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Diving Deep: Editing Your Family Tree in The Sims 4

Yes, you absolutely can edit your family tree in The Sims 4, but it requires a little bit of finesse and understanding of the game’s mechanics. While the game doesn’t offer a straightforward “edit family tree” button, there are several workarounds to modify relationships, add Sims, and generally mold your Sims’ lineage to your liking. This often involves using in-game tools like Create-A-Sim (CAS), utilizing cheats, and understanding the game’s relationship system. We’ll explore these methods in detail, empowering you to craft the perfect Sim family saga.

Understanding the Sims 4 Family Tree

The family tree in The Sims 4 is a visual representation of your Sims’ relationships. It tracks parents, children, siblings, spouses, and even more distant relatives. The game automatically populates the tree as your Sims interact and form relationships, but sometimes, you need to step in and make corrections or adjustments. Perhaps you want to change a Sim’s parents, add a sibling that wasn’t born in-game, or simply fix an error that occurred during gameplay.

Methods for Editing Relationships

There are several ways to edit relationships in The Sims 4, each with its own advantages and disadvantages:

Modify in CAS via Shift-Click: This is perhaps the most well-known method. By holding the Shift key and left-clicking on a Sim, you can select “Modify in CAS”. This allows you to edit the Sim’s appearance and, crucially, their relationships with other Sims in the household. You’ll find the “Edit Relationships” icon in the CAS screen, which opens a drop-down menu where you can define the relationship between the selected Sim and others. This only works for Sims within the active household.
CAS via Dresser/Mirror: Another way to access CAS is through a dresser, mirror, or wardrobe. Select “Change Sim” or “Plan Outfits” to enter CAS. Again, this method is limited to Sims within the active household.
Using Cheats: Cheats can unlock more advanced editing options. First, enable cheats by pressing Ctrl + Shift + C (or Cmd + Shift + C on Mac) and typing “testingcheats on” (without the quotes) into the console. Press Enter. Then, type “cas.fulleditmode” and press Enter. With this cheat active, you can Shift-click on any Sim, even those outside your household, and select “Modify in CAS” to edit their appearance and relationships.
Manage Households in World Management: This is a vital method for editing relationships between Sims in different households. Save the household to your library, then go to Manage Worlds and select Manage Households. Find the household you saved and move it back into a lot. When you are in the CAS you can then change family relationships.

Limitations and Considerations

While these methods provide significant control over your Sims’ family tree, it’s important to be aware of certain limitations:

Culling: The game automatically removes (culls) Sims from the world to maintain performance. This can affect your family tree, as deceased Sims may eventually disappear. Ghosts can also be culled, which permanently deletes the Sim and removes them from the family tree.
Genealogy and Genetics: Editing relationships can affect the game’s genetics system. If you change a Sim’s parents, their offspring may not inherit traits or appearances as expected.
Consistency: Be mindful of maintaining consistency within your family tree. Avoid creating illogical relationships or overlapping family lines.

Common Scenarios and Solutions

Let’s look at some common scenarios where you might want to edit your Sims’ family tree and how to address them:

Adoption: If you adopt a Sim, you can use CAS or cheats to establish them as a child of your Sim.
Step-Relationships: To create step-relationships, first establish the parent-child relationship between the stepchild and the biological parent. Then, marry the biological parent to the stepparent. The game will automatically recognize the step-relationship.
Fixing Errors: If the game incorrectly assigned relationships (e.g., siblings being labeled as cousins), use the “Modify in CAS” method to correct them.
Adding Sims Who Weren’t Born In-Game: Create the Sim in CAS and then use “Modify in CAS” to establish their relationship with the existing family members.

External Tools and Mods

For more advanced family tree editing, you might consider using mods created by the Sims 4 community. The Master Controller mod (MC Command Center) is a popular choice, offering extensive control over Sim relationships, genetics, and other aspects of the game. Be sure to research mods carefully and download them from reputable sources. Check out the Games Learning Society for more resources.
Games Learning Society

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Here are some frequently asked questions regarding editing family trees in The Sims 4:

1. Why can’t I edit pre-existing Sims’ relationships?

You might encounter difficulty if you’re trying to edit Sims who aren’t in the active household. Make sure you’re using the “cas.fulleditmode” cheat and are Shift-clicking on the Sim to access CAS. Also, remember that the Sim has to belong to the active household. Alternatively, save them to your Library and then place them into a lot. This makes them editable.

2. How do I change family dynamics in Sims 4?

Family dynamics are often shaped by interactions and traits, however, the Sims team offered family dynamics as a part of a free update that’s available to all Sims 4 players. To set a family dynamic between two Sims during gameplay, players can also use cheats. This can be done by selecting a Sim other than the currently active one and opening the cheat interaction menu. From there, players can select the desired family dynamic to apply to the relationship between the two Sims.

3. Why do Sims disappear from my family tree?

This is usually due to culling, a game mechanic where Sims are removed to improve performance. This commonly affects older Sims or those who have died. Ensure that the Sim is under the “My Households” tab in the Manage Household panel.

4. How do I delete a relationship from my family tree?

The most straightforward way is to use the “Modify in CAS” method and change the relationship to “Acquaintances” or “None”. Be sure to also remove the other relationship that is in the pair.

5. Why can’t I edit relationships in Sims 4 without cheats?

The game limits relationship editing outside of CAS without using cheats. The Shift-click method and the Modify in CAS tool, require the “testingcheats on” command to be enabled for full access.

6. How do I edit my family tree on Sims 3?

The Sims 3 has a slightly different system. After creating the family and clicking the checkmark, you’ll see a screen with the family picture. There’s a button that says “Edit Relationship”. Click that, and you can drag Sim icons onto each other and select the relationship type.

7. How do you edit Sims in Sims 4 that aren’t yours (NPCs)?

You can edit NPC Sims by using the “testingcheats on” and “cas.fulleditmode” cheats. This allows you to Shift-click on any Sim and access CAS.

8. Can you edit Sims in the Gallery?

Technically, no. However, you can move the Sim into a household, have them change their outfit/appearance, save them to the Bin, and then edit them in CAS from the Bin.

9. How do I edit someone on the family tree to correct inaccurate details?

Use the “Modify in CAS” method to change their name, gender, or other details. If the information involves relationships, use the “Edit Relationships” panel.

10. How do I replace people in my Sims 4 family tree if there’s an error?

You can’t directly “replace” someone. Instead, edit the relationships to remove the incorrect Sim and add the correct one. If the Sim does not exist, you can create the Sim and then use “Modify in CAS” to add the Sim to the family.

11. Why did my child disappear in Sims 4?

This could be due to a glitch, culling, or a game error. Try traveling to a different lot and back to see if they reappear. Check the game’s notifications or the family tree for any clues.

12. How do I change family relationships in Sims 4 using cheats more directly?

While “cas.fulleditmode” provides access to CAS for relationship editing, there aren’t direct cheat codes to instantly change relationships. The MCCC mod offers more specific cheat commands for relationship manipulation.

13. Can you edit a pre-existing Sim’s body shape or features?

Yes, with “cas.fulleditmode” enabled, you can fully edit a Sim’s body shape, facial features, and other physical attributes in CAS.

14. How do I speed up my Sim’s pregnancy?

You can’t directly speed up pregnancy without mods. However, you can use satisfaction points to purchase the “Fertile” reward, which increases the chance of twins or triplets.

15. How do I remove a Sim from the family tree entirely?

The easiest way is to either kill off the Sim or have the Sim move into a different lot and make the relationship as “None”. If you kill off the Sim, make sure you do not add them to the household so that they become a ghost.

Can I edit a family tree in Sims 4?