Learn to Mod The Sims 4
A collection of tools, tutorials, and threads useful for getting started with modding and creating custom content in 2026.
Lot 51 Community
Join the Lot 51 Discord Server to get mod support for my mods or to discuss creating your own!
Modern Python Injector
An updated, alternative injector decorator to Scumbumbo’s injector that is commonly used. Allows you to better wrap methods that are created by EA.
Sims4Toolkit
A Node.js/Typescript library to read/write packages, tuning, and other resources.
Animation Event Configuration
Useful information for creating “Events” in your animation clips. Explains which hashes are used and default flags for Bones, Effects, Header1, Header2.
Get the relative path to your mod
Useful when generating log/config files for your mod.
String Table Studio
Allows you to create, edit and merge STBL files right from your browser! You can then export your files and import using S4Studio or S4PE. Be sure to read their instructions before you start.
Sims4Studio
PyCharm
A powerful Integrated Development Environment (IDE) for Python. Follow the Python Modding Series below to learn how to setup your modding environment. This will give you suggestions while you type to make it easier to reference EA code.
Sims Log Enabler
Useful for finding errors with tuning and mods that do not throw game exceptions but end up not working, also useful when you're testing in your own scripts with sims4.logger
Sims 4 Image Viewer
Useful tool that specifically targets image resources with a preview. Website is French, but the app supports English. Windows only
TS4 Sound Tool
Probably the only tool to extract game sound effects and music
Creating a Buff
A great tutorial on getting started with reading and editing tuning files
Creating Loot Actions
A great tutorial on getting started with reading and editing tuning files
Python Workspace with Hot Reloading (2022)
Get started scripting with this Python Workspace built to hot reload your Tuning and Scripts!
The Sims 4 Modern Python Modding Series (2020)
A very detailed tutorial to get your scripting environment setup and game code decompiled.
How to Write tests, test_globals, test_anonymous
A great thread detailing the different types of tests and how to edit them in tuning files.
Basic Code Injections
Injecting Traits on Sim Add
Injecting Custom Testsets into Interactions
Useful to learn how to create your own XML injector that can make changes to existing tuning files without fully overriding them.
Script Hot Reloading
Working with Household Utility enums and calling methods
Useful to figure out how to work with Enums and overriding methods with python code
Advanced Scripting (Working with Immutable Slots)
Python sockets for two-way data communication while playing
Sims4Studio Tutorials Forum
Lot51's Tdesc Builder: The Basics!
"This will be a series of simple (I hope!) videos explaining how to use Lot51's incredible Tdesc Builder tool to make mods for The Sims 4. Unlike the original videos, these will be more focused and will be split into what will hopefully be smaller, more digestible pieces. They'll also cover features added to the builder since the original videos!"
Tutorial: Modding with the Tdesc Builder
"This tutorial presumes an existing knowledge of the absolute bare basics of modding- opening Sims 4 Studio, creating empty packages, importing files, and editing XML files. Even that last one isn't necessarily important- the Tdesc Builder is intuitive enough that you might not be doing a lot of that, which is the point of this tutorial.
Learn By Viewing? A Rambling "Tutorial" About Learning
"This video is a long-winded messy "Sequel" (side-quel?) to yesterday's TDesc Builder tutorial. Think of it like a Director's Cut where I just kinda go nuts after finishing the main idea... It's half an hour of me screwing around in the tdesc builder and explaining concepts as I go, to emphasize just how much you can glean from opening stuff up and poking around."