Inspiration for New Sims?

[CSquared2]

I was hoping our creative community could provide some ideas.  Recently I've been alternating between two families, one I use to write a story and the other just for fun.  The just for fun neighborhood has lagged progressively more and more.  Despite repeated use of resetSim, something about this file just doesn't like to run.  It's really put a damper on enjoying the sim I've created there.  I haven't deleted the old one, but I'd like to start a new just for fun family.  I've picked out a lot and got a house in mind, but now I'm stuck.  I can't seem to find the inspiration to create a sim I'd like to play (and I don't want to simply repeat the last one.)  I can spend hours fine tuning a sim, so when it doesn't work, it's just a study in frustration for me.

How do you go about finding inspiration for new sims?

[xFezIsAFreakx]

I like to go to the traits section first, click random, and then build my sim's looks from their brand new random traits. So I'll give a snob a really stuck up nose, or an evil sim will look, well, evil! xD

[RunAmokSims]

I like to watch people when I'm out and sometimes I make Sims from life. An example would be a Sim I made a while back.

I was in a large discount store and I happened to spot a woman who could not help to stand out. The way she was dressed, her make up and the look on her face as she shopped just caught my eye. I came home and created a Sim with the clothes I saw her wearing and gave her traits that seemed to fit the look on her face. She ended up being quite the character in my game. 

[MoonsAreBlue]

Personally, I think of some kind of profession or career I've never played with--or haven't played with much--and base my sim around that. Like, I wanted my sim to take the Rock Music branch in the Music career (I usually do Symphonic) and then I created a rockstar sim!

[Ausette]

I like to go to the traits section first, click random, and then build my sim's looks from their brand new random traits. So I'll give a snob a really stuck up nose, or an evil sim will look, well, evil! xD

Tee hee, I do that too! The Randomise function is your friend.

When making Sims, I like to choose the hairstyle first and then make a matching face. I also get inspiration from looking at real people - try getting out a newspaper or your old high school yearbook. You don't need to make a perfect match, just work out which features and colourations go together.

[NeonColors]

Personally, I think of some kind of profession or career I've never played with--or haven't played with much--and base my sim around that. Like, I wanted my sim to take the Rock Music branch in the Music career (I usually do Symphonic) and then I created a rockstar sim!

I do this. Eventually I get them a family and time moves on.

[MoonsAreBlue]

I do this. Eventually I get them a family and time moves on.

I like to get them a family, and once the sim reaches his LTW, I make a new sim and move them into a new home. I like to see what story progression does to the old family.

[ClumsyMum]

I like to get them a family, and once the sim reaches his LTW, I make a new sim and move them into a new home. I like to see what story progression does to the old family.

I did this with a file. I decided to work my way though each LTW and once that was met I moved on to another sim for the next LTW. It was really interesting to see my previous sims in town, read about them in the paper, see what they ended up doing with their lives etc. For the first time since I've started playing Sims 3 I actually felt sad when a previous sim died.

[MarianT]

With regard to appearance, I like to take one of the pre-made Sims, and then change the gender. The guys might be a bit too pretty, but it produces interesting-looking women. It might also be interesting to take a pre-made elder and move the age slider to young adult. That brings up another idea I've had -- to take an elder in town (I'm thinking of Anna Liza Riddle), and have him or her make the Young Again potion.

[samoht04]

I'm making fantasy styled sims lately. Namely Elves. Using the different 'sub-categories' that exist such as Night Elves etc. It's fun making the pointed features and fitting a theme.

[NeonColors]

Oh that's cool Samoth.

[CSquared2]

I'm still struggling with inspiration, but I thought I'd share a common practice of my own.

I create a male and female sim in CAS and randomize both.  I use CAS to give them an adult child.  I do this three more times (randomizing the same original sims over again to save space) to result in four adult children, two men and two women.  Those four sims form two pairs to create two more adult children, a man and a woman.  Those two then produce one final sim, male or female, depending on what I'm looking for.  This is a fun way to make sims when their appearance isn't really all that important.  It's really fun with pets, too.

For this one, though, I feel like  I should put more intention into it.

[Seabody]

To be honest, I just make a Sim with no intention to it, finish it up, and then return to every aspect of CAH to fine-tune it. Unless I'm making a Sim to look like a real or fictional person, like Smith in my Legacy.

[CSquared2]

Thanks for all the ideas!  I was successful at making a sim I think I'll really like, and I actually wound up using MarianT's idea, though that hadn't been my intention when I went into CAS.     Now to get over that hump of moving a sim onto an empty lot with no particular goal in mind!

[folcon]

I know I have often tried crafting my sims around characters from video games and anime.  Would be easier if I had some better hairstyles to wrok with, but you learn to make do.  That or I just make something way out there.  My fav sim that I created had dark blue skin, hair that was bright green, purple, hot pink, and red, a very chuberic face, and the perfect traits for a Master Romancer.