Yet another student household... much as I like playing at college, I also like the change between different kinds of household, and right now it feels as if I've been playing students for quite a while :-) Never mind; it is the Tri-Var Sorority's turn.
They are a chartered Greek House at Desiderata Valley's Sim State Uni, and the outside of the house fits the inside as well as its resdients. According to Maxis, the sorority "may be the nicest Greek house on campus but with sisters like Heather and Brittany will Tiffany be able to convince anyone else to join?".
On the ground floor is a spacious hall with a staircase. Off the hall to the left is the lounge with a fire place, comfortable chairs, a chess table and a piano. A door leads to a room with nothing but the sorority letters on the wall. I have yet to understand the function of this room. On the other side of the hall are a dining room, again with a fire place, and the kitchen. In the hall is a small cloak room.
Upstairs are seven bedrooms with a total of nine beds - not that nine people could live here without a hack or mod; we all know that eight is the maximum number of household members. Two bathrooms (with no shower) and a small sitting area with a fireplace and a TV set complete this floor. There is only one computer in the house, which is alright as long as there are only three sisters living here, but there is no bookshelf to be found, and that is definitely needed.
Here is Heather Huffington, the reason why we are here. She is a typical Romance Sim with the lifetime want of having 20 lovers, and quite fittingly, she is majoring in Drama. As the game begins, she is in the very early stages of her Freshman Year. Her bio reads: " 'So many parties, so little time' are the words Heather lives by. Though she could probably win over any guy she wanted, her sights are currently set on the local nerd, Martin. It's a conquest thing."
The other young woman here is Brittany Upsnott, a Sophomore. I am going to focus on Heather, of course, but Brittany will still be directed to the point of having all her skills, writing her term paper and making at least one phonecall every day in order to establish and maintain friendships.
Last but not least, there is Tiffany Sampson. Like Heather, she is at the beginning of her Freshman Year. And that's where the similarity ends - she is a typical Knowledge Sim and not at all interested in parties and romances left, right and centre.
Heather needs to learn a cooking skill point, but she also needs fun. Therefore, she watches the cooking channel on TV for a while. Maxis have not kept in mind that Sims need to face the telly for watching it - the settees are all placed wrongly, and so Heather has to watch standing.
It's only one skill point for now, and she quickly can move to her next one, which she can acquire sitting down. By the look on her face, she had no idea how fascinating mechanics can be!
The three "sisters" don't know each other very well yet, and so a meal provides a good opportunity.
Jimmy Phoenix, another playable student here, walks by and is greeted by Brittany. She must tick at least some of his boxes, as he instantly begins to admire her (and no, he is NOT touching her breast - it only looks that way).
Before the day is over, Brittany finishes her Term Paper.
Tiffany is second to write her Term Paper.
The next morning, Heather wakes up well rested. "I guess I'll write that old term paper some time later today..." she thinks.
Brittany is so hungry that she grabs a slice of yesterday's smelly pizza - in spite of there being a full fridge in the kitchen.
Heather hopes for a love letter or three, but all she finds in the mailbox are bills.
Brittany finally sees sense and makes sandwiches for everyone, while Heather lights the fire in the dining room.
She spots one of their professors walking by and rushes out to greet him. First, it can't harm her grades to befriend a professor... and second, she needs to collect potential candidates for her list of 20 lovers.
It is still the same day when she finally does sit down to complete her Term Paper.
Brittany and Tiffany don't seem to get along very well, but minutes later, I see Tiffany apologise to Brittany, and then they do the school cheer together - all on their own accord.
Their end of term exams are scheduled for today, and just as Heather and Tiffany sit down at the chess table to listen to Brittany's piano play, the campus coach arrives and bullies them into working out.
No problem for our Heather!
Their workout session is cut short when they have to go to their exams. All three pass with A+, their names on the Dean's List and the full grant.
With the start of their second semester together at the sorority house, the members make a conscious effort to get to know each other better. Brittany and Tiffany chat over their Mac & Cheese while Heather is at class.
Later, Tiffany works out to the aerobics program on TV in order to get the body skill required this term.
Heather prefers rope skipping in front of the stereo to achieve the same end.
The next day, Heather invites Martin Ruben over and finally reaches that all-important milestone of having her First Kiss - amazing that it took her so long! As you can see, she is now in love with Martin, while he still only has a crush on her. Never mind, he has just become the first name on her list of 20 lovers.
Meanwhile, Brittany has completed her Term Paper.
Martin has brought his housemates along. Allegra Gorey and Jane Stacks do not seem to be the ideal candidates for pledges to the sorority, but the girls get along well enough, at least for the duration of their meal.
Heather then has to go to class, but Martin and the girls stick around. The young man even takes it upon himself to take the rubbish out - nobody has asked him to, he is just a really nice guy.
On coming back from class, Heather meets and greets Sam Thomas. Could she become a "sister"? Time will tell. Anyway, Heather's mind is still full of Martin and their first kiss.
The visitors have spontaneously set up a study group, it seems - even Sam joins in! (This really happened without me doing anything.)
Upstairs, Heather has finally pressed "send" on her term paper. Now her fun is really low.
Tiffany is last to complete her paper; she has obviously been thinking it all through very thoroughly, Knowledge Sim that she is.
Now that everyone is set and does not need to worry about their upcoming exams, the girls chip in for a taxi to take them to Campus Lounge.
To my delight and dismay, I find that the man working behind the bar is called Alec Riley. Delight because of his surname, obviously, and dismay because my Sims are unable to ring NPCs just for a chat ever since I switched my game to this computer.
Jimmy Phoenix is here, too, and seems to be quite smitten by Heather.
They later "happen to" sit near one another at Alec Riley's bar to eat the hot dogs Brittany has just grilled outside.
Later, over a game of pin ball, Heather explains all about the sorority, with Jimmy politely feigning interest.
But Jimmy is not the only one to be interested in pretty Heather - Kevin Beare, who is already best friends with her, likes her a lot, too. And indeed, he becomes the 2nd name on Heather's list shortly after this picture was taken.
Downstairs, Brittany is unaware that she's being watched by the Unsavoury Charlatan... creepy!! I send the girls home right away, and the Charlatan goes without spoils this time.
Relationships between the "sisters" are improving steadily. Tiffany expresses her wish to be best friends with Heather.
With Brittany, she engages in a water balloon fight, resulting in them being friends, too.
Then, with her housemates at class, Heather invites Castor Nova and his frat brothers over. While she waits for them, another townie student walks by and is of course greeted by her, too - she will grab any chance she gets to add another potential candidate to her relationship panel.
It is the first time Heather and Ashley set eyes on each other, and finding out they are 3-bolters, it is hardly surprising to see how well they get along. Will he be the man she'll settle with eventually? It's early days yet, but a definite possibility.
"Girls... girls! This pizza is fresh and hot, do put the pillows away and come in for a slice!"
That same evening, Professor Kody was passing by and greeted by Heather just before she needed to go to class. Unfortunately, the professor seems to be a rather unpleasant man and has nothing better to do than to annoy Brittany. She gives as good as she gets, though...
...and soon, a fisticuff between prof and student ensues!
Super-fit Brittany wins easily. I hope this won't harm her grades!
The last day of the semester dawns when Heather has breakfast - the choice between smelly old and relatively fresh pizza is a no-brainer :-)
She's been wanting to throw a Toga Party for almost all this year, and so I finally have her invite some actual and potential friends over: Sam Thomas, Kevin Beare, Castor Nova, Jimmy Phoenix and Allegra Gorey. Even Allegra, who according to her bio couldn't care less about sororities and all that, comes wearing a toga.
It is a chilly autumn day, though, and later everyone puts on warmer clothes. Allegra finds Kevin attractive, and I carefully avoid Heather starting or allowing any romantic interaction between the two of them while Allegra is around.
Ty Bubbler is another playable student the girls have not met yet, I believe. He walks by and is greeted by Brittany only an hour or so before they have to head off to their final exam.
The year is over, and all three girls are once again on the Dean's List and receive the full grant. Brittany's fight with the professor has not influenced her grades, and Heather has had her Toga Party after all. She has also scored two lovers AND found a three-bolt man. The Greek House is now on Level 3.
