Customization of The Sims

Question

The Sims 2 - The Sims 2 is usually packaged with The Sims 2 Bodyshop, allowing players to create Sims or Sim Parts. As long as you have an image editor like Adobe Photoshop or Paint.Net, you can create your own CC. It's that easy. The official website at the time also provided Homecrafter Plus and the Content Manager. Homecrafter Plus allows the ability to create new walls, floors and terrains. The Content Manager allows the ability to organize and sort your custom content. If you own SimCity4, then you can use that game to create neighborhood terrains for The Sims 2.

The Sims 3 - Instead of Bodyshop to creating custom content, you can customize your Sims however you want right inside The Sims 3. CAS mode and Buy/Build Mode will have Create-A-Style (aka the color wheel). You can also download Create-A-Pattern and Create-A-World from the official website to create custom patterns and worlds for The Sims 3; just make sure you are logged into The Sims 3 official website, or otherwise you can't download!

The Sims 4 - To my knowledge, there are no official The Sims 4 CC tools.

The Sims 2, 3 and 4 all have the ability to add in custom music files and play them in-game. However, only The Sims 2 allows you to add in your own .avi video files into the Broadcast folders and Games folders, and you can create your own TV shows and Games this way. Not only this, The Sims 2 has great video-processing tools, such as the ability to pause the video-recording while recording the videoclip (just press the 'b' button on your keyboard) and moviemaking cheats. The Sims 3 has the Moviemaker Mode, which allows you to cue animations whenever you want it.

I can't speak much of The Sims 4, because The Sims 4 doesn't come with a manual. EA hasn't released a manual since the middle of The Sims 3 days. If you buy The Sims 4 on disc, you'll just get an empty box with some promotionals and a registration code and directions for you to register on Origin.

oldesimsfan · Answer

Fully with you on the TS2 CC tools.  That made a big difference in the game being 'mine', not just being allowed to play theirs.  Not done much with 3, but all you need to do is go into its CAS to see you can do things there that TS4 can only dream about.  In terms of creativity and customization those games are leagues ahead of 4.  Even TS1 has company made tools along those lines, though much simpler.

cinebar · Answer

TS4 players like to point out they have the Sims Studio (whatever that is to make cc) however, it's not a Maxis tool to my knowledge. This is the first time ever, Maxis has not provided anything for players to build their own towns/hoods/worlds/custom Sims/and or walls and floors etc. Even TS3 had a way to import your own custom floors into the game.

This is also the very first time Maxis has failed to provide a place (from within the game) to export your Sim machinima for others to watch. It was all possible from within the games in TS1 and TS3 but in TS2 you made your machinima (but Maxis provided a tool to create them) then uploaded to the actual site. Now days you have to do this all outside the game, and upload to Youtube where it may be bumped off due to whatever rule they have now about some nonsensical reason.

Maxis has failed to support creativity they can't control.

And TS4 players like to point out they have the 'gallery' from right in the game...ok, but TS2 players were uploading their builds right to the Exchange right from the game, too. So was TS1 and TS3 if you think about it. lol Nothing new under the sun here at all. Wait, what is new, is less for more.

waterywatermelo · Answer

@Cinebar
From my recollection, The Sims 2 Exchange just allowed users to share Sims, Lots, Pets and Stories. There were no Movies. People just used YouTube to share movies, and EA would review the videos for contests, I think.

The Sims 3 Exchange was even more expansive. You could upload just about anything that could be exported from the game. You could upload your video clips to the official website, use the simple editor to edit the videos and share that with others. You could also upload pictures/screenshots to the official website and use the editor to turn that into a story. A bit more tedious than the Sims 2 Exchange method, but it works. Nowadays, the Sims 2 Story Mode function can just be used as a Family Album or Family Recordbook instead of a Story that you upload and share.

sunflowergal227 · Answer

yeah i miss having some customization. i liked the sims 2 bodyshop where we can create our own custom content. i also miss the sims 3 as far as uploading things to the exchange. The sims 4 should have some outlet besides gallery to produce any custom content.

movotti · Answer

I really wish they would include a program like bodyshop with TS4, but have it use a system similar to create-a-style, with patterns and a colour-wheel, so you can edit ts4 clothing, then import it back into the game as your own custom recolour.

Additionally, it would be awesome if it could also be used for recolouring build/buy items. Imagine finally being able to make things match! Or have bedding in a colour that goes with the rest of a room!

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