I see that a lot of us have similar problems! Naming used to be hard for me but I overcame it by googling baby names.
I kinda have a mini passion for names now. I have a few name books at home. One in particular is called the Character Naming Sourcebook. I love it because, say I want a Norse name. I just flip to the Norse section. Or I want to find a name that starts with G. I go to the index.
I see that a lot of us have similar problems! Naming used to be hard for me but I overcame it by googling baby names.
I kinda have a mini passion for names now. I have a few name books at home. One in particular is called the Character Naming Sourcebook. I love it because, say I want a Norse name. I just flip to the Norse section. Or I want to find a name that starts with G. I go to the index.
OH actually! Wouldn't it be handy if we made forum archive for names each letter
Okay decided I'm making one all come around and add some names lets make it big big list
I also struggle at times with dressing stylish elder female Sims. Even with tons of cc, it can be challenging to find skirts that aren't too short, etc. But they don't all want to look like Agnes Crumplebottom.
Sometimes I like to give my sims a specific racial identity, so I try to create sims with certain physical characteristics that are common in a specific race. The easy way to do this is to find a photo of somebody from that race and use that as a model. But sometimes it's more fun to research what traits are common in a race and build a character from scratch with that knowledge (plus a few photos). Of course, this is a lot of work. I don't mind though, or I wouldn't do it. lol
I struggle with making diverse sims sometimes. Even if they have different skin tones and hair colors/styles, I find myself gravitating toward the same makeup and clothing styles so a lot of my sims tend to have a very similar feel since I sometimes struggle with getting out of my comfort zone and my own preferences when it come to styling them differently.
Same - in that I have a "type" I tend to default to, favorite traits, favorite styles, etc. which are all in "safe" territory for me but leads to a same-ness in NPCs or playable sims I create. Which is why I rarely alter Maxis sims (though a Stylist may target them for a make-over), because that assures the existence of sims in my world without my same-y fingerprints all over them.
I can't make a sim of a different race than I am myself without starting with a whole preset face. That bothers me very much. I want to be able to create ANY sim from ANY generated sim.
-Making diverse sims. I find it hard to make them look unique and sometimes I struggle with trying to make sims of different races.
-Naming can be hard, too. I usually just use the randomizer until I find a name I like but that can take awhile sometimes.
- Giving them unique personal style. I tend to gravitate towards the same pieces and a lot of my female sims end up dressing similar to how I would irl. Male sims are even harder because I don’t know what boys like to wear.
Faces: I pretty much always struggle with making pretty faces.
Diversity: Even when I really want to try something different, I struggle with convincing myself to. All my men and women have a pretty nice build and I struggle with going against to and creating a more heavy set sim. I rarely have any sims of different races, but today I had my sim adopt a little girl who I named Duchess (to match somewhat with her moms named, Swan, since I plan for her to be Swan’s heir) that is African American. Really excited to use the hairs. Hopefully this is a step in the right direction.
Biggest struggle is getting kids and toddlers that don't look identical 😣😣 I spend hours on them compared to all other age groups. lol so many limited facial features even WITH cc.
The struggle is real.
Finally got a toddler I'm satisfied with today.
Other than that I have a pretty easy time in CAS. And I always get the sim I was going for even if it takes a long time.
OMG I'm so glad people mentioned issues with creating diverse Sims. I was starting to feel like I was the only one who had struggled with that. My first attempt to create a POC sim was an unmitigated disaster. Me, a W.A.F Aussie chick decided to try and create a POC sim that wasn't just a sim with European features and a black skin tone slapped on top. So I googled reference pictures, I searched through other people's creations, I thought I had the whole thing down pat, and what I ended up with was the most stereotypical, racist caricature of a POC you could imagine. I felt so bad and embarrassed at what I'd done that it took me ages to attempt another POC sim after that. When I did decide to try again I ended up using the preset Sim faces & just making some minor adjustments. Second attempt turned out alright, first attempt, not so much.
Occult Simmer (All Occult All The Time)
Female Simmer from Australia (she/her)
I had one of my Sims marry the Grim Reaper & now they have a lot of kids.
I am terrible with makeup. I've stumbled upon a small number of choices in each category that look pretty good, but if I use them too often, my makeup-wearing Sims tend to look too much alike. I often let my daughter or wife take over when I'm in CAS, trying to create a female Sim. My daughter especially enjoys Sim makeovers. Her favorite projects involve giggling at what Dad came up with and setting it right.
I use a fantasy name generator website when I can't come up with a name I like.
Names. I almost always change the names over and over. To the point that I sometimes look at a sim and draw a blank on their name because either I've changed it recently or it just doesn't fit and is more like a placeholder name, while I wait for the perfect name to come along. I like the idea of using Baby Name Books or looking online. I'll start doing that.
Indecision. I wish we could save a sim in progress (if we did that I know I'd have 500 sims in there waiting to be finished ). Sometimes I'm not really sure what this sim should be like till I've had time to think about them. If only we could just save them and go back to them later.
Traits. I keep using the same traits, over and over. Many of my sims are exactly the same. I'm trying to branch out, but it isn't easy.
Hair. I constantly change their hair. I know we have a lot of different hairs, but I really don't like a lot of them, so I struggle not to use the same hair over and over.
Beards. I keep using the same ones and change them often, trying for the right look.
Faces. Everybody looks the same. I'm trying to change that.
Diverse sims. Oh, man. I have to start with one of the premade heads for them. I'm so afraid of doing something wrong out of pure ignorance.
Clothes. Once I learned we could have more than one outfit per clothing type I went crazy giving everyone makeovers. I want - no, I need more clothing slots. Also, I keep using the same clothes.
I've been leaving the premades in the game just for the variety and then I get mad when they are mean to my sims.
For me it's breasts. (Can I say that here?) I'm always struggling to get that slight upward curve, you know what I mean? Maybe I just haven't found the right slider yet.
“Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to reform (or pause and reflect).”
― Mark Twain
For me, facial features, particularly with female Sims. It's more common for me to take a Sim and edit it instead of making my own, but I still make my own often to practice that. I've improved thus far, but it's not satisfactory yet. I also had a slight problem with gravitating towards certain hairstyles, colors, and makeup, but I've quickly begun to fix that too.
Although I practice it a lot, I do struggle making diverse Sims. Sometimes I start out wanting to make a specific kind of Sim with an ethnicity in mind and I accidentally end up making something completely different. Other times, I just go with the flow and accidentally end up making a Sim I had never made before.
And finally... I too often give my Sims a nice butt. I refuse to change that habit. XD
My female sims tend to be...top-heavy. Poor girls must have back pain constantly.
As for names, I try to vary up a bit where everyone's "from" in terms of where their family lived before moving to SimNation and choosing names from that ethnicity, whether it's Russian names, Hispanic names, Korean or Japanese names...a few generations down, when the daughters and granddaughters marry generic NPC men, then their kids get more "assimilated" names (the fourth-generation scion of the Markov family is named Tom Bernard, for example.)
(he/him)
And remember this above all. Our Roman gods are watching. Make sure they are not ashamed!
My NBA site, Pace and Space
I have less of a problem with names lately. Usually I will have a list of whatever ethnicity baby names I'm aiming for open in a browser window. I can just pick something that takes my fancy for a new create-a-sim or newborn sim.
Where I struggle is with all the myriad of options for accessories, especially once you start throwing a few bits of CC into the mix. When you see some of the HQ versions of Sims that people post pictures of - wow! Amazing! Mine will never look that good, but it won't be for lack of trying.
Comments
I kinda have a mini passion for names now. I have a few name books at home. One in particular is called the Character Naming Sourcebook. I love it because, say I want a Norse name. I just flip to the Norse section. Or I want to find a name that starts with G. I go to the index.
OH actually! Wouldn't it be handy if we made forum archive for names each letter
Okay decided I'm making one
🏡 Gallery 📖 Stories 🌍 World Project 🥔 MOD/CC Free
Kira Draco
Sam Windspiral
Katie Endor
Jack Sparrow
Alice Maya - Based in part on Moya the ship from Farscape
April Flowers
Names Archive
Now it just needs names... lots of them
I just added a couple for a start
🏡 Gallery 📖 Stories 🌍 World Project 🥔 MOD/CC Free
Both of these... I always wish we could copy/paste!
Same - in that I have a "type" I tend to default to, favorite traits, favorite styles, etc. which are all in "safe" territory for me but leads to a same-ness in NPCs or playable sims I create. Which is why I rarely alter Maxis sims (though a Stylist may target them for a make-over), because that assures the existence of sims in my world without my same-y fingerprints all over them.
-Naming can be hard, too. I usually just use the randomizer until I find a name I like but that can take awhile sometimes.
- Giving them unique personal style. I tend to gravitate towards the same pieces and a lot of my female sims end up dressing similar to how I would irl. Male sims are even harder because I don’t know what boys like to wear.
https://www.theplumtreeapp.com/public/616a83a072616b1d18fb3268
Diversity: Even when I really want to try something different, I struggle with convincing myself to. All my men and women have a pretty nice build and I struggle with going against to and creating a more heavy set sim. I rarely have any sims of different races, but today I had my sim adopt a little girl who I named Duchess (to match somewhat with her moms named, Swan, since I plan for her to be Swan’s heir) that is African American. Really excited to use the hairs. Hopefully this is a step in the right direction.
I fail. Every time. Gimme those big booties.
The struggle is real.
Finally got a toddler I'm satisfied with today.
Other than that I have a pretty easy time in CAS. And I always get the sim I was going for even if it takes a long time.
Female Simmer from Australia (she/her)
I had one of my Sims marry the Grim Reaper & now they have a lot of kids.
The Sims 4 Ideas Corner
- 👕 [CAS] Male content | 💰 §1 Million Lifestyle | ♂️ Man lifestyle for The Sims | ♻️ Content from The Sims
- 🔨 [Build/Buy Mode] Ideas | 📱 Ideas from The Sims FreePlay | ✈️ Vacation : Gameplay update | 🥦 New meals
The Sims 4 General DiscussionHAHAHA THIS IS ME I MAX OUT THE BUTT SLIDER WAY TOO MUCH
I use a fantasy name generator website when I can't come up with a name I like.
Exie hay, cavero, mabza meeah vendarzo.
Yevsas mairzeemo!
Names. I almost always change the names over and over. To the point that I sometimes look at a sim and draw a blank on their name because either I've changed it recently or it just doesn't fit and is more like a placeholder name, while I wait for the perfect name to come along. I like the idea of using Baby Name Books or looking online. I'll start doing that.
Indecision. I wish we could save a sim in progress (if we did that I know I'd have 500 sims in there waiting to be finished
Traits. I keep using the same traits, over and over. Many of my sims are exactly the same. I'm trying to branch out, but it isn't easy.
Hair. I constantly change their hair. I know we have a lot of different hairs, but I really don't like a lot of them, so I struggle not to use the same hair over and over.
Beards. I keep using the same ones and change them often, trying for the right look.
Faces. Everybody looks the same. I'm trying to change that.
Diverse sims. Oh, man. I have to start with one of the premade heads for them. I'm so afraid of doing something wrong out of pure ignorance.
Clothes. Once I learned we could have more than one outfit per clothing type I went crazy giving everyone makeovers. I want - no, I need more clothing slots. Also, I keep using the same clothes.
I've been leaving the premades in the game just for the variety and then I get mad when they are mean to my sims.
― Mark Twain
Although I practice it a lot, I do struggle making diverse Sims. Sometimes I start out wanting to make a specific kind of Sim with an ethnicity in mind and I accidentally end up making something completely different. Other times, I just go with the flow and accidentally end up making a Sim I had never made before.
And finally... I too often give my Sims a nice butt. I refuse to change that habit. XD
yep that's me too XD
As for names, I try to vary up a bit where everyone's "from" in terms of where their family lived before moving to SimNation and choosing names from that ethnicity, whether it's Russian names, Hispanic names, Korean or Japanese names...a few generations down, when the daughters and granddaughters marry generic NPC men, then their kids get more "assimilated" names (the fourth-generation scion of the Markov family is named Tom Bernard, for example.)
And remember this above all. Our Roman gods are watching. Make sure they are not ashamed!
My NBA site, Pace and Space
Where I struggle is with all the myriad of options for accessories, especially once you start throwing a few bits of CC into the mix. When you see some of the HQ versions of Sims that people post pictures of - wow! Amazing! Mine will never look that good, but it won't be for lack of trying.