Mac's 'Hood

George Yehsreh ( Tim) and Jen Driann (Jen's self-sim) have survived twin toddlers. Here they are with their children Charlie and Adrianna (now where did I get those names  )


Karyn Tatum ( Elle) broke off her engagement with Colonel Mustard ( to lilipad at MTS2). It's interesting, when using the breakup hack, some aspects of BFF continue. Several times Colonel Mustard was seen stalking her house - but he didn't bring either a knife or revolver   . But he got his revenge, he... stole her newspaper!  


She immediately got engaged with Toni's Kishu Rohini. Now Kishu is at the top of EliseLuong's Pharma Sales career, and Karyn is up-and-coming in the same career. Hmmm... But they do seem very happy together.


Ari's Nora is in the very difficult career Pharma Industry (again by EliseLuong) and recently met Sean Bean (a very early contribution to MTS2 by Ellenaj).


Ulli  (self-sim) came home with Delphy - who now has a baby daughter Delphine


One thing led to another and Huor ( Elle) and Ulli now have a baby on the way. I've used the maternity recolors by BlakeS5678 on MTS2. The program assigns the dresses - and it's green! (Well, sort of, anyway)

Speaking of Uni...
My Sissy gave me all of her old TS2 EPs and SPs, as she is now playing Sims 4.
I have never owned Uni and also got Seasons in the deal, too.
Not sure if OFB was included in the stash...  
Anyhoo, I have heard so many pros and cons about Uni (including the ones I have read in this thread), that I am still on the fence about installing it.
A few folks have told me I am missing out (especially with Seasons), but I'm just not ready to add those two EPs to my game at this time.
It's good to know, however, that I have the option readily available when and IF I DO decide to install Uni and Seasons!

Mac, I still can't get over how different Karyn Tatum looks in YOUR game compared to Elle's and mine.
It's a mind blower!

It appears that Elle's Karyn in both her game and my games are pretty much identical.
Here is a composite image of Karyn in Elle's game (top left), Mac's (top right) and in the bottom half of the snapshot, how Karyn appears in my game.

Mac wrote:

Several times Colonel Mustard was seen stalking her house - but he didn't bring either a knife or revolver. But he got his revenge, he... stole her newspaper!

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She immediately got engaged with Toni's Kishu Rohini.

And a lovely couple those two do make!

Congrats to Ulli and Delphy Sim on the arrival of their new baby girl (Delphine).
Awww! I still love looking at Ulli's lovely self-sim. She's one of my faves!

Thank you for sharing, Mac. I enjoyed catching up in your thread, as always.

A lot of a sims looks are in the hairdo. I think that explains much about the different looks of Karyn T. Much comes also in the play and just when a pic is taken. My (hottie) Karyn is a lot of fun to play.     She couldn't be more different from Nora or, for that matter, Toni's new Celeste.

Actually Delphy is married to Tovia, a creation of Jen's (miss both her and her creations ) and Delphine is their daughter. Elle's Huor (a Christmas elf) is the dad of Ulli's baby to be.

I like a lot of the stuff in the seasons expansion pack although lightning can be lethal if you don't use a hack to make it less so. "Leftovers" is enough to make this pack worth it - makes cooking and eating so much easier. Maybe it's included in some packs that came after seasons, check how your fridges work. It's nice, too, to have the seasons pass, although winter can be demanding on your video card and 'puter. I used to leave winter out of the sequence.

I've never really gotten into all the things that came with OFB - skills and opening up businesses - make the sims seem too much like work!  

Much of one's reaction to Uni depends on one's own college experience. If college was hijinks and rah-rah, go for it, but if, like for me, college was swot, swot, swot, then don't bother. I think that at one time Harvard was very much the former - trust fund kids having fun. By the time I got there it was actually about education.    

There are hacks listed in my thread that minimize the pain of Sims Uni and the duration of a YA's time in Uni.

Two of these expansions, however, come with more careers: Seasons (Architecture, Dance (had to have this for a certain person!   ), Entertainment, Intelligence, and Oceanography), Uni (Artist, Natural Scientist, Paranormal, and ShowBiz). I'm big on careers, and must have around 40 non-maxis ones.

I think even with different hair, your Karyn looks nothing like Elle's original (her facial features aren't the same), which is rather strange, but your Karyn is STILL lovely!
MY Karyn is also a delight to play, too, btw.  

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Actually Delphy is married to Tovia, a creation of Jen's (miss both her and her creations ) and Delphine is their daughter. Elle's Huor (a Christmas elf) is the dad of Ulli's baby to be.

Oops! My bad!

Yes, "Leftovers" came with EPs after Seasons, so I have been enjoying that feature for awhile now.
As far as the four seasons go, I guess I am the same with Sims 2 as I am in real life.
I rather like warm, temperate weather year 'round. Perhaps I belong in Hawaii or San Diego as do my Sims!  
I like that they can play chess and do ANY outdoor activity all year long without concerns about the elements.

The one thing you mentioned that I am MOST on the fence about is the fabulous careers that come with Uni and Seasons.
I think you mentioned the careers that came with an EP that I have (Freetime):  Architecture, Dance, Entertainment, Intelligence, and Oceanography
Seasons came with:  Adventurer, Education, Gamer, Journalism, Law, and Music ... I think!?!  
And Uni brings to the game 4 new careers for college grads: Artist, Natural Scientist, Paranormal and Show Biz (go figure   )

For as much as I like the idea of the above careers in my game, like you said, Mac...
I can always download similar ones from trustworthy, reputable modders!  

Sugah - you're probably right about which careers came with which EP's. I just reached into my stack of Prima guides and probably pulled the wrong book.

As far as I know, I'm not using any pillow hacks. The daybed is an old MTS2 contribution here. You might put the quilts on and see what happens.

Stop the presses!

Ulli and Huor have just had a baby girl, Bronwynne (I was trying for a boy and restored a saved game around 9 times, but the gender must be set at some point prior to birth). Nevertheless, I'm sure that Ulli and Huor will give the little tyke all sorts of love


Who says we don't get involved with our pixel creations?

Huor and Ulli had a very private wedding. It occurred after the birth of Bronwynne. Now the cliche is that Huor "made an honest woman" out of Ulli. I really think that, in this day and age Huor "made an honest man" out of Huor!


Toni's Nicklaus and Ari's Darcy are now engaged and living together.   to both creators! They should make beautiful babies. Darcy is Family/Scorpio Tourism(5)/Arts while Nicklaus is Knowledge/Leo Model(5)/Dance


I've just wound up a season (spring) in my 'hood and am starting a new cycle. As sims get to level 10 in their careers and their kids move out, I've been moving them to a "retirement" neighborhood. I no longer play them, so they don't age, but they still walk by in my main 'hood, can be invited over, and surely will be present for their grandkids. Still, I miss Nerissa and Nathaniel, Jack and Jacqueline, Sugah and Keanu, Toni and Kostos, and... M&M! Elle, Ulli, and Em are still around, though.

The census for my active 'hood is now: 27 single males, 64 single females, 42 MF couples, and 7 FF couples. Waiting in the wings are 14M/10F YA, 2/1 Teens, 2/4 Children, 0/2 Toddlers, and 0/3 babies.

On to Summer!

The cut scenes are cute. I usually have them turned off because they get repetitive and because it interferes with my picture taking. I played for the longest time without them because my old laptop wouldn't support them.

I wonder if there's a hack to get rid of those college NPCs, they are super annoying. I try to ignore them as much as possible. When they aren't around you definitely see less of the college hijinks. The playable students and the dormies don't seem to do as much of that rah rah nonsense that you're talking about.

Jen and George certainly have cute children.

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Several times Colonel Mustard was seen stalking her house - but he didn't bring either a knife or revolver laughin . But he got his revenge, he... stole her newspaper! affraid

I'm glad that's all he did.

I like Ulli's maternity dress. Very cute.

Sugah - I would recommend installing university. Even if you don't like the university part of it, you don't have to send sims there, it's optional. (They do tend to cry about not going, even when there's not an attached college. ) But it might be worth it for the additional objects, careers, hair and clothing options. I could see why you might not want to install seasons though. Personally it's one of my favorites because I enjoy the change in seasons. You do have to watch out for sims overheating, getting too cold, or getting struck by lightening, but those things haven't been a problem for my sims. You do have to be a little more careful though. I think it adds a lot to the game, with fishing and gardening and leftovers. If you decided to install it for the other features, besides weather, you can set the seasons in your neighborhood. So you could avoid winter completely or make it constantly spring or summer if you'd like. There are also mods that will turn off weather. But it seems like a big hassle to go to all that trouble to disable the main feature of the EP. The options are there though to get rid of or tone down some of those aspects. Those are my thoughts on those two EPs, if you wanted another opinion. I agree with mac about OFB, it is lot of work. I like the ability to have businesses, but it would be nice if they would run themselves better and didn't take so much babysitting. I haven't gotten good at it.

Mac wrote:

Who says we don't get involved with our pixel creations?

I know I have, many times.

Bronwynne sure is cute. I also like the picture of Darcy admiring her ring.

Em wrote:

They do tend to cry about not going, even when there's not an attached college.

I remember feeling so bad the first time that happened. I had meant to send the oldest Gavigan boy to college, but didn't get him to the phone in time. I do wish that only the knowledge sims would be upset by not going to college.

Mac, I checked out the link to Fresh Prince's Camelot Wood Daybed finally.
The way it's made, I can see that the 3 decorative pillows would pick up the texture of the bedding or head pillows.
VERY cool! I've downloaded it and will be using FP's daybed in my own game.
Thanks!

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Now the cliche is that Huor "made an honest woman" out of Ulli. I really think that, in this day and age Huor "made an honest man" out of Huor!

LOVE IT!!!  
Welcome, Bronwynne!

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As sims get to level 10 in their careers and their kids move out, I've been moving them to a "retirement" neighborhood. I no longer play them, so they don't age, but they still walk by in my main 'hood, can be invited over, and surely will be present for their grandkids.

I am glad they are still a presence in the hood, even though you no longer play your retired Sims, Mac.
It's neat to know they can still visit old friends and be there for their grandbabies!

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The census for my active 'hood is now: 27 single males, 64 single females, 42 MF couples, and 7 FF couples. Waiting in the wings are 14M/10F YA, 2/1 Teens, 2/4 Children, 0/2 Toddlers, and 0/3 babies.

 

Em, thank you for your feedback on Uni and Seasons.
Your thoughts mirror what others have said (Elle and Mac mainly) and I appreciate what you've shared.
I have not given up on the idea of installing either (esp knowing I can turn off some of the seasons and do not have to send the teens to Uni, if I don't like the experience). Good to know!

Sugah, I know each season is supposed to have some strength or other, but I can never remember what. One is supposed to make sims gain skill points faster, but I can't remember if it's autumn or spring.

I love having seasons, but that's probably mostly because I love the gardening. I also use a calendar that has built-in holidays, and I'll often redecorate a little for each season.

Hi Cher64

Summer: Friendly Socials    have more impact, energy decays more slowly when sims are outdoors
Fall: Learning (increased big time!)    , social decays more slowly when sims are outdoors
Winter: Socials between family members are increased    , hunger decays more slowly when sims are outdoors
Spring: (When a young man's fancy...) Romantic Socials     have more impact, Hygiene decays more slowly when sims are outdoors

Hope these help

Thanks, Mac!

Both Toni's Hogan   and Ari's Ayleth   are in the Classical Music career. This is different from the Maxis music career and is one of several on MTS2. This one gives inventory items at certain promotions. Also has great costumes! Here, he proposed and she accepted.


Ari's Ayleth and LoWisa's Stella are both vets and very much involved with each other. They're both at level 8 in the Vet career. There are several vet careers. This one is a toughie. When they weren't working they were improving their skills and spent 5 days without a career advancement. A good LTW for this career is the no-trump max 7 skills, since they'll be most of the way there at level 10.


They bought a new house together. A brilliant 1x1 by ScaryRob on MTS2 It's the best 1x1 I've seen. It has four open-plan levels: Ground: garage, 1st floor: Kitchen and half bath, 2nd floor: Living, 3rd floor: Bedroom and full bath. Unfurnished at around 40K. Since the rooms are open-plan, it's best suited for a single or couple. Really award-winning exterior architecture. 


Three (count 'em) balconies. Ayleth and Stella both have the science hobby and needed logic as well


Ayleth proposed engagement to Stella and she accepted. BTW, with these two lovely vets on duty, kitties were jumping into their carriers and doggies were whining at the front door with their leashes in their mouths.  


Now and then one gets sims that one really gets involved with and starts to love... Years ago, Nerissa, an NPC captured my heart, was ditched by one guy but found happiness with another. She even survived a neighborhood crash. She and Sugah's Nathaniel had two daughters and are now grandparents.

Now along come two attractiveness-challenged simmies - both in-game offspring of celebs. Germain Depardieu is the son of Gerard Depardieu and Audrey Tautou, and has his dad's schnozz. Agatha Peel is the daughter of Emma Peel and Hugh Laurie and has her own rather unique beauty. Germain was taken with her when he was a teen and she a child. They kept up with each other when he went to college and now that she was in college, he visited and proposed...


And she happily accepted!  


Agatha wasn't much of a hand at cooking, but she did make some subs for dinner. lientebollemeis on MTS2 has contributed some really delicious-sounding subs    as Sims 2 foods (only require lunch meat sandwich skill). In RL, these are served by a deli in his home town. Almost worth making a pilgrimage to Netherlands! He's also contributed a large number of great careers!


The night before finals, she said "Why study, I've got 'em nailed"   So she ditched her single sleep sofa with matching cushions, put a double mattress on the floor and called Germain. It wasn't a study date!



Later on... Then, while he was still asleep, she was thinking "We need to work on this some more"  


She's now an adult and has moved into the main neighborhood. I'm sure that as soon as Germain's thread becomes active, she'll be moving in with him. Then marriage, then kids... That should be interesting!

Congratulations on all the engagements and marriages! Your sims seem very happy.

I downloaded the Classical Music career a while back, but I hadn't seen the Vet career. I'm going to check it out.

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Then marriage, then kids... That should be interesting!

 I, uh, look forward to the pictures. I think.

Oooohhh... Classical Music Career... I like it! Thank you for the link, Mac!
It requires University, BonVoyage and Freetime (because of the selected inventory items), so maybe it's not compatible with my game, since I don't play with Uni?!?
I'm gonna have to check that 1 x 1 lot out by ScaryRob, too.
I like the idea of three balconies and an open floor plan. Thanks!

Ayleth and Stella are a stunning couple. Beautiful pair!

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...with these two lovely vets on duty, kitties were jumping into their carriers and doggies were whining at the front door with their leashes in their mouths.  

I have no doubt!  

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Now along come two attractiveness-challenged simmies...

To put it VERY mildly, good sir! EGADS!!!

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Then marriage, then kids... That should be interesting!

It just goes to show ya... There is someone for everyone!  

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It wasn't a study date! ... (PG interlude)

Haha! Oooh la la!

Sugah wrote:

It requires University, BonVoyage and Freetime (because of the selected inventory items), so maybe it's not compatible with my game, since I don't play with Uni?!

I'd give the career a go anyway. Uni does have a few musical instruments (which are the career awards - ongoing at several levels).

I don't really know what would happen if one of them were called for and uni wasn't there. They don't appear with the usual career awards but just show up in inventory.

lientebollemeis has a classical music career here which might suit your taste better. For some reason a hack (which one ) I use disables his many great careers. His classical music career looks really good!

Do check out ScaryRob's 1x1. I've tried several over the years and really like this one. My guess is that ScaryRob is an architect in RL.  Do bear in mind that the lot wouldn't work too well beyond a single or a couple.

Mac wrote:

lientebollemeis has a classical music career here which might suit your taste better. For some reason a hack (which one ) I use disables his many great careers. His classical music career looks really good!

I'm thinking I may try that one out, since it doesn't mention musical instruments that might've come with Uni, Mac.
Better safe than sorry. I think Lientebollemeis' Classical Music Career only requires base game!

Lots going on in mac's 'hood... Gillian Murphy and Ethan Stiefel ( Toni) have a new daughter, Natalia

And the family that dances together stays together!


Meanwhile Toni's Damien and the stunning Carolyn Cole ( Elle) got married

And they have a new daughter, Kitty Cole (I had to crop this picture - sometimes the wrists appear unnaturally thin, so crop 'em out) Still a very loving pic of mom and baby  


Rohan, the son of Beren Erchamion and Luthien Tinuviel and Clarissa (by Birdgurl) became engaged. He was just out of univ and she's been around for a while, so she popped the question!


Benjamin May ( Ulli) and Anna Lisica (by Lisica022 on TSR  ) are also engaged. Benjamin is Knowledge/Scorpio Pharma Industry/Science while Anna is Family/Pisces Pharma Sales/Arts. Lucky the pharma company that lands the two of them  


The social event of the season was another pirate wedding - Ari's Miranda Moon and Brendan (aka Jean Lafitte)     They're both pirates (both at level 7, quartermaster). They had their wedding on the beach at Cher's new beach house: Kingfisher.   Note that since the wedding was a nighttime affair, some of the pictures are a bit dark.
 
Pirate lasses sometimes take the initiative!  


Jean toasts his new bride


The wedding buffet on the porch looked so nice that I had to take a picture of it. All the pirates went indoors to eat.


And here they are... Jean in the pink with his back to the camera, then Zoe (dancing girl, honorary pirate, married to Brendan Teach), then Miranda - the new bride, Jacqueline Sparrow, Jack Sparrow, and Brendan Teach. All except Jack Sparrow are by Ari.


Jack and Brendan enjoy a joke: "How do you tell the bride at a pirate wedding?"  "I don't know, how do you tell the bride at a pirate wedding???"  "She's the one with the rhinestones on her eye patch!"  Arrr   Arrr   Arrr  


After all the guests left, Miranda and Jean had a quiet time together around a beach fire.


They wasted little time (and the child of two of Ari's sims will surely be stunning). Miranda's waiting her moment relaxing on the beach.


They have an new daughter, Svetlana. I picked the name of an Artist in St.Petersburg, Russia, who inherited her late mom's kitty and has put it in all sorts of art classics - from renaissance painters, thru impressionists, thru moderns. We actually have two of her reprints framed and hanging in our new house (the Manet and the Hokusai). For a lot of fun, check out her website

Jeremy Gique wanted to be sure of one of the very prettiest sim offspring ever... Ruth Aster (daughter of two of Ari's simmies    ) so he proposed and... she accepted!


They had a very quiet wedding - just the two of them. But that didn't mean she didn't get to wear a beautiful wedding dress


Ginny Genni is the daughter of Giada (Jen   - we miss you) and Toni's Neil   Here she is as a child with her mom.


She's turned into a very pretty teenager and is now off to college - a future dancer! In the background is the start of a self-portrait she was making when she was a child.


Ari's Leaf, who became smitten   with Toni's Lana, broke off his engagement with Blossom ( Elle). But soon Blossom found true - and lasting - love with the celeb Sean Bean


All sorts of engagements between born-in-game sims. Fred is the son of Toni's Wil and Maeve (from SimTR). Shirley is the daughter of Geoff Webster ( SimPly Edward, I think) and the celeb Julianne Hough.


And Kane Sugah (son of Sugah's self-sim and Keanu Reeves) and Lily Potter (daughter of the celeb Harry Potter and BeckyLynn's Vanessa) became engaged. Looks like Sugah will have some grandchildren at last!


Toni   just contributed Thomas (I'm using him - minus the hat, which doesn't work too well with other clothing) He's Knowledge/Taurus Military(doh)/Culinary. I set him up to be the perfect match for Crystal Sugah, Sugah and Keanu's daughter, then put him into a house next door. You can see the result!



They soon became engaged. Thomas popped the question during breakfast. Dr. Sandra Bullock didn't seem to notice - even when he had his hand in her breakfast plate


But Thomas knows he has to make a good impression on Crystal's dog Honey. If it's "paws down", it's all over!


Thomas passed the Honey test and he and Crystal had a bit of a snuggle while Honey was left to her own devices...


BAD DOG!    

Wow! All these engagements and weddings and babies! So much excitement!

Thrilled to see my simmies' next generation (Neil's daughter) and tickled pink by Thomas and Crystal's relationship. I'm thinking Honey might be a bit jealous! Is it like her to knock over the garbage can?!

Mac wrote:

Dr. Sandra Bullock didn't seem to notice - even when he had his hand in her breakfast plate

That made me giggle out loud.

So much going on in your hood, Mac! You took great pictures and I love all the happiness in the air.

Agatha Peel moved in with Germain Depardieu. Here they're entertaining visiting neighbors: celebs Luthien Tinuviel and Beren Erchamion, and Clara Bloom, the born-in-game daughter of Orlando Bloom and Ari's Lilah


So many of the lovely ladies contributed on this site are, quite frankly, DDG (drop-dead-gorgeous  ,   to all their creators). Agatha Peel is the daughter of two celebs: Emma Peel and Hugh Laurie (aka House). Children of celebs in this game often turn out, shall we say, interesting. She's not DDG, but in her own way, her looks are beautiful, but flawed. In RL, those can be the ones who are the most intriguing. She inherited her looks from her dad.    So did her fiancee, Germain Depardieu, who certainly has his dad's schnozz (He's the son of Gerard Depardieu and Audrey Tautou).  I've really fallen in love    with these two pixel babies and have been very happy to follow their romance and now to celebrate their wedding. They fell in love as children and later on when he became a teen, and really got involved in college (see the top of this page).

Now the story continues... "Dad! Don't worry about me! Comb your hair already!...................................................................."My little boy!"   "Awww Mom!"


"I'm fine, mom! Mom!"   ..................................................................................................................... "Sweetheart, you're beautiful!"   "Dad"  


And so they were married...


Germain toasts his new bride. I don't know what it is about the Champagne, it always seems to attract wedding crashers. NPCs Danielle Lillard (in the purple dress) and Komei Tellerman (hidden) show up just in time. Good for Agatha! She fed Germain very properly and didn't give him a facefull of cake!


"I thought they'd never leave"


Agatha's made more friends, mac - with 2 bolts and maikkij - with 3!


Oh yes... Agatha's now pregnant. But we'll have to wait until next season to see their offspring! This just in... It's Dorothea Depardieu! (Of course all babies look alike)

Mac wrote:

She's not DDG, but in her own way, her looks are beautiful, but flawed. In RL, those can be the ones who are the most intriguing.

I find that to be true for me. I don't usually find a celebrity to be very interesting until they've got a few years on their face. Pierce Brosnan was bland and boring to me until he got older and had some lines on his face. I think Helen Mirren has possibly been one of the most interesting and gorgeous women at every stage of her acting career.

However, I tend to like my sims to be fairly attractive. They don't have to be perfect, though. I'm not going to kill off a baby just because I don't want its genes passed on (my SIL did this once).   She always has an Elvis Presley in her game, but she won't let him breed.

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Comb your hair already!

Cher64 wrote:

I don't usually find a celebrity to be very interesting until they've got a few years on their face.

Funny you should say that... Gibson and Rona aren't celebs, but they do have a few lines on their faces. They're both by Toni   , and I "de-elderated" Gibson to make him an adult. Gibson is Knowedge/Pisces Journalism/Literature and Rona is Family/Pisces RealEstate/Nature. They discovered each other over a quiet dinner.


And one thing led to another...


So he "popped the question"  


And she said "yes"  


They then had a very decorous evening and night together. Very proper, mind you... After all, they're... it's just possible... they might be...   30!  

What's nice is that you know Gibson is going to age well!

Oh my, 30?! They're practically at death's door ...

Cher64 wrote:

Oh my, 30?! They're practically at death's door ...

One of my peeves about the Sims (all versions) is the age classifications. The "adults" are 20-somethings and the next step is the "elders" who limp and moan and wheeze - right at death's door indeed.    Where are the parents of the kids in university? The 40-50-somethings?

The game is obviously aimed at the teenagers and the (very) young adults. And here we are...