Importing Families into The Sims 4: A Comprehensive Guide
Fast answer first. Then use the tabs or video for more detail.
- Watch the video explanation below for a faster overview.
- Game mechanics may change with updates or patches.
- Use this block to get the short answer without scrolling the whole page.
- Read the FAQ section if the article has one.
- Use the table of contents to jump straight to the detailed section you need.
- Watch the video first, then skim the article for specifics.
So, you want to populate your Sims 4 world with some fresh faces, maybe even a whole family unit brimming with potential for drama and delightful stories? Importing families is a cornerstone of the Sims 4 experience, allowing you to curate your world to your exact liking. Here’s the straight dope:
Importing families in The Sims 4 is a straightforward process that leverages the in-game Gallery and your personal Library. You essentially save a household, either one you created or downloaded from the Gallery, to your Library. Then, you place that household into your desired world or lot. This allows you to populate your Sims 4 world with families created by other players, yourself, or even pre-made households from Electronic Arts (EA).
Step-by-Step: Importing Your Dream Family
Let’s break down the process into simple, actionable steps:
-
Accessing the Gallery: While in-game (either in Live Mode or Manage Worlds), locate the Gallery button in the upper-right corner of your screen. It looks like a picture frame.
-
Browsing or Finding a Family: Once in the Gallery, the Gallery Tab is your friend! Use the search filters on the left side to narrow down your choices. You can search by Sim name, household name, hashtag, or even Creator ID. Under “Category,” specifically choose “Households” to filter out individual Sims and lots. You can also browse by “Maxis Curated” for pre-made families from EA or check out what’s “Trending.”
-
Saving to Your Library: Once you’ve found a household you adore, click on it. You’ll see a heart icon and a folder icon. The heart icon “likes” the creation and the folder icon will save the household directly to “My Library.”
-
Placing the Household: There are two ways to place your newly acquired family:
- From the Gallery: After saving to your Library, the household page will show a “Place Household” option in the bottom right corner. Clicking this takes you directly to “Manage Worlds.”
- From Manage Worlds: Go to “Manage Worlds” by clicking the world icon on the bottom left of the live mode screen. Select the lot where you want to move the family. You can either choose an empty lot or evict the current occupants. Then, click on the lot and select “Build” or “Live Mode.” Next to the save icon at the bottom of the screen, there’s a household icon. Click this and select “Move in Household from Library.” Then, select the desired household you want to move in.
-
Household Funds: When moving a household, you’ll have a few choices:
- Merge Households: If there’s already a Sim on the lot, you can merge the new family into the existing household.
- Replace Household: If there’s already a Sim on the lot, you can evict and replace.
The new household will bring their own funds, or you can choose to give them a starting amount to match their needs. Be mindful of the lot’s value and the family’s starting funds to ensure they can afford to live comfortably. Remember that households moved in from your Library will not use any of their funds to purchase the lot.
Advanced Tips and Considerations
-
Custom Content (CC): If the household you download contains Custom Content (CC) or Mods, ensure you have those CC/Mods installed in your game before placing the household. Otherwise, the Sims might appear with missing features, or the game might substitute items, leading to a different aesthetic than intended. You’ll usually find a list of required CC on the Gallery page.
-
Household Size: Be mindful of the maximum household size. The Sims 4 allows a maximum of eight Sims per household. If you try to import a family larger than that, you’ll be prompted to split them up.
-
Story Progression: With Story Progression enabled, the game will generate new Sims and move them into empty houses. This can lead to a dynamic and evolving world, but it can also dilute your carefully curated population. Consider your preference when deciding whether to enable Story Progression.
-
Playing Rotational: You can use the manage household’s tool to create a neighborhood full of families to play! Playing rotational is a great way to enjoy many families in a single save file.
-
Backup Saves: Before making significant changes to your world (like importing numerous families), it’s always wise to create a backup save file. This will save you hours of work should anything go awry.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. How do I access my Library in The Sims 4?
Your Library is accessible through the Gallery. Simply click the Gallery button, and then select the “My Library” tab.
2. Can I import a family from a previous Sims game into The Sims 4?
Unfortunately, no. The Sims 4 uses a completely different engine and file format than previous Sims games. You can’t directly import families from The Sims 3 or earlier.
3. How do I share my created families with others?
You share your creations by uploading them to the Gallery. Click the “Save Household” icon and then click the “Share to Gallery” icon that appears on the household’s thumbnail.
4. What happens if I don’t have the required Custom Content (CC) for a downloaded family?
The game will attempt to substitute the missing CC with similar items, but the Sims might look different than intended. It’s always best to download and install the required CC before placing the household.
5. Can I edit a family after I’ve imported them?
Yes, absolutely! Once the family is in your world, you can edit them in Create-a-Sim (CAS) using a mirror, dresser, or by using the “testingcheats true” and “cas.fulleditmode” cheats.
6. How do I move a family to a different world in Sims 4?
You need to save the lot to the Gallery, then return to Manage Worlds, select Go Back To World Select, and move the family to a house in another world.
7. Can Sims have two dads or two moms in The Sims 4?
Yes! The Sims 4 allows for same-sex couples, and you can have two male or two female Sims raising children together.
8. Is there a limit to the number of families I can have in my Sims 4 game?
There isn’t a hard limit, but the game’s performance might degrade with too many Sims. It is recommended to keep the number of played Sims under 200.
9. Can Sims marry their cousins in The Sims 4?
In The Sims 4, only second cousins and beyond can get married. Closer relatives are restricted to friendly interactions.
10. How do I move a Sim family to another neighborhood?
You’ll have to put your Sim into a house, then go back to the neighborhood screen, and select the Lots & Houses tab from the UI. Select the currsor that says “Move to Lots & Houses Bin”, and select the house with the Sim you want to move living in it.
11. Where are Sims 4 family save files located?
The Sims 4 save files are located in DocumentsElectronic ArtsThe Sims 4saves on your computer.
12. Can you have multiple households in the same world Sims 4?
Yes, you can create multiple households in the same world. Just select the lot you want them to live in and create a new family from the menu.
13. How do I transfer my Sims 4 library to another computer?
Copy the Sims 4 folder from C:UsersUsernameDocumentsElectronic Arts onto a USB drive and then paste it to the same location on the new computer.
14. What is SIMS in the context of schools?
SIMS (Schools Information Management System) is a software used by schools to manage student data, including attendance, grades, and other relevant information. It is not directly related to The Sims 4. Learn more about educational systems at the Games Learning Society at https://www.gameslearningsociety.org/.
15. Why can’t I transfer Sims between households?
This may be because you have reached the maximum sim count in manage households. To fix this, you can either increase the max sim count or move some unplayed sims into the ‘other households’ category.
By following these steps and keeping these tips in mind, you’ll be a master of importing families in The Sims 4 in no time. So go forth, populate your world, and create some epic stories!