Ok, I think I understand now.

I'm sorry to hear about the programming nightmare, 'cause it seems like a fun game. My daughter (black/white) and her best friends (white/Asian) and (white/Cuban) really like the game and I was just hoping there was a way to have them play with more "beige" characters (they're words, not mine!) They are reaching that point where they really aware of how "not 100% white" they are and how a majority of dolls, etc. lack characters that look like them.

We'll probably stick with Sims 2 and some supervision just because the girls like making and playing with characters who look like them.