Sims

Sims I’ve created or that were born in-game

To Sims 4 or Not To Sims4…

That has definitely been the question on my mind for the past few months!  I was really hoping for some revolutionary changes with the next version of The Sims, and as news about TS4 started filtering out, it was disappointing.  The graphics had not evolved the way I’d hoped, and features that we’ve come to take for granted were not being implemented.  Thus, I was on the fence and leaning pretty heavily toward staying on The Sims 3 side of it.  There are still builds and stories I have in progress in TS3, but truthfully, I haven’t done much with the game for many months, so I hadn’t written off TS4 completely.  Then, finally, the TS4 CAS demo became available, and I have to admit I’ve been having a good deal of fun with it.

I definitely miss CAST functionality.  It’s hard to comprehend that we aren’t even given a color wheel for at least a minimum of customization beyond the template colors available.  Also, when it comes to the templates, a lot of the colors are way more garish than I care for where others are more muted.  It makes it tough to set up a good matching outfit sometimes, and the hair and particularly eye color choices are poor if you prefer more natural, realistic colors.  The hairs are very blocky, which seems like something of a step backwards.  However, I think there is a pretty good selection of hairstyles and clothing for a new base game, and I’ve heard that there will be more that we’re not seeing in the demo.

The real star of the demo is the ability to more intuitively shape your sim’s face and body with push/pull techniques as opposed to the prior format of presets and sliders.  However, there are still limits to what you can do as you must still select (or accept) a preset for each feature that can be morphed from there to a certain extent.  It isn’t always easy to know exactly what you’re manipulating when you grab part of a feature; you might think you’re going to tilt the nose up, but instead you make the tip larger, things like that.  With trial and error, you get used to it.  It’s not perfect, but it’s definitely a step up from sim creation in TS3.

I’ve been working on creating some of the cast from the Veronica Mars TV show.  I just finished watching the series and movie, so the characters are fresh on my mind, and I thought it would be fun to set up my own “Neptune.”  I feel like I’m definitely putting CAS through its paces as I try to generate sims that can be easily recognized as their celebrity counterparts.  It’s definitely a challenge, although some come easier than others.  My Weevil practically sprang to life from the random generator.  Here’s what he looks like – it’s not perfect, but I think it’s probably as close as I’m going to get:

Francis Capra aka Eli “Weevil” Navarro

Simified

 

Lilly and Dick are coming along nicely too:

Amanda Seyfried aka Lilly Kane

Simified

Ryan Hansen aka Richard “Dick” Casablancas

Simified

I am having a really tough time with Logan and Veronica.  It’s weird, but it seems like even though I can approximate their features, they’re missing something that would make for a strong resemblance.  I may just need to get more extreme; it seems like you almost have to draw a caricature to make it work.  I’ve also got Mac, Wallace, and Duncan in progress.  Hope to have them all finished and uploaded by go live!  You’ll be able to find them in the gallery by searching for hashtag #bryscreations or my Origin ID, BryonyRae.

Looking beyond CAS and the sims themselves, I am still concerned about building.  From what I understand, we are restricted to completely flat lots, no split levels, no CFE or MOO cheats, only 3 story structures, etc.  From an advanced building perspective, it seems like much is lost.  However, I didn’t originally get into the Sims to build; that evolved in the Sims 3 and in no small part due to the wooden nature of the sims, which made it difficult for me to enjoy the gameplay that much.  I am hoping that gameplay itself will have more staying power in TS4.  I will also give building a try, but if it fails to hold my interest, oh well.  I will take The Sims 4 as a brand-new game and try to judge it on its own merits (but they do need to add toddlers and pools ASAP!).

 

New Sims to Love

Just in time for Valentine’s Day, here are some new sims that I hope you will fall for!  They are all CAS genetics experiments this time, as I haven’t been playing the game enough to round up a new crop of born-in-game sims.  To download a sim, simply click on his or her headshot (note that the Simpacks were compressed using WinRAR).  Please be advised that I did use some expansion clothing items on some of the sims, mostly Late Night.  Their skins are base EA.  They are pictured with Escand’s “Oh My Eyes” default eye replacements (which I highly recommend).  See bottom of post for alternative base game only and .sim file download links.

First, I give you Emery Knowles.  He’s got a bit of a smoldering look here that I liked.  The only editing done on this picture was to add a frame.

Emery comes packaged with Tamo’s athletic wear Leisure Shirt and a couple of patterns.

Next, we have Anna Moreau.  In my game, Anna is a famous actress (well, she will be, once I actually have a chance to play Late Night).  I used Anna as one of my model’s in my winning SIFF Photo Reporting Fall 2010 gallery.  I enjoyed photographing Anna with the new city of Bridgeport as her background.  The only editing done to the photo was to add a frame.

Anna comes packaged with a few patterns and:

Our next sim is a handsome cousin to Emery; meet Andrew Knowles.  I took Andrew’s head shot at sunset, and I love the rich colors.  The only editing done to the photo was to add a frame.

Andrew does not come with any custom content except for a couple of patterns.

Next, I bring you Annette Johnson.  In CAS, she conjured up images of the stereotypical 50’s housewife to me, so I decided to go ahead and have fun with that theme.  While she’s no knockout beauty, I think she’s really cute.  I used an in-game painting for the background in her headshot.  The only editing done was to add a frame to the image.

Annette comes packaged with a Hollister Top by Modern_Sims and Crystal Embellished Nails by NataliS.  Her hair is by Rose; it is not included but may be found here.

Our final male this time is Sean Graham.  Sean is my Ken doll; almost too perfect, but you can always rough him up a bit by adding facial hair or maybe changing a few of his features.  I again enjoyed shooting Sean with Bridgeport’s night life as his background.  I may turn him into a vampire in my game – it should give him a bit more edge, and Bridgeport could certainly benefit by having some more attractive vampires!  The only editing done on Sean’s picture was to add a frame.

Sean does not come with any custom content other than a pattern.

Next among the ladies, I give you Mia Miller.  I think Mia would make an excellent model for Sims 3 modeling contests, not that I’m likely to have the time to participate in another one.  My lighting was a bit weak in this headshot, so I did add highlights via editing and also added a frame.

Mia comes packaged with:

Last but not least among the ladies, I’d like to introduce Kristy Frost.  Kristy brings to mind the TV show V; I think she looks just a touch alien, and I love it.  The only editing done to this image was to add a frame.

Kristy comes packaged with PlumpLip lipstick by Channy & Vivin and Earrings with Gems 007 by NataliS.

For those having difficulties installing/using the sims, here are base game only versions of them (non RAR as well):

Here are links to the .sim files as well (again non-RAR):

Beautiful Brunettes (Part 2)

To close out the month, here are six more of my favorite brunettes.  These files have been checked with Custard and do not contain any harmful content.  I will provide descriptions and links for the custom content they do contain.   Just click on the headshot to download the sim:

First we have Aria Silver, a CAS genetics experiment.  I believe her “father” was my Damon Silver, which explains her good looks.  For her head shot, I was inspired by a very intricate custom content window I found.  Positioning her in front of it at sunset created a fantastic effect.  The only editing done on this shot was to add a small frame around the image.

Aria’s hair is default EA.  She comes packaged with:

Next up, I offer you Mace Townsend.  He’s another CAS genetics experiment.  I like to leave my sims’ ethnicity open to interpretation, but to me, he looks Native American.  I decided to go with a bit of a rocker style for him.  I loved the lavender color of the sunset and the soft lighting I was able to get in his head shot.  The only editing done on the shot was to add the frame.

Mace’s hair does not come with him, but it is by Anubis and can be found here.  Mace is CC free.

Next up, and probably my favorite among the females, is Corey McCroskey.  She’s another genetics experiment, and I almost deleted her and moved on due to the hair and outfit EA initially placed her in.  However, there was just something cute and gamine about her that led me to keep her and see if she was workable.  I’m so glad I did!  She actually gives me a slight Audrey Hepburn vibe, although that may well be because of the Fashion Icon challenge we’ve got running in the TNT competition right now.  No editing again on this shot except to add the frame.


Corey is packaged with the following:

Our second male is Nico Moreni, another CAS genetics experiment.  I think he has a handsome, brooding look, and I like the shades of blue with the sky and ocean in his head shot.  Again, the shot was not edited beyond adding the frame.

Nico’s hair is the Emo Cut from the EA Store.  He comes packaged with:

Last but not least among the girls is a sim I’ve been wanting to upload for a long time.  I’ve just never been satisfied with the headshots I’ve gotten of her.  She’s a CAS genetics experiment, but I’ve had her in my game (as a townie), and she’s such a character that, for me, it’s like she was born in game.  Her name is Elena Garson.  I did edit this shot in order to brighten it up with subtle highlights.

Elena’s hair is not included but is by Peggyzone and is available here on page 23.  She comes packaged with:

And last but by far not least among the males in this group is Rake Bryant.  He too is a CAS experiment, but you could consider him a cousin to Meg Bryant, my Strike-A-Pose model.  I think he’s one of the most attractive male sims I’ve ever created.  I really wanted to play with color in his head shot; I really enjoy how in game lighting can not only affect a sim but also a painting.  I was able to get this one looking like a sunset.  The only editing in this shot was to add a frame.

Rake’s hair is from the High End Loft Stuff pack.  His only custom content is shorts from Lilisims.

Beautiful Brunettes (Part 1)

To continue with my hair color theme, I bring you six more of my favorite sims.  These files have been checked with Custard and do not contain any harmful content.  I will provide descriptions and links for the custom content they do contain.   Just click on the headshot to download the sim:

First, we have the Bryant sisters.  These lovely young ladies were born in-game and aged into young adults just in time for me to enjoy them in Ambitions.  I made Michelle my stylist and Alecia my firefighter.  You can of course do whatever you wish with them.

Alecia’s hair is from the Ambitions expansion pack.  Alecia comes packaged with:

Michelle’s package only contains one custom pattern, the one shown on her athletic belt.  I am uncertain of its origin.  Michelle’s hair is not included but is by Anubis and can be found here.

Alex Black was also born in-game, but I don’t play his family.  I hope to marry into it though!  Alex comes with one item of custom clothing, a collared shirt with vest by Apple.  His hair is base game.

Hoko Akau is a CAS genetics experiment.  He struck me as Hawaiian, hence the name, which means (I hope) Northern Sky.  The only custom content in Hoko’s package is the pattern shown on his swimwear; I am not certain of its origins.  His everyday outfit was purchased from the store.  Hoko’s hair is not included but is from Peggyzone and can be found here.  It’s Free – ID: #000057.

Elizabeth Miller started as a CAS genetics experiment.  I saw something interesting in her features that made me think of old English royalty, so I kept working on her until I got the look I wanted.  She’s not a typical beauty by today’s standards, I’ll admit, but I like to think that a couple of centuries ago, she might have been all the rage.  Elizabeth’s hair is not included but comes from Peggyzone and can be obtained here; it is DonationGift – ID: #000198.  The following custom content is included:

 

Harold Wheeler is a CAS genetics experiment.  While in CAS, I saw right away that he wasn’t the most handsome guy I’ve ever gen’ed up, but there was something about him – a hint of innocense or vulnerability that I found really attractive.  Maybe someone else will too.  Harold’s hair is from one of the expansion packs (I think it’s Ambitions, but I haven’t been able to verify that).  Harold comes with the following custom content:

Enjoy these sims, and I’ll have more fabulous brunettes for you in a week or two.

Redhead Roundup

Blonds may have fun, but redheads can rock a photoshoot too.  Here are some new sims to bring a little color to your game.  Just click on the headshot to download the sim:

Bailey Jamison

Charley Duncan

Christine Fenton

Myron Davis

Yvonne Moreau

Martin Reeves

Wren Garson

As you may notice above, I’ve been experimenting with using large and wall-sized paintings in the game as backgrounds.  I like the effect they can create when I can get the sim at the right distance to create the proper perspective.  It’s also interesting how lighting changes can affect the color and intensity of the paintings.  I suppose it’s the equivalent to photoshopping a background, but I’m doing it in the game. 😛  Which brings me to the topic of editing.  No one’s ever asked me, but I do edit the headshots of the sims I post.  However, my edits are minimal.  I usually add a framing effect to the shot, and sometimes I add highlights and/or shadows to bring out the drama, but I do so with a light hand.  I really like the raw screen shot to speak for itself, especially since taking part in the Strike a Pose competition, in which editing was not allowed.

A Bevy of Blonds

Do blonds have more fun?  Add these sims to your game and find out (just click on the image to download)!

Angeline Bryant, a CAS genetics experiment

 

Daphne Moreau, a CAS genetics experiment

 

Lora Wells, born in-game - not classically beautiful but unique

 

Irene Mayfield, a CAS genetics experiment

 

Jenna Meyers, a CAS genetics experiment

 

Roland Moreau, born in-game

 

Four New Sims

Today, I bring you four more CAS genetics experiments.  I think they each have a different, unique look.  Just click on the image to download.  Enjoy!

Abigail Carmichael

Abigail's Outfits

Anthony Smith

Anthony's Outfits

Catherine Weyr

Catherine's Outfits

Shane Miller

Shane's Outfits

Banner Sims

I thought it was about time I posted the sims that make up the banner on my blog.  These attractive ladies and gents are yours to enjoy with a single click!

First is Brevin Wells.  He was a CAS genetics experiment, and I think he has an interesting, a-typical look.  Just click on his picture to download him.

Next is Anne-Marie Garson, another CAS genetics experiment.  I think she’s sultry and exotic.

Michael Silver is – you guessed it – a CAS genetics experiment.  Yes, I really love throwing sims together in CAS and seeing how their genetics combine.  Michael turned out well, I think.

Finally, here’s Darla Frio.  Darla is not a CAS genetics experiment (gasp!).  She was born in game, the daughter of Jeremy and Kristen Frio and is a 3rd generation Frio.  Her father was the son of Connor Frio and Glory (Bernard) Frio.  Glory was featured on this blog a while back and is featured in my Friends…Enemies…Sisters story series.  Darla will eventually show up in the story as well.

Just a note on my sims: I do use a variety of custom content hair and clothing and a little cc make-up (mostly lipsticks).  I don’t remember what any given cc item is off the top of my head, so I’m not listing them all out here, but if you want to know something specific, you can ask, and I will make an effort to identify it.  As for defaults, I do use Escand’s “Oh My Eyes” eyes but no facial skins and no facial sliders (I do use Delphy’s breast sliders).  I want my sims to look the same in your game as they do in mine, but of course if you’re using a particular skin, I’m not sure whether that skin will change their appearance (I’d be interested to know this actually).

Asian Inspiration

I’ve created and generated quite a few Asian sims recently, and I’d like to share a few of them with you today.  I’m not sure if I was inspired by World Adventures or just stumbled into creating them by accident, but the resulting sims are quite attractive, I think.  Just click on the image to download the sim.

Connie Lassiter

Connie Lassiter

Drea Chang

Drea Chang

Lee Chang

Lee Chang

Nathan Smith

Nathan Smith

A Few New Sims

Let me introduce a few new sims that I created via CAS genetics experiments.  A CAS genetics experiment is where I pair some random male and female sims (created by me or downloaded from the exchange) and cycle through their possible offspring until I come up with an attractive, interesting result.  It’s great fun to see all the possibilities, which often exceed my expectations, both to the positive and the negative.

This is Alina Bryant.  She may not be the most beautiful female sim, but I think she has an interesting, quirky look.  Download her here.

And here is Miles Smith.  It’s not easy to generate a handsome male sim in CAS, even if both parents are attractive.  It’s almost like there’s a directive in EA’s code that drives the males to look as ugly or strange as possible.  Fortunately, every now and then you get lucky, as I think I did this time.  Download Miles here.

Finally, here’s Meg Bryant.  Even as a tiny thumbnail in the generation screen, she caught my eye.  I think she’s just gorgeous.  I went ahead and uploaded her to the Exchange despite my intention never to do so again because I felt like I just had to show her off.  She’s gotten a decent number of recommendations but not that many downloads, so I don’t know if she’ll escape the culling.  In case not, download her here.