Try Out This Shortcut for Super Cute Sims in The Sims 4 Create-A-Sim Demo

Janine "Iris Ophelia" Hawkins' ongoing review of gaming and virtual world style

I'm going to share a clever trick for The Sims 4 that a friend pointed out to me this weekend, in case you're having any trouble creating the perfect sim. Although the game itself isn't out yet, last week the Create-a-Sim demo launched for everyone on Origin. It's the perfect opportunity to hone your character-customizing skills with the new tools and techniques the game will provide. They're fairly intuitive, but it's still pretty easy to find yourself in a position where you're not 100% satisfied with the sim in front of you. Something's just a little bit off, and you aren't quite sure how to fix it. That's where the trick comes in.

Here's how you can use The Sims 4's Genetics feature to fudge your way to a cuter sim face:

Once you have a sim with a few features you like, add a new sim to the household through the Genetics option. There, you'll be able to randomize a sibling again and again until someone pops up will all the features you like and none of the ones you don't. Just don't waste your time with the Twin button unless it's your sim's wardrobe you find uninspiring -- it keeps all the same physical features and only alters their style. Once you've found someone you like, all that's left is to delete your starting-point sim and dress the new and improved version to suit your tastes. Pretty clever trick, right?

This technique is also useful if, like me, you find it easier to create attractive female sims than male ones. Whip up a flawless young lady, pop into Genetics and a few clicks later an equally flawless male doppelganger is well within reach.

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Janine Hawkins (@bleatingheart on Twitter, Iris Ophelia in Second Life) has been writing about virtual worlds and video games for nearly a decade, and has had her work featured on Paste, Kotaku, Jezebel and The Mary Sue.

Comments

[Ares Shoreland]

Awesome tip! I used this tool to create attractive siblings, but I never thoutght I could use it to perfect the sim I created originally ;)

[Flo2]

So, if I got the message well, one has to be "flawless", "perfect" and "super cute" - otherwise isn't worth to play with? I'm especially surprised by this message because I remember your point of view from your other articles well when you didn't like to see woman/girl avatars/characters in games that were merely objects of desire and made only to be liked by their look?

[Iris Ophelia]

@Flo2 Yes, I am not in fact offering a tip for people who might be interested in it, but rather I am saying everyone must make beautiful characters at all times or else not play The Sims 4 at all. You caught me.

[dynamichael]

I see this as a tip to get a sim that looks more like what you're going for--not necessarily an attractive one. This tip helped me create just the creepy slimeball roommate I wanted. Thanks!