Looking for ways to diversify townies «12...Next Go

fallenangel66

I was thinking of adding gallery townies to my Sim worlds. In my legacy save Newcrest has very differently styled neighborhoods, suburban, modern, trailer park, with a shopping and community district. Magnolia Promenade is a retirement community with a nursing home, retirement bungalows, a park, and a diner style restaurant. Willow Creek, Oasis Springs, San Myshuno, Brindleton Bay, and Windenberg are what they've always been I just delete the random townies. Vacant lots are usually turned into community lots, pools, restaurants, coffee shops, etc...

I find when creating Sims no matter what my intent I gravitate towards the same aesthetic and traits. I find that the randomly generated townies do the same.

How do you all find/make diverse sims for your games?

Looking for suggestions for making sims myself, gallery tags, anything to make my little sims more dynamic.

keenow

You could try the #simself tag. Those sims usually look unique and totally natural! Those are the best looking sims in my opinion

Netzspannung

Not that I am a great creator or anything, but I have a tip if you want to make some of the townies yourself and want them to look different from the Sims you usually make: just use a real human as a template. I don't like making celebrities, so I will Google search the most generic thing that comes to mind like "handsome African man" and pick a picture. Since you are not creating a lookalike, your creation does not have to be exact, but if you follow the shape of their features you will inevitably create a different looking sim every time.

fallenangel66

keenow wrote: »

You could try the #simself tag. Those sims usually look unique and totally natural! Those are the best looking sims in my opinion

Not that I am a great creator or anything, but I have a tip if you want to make some of the townies yourself and want them to look different from the Sims you usually make: just use a real human as a template. I don't like making celebrities, so I will Google search the most generic thing that comes to mind like "handsome African man" and pick a picture. Since you are not creating a lookalike, your creation does not have to be exact, but if you follow the shape of their features you will inevitably create a different looking sim every time.

Thank you I didn't know that was a tag. Both great ideas.

duhboy2u2

Netzspannung wrote: »

Not that I am a great creator or anything, but I have a tip if you want to make some of the townies yourself and want them to look different from the Sims you usually make: just use a real human as a template. I don't like making celebrities, so I will Google search the most generic thing that comes to mind like "handsome African man" and pick a picture. Since you are not creating a lookalike, your creation does not have to be exact, but if you follow the shape of their features you will inevitably create a different looking sim every time.

I'm not the original question asker, but found this tip to be very helpful and I will most certainly be using it in my saves. Thank you

sunblond

I often add gallery finds to my games as townies, I particularly like when they have a bit of a back-story attached to give me gameplay options.

In the early days, finding gallery sims was pretty easy, but as time has passed, I have found that avoiding sims which are: sexy, handsome, cute, beautiful, hot, etc., is more difficult. Due to the fact that a lot of sims in the gallery also have #'s that are not labeled correctly to garner more searches. I find this frustrating because it makes searching much harder.

So, here are some #'s that I have found that target average/normal looking sims more or less: townieswap, averageisbeautiful, simder, redditexchange

Also, you might want to check out any CAS challenges you run across here in the forum or elsewhere. Some of the daily themes make for pretty good townies. Here are some #'s that I have used in the past; packcasenmassechallenge, marchcaschallenge, aprilcaschallenge, mdsmalecaschallenge

Another tip that I cannot take credit for, is to use the genetics in CAS. What you do is find 2 sims, and while in CAS, you use the genetics option to create a child. You then delete the parents and age up the child. This gives you a random game generated sim that you can edit to suit your needs, I have used this one to create love interest sims to add to my games.

kalaksed

there are also some great, great sims in the various cas challenges (i'm personally in love with about half the entries i've seen for the 25 day male cas challenge... some of my favorites are the elder gamer and elder surfers found in there. i've got sims in both that one and the 25 day female cas challenge and do love trying to build my own sims around various backstories ...such as my poor agoraphobic for 'couch potato' day in the male challenge)

the mdsmalecaschallenge that @sunblond mentioned above is the 25 day male challenge, the female version uses womenoftheworld as its hashtag

...also, one thing that i've actually started doing within the past few months is look through both newer sims and those favorited by a few people i follow (@paradiseplanet is good for this, he favorites a ton of stuff daily, so i can poke through options i wouldn't usually see on my own). sometimes these sims become townies for me (one of my favorites is a clumsy witch apprentice), but usually i'm terrible and download the sims, poke through their clothing, 'borrow' some of the outfit ideas i really like, put those on sims i think they'll fit then delete the poor sim they were created for... and i really only do this because i've got over 500 sims in my game and am trying to avoid going even more overboard...

(also, don't listen to @Netzspannung on her whole 'not a great creator' stuff. i've borrowed more than a few outfits from her, and even more of her sims have become wandering townies for me)

editing to add links to the 25 day challenges. male one started almost two years ago but still has new people starting today:
https://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/908429/25-day-male-create-a-sim-challenge/p1

and female one is based on it, uses some of the same themes and also introduces female-specific ones and can be found here:
https://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/937639/female-create-a-sim-challenge/p1

paradiseplanet

@kalaksed I only fave a lot of gallery items bc I follow others who fave a lot of gallery items I like

QueenofMyshuno

For physical characteristics: I do the trick that @sunblond mentioned and create a child from 2 random parents that I delete. I make the child a teen when I'm creating them so I can see what they'll look like. When I'm choosing which child to keep, instead of looking for the one that's the most beautiful (which usually leads to having all sims that look alike), I choose the one that looks the most realistic. Realistic sims will usually have some flaw that makes them unique, so you end up with a more diverse and interesting group of sims. BTW, their flaws always look more extreme in CAS than when you're playing them.

For personality characteristics: There are a lot of free online dice sites. You can choose the number of sides your dice have and then roll the dice. Go to one of the personality options in the sims, count how many options there are, and then roll the dice. Pick that number trait. Do that for all 4 of the personality option categories (I'm assuming everyone has 4 categories and new ones weren't added in expansions I don't have). Then, to give yourself a little bit of control, since you can only have 3 personality traits, throw out the one you like the least and keep the other 3. It's a little more work, but worth it if you want things to be more randomized.

Cupid

I created all of my townies myself, but most of them were just randomly generated sims that I found interesting enough to use as a base, took them into CAS and did some push & pull without changing any of their default features. I find this is a good way to create townies that I like, while also allowing for variety between the townies and the sims that I create from scratch.

kalaksed

i know this was mostly for looks, but the post above me got me thinking about this post on simsvip. especially about how he selects traits for his sims. it's something i've really tried to focus on for nearly my whole time in sims 4, but he just does such a good job of explaining it precisely and giving examples (should admit, i'm also a big fan of all his decor articles, too)

https://simsvip.com/2017/10/11/like-vip-making-realistic-sims-cas/

bulldog773

Half the sims that populate my world come from the Gallery. I hate creating families.

SimsFinest1

Saw a new reddit thread started earlier this month using #redditexchange as the hashtag. The OP of the thread waa tired of seeing lookalike Sims so the hashtag is for unique ones. I searched and there were some cool ones there. Give it a shot!

calaprfy

I've always had this crazy idea of dressing every resident of Windenburg in old English outfits. I'm thinking of the British comedy Blackadder II.

LadyKyn

I look at references towards other cultures. Much like my Hindu sims, I notice the patwrn of a lot of females having this rather long nose that's usually in the narrow side and almond shaped eyes. And I love how she turned out.

Think people have a habit of using the same sims as a template and they end up looking like clones or just inbreeding.

JC1979

I change townie sims while I’m playing a household. If I take my sim to the spa and see a townie or two that need a little assistance with their name or look then I change them. Many of the townie or premades that consume my game have some odd looks, so I try to tone it down and dress them better; and I tend to change the names because most of the premades come out with some thoughtless thrown together names and they are repetitive.

nastyjman

I do time travel roleplaying in my game. I download lots from the Gallery, and if they're non-Residential, I turn them into Residential. Then I move in a group of Sims dressed in the appropriate era. So, if I do a Wild West lot, I'll move in a group of Sims with cowboy and cowgirl attire. That way, when I do some screenies or if I just want some immersion, I don't have any Sims wandering around the Wild West with a hoodie and sunglasses.

DominicLaurence

I've come to the conclusion that redundant traits are of the main reasons why people feel like playing their sims are all the same. A quick look around the gallery will tell you how common is seeing sims with traits and aspirations that are all basically about the same thing.

whimreaper

I totally understand the struggle of diversifying your townies. Maybe consider what makes real people differ from one another. Try to play with different age groups, family structures (siblings, aunts, grandparents, step-relatives, in-laws), religions, hobbies, quirks (favorite colours, habits), illnesses, intelligence, nationality, etc. Another way to create diversity is to try to make sims with facial features you tend not to use (hooked nose, freckles, larger ears, etc).

happyopi

DominicLaurence wrote: »

I've come to the conclusion that redundant traits are of the main reasons why people feel like playing their sims are all the same. A quick look around the gallery will tell you how common is seeing sims with traits and aspirations that are all basically about the same thing.

Oh, mood.

Monomaniac and/or one-dimensional sims are so boring to play. And people's idea of a "perfect" sim means dull as ditchwater.
Honestly The Sims Medieval had the right idea by forcing you to pick a flaw for every sim.

Writin_Reg

I don't mess too much with the townies unless they are totally ridiculous. I could not take Vliad as he was, so I changed him up a bit - just a bit as he creeped me out too much the way he was. LOL. But I generally just make the townies and Maxis Sims friends of my sims for the most part and accept them pretty much as they are unless something about them gets on my nerves and then they get a bit of a touch up or a hair or new clothing wardrobe if they wear a lot of bad choices. I also sometimes gives a few skills and jobs to a few that my sims are closer to - but that is rare.

DominicLaurence

happyopi wrote: »

DominicLaurence wrote: »

I've come to the conclusion that redundant traits are of the main reasons why people feel like playing their sims are all the same. A quick look around the gallery will tell you how common is seeing sims with traits and aspirations that are all basically about the same thing.

Oh, mood.

Monomaniac and/or one-dimensional sims are so boring to play. And people's idea of a "perfect" sim means dull as ditchwater.
Honestly The Sims Medieval had the right idea by forcing you to pick a flaw for every sim.

Yeah. I mean, if I'm having a painter I'm gonna give it the Painter Extraordinaire aspiration with creative, loves art and perfectionist as traits. 'Cause I want my sim perfect shallow like a dot.

I think games are kinda conditioning in that regard. Maybe life in general too lol I understand that sounds counterproductive to have a goal and don't equip the tools in order to achieve it faster, easier, if we have the choice. But we gotta remember that actually our objective here might be having more fun along the way; or to create a more interesting character, with depth.
Maybe I'm digressing already, but I think that's related to why we tend to prefer standard prettier sims too. Why have the odds against us as a deviant, "ugly" sim, if we can follow the simple and accepted way of "beauty"? That's the dream, right? We want no problems.

Coconut27

There are two things that always annoys me with townies:
1. that they are always the same when you start a new game. When a start a new game with a sim who is single and searching for a romance, the townies to choose from are limiting and so I tend to either take sims from the gallery that I like/find suitable for the storyline Im about to play out and/or create other sims and add them to the game once I have created a new household.

2. I wish the houses for the townies came more nicely furnished?? They are provided with like basic set ups, but it would be nice if they were more thoroughly designed and made up considering when you are friends with townies they tend to invite you over to hangout/go to their birthday parties.

Writin_Reg

DominicLaurence wrote: »

happyopi wrote: »

DominicLaurence wrote: »

I've come to the conclusion that redundant traits are of the main reasons why people feel like playing their sims are all the same. A quick look around the gallery will tell you how common is seeing sims with traits and aspirations that are all basically about the same thing.

Oh, mood.

Monomaniac and/or one-dimensional sims are so boring to play. And people's idea of a "perfect" sim means dull as ditchwater.
Honestly The Sims Medieval had the right idea by forcing you to pick a flaw for every sim.

Yeah. I mean, if I'm having a painter I'm gonna give it the Painter Extraordinaire aspiration with creative, loves art and perfectionist as traits. 'Cause I want my sim perfect shallow like a dot.

I think games are kinda conditioning in that regard. Maybe life in general too lol I understand that sounds counterproductive to have a goal and don't equip the tools in order to achieve it faster, easier, if we have the choice. But we gotta remember that actually our objective here might be having more fun along the way; or to create a more interesting character, with depth.
Maybe I'm digressing already, but I think that's related to why we tend to prefer standard prettier sims too. Why have the odds against us as a deviant, "ugly" sim, if we can follow the simple and accepted way of "beauty"? That's the dream, right? We want no problems.

They said townies not our sims, but as far as my sims goes....

I vary a lot of my Sims that I play with and if they are becoming to much like the rest - I download other people Sims to use in the game as I like a broad mixture of sims like the real world. There are some sims I would never trait in some ways but I don't mind downloading and playing someone elses versions of those sims. Like I cannot bring my self to make mean sims or certain negative types but I want them in the game if it looks like it fits the sims. I have no trouble playing other people ideas of people - just when I have to make them - I can't.

I know - it probably sound weird - it's just the way I am. I also prefer to add sims over various nationalities by other players as they do them better than I would. I want them to be right and knowing me - I'd make them too much like me. LOL. I know my limits - and I want my game filled with variety I could never get right.

Those sims I add I do not do anything too but maybe add a bigger wardrobe as most usually come with just one of each outfits I like to give all the sims 5 of each outfit and a few more hair choices in the length the player made the original. I think I do okay when I finally have all the households I plan to play. I like to Aim for at least 35-50 households a save by the time I am done and play in rotation.

stilljustme2

DominicLaurence wrote: »

happyopi wrote: »

DominicLaurence wrote: »

I've come to the conclusion that redundant traits are of the main reasons why people feel like playing their sims are all the same. A quick look around the gallery will tell you how common is seeing sims with traits and aspirations that are all basically about the same thing.

Oh, mood.

Monomaniac and/or one-dimensional sims are so boring to play. And people's idea of a "perfect" sim means dull as ditchwater.
Honestly The Sims Medieval had the right idea by forcing you to pick a flaw for every sim.

Yeah. I mean, if I'm having a painter I'm gonna give it the Painter Extraordinaire aspiration with creative, loves art and perfectionist as traits. 'Cause I want my sim perfect shallow like a dot.

I think games are kinda conditioning in that regard. Maybe life in general too lol I understand that sounds counterproductive to have a goal and don't equip the tools in order to achieve it faster, easier, if we have the choice. But we gotta remember that actually our objective here might be having more fun along the way; or to create a more interesting character, with depth.
Maybe I'm digressing already, but I think that's related to why we tend to prefer standard prettier sims too. Why have the odds against us as a deviant, "ugly" sim, if we can follow the simple and accepted way of "beauty"? That's the dream, right? We want no problems.

In Sims Medieval you had to pick one "negative" trait -- the Fatal Flaw. I wish that Sims 4 had more than 3 trait slots so that one could be used for one of the more difficult traits, like Loner or Squeamish. When my Sims have offspring, I'll give the child one trait from one parent, as a teen a trait from the other parent, then when they hit YA they get a totally unique trait that neither parent has.

Coconut27

This kinda made me think about game packs. It would be pretty cool if we had a "Different Eras" game pack. Like how in the sims Seasons we get to choose which season to start in. In this pack it would allow us to choose what era we want to play so that way the new world provided could have sims/the world made up accordingly for such decision. That or even just having more party options for sims. Like having a roaring 20s themed party, 50s themed party, wild wild west theme, etc.
> @nastyjman said:
> I do time travel roleplaying in my game. I download lots from the Gallery, and if they're non-Residential, I turn them into Residential. Then I move in a group of Sims dressed in the appropriate era. So, if I do a Wild West lot, I'll move in a group of Sims with cowboy and cowgirl attire. That way, when I do some screenies or if I just want some immersion, I don't have any Sims wandering around the Wild West with a hoodie and sunglasses.