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The Sims 3 Generations Imaginary Friends

Getting One, What they Do, and Making Them Real

Sims 3 Generations Guide:
Chemistry | Children | Teenagers | Adults/Elder | Afterschool Activities
Day Care | Boarding School | Pranks | Imaginary Friend

Sims 3 Generations: Pillow Fighting with an Imaginary Friend
But no other Sims can see him!

Imaginary Friends are a new feature of The Sims 3 Generations. It allows kids to socialize and have fun with this entity that no one else can see. It looks absurd as you'd expect, coming from a child's imagination. As you can tell in the shot above, this new form of life is basically a rag doll come to life.

Getting an Imaginary Friend
The process of getting an imaginary friend begins as a Toddler. If your toddler was created in Create-A-Sim, there's a chance that it will load with a doll in its inventory. If it doesn't, you can try moving in the household again. No need to recreate them. If the child is born via try for baby, it reportedly will come in the mail. You require this doll, and there's no known way to cheat and get one at this time.


Greetings from the Lostso Family! We heard that you have a new addition to the family and would like to congratulate you! The Lostso family has sent Azure Dreamweaver a special toy. Gain relationship with it to reveal its special gifts as she ages. Retrieve the mail to place it in Azure's inventory.

Growing Up Together
Your toddler should play with the doll very often. Give it a name, and play/sing to it. You will see a message that it has become a very special toy to your Sim. This is a good sign that it will age up with them. When the toddler has a birthday, the process continues as a child.

"Steel has become a very special toy for Azure Dreamweaver. Who knows what will happen if she keeps playing with it? Maybe they'll stay as good friends when she grows up!"

Again, if you want the bond to form between child and imaginary friend, you'll need to keep playing with it into childhood. That's fine as it fulfills needs. Have tea parties and sing/play with the toy as often as possible. You will eventually see a message that you should set the doll down, so it can look about the world. Drag it out of the inventory and your Sim's Imaginary Friend can now interact like a normal Sim with the child. No one else will see it, which can lead to some funny moments.

Sims 3 Generations: The Imaginary Friend as a Child

The Imaginary Friend can play, pillow fight, get your Sim a snack, and even clean up for the kid. Just treat it nice and build the relationship. Interact as much as possible. When you're super good friends, the option to Offer to Make Real will appear on the social interaction menu. If you have the Imaginary Friend Metamorphium potion, which any Sim can learn to make through Chemistry. If you didn't learn Chemistry, your child or older may get an opportunity to make the Imaginary Friend real. You'll need to collect a rainbow gem and deliver it to the Science Lab in order to do so. If you know for sure you'll want to do this, you can start looking for the gem early and hope to find it. Check the consignment shop from time to time as well. You never know what's on sale -- maybe a rainbow gem! I probably wouldn't mess with looking for a rainbow gem for days, I'd rather learn Chemistry instead. You're guaranteed to get one of these potions upon discovery.

If you can't accomplish bringing the doll to life in the childhood age, fear not. It will grow up along with your Sim at this point, and just gets bigger as a teenager. The perk to doing it earlier is getting control over the trait selection.

Sims 3 Generations: The Imaginary Friend drinks the potion Imaginary Friend Metamorphium
The Imaginary Friend is made into a real Sim

Once your Imaginary Friend is made real, they'll change in appearance to that of a Sim and have needs and abilities like any other regular Sim. It's a route of adding another member to your household, although it has a special history for your Sim. They can turn to doll form at any time. During that time, they can't have any romantic interactions, and needs fall just like normal. I suppose EA didn't want weird woohoo with a strange non-Sim creature, as is the norm. This transformation is just a cosmetic effect, really, but it's a good one. When the Imaginary Friend made real is in Sim form, it will be approachable by any Sim for romance, including the doll's original owner, which is kind of interesting as far as story potential goes.

To the cheaters out there, know that triggering the age transition for your child does still allow the imaginary friend to grow up later, so long as it's become a good friend in that life state. You can even trigger age transition on the friend once it's in a form that can be seen by the kid.

I'm not aware of any time limit on doing this. The doll just seemed to get bigger as it aged, and it's likely you could transform it into adulthood. Your Sim has been talking to it all those years, and as the message states when it transforms, it's time to prove that "you're not crazy".

This should give you a good understanding of the Imaginary Friend system in The Sims 3 Generations. Comment on the forum or drop me an email (address on home page) if you have any suggestions or corrections that would improve this guide.







Comments (45)

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Janni Jensen says...
I delivered the gem to the hospital and they say that i shall report at the hospital with 4500,- but i can't?? It won't show that little yellow bubble at the hospital?? HELP :(
26th September 2012 1:11pm
Xwatch1009 says...
It's not the hospital, it's the science facility. I don't know HOW you possibly delivered the gem to the hospital.
9th October 2012 12:27am
Nicole says...
That a glitch in generations, sadly. Most of the new age specific interactions that pertain to rabbit holes just don't work. Be careful if you have a kid in an after school program, if they go on a field trip they may no longer attend their after school activity in the following days. You may not be able to go to recitals or envelope graduation because of the glitch (I havent had a teen have to go to graduation so idk about that yet). If this does happen you have to send the to boarding school and bring them back home

If you sent the gem to the hospital (you're prob playing in a world where that building doubles as a science center) and nothing happens your best bet is to use the chem set. There is another way, I'm not sure what it is though. I don't see any of the potions in the debugbuy
21st October 2012 5:05am
jacknife says...
Is that the dual rabbit hole hospital/science lab in Moonlight Falls? The buildings for multiple rabbit holes can be very buggy when it comes to handing in opportunities (that's why I try to replace them or stick to Sunset Valley). It may actually be uncompletable as a result in Moonlight Falls just like alot of the Investigator cases.
10th October 2012 12:17pm
Hannah says...
i got the Potion from The Chemistry thing to Make Potions and I'm Waiting till my Child is a Teen to Offer to Make Kain(the Imaginary Friend)Real.Just Do Thatand see how easy it is.Until My sim was a level 8 she Finally had made the potion
4th November 2012 6:29pm
Xwatch1009 says...
You don't need your sim to become a teen. All you need is your sim to be best friends with the Imaginary Friend. Then gift the potion to your child/teen/whatever age, and press Offer to Make Real as the child.
15th April 2013 7:36pm
Holly says...
I have created two families in different houses. One child per house, only got an imaginary friend out of two kids in one house and 3 kid in one house. I evicted the family with two kids, moved them back in the same house, and now both my toddlers have imaginary friends. So, i guess if you lose your toddlers imaginary doll, evict the family, move them back, or to another home, and the imaginary doll should be in their inventory. Good luck!
6th November 2012 8:27pm
Holly says...
One thing though, if your baby or toddler never received one, I don't think you can get one either way. If they do, and it disappears, then evict, move back and the child should have their imaginary friend back!
7th November 2012 1:50am
kiki says...
I love Sims and it is so much fun to play oh and love you all
18th November 2012 4:48pm
Jess says...
I love the Imaginary Friend! But it's moving around the room. Like, it jumps out of the crib.This is normal, right?
28th December 2012 6:07pm
Audrey says...
No, it's only should when your sim is a kid and you are in the parents POV
2nd February 2013 7:35am
Amber says...
Actually, yes it does, at least when it belongs to toddlers. (I don't know about children because I've always kept it in their inventories.) While a toddler is in its crib, I've seen the toy teleport around the room and even shift into different positions, sort of the way the gnomes do (but not as many positions).
5th February 2013 1:31am
Taya says...
Yes this is normal because mine does that a lot too
3rd April 2013 6:05pm
Meg says...
Once the doll is made into a sim, will it be a part of the family as a child or just a housemate?
28th December 2012 10:35pm
Rob says...
Is there a way to determine the gender when you make the imaginary friend real
9th January 2013 6:51pm
One says...
Yes! When your sim is a todller click on the doll and selects "Give ....... a new name" as this will open uo a meny=u saying "Give boy's name" or "Give girls name". THhe actual name makes no difference, just the one you click on.
12th January 2013 5:26pm
Nika says...
If you change the imaginary friend's name, it'll ask if it will be a boy or girl name, and that determines what the gender will be when made into a SIM. So you need to know what you want before you actually name it. Also, once a SIM you can modify it in CAS like any other SIM with some limitations.
13th January 2013 4:26pm
Taylor says...
Rob, when your kid gets the doll, when you go to name it you choose if its a boy or a girls name, that will determine gender. Example: if you named it Jake, then it will be a boy
13th January 2013 6:03pm
Bren says...
I'm a huge Sims fan, and I've been playing it for years, but every SINGLE time I try to make my special toy into an imaginary friend... it just fails!!it drives me insane!! I play with it ALL THE TIME. I do the Tea Parties, I go on Submarine Adventures, the flying on the couch thing, Presiding the Royal Court. EVERYTHING. yet everytime my toddler becomes a teen... the doll is just a doll. it never becomes an imaginary friend!!! help??
18th January 2013 2:05am
Amber says...
Same thing happens to me. I have my toddlers spend hours and hours playing with and singing to those dolls, but they never become imaginary friends. I wonder if you HAVE to name them. I usually keep the doll's original name because I like them, but maybe that's what makes them not change.
18th February 2013 6:24am
Tina says...
You don't have to name them. I never named mine when my toddlers, (had triplets & then twins) got them. The doll turned into the imaginary friend. Mine took a few sim days after my triplets turned to children to come alive.
1st March 2013 3:19pm
Mado no Soba ni says...
You have to put the doll on the floor and after a few minutes it will turn into the robot thingy walking around.
4th March 2013 5:52pm
Natalie says...
Actually I made my baby age up through a birthday cake then I cheated and used the command "Trigger Age Transition" a little after I let the toddler play with it. Then as a child I just made my sim keep playing with it until I got the message saying to set it down to look around and such.
20th January 2013 7:37pm
pepper says...
once your sim toddler becomes an adult take the doll out of the inventory and put it on the ground it will turn into an imaginary
3rd March 2013 11:19am
Katy says...
If your toddler made a imaginary friend can the imaginary friend turn again as a toy?
28th January 2013 8:58am
Tizilizi says...
You can do the action "Leave Me Alone" and it'll turn back into a toy.
16th April 2013 2:15am
Jade says...
I'm so glad I found this! I had no idea how to make the friend real, and now I do! I just make a friend real today. It was my first time :)
14th February 2013 10:48pm
mallory says...
i had a sim born into the familyand its been a few days but i never got the toy... help?
18th February 2013 5:39pm
mallory.N says...
i did it :D thanks anyway :P
18th February 2013 8:18pm
Erin says...
Taking a slightly different spin on it, how do you instead prevent dolls from becoming imaginary friends? You can't delete them, you can't lock them in a room because they just teleport back out, and no matter what I do my toddler is just obsessed with that doll. I've had imaginary friends before and really just find them a bit creepy, so I'd rather not have them... Anybody know?
22nd February 2013 10:10pm
Laurence says...
I don't think there is a way to get rid of Imaginary Doll without cheating.

Simple use 'testingcheatsenabled true' cheat, than hold shift + click on the doll. An option should appear with 'Object -> Delete'
Haven't tested this out myself, but you are able to delete sims this way, so IF shouldn't be any different...

13th March 2013 9:19pm
seyhan says...
Just put the doll in an adult's inventory and keep it there, it will never age or become friends with the kid.
24th March 2013 4:48pm
dravin says...
it said i should set it down but when i did nothing happind it just sat there help plz!!!!!!
3rd March 2013 4:42pm
peachy says...
I always wondered why my child's toy never turned into an imaginary friend, so one time I decided to reduce the number of people in my household (from max of 8 to 7) and then had my child put the toy down for a while. I came back to the child and hey presto! the toy was chatting to my child.
17th March 2013 1:46am
mandm2 says...
There was a problem delivering the rainbow gem to the research center/hospital in appaloosa plains, I deleted the buildings and separated them. How long until the opportunity goes away?
9th April 2013 3:56pm
LittleMissEvel says...
My sim got the "When dreams come true" opportunity and i spent ages (even with cheating, which didn't work) hunting down the gem . . and i there is no option for giving it to the science facility ... and the opportunity tracker is empty but it is definitely still there! Nargh!
24th April 2013 9:46pm
Lady Zephyra says...
To turn in the rainbow gem, click on it in your child's inventory. To make the doll an imaginary friend, drag it out of the child's inventory and set it on the floor once your child ages from toddler to child age. It will automatically age up too and become the imaginary friend. I'm having issues turning in the 4500 simoleons, it's an opportunity, my Sims have the cash, but the yellow turn in isn't lit up and available. Very frustrating.
9th May 2013 9:29pm
Voidsabre says...
My wife's sims just had twins, and when she went to the mailbox to get the imaginary friend dolls, it wouldn't let her. She deleted and replaced the mailbox, but the dolls were gone. Is there any way to get them back?
16th May 2013 1:48pm
Just a Tip says...
If you installed generations, and didn't get a doll on a family made before installations was installed. EX: Installing generations after a baby has turned into a toddler. Try moving your sims into another household, my toddler automatically got the doll, I was so excited!
17th May 2013 12:44pm
TheMaggy says...
The mother in my family works as a babysitter, and when she was working one of the toddlers found the imaginary friend (as a doll) and started to play with it. Then the toddler added the doll to his backpack, and I have no idea how to get it back! Any help..?
18th May 2013 3:56pm
RJ says...
well i have the potion and it says offer to make real but when i scroll over it it says "family is to crowded for another family member" but i only have 4 sims and 6 pets is it because there are to many pets and sims put together?????
25th May 2013 1:03pm
gabriella says...
I use the cheat (plz dont judge me) but I made my toddler age up but the doll didnt, is there a way to make it age too?
28th May 2013 5:50pm
Lala says...
Every CAS toddler I've made had an imaginary friend. Either the chance is 100%, or I'm an exception, but I was wondering if the same thing happens for other people?
30th May 2013 12:38am
Frankie says...
Why can't my toddler play with the toy? I click and click, but it doesn't matter. No sort of pie menu comes up. I can't even change PIPA's name. Ugh.
Admin:
Have you tried resetSim on the toddler?
7th June 2013 2:44pm
Jen says...
They scare me. When my child wakes up it springs to life and scares me half to death. Anyone else think they are creepy?
Admin:
You can drag the doll back into the inventory and that won't happen.
Yesterday 8:01pm
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