University of Wyoming: Sims Edition

 

Cowboy Joe, Pistol Pete and White Hall are just too gosh darn iconic not to build in the Sims, so that’s what we did. We brought the University of Wyoming universe to the Sims 4. 

When you search “dorms” on YouTube, there's always a Sims video not that far down the page. Videos with the titles, “Building Dorms in the Sims” and “Building My Dream Dorm Room in the Sims” always catch my attention and when I noticed the views on these types of videos, I thought, “I think I can build UW’s dorms in the Sims,” so that’s what I did. 

What are my credentials for this type of content? I’m glad you asked. I don’t have many. While I’ve played Sims since its conception on the GameCube, my building skills are not top tier. I’m the type of Sims player that spends hours crafting the perfect Sim, moving them into an already built and furnished home and then wreaking havoc in the Sims world with them. So, that’s where I started. With making the Sims that would eventually move into the dorms – Pistol Pete and Cowboy Joe. 

 

Pistol Pete and Cowboy Joe (Sims Edition) 

Now here’s the thing: I know you’re going to ask why Cowboy Joe looks like a dog. And that’s a simple answer. Because he is. In the Sims. I’m not made of money, and I only buy Sims packs when they’re on extreme discount, so I used the tools I had. There is a Sims pack that has horses called Horse Ranch, but I’m too cheap to buy it, so I used the Cats & Dogs pack to make Cowboy Joe and I think he looks quite horse-esque given the circumstances. I also naturally gave him the traits Stubborn, Aggressive and Hairy. I painted him in Create a Sim for way too many hours so be nice to me.  

Now with Pistol Pete, I personally think I did a great job with the limited Sims content I have. I originally wanted to make his head much bigger and mascot-like, but I promise I made it as big as the game would let me. He’s sported with a cowboy hat and boots, his signature mustache and bright yellow gloves. Pistol Pete’s traits are Outgoing, Dance Machine and Goofball. He also has the Friend of the World aspiration. Both Cowboy Joe and Pistol Pete are available for download and only use three packs.

 

 

 

Starting Small with the New Dorms 

If you didn’t know by now, the University of Wyoming is getting new dorms! The layout of some of the dorms are super versatile, so I thought I’d build the shell of a double room and start decorating to get me in the dorm and building mindset. 

 

 

After I got the base dorm room all squared away, it was time for decorating. I thought it’d be fun to decorate the rooms based on majors, so I decorated for majors like education majors, engineering students, animal science, anthropology and more! I made these fully public, so go take a look at the dorms I already designed or take a crack at designing them yourself. 

 

 

White Hall 

Now it was time for me to put my builder pants on and build what I sought out to do from the beginning – White Hall. This is where I had to face a hard truth: I’m not a builder by any means. If any interior designers or architectural engineers happen to see my attempt, they might politely suggest I pursue other hobbies. Let’s just say the structural integrity of my Sims version of White Hall is questionable at best, but hey, this is the Sims, not a reality show on HGTV. 

Despite my shortcomings, I got it done, and honestly, I think the inside turned out pretty decent. Given the limitations of Sims building tools and my own skills, I made some creative compromises. The dorm rooms and the fishbowl are the only parts that are to scale with the actual White Hall. The bathrooms, however, are more of an inspired by take, and while they don’t look exactly like the real ones, I feel like I captured the general vibe. I even managed to squeeze a bathtub in there, which felt like a tiny victory in itself. All in all, it’s not perfect, but it’s White Hall enough to make me feel proud of my virtual rendition. If you want to see the monstrosity I made, you can find White Hall on the Sims 4 Gallery. 

 

 

 

Extra UW Gear IN GAME 

You thought we were done? Think again. On top of all these builds and dog Cowboy Joe creations, a talented designer on the Institutional Marketing team who also plays the Sims made custom UW gear and swag that you can download and place in your game. 

She made the following items: 

• Several UW themed posters that showcase our campus, logo, Cowboy Joe and more 

• Steamboat pillows in three different colors 

• Pictures in picture frame showcasing Cowboy Joe (shocker), beautiful photography and more 

• UW and Green Dot pencil holders and toothbrush holders 

 

---

Downloading University of Wyoming Sims Content 

How to Download Cowboy Joe, Pistol Pete, White Hall or Decorated Dorms: 

1. Open your Sims 4 game and go to the gallery 
2. Search for one of the following: 
   1. Hashtag: universityofwyoming 
   2. EA Account ID: itsshelbey 
3. Click on itsshelbey’s gallery profile 
4. Scroll and find the items you’re looking for 

 

How to Download University of Wyoming Sims Items: 

1. Go to this Google Drive link 
2. Download the items you want in your game 
3. Place the downloaded files into your Mods folder 
   1. Your mods folder is located in Documents > Electronic Arts > The Sims 4 > Mods 
   2. Don’t put these files in a folder – just straight into your Mods folder 
4. Open your game and go to the gallery 
5. IMPORTANT: Make sure “Include Custom Content” has a green checkmark to the left of it 
6. Search for one of the following: 
   1. Item Name: UW Swag & Gear 
   2. EA Account ID: itsshelbey 
      1. Scroll through and find the room “UW Swag & Gear” 
7. Place the “UW Swag & Gear” room on your lot and you’ll have access to all the items you downloaded and placed in your Mods folder 
8. DECORATE WITH POKES GEAR!