LEIPZIG, Germany--It's hard to believe that we're at the sixth expansion pack for The Sims 2. It seems like only yesterday that the hit people simulator shipped. Of course, The Sims 2 shipped in 2004, and EA has averaged about two expansions per year. So what's on tap for Bon Voyage? Well, to sum it up in a single word: vacations.

　　Bon Voyage will introduce three "neighborhoods" that are themed for all sorts of adventure. There's a mountain/wooded area that's perfect for camping trips. Then there's an island neighborhood for those sun-drenched vacations. Finally, if you have a desire for the exotic, a Far East neighborhood will introduce elements of Chinese and Japanese culture.

　　But wait, there's more. The idea behind all of these neighborhoods is that your sims can go on exploration adventures where they can learn all sorts of new things, as well as earn achievements and collect clues to secret lots that open up big rewards. For instance, sims can learn the hula dance while in the islands, and then reenact the dance when they return home to their regular lives. There will be dozens of vacation achievements that challenge you to accomplish various tasks for bragging rights. And if you discover the secret lots, you'll be able to adopt Bigfoot as a member of your family or get a powerful voodoo doll that instantly makes anyone fall in love with your character. Or you might learn the secret ninja art of teleportation, which makes getting around easy.

　　Each lot will be heavily customized for each region. You can expect to see plenty of unique objects, clothes, and building pieces. These include pagoda roofs, lumberjack shirts, Zen gardens, sand castles, and a giant pirate ship, which is the largest object ever made for The Sims.

　　One of the nice aspects of the expansion is that your sims don't have to work while they're on vacation. Time essentially stops while they're away from home. This means that if your sims get married, they can go on a honeymoon to an exotic locale and not have to worry about work. Speaking of marriage, now the expansion will also allow you to hold the marriage ceremony anywhere. You're no longer limited to the backyard of your sims' home. Getting married on the beach is now completely possible. Your sims can also buy vacation homes for when they get away, otherwise they'll have to put up with hotels.

　　Of course, anyone who's been on vacation knows that you often need a vacation after a vacation, but at least sims will finally get a chance to get away from it all in Bon Voyage. The expansion is pretty much done at this point, and it'll ship on September 5. We imagine the developers will take a short break once it's finished, and then it's onto the seventh expansion.