SURFACES (2)

Learn how to navigate and utilize Surfaces (2) in The Sims with this expert walkthrough. Get tips on building, buying, and managing your Sim's environment effectively.

Alright, let's dive into the world of Surfaces (2) in The Sims! This section of the guide is all about getting your Sims settled into their homes, whether you're building from scratch or buying a pre-made lot. Think of it as setting up the stage for all the magical chaos your Sims are about to get into.

When you first start, you'll see a neighborhood map. If you're new to the game, I highly recommend checking out the tutorial house first. It's got a flashing arrow pointing to it and gives you a good feel for the basics. But hey, if you're feeling brave, this guide covers everything the tutorial does anyway.

To get started with your own family, you'll want to head over to the family creation screen. Look for the button with a few people on it – it's usually in the center group of buttons at the top. Click that, and you'll see a list of families not currently living in a house. You can either pick an empty line or click the button with people and a plus sign to create a brand new family. First, you'll pick a last name – go with whatever sounds good to you. Then, it's time to create your first Sim!

This is where you'll set up your Sim's personality by assigning points to five attributes: Neat, Outgoing, Active, Playful, and Nice. You get 25 points total, and each attribute can have up to 10. Think carefully here:

• Neat: How much your Sim cares about cleaning up. Maxing this out means they'll automatically clear tables and flush toilets. A low score makes them a slob. This affects their 'Room' mood.
• Outgoing: How easily your Sim makes friends. 10 means they're a social butterfly; 0 means they're a hermit. This impacts their 'Social' mood.
• Active: How much your Sim likes to move. High means they'd rather play sports than watch TV. Low means they're a couch potato. This also affects how quickly they get out of bed in the morning – a maxed-out Sim leaps up, while a zero-rated one takes a full in-game hour!
• Playful: How much your Sim enjoys games and fun. This, along with Active, helps determine how they'll boost their 'Fun' mood.
• Nice: How well your Sim gets along with others. This, combined with Outgoing, influences how they build friendships.

After sorting out their personality, you'll choose their age (adults are needed for jobs!), skin tone, and gender. Then, use the arrows to pick their head and clothes. Remember, the head is permanent, but you can change clothes later in the game. You can also write a bio to give your Sim some backstory – totally optional but fun!

Once you're happy, hit 'Done'. You can add up to seven more family members (eight total), but keep in mind that more Sims mean faster money but higher upkeep. For your first family, I'd suggest sticking to two Sims. For my own game, I use three adults: Pyro, Stephanie, and Pud, setting Pyro and Stephanie as married and Pud as Pyro's brother. You can set relationships however you like, but this is just how I do it.

If you mess up on a family member, you can edit them before finalizing the family. If things are really wrong, you can even end their life before it begins (yikes!). Once you're satisfied, click 'Done' on the Create Family screen. Just remember, you can never go back to edit family members after this point.

Now, to get your Sims into a home! On the family select screen, click your family and then the button in the bottom-right corner (it looks like a family with an arrow pointing to a house). This takes you back to the neighborhood map. You need to buy a lot that doesn't have a family living on it, but you *can* buy a lot that already has a house. Personally, I prefer building my own houses because it's cheaper. The fewer Sims you have, the cheaper the lot you should buy. Don't make it too hard on yourself if it's your first time!

If the lot you want is occupied, you can 'evict' the family or 'bulldoze' the house. To do this, click the bulldozer button at the top of the screen. Your cursor will change, and then you just click the lot. If there's a family, you'll be asked if you want to evict them. Evicting sells their furniture and belongings (but not the house structure itself) and sends them back to the barracks. Either way, you'll then own the lot and can start building or decorating!