Custom Content

Custom Content, also known as CC, are items that you can add to your game. These can include things like CAS items - eyes, skin details, clothing, tattoos and Build/Buy items - chairs, floors, beds, decor.

What are the different kinds of CC?

Mesh

The mesh is basically the skeleton/bones of the object you're using. It is the original 3d object/shape required for all custom content packages to work in Sims 4. EVERY OBJECT HAS A MESH, whether it is made by EA or created by the community.

Recolors/Retextures

A recolor or retexture is when a simmer recolors/adds additional swatches, colors, patterns to a mesh. Most recolors/retextures will REQUIRE the original mesh to be in your game for the recolor/retexture to work. Some creators have open TOUs that allow their meshes to be included when recoloring, however, it is always best to have the original anyway.

Overrides

An override is a package that replaces the original item. This is most commonly done when overriding EA meshes with community-made meshes.

Alpha VS. Maxis Match

In the Sims 4, there are two types of texture styles available for your CC.

  • Alpha style CC is more realistic and typically is higher in poly.

  • Maxis Match CC follows the same styles and textures of the game.

  • Maxis Mix is when people use both Alpha and Maxis Match items in their game.

Custom Content Tips and Resources:

Q: After downloading CAS cc, my items have checkered question marks all over.

Q: When placing build/buy cc, I get an error saying the footprint is missing.

A: You are missing the mesh! You need to revisit the original post you downloaded it from, and look for the required mesh listed.

Q: My Hair has yellow streaks in-game, but not in CAS.

A: Turn off laptop mode and turn up your graphics.

Q: My game is really lagging, but I don't want to delete any CC. What can I do?

A: Laggyness depends on your computer specs, so ultimately the only real way to fix it is to upgrade your computer. There are a couple of things you can do to improve your game:

  • Clear your localthumbcache when making major changes to your mods folder.

  • Not all computers can handle CC. If your game is lagging, try limiting your CC hairs and choosing items with lower poly counts.

  • Renaming your CC to remove special characters, such as brackets, hypens, and spaces can help with load times.

  • Merging your files into one package with S4 Studio can help with load times. While you can un-merge files, I find it helpful to keep a backup of the original files/folder just in case.

New to CC? Learn how to add custom content to your game here!

Check out some of my favorite CC sites and resources here!