Step 2: It's Alive!

Start up The Sims 2 Body Shop, click the Build Sims button on the top menu, and then click the Build Or Clone Sims button. (Body Shop lets you modify preexisting Sims from the game-these are called clones.) Click the green box with the big plus-sign symbol. You'll start with a randomly generated Sim that appears on the left side of the window. You can rotate this Sim on its pedestal by clicking and holding the rotate arrows below the Sim, or you can click the Sim itself while holding and dragging your mouse. Press the male or female icon to the right of the Sim to pick its gender. Then click the various age icons to choose your Sim's starting age and preview how he or she will look at different stages of life. Beneath that, click the body-type icons to make your Sim slim and petite or, um, big-boned.

Who is that Sim in the window? Click the green button to get started.