The TS4 skintone system has a lot of potential, and I've been working on a tool to make it easier to work with, similar to Skininator for TS3.
- Sims 2 Skin Tone Cc
- Sims 2 Default Replacement Skins Cc
- Sims 2 Default Replacement Skins Mod
- Sims 2 Default Replacement Skins Pack
- Sims 2 Default Replacement Skins List
- Sims 2 Default Replacement Skins Library: Page: Light, Tan, Medium, Dark, Alien Only one default replacement set may be used at a time. For easiest use, simply select one set and place it in your downloads folder.
- The very best Sims 4 Nude Skins/Mods in 2020 & 2021! Get and Share your Explicit / Adult Skins and Mods here.
TS4 Default Replacement Fixer - V3.0, fixes default eyes, eyebrows, makeup, and skins broken by patches S4 CAS Tools - updated to V3.4.1 on 9/2/2020 TS4 SimRipper - rip sims from savegames, V3.3 uploaded. Oct 08, 2020 My default skin hasn't been updated yet either so I had to do the tutorial mentioned above to fix it which took a while It's horrifying. Because some of my best sims are wearing really old skins that I LOVE from like 2015 so I highly doubt they will get updated.
Definition of Terms: (These are the terms I'm using - they're not 'official'.)
TONE : A game file which defines a skintone. It links to the color images, the overlays, and contains various settings.
Skintone : The skin you click on in CAS, which is defined by a TONE file.
Body definition/details : A texture with shading, contouring, and details such as muscles and belly buttons. (Yes, I know there's a separate 'skin details' in CAS. Couldn't think of a better term.) There are separate textures for each age/gender/bodytype.
Skin color : A texture which applies color and some shading composited with the skin details. There is one skin color texture which is applied to all age/genders.
Overlay : A texture which is layered on top of the skin details and skin color. The ages and genders it applies to can be specified.
Burn Mask: (New with 6/2019 patch) An overlay giving burned skin pale areas around the eyes, neck, etc. Does not look good with dark skins.
Sims 2 Skin Tone Cc
Tool Overview:
Create/Edit Custom Skin Colors
- Cloning Tool : Clones game skintones and creates a package with the TONE files.
- Clone Package Editor : Open and modify cloned packages.
- TONE Manager : Add/Delete TONEs, modify flags defining the type and usage, modify the swatch color and various other settings, import and export the skin color images. Change property flags/tags, randomization tuning, and skintone panel (warm, neutral, cool, misc.) for selected skintones in a package.
- Overlay Manager : Add/Delete overlays, define which ages/genders each overlay applies to, import and export overlay images.
- Previewer : Preview skintones.
- Make New Default Replacement Package : Select which skin details you want to replace and clone them to a new package.
- Edit/Test Default Replacement Package : Import/Export textures and preview the skin details.
- While the preview is reasonably accurate for game skintones, if you modify the overlaid color - especially if you increase the saturation level beyond 40 or so - you probably will not get the same color in-game. If you go over around 100-150 for the overlaid color saturation, you're likely to get weird effects in the game that don't show up in the previewer. EA uses some compositing method I don't understand and can't completely duplicate despite a lot of effort. CAS and the game are the only true test.
- If it seems like there's a million body skin details textures, that's because THERE ARE. There's a separate texture for every age and every body type. For many purposes you're better off using an overlay. As far as I know there can be only one set of body skin detail textures, no non-defaults.
- Speaking of overlays, only one will be used for each age/gender.
- According to my tests, EA is now using a single LRLE texture for the skin color and for body skin definition/details; and a single RLE2 texture for overlays and for burn masks.
- Randomization: Skins are chosen randomly based on the archetypes defined in their flags. The more archetypes a skin has, the more often it gets chosen. If it has no archetypes it will get chosen randomly only if there are no other skins that do have archetypes. The game skins for humans all have archetypes; the game skins for aliens don't have any. Edit: The latest version of the skin TONE resource includes tuning, which appears to determine for which sims a skin gets randomized. Example: skins with 'Human' tuning are randomized for human sims, with 'Vampire' tuning are randomized for vampire sims, etc. Skins with 'Fantasy' tuning don't seem to get randomized at all.
- The 'Occult' flag(s) determines if a skin shows up for humans, aliens, vampires, etc. Future occult types will probably have their own skins too. A skin must have an Occult / Human tag to show up for humans, an Occult / Alien tag to show up for aliens, an Occult / Mermaid tag for mermaids, etc.
Face definition/details textures: There are about a billion of them and I haven't even tried to identify them and include them in the tool. I've uploaded two packages with all the face textures I could find, so anyone wanting to work with them can use that as a starting point.
Extract the attached zip, open the folder, and run TS4Skininator.exe. Please report any problems/suggestions/comments about the tool here. Please post problems and questions about creating specific content in the TS4 / Create / CAS Parts forum.
Tutorial:http://www.modthesims.info/showthread.php?t=568713
Additional Credits:
With thanks to Peter and Inge Jones, Kuree, and everyone else who's contributed to s4pi and s4pe, and to Snaitf for figuring out how to make non-default skintones.
Skininator uses the s4pi library for image and package handling. The latest s4pi source code can be found here: https://github.com/s4ptacle/Sims4Tools/tree/develop
The latest s4pe download which includes the image and package dlls used in Skininator can be found here: https://github.com/s4ptacle/Sims4Tools/releases
Updated 3/29/2021, version 2.4.0.0
-- Now correctly finds game textures and handles EA's empty textures. Cloned packages should now open without an error.
-- Automatically converts old versions of the TONE and outdated textures to new versions and formats. In many cases packages will be smaller because duplicate textures are eliminated.
-- Overhauled texture import/export, overlay handling, and cloning of CC packages.
-- The option to save for Legacy Edition will convert the TONEs and textures to LE-compatible formats. Packages may be bigger because of duplicate textures.
There are a lot of changes under the hood so this is pretty much a beta.
Updated 1/11/2021, version 2.3.0.0
-- Added support for the LRLE format. Textures from old packages will be updated to LRLE on import. LRLE can be used with HQ textures but this needs more testing. I haven't tested in general as much as I'd like so please report problems. Also note that LRLE textures in many/most cases will be bigger than the old RLE textures; this is due to LRLE being lossless and keeping full detail.
Updated 12/20/2020, version 2.2.2.0
-- Corrected a layout problem causing the skin definitions package editor's Save buttons to drop off the window.
Updated 12/15/2020, version 2.2.1.0
-- Corrected bug causing the CAS skin panel not to save correctly when changed for individual skin colors. Users of 2.2 should update.
Updated 12/13/2020, version 2.2.0.0
-- Supports expanded skintones introduced in the Dec. 2020 patch. (You must choose to update to latest version for the skintones to work in patched games.)
-- Added ability to change skintone panel choice for selected skintones.
-- Added option to save a package for Legacy Edition. (I haven't tested this personally so please report errors.)
-- The preview needs tweaking, for a future version.
-- The EA toddler skin definition textures were converted to LRLE and are not usable, to be added in a future version.
Updated 6/23/2020, version 2.1.0.0
-- Now supports HQ textures and overlays.
-- Now runs in 64-bit.
-- Will correct for missing mipmaps.
Notes: I had to modify some of the DDS file code because HQ textures were causing out of memory errors. It seems to be working reliably now but please report problems. Since this is kind of beta-ish I'm leaving the previous version up for now.
Updated Property Tags, 12/15/2019
The property tags definition file has been updated to support Witches. Download 'TS4 PropertyTags 12-2019.zip' and extract to the folder where your TS4Skininator files are located, overwriting the old version. Then run Skininator as usual. If you're using version 2.1.0.0 you do NOT need this file.
Updated 7/9/2019, version 2.0.0.0
-- Many changes to support tanning and burning.
----- There are now three sets of skin textures for the normal, tanned, and burned states.
----- Burn masks are optional but can be imported for all three sets. EA only uses them for the burned state in lighter skins. They appear not to be used at all in the normal skin state.
----- I've removed the ability to import separate CAS textures and game textures since there are so many textures to deal with now and I don't know of any skintone creator actually using that feature.
----- The new burn mask multiplier magnifies the effect of a burn mask.
-- Changes to property tags and tuning can now be applied from the main skintone editor tab.
-- Property tags updated.
-- This is sort of an interim version - I probably missed some bugs and the preview needs work.
Updated 8/6/2018, version 1.12.0.0
Added ability to import/export PNG image files.
'Manage Flags for All' is now 'Manage Properties for Selected / Update Version':
-- Property tags can now be changed for selected skintones instead of all
-- All skintones in the package can be updated to the latest version, enabling the Randomization Tuning. The conversion code will make an educated guess of which tuning to select based on property tags.
Updated properties/tags.
6/18/2018
Updated the body UV templates to include toddlers.
Updated 11/6/2017, version 1.10.0.0
Bugfix for program exit when unable to find game package files.
Some fiddling with preview skin color which probably won't make any visible difference.
Updated properties/tags.
Updated 6/27/2017, version 1.9.0.0
Bugfix for errors when editing old format skintones. Again I didn't test adequately, sigh.
Added proper scaling for different screen resolutions, so hopefully this will help with appearance and resizing issues.
Updated properties/tags.
Updated 3/22/2017, version 1.8.0.0
Updated for new version of TONE file. I'm not sure when the new version happened, but I probably didn't test adequately after the February patch, so apologies.
The new TONE format links to a data resource that's identified as skintone tuning. I don't see that it makes any difference but have included changing it as an option in Skininator. (Edit - the tuning seems to determine which if any sim type can get the skintone randomly.)
Updated 2/9/2017, version 1.7.0.0
Sorry this took so long - RL travel, family commitments, and illness.
Added full support for toddlers.
Will now recognize the Occult / Vampire tag so skins can be enabled for vampires.Updated 11/30/16, version 1.6.0.0
New feature: A new 'Manage Flags for All' tab has been added to the Clone Package Editor in the 'Create/Edit Custom Skin Colors' tab. This new function allows you to add or remove property flags/tags from all the skintones in a package.
Updated 9/3/16, version 1.5.0.0
Updated for compatibility with male chest overlays, which seem to have been implemented in a patch sometime in July or August.
Bugfix: The program will now export textures with mipmaps intact.
New feature: In the 'Create/Edit Default Replacement Skin Details' tab there's now an added 'Convert Outdated Package to New Instance IDs' tab. This will convert a pre-June patch default replacement skin to work with the current game.
Updated 6/28/16, version 1.4.0.0
This update is to make the program compatible with the June game patch, which made some changes to the skin details textures:
-- The male and female adult instance IDs have changed and are updated in the program.
-- The new female breast overlay images are now included.
-- Note that the adult females do NOT have breast overlays. Teen, YA, and Elders do.
-- Note that the old male adult textures for the muscle/bony/fat/thin morphs are being overlaid by the new textures. They show through faintly but I dropped them from the program since there's already a million billion textures to deal with and I don't think they're visible enough to matter.
Updated 1/31/16, version 1.3.0.0
Fixed bug causing new content clones to replace game skin textures.
Moved property tags to external files which can be easily updated without making a new version of the program.
Updated 12/12/15, version 1.2.0.0
Fixed overlay manager to update the overlay list when changes are committed. Added selection of ages teen to elder to previewer.
There are so many players of The Sims 4 out there who just can’t handle the look of a basic sim if you keep the EA default skin. The characters in the game are extremely cartoony and many players want their creations to look more relatistic and that’s where skin mods come into play.
These default skins and skin overlays can really change the look of your newly created sims characters and make them feel entirely real, like someone you’d see down the street instead of someone who you’d see in a cartoon which can add depth to your gameplay.
There are hundreds of default skins out there, but we wanted to compile 25 of our favorite skin overlays and skin mods for The Sims 4 into an easily digestible list so you can find your new favorite skin for your new digital friends.
1. Ethereal Skin Overlay by Bill Sims
This first skin overlay is extremely realistic and will make your sims look so incredible. It has nice face detailing giving way more dimension to your sims instead of just a smooth surface.
Using the ethereal skin overlay will get your sims looking like they belong on Instagram instead of in a video game so you’ll be jealous of how gorgeous your sims are.
2. FIT Skin Overlay by Pralinesims
The FIT Skin Overlay by Pralinesims is a really great option to make your sims look so incredible. It will add tons of detail to both their body and their faces, making them look so smooth and realistic.
This skin mod is great if your sim uses the fitness skill a ton because it makes six packs on sims look so much more detailed and realistic.
3. Healthy Skin Overlay by PralineSims
If you want your sims to look extremely healthy and vibrant, the healthy skin overlay is a must have for your game. Like seriously, download it right now. It adds so much detail to your sims to make them so gorgeous.
This is a great option for a default skin replacement so your sims of all ages can be looking perfect all the time.
4. Hydra Skin Overlay by Praline Sims
The hydra skin overlay by PralineSims is so good and makes your sims look like they are HYDRATED and their skin is super soft. I wish my skin looked this good in real life sometimes.
Hydra skin can be a great option for any sim because it gives just the right amount of texture while smoothing out the vibe and making it so gorgeous.
5. Isleroux’s Default Skin Replacement
If you want a more simple default skin replacement that keeps the artistic vision of The Sims 4, but makes it look a bit less cartoony then the Isleroux Default Skin is for you.
This is a really great option if you’re just starting to dive into custom content and skin mods for The Sims 4 because its hard to jump in from 0 and this is a great starting option.
6. Lazarus Skinblend by GrimCookies
Grimcookies is an awesome custom content creator and the lazarus skin blend is a great option for a default skin replacement. This skin blend looks awesome on sims of any skin tone and adds so much dimension to their face.
This is one of the skin blends on this list that is always in my game, and makes my sims feel much more real which leads to me connecting to them on a whole different level.
7. Lucia Skin by Satanies
Thelucia skin by satanies will add a ton of dimension to your sims bodies including some interesting dimension around the belly button and highlighting on specific parts of the body.
It comes in seven different swatch colors so you have a bit of options for this skin, and it looks great on all sorts of sims.
8. Lunaria Skinblend by Nesurii
This lunaria skinblend by Nesurii will add such a beautiful highlight right under your sim’s eyes, you won’t be able to stop talking about how cute they look. Sometimes skin mods try to do too much, but this one does just the right amount.
You can make this your everyday default skin choice and all of your sims will be looking absolutely perfect, add a bit of make up and a cute outfit and your sims are ready for their new life.
9. Markus Skin Overlay by Ms Blue
If you have sims who want to focus on their fitness skill and gain some serious muscles, you’ll want to download the Markus Skin Overlay by Ms Blue. This skin will add so many extra details to fit sims and looks so good.
This is great for sims in the athletic careerand will make sure that you have crushes on the pixels that get to look that good.
10. Mary Skin by Blahberry Pancake
The Mary Skin by Blahberry Pancake will have your sims looking like real humans, instead of like a perfectly photoshopped supermodel. This is great for all sorts of sims, but only works for female sims so be aware of that before downloading.
This skin just looks like people you know, instead of people you strive to look like so it can totally make your sims feel like your family members instead of like Instagram models.
11. Mia Skin Overlay by Milarasims
TheMia Skin Overlay by MilaraSims adds some much need skin details to your sims face. This skin mod adds some dimension to your sim’s cupid’s bow and adds some detail to their under eye as well.
The great thing about this skin is that is still feels real with texture, instead of just looking airbrushed. You’ll find that this looks great on so many sims, no matter what their vibe is.
12. Mirabelle Skin Overlay by Ms Blue
If you like to see pores and skin texture on your sims, instead of the cartoon vibes from the game, you’ll want to grab the Mirabelle Skin Overlay by Ms Blue. This adds some colour to your sims eye area which is just something that happens to humans naturally.
As you can see in the image, the mirabelle skin will look gorgeous both with make up on your sim, and without, making sure they look gorgeous no matter which outfit they are wearing.
13. Papillon Skin Blend by Vivavi
If your vibe for sims is smooth and simple, the papillon skin blend by vivavi is a great option. This one doesn’t add a ton of texture, but it makes your sims nose look a bit more prominent and adds some much needed shading to the face and body.
This is a really great option for people who like more realistic sims, but not super realistic alpha sims like some of these other skin details and skin mods.
14. Powder Skin Overlay by Praline Sims
The powder skin overlay by pralinesims is absolutely gorgeous and adds so much detail to your sims. It works for all genders in the game, and all skin tones with different shades to match whichever sim you decide to use it on.
You’ll see so many gorgeous aspects like eye detailing, and torso texture that you just won’t see on a traditional sim in the game. Super gorgeous, great option for all players.
15. PS Alpha Skin Overlay by Praline Sims
The alpha skin overlay by pralinesims is very pretty and will add a bit of texture to your sim’s under eyes, giving them more dimension and making them look much more interesting than a regular sim.
There’s a ton of detailing on your sim’s body when you use the alpha skin, and it will match so well with any alpha hair and make up you use on your sims.
16. Resilient Skin Blend by Plumhead
If you love the look of a rosy cheek on your sim, the resilient skin by plumhead is a great option for you. This skin will add some nice color to your sim’s face and make them look extremely cute.
This skin looks great on teenage sims who are just coming into themselves and are growing up, or on just about any other sims.
17. Shadowboxing Freckle Set by SimReaper
Although this isn’t a default skin, adding freckles to any of the skins on this list will change the vibe of your sim entirely. The shadowboxing freckle set by simreaper is a great option for an extremely freckled face.
Sims 2 Default Replacement Skins Cc
As someone who has always wanted freckles, this is a skin detail that I absolutely love to use on my sims to make them have my dream face. So adorable!
18. Skeleton Skin Overlays by Obj
Okay, this is a weird one. The skeleton skin overlay by OBJ just makes me laugh, so I wanted to add it to the list. If you want to add some serious weirdness to your game, this is a great option.
This skin will turn your sims into weird black and white skeletons that look very, very odd in and out of clothing. You’ll never have a realistic looking sim again!
19. Skin Details by RemusSirion
These contour skin details by remussirion are so great because they can add some facial contouring to make your sims look way more interesting. There are a variety of contour types, so you get a ton of options.
Using contour skin is a great option for making your sims look more unique, so its so nice to see creators making stuff like this.
20. Subtle Freckles & Moles by WildlyMiniatureSandwich
Another way to make your sims look extremely unique is adding freckles or moles, but most creators make these items with just about too much going on. The subtle freckles and moles are a great option if you want a sim that just has a few all over.
You can see in the image that there are small dots all over the body, including the face and back which can really make your sims super cute.
21. Sweet Scars Skin Details by Sagittariah
If you want to add more unique things to your sim’s face, the sweet scars skin detailmight be for you. This adds scars on the nose or the eye, making your sims extremely unique looking.
These types of skin mods can make your sims so interesting, and give them unique back stories to how they got these scars.
22. Toddler Skintone Set by Kai Sims
There are a lot of skin mods that work for adult sims, but not a lot of them cater to toddlers. This toddler skin tone set will add new skin to your game for just your toddlers making them look completely different than the EA default.
Having this in your game gives you many more options for your sim toddlers, making them way cuter in the process.
23. Veox Skin Overlay by Pralinesims
Praline Sims never disappoints and the veox skin overlay definitely doesn’t disappoint either. This adds some nice details to your sim’s eyes making them look much more realistic with eye options giving you even more customization.
It also adds many contours and details to your sims body which makes them feel so much more gorgeous.
Sims 2 Default Replacement Skins Mod
24. Vitalia Blush & Highlight by Sagittariah
Although not a default skin mod, this blush and highlight is just too cute to not include. This adds some nice highlight to your sim’s cupid’s bow as well as some nose and undereye highlight.
This also adds a very popular blush trend that can make your sims look like they are always flushed and feeling gorgeous.
Sims 2 Default Replacement Skins Pack
25. Yuki Skin by Blahberry Pancake
If you are looking for realistic and not filtered skin, Blahberry Pancakes Yuki Skin will not disappoint. This skin will add realistic pores and coloring that you’d never see in a default EA skin, making these sims look so good.
There is a huge place in my heart for skin that feels so realistic without being airbrushed, allowing you to make real people in The Sims 4 more easily.
Sims 2 Default Replacement Skins List
Final Thoughts
There you have it, folks! Those are 25 skin mods for The Sims 4 that I absolutely love and have added to my game at one point or another. Having these skins in your game will change how you make sims, and even how you feel about your sims because you can connect with people who feel less like a cartoon. Happy playing!