How to get started in InZOI

Starting your virtual life in InZOI can be overwhelming, especially if you're used to The Sims. Whether you're trying to navigate its vast social options, intricate customization options, or Karma system, InZOI can be tough to get to grips with. But don't worry, as we're here to help with an InZOI starter guide you lead you through it!

The tips and tricks we've included below aim to help you get started with the basics of Krafton's life simulation game, including how to keep your Zoi happy and healthy, get a job, make InZOI money, and create the house of your dreams. Here's how to get started in InZOI.

If you're looking for a shortcut to get ahead, then check out what InZOI cheats are currently available for an easy head start.

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1. Create your Zoi

First things first, you need to make a Zoi. InZOI's character creator has a vast range of customization options, letting you edit almost every aspect of your hyper-realistic character.

In the Profile section on the left-hand side, enter your Zoi's name (or use a randomized choice), then select their age group (ranging from child to senior) and their gender (either female, male, or non-binary). Under gender, you can also select the preferred gender of your Zoi's romantic interests.

Next, you need to choose your Zoi's Trait, which dictates their personality, likes/dislikes, ambitions, and social interactions – this can even affect their emotions and needs. There are 18 Traits to choose from, falling under nine key categories, including Wise and Logical, Honest and Bold, and Jovial and Cheerful. Note that your Zoi's Trait cannot be changed once you start the game.

The next section, Desired Life, is optional but can help you to give your Zoi a direction in its virtual life, while also impacting their goals and social interactions. There are 16 options available, ranging from a Life of Freedom to a Life of Advancement, and the game clearly lets you know which Traits, ambitions, values, and skills align well with which Desired Life.

Once you've created your Zoi's personality, you can move on to customizing your Zoi's appearance, utilizing the range of realistic face, body, and clothing options available to make your perfect character.

If you just want to create characters, but not necessarily play with them, you can do so in Character Studio – an option available under Creator Mode in the lobby.

2. Build your dream home

Once you've created your Zoi, it's time to find them a home (or build one!) First, select which city you want to live in: Indonesia-inspired Kucingku, Korean metropolis-inspired Dowon, or coastal America-inspired Bliss Bay. Once you've picked your city, choose an empty residential lot or vacant home to move your Zoi into. Blue icons on your city map indicate homes already inhabited, so choose a gray house marker (a pre-built house) or a gray square marker (an empty lot with no home) and select 'Play' to move in.

If you've moved into a vacant lot, you can now use InZOi's vast Build Mode options to create your dream home before filling it with your desired items. If you'd rather avoid building altogether, you can select a property preset to have one built for you, and then you just need to add any extra items you want. There are plenty of furniture options available, but you can also create your own custom furniture if none appeal to you.

If you're not fussed about living a virtual life and just want to create properties, you can do so using the Blueprint Studio option from the main lobby, under Creator Mode.

3. Manage your Zoi's needs and emotions

Like The Sims, InZoi's Zois have needs you must fulfill to keep your Zoi happy and healthy. These are fairly easy to maintain: Bathroom need is low: use the toilet; Social is low: socialize a bit. It's your Zoi's emotions you need to keep a closer eye on.

Emotions (good and bad) are triggered by fulfilled and unfulfilled needs, social interactions, your Zoi's Trait, and more. The easiest way to trigger a good emotion is to complete an urge when it arises. Zois sometimes get time-sensitive urges influenced by their preferences, values, Trait, and more. When an urge is fulfilled, the Zoi is granted a specific positive emotion. For example, my carnivorous Zoi currently has the urge to eat Yukgaejang. Fulfilling this urge will grant them the Tranquil emotion, allowing them to level up their Gardening skill faster and giving them tranquility-specific social interactions.

It's also worth checking out your Zoi's Ambitions via their Zoi Card and trying to fulfill the set challenges. Doing so earns you Meow Coins that you can spend on need and emotion-altering donuts in the Meow Store.

4. Keep your house clean

No one likes a dirty home, but someone who really doesn't is Psicat. Your home has a cleanliness level that you can view using the 'Home Information' button on the right-hand side of your screen. The cleanliness bar indicates how dirty your Zoi's home is and if your level falls below the bar, the relationships within your household can become strained, your Zoi itself can become dirty, and – most upsettingly – Psicat will keep shouting at you (in message form). Purchase and use a vacuum cleaner or mop and have your Zoi stay on top of the cleaning, especially as maid services don't seem to be available right now.

5. Customize and manage your city

It's not just your Zoi or their home you have control over, you can also customize and manage their city. To do this in live mode, press 'M' on your keyboard to open the Edit Map menu.

To customize your city, select 'City Decoration' from the top bar of the City Map screen. You can then adjust the weather, trees, billboards, and even animals within your city to your liking.

To manage your city, choose the 'Manage City' option under the City Map 'Manage Zois' menu. From here, you can adjust the likelihood of certain relationships in your city, the civic consciousness of its citizens, the probability of fires, and much more. So, you could make a dirty, unsafe city full of overly emotional Zois if you so wish.

The City Map menu also lets you use Themed Studio (available via 'Guides'), where creators can stage their own unique scenarios using Zois and preset backdrops.

6. Get a job

With your Zoi's needs and emotions under control, you need to make some money (unless you've utilized the money cheat). As The Offspring once asked: Why don't you get a job? It's easy to do: simply press P on your keyboard or select your phone and select 'Career' from the bottom menu.

Listed jobs are divided by workplace, and you can even choose whether to see part-time or full-time roles. Potential careers for your Zoi include working in a furniture store or amusement park or becoming a hotshot lawyer or reporter. Each workplace has several jobs listed, from entry to higher level. To apply for a job, select 'Apply' and wait for an acceptance message from the employer. If the 'Apply' button is grayed out, you're not eligible for the role you're looking at. Make sure you're happy with the job you choose as you'll follow your Zoi to work, completing set taks, each working day.

Jobs are available for Young Adults, Adults, and Middle-Aged Zois, but Senior Zois are forced into retirement and can't apply for any jobs.

7. Explore your city

Don't just leave the house when you have to go to work; get out and explore your city. You can do this by manually exploring with your camera, then choosing 'Walk Here' when you find somewhere you want your Zoi to go (aka the shoelace express/bus approach). You can also select your City Map again, find a destination you want to explore, select its marker, then 'Go Here.'

Our favorite method, however, is in style. Use the money cheat (or save up) and buy a car from your phone menu. You can then use the City Map option to 'Drive Here' or hop in your car and press M to open the map and choose somewhere to drive. The final option is to turn on the manual drive option under gameplay settings and attempt to manually drive your car.

InZOI has some cool, if not a bit dull, shops, libraries, cafes, and more to explore, so check them out.

8. Socialize

This takes us nicely on to our next tip: making friends. Socializing and making friends in InZOI can be particularly confusing as there are so many social interaction options available. There are four relationship types in InZOI: love, friendship, business, and family. Choosing social interactions relevant to the relationship you want with a particular Zoi will increase the bar for that relationship level.

You can see relationship information by pressing R on your keyboard. Each relationship type has six tiers (seven if you include neutral), ranging from downright awful to excellent. The two highest and lowest tiers for each relationship type require you to perform a social interaction to unlock. For example, to move from Friend to Confident, you need to choose the social interaction with the respective Zoi that asks them to be your Confident – it won't happen automatically.

InZOI's social system is perhaps one of its most confusing elements, so it can take some trial and error to get to grips with.

9. Start (or make) a family

Now that you have the house and job of your dreams, you may want to consider starting the family of your dreams (or making them). There are two ways to create a family in InZOI at present. The first is to meet a lovely Zoi you like, get married, and then have a little Zoiby with your genetics. But, if you don't care about your family's growth being organic, you can just make an instant family.

Go to the City Map by pressing M, then select your Zoi's household and select 'Add Family Member' by your family's name to create new family members and set their relationship with you. Note that you can't create a baby Zoi this way, as children are the youngest family members you can create.

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