The Sims 4 is the latest installment of the iconic life simulation franchise. The game released in 2014, making the beloved Sims 4 almost a decade old as of 2023. Arguably one of the best features of The Sims 4 is the Create a Sim, or CAS. Unlike previous Sims game, The Sims 4 allows for almost complete customization with click and drag and detail features.
Because of the complexity of CAS compared to other games, many new players find new Sims can feel overwhelming, however, there are some tricks that can help improve players understanding of CAS and creating households.
10 Click And Drag Feature
One of the best CAS features that has truly stepped up creating Sims since previous games is the click and drag feature. This feature allows players complete freedom to manipulate Sims appearances. Because of this, making real life people became much easier and players can even use reference images of real people to improve upon their Sim making skills
The click and drag feature is simply used by clicking on a feature and dragging the cursor to manipulate said feature. New players can experiment with this feature and discover what features they like and how they like to customise their Sims.
9 Details Mode
Much like the click and drag feature, details mode is a feature that was new to The Sims game, first bring introduced in The Sims 4. This feature works the same as click and drag, however, allows players access to more features and the choice to manipulate more specific and detailed parts of Sims faces, including eyes, cheekbones, nostrils and eyebrows.
Players can access detail mode by clicking the magnifying glass icon which is present to the left of Sims faces in create a sim. This tool again is a great way of allowing new players to explore creating new Sims.
8 Custom Content
Custom content (CC), is content made by fans of The Sims that can be downloaded and used in game. In CAS, custom content can elevate Sim design bringing realism and character to players creation. There are thousands of custom options for players to explore from skin textures and eyelashes to hairstyles and clothes.
Custom content is an incredible way of adding personality to each Sim whilst simultaneously adding something new to the game which could otherwise become boring. Unfortunately, CC is not available for console players. However, for PC and Mac players and can be installed into the game in a few simple steps. Players simply need to download the content from online and click and drag the download into their mods' folder which will be in the Electronic Arts folder on their Mac or PC.
7 Cheats
Another way of accessing more items without having to download anything is by enabling cheats. Cheats such as cas.fulleditmode and the bb. ignoregameplayunlocksentitlement cheat. These cheats unlock, hair, clothing and makeup that otherwise would need to of been discovered and unlocked through gameplay.
To activate these cheats players must press CTRL, Shift and C on PC or Mac to open the cheat box, enter testingcheats true and then enter their desired cheat. The steps are the same for console players, however they can open the cheat box by holding down all the shoulder buttons on their controller.
6 Preset Faces
Although creating new faces can appear daunting for new players, The Sims 4 luckily has a feature which allows players to select preset faces. These faces are more proportionate and less random than some of the randomized Sims that appear in CAS, making them easier for gamers that are new to the game to work with.
These faces can be access simply by clicking the Sims face and selecting the faces option on the panel on the right. These presets can also be customized with detail mode and click and drag.
5 Randomize From The Gallery
As mentioned, the automated randomized Sims can look pretty whacky as clothing, makeup and hair are completely randomly generated. Another way of getting premade Sims without using preset faces or the in game randomization is by clicking the randomize from gallery button which is located at the bottom of the screen.
Clicking this will bring a random Sim that another player has created into CAS, meaning their design will appear less random. This button only brings in Sims without CC meaning players will not need to worry about having any of the right content downloaded when using this.
4 Adjust Posture
Sims fans may notice when there Sims, load into CAS they have a weird stance and protruding belly. Male Sims in particular seem to have this issue, however, this can actually be edited by adjusting the Sims posture.
By clicking on the Sims spine and dragging up or down, gamers can adjust their posture and elevate their Sims appearance in a quick and simple way. Not only does this help the Sims look less awkward, it can also be changed to match traits for example, players could make lazy Sims more slouchy and give snobby Sims a more formal and upright stance. This adds another fun way of adding to Sims personalities within the game.
3 Select Multiple Outfits
A lesser known fact about CAS is that gamers can actually select multiple outfits for everyday wear, formal, athletic, etc. This tip is perfect for fans who love designing outfits and giving their Sims expression and personality through their clothes. This can be done by selecting the small arrow above the outfit category and clicking the plus sign.
When doing this, players can create up to five outfits for Sims making it the perfect feature for creating wedding outfits and athletic outfits for Sims with hobbies. This feature is a simple way of adding more room for creativity within the game as well as a sense of realism as Sims will randomly switch up their outfits as people would in real life!
2 Sim Stories
A great new addition to the game is the Sims Stories feature. The feature was added in a recent update of the game and is perfect for new players that are stuck or even players that are experiencing a bit of creative block. The Sims Stories feature cane be activated by pressing the storybook icon when creating a new sim.
This feture asks players questions and from this the game will decide on the Sims careers, starting money and traits. This is a fun way of pushing players out of their comfort zone to create Sims that are a little bit different from what they are used to. This addition to the game also adds a sense of story and drive to the game which lacks much storyline otherwise.
1 Using Genetics
Much like the Sims Stories feature, the genetics feature cane be selected when adding a new Sim if there is already a Sim in the CAS file. The genetics feature allows gamers to create relatives to their Sims that already exist meaning they will look related and gamers do not need to worry about creating an identical Sim.
This option also allows players to create twins, making Sims that look similar but not identical. This feature is another quick and fun way of simplifying, yet still adding The Sims 4 create a sim mode.
The Sims 4 is available to download now on the EA app for PC gamers, Origin for Mac players and on the Playstation and Xbox Stores now.