The New Story Mode Option on "The Sims 4" Is Upping My Game

I'll admit it—I take forever to create a new Sim. I open the Create a Sim mode and agonize over everything.

Maybe its because I haven't been playing the game long, but I'm far too picky. I fuss over their features. I go back and forth on their traits a lot, changing my mind over and over. I even waste time pondering the perfect voice.

I'm not having a problem anymore, however; not since the new "story mode" option became available.

With all the options given in the Create a Sim mode, I tend to crack under pressure. Ultimately, the Sims I create look like they should belong to some kind of Stepford village. They all look like Barbie and Ken dolls, they all have traits I tend to idealize . . . and, admittedly, most of them get boring after a while.

Some of the most exciting Sims I've played are the ones I did not generate for myself. I downloaded them from the user gallery, I took over a random "townie" or the Sim was an offspring of my own Sim who was assigned random traits.

The new story mode has given me more interesting Sims to play, while at the same time eliminating the brain strain and ambivalence that used to plague me.

To use the story mode, you have to start with a new Sim. If you start a brand new game, the story mode prompt will come up automatically as of this writing. If you load an older game, you can only use the story mode when creating new Sims.

In story mode, you answer some simple questions and the computer will generate a Sim's for you. The program will generate the Sim's:

• Appearance (including a basic wardrobe)
• Traits
• Aspiration
• Career
• Skills
• Starting money

Yes, this means your story mode-created SIm can start ahead of the game. He or she will already have some skills and a job.

Most Sims will still start out with the standard 20,0000 simoleons, but not all. I had one business-savvy Sim start out with $30,000 simoleons!

Nothing is perfect, right? Some crazy creations come out of story mode. In trying out the option I made more than a dozen Sims at random. Some I loved—they seemed realistic, they inspired me and I could imagine this Sim's life unfolding.

Others were walking, talking oxymorons. They didn't seem to make sense. One Sim I created had the materialistic trait and an aspiration to be fabulously wealthy, she was also neat and a child of the islands. However, she had the comedy skill and her career was military. I couldn't see how these things about her made any sense.

Some were just plain boring and I had no desire to be a part of their lives. Sad but true.

Thankfully, players are still in control of creating their Sims. Story mode might give you a jump start, but you can still fine-tune the creation to make the perfect Sim for your plot.

You can give story mode a try, and you can change anything you do not like about the Sim (looks, gender, career, traits, aspirations, etc.).

Alternatively, you can opt out of story mode altogether and create your Sims the old-fashioned way.

There seems to be a split decision among simmers on message forums and in blogs with regards to story mode. That should come as no surprise, however, since Sim fans rarely reach a consensus on anything.

Some players report that they hate starting a new game and having to decline the story mode option. It's just one click, but apparently, that single click standing between a person and a new game is just too annoying to be tolerated.

Others feel the questions are just far too predictable in building a Sim. It is a waste of time for them and they would rather just do the work themselves.

Some (myself included) like having the option. It just adds a new layer to the game for those who want to take a roll of the dice to see what comes up. But we also like being able to opt out or to change our minds.

That's the best part of Sims—you get to play god. What could be more exciting than that?