Trait (The Sims 3)

Traits are the building blocks of a personality assigned to Sims in The Sims 3, replacing the previous system of personality points. They determine a Sim's behaviors, abilities, and their wishes, including their Lifetime Wishes. There are 63 traits in the base game. Three traits were added with World Adventures, six with Ambitions, one with Fast Lane Stuff, two with Late Night, two with Generations, four with Pets, three with Showtime, six with Supernatural, two with Seasons, three with University Life, two with Island Paradise, and two with Into the Future. Altogether they add up to a total of 99 normal traits.
Each trait is separated into one of four categories based on the mental, physical, social, or lifestyle aspects of the Sims' lives. For example, social traits may include dislikes children or friendly, while lifestyle traits would consist of technophobe or daredevil. Traits are used to allow Sims greater complexity in their daily routines over the points system. The more traits a Sim has, the more complex they will be, as a Sim with more personality traits will exhibit a wider range of behaviors than a Sim with only one.
Sims can attain traits in multiple ways. Ordinarily, the player will assign a maximum of five traits to a young adult or older Sim in the Create a Sim screen under the "Personality" section. Traits can also be inherited via genetics from either parent, with babies and toddlers having two traits. If the toddler grows up well, the player will be able to choose a third trait for when the Sim becomes a child, and likewise a fourth when the Sim becomes a teen and finally a fifth trait when the Sim becomes a young adult. Furthermore, the Lifetime reward "Midlife Crisis" allows the player to re-choose a Sim's traits.
There are limitations on the traits that a Sim can have. Foremost, two traits may not contradict each other, such as the good and evil traits or the can't stand art and artistic traits. Such traits are inherently built around opposing behaviors and intrinsically preclude the occurrence of the other. In addition, Sims may be unable to obtain traits based on their age, with an example being that only teens and older Sims can have the hopeless romantic trait.
Traits also grant Sims different abilities or specific actions which only Sims having those traits can do. Insane Sims are able to use the command "Talk to Self" to boost their own social motive, while vegetarian Sims are able to cook vegetarian alternatives to meals containing meat (although in Showtime, all Sims are able to cook these meals regardless of their traits). Some traits can grant Sims special moodlets, with loner Sims enjoying their solitude or hydrophobic Sims fearing swimming in the pool. Other traits allow Sims a greater affinity for certain tasks, such as angler Sims being more adept at fishing while genius Sims tend to learn more quickly. In this respect, the customization that players can give to Sims via the trait system can make the game more or less challenging while offering a greater deal of variety than what was possible with the personality point system used in the game's predecessors.
Features comparable to traits in previous games in the series are Zodiac signs, interests, and personality.
When creating a Sim in Create-a-Sim, it is possible to give them fewer than the usual 5 traits for adults, such as 4 or 3 traits.
==Learning traits==
As Sims socialize with others, they may reveal their traits from certain interactions. For example, asking a Sim's career will reveal the workaholic or ambitious traits, or flirting with a Sim will reveal the flirty or unflirty traits. Learning traits can be beneficial to Sims. If the Sim has the same trait as the other Sim, they will get a compatibility trait as well as a relationship boost. On the other hand, if they have any conflicting traits, they will get a negative relationship.
Learning traits is very important for Architectural Designer profession. Learning a client's traits is important in order to satisfy their desired objects, such as placing bars for party animal clients, which will boost the scores. Aside from socializing, Sims can easily learn other Sims' traits from several methods:
*The Perceptive trait has a 35% chance of learning a trait while socializing.
*Completing the Personable charisma skill challenge will allow Sims to learn traits easier.
*The Observant lifetime reward allows Sims to instantly learn 3 random traits of a Sim.
*Sims can learn all the traits by interviewing if they work in the Journalism or Law Enforcement career, by interviewing using the mobile radio station, or by discussing renovation if they work in Architectural Designer profession.
*Vampires can read Sims' minds and learn their traits.
*Genies can ensorcel Sims outside the household to freely control them. Sometimes, the household members will randomly learn the ensorcelled Sim's traits.
*Aliens can scan Sims and learn their traits.
*Using the holo-computer to look up friends on the holo-web will randomly learn details about the selected Sim, including their traits.
==Hidden traits==
Hidden traits are traits in The Sims 3 that cannot be seen in-game except for when a Sim performs a related action autonomously or an unlocked interaction is available.
Hidden traits become available to Sims in specific careers, life states, or to babies with an NPC for a parent. The child might then get the appropriate hidden trait.
==Additional traits==
Sims are born with two traits, and gain an additional trait on aging up from toddler to child, from child to teen, and from teen to young adult. Therefore, a fully-grown Sim has five traits. With University Life, it is possible to earn two additional traits, for a total of seven traits. The trait panel will still show only five traits, but when a Sim has more than five, a scroll bar will appear next to the traits.
The two additional traits are earned by:
#Completing a major/graduating from university. This trait slot has a red border.
#Reaching level 8 of a social group. This trait slot has a yellow border.
Sims cannot earn the extra trait slots multiple times, such as reaching level 8 in all social groups or completing multiple majors. If the requirement to earn an additional trait slot is completed more than once, a prompt will appear that will allow either reconfirmation or replacement of the additional trait.
== List of traits ==
<tabber>
By type = 
|-|
By age = 
{|class="wikitable" width=100%
!width="33%"|From birth
!width="33%"|From childhood
!width="34%"|From teenagehood
|-
|valign="top"|
 Absent-Minded
 Artistic
 Athletic
 Brave
 Clumsy
 Couch Potato
 Disciplined
 Easily Impressed
 Eccentric
 Evil
 Excitable
 Friendly
 Genius
 Good
 Grumpy
 Hates the Outdoors
 Heavy Sleeper
 Insane
 Light Sleeper
 Loner
 Loves the Cold
 Loves the Heat
 Loves the Outdoors
 Neurotic
 Perceptive
 Sailor
 Slob
 Virtuoso
|valign="top"|
 Adventurous
 Ambitious
 Angler
 Animal Lover
 Bookworm
 Bot Fan
 Can't Stand Art
 Cat Person
 Computer Whiz
 Coward
 Daredevil
 Diva
 Dog Person
 Eco-Friendly
 Equestrian
 Family-Oriented
 Frugal
 Good Sense of Humor
 Hot-Headed
 Hydrophobic
 Inappropriate
 Kleptomaniac
 Loser
 Loves To Swim
 Lucky
 Mean Spirited
 Mooch
 Neat
 Never Nude
 Night Owl
 No Sense of Humor
 Over-Emotional
 Party Animal
 Perfectionist
 Photographer's Eye
 Rebellious
 Shy
 Snob
 Star Quality
 Supernatural Fan
 Technophobe
 Unlucky
 Unstable
 Vegetarian
 Vehicle Enthusiast
 Workaholic
|valign="top"|
 Avant Garde
 Born Salesperson
 Brooding
 Charismatic
 Childish
 Commitment Issues
 Dislikes Children
 Dramatic
 Flirty
 Gatherer
 Great Kisser
 Green Thumb
 Handy
 Hopeless Romantic
 Irresistible
 Natural Born Performer
 Natural Cook
 Nurturing
 Proper
 Savvy Sculptor
 Schmoozer
 Social Butterfly
 Socially Awkward
 Supernatural Skeptic
 Unflirty
|-|
Alphabetized = 
A–E	E–N	N–W
 Absent-Minded
 Adventurous
 Ambitious
 Angler
 Animal Lover
 Artistic
 Athletic
 Avant Garde
 Bookworm
 Born Salesperson
 Bot Fan
 Brave
 Brooding
 Can't Stand Art
 Cat Person
 Charismatic
 Childish
 Clumsy
 Commitment Issues
 Computer Whiz
 Couch Potato
 Coward
 Daredevil
 Disciplined
 Dislikes Children
 Diva
 Dog Person
 Dramatic
 Easily Impressed
 Eccentric
 Eco-Friendly
 Equestrian
 Evil	
 Excitable
 Family-Oriented
 Flirty
 Friendly
 Frugal
 Gatherer
 Genius
 Good
 Good Sense of Humor
 Great Kisser
 Green Thumb
 Grumpy
 Handy
 Hates the Outdoors
 Heavy Sleeper
 Hopeless Romantic
 Hot-Headed
 Hydrophobic
 Inappropriate
 Insane
 Irresistible
 Kleptomaniac
 Light Sleeper
 Loner
 Loser
 Loves the Cold
 Loves the Heat
 Loves the Outdoors
 Loves To Swim
 Lucky
 Mean Spirited
 Mooch
 Natural Born Performer	
 Natural Cook
 Neat
 Neurotic
 Never Nude
 Night Owl
 No Sense of Humor
 Nurturing
 Over-Emotional
 Party Animal
 Perceptive
 Perfectionist
 Photographer's Eye
 Proper
 Rebellious
 Sailor
 Savvy Sculptor
 Schmoozer
 Shy
 Slob
 Snob
 Social Butterfly
 Socially Awkward
 Star Quality
 Supernatural Fan
 Supernatural Skeptic
 Technophobe
 Unflirty
 Unlucky
 Unstable
 Vegetarian
 Vehicle Enthusiast
 Virtuoso
 Workaholic
</tabber>
==Removed traits==
There are a number of traits that were removed before the game was released. Some might have been removed because they share a similar purpose with an existing trait, or because they might raise the ESRB rating. Some were also removed without an explanation. Some removed traits have their own icons in the game files, while some are only mentioned in old game strings.
Boring
Boring Sims spout yawn inducing conversation topics that put others to sleep. Their jokes are terrible and they don't appreciate the funny jokes of others. Oftentimes they are satisfied doing nothing.
Replaced with No Sense of Humor.	Braggart
Braggarts enjoy talking about how awesome they are (even if they aren't) to others, all the time.
Part of Snob.
Chess Mastermind
Sims that are Chess Masterminds always know exactly what to do with every piece on the board several moves before their opponents.
Part of Genius.	Conversationalist
Conversationalists love a good conversation with family and friends. They can keep almost any conversation from going south.
Replaced with Friendly. Part of Charismatic.
Crybaby
Crybabies have a tearful reaction to negative situations. They won't get mad, they won't get even, they'll just cry.
Part of Loser and Over-Emotional.	Disdains Dessert
Sugar and excess calories just aren't for Sims that Disdain Dessert. For these Sims, desserts are off the menu.
Dreamer
Dreamers dream big! They never settle for the small stuff and are rewarded more when their wishes are satisfied.
Part of Ambitious.	Easily Bored
Easily Bored Sims find small talk incredibly mundane. They also need to be entertained more frequently than the average Sim.
Part with Childish.
Gloomy
Gloomy Sims see the negative side of everything and are rarely pleased.
Replaced with Grumpy.	Good at Massages
Sims that are Good at Massages give amazing massages. They have the gift of incredible hands.
Part of Flirty.
Greedy
Greedy Sims desire money with every fiber of their being. It drives them throughout life and at every turn.
Replaced with Mooch.	Hates Computers
Sims that Hate Computers will never use a computer willingly. They hate the machines, for no apparent reason.
Part of Technophobe.
Hates Reading
Sims that Hate Reading will never willingly pick up a book to read unless forced to do so. They always prefer to spend their time in other ways.
Conflicts with Bookworm.	Likes Giving Hugs
Hugs are hard to get just right. There are some great huggers out there, though. The best hugs are given by those who Like Giving Hugs!
Conflicts with Great Kisser.
Materialistic
Materialistic Sims love buying new things, and therefore tend to strive towards great wealth. They dream of owning the most expensive items and work hard towards that goal.
Conflicts with Frugal.	Mean
Mean Sims love to fight, mostly because they never lose in a brawl. They take satisfaction with every new Enemy made and dream of new ways to be nasty to others.
It has the same description with Mean Spirited, which might mean that this is the original name of the trait.
Pack-Rat
Pack Rats love to be surrounded by stuff and hate it when things are thrown away. Such a waste!
Conflicts with Frugal. Replaced with Materialistic and Slob.	Paranoid
Paranoid Sims are constantly looking over their shoulder for unexpected threats. They see the truth... everywhere.
Replaced with Neurotic.
Plain
What's there to say about Plain Sims?	Quick Recovery
Broken promises will no longer lead to disappointment. Get back on your feet and go!
Later came back in The Sims 3: World Adventures as the Stone Hearted lifetime reward.
Rude
Rude Sims love to mock and insult others with harsh words. A sneer is often found on their faces, and apologies never escape their lips.
Part of Inappropriate, Hot Headed, and Mean Spirited.	Ruffian
Sims that are Ruffians are typically up for a brawl. The decision is easier to make when you know you'll never lose, naturally.
Part of Mean Spirited.
Shy
Shy Sims will never approach anyone that isn't a friend and tend to stick to their rooms if they are able. They are also uncomfortable around large crowds of people.
Replaced with Loner. Recreated in The Sims 3: Late Night.	Stubborn
Stubborn Sims have a really difficult time accepting apologies and tend to hold grudges for a long time.
Replaced with Hot-Headed.
Stupid
The road to knowledge is a slow one for Stupid Sims. They just don't get things. It's not their fault - they try real hard!
Replaced with Absent-Minded.	Sweet Talker
Sweet Talkers are the best suck-ups in school, at work, or even when complimenting their friends and neighbors. They love to flatter and are very good at it.
Replaced with Schmoozer.
Unforgiving
Only referenced in Personas.xml game file.	Vain
Vain Sims love to admire themselves in the mirror and they will never turn down a compliment. As far as they are concerned, the sun revolves around them.
Part of Snob. Similar to Diva.
Wanton
It has no description.	Worrywart
Worrywarts are easily stressed by the smallest problem and have a hard time getting back to a normal, relaxed state of mind. They take solace in sharing their worries with others.
Replaced with Neurotic.
==External links==
* Snootysims.com
* Gamespot.com
* Carl's Sims 3 Guide
* Designing Character Traits in The Sims 3, a blog by Ray Mazza
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