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How to Create Your First Zoi: Create-a-Zoi Guide

Welcome to the immersive world of inZOI! Your first major step into this next-generation life simulation is crafting your very own unique character, known as a Zoi. The Create-a-Zoi (CAZ) tool is incredibly powerful, offering a deep level of customization that allows you to shape not just photorealistic appearances but also intricate personalities, preferences, and life goals. This guide will walk you through each stage of the creation process, helping you bring your ideal Zoi to life. These advanced tools were first publicly showcased in the limited-time inZOI: Creative Studio Demo before the full game's launch.

This guide will walk you through each stage of the creation process, helping you bring your ideal Zoi to life.

Starting Create-a-Zoi (CAZ)​

You'll typically enter the Create-a-Zoi interface when you begin a new game, right after selecting which City your first Zoi or family will inhabit. You might also access a similar interface through a dedicated "Character Studio" or "Build Studio" mode from the main menu if you wish to create characters or builds outside of active gameplay.

Getting comfortable with the CAZ interface is key to unlocking its full potential. While the layout might vary slightly, the core controls are consistent:

  • Mouse Controls:
    • Left-Click: Use this to select menu options, presets (like pre-made faces or bodies), clothing items, and specific points on the Zoi model for detailed editing.
    • Left-Click + Drag: Click and hold on the Zoi model itself to rotate it freely. Click and drag specific white dots or highlighted areas on the Zoi's face or body to directly sculpt their features.
    • Right-Click + Drag: Orbit the camera around the Zoi, allowing you to view your creation from any angle.
    • Mouse Wheel: Scroll up to zoom in for close-up work and scroll down to zoom out for a broader view.
  • UI Elements: Look for menus organized by categories like Profile, Face, Body, Outfit, Accessories, and Craft. These are often located on the sides or bottom of the screen. Within these main menus, you'll find tabs or sub-menus for specific options (e.g., under Face, you'll find Hair, Eyes, Skin, Makeup tabs).
  • Undo/Redo: Made a change you don't like? Look for the undo (often a counter-clockwise arrow) and redo (clockwise arrow) buttons, usually located near the top or bottom of the screen. These are invaluable!
  • Hide UI: For an unobstructed view of your Zoi, press [Ctrl] + [Shift] + [U] simultaneously. This toggles the interface elements on and off, perfect for admiring your work or taking clean screenshots.

inZOI Create-a-Zoi Steps Explained​

Step 1: Profile & Identity – The Core Self​

This initial section establishes the fundamental identity of your Zoi. Make these choices carefully, as many are permanent.

  • Name: Assign a First Name and a Last Name. This can be changed later if needed, often through interactions or menus in live mode.
  • Age Group: Select the starting Life Stage for your Zoi. The options available in CAZ typically include Child, Teenager, Young Adult, Adult, Middle-Aged, and Senior. Keep in mind that Newborn, Toddler, and the transitional Adolescent stages are only reached through natural aging during gameplay. Your Zoi's age group affects available interactions, career options, and relationship possibilities.
  • Gender: Choose Male or Female. This primarily sets the base body model, available clothing/hairstyles, and how other Zois refer to them (pronouns).
  • Gender Identity & Romantic Preferences (Optional): After selecting the base gender, you can often refine their gender identity and specify which gender(s) your Zoi is romantically interested in – Male, Female, Nonbinary, or perhaps none ("Aromantic").

Crucial Note: Aspects like the detailed facial structure, body shape (beyond weight/muscle fluctuations in-game), selected Age Group, and core Gender are generally permanent once you leave the initial character creation. Romantic preferences may also be locked in, so define these according to the story you want to tell.

Step 2: Personality Core – Defining Character​

Here, you lay the groundwork for who your Zoi is, influencing their behavior and life path.

  • Trait: This is a mandatory and permanent choice. Select one core personality Trait from the 18 available options (e.g., Adventurer, Scholar, Leader). Traits heavily influence a Zoi's autonomous behavior, which Emotions they experience frequently, how quickly certain Needs decay, and their natural inclinations in social situations.
  • Desired Life: (Available for Young Adult+) This is an optional long-term life goal or philosophy (e.g., Life of Abundance, Life of Creativity, Life of Familial Devotion). Selecting one helps guide your Zoi by influencing their starting Values, suggesting compatible Ambitions, and aligning initial Skill interests. Unlike Traits, the Desired Life can be changed later via the Zoi Card ([O]) if your Zoi's path evolves. You can also choose "Life of Self-Creation" for a blank slate.
  • Values: You don't directly assign points here, but the Trait and Desired Life choices establish the initial leanings for the 10 core Values (like Authority, Coexistence, Safety, Love). These values dynamically shift based on actions and experiences during gameplay.
  • Preferences: While you primarily manage these later via the Zoi Card ([O]), the Trait/Desired Life might pre-populate some initial likes and dislikes. Remember you can assign up to 10 preferences (covering activities, food, hobbies, etc.) which heavily influence mood and autonomous choices. Zois can also discover 'Hidden Preferences' through gameplay.

Step 3: Sculpting Appearance – The Visual Identity​

This is the most visually intensive part, where you craft your Zoi's unique look with remarkable detail.

  • Presets: Don't want to start from scratch? Use the Presets tab to select pre-made full Zois, faces, or body types as a starting point.
  • Face:
    • Sculpting: Use sliders or click-and-drag points directly on the model's face. Activate "Detailed Editing" for micro-adjustments to features like forehead, brow, eyes (shape, size, position), nose (bridge, tip, nostrils), cheeks, lips, chin, and jawline. Remember the Symmetry Mode toggle for mirrored adjustments.
    • Skin: Choose a base skin tone from a wide palette. Add details like freckles, moles, beauty marks, wrinkles, or scars for realism.
    • Hair: Select a hairstyle from diverse options, including various textures (like curly hair). Choose hair color, and potentially adjust root color, highlights, or even hair length for some styles (How to Change Hair Length).
    • Eyes: Select eye color (including heterochromia options if available) and customize pupil/iris details.
    • Makeup: Apply and customize eyeliner, eyeshadow, mascara, blush, contour, lipstick, and face paint with options for color, opacity, and style.
  • Body:
    • Shape & Tone: Adjust overall body weight and muscle definition using dedicated sliders. Body sliders allow for more granular control over specific areas like shoulders, chest/bust, waist, hips, buttocks, thighs, and calves.
    • Body Hair: Male Zois typically have additional sliders for chest, arm, and leg hair density and coverage.
    • Height: It's important to reiterate that Zoi height is generally fixed based on their chosen Age Group and Gender presentation in the initial creation phase. Height sliders are not a standard feature due to animation complexities.
  • Other Details: Explore the Accessories section to add Tattoos (note current limitations – often face/neck at launch, full body planned later) or Piercings.

Step 4: Choosing Outfits – Style and Substance​

Define your Zoi's fashion sense.

  • Categories: Browse through Tops, Bottoms, Outerwear, Full Body outfits (Sets), Shoes, and Underwear.
  • Customization: Once an item is selected, use the color wheel and material options to personalize it. You can often change primary, secondary, and accent colors.
  • AI Textures & Patterns: Unleash creativity by generating unique patterns using text prompts (e.g., "galaxy print," "leopard spots," "floral vintage"). You can also load image files from your computer to use as textures. Adjust pattern scale and position for the perfect look.
  • Crafting Custom Outfits: Use the Craft tab to design unique clothing pieces from scratch by combining different components like necklines, sleeve types, hem lengths, waistlines, etc. Save these crafted items to use across different outfits.
  • Accessories: Don't forget accessories! Find hats, glasses, necklaces, earrings, bracelets, rings, and nail polish options here.

Step 5: Finalizing and Saving – Bringing Your Zoi to Life​

Almost there! Review your creation and prepare to finalize.

  • Add Family Members (Optional): Before finishing, click the "+" icon next to your Zoi's portrait (usually at the bottom or side). This lets you create additional Zois for the same household. Crucially, you must define their Relationship (Spouse, Parent/Child, Sibling, Roommate) here. See Family & Households Guide.
  • Family Name: If creating a family, you'll be prompted to enter a shared family name.
  • Save: Happy with your creation(s)? Click the final confirmation button (e.g., "Complete Creation," "Finalize"). This saves the Zoi(s) and usually proceeds to the next step, like choosing a house.
  • Save Preset (Highly Recommended): Before finalizing, consider saving your Zoi's appearance. You can often save the full Zoi, just the face, or even specific outfits as presets. This allows you to easily reuse the design later or share it with others. Find the save preset options within the relevant customization menus (e.g., Zoi Presets tab).

Step 6: Sharing Your Creation (Optional)​

Want to share your masterpiece or use amazing creations from others?

  • Canvas: The integrated sharing platform. Click the "Upload to Canvas" button (often a 'C' logo or upload icon, usually top-right in CAZ). Add photos (use the built-in Photo Mode!), a title, description, and tags. (Requires a linked KRAFTON ID).
  • Downloading: Browse the Canvas in-game or via the web portal (https://canvas.playinzoi.com/) to download Zois, faces, or outfits created by other players. Downloaded items will appear in your Presets menu in CAZ.

Tips for Creating Amazing Zois​

  • Use Reference Images: Trying to recreate yourself, a celebrity, or a fictional character? Keep reference photos handy on another screen or device. Pay attention to proportions and unique features.
  • Lighting Matters: Cycle through the different lighting options in the 'Studio' settings within CAZ. Different lighting can drastically change how features look. Check your Zoi under various lighting conditions before finalizing.
  • Subtle Details: Realism often comes from small imperfections. Add subtle skin details like faint freckles, barely-visible scars, or slight asymmetry (using detailed edit mode carefully). Don't make everything perfectly smooth unless that's the specific look you're aiming for.
  • Experiment with Presets: Even if you plan to customize heavily, starting with a face or body preset that's close to your vision can save time and provide a good base structure to work from.
  • Test Poses & Expressions: Before settling on facial features, use the pose and expression options in CAZ (if available, similar to Photo Mode) to see how your Zoi looks when emoting. Sometimes a feature looks fine in a neutral pose but strange when smiling or frowning.
  • Coordinate Outfits: Think about your Zoi's personality when choosing clothes. An Adventurer might wear practical, sporty attire, while a Socialite might prefer trendy, high-fashion items. Use the color wheel and texture options to make pieces work together.

Planning Your Zoi's Story from CAZ​

Creating a Zoi isn't just about looks; it's about setting the stage for their life story. Think about how your choices connect:

  • Trait & Desired Life Synergy: Does your Zoi's Trait complement their Desired Life? A Go-Getter Trait aligns well with a "Life of Abundance" or "Life of Respectability." While mismatches can create interesting conflict, synergy can make achieving goals feel more natural.
  • Setting Up Relationships: If creating a family, think about their initial relationships. Are they a loving couple, estranged siblings, or just roommates? This starting dynamic influences early gameplay interactions.
  • Consider the Starting City: Your initial choices might influence which city (Dowon or Bliss Bay) feels like a better fit. A Zoi aspiring to be a K-Pop idol (Idol Trainee job) must start in Dowon.
  • Remember Permanence: Recall that the core Trait, Age Group, Gender, and detailed physical sculpts are permanent. These initial choices will fundamentally shape your Zoi's journey from the very beginning.

By putting thought into these aspects during creation, you're not just making a character; you're laying the foundation for countless potential stories and experiences in the rich world of inZOI. Have fun creating!