When talking about customized characters, The Sims is definitely one of the first names most gamers think of. From head to toe, The Sims franchise has given fans a plethora of different custom character sliders. The franchise has come a long way since its original release and gone through various changes (for better or for worse) throughout the years to arrive at the most articulate version of itself, The Sims 4.
Some of these customization options are often forgotten or overlooked even by some of the most hardcore fans. Without the aid/addition of mods (which there are hundreds of thousands of out there on the internet), here are some of the most strange and underrated tips and tricks for character customization in The Sims (mainly focusing on The Sims 4).
10 Heels Don't Add Height
In real life, often time heels are worn to elongate the legs, making one look taller, favored over plain everyday sneakers, despite being the less comfortable alternative. However, in the Sims, heels don't actually make a Sim taller. Much more noticeable in the character creation section rather than in-game, when heels are equipped, the Sim actually sacrifices a bit of their calf-length instead of actually getting any taller.
9 Take It All Off!
This tip may sound a bit strange but it'll prove very helpful in the end when making the perfect Sim. As much as everyone loves the vast selection of clothing in the games, at the very beginning, during character creation, it's best to leave them for the end. Certain pieces of clothing can obscure the figure of the Sim, making it a bit difficult to have the proportions be as accurate as the player wants.
Unless the Sim being created is wearing a skin-tight outfit, their exact figure may not turn out as intended. Players are better off leaving all clothing customization for the very end so they don't run into any unpleasant surprises the moment they change outfits and realize their Sim turned wonky or disfigured.
8 Iris Size
When starting with a new character, the seemingly endless sliders and customization options can be a bit overwhelming. By the time players hit a certain point in their character building, they can become eager to get started in their new Sims life and can overlook some smaller customization options.
One that is often overlooked is the eyes; specifically the iris. The game even goes as far as allowing the player to adjust iris size along with the color; which can make for some very interesting character builds, from spooky cat-like creatures to super kawaii anime characters.
7 Under And Over
Programming clothing can be tricky. Sometimes pieces can overlap in a strange way or clip into other objects. Sometimes certain details can be covered up by clothing but the Sims thought this one through. If a Sim is wearing long boots, for example, and then is equipped with tight-fitting pants, the boots will be rendered as being worn over the pants and be tucked in. However, if the Sim is equipped with loose pants that flare at the end, then the boots will be worn under, with the pant legs over the boots.
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A similar thing can be said with regards to hats and hairstyles; rather than getting rid of the hairstyle completely, only certain parts of it will be hidden when equipping a hat, allowing longer parts of the hair to peek through underneath.
6 Eye Sockets
One of the lesser-known customization options on the face is the eye sockets. Rather than dealing with the eye sockets themselves, it's the customization of the depth of the eyes. Deep-set eye sockets often add more shadow to the eyes while more shallow eye sockets allow much more light to hit the eyes and give very different and distinct looks.
5 Bald Is Best
Similar to the tip about leaving clothes for the end of character creation; hair plays a similar role with regards to creating a Sim's face. Much like how clothes can obscure the body, hair obscures the face. Try out a few different hairstyles, pick one that seems fitting, then get rid of it. This way, when creating all features of the face, there are no hidden areas that may be left out when fully customizing a Sim. After fixing all features, including the sneaky jawline and ears, feel free to give the Sim back its luscious locks.
4 Perfect Posture
The level of customization in The Sims is incredibly intricate. The developers know that it's the smallest of details that make everyone unique; right down to the way someone carries themselves. Which is exactly why the character creation system even allows players to adjust their Sim's posture.
In a rather painful sounding feature, the player has the ability to drag along the Sim's back, changing their spine and therefore adjusting their overall posture and standing position. Whether players want their Sim to have perfect posture or a quirky slouch to their overall feel, The Sims has every kind of demeanor covered.
3 Big Hair = Big Bust?
Certain longer hairstyles are styled off to either side of the Sim, resting on their shoulder and sometimes long enough to reach their chest. If one of these longer hairstyles are selected, players may realize that the part of the hairstyle (the portion draping down, touching the Sim's chest) is directly affected by the bust size. Adjusting the Sim's bust size bigger or smaller will also accordingly adjust the size of the hair that is touching the Sim's body. Although not very true to how hair works in real life, an interesting detail of the character creation mode nonetheless!
2 Nostril Adjustment
Much like the overlooked iris adjustment, nostrils are also a detail that contributes to the overall feel of a face but often are forgotten. Make sure to try tweaking the nostril size next time when creating a Sim; it surprisingly can change the whole look of a face!
1 Use References!
Creating a perfect Sim is an art in itself. So it's best to treat it like art! Try using references when creating a Sim. Although it sounds like a no-brainer, it makes a world of a difference when having a picture of the face one wants to replicate when creating their Sim version.
Everyone has a general idea of how their brother, favorite actor, or video game character looks like. However, having a picture as a reference will help with both accuracy in Sim-making but also will help players over time practice with creating new faces and body types, avoiding the common issue of making the same kind of Sim over and over again.