

More News for Home

Mom & Dad

What did I tell you? Marsha called me on my new cellphone the other night. How did she get my number? Anyway, I said I was going into a tunnel and turned it off.

I don't know if you remember the Rawsons. The family live up the road from us in the Bowen Caravan Park. Kyle and Bidette now have rooms in our dorm. You thought they looked bad in the neighborhood? They both underwent makeovers when they got here ... and now look worse. Bidette has gone green gothic and Kyle has gone mohawk ghost. If I could get my hands on a plastic surgery kit, perhaps something could be done with the shape of their faces.

Kyle stinks ... literally. Ravi says Kyle urinates in the shower and that he finds it disgusting. Ravi went through an entire bottle of Simestos to clean their showers. I am yet to have the misfortune of sharing the showers with Bidette. Bidette was streaking around the dormitory the other day. I nearly brought up my supper when I saw her.

Things are moving on nicely with Ravi and me. I'm not saying we're a couple but we hang around together the most and he has kissed me. Perhaps you'll get to meet him if you call over to see me. He's certainly not one of those "dregs of society" who you put away, dad. By the way, have you put Jack Michaelson away yet?

However, I suppose you might want to know about how my semester exams went?

A+ A+ A+ A+ A+ A+
WHO'S THE BRAINBOX?

I've even made The Dean's List. So many of the other students are jealous of the fact that I made that list. However, I would like to know which smartass in administration set the time of the exam to be 4am. Anyway, I hope I've made you very proud.

I'm pooped and there is barely any time to rest, though. I've finally selected a major and I'm going to do Literature. We're looking at Shakespeare who had loads of words that ended in "~eth". I think you might have heard of him. My first lecture is in 6 hours and I really need some sleep.

After class, I am planning to go to the Student Lounge to get some music practice in. I might even perform and make some money in doing so. It's ok, Dad, I won't send you a demo CD unless you ask for one. There is a piano, guitar, bass guitar and drum kit there. I think I'll try the guitar. Put in those earplugs. Love ... G xxx

Major Choices

You have a choice of ten majors to choose from and have to choose one before the start of your second semester. These majors need the student to have certain skills to help them understand and complete all of the coursework. Each major influences three careers that your graduated student may intend to go into. In some cases, a degree in a certain subject is even a pre-requisite.

Until the start of your final year, you can change your choice of major at any time by contacting the college.

The other choice you have is to be able to drop out, but that might not be such a wonderful idea. You inherit a fourth fear.

Influence

This is how Giselle's control bar looks. Some of the class may be startled to see how far she is ahead. Well, she has already completed her sophomore year and is now in her junior years. She has given us this display to indicate how she is doing and to help us understand the changes to a control bar.

1 - Age Indicator shows she is approaching the end of the first semester of her junior year.

2 - Influence Bar shows she is capable of having a lot of influence but does not have much to use at this time.

3 - Wants have been increased to FOUR following successful completion of her sophomore year. The blue outline to some of them indicates those that will give her some extra influence.

4 - Fears also have a blue outline on one of them (Ravi's death) indicating a negative effect on influence. If Giselle drops out of college, she will acquire ANOTHER fear.

Influence is a new feature that has been added to TS2. As well as having your aspiration points total, you also have an influence total. This has been explained above. The more friends you have, the more influence you have and can store up and the more impressive feats you can influence someone to do.

With enough influence, you can persuade ...

the visiting rival mascot to clean the house

a housemate to finish your assignment

one of "Club Llama" to put soap in the Student Union's fountain

your professor to flirt with the dinner lady or a dorm mate

Those are just examples. Influence does not always work out as the "influenced" might not be capable of doing what the influencer asks. It helps cut corners for busy people who have better things to do than tidy the dorm or do their studies. If you don't use your influence points up, you won't be allowed any more until you've reached the next level of influencer (Ed: Influenza?) by making more friends. The more important the thing you are trying to influence someone to do, the more influence points it will use up. In this case, Giselle influenced Ravi to do her term paper for her for 2,500 points.

Moving In, Moving Out

As happens with all universities and colleges, new students will arrive on campus. In this case, two new students arrived at the Pinenut dormitory. Kyle & Bidette Rawson are also from Regras Gorge. Kyle wishes to study in order to get a head start in the military and his sister Bidette has not made her mind up. Both of them can move into the Pinenut dormitory despite it being full as there are eight rooms but only one "player" sim. Before long, townie students will move out and allow them to take the vacant rooms. If the dorm had reached the "family size" of eight, it would not be an option. You can also merge families in the neighborhood as well.

Giselle could choose to move out. This would put her back in the simbin with her household finances and the value of any furniture and possessions that she has bought.

Playing The Band

Before TS2U, the only musical instrument was the upright piano. Now there are quite a few more that people can play and even make money from. Sims can even dance to try and make a bit of a living. Personally, though, I think that they should study more so they can get a proper day job that they can be recommended not to give up. Guitar, bass guitar and drums now add to a sim's musical repertoire and if you perform, people can put tips in a jar that comes with the instrument. Even the piano now has a tip jar and your sims have the option of playing rock, country or jazz.

To be Concluded

In our final part of this course, we look at how things are affected in the neighborhood and the new careers available. We also provide some enlightenment about the shadowy Secret Society. This series of lectures could run for another month, but I have a larger course that I have to prepare for.

Any questions?

Class dismissed.

Written at 08:28 on Saturday 19 March 2005 by Andy.