Sims 411 — The Sims Forums

SIMS 411 RECAP Inside Maxis - 10/26/2021

EA_Cade — Fri, 22 Oct 2021 14:46:02 +0000

Hot Topics

The Mobility Petition

We took note of the petition and as always, a huge thanks to everyone who continues engaging with us and the community at large to make this game the best it can be. Mobility items are at the top of our minds as our efforts are focused on taking further steps beyond our recent updates including the addition of skin tones and Asian facial features, updated black hair, and our current research on gender-neutral language with pronouns. Representation remains a core pillar, guiding our roadmaps for the future as we add free content to the Base Game.

Sims Delivery Express (SDX)

Whenever you see this freezer bunny just know, it’s good news: you just got a Sims Delivery!

Sims Delivery Express (short: SDX) will bring free content to your Base Game as a complementary, more spontaneous little sister/brother of our regular game updates.

Sims Deliveries can include:

New Build mode or Create A Sim content
Tiny game fixes, those that don’t need a Game Update to be delivered

For the future, we hope to expand this list but for now we hope you enjoy every upcoming Sims Delivery!

To get a Sims Delivery all you need to do is launch your game as usual and the game will check to see if there is any new content available. Restart after the downloads are completed and enjoy!

Other important facts at a glance:

SDX will be available on PC, Mac, PlayStation and Xbox
- Stay tuned for a Sneak Peek to the first Sims Delivery in the next Inside Maxis!
Content delivered through SDX is free
The content released through SDX should not negatively impact mods and mods are not disabled when content is downloaded
What SDX does not do:
- Release major bug fixes (they will continue to be released through game updates)
- Release Worlds
- Change Gameplay or UI
PlayStation and Xbox players will need to link their console account to an EA Account to be able to use SDX
Every Sims Delivery either previously downloaded or not by a player, will be included in a future game update (except limited content that may be completed before a patch update).

Our team is always innovating and exploring new forms of gameplay for our global community of players. With Sims Delivery Express, we are thrilled to continue bringing new and free content into the Base Game and beyond. We have so much more planned for The Sims 4 so keep an eye out!

Do you have plans to refresh any other Expansion or Game Packs?

It is so exciting to hear that you all enjoyed The Sims 4 Spa Day Refresh! From the trailer to the pack, revisiting and adding content was a lot of fun for everyone here - especially seeing all your reactions. That said, while we are all for transparency - issa secret! Remember though, the future is bright for The Sims 4 so you'll just have to stick around to see!

Why does The Sims release content from packs into The Base Game?

We’ve heard feedback that there are hair styles, currently gated behind packs, that offer more representation than those included with the Base Game. We love creating packs that offer cohesive and immersive themes but we are also committed to ensuring access to a full catalogue of character elements that will ensure representation for all players. We are continuing to research and select a small number of hair styles from previously released packs which will be added to the Base Game over time for the benefit of all Simmers.

Next Patch Sneak Peak

Scenarios - A new way to play

What are Scenarios?

Scenarios are goal-based stories within the game where a player’s choice impacts the outcome. There are many different outcomes to Scenarios and many different ways to achieve those outcomes. That’s right, there’s more than one way to complete a Scenario, just as in real life! You never know how the story will go. How you get there is up to you!

Two Scenarios in the next patch update

On the day that Scenarios launch, you’ll be able to play two Scenarios: Making Money and Finding Love after a Break up. This first batch of Scenarios have a challenge aspect to them and are called ‘Challenge Scenarios’.

For example, Making Money places your Sim in a situation where they have zero simoleons in their bank account. To complete the Scenario you’ll have to work your way to one million simoleons. How you get there is really up to you! You could choose the noble route and work your way through hard work and dedication or you can get creative and get to a million simoleons in other ways… 😉

How to access and play

Players that download the patch on November 2nd will have access to the brand new Scenarios feature. You'll be able to access currently available Scenarios via the Main Menu following these easy steps:

Click on the 'New Scenario' button on the Main Menu
Choose the Scenario you'd like to try out
Once you've selected your Scenario, choose whether you'd like to start a new save, or use an existing save. Please note: In the first version of Scenarios, a Scenario can only be started in a new household. We're working on bringing existing households into Scenarios for a future update!
Once you're in CAS, create your household making sure to complete any requirements
Next up, choose your world and lot. Remember, if you're playing 'Making Money' that your household funds will be set to 0 once beginning. So, you may be in for quite the challenge if you choose to start with a bulldozed or unfurnished lot.
Enter live mode, and enjoy!

More Scenarios to come

The party is just starting! There will be more Scenarios with different themes and different styles moving forward. Over time, you’ll notice new Scenarios appearing in the Main Menu. Some Scenarios will be available for a long time while others will be available for a limited time. So make sure to stay connected!

Scenarios FAQ

Where did you get your inspiration from for Scenarios?

We’ve been interested in creating new ways for Simmers to play, and the Scenarios feature was born from this. For our first batch, we looked to our vast community to see how you all have been inspiring others, so we’ve leaned into the concept of challenges as inspiration for this feature.

Can I use an existing household to play Scenarios?

For the first version of the feature you’ll only be able to add Scenarios to a new household in either a new or existing save. We’re working on expanding this out to existing households in the future, stay tuned for more updates.

Will there be more Scenarios in the future?

Yes! More Scenarios, new variations to existing Scenarios as well as new features will be added over time.

How many possible outcomes are there in one Scenario?

There will be several ways that a Scenario can end. We’ve listed a couple of possible outcomes in the description for each Scenario, but there are some that aren’t listed, too.

Can I continue playing with the save file of the Scenario afterwards?

Yes! You’ll be able to continue playing with the save file and the household that you’ve worked on completing the Scenario with.

If you choose a lot without a house will your sim still have 0 Simoleons?

Yes! In Making Money, you’ll be able to start a lot without a house if you’d like. This would be one way to create a more difficult Scenario if you’d like.

Are the challenges timed?

We do keep track of Sim time as you’re playing, so you’ll get to see how much Sim time has elapsed from start to your outcome, however there is no time limit once you’ve started the Scenario. There will be some Scenarios that are only available for a limited time. As long as you’ve started the Scenario before the limited time period has ended, you’ll be able to play the Scenario through to completion.

Additional Hair for the Base Game

As mentioned in the Hot Topics, over time we’ll select a small number of hair styles from previously released packs and add them to the Base Game for the benefit of all Simmers. We're happy to share that this cute toddler hairstyle will be available for everyone in the Base Game in the next patch.

To use Nadia’s words describing this Hair: Sweet! Cute! Adorable!

Sims 411 Recap - November 23rd

EA_Cade — Mon, 29 Nov 2021 14:31:03 +0000

Hot Topics

An update on the non-binary pronouns
This past May, we opened up about our pursuit of non-binary language in The Sims. Since then, we've researched global language characteristics, connected with consultants, and collected data on areas where a change may be needed. Although there is a path ahead of us before we are able to update the game, we'd like to give you a look behind-the-scenes and show you where we are in the process. In January 2022, during the first Inside Maxis of the new year, we're hosting a fireside chat with members of our development team where we will share an update including the research completed to date, more on our partnership with external experts and the work-in-progress wire frames. Make sure to tune in!

An update on the NPC overhaul
We did not forget about our Townies update that we mentioned back in August. [In fact, the better word is NPCs or Flagship Characters. We’ll use NPCs moving forward to keep things simple 😊]. On the contrary, we have been working behind-the-scenes with a talented group of people including concept and character artists, our Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) that help us to create inclusive experiences in our game and of course, members of the Sims community who have shared their valuable feedback with us based on their extensive knowledge about the histories of these characters.

While we don’t have a date to the release of this update, we do have some work-in-progress images to give you an idea of the direction we’re heading. Please note that these are WIP concepts and not final. What you end up seeing in-game might differ from the images that we show you; this NPC update is a process that goes through changes as we continue to research, adjust and collaborate.

We’ve picked out some before and after concepts of the Goths and the Calientes. Take a look at the images from the latest Inside Maxis.

Next Patch Sneak Peak

Neighborhood Stories

Do you ever wonder what your neighbors are doing? We bet your Sims do! And now they’ll even be able to influence their neighbor's lives...

Neighborhood Stories will spice up your gameplay as a free update coming to the Base Game on November 30th 2021.

Check out all the details in the Neighborhood Stories blog post and watch SimGuruPJ and Game Designer Nate walk you through this new feature.

Upcoming Scenario

Surviving the Holidays

Let’s be real, the holidays are not just about nice presents, good food, and cheerfulness. These joyful days may also challenge us to let go, forgive and open up our hearts - even to those we might not really want to!! Easier said than done? Ask your Sim who’s stuck living with their worst enemy but still has to get through the holidays. Will they find a way out of their grudge?

Jump into the Base Game to play Surviving the Holidays from December 1st 10AM PST through January 5th 10AM PST.

Upcoming Sims Delivery (SDX)

It’s happening! The first Sims Delivery is on its way to your Base Game.

As a reminder, Sims Delivery Express (short: SDX) will bring free content to your Base Game as a complementary, more spontaneous little sibling of our regular game updates. For more details check out the Hot Topics in the previous Sims 411 Recap.

Please kindly note, we’re correcting ourselves coming out of the Inside Maxis livestream with the following - and correct - timing of the upcoming SDX launches.

The very first Sims Delivery is this gorgeous curly low ponytail that will drop into the game on December 7th, 2021.

We showed you the following nine beautiful Seasonal Sims Items during our livestream. Please note this Sims Delivery will release December 14th, 2021. Add these tasty treats and festive touches like the wall bows and decorative fruitcake to your Sims' space to help them get in the spirit!

We wish everyone a wonderful holiday break. Whether you celebrate or not, we hope all of you will get some well-deserved rest 😊 Until next time, see you in the new year!

SIMS 411 RECAP - Inside Maxis - 1/18/2022

EA_Cade — Wed, 19 Jan 2022 13:13:52 +0000

Hot Topics

A Status Update on Customizable Pronouns Coming to The Sims 4

Our team at The Sims™ believes that gender neutrality plays a very important role in building a fully inclusive society. This is why we’ve continued to evolve The Sims 4, working to make the game more diverse, inclusive and representative of our global community, step by step, day by day, patch by patch.

Back in May 2021, we announced our pursuit of customizable pronouns in The Sims 4, with the goal of presenting a first look of our research and efforts with a fireside chat in January 2022. On Tuesday, January 18, we did just that.

Key members of The Sims dev team, as well as Rae Sweet of our partner in this project It Gets Better, a nonprofit organization empowering and connecting the LGBTQ+ community, delivered a first look at the game’s latest intention in becoming more inclusive.

Our team is developing a feature that will allow players to customize the pronouns of their Sims in CAS, allowing for even more freedom of expression.

While pronouns are a very important piece when it comes to greater inclusivity for The Sims 4, we understand that customizable pronouns will not make the game 100-percent gender neutral. Making The Sims 4 more inclusive of gender neutrality is an ongoing learning and development process for us and we will continue to update this feature over time.

What we’re working on right now and what players will eventually see in the game is the first iteration of this feature and we hope it will make your game feel yet more welcoming and kind.

One important aspect of our research is considering how pronouns will exist in the 18 languages of The Sims 4. There’s no one solution for all, but we’ll be mindful of the grammatical rules of each of those languages. The first iteration of this feature, however, will focus on English. But rest assured, other languages will be added and supported as we continue to update and improve over time.

We know this feature is dear to many of you (and so it is to us!) who cannot wait to customize the pronouns of their Sims. Please know, the work is in progress. And our research and design will continue until we feel the feature is in a good place to be launched into the game.

That said, there’s still a path ahead of us and we will make sure to check in with you again on the way and keep you updated.

Sneak Peek

It’s Sims Delivery time! SDX, or Sims Delivery Express, will continue to bring free content to your base game as a complementary, more spontaneous little sibling of our regular game updates.

Check out the upcoming deliveries below.

Power Couple Scenario

In this SDX scenario you’ll be playing as a married couple working in business. You’ll have a friendly bet to see who can rise in the ranks to CEO first! We’re looking forward to seeing all the wonderful stories of your Sims that you create in this race to the top of the corporate world.

You Make The Sims with Complex Sims

We’re honored to partner with the amazing Complex Sims, a master in creating custom content for The Sims 4. See for yourself in this upcoming SDX drop coming to the base game delivered by your favorite freezer bunny. Complex Sims designed three CAS items launching on February 2nd, 2022 including the gorgeous robe with wonderful color swatches below. You’re wondering what the other two items are? Check out what we have in store for you on February 2nd. Let us know how you like them! 😉

Ponytail and foood!

It’s braided ponytail Friday! Except, your Sim is free to choose any other day of the week for this beautiful hair that is coming to the base game in an upcoming SDX drop.

As we’ve said back in November of last year, we’re committed to ensuring access to a full catalogue of character elements that will offer more representation for our player community. We are continuing to research and select a small number of hair styles from previously released packs which will be added to the base game over time for the benefit of all Simmers.

On another note, make sure your Sims are hungry as we’ve got some more food that is coming up fresh out of the kitchen! Soon, we’ll be delivering these delicious dishes from East Asian cuisine to the base game. In this SDX update, your Sims will be able to cook Sticky Rice Cake, Steamed Fish, Teok-guk, Galbijim, Japchae, and Minced Pork Noodles as your Sims increase their cooking skill in the base game. Good luck to all you aspiring Sim chefs out there!

SimTogether - A new beginning in Henford-on-Bagley - Continue the story!

EA_Lanna — Sat, 07 Aug 2021 11:38:02 +0000

Sul Sul Simmers!!

We've just seen the grand finale of #SimTogether featuring Cottage Living by the wonderful @SimGuruJill. Missed it? You can catch-up the stream on The Sims Twitch Channel to see how the story of “A new beginning in Henford-on-Bagley” ends!

Did we say the end?? 🤔 This is just the beginning! 🥳

We are sharing a save file with you!!
Download the save file and give that plot your own personal twist to show us what this story really is about.
You can find the save file here >> https://1drv.ms/f/s!AvxbRBU3iXGRgTonJaBEJ8MPG-xf <<

We cannot wait to see where you'll take this story!!

How to install the Save

Click and drag the save to the file destination/Right-click and select download on the save file to the file destination
- File destination: Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 4\saves (Pro Tip: Copy the file destination name and paste it into the pathway to head straight to that folder.)
  - Have you more than 40 save files in this folder?! Make sure to rename our save file to a number higher than the last slot. For example, if you have 50 saves in the saves folder, our save file "Slot_00000040.save" should be renamed to "Slot_00000051.save" to make it the next highest number. This will prevent the new save overriding your save file numbered 40.
Then, start up the Sims 4 and select load game.
Click 'Play' by the new save file to continue the story “A new beginning in Henford-on-Bagley”.

Simples! ❤️

Head on over to Answers HQ to our technical board (PC / Mac) and create a thread for advise or guidance on how to install and start playing this save.

Sims 411 - Forum Feedback, August 19th

EA_Lanna — Tue, 03 Aug 2021 08:40:04 +0000

Sul sul Simmers!

What’s on your mind for the next Sims 411?

We heard you say that you want a higher level of challenge and depth in the Base Game. And we’d love to hear more about it!

Let us know what a higher level of challenge and depth in the Base Game would look like for you.

What would you expect from it?
How would this change your current experience of The Sims 4?
What specific aspects of the game would you like to see more depth in?

Today, on August 19th starting at 6 AM Pacific Time, we’ll be welcoming your comments during 24 hours in The Sims Forums (check here for local timezones). We’ll close the conversation after 24 hours, on August 20th at 6 AM Pacific Time.

You’ll be able to share any additional comments next time (our team is made of humans, and there are only so many comments one human can read at a time... ).

We appreciate you understand that

this is not a wish list for content requests
but a place where we can listen to your thoughts without distraction
this is not a guarantee we’ll provide an answer in the next Sims 411
but rest assured that your comment is being read and will be addressed whenever possible
this is not a place to report bugs
but please continue to report bugs on AHQ

THE GOLDEN RULE
We’ll only read comments that adhere to our Positive Play guidelines and our forum rules.

GUIDELINES AND RULES

We’ll only read comments that adhere to our Positive Play guidelines and our forum rules - here are some of the most important points when it comes to giving feedback:

Be respectful. We want to hear what you have to say but please be kind and respectful when posting here. Being mean or aggressive as well as cursing and swearing doesn't help to bring your point across.
Keep it game-related and on topic. As we said before, this is not the place to post a wish list and bugs, or talk about those Sims 4 mods that you found.
Don't make things personal. It's not cool to target other players who may have different opinions or attack SimGurus and other officials. This also means: please no mass taggings.
Don't bully, troll, bait, or derail the conversation. This is never okay - which should go without saying! If you do this, you will be moderated as per our forum rules.
Don't spam or flood this thread. Posting the same thing over and over will not get your question into the Sims 411 but it may lead to moderation.

We’re looking forward to reading your comments!

Sims 411 Recap - Inside Maxis 6th August, 2021

EA_Lanna — Thu, 05 Aug 2021 10:55:23 +0000

Sul sul Simmers!

Here is a quick recap of the August 3rd Sims 411. You can also hop over to @TheSims for the Sims 411 highlights video!

SimTogether
Today is the grand finale of #SimTogether featuring Cottage Living by the wonderful SimGuruJill! Jump in at 11AM Pacific Time on twitch.tv/thesims to see how the story of “A new beginning in Henford-on-Bagley” ends! Did anyone say the end?? This is just the beginning! Download the save file and give that plot your own personal twist to show us what this story really is about. After SimGuruJill’s stream today, you’ll find the save file here: https://1drv.ms/f/s!AvxbRBU3iXGRgTonJaBEJ8MPG-xf

For anyone who missed it, you can re-watch the whole story told by the amazing streamer squad in the links below:

CAS and Build mode with SimGuruGeorge and Ash

Live Mode with Khaykashi

Live Mode with AndrewArcade

Hot Topics

We want a higher level of challenge and depth in the Base Game.

We’d love to hear more about it! Let us know what a higher level of challenge and depth in the Base Game would look like for you. What would you expect from it? How would this change your current experience of The Sims 4?

On August 19th starting at 6AM Pacific Time, we’ll be welcoming your comments again during 24 hours in The Sims Forums here: Sims 411 - Forum Feedback, August 19th.

Closer to the date, we’ll share the link to the forum thread again on The Sims Twitter account and on The Sims Forums.

As last time (which went wonderfully by the way! Thank you to everyone that participated and followed the guidelines):

We appreciate you understand that

this is not a wish list for content requests
but a place where we can listen to your thoughts without distraction
this is not a guarantee we’ll provide an answer in the next Sims 411
but rest assured that your comment is being read and will be addressed whenever possible
this is not a place to report bugs
but please continue to report bugs on AHQ

Be respectful. We want to hear what you have to say but please be kind and respectful when posting here. Being mean or aggressive as well as cursing and swearing doesn't help to bring your point across.
Keep it game-related and on topic. As we said before, this is not the place to post a wish list and bugs, or talk about those Sims 4 mods that you found.
Don't make things personal. It's not cool to target other players who may have different opinions or attack SimGurus and other officials. This also means: please no mass taggings.
Don't bully, troll, bait, or derail the conversation. This is never okay - which should go without saying! If you do this, you will be moderated as per our forum rules.
Don't spam or flood this thread. Posting the same thing over and over will not get your question into the Sims 411 but it may lead to moderation.

We’re looking forward to your comments on August 19th on The Sims Forums!

Will there be werewolves, fairies, and zombies in The Sims 4?
Maybe? Maybe! We definitely hear the occult fans' strong desire for werewolves, faeries, and zombies in The Sims 4. We can’t confirm at this time when they'll make their way into the game but rest assured, we would want to put as much love and thoughtfulness into them as we did for Vampires and Spellcasters. For now, our roadmap continues to be focused on improving content that is in the game. That said, stay tuned and prepare your Sims for a relaxing refresh of one of our existing Game Packs coming up soon!

Are you planning on making the ocean swimmable in all worlds, not just Sulani?
We'll continue adding swimmable areas to worlds in future packs when possible, so stay tuned! In the meantime, apart from Sulani, your Sims can go for a splash in Britechester of Discover University, Mt. Komorebi of Snowy Escape, and Henford-on-Bagley of Cottage Living.

Why are Skintones getting lighter over the course of The Sims games?
Hundreds of Townies have come to life since the first The Sims game launched 21 years ago! A lot of love has been put into every single one of them and we acknowledge they need continued care and attention. So, it’s about time for a Townie overhaul! We’re currently in the process of updating NPCs in The Sims 4 including visuals as well as their lore. This will take some time to accomplish, as we have to spend some quality time with every single Sim from Willow Creek to Henford-on-Bagley! That means we’re taking it step by step or better said, Townie by Townie and we’re excited to update you at a later date.

It might be fun to highlight some of the gameplay moments that players share on The Sims Forums.
We agree! Find some community spotlights that we found on the forums below!

Community Spotlight
We’re super excited about this part and we know many of you, too. Thank you to all that wrote in our last feedback session that you would love to see us highlighting some of the fun moments you experience in The Sims.

And thank you to all of you who engage in our community via the Forums and who share their delightful content, you all help making this community the awesome place it is ♥

In this section we want to look at some fun stories and Sim profiles you have shared in the Forums lately.

It goes without saying that what we show here is a nano, micro, mini selection of all the great content that we see every day on the Forums. We will continue doing Community Spotlights in the future to showcase as much as possible!

Helios Dating Kalamainu'u Iona by @Metior_Ice
Helios started the morning working on a wood carving. The Eons, a family of Aliens, had a normal looking house with an eye-catching garden, but on the inside, where no one else but the family was allowed to enter, the house had appliances with artificial intelligence and advanced sleeping pods. Helios often spent time in his swimwear from the moment he woke up because of his mermadic mutation after eating mermadic kelp. His bedroom was a pool he slept in.

Helios started to accept his new form, and he was grateful that he could still disguise his appearance and be on land with his siblings. One night, he decided to invite Iona over for another date since the last date didn't go very well. The two merfolk swam to one of the remote portions of the lagoon in Ohan'Ali.

Unaware of the cultural significance of a Charmer's Lullaby among merfolk, Helios serenaded Iona with his mermadic lullaby.

Also unaware of the cultural significance of Mermaid's Kiss, Helios moved in with a kiss of life. He didn't know that his actions meant that he was promising to devote himself and his life to Iona, but he wouldn't mind. Iona was interesting to him. She seemed to have a hidden side of her personality that he wanted to discover. He would commit his life to her if that's what it took to learn more about her. It was reassuring that, when Iona saw his true alien form, that she didn't pull away. She wasn't afraid of him.

Fier Legacy by @Haneul

The Fiers are a vampire family led by an arrogant and socially awkward megalomaniac named Asher who, among other things, hopes to have 100 children. As of now, he's had 17. The youngest five recently became young adults and are discovering the perks of university, so Asher's ready to move on from the life he's built with them in Sulani. Even though everyone is into pursuing an eco lifestyle and protecting the environment and even though Asher employed some draconian conservation policies while working as a top-level conservationist, he's done with that kind of tiny living stuff and had a (gaudy flamboyant) palace built in San Myshuno, where he recently relocated his family and where he intends to raise the next generation of his children.

The Fiers moved from Sulani to San Myshuno, and they were enjoying their new home. For example, Adelise and her daughter, Dysis, played many rounds of ping-pong on the roof with the city skyline as their backdrop. Dawn and Delmarya (Deli) swam laps in their indoor pool. Adelise also enjoyed cooking in their new kitchen.

But the move had been exhausting. The youngest Fiers (Dawn, Deli, Dysis, Darius, and Dyna), despite most of them being quite happy, were trying to adjust to a new home in a new city with a new climate while in the middle of their colleges' academic terms.

It was a bit of a mess and they resorted to napping—a lot.

Poor Dyna, who on top of everything else was on Foxbury's soccer team, collapsed from exhaustion once.

As for their father, Asher, he was adjusting well. He intended to begin a new career, but he wanted to let the megalomaniac in him shine before resigning from his current job as Chief Sustainability Officer.

In the name of cost-cutting and energy saving, Asher unilaterally forced the city to shut off its power for a few hours after 8 p.m. He could do this every day if he wanted, but he'd refrain for the economy's sake.

During the power outage, he relaxed in his office, and by candlelight, re-read a tome about the greatness of vampires (like him, he thought).

At any rate, his daughters were used to this sort of draconian power saving and did their homework unbothered. During the power outage, Asher's eldest daughter, Aster, who'd moved out long ago, also visited the Fiers' new home for the first time.

Asher was always happy to see her and he didn't hide that, but he did stop himself from being overbearing and smothering her with fatherly affection in front of everyone.

Instead, he snuck off to his office for a few minutes to privately celebrate.

Family Portraits by @Mstybl95

The Sims Hero Spotlight
@Crinrict

When thinking about the Sims community, there is one name that always comes to mind, Crinrict. A pillar in our Sims forum community for years and one of our most active users on Answers HQ as a member of the Community Connections program. Driven to help others, no matter how obscure an issue is, she always tries to find a solution for other simmers, going as far as to reproduce the bugs and share her insights with us. She’s always on top of the latest technical problems and bugs, and creating extremely helpful guides for all things Sims. All of this comes from her passion for helping others and her love for The Sims. She is a shining star in the Community! Thanks for always being so awesome, Crin!

Sims 411 Recap - Inside Maxis 29th June, 2021

EA_Lanna — Fri, 02 Jul 2021 17:26:28 +0000

Sul sul Simmers!

Here is a quick recap of the June 29th Sims 411. You can also hop over to @TheSims official Twitter page to catch the Sims 411 highlights video! Even more, you can watch the full livestream in all it's confetti glory on Twitch with @SimGuruBat and @SimGuruDuck. 🎉

Without further ado...

Hot Topics

Q: Will there be more relationship options in Create A Sim?
A: Currently, we do not have any plans around expanding families and households.
Our focus right now is on expanding gameplay possibilities, like family cooking and gardening, as well as more exciting ways for players to represent themselves. Rest assured, we hear the want for more relationship options and will keep it on our list of improvements for the future.

Q: Will the likes and dislikes system be expanded in the future?
A: We saw a very positive reaction from the community when we added new likes and dislikes to the Base Game last month. So, we definitely don’t want to stop here We are planning on adding new music preferences and activities as time allows!

Q: Can you give hints to easter eggs and hidden worlds?
A: This is actually a really cool idea! We've always wondered if exposing the secrets of the game takes away from your own exploration as we love seeing you all share what you recently discovered in game like swimming in Britechester or the hidden worlds in the three neighborhoods.

Still, we think your request shows there's an opportunity to balance both so stay tuned by following us on social @TheSims ! We can't say yet, but we can tell you our social media team is super excited about this idea!

Q: Will you fix the bugged black hair colors?
A: Yes! We’ve finished our initial audit of Black Hair colors and we'll update you soon on when we'll be able to release the adjusted hairs. Please bear with us on this one tough as it might take us some time, and we'd like to give you some background on why:

Once the colors for the hair styles are chosen, we use a gradient swatch to make sure the color is consistent across all hairs. This gradient swatch is manually added to each hair and “recolors” a grayscale texture. However, because each hair has a different texture and geometric shape, this can cause the colors to appear differently depending on the individual hair texture, the geometry of the actual hair model, and the lighting in the game. We cannot prove the correctness of the color until it appears in the game. When we do need to correct, we must do so one by one as every hair may need a different solution.

We’re currently working on going through the hairs again to make adjustments, and would love to hear feedback if there are particular hairs where the color looks like it may need an adjustment. With the multitude of hairs that are in the game it can take quite a bit of time to get through them all but we’ll continue to work on improving the experience.

Fun facts! Current number of hairs in game:

Hairs/Beards: 740
Eyebrows: 89

Please note: These numbers include separate models of the same style for Children, Toddlers, Teens, Adults, Elderly

Next Patch sneak peek
And now as usual, let’s take a look at what the next patch will bring to the Base Game!
The Sims x LGBTQ+ Artists
We’ve partnered with three talented artists from the LGBTQ+ community to bring their inspiring art into the game! In our June patch, you’ve already seen the amazing art piece from Jupiter aka @MidnightFox452 on Twitter and Instagram.

In the next patch update, you’ll find two new pieces from the two other artists Mohammed and Ashley inside the game. Take a look at the In Real Life images below.

Ashley Lukashepsky @Ashlukadraws

Ashely’s piece is meant to convey the idea that our liberations are interlinked, and that we need to look out for each other.
She uses illustration and visual art as a tool to strengthen social movements for racial justice, immigrant justice, climate justice, mental health and LGBTQIA+ liberation.
Ashely thinks that in order to tear down harmful systems, we need to be able to envision a world without them. She’s trying to draw what that world looks like - and we think it looks exactly like that!

Mohammed Iman Fayaz @brohammed

The title of this piece is ‘A Recipe for Good Times’ and is described by the artist as ‘some sweetness, some tenderness, some silliness, and some love. A recipe for good times.’
Mohammed thinks that so much of the culture around Pride is about one month, the big, the bright, the bold, the huge celebrations, but @brohammed is really interested in the softer moments. Who do we lean on, who’s in our circle, how do we care for each other in the downtime? For Mohammed, this piece is an ode to the quietness and sweetness of close friendships. We couldn’t agree more!

New Hair
This is the brand new hair we made for the next patch update. It is a modernized version of the large afro hairstyle we updated previously.

In the next game update, Sims will be able to do more things with the family!

Cooking Together

Group Cooking allows you to select up to 5 sims to come together and cook a meal.
It allows you to gain relationships while also preparing better quality meals with more servings.
In addition to any Sim that is on a player’s lot, Children can also be chosen to cook with an adult! They will gain mental skill as part of doing this.
Sims that cook together can get a new sentiment.

Kids gardening

Children will be able to water, weed, plant, and harvest crops. Please note: players won’t be able to use the vertical garden from Eco Lifestyle.
Water is available to all Children, but weed, plant, and harvest are unlocked by Mental skill thresholds.
Children and Toddlers will also be able to talk to plants, just a cute social interaction.
Toddlers Babble or Talk depending on Communication skill.
Children have a few random renames of talk like “Ask how the Sun tastes”
TYAE Sims with enough Gardening skill can also Teach About Plants to Child Sims. A social that provides the child with Mental skill.
All Sims who can plant seeds (TYAE and Children with enough Mental skill) will also have a new option on gardening containers (pot, planter, patch, etc.) to “Plant…” the seeds in their inventory.

Sims Sessions
If you haven't heard or read, Sims Sessions are now live - our first-ever in-game music event! Be sure to tune in to the music festival of the Summer of Sims in Magnolia Blossom Park!

We’ve been bringing new music to The Sims in Simlish since 2004, making The Sims a place for discovery In Real Life, and with Sims Sessions we want to give our players a fresh and new experience in the game!

Live now and until July 7th, Bebe Rexha, Glass Animals, and Joy Oladokun will be kicking off a limited time, intimate, in-game music festival where your Sims will be able to experience:

Music: A unique Simlish concert experience
Shopping: Buy artist themed merchandise OR run your own craft sales table
Festival Inspired Lounges: Camp out, sleep, nap, make friends, woohoo, use the restroom, or grab a snack!
Food Trucks: Experience classic festival foods in The Sims
Fashion: Change your outfit at the festival by putting on fits inspired by the performers
Party & Perform: Afterwards, go on stage and keep the party going with continued music, lights, and dancing all night long

Steps get to Sims Sessions

Start a New Game or an Existing Game and wait until Sunday.
At around 10:30 AM, your Sim will get a notification and ticket in their inventory.
At around 12:00 - 12:30 PM, your Sim will get a phone call inviting them to the Sessions, and the ticket's "Go to Sims Sessions Venue" interaction will be available.
If you don't want to wait for the phone call or ticket interaction, you can travel to Magnolia Blossom Park in Willow Creek, which will have a music icon that shows the Sessions location and time!

And don’t forget to show us your #SimsSessions festival looks on Twitter! Here’s how SimGuruBat and SimGuruDuck will be showing up:

SimGuruBat

SimGuruDuck

Sims 411 Recap - Inside Maxis 18th May, 2021

EA_Leeloo — Fri, 21 May 2021 17:58:32 +0000

Hot Topics

Thanks to all that participated in our feedback session on the forums! We’ve received loads of great comments and constructive feedback - thank you for adhering to the golden rule!

We’re starting with this first batch of questions and rest assured we saved many more to address in future Inside Maxis livestreams.

With no further ado…

When will you add pronouns?

When it comes to representation, it's not a destination, it's a journey that we are continuously working towards across the board. We've seen and read your comments regarding Non-Binary Pronouns and their availability in-game. At this time, we can't confirm anything in regards to timing, but what we can say is that for a long time our team has been evaluating ways to add gender-neutral language while considering how complex it would be to do so. Currently, we've been investigating the changes needed considering not only the size of our game, but the possibilities for all of our 18 supported languages to make sure that we do this work the best way possible. This is super important to all of us, which means we want to make sure we do it right.

Thank you all for the continued support of a truly representative environment in-game. We are hopeful for the future and look forward to sharing progress when we are able to as well as our future plans for this aspect and others across the game.

Speaking of sharing progress - here is some concept art of one current work-in-progress design we are looking to add into the game at a later patch. As you can see, we’re pretty inspired by Morocco and while we do not have a date of release for this item, we are super excited to support further representation in the base game, this year and beyond.

Disclaimer: Apparel designs are subject to change at time of release.

Are there any plans to make new whims to add depth to Sim personality?

Although we are not currently working on whims, it is a system that we would like to revisit in the future. We’re now committing more time in our schedules to free updates than ever before, and we’re starting to see the impact of our commitment with our skin tone updates, trait improvements and bunk beds to name but a few.

What factors does the team look at when differentiating a GP from an EP?

We want to create the best new Sims experiences first and foremost. Then we determine the best size pack to deliver that experience in its best form. There’re many factors when choosing pack size. For example, if the theme is better served with a grand scope and vision, it takes a bigger, broader Expansion Pack approach. Other times a great theme and experience can be made available to players at a more affordable price point through a more focused Game Pack. And yet other times a hyper-specific, nuanced Stuff Pack or kit could be the perfect fit. It’s all about tailoring and pairing the right sized experience to the right sized offering.

When will you fix the "Hates Children" issue?

Consent isn’t something to play with, so we’re updating the trait with the upcoming patch.

Is there potential for story progression in Townies/NPCs?

For those who may not know, Story Progression is the concept of Sims beyond my active household having life moments without me initiating them. There absolutely is potential for this at some point in the future. While we can't confirm any details at this time, we are excited for the possibilities.

Summer of Sims

For anyone who missed our tweet earlier this week or just wants to re-heat the joyful anticipation for the Hot Sims Summer that’s ahead of us all: Take a look at what to expect from May to July of this year!

Next Patch sneak peek

What’s coming

Bunkbed update

We released our first iteration of bunk beds a while ago. But we didn’t stop there - we’ve got updates for you In our upcoming patch, you’ll be able to place several objects below the top bunk, including loveseats, living chairs, dressers, desks, and even double beds! Objects can also be placed perpendicular to the top bunk.

Black Hair Color update

We've heard your feedback on the black hair color we teased in our last Inside Maxis and you’ll see it updated in the upcoming patch! Take a sneak peek at what it will look like below.

Before/After

Oh and...

Some of you may have noticed this extra molecule on our CAS UI in our last stream…

We’re really excited about what this is and we’ll share more with you in our next livestream on May 25th!

Sims 411 - Forum Feedback, May 6th

EA_Leeloo — Sun, 25 Apr 2021 09:02:50 +0000

Sul sul Simmers!

What’s on your mind for the next Sims 411?

What do you want us to talk about in the next Sims 411?
We’d like to know what’s on your mind when it comes to The Sims, what topics you’re interested in, what your concerns are and what you’d like to chat about with us.

Today, on May 6th starting at 6 AM Pacific Time, we’ll be welcoming your comments during 24 hours in The Sims Forums.
We’ll close the conversation after 24 hours, on May 7th at 6 AM Pacific Time.

You’ll be able to share any additional comments next time (our team is made of humans, and there are only so many comments one human can read at a time... ).

We appreciate you understand that

this is not a wish list for content requests
but a place where we can listen to your thoughts without distraction
this is not a guarantee we’ll provide an answer in the next Sims 411
but rest assured that your comment is being read and will be addressed whenever possible
this is not a place to report bugs
but please continue to report bugs on AHQ

Be respectful. We want to hear what you have to say but please be kind and respectful when posting here. Being mean or aggressive as well as cursing and swearing doesn't help to bring your point across.
Keep it game-related and on topic. As we said before, this is not the place to post a wish list and bugs, or talk about those Sims 4 mods that you found.
Don't make things personal. It's not cool to target other players who may have different opinions or attack SimGurus and other officials. This also means: please no mass taggings.
Don't bully, troll, bait, or derail the conversation. This is never okay - which should go without saying! If you do this, you will be moderated as per our forum rules.
Don't spam or flood this thread. Posting the same thing over and over will not get your question into the Sims 411 but it may lead to moderation.

We’re looking forward to reading your comments!

Sims 411 Recap - Inside Maxis 27th April, 2021

EA_Leeloo — Thu, 29 Apr 2021 17:03:32 +0000

Hot Topics

When will the ‘Simulation/Autonomy Lag’ be fixed?

We’re on it! Particularly, what we’re doing right now is identifying what the root cause of this issue is. That means, we’re investigating what specific actions during gameplay do lead to the lag? This is the first step we need to take because the simulation/autonomy lag is not the actual issue, it’s rather a symptom that can have dozens of different causes. If the lag has happened in your game, you’ve probably experienced the following most common manifestations of this symptom:

Sims standing around doing nothing
Sims not doing anything on their own (with free will set to max)
Sims take forever to do a given command
Time jumping backwards after fast forwarding to Ultra Speed. The Sims will usually freeze while fast forwarded.
Sims come home late from school
FPS Drops

Once we identify what specific actions and circumstances lead to the lag, we’ll know what we need to work on. And the best way to find out, is by analysing your save files! The more save files we can analyse the higher the chance we’ll be able to find the cause soon. That said, please continue your awesome support and keep sending us your save files whenever you experience the lag!

How to share your save files

Please provide the following information when sending your save files. You can send your info through this form or DM SimGuruNick directly on AHQ.

Basic Information about your computer (CPU, Operating System, Amount of RAM, Graphics Card, Hard Drive Space). This is not to blame your computer for the issue but to see what kinds of systems this issue is occurring on)
How big is your save game ?
Does the issue also occur on a new save for testing purposes
Video of the issue happening. Just upload to youtube and post the link in this thread. You don't need to list it
Please add the following files to a .rar or .zip archive and share with QA
These files can all be found in the following folder: Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 4\
- lastException.txt (if it exists. If there is more than one, please include all of them.)
- lastUIException.txt (if it exists. If there is more than one, please include all of them.)
- Config.log
- the entire saves folder

Things you can try in the meantime

Empty out your Sims inventories (all households you have ever played)
Reduce the amount of objects in your house
Play in a smaller house with less art pieces and stuff lying around
If you over-clocked your computer, check how it goes if you revert that.
Once the freezing occurs, try saving your game (save as), go to your options and back or press M or to go to the world map and back
Lower Graphics settings
If you play with higher resolution than 1920x1080, try lowing to 1920x1080
Go to the Audio settings and remove the check next to Enable Mood Sting
Make sure you fulfill the minimum requirements of the game
Reduce the amount of mods and cc you use
Start a new game (completely shut down the game, then restart it and start a new save game)
Move your Sims to a new game

Why is there no response to my ticket?

While there's no guarantee that every post receives a response, we regularly review the forums, internal processes, and bug reports with the Quality Verification team. That way, we can sync across the business on what's happening and what's most important to our players. But AHQ is not just a tool for our teams! It's also designed to support players helping players, and, fun fact, The Sims community is one of the most active and engaged on AHQ - so keep up the great work, Simmers! Still, we are here to help, of course, and a support ticket through EA Help is a player's best friend for getting assistance with issues like account access, purchases, etc.

What personality traits were updated in the last patch?

Bookworm

Bookworm Sims will prefer to choose reading activities autonomously over other Fun actions.
NPC Bookworm Sims will be seen carrying books where possible.

Cheerful

When a Cheerful Sim socializes with a non-Cheerful / non-happy Sim, that Sim has the chance to get a Tense 'Cheered to Death' buff.
Cheerful Sims will autonomously try and perk up Gloomy Sims
Negative emotional buffs will decay faster than usual when Cheerful Sims are in a Happy mood.
Cheerful Sims have a greater chance of success with Friendly socials when in a Happy mood.

Clumsy

Clumsy Sims have a chance of failure when engaging in sporting activities like Using a Treadmill, Ice Skating, Snowboarding or Skiing.
Clumsy Sims have a chance of stumbling when walking around - this will elicit a response from nearby Sims.
Clumsy Sims with higher Handiness have a lesser chance of breaking objects.
Clumsy Sims have a small additional chance of breaking certain electronic devices like the Computer, Research Machine, Juice Fizzer, Cupcake Machine, Games Console, Arcade Machine and Popcorn Maker.

Genius

Genius Sims have a chance of a 'Eureka Moment' while showering or bathing that gives a small amount of skill for a random skill they already have,
Genius Sims get a new interaction 'Solve Hard Problems' that helps them build Logic skill.
Genius Sims get a new idle where they appear to be pondering / solving problems.
Genius Sims will prefer 'cerebral' activities like Chess over other more trivial Fun actions.

Gloomy

Gloomy Sims will choose to autonomously Mourn, or act in a gloomy way (like sighing to themselves) more often.
Gloomy Sims will get an Inspired 'Spectral Influence' buff when in proximity to Ghosts.
Gloomy Sims get Sad moods prolonged if they see Cheerful Sims doing cheerful things, and also react in disgust.
Gloomy Sims have an increased chance of waking up in a Sad mood.

Glutton

Glutton Sims will autonomously choose to grab snacks more often.

Good

Good Sims get a new interaction 'Help Out' that reduces negative mood duration on another Sim in a negative mood.
Good Sims have a lower chance of choosing to do Mean or Mischief actions autonomously.
Good Sims will autonomously choose to react negatively to seeing Mean actions being performed.
Good Sims are more likely to choose to do Friendly actions autonomously.

Goofball

Goofball Sims are more likely to autonomously choose Mischief or prank activities like Prank Toilet.

Hates Children

Sims with the Hates Children trait are very unreceptive to being asked to ‘Try for Baby’
Hates Children Sims will get Tense, then Angry around child Sims, and also move away when they get to the Angry stage,
Hates Children Sims will look annoyed when idling in the Tense or Angry buff stages.
Hates Children Sims get a Happy 'Quiet Environment Child-free Zone' buff if away from children for a time.

Hot Headed

Hot Headed Sims who get pranked have a greater chance of getting Angry.
Having other Sims Enthuse about things can make Hot Headed Sims Angry.
Hot Headed Sims get Angry if they lose career performance
Hot Headed Sims won't be targeted by other Sims as for Mischief actions.
Hot Headed Sims get Angry at failed romance attempts (giving or receiving).

Jealous

Jealous Sims get a new interaction "Talk through issues" which gives a chance of a reduced duration of negative Buffs from less serious Jealous buffs
Jealous Sims get a reduction in the duration of less serious Jealous buffs
Jealous Sims are now less sensitive to time spent away from their SO.

Mean

Mean Sims will autonomously laugh at other Sims misfortune.
Mean Sims are more likely to choose to do Mean actions (like Kick Over Trash Can) autonomously.

Neat

Neat Sims are more likely to autonomously choose to do cleaning actions more frequently.
Neat Sims will try and clean things that aren't dirty autonomously.

Noncommittal

Asking a Noncommittal Sim to 'Try For Baby' has a very low chance of success.

Perfectionist

Perfectionist Sims will get an increased chance of Masterclass crafted objects, and will react favorably when they do.
Perfectionist Sims may choose to autonomously repeat some crafting actions (like Painting) numerous times.
Perfectionist Sims who create any Masterwork have a high chance of gaining a Focused ‘In The Zone’ buff which has a chance to increase the quality of another crafting interaction.
If they do achieve a better quality during this buff, they gain an Inspired ‘Focused Payoff' buff.

Ambitious

Ambitious Sims will autonomously mock Goofball Sims for Goofball actions.

Slob

Slob Sims will autonomously mock Neat Sims for cleaning things.

What’s On Your Mind?

What do you want us to talk about in the next Sims 411? We’d like to know what’s on your mind when it comes to The Sims, what topics you’re interested in, what your concerns are and what you’d like to chat about with us.

On May 6th starting at 6AM Pacific Time, we’ll be welcoming your comments during 24 hours in The Sims Forums. We’ll close the conversation after 24 hours. But don't worry if you missed the window. You’ll be able to share any additional comments in the next Sims 411 forum thread that will be open before the next Inside Maxis livestream (our team is made of humans, and there’s only so many comments one human can read at a time... ).

Tell us what’s on your mind on May 6th, beginning 6AM PT on The Sims Forums here.

Closer to the date, we’ll share the link to the forum thread again on The Sims Twitter account and on The Sims Forums.

We appreciate your understanding that:

This is not a wish list for content requests, but a place where we can listen to your thoughts without distraction.
This is not a guarantee we’ll provide an answer in the next Sims 411, but rest assured that your comment is being read and will be addressed whenever possible.
This is not a place to report bugs, but please continue to report bugs on AHQ.

THE GOLDEN RULE
We’ll only read comments that adhere to our Positive Play guidelines.

GUIDELINES AND RULES

We’ll only read comments that adhere to our Positive Play guidelines and our forum rules - here are some of the most important points when it comes to giving feedback:

Be respectful. We want to hear what you have to say but please be kind and respectful when posting here. Being mean or aggressive as well as cursing and swearing doesn't help to bring your point across.
Keep it game-related and on topic. As we said before, this is not the place to post a wish list and bugs, or talk about all things The Sims 2 (even if it's a great title!).
Don't make things personal. It's not cool to target other players who may have different opinions or attack SimGurus and other officials. This also means: please no mass taggings.
Don't bully, troll, bait, or derail the conversation. This is never okay - which should go without saying! If you do this, you will be moderated as per our forum rules.
Don't spam or flood this thread. Posting the same thing over and over will not get your question into the Sims 411 but it may lead to moderation.

We’re looking forward to your comments on May 6th on The Sims Forums!

Next Patch Sneak Peek

What’s coming

We’re including the updated retro style Large Afro and a new Short Afro into the next patch update. Both hairs will be available for adults, children and toddlers.

We’ll also add six new hair colors in a future patch. In our Inside Maxis livestream on 4/27 we stated the colors will be updated in the next patch. However, the update will not happen in the upcoming but in a future patch instead. We apologize for any confusion.

Last but not least, there will be new Asian eye presets that specifically are intended to bring in more options for east Asian representation. We’ve received some feedback from you about adding more diverse body features in CAS and this is part of our ongoing effort to continue updating the game to bring in more diverse content that allows users to re-create their authentic selves in game. We appreciate your ongoing and passionate engagement to support us in making this game the best it can be!

Our approach

We put a lot of effort into delivering the most authentic design to make sure we create hair and body features that are truthful to representation. We did loads of research and took inspiration from real world examples. But we also talked to a variety of people such as our ERGs (Employee Resource Group) and most importantly, to the Game Changers that consulted us on skintones.

Why is the hair red?

During the development process, we use a lighter color - red or orange - because it's easier to better see highlights and shadows when designing the hair. Working with darker colors off the bat can be more difficult because noticing the contrast can be tricky. Once we have the hair completed, we translate it into the different colors and adjust the levels from there.

What will it look like?

Take a look at a selection of the concept art below. Please note,these concept arts are work in progress and do not necessarily represent what you’ll see in-game.

Retro Style Large Afro

Short Afro

Six New Hair Colors

New Asian Eye Presets

March 26th - Sims 411 Recap

EA_Leeloo — Fri, 26 Mar 2021 18:14:23 +0000

Sul sul Simmers!

Here is a quick recap of the March 23 Sims 411. You can also hop over to @TheSims for the Sims 411 highlights video!

Hot Topics

Will you fix the Bust the Dust kit?

Yes! As of the March 23rd patch update, dust accumulates significantly slower. In the next patch, we’ll further adjust:

Earn less simoleons from Dust Bunnies
Make Sims want to clean less

When will you add…?

We’ve seen a lot of questions from you about specific pack themes/features and we’ve definitely been taking notes,
but we are not ready to share any specifics yet about future pack themes or features.. Here’s what we want you to know:

We love your ideas and we ourselves would enjoy all those things in the game! What we can say is that highly requested packs and features are always top of mind, especially when we think about what we want to do next.

As soon as these things become more real, we’ll update you here. So... what is needed to make it real?

To bring new content into the game involves many, many processes. We have to take important steps that are a part of the game development process and that often takes time. This time is needed to ensure we meet your expectations and to deliver the best quality. Sometimes there is foundational technology we need to work on and sometimes we need to dig into designs more deeply.

We read a lot of your feedback and our goal is for you to be as excited about our packs and features as we are. We put a lot of heart into everything we do and we try to make as many people happy as we can, but we also know it’s impossible to meet everyone’s expectations.

The great thing is, our game continues to grow and we look forward to delivering awesome packs and features for many more years to come!

Next Patch Sneak Peek

What’s coming

We’re including one updated and one new hairstyle into the next patch update. Both hairs will be available for adults, children and toddlers.

Our approach

We put a lot of effort into delivering the most authentic design to make sure we create hair that is truthful to representation. We did loads of research and took inspiration from real world examples. But we also talked to a variety of people such as our ERGs (Employee Resource Group) and most importantly, to the Game Changers that consulted us on skintones.

Why is the hair red?

During the development process, we use a lighter color - red or orange - because it's easier to better see highlights and shadows when designing the hair. Working with darker colors off the bat can be more difficult because noticing the contrast can be tricky. Once we have the hair completed, we translate it into the different colors and adjust the levels from there.

Is this a replacement for the big afro?

The tight curls hairstyle is not a replacement for the big afro. A lot of love is currently being put into that one which is coming later.

What will it look like?

Take a look at the concept art of the updated and the new hairstyle below. Please note,these concept arts are work in progress and do not represent what you’ll see in-game.