Unlike previous Sims releases, The Sims 4 did not feature an attraction system from the get-go. Up until recently, the game did not have a built-in system to automatically assess the attractiveness of other Sims or influence your Sim’s romantic preferences.
The new Sexual Orientation settings have significantly changed the way Sims interact romantically. You can use them to assign specific attraction parameters for your Sims.
You can specify which gender your Sim is naturally attracted to. If your Sim is romantically attracted to a specific gender, they’ll automatically reject Sims that are not part of that gender category.
Your Sim’s romantic orientation can also shift through gameplay. If you want to enable this feature, go to Sexual Orientation settings and let your Sim explore romantically.
If your Sim is not interested in investing too much time into building romantic relationships, they can get friends with benefits, aka Woohoo Partners.
WooHoo Partners are friends that your Sim can woohoo with with absolutely no strings attached.
Thanks to the new Sexual Orientation settings in The Sims 4, Sims can now be straight, gay, bisexual, asexual, or aromantic. These options make the gameplay more fun and inclusive.
The good old method
If the new romantic interactions don’t appeal to you, feel free to use the good old method of building romantic relationships.
If you want your Sim to become attracted to other Sims, you’ll need to work on that task. Use Friendly and Romantic interactions to build up their relationship. Once your Sim has found their soulmate, they can start planning the wedding of their dreams.
As a quick reminder, in The Sims 2, Sims could quickly check out the room and find their best match.
Well, if you’re looking for a solution to add additional attraction options to the game, you can use a mod to get the job done.
Best attraction mods to use in Sims 4
The Chemistry System
This mod supports an attraction system based on personality, skills, and appearance. It adds that little extra to relationships. The system is pretty similar to the Sims 2’s Chemistry system.
You can either add specific skills, traits and appearance traits or simply randomize preferences. Sims will have an easier time building relationships with other Sims that possess the respective traits. They’ll quickly become friends or lovers, enjoying friendly interactions.
For more information on this mod, go to its creator’s Patreon page.
WickedWhims
Well, Wicked Whims also supports an interesting attraction system. You don’t have to use other modules of the mod if you don’t want to. Enable only the attraction system, and enjoy the results.
When the system finds a match, you’ll get a message that reads: “X got a feeling that Y might find them quite attractive”.
WonderfulWhims
If the idea of downloading and installing WickedWhims doesn’t appeal to you, well you can install WonderfulWhims instead. This mod offers lots of relationship enhancements, including an attractiveness system. Use it to define your attraction preferences.
Conclusion
The Sexual Orientation settings in The Sims 4 let you define who your Sims are naturally attracted to. Their romantic interests may change through gameplay if you let them explore romantically.
You can also use special mods to add additional attraction options and define specific skills and traits your Sims will automatically feel attracted to. They’ll quickly become friends or lovers with the Sims possessing those skills or traits.
This guide was last updated in July 2022.