About birthmarks

Ciralinde

I like the new pack so far, however, the first infant in my game grew up with a concern... namely a large birthmark around the eyes and the scalp. After looking into it, it is indicative of a medical issue (sturge-weber syndrome fyi). I am a bit conflicted now, I don't know if this is something I would want in my game... These marks are rarely just cosmetic but they are (seemingly) treated that way. And the syndrome is very serious!

I was wondering, what are your thoughts about this? And if a baby grows up to have it, how do you treat it in-game?

simgirl1010

@SERVERFRA might have thoughts on this as she posted this in another thread.

Finally, a birthmark in the game. I can so relate to the new sim baby. I was born with a birthmark on my left side of my face. It's actually called Sturge Weber Syndrome.
If it would be possible for the teen to adult to have a birthmark in the game I could actually make a me sim.

happyopi

Is the trigger warning for people with port-wine stains to dare exist ? Confused.

simlish1

They are classed as birth marks...and they may fade as the sim gets older. Confused as to why you'd be triggered?

Ciralinde

The trigger warning is for difficult discussion other people may feel sensitive about. It's meant as a discussion in good faith, but I know from experience that some things get lost in translation. I'm also from a culture that is very direct and not all cultures are that way.

Maybe a triggerwarning for the word triggerwarning next time?

Future

If the birthmarks are tied to actual illnesses and syndromes in real life and the game randomly assigns one to your infant, it implies your infant was born with this ailment.

After all, we are supposed to be playing the game “as we want” so I understand the concern. I had no idea birthmarks were randomly given to your infants. I thought it was just a new customization being offered in CAS.

I saw a similar post from someone complaining about toddlers being randomly given the new hearing aids when they age up and they didn’t like that the game was essentially saying the child had a hearing problem or was deaf.

One solution for all of this would be if the game no longer attached randomization to these items and just let the player add what they want in CAS. Win/win

Future

Ciralinde wrote: »

And if a baby grows up to have it, how do you treat it in-game?

For me, none of my Sims infants have birthmarks yet but I would keep them unless they covered half the face or something. That’s a bit distracting.

When my toddlers and above are given hearing aids on one of their outfits, I go through and add them to all of the outfits and keep it moving. It doesn’t bother me. Sometimes I will remove them to give my Sim earrings because I don’t believe you can have both at the same time.

Ciralinde

simlish1 wrote: »

They are classed as birth marks...and they may fade as the sim gets older. Confused as to why you'd be triggered?

When you have a baby and they have a very prominent mark in a sensitive area (the eye, the head) that could be indicative of a lasting medical complication, wouldn't you be worried? The advice is that a doctor will examine the baby. This is very serious. I understand, these babies aren't real and they are conceived in a simulation - but I noticed in this particular instance, that a real life complication entered a world that doesn't treat any of these things as a reality in the first place.

Should these marks be applied randomly as a cosmetic, that is the question. Is this a fair and a respectful approach to what a potential medical complication might mean?

Here she is

SERVERFRA

I actually have that Sturge Weber Syndrome Birthmark. Basically, it's caused when a baby is still being developed in the Womb, a small blood cell breaks just under the skin of the baby's face.

Ciralinde

SERVERFRA wrote: »

I actually have that Sturge Weber Syndrome Birthmark. Basically, it's caused when a baby is still being developed in the Womb, a small blood cell breaks just under the skin of the baby's face.

What do you think of it being added in-game the way that it is? I understand that with this particular birthmark, there could be neurological complications of varying degrees.

Edit: maybe it is important to emphasise that if a person has a port-wine stain on their face, but no neurological symptoms, they do not have the Sturge-Weber syndrome. The birthmark only warrants an examination from a professional to ensure the child is given a diagnosis and the best care.

ULIBABA66

I think the birth marks are a great thing to be included in The Sims 4, however, I do hope that Maxis/EA is doing their research and remain respectful by making correct looking birth marks, as well as stretch marks, I have had some extra weight in my body, but I lost some weight recently, though I did get stretch marks, so I am happy if those stretch marks are available for young adults as well as genderless/trans Sims.

SERVERFRA

Actually, it really doesn't bother me that the birthmarks & Sturge Weber Syndrome is in the game. There are so many Doctors that are so clueless about Sturge Weber Syndrome & what the person's side effects are. So, if a silly game can maybe shed a little light on it, I'm all for it.
Plus, in a weird way I can actually make a proper sim self now.

Sammoyke

The purpose of inclusion in cas aka the "aesthetic or cosmetics" of features caused from medical diagnosis is so that more people can connect personally to the sim when making sim selves or detailed characters with more real backgrounds. A mole/freckle is innocuous as a beauty mark until it's not but there doesn't seem to be a lot of terrible concern about the possible triggering of using moles and freckles. To that end any birth mark or possible medical skin conditions, or even medical tools/equipment or accessories utilized in cas is always treated with a certain amount of respect by maxis to anyone who may have those appearances in real life whilst not diving to unnecessarily into the deep understanding of each one. That means that what might be in reality a dangerous, scary or concerning diagnosis, doesn't constitute that it will or even should affect gameplay. I feel that is best left up the player to decide if the medical accessory which in game by definition is simply a cas cosmetic not a real diagnosis,can be used to create a story line that CAN include the fears or struggles with said possible diagnosis. For other players, there is no in-depth story, the cas items are being used as a harmless medically unaddressed aesthetic to create unique sims which is equally as acceptable for their gameplay. In RL medical conditions are not an "aesthetic" or "cosmetic" but in the game it's exactly what everything in cas is. There are mods to address randomization of cas items to prevent any "out of story" additions to pre-existing characters if you don't wish these medical themed cas items to trigger RL concerns for the digital characters.

ChadSims2

Never heard of Sturge Weber Syndrome I was wondering why they made the birthmarks so large had no idea it was for a medical condition makes sense they came around with the hearing aid update.

ncisGibbs02

I’m glad they added birthmarks to the game. I agree with @SERVERFRA that if the game helps shed light on some conditions then that’s good. 😊

Katiardguez

I don't mind when EA decides to add new things to the game but it becomes annoying when it is overdone. At this moment in my game every baby becoming an infants gets a birth mark even though the parents and rest of the family never had one. If anyone knows of a mod that disables the birth marks being random please let me know, Thanks.

SERVERFRA

I was born with a Birthmark, my parents never had it & neither did all my other relatives. Also, 28 years ago when I was pregnant with my daughter, I asked the Doctor if my baby would get my Birthmark from me. He said no. And when she was born & cleaned up, the first thing I looked at was her face. I didn't care how many fingers or toes she had, I was only concerned with her face. And thank God, she didn't get my Birthmark. My beautiful Daughter will not suffer any side effects from it.

Ciralinde

@SERVERFRA Thanks for your insightful comments! I had no idea some doctors didn't really know about this syndrome. And I have learned quite a lot about it since the birth of Mila's daughter. So, what you say is absolutely true!

@Sammoyke "To that end any birth mark or possible medical skin conditions, or even medical tools/equipment or accessories utilized in cas is always treated with a certain amount of respect by maxis to anyone who may have those appearances in real life whilst not diving to unnecessarily into the deep understanding of each one. That means that what might be in reality a dangerous, scary or concerning diagnosis, doesn't constitute that it will or even should affect gameplay. I feel that is best left up the player to decide if the medical accessory which in game by definition is simply a cas cosmetic not a real diagnosis,can be used to create a story line that CAN include the fears or struggles with said possible diagnosis. "

I agree with you, but only to some extend. I do think I'm a bit too immersed and so the worry of a possible health complication of a child really resonated with me. At the time I really missed that professional eye, to go and visit the hospital/GP's for an extra checkup on the infant. It felt neglectful not to have this feature. Of course, we can play pretend (because that's what sims is mostly about), but that made it feel worse too. It's just a very odd mix of fantasy and reality coming together that didn't sit so well with me.



I'm very sorry about the really late response - it felt as though nobody wanted to have this conversation at the time. People got angry with me and stuff. I'm happy to see it was still constructive in the end! Now some time has passed and I'm not as shocked about this as I was back then.

julienrob2004

Every single baby i have had since this was added , have had birthmarks at infant age . I have had to use the cas.fulleditmode cheat to go into CAS and remove it , always that same birthmark as well despite there being so many to choose from