The Sims 2/Create-a-Family

The Sims 2 allows you to utilise powerful tools so that you can create sims and families. This article takes you through the whole process of Create-A-Sim. Note that expansion pack additions are not covered so there won't be information on jewellery, turn-offs and ons and hairstyle upgrades.

Step One: Basic Info
The first step is to give your sims a family name. This name then becomes the surname of each sim you create. Next select Create-A-Sim. You'll notice a greyed-out option called Create-A-Child. This becomes available after two sims are created and shows you combinations of sim genetics. After selecting this option. You'll be presented with several basic options. From this panel you can choose the sims: There's also a randomise sim button that selects random sims of the age and gender.
 * Name
 * Gender
 * Age
 * Skin Tone
 * Fitness
 * Bio (Optional)

Step Two: Heads
This panel allows you to choose options from the next panel without all that effort. Essentially, this is a collection of heads. You can use the next panel to design a head you like, then you can add it to this panel to use for future sims. This way, you won't have to go through step three all the times you create a sim.

Step Three: Hair and Face
This panel allows you to customise practically every part of a sim's face. With one exception, every panel is divided into sliders for specific elements and preset archetypes that use various combinations of those sliders.

Hair Style
The first thing to do is to select a hair colour. Choose from Black, Brown, Blonde and Red Hair. Then select a hair style for your sims. Various age groups have different hair options. The number of options is increased with each expansion pack.
 * Male and female toddlers have 5 hair options
 * Male children have 14 options
 * Female children have 17 options
 * Male teens have 45 options
 * Female teens have 57 options
 * Male adults have 51 options
 * Female adults have 58 options
 * Male elders have 51 options
 * Female elders have 60 options

Full Face
There are 25 archetypes to choose from in this subpanel. If you want to create a sim without archetypes, you can use the sliders to adjust the sims. 🇨🇴 🇨🇴 🇨🇴 🇨🇴
 * Face Gaunt-Plump
 * Lower Face Width
 * Upper neck Up-Down
 * Cheek Size
 * Face Short-Long
 * Ear Size

Brow
There are 16 archetypes for a sim's brow. You can also adjust the sims. 🇨🇴 🇨🇴 🇨🇴 🇨🇴
 * Brow Thickness
 * Brow Arch
 * Brow Orbit Shape
 * Brow Up-Down
 * Brow Rotate
 * Forehead Inout

Eyes
As well as having 15 archetypes, you can also select a sims eye colour. Choose from brown, light blue, dark blue, grey and green. The sliders adjust. 🇨🇴 🇨🇴 🇨🇴
 * Eye Size
 * Outer eye Up-down
 * Eye Closedness
 * Eye Width
 * Eye Rotate
 * Eye Deepness
 * Eye Up-down
 * Orbit Up-down

Nose
Noses have 20 archetypes. The sliders adjust. 🇨🇴 🇨🇴 🇨🇴 🇨🇴
 * Nose Size
 * Nostril Width
 * Nose up-down
 * Nose Width
 * Nose Length
 * Nose Tip-Turn
 * Nose Tip Up-down

Mouth
Mouths have 15 archetypes. With the sliders, you can adjust. 🇨🇴 🇨🇴 🇨🇴 🇨🇴
 * Mouth Width
 * Mouth Corner Up-Down
 * Upper Lip Pinch
 * Mouth Up-down
 * Lip Thickness
 * Lower Lip Pinch

Chin
Chins have 14 archetypes as well as sliders that adjust a sims. 🇨🇴 🇨🇴 🇨🇴 🇨🇴
 * Chin Up-down
 * Chin Point
 * Saw Angle Squared
 * Chin Width
 * Jaw In-out
 * Jaw Width

Step Four: Makeup, Facial Hair and Glasses
This is where you decorate the face. Unlike the previous step, this can be altered in game. Also you don't have to select anything in this step.

Makeup
In this panel you choose various makeup parts and add them to your sims face. Toddlers cannot have makeup Options available include.
 * Blush. 7 Options
 * Eyeliner. 2 Options
 * Eyeshadow. 15 Options
 * Lipstick. 20 Options

Costume Makeup
Costume makeup is essentially facepaint. It covers any makeup you added in the previous subpanel. What's available for sims depends on age.
 * Elders have 18 options
 * Adults have 15 options
 * Teens, kids and toddlers have 14 options

Glasses
All ages except for toddler can wear glasses. Like the other steps, they are purely visual and have no functional value. The options depend on age and gender.
 * Children have 3 options
 * Teens have 13 options
 * Older females have 14 options
 * Older males have 15 options

Eyebrow Style
All ages have access to three eyebrow styles in The Sims 2.

Stubble
Only available to male teens and older. Choose from four options for each age group.

Beards and Moustaches
Only available to male teens and older. Teens have options to 6 beard styles. Older sims can choose from 10 styles of facial hair.

Step Five: Clothing
You must select clothing for each of your sims. The clothes you choose are then added to the wardrobe for further usage. Any clothes you buy later can also be added. Some age groups don't have access to certain clothing types. For most groups, there are six groups to choose from.

Everyday
Everyday is available for all sims. There are three options for this category. You can mix and match tops and bottoms or you can choose a full body outfit. The number of outfits available depends on age group and gender. Toddlers can't mix and match option either.
 * Male Toddlers. 16 options.
 * Female Toddlers. 30 options.
 * Male Children. 36 options. They can also select from 29 tops and 12 bottoms.
 * Female Children. 42 options. They can also mix and match 37 tops and 18 bottoms.
 * Male Teens. 86 full body options, 51 tops and 20 bottoms.
 * Female Teens. ? full body options, ? tops and ? bottoms.
 * Male Adults. 121 options. Also, 51 tops and 24 bottoms.
 * Female Adults. 87 options with 99 tops and 50 bottoms.
 * Male Elders. 48 options, 27 tops and 19 bottoms.
 * Female Elders. 39 options, 45 tops and 20 bottoms.

Formalwear
Formalwear is worn during weddings and anniversaries. Toddlers don't have formalwear unless one of the holiday editions is installed. The options for each age and gender are as follows.
 * Female Children. 5 options
 * Male Children. 9 options
 * Female Teens. 18 options
 * Male Teens. 26 options
 * Female Adults. 30 options
 * Male Adults. 26 options
 * Female Elders. 13 options
 * Male Elders. 21 options

Underwear
Underwear is an option to wear while sims are sleeping. Toddlers only have one option. Options are different for age and gender.
 * All children have 4 options
 * Male Teens have 17 options
 * Female Teens have 14 options
 * Male Adults have 31 options
 * Female Adults have 7 options
 * Male Elders have 3 options
 * Female Elders have 9 options

PJs
Sims wear PJs while sleeping. All ages have different options depending on age and gender.
 * All Toddlers have 3 options
 * All Children have 6 options
 * Female Teens have 14 options
 * Male Teens have 10 options
 * Female Adults have 21 options
 * Male Adults have 15 options
 * Female Elders have 14 options
 * Male Elders have 11 options

Swimwear
Sims wear swimwear while using the pool. Toddlers cannot swim and therefore cannot have swimwear. The number of options are as follows.
 * Male Children have 4 options
 * Female Children have 6 options
 * Male Teens have 11 options
 * Female Teens have 24 options
 * Male Adults have 11 options
 * Female Adults have 19 options
 * Male Elders have 2 options
 * Female Elders have 11 options

Athleticwear
Sims wear athletic gear while working out to stereos or T.Vs or using the exercise machine. Children and toddlers don't have access to athleticwear. All males have access to three sweatsuits, female teens can choose from ten options while older females have four choices.

Step Six: Personality and Aspiration
Unlike the previous steps, which were practically decorating your sim, this step is where you choose the inner workings of your sims. You can choose from five aspirations for teens and older and one aspiration for kids and toddlers. See this page for details on aspiration. The next step is to give your sims some personality. You can mix and match points between five personality types or choose from 12 zodiac symbols which give you pre-set personalities. They also change if you decide to change your sim's personality. Setting one to extreme will make your sim perform a behaviour pertaining to that personality. The zodiac signs and personality settings are as follows. When your done, the last step is to link sims with the family tree. There are a few basic rules as to the relationships that can be set. Also teens and younger must have parents which can only be adults. Finally, saving the family moves them into the neighbourhood where you can do what you want with them.