Maxis gives a look at the updated Create-a-Sim feature in The Sims 4.

Between The Sims, The Sims 2, The Sims Medieval and The Sims 3, I've poured hundreds of hours of my life into Maxis' wonderful titles. Over the past year alone I've spent 360 hours on The Sims 3, with a decent chunk of that time divided between the Create-a-Sim (CAS) and building modes.

Yesterday, Maxis revealed their CAS feature for The Sims 4, due out later this year. The tools you are given allow you more versitility, precision and choice over bringing your sim to life.

In the new CAS, you'll still have basic choices such as different faces, body shape and weight, and more, but the addition of sliders for a multitude of body parts allows you to "push and pull on a region" to sculpt your sim into the exact build you want. This method eliminates the many menus you had to click through on The Sims 3, allowing for a quickly, more seamless experience.

The Sims 4's CAS also has a "detail mode", highlighting available areas to tweak and opening up precise control over your sim's uniqueness. In the video this feature's power is obvious when Maxis shows off pictures of Sims developers next to their Sims 4 dopplegangers! Hair choices, makeup, tattoos, accessories and outfit choices all make a return, but with the addition of "styled looks", a quick way to choose a full outfitted look for your sim.

You get additional fine-tuning with choose how your sim walks and talks, as well as assigining them traits and overall aspirations. The aspirations can unlock greater traits to boost your sim's personality even more.

The build tools will be shown off in a later gameplay trailer. You can pre-order The Sims 4 now at the official site!

Ann "Cyliena" Hosler, Managing Editor