#ts4 strangetown: the curious household

[seasonalbeauties]

𝔹𝕚𝕣𝕥𝕙𝕕𝕒𝕪 ℙ𝕒𝕣𝕥𝕪

Jennifer nailed the hopscotch game outside however everyone else seemed a little confused about how she got through it so fast. Nebula's emotional control is beneath the earth due to her Mean trait and poor childhood response and is now having additional trouble controlling her emotions as a teen.

[ciblur]

🎧 they are on track to become my favorite household i love them (lazlo getting up and laughing the moment vidcund start singing lmao) still can't believe i'll be stuck studying for my exams the next two weeks instead of playing them non-stop

[sammyshuno]

Been playing a maxis-match / minimal-CC version of the Curious household in my spare time. 👽

[specter-dollhouse]

just a creepy nurse and her barbie doll

[meirimerens]

do you happen to have any headcanons about pascal curious and nervous subject? or any other sims 2 character for that matter :p

you get answered with anon from like yesterday #oops i had stuff on my plate teehee but Yes.

the nervous subject:

as far as nervous' #deal is i like to go with the Sims 2 For PSP lore that he willingly (or "willingly" - in quotes to express the murkiness of willingness when you're broke as shit) went in with the Beakers because he needed coin. in my head, like many kids who age out of the foster care system, he found himself age 18 not really having anywhere to go (no contact with the family during his stay in foster care), not really having had the best environment to learn any skill, he tells himself well fml 🤷‍♂️ might as well.

related to his 10 active point i think he's strong as shit. does not look like it (macdonalds_napkin_flying_out_of_window.txt). also very endurant - not necessarily fast, but his ass would smoke everyone in a long-distance run because he can just keep going. this is Not A Great Thing in his current #predicament because that just means he recuperates pretty fast from the experiments and so they just keep happening with little downtime.

bruises easily. and a lot because his prioperception is kind of fried so he's got always a blue spot somewhere.

i've #made #him in my ts4 game with a crooked nose and nose scar (which i draw, the crookedness of the nose translates a bit less since i'm always drawing his ass three-quartered) and those i think he got in foster care. even if he exists with 0 nice point i think that's an Experiment thing, he is not truly a Dipshit, but he's very early become quite rowdy. got into a tussle. got his nose broken. "you should see the other guy". this is also very funny to me because one of my OC has that same broken nose+scar deal

on the topic of My OC Has This in my mind's eye he's got tha Y-shaped autopsy scar. hector I Would Like To Award You the Highest Honor I Can Bestow [scars like the weird lesbians of my mind] did not really die, still has it. he understands that's probably a Scary thing for people to see + his ass doesn nawwwt want to deal with the question so when his best fwiend and his two Unsuspecting brothers try to get him to join for a relaxing heatwave afternoon in the strangetown pool he's like "i don't want to take my shirt off [THINKS FAST] because i'm insecure about being bony" and they're like "that's fine man no pressure 👍" [clueless]

le pascal curieux:

on one hand the phrase "gayscal bicurious" i had in the tags of my art once makes me hysterical and i genuinely leep fucking repeating it out loud to myself so often. devilish echolalic sound. on the other it is genuinely funny to me to imagine him realizing years later "why the fuck do i have beef with this guy over his gf i don't even like women 😐😐😐😐🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️". he keeps the beef though makes him feel alive #hatermindset #scorpio

after nervous told him "i have some... weird... living arrangement... and my roommates don't like to hear me play music out loud" pascal started putting songs he thinks nervous would like on an mp3 player. nervous gives it back to him every once in a while and update him on his taste so pascal can add more songs next time they see each other.

now not to get too deep into the politics of the sims franchise's mpreg. a pregnancy narrative hates to see me coming. but in my head... while he's a loving father and is protective and kind and genuinely obsessed with his kid once they're born & tutti quanti towards his little scrunkly... i think he lived the pregnancy pretty Lukewarmly. he knew that it Could happen, but well. the household description does mention "[getting] more than they were "expecting."". i think until halfway there he was like 😬 and then the Weird Scientist Brain kicked in and he was like "this is an Experience". pascal curious I Would Like To Award You the Highest Honor I Can Bestow. Post-Partum Depression (jesting. unless?)

not new of a headcanon because i've drawn it so it's probably obvious I think he's the shortest of the brothers and a Reliable Resident of Stockytown #shawty

bringing together Buddy Erwin Lore and "In his free time, he practices home psychoanalysis" i know the inhabitants of strangerville hate to see him hang out by erwin's Listening Station and psychoanalyzing every word that comes out of the mouth of the people he's bugged #nosy

erwin detour because i have this to say:

he drives a two-toned (orange and white) 1980 chevy k30 crew cab. a beat-up thing that he loves so muchhhh. looks like this (but imagine Oinge and not tan/camel)

speaking of cars i have something for Lazlo:

drives a 1986-1988 buick riviera. a purble one. exactly. i see it for him for the little screen inside #vintage #slay

stoner. with peace and love and zero derogatory tone. he feels it makes him think. it does. tbh i see the three dabbling. you're telling me vidcund has this beautiful greenhouse and they don't grow cannabis in there? you know that post that's like. my homie was making edibles and discovered passion for baking now he's a baker. this did not happen to lazlo he knew how to cook and bake completely independantly. but it helps. they let nervous smoke with them and they see him blink normally for the first time.

Ophelia Nigmos my shayla....

she has a Motorola RAZR V3 for phone. it is DECKED to the heavens with stickers and stick-on gems and phone charms

2004 is prime and i mean primeeee pop-punk/emo era (hence why she looks #likethat tbh) and she's deeeep in that. like Simple Plan's "I'm Just A Kid" came out 2002 and i knowwww she's having that shit on LOOP on her mp3 player. due to the fact that She's Just A Kid And Her Life Is A Nightmare

the bloggerrrr i know she is blogging. idk what strangetown could have as a mirror to the 2000s-2010s french "Skyblog" [les vrais connaissent tmtc] but girl... is.... BLOGGING!!!! either a Livejournal or a Blogger.

i just realized how long this poast was #oops but Basically Yes.

[msbarrows]

So now that the laptop has been repaired and returned, I've been very happily updating and backing up everything again. When I reached the point of doing anything with The Sims 4 yesterday, I found myself thinking about how, prior to going down to Toronto, I was considering resetting TS4 entirely so it was back in a default state, and starting over from scratch. Which I felt even more like doing as I was playing my most recent sim at a horse ranch and just... not really enjoying it. And then during the couple weeks of waiting for the repair, not knowing if I'd have to reinstall all my programs or not, I found myself thinking "...I could just not restore my saves game for that" and kind of liking the idea. Among other things, it'll allow me to tweak the MCCC settings to (hopefully) prevent the pruning of family trees, so I'll always be able to see how they interconnect.

So, yesterday afternoon I moved my TS4 directory off to a backup location, which forced the game to recreate the save game files from scratch. Reinstalled my preferred mods. And created a new starter sim, Teresa Abbotsford.

Once I was able to get in-game and go to Manage Worlds, I also dug around on the Galery to re-obtain the MaxisCreates TS4 versions of the Grunt, Spectre, Curious, and Smith families from TS2, as well as a reasonably decent version of the Beakers (whom MaxisCreates seems to have missed). Also grabbed versions of their houses that different people created (mostly the versions by XQueenOfHe4rtsX). Decided to squeeze them all into StrangerVille, as it vibes the closest with the old Strangetown, though for reasons of space the Smiths have ended up over in Oasis Springs instead. I've done some minimal editing to the houses, mostly things like replacing observatories with telescopes, or tweaking some of the wall textures. The Curious brothers' house came with a bonus structure in one corner of the lot that had a lot of the scientific equipment available in-game, with a rocket kit staging area on the roof. I moved and rebuilt that slightly so that it fits into the layout of where the lot is in-game a little better (mostly just rotating it 90 degrees and changing it from a fenced-in area to an actual outbuilding).

And I built a starter house for Teresa. She's beginning the family line in San Sequoia, a neighbourhood I haven't had anyone playable live in yet, since there was a nice 20x40 empty lot there that gives her plenty of elbow room to grow. Literally - she's in the gardener career and has the Freelance Botanist nature aspiration. Though I think I need to rotate the house; it fits better on the lot facing the short end, but the zone-in point is partway along one of the long edges. But I digress.

Her house is currently pretty minimally furnished, though that's slowly improving over time. She has the option of working from home with her current job, and since the tasks required for that tend to take very little time (read a book, research gardening on the computer, give someone produce from your garden) I've mostly been choosing that and spending a lot of her time working on assorted skills and going out and about to meet people. I'm playing her as a much more gregarious sim than I usually do, as a result of which she's been following up on a lot of invitations to attend events, go on dates, and go out dinner as friends. She's also joined the Partihouse social club, where she's finally met someone she clicks with who isn't already married or engaged - Paolo Rocca, one of the Partihouse household members.

I think the main thing I may work on the next few play sessions is things like editing commercial lots so I that like them better, making sure all marriage venues have washrooms, adding houses to Newcrest (since by default it's entirely empty lots), and the like. Basically re-doing some of the changes I'd made over the years.

[orphyd]

Curiouser and curiouser...

[tonbane]

A nice anon requested Vidcund Curious in whatever situation, so it inevitably turned into an “I’m jealous of my siblings getting alien love” science situation. I bet he’s raiding the Area 51 right now.

Help me out with some ♥️🔁, or check my blog too!

[al1lpeach]

      *:･ﾟ✧*      Welcome to         Strangetown

[alikael]

[trash-llama]

Rumors of the Grunt troubles spread quickly throughout Strangetown. At least among certain people.

Chloe: I heard she ran off with another man!

Erin: I heard she ran off because he threatened to kill her!

Kristin: I’m way too hungry for this conversation. Can we please just order?

[seasonalbeauties]

𝕄𝕠𝕧𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝔻𝕒𝕪!

Vidcund felt that the Curious Lab was getting a bit crowded and he often missed out on one-on-one time with his kiddos so he moved out to an apartment, sponsored by his new Secret Agent job. This new place is not far from his siblings, so visits are to be expected! Techno was not the happiest as all he had ever known was the Lab house, however, he has been spending many afternoons at the apartment pool and going to the Smith's house after school. Orion is quite happy to toddle around and explore new spaces!

[fellowstrangetownappreciator]

Playing Favorites (part 2)

Here we go again! Another 4 TS2 premades that really strange my town! (I’ll see myself out.) Anyway, I have to preface this with saying that so far I’ve only played the 3 base game hoods and although I really enjoy PV and VV, I added them to Strangetown just recently, so I’m still getting acquainted with their casts. That’s why my Playing Favorites posts are so dominated with desert-dwellers - but I definitely plan on including more non-ST Sims once I got to play with them more!

And I also low-key love everybody in Strangetown.

TOP 15 TS2 Premades (according to my personal tastes somewhere in May 2021) (not in any particular order) (and I can’t guarantee I stop at 15 either)

Tank Grunt (Strangetown)

Yes, I am one of them. I am a Tank Grunt apologist. Brace yourself!

Similarly to the Pleasant twins, I view Tank as a victim of his father (Buzz Grunt, the esteemed Strangetown's Worst Parent Award nominee). Of course, that's not to say he's innocent. He is absolutely guilty of bullying Ripp and Johnny and equally guilty of being a bigot. And, most importantly, totally guilty of casually wearing camo face-paint. (that he canonically gets tatooed on his face down the line, which is... its own kind of tragic.)

But that is exactly why I like him so much!

Let me elaborate.

Tank is a very multilayered character, albeit a bit cliché. He is very artistic a eager to always do his best, whether that is in school or home where he competes for his father's affection and approval. Buzz provides both of that but it always feels conditioned – if Tank was to stop getting A+, stop parroting his opinions, stop working out, stop following in his footsteps, would that go away? Even though the answer depends on your interpretation of Buzz and his levels of horrible, Tank definitely thinks so. Just take a look on how his father treats Ripp!

I read Tank as somebody who believes firmly in order and good but has a very twisted understanding of both given his militaristic and hyper-masculine upbringing. He has an enormous potential for character growth. Can he gain (psychological) independence of his father? Can he follow his dreams and become a dancer? Can he free himself of his father’s biases now that he’s out on his own? Can he mend his relationship with Ripp and Buck? (...or maybe even Johnny?) It makes him so fun to play.

Also, I think that it was indeed very cowardly of the developers not to set his gender preference as gay.

Conclusion: Tank is fun! (Although he would probably resent me for saying that.)

Dina Caliente (Str- wait, Pleasantview)

Finally someone who doesn't live in the desert! Both Nina and Dina are such interesting characters, with their connection to Bella’s disappearance, their alien bloodline and their opposing personalities and ambitions.

I feel like the sisters are often getting unjustly demonized. (or mixed up together, I’m looking at you, TS3 and TS4) They’re young, very attractive and in unconventional relationships, thus often labeled as predatory. They’re not.

Dina is a very nice Sim, with Nice points above the average and many Playful points and she tends to roll wants to start a family by the start of the game, although she is not a Family Sim. She’s actually a Fortune Sim, smart and business-oriented. She’s a widow who wants to remarry and has her sights set on the husband of her missing former sister-in-law.

I know that doesn’t make her sound that nice but there is nuance. First of all, the man in question is Mortimer Goth, well in his twilight years, a father of two, simply an adult. He is not a hapless trophy, the decision to start an affair with Dina not long after his first wife got pronounced missing, is his own. He knows he won’t be here for long and doesn’t want to die alone, he wants someone who can make him feel young again and loved once more. Dina, on the other hand, pursues a shotgun wedding to take an advantage of the Goth fortune that will kickstart her business ventures but she is ready to provide what Mortimer needs. She canonically loves him. (proven by the love flag in her relationship panel)

In my personal gameplay, I had Don take Dina on a date before their marriages to their respective Goths, and Dina kept rolling wants to flirt with Mortimer instead. Later down the line she also helped out the Brokes financially, and after her close friend Brandi died young in childbirth, she took in her youngest children, so that her oldest son Dustin could go to college and not worry what’s gonna become of his younger siblings in his custody while he’s gone. I figured it made sense because of Dina’s Nice points, her relationship with Brandi and her now being partially in charge of so much money it isn’t even funny.

In conclusion: I support and condone Dina! Even if it’s somehow implied that she and her sister might’ve just staged her rival’s alien abduction.

Circe Beaker (Strangetown)

Circe is yet another... unwholesome character on my list. She canonically tortures people, namely Nervous Subject, and her bio eludes to there being more in the past or the future. She's cunning, ambitious and very mean.

But she is also very fun to play! Her aspiration being Fortune (not Knowledge) puts an interesting spin on the whole evil scientist routine. She doesn't do it for the love of discovery like the Curiouses and she doesn't care about credit as her husband does. She's out for power and she may as well get it.

Her rather extreme personality would lead one to think she has to be rather disliked around the town but her default relationship panel says otherwise. She doesn't have any close friendships except her husband, though. That makes me think she is superficially charming and tends to act diplomatic to obtain people's loyalty without necessarily caring about any of them. It makes playing her unique from most other Sims.

She is also canonically bisexual! I personally have a deep appreciation for each and every Sim that Maxis sneakily preset to be LGBTQ+. I may not seem like a big deal now but it is.

Conclusion: "She could gaslight, gatekeep and girlboss me any day.” - half of Strangetown’s population

Lazlo Curious (Strangetown)

Lazlo is a ray of sunshine in the Curious household! A very sloppy ray that makes messes wherever it goes, true, but sunshine nonetheless.

I’m very fond of Lazlo because he’s the type of person that looks like he can barely count to five with his easy-going and messy nature but is in fact very clever and, by some measures, the most competent Curious brother, since he is the youngest and it seems like he’s fresh out of college, yet holds a higher career position than his older brothers. “A smart person that doesn’t necessarily seem smart on the first glance” is a trope I have a big soft spot for. (...and it shows)

In my current gameplay, Lazlo wanted to resurrect Vidcund (who died in childbirth), so he switched from Science to Paranormal to swipe a Resurrect-O-Nomitron and, like the madlad he is, succeeded before their round was over (in a span of few days). It was a combination of dumb luck and him having a compatible degree that gave him a hefty bonus but it still made me realize Lazlo could achieve whatever he sets his sights on.

Luckily, his sights are generally set on pizza and video games.

(relatable)

Anyway, I find Lazlo somehow cute, most probably for his constant and very unfruitful attempts to make Vidcund laugh, and in general, how friendly and easy to get along with he is. While he doesn’t have that many Nice points (5, which is a pretty average number), combined with his playfulness he usually tends to act very amicable.

In conclusion: I simp for Knowledge Sims and it shows.

Ok, I’ll be back with another 4 when my horrible procrastinating gruel of a brain feels like it. See ya!

[sammyshuno]

My headcanon is that Nervous and Pascal are both demi/gray but they just really like each other. ☠

[specter-dollhouse]

everyone disliked that

[anotherplumbob]

How is your TS2 tô TS4 neighborhoods?! I found your post in a hashtag, i was curious of what happened

Thanks for the ask!! The thing is...it’s such a big project I cannot focus on it for too long (I get bored easily lol), so it’s an on and off thing and I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to finish it :S

If you’re interested, I know @reticulates has recreated Strangetown, and it’s amazing :)

http://reticulates.tumblr.com/post/146653198831/11-builds-7-households-loner-singles-are