A Guide for quick creation of Colour-Enabled Objects

[Numenor]

HINT AND TIPS FOR QUICK CREATION OF COLOUR-ENABLED OBJECTS
by Numenor and JWoods

First of all, let me give a big Thank You to JWoods, that not only has written the part related to the mesh editing, and volunteered for answering to your question on this subject, but also has made me understand what happens to the .obj file from the moment it is extracted from the GMDC to the moment it is reimported in the package. :)

NOTE: this guide was written prior to the publishing of JWoods' "Start to finish Object Creation Tutorial" (http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=59293). You may find interesting following that tutorial, instead of reading this guide (that nevertheless is still a valid source of info).
Moreover, the MeshTool tutorial has been discontinued and removed: now we can export/import meshes using SimPE only; for this reason, the brief "Export/Edit/Import" section of this Guide has been rewritten.

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This notes will help the creators in building objects in a quicker and easier way then before, cutting off most of the troubleshooting phase and the colour-options enabling procedure.
We'll still refer to the existing tutorials, when needed.


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Before you start: CHOOSING THE RIGHT OBJECT TO CLONE

HINT: to find all the objects of the same kind, you may find useful the CEP database spreadsheet (http://files.modthesims2.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=42427): if you order the lines for "ObjectFileName", you'll have grouped altogether all the chairs, the armoirs, the doors, etc...

If you want to create a new chair, you can't simply clone any existing chair: you have to find an original chair that has a mesh structure as similar as possible to the one you are going to create.
If you have a new mesh that is composed by two different parts, each one with its own texture and UV-map, then you have to find an original chair that has the same structure.
To look at the mesh structure of an original object, you have to create a temporary clone of it: to make things easier, when cloning the object, leave all the cloning options unchecked, including the new "Create stand-alone object" options.
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y83/Numenor65/Guide/1-TestClone.jpg

When all the files are collected, select the GMDC and check the number of the meshes listed under "Models" (don't count the "shadow" ones).
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y83/Numenor65/Guide/2-CheckMeshes.jpg
If you're not satisfied, check another object.
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y83/Numenor65/Guide/3-TestClone2.jpghttp://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y83/Numenor65/Guide/4-CheckMeshes2.jpg

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Next step: CLONING THE OBJECT

When you have found the right object to clone, open againt Object Workshop and select the choosen object; this time, check all the cloning options, *except* the "Load Parent Data", and then click "Start".
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y83/Numenor65/Guide/5-ActualClone.jpg

The Scenegraph Rename Wizard will appear
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y83/Numenor65/Guide/6-Scenegraph.jpg

Look in the "ModelName" field: SimPE suggests a unique name for it, but it's always a good thing to rename it. Choose a new ModelName with the following pattern: yourName-objectUniqueName-date; the ModelName must be unique, but nevertheless not too long. Don't use underscores; when you're done, click "Update" and then "OK".
(I know, the MeshTool tutorial suggests not to rename anything, but trust me, assigning a new unique ModelName is better...)
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y83/Numenor65/Guide/7-Rename.jpg

Now you have to select the GMDC and take note of all the meshes listed in the "Model" list: we'll need them later on.
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y83/Numenor65/Guide/8-GMDCmeshes.jpg


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EXPORTING/EDITING/REIMPORTING THE MESH

The MeshTool Tutorial is no longer available, because now SimPE has incorporated the functions of the MeshTool.
Note: the MeshTool (http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=45457) still exists, and it is widely used (especially for body meshes), but in order to create objects, the best choice is to do everything using SimPE.

If you are creating an animated object (i.e. an object that uses joints), you can perform the Export/Edit/Import phase by following one of these methods:

The "GMDC" method (http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?p=817288#post817288) or
The ".TXT" method (http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?p=828193#post828193)

If, on the other hand, you are creating a static object, it's simpler: just export and import the mesh in .obj file format. Using the .obj format lets you use other 3D modeling programs than Milkshape, and take better care of the UVmapping and smoothing using an UVmapping program.

Jwoods has something important to add about the "shadow" mesh parts (groundshadow, eastwallshadow, etc.): it's always advisable not to delete them, either when exporting the object from the original GMDC, or when editing the mesh in the 3D program. On the contrary, adjusting (scaling) and positioning these shapes around the custom object in the manner they were on the original object results in more appealing shadows. If you delete the "shadow" meshes, your object is likely to not cast correct shadows, or not cast indoor shadows at all.


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RESTORING THE ORIGINAL MESH STRUCTURE

This phase is important because doing this you actually restore the original colour options, without having to follow my Colour Options tutorial (http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?p=317381).
Remember those mesh names that you have written down earlier? Now they come at hand, because you have to open the GMDC ("Items 3" tab) and restore the original mesh names (e.g. in the 3D program you have replaced the "fabric" mesh with the "cushion" mesh? Now you have to rename the mesh from "cushion" to "fabric"). Commit and Save.
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y83/Numenor65/Guide/9-RestoreMeshes.jpg

Basically, you're done. You have just to replace the original textures with the custom ones you created for your object, and perform the "Fix Integrity" once more.
IMPORTANT: you can use the "Fix Integrity" as many times as you want, as long as you don't rename anything and don't click "Update"; just click "OK".


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TESTING THE PACKAGE

As JWoods strongly suggests, the first thing to do is to select the GMDC and click on the "Preview" button: this instructs SimPE to collect the materials (Texture and Material Definition) and render the new mesh, just like the game would do. If you find that some mesh parts are plain white, this means that there are problems with the materials for that mesh part (in the game, that part will appear flashing blue).
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y83/Numenor65/Guide/A-CheckPreview.jpg
If you have a correct preview, save the package, start Object Workshop once more and select the "Load Object" tab; select your newly created package and create a simple recolour for it. Copy both packages in the download folder and fire up your game: you should have a colour-enabled object, with an additional recolour for it.
If something is wrong with your new object and/or the recolour (invisible object, flashing blue textures, object using original Maxis textures instead of yours), remember that not all the original objects are perfectly suitable for cloning and re-meshing. For instance, all the beds "borrow" the beddings from the Colonial Ironwood Double Bed: if you cloned the cheap single bed, don't expect it to use your custom beddings. :)
A complete list of objects that "borrow" the textures from other objects can be downloaded here (http://www.modthesims2.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=42427).
Lastly, if you can't find what's wrong with your object, you might want to read my Troubleshoot Check-list (http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=44997) and the Colour Options main thread (http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=42014).

Feel free to post here your questions: JWoods will answer about the mesh editing, and I will help you with the colour options and the package structure.





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Tutorials:A_Guide_for_quick_creation_of_Colour-Enabled_Objects

[Numenor]

ADDITIONAL HINTS & TIPS - F.A.Q.

Q.> In my cloned package there are multiple GMDC: should I export/edit/reimport all of them?
A.> Not necessarily. There may be two possible reasons for multiple GMDC in the package. Sometimes, SimPE just pulls some additional files from an external object; other times, the object you cloned had originally more then one GMDC. Either case, you can spot the right GMDC(s) to export and edit by previewing the mesh (select one by one the GMDC and click on the "Preview" button). You should export and edit only the GMDCs that contain parts of the object you are working on; if a GMDC contains meshes related to other objects, different then the one you are working on, ignore them; if you find a GMDC that contains only "shadow" meshes, you can leave it alone: there's no need to edit it unless the shadows cast by your new object are weird.

E.G.: If you are cloning the cheap single bed, you'll find multiple GMDC, but:

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y83/Numenor65/Guide/Faq01a.jpg
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y83/Numenor65/Guide/Faq01b.jpg


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Q.> I've created a mesh that uses custom textures, and I want to create a package that contains multiple colours, just like Maxis objects. How can I do that?
A.> When you first clone the original object, uncheck the option "Pull only default colour": in the resulting package, you will have all recolours (textures, Material Definitions and Material Overrides) related to the original object, including all the custom recolours you have in the downloads folder for that object. If they are too much, you can delete the exceeding ones; just remember to keep the Material Override(s) that have the "defaultMaterial" field set to "True" (these are the default colours and shouldn't be deleted), along with the related MATD and TXTR.
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y83/Numenor65/Guide/Faq02a.jpg


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Q.> I've created custom textures for my new object, but it keeps using the original Maxis textures, though the package seems perfect. Why?
A.> Some original objects are set to "borrow" the textures from another object. Many of you know, for instance, that all the beds borrow the bedding textures from the Colonial Ironwood Double Bed; this happens with other objects, too: lamps, curtains, counters, etc... In this file (http://www.modthesims2.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=42427) you'll find a complete (hopefully :)) list of objects that borrow the textures from other objects.
If you have cloned such an object, you can (beside choosing another object to clone) correct the GMND. To do so, open the GMND (Plugin View), and select the tsMaterialsMeshName block, select the line (or lines) contained in that block and hit "Delete"; then Commit and Save.


Example: the "Sill-lenght Tieback Curtain" borrows the fabric texture from the "Floor-lenght Tieback Curtain"
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y83/Numenor65/Guide/Faq03a.jpg


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[Dr Pixel]

Thanks Numenor, and JWoods, this is very helpful

[ParsimoniousKate]

Colour me confused but I think I've gotten a little lost at some point. The model name in the GDMC and the shape have to match in order for it to display the texture, however I can't change the model name in the shape parts listing because you say don't do step 8 of the mesh tool tutorial. Does that mean the model name has to be the same as the original? What has thrown me is that having made a new bookcase using the original books but a new mesh for the bookcase creating a recolour package is only offering me the books texture not the bookcase so obviously I've not colour enabled it correctly. The mesh is a different shape and doesn't use a UV map that sits with the original bookcase texture so I don't want the original bookcase colours to be available for it, however I'd like to be able to create recolours of my bookcase (and in fact anything else I create where possible). Is this to be resolved by naming the mesh back to the original bookcase and if so does that mean the original colours will be available or should I be doing something else entirely? The bookcase does show up as designable in game but with no alternative colour options to pick from as I haven't managed to make any yet!

[peter_halland]

Thanks for this new thread. Very clear and straight, easy to understand.
The last days i used simpe32 and i m really happy about this version, first version i havn t had any trouble to use it. Got a wallamp clone working totally perfect allready after first gametry. And its so easy to add a whole package now to another. What i m trying to do is bringing this working wallampclone into one working mirrorclone package. 2 ways i tried: Add all the lamp shape-references into the mirror cres + a lot of minor changes, including the txt-list a s o. In the scenegrapher EVERYTHING is just perfect linked including the one new shape(the lampshape) beneath the cres and all the lampfiles following. Even one extern "light" file is linked directly to the cres in the same way as in the cloned lamp package.
The other way i try is to replace the mirrorwallshadow-shape with the lamp-shape. Even here i get EVERYTHING linked completely perfect in the scenegrapher.
None of my try packages works (now allways testing in clean downloadsfolder)other than i get my clonemirror without any parts of the wallamp. So, i guess i probable missed something essential. I tried to remove the lamps object file and i tried to give both object files the same guid. But i feel that i dont know anything about how the object file is linked to the rest of the package (can t see anything in the scenegrafer...). What file is responsible for making an object clickable? Behavior? Something i should delete? Maybee i can get some generell hints about where i should search and what i should think about?

EDIT: Just want to add that at one single point in my tries i got the lamp up in the middle of the mirror. So its possible. Checking the scenegrapher then i saw that all the lamp txmt-files were linked extern, as i thought to my original lampclone, and nothing else than the shape and txmt files were added, following my second way replacing the mirror shadow. This was middle of the night, i saved and cleaned my downoads subfolders. Next day i never got back to that point, the package showed up in the game without lamp again. Obviously i broke some link when cleaning my downloads folder, unfortunatly i don t know how and which one. But this makes me keep on trying ;).

[Motoki]

Numenor, what about the "load parent data" box when you go to clone an object in the newer versions of SimPE? What does that do exactly and when should we be using it and when should we be not?

[Numenor]

PISTACHIO:
There's a misunderstanding, here: if the Model Names in the GMDC are the same as the original object, it doesn't mean that your new object will use the original texture. In the "forbidden" step 8 they suggest to change the names into the Shape to match the (custom) ones in the GMDC; I suggest to do exactly the opposite: leave the Shape as is, and replace the Models in the GMDC with the original names (that are the ones that you have previously written down, and are identical to the ones that you find in the Shape).

Don't worry: even if you restore the original names in the GMDC, your object will still use your custom textures. To make the object use the textures from the original object, the procedure is more complex (see "Procedure B" here (http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=42014)).

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PETER:
Merging two full cloned objects it's not that easy, I fear... The main problem is the Object Data: the main OBJD has usually Instance 0x41A7, and the same Instance has to have the Object Function and the Name Reference. The instance is then used as a reference to the proper Pie Menu (I'm sure that there are many other "links" that I'm missing: my experience is limited, on this subject).
When you merge two objects, you will have at least two problems:
1) there are multiple Object Data, Object function and Name reference with the same GroupID and Instance (and is a no-no, as you may guess :))
2) The Global Data file, that determines which Globals are to be used for that object, must be unique (while in the merged package you will have two Global Data: one pointing to the mirror_globals, and the other pointing to the lamps_global). If you delete the mirror_globals, you will lose the "guss up", "change appearance", etc., functions; if you delete the lamp globals, the lamp will lose the ability to lit up, an so on.

Maybe, the best thing you can do is to create two different objects, to be placed in the same tile using the move_object cheat.

One last thing: if the object is not clickable, that's because something went wron when you imported the mesh with the Mesh Tool: do it again, and be sure tu check the option called "If you want the wizard to create..." in the second screen of the Mesh Tool.

[ParsimoniousKate]

Ta v much Numenor - can I ask then, is there an intrinsic problem with objects where the custom mesh has a different name - will I or anyone else have to fix objects where we've renamed the mesh as suggested in the mesh tool tut, or is it simply rendering them a bit iffy as to whether or not they'll recolour?

[Numenor]

PISTACHIO:
If your previously made objects are correctly recolourable, there's no need to update them.
JWoods and I are suggesting this new method because sometimes (I still don't know why) the objects aren't recolourable even if you follow exactly the Mesh Tool and the Colour Options tutorials.

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MOTOKI:
The "Load Parent Data" is useful only when the object you are cloning "borrows" the textures from another object (i.e. has a tsMaterialsMeshName block in the GMND). It's still an experimental option and in my opinion it shouldn't be used, so far.
For instance: the "Sill-lenght Tieback Curtain" borrows the fabric texture from the "Floor-lenght Tieback Curtain"; if you clone it without the option checked, you will have a package *without* Material Overrides, Material Definitions and Textures (because actually the Sill-lenght curtains has *not* any texture of its own: it uses the Floor-lenght textures). If you clone the sill-lenght curtain *with the option checked*, SimPE will pull the default materials from the floor-lenght (the "Parent Object"), but still the object will contain a "link" to the floor-lenght curtains (due to the existing tsMaterialsMeshName block in the GMND: read the FAQ on this subject).

[ParsimoniousKate]

Much obliged again Numenor :) All I need now is to make some objects that don't suck!

[peter_halland]

Thanks very much Numenor. Your answer was exactly what i was hoping for. At least i now got an idea about how the remaining not mesh and colour related files works together. Now i got some light in my darkness and when experimenting i don t have to loose myself on useless tests ;)

[JWoods]

Hi guys I am sorry I hadn't gotten in to help out with your questions... My "real life" work load has been heavy. Seems as though my trusty partner in this thread has answered them perfectly... :) Thanks Numenor... <--- OMG did I spell that right... :)

[simfantastic2]

I need your help. I have been trying to make new obects everyday but i have never made one yet that actually works. I am only 13 but i've got the skills, believe me. Everything works fine with making a new mesh until simpe. I don't know what i am doing wrong. I will attach a picture for what i need. Well all i think i need to do so far at this point is add a texture to my object but it does not show up. I've tried many things to try and get one but the object is just white. How do i get one on. Please sorry for wasting your time, but please can you guide me step by step by posting through this thread. Thankyou Anyway...

[CrazyChip]

woah! I am so lost.

[Numenor]

Simfantastic, I'm not surprised your object has problem with the textures: I can count 7 different "Models" in the GMDC (an some others must be hidden out of my sight...).
Seems that you haven't followed the tutorial with the due attention: you should keep the same number of meshes, and the mesh names, of the original object.

Sims2guy: I've updated the tutorial on this point; that option should remain unchecked.

[JWoods]

I need your help. I have been trying to make new obects everyday but i have never made one yet that actually works. I am only 13 but i've got the skills, believe me. Everything works fine with making a new mesh until simpe. I don't know what i am doing wrong. I will attach a picture for what i need. Well all i think i need to do so far at this point is add a texture to my object but it does not show up. I've tried many things to try and get one but the object is just white. How do i get one on. Please sorry for wasting your time, but please can you guide me step by step by posting through this thread. Thankyou Anyway...


Looks like you have gotten your custom object into Simpe ok...
Now you need to keep two things in mind... 1. the game only allows two textures... That means you need to re-group your Objects "Shapes" in your 3D editor... You have to many parts to the object... The cannon machine should be grouped into one then the remaining shapes"box1 "box2 ect" should be regrouped as one part... in the end you should have two parts(shapes in Simpe) Keep the clone base objects ground shadow east,west, south, and north depending on which are part of the clone base...

2. In order for your 2 shapes object as 1) to have texture you must keep yout two regrouped names the same as the original(not cannon or box). You can rename these either in your 3D editor or in Simpe... In Simpe, using the picture you attached above it shows the geometric data container file open, click the parts 3 tab and change the names there...

3. OOO I said 2 things huh? This is an extra tip for Simpe .32 ... When you export you texture it is not the same as previous versions where you can simply click "export". You have to first change the texture file name temporarily... This means (DO NOT Comit HERE) rename and export. Then after it is exported click the geometric data container file again and the texture files original name will re-appear.... Once you have edited your texture you will need to re-import it.... Theres a problem here too... Go back to Simpe and copy the "Filename" of the texture and be sure to save it as that name from your paint program... This tutorial was posted 2 days before the release of Simpe .32 so there are a few small changes that need to be in place. The matter of part 3 I listed above is for changing the texture, the last phase... If you follow steps one and two above you should still, before changing the texture, be able to click "preview" and see your object textured... it will look odd with the cloned objects textures but you will know tht you (Named your Shapes correctly)....

If you need more help after trying the above steps let me know... In some remote cases I will look at packages so if you would like to attach it and also let me know what you used for a clone base I can further help you...

[simfantastic2]

Yes i will send you the files. I'm just confused. What files do you need? Do you need just the Simpe file. Thanks alot anyway!

[JWoods]

Attach your package and also let me know of what object you used as a clone base.... I will look at it when I can....

[simfantastic2]

Ok i am using the 12th Century Song Dynasty Sculpted Vase. Also i can't group my objects. I originally build it with a 3d editor and it does not export obj files. So i export it as something else and open it in a converter/other editor but when i group it there it just is in a group and has a pulldown menu to the parts of it. It's kind of confusing. Thanks/ goodluck. I did to different ones. This is my second one with that one box unchecked. Maybe if you could you can group my object. I will send you the mesh(If you want to use it) and the object package. Thanks once again! (EDITED-Deleted File)

[JWoods]

Simfantastic delete the package from post 20 so no one downloads it and because we dont want a habit of fixing everyones files.... when I am done I will repost then delete it as well.... Be back in a bit... :)

[sims2guy]

I created my object, then imported into simPE. I had many different models, all named Default. I exported again then re-imported. Now I only have one model, the original had three. Is there a way to fix this? The model that dissappeared was only the shadow.

[JWoods]

OK, I have finished your printer... Oh my where do I start? LOL... First thing we will talk about is choosing a base object.... The vase was ok because it makes the copier place able on a table... :) It is not a good choice due to the fact that your object had a lot of parts (shapes)... :( I brought the mesh into my editor and regrouped it..... :) I also used a different base object.... As mentioned most objects can only have two textures.... That is not completely true for the advanced user (not that I consider myself "advanced")... I used the "Anytime candles as a base... It gives you an extra texture called a "Goub". I used this to animate and light the now green L.E.D.'s on the printer. I used the base as one shape with a dark texture and the candle as the lighter texture... You can change the textures to your liking.... If you want to give it a more realistic look then you will need to U.V. map it and do some detail painting... I did not do this, that is up to you.... Study this package and then reread the tutorial above, the mesh tool tutorial and keep practicing... It takes time to really have a good understanding of it all... If you want to use the 12th century vase then you will need to group it all into one object then U.V. map it and paint the texture.... All up to you, I did this package quickly to align your shapes; I'll leave the details to you... :) After I notice you downloaded this package I will be removing it so don't loose it... LOL it is also already color enabled... :)

Hope you like it... :)

[JWoods]

I created my object, then imported into simPE. I had many different models, all named Default. I exported again then re-imported. Now I only have one model, the original had three. Is there a way to fix this? The model that dissappeared was only the shadow.


I never seen such a thing caused by Simpe... Make sure your check boxes are checked in the geometric data container file on the bottom left... All I can think of is try changing the shape names in your 3D editor then put it through the mesh tool then import it... If your base object has shadow parts(shapes) leave them... I personally rescale them around my new creation... :)

[simfantastic2]

Oh my god! I can't believe it. My first new object mesh with the help from you! Thankyou so much. You don't know how happy this makes me feel! You should be proud of yourself. Great job! I love it...Thanks soooo much!

[JWoods]

Thanks, and your welcome... Take it in game and back in Simpe... Look at th differances in the shape names... I used the original... A good bit of advise for every new object maker is to start with the 12th century vase or something similar... Reason being is there is only one shape... One texture as well.... Once you master the learning curves of each program or utilities phase and it you then should move on to 2 shaped, then to MMAT coloring and animation and so on... If there are any technical problems with the object let me know... I used your Guid for it also... :)

[simfantastic2]

Thanks. I already posted it on this web. Go to this link below
http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=53215
BYe! Thanks alot Again...

[simfantastic2]

Jwoods i need you help again! Please help me. Post here so i know that you are willing to or not.

[thefuzmixman]

unfortunately i need help too. im sooo stumped. i made a thread and posted this in another thread before that and a reply led me here. I've cloned the whodunnit lamp and i can't get the new clone to stop using the old texture for its shade. I tried adding ##0x1c050000! prefix right before all the items i have in the 0x88 text list, but that gives me the blue flashes for shade, groundshadow and light pattern. the lamp base texture is working though. I add them before the value and then in turn, clicked "change in all" then commit for each one so it looks like this.

##0x1c050000!lightingtablecolonial2_lampshade_bluesilk_lit

So this lamp is "borrowing" it's lampshade texture,right? Then Im told to go into the geometric node and select the block "tsmaterialmesh", but that isn't there. At your request, i can link u to that old thread.

[JWoods]

"unfortunately i need help too" What makes one "unfortunete" is one who is not big enough to ask for help... :) I am going to guess you are using Simpe .32? If you are do you have the "parent directory" check box checked when you clone? This box in your case I believe should be checked off...

[Numenor]

thefuzmixman:
Your package has two problem.
1) The GUID in the Material Overrides don't match the one you registered in the Object Data (you forgot to click "Update MMAT when you first registered the GUID).
2) The Text list 0x88 should be manually updated; SimPe doesn't do this, yet. Adding ##0x1c050000! is not enough: for each entry, replace the existing text with ##0x1c050000! + the name of the corresponding Material Definition (e.g. replace lightingtablecolonial_bulb_lit with ##0x1c050000!newCustomNameOfTheObject_1234567890_bulb_lit)

[Spitze]

I made a bed, in the preview on SimPE it looks fine...yet when I test it in-game...it flashes blue. The bed uses its own texture and I see no sign of the default textures from the original even in game.

I have the latest version of SimPE...

Is there anything special I have to do?

[Numenor]

All the beds "borrow" the bedding texture from the Colonial Ironwood Double Bed. Most of the single beds borrow the textures for the frame from the double bed version.

So, unless you have cloned the Colonial Double Bed, the clone still will try to use the "borrowed" textures, even if you created your own ones.

The question is: is it really necessary that your new bed uses its own textures?
If you modified the beddings mesh, you are likely to lose the animation on them. As for the frame, this problem doesn't exist, and so modifying the frame mesh (and even create a custom texture for it) is safe.

In the FAQ (on post #2), read the question (and the answer) about the new objects that use the original textures. But remember that the beds are complex objects, and maybe the method explained there won't fix your problem. In this case, post here your package.

[JWoods]

Thefuzmixman:

To start with when you chose to clone, you needed to click the "Load Parent Data" because your base object(like most of the lamps) borrow textures from the colonial table lamp in which I am unsure which lamp that is or I would say clone the parent(colonial table lamp).

I recloned choosing the load parent data... I then noticed you did not rename in the first "scene-o-graph". I renamed and clicked "update"... Next I saved your package with the proper format (best to put date at the end :) )... The next thing I did was re-import your mesh...
After naming, clicking "commit", adding the hash, and clicking commit again I renamed your objects shapes to custom names. I did this because the lamps are as well complex objects that borrow textures; by giving the shapes custom names it enabled the proper textures in game... Next, I went to check the GUID.... As Numenor stated above your GUID was invalid (forgot to click "update MMAT's and commit I guess... :) )". I re-imported your textures and saved... It seems to work fine now... One hitch is that I couldn't get the shade to lighten when turned on but the textures do show... :) I am going to make the assumption that because there is a separate MMAT and Texture for the Lamp Shade unlit that would mean technically your object would need another shape to point at the MMAT and Texture(Shade unlit) I hope this helped...

Happy Easter to all...

[Spitze]

I created this bed through the Colonial Double bed. The reason why I am not using the original bedding is because the UV mapping on this bed is different. The current bedsheet I have is the default. Also I did not change the bedding mesh.

The Q&A doesn't work for me, because that area does not exist on my object, neither does anything similar to it.

Here is my rather large bed file.

Thanks for the help.

[Numenor]

I've examined your package. I don't understand: if you haven't modified the bedding mesh, then why have you made a new UV map for it?
If you avoid to change anything on the bedding, maybe it's possible to keep the original one (with the animations), and change only the frame. It's a hard work, though...
Let me take a deeper look.

[JWoods]

Here is your bed working fine in the game... Please download it and also remove your package from the above thread as I will remove mine from here after you download it... :) The problem with the bed was one I had encountered some time ago when I made my first bed... There are three shapes called bedding... The trick to making beds is to extract the three "bedding" shapes individually... next import into your 3D editor, the frame and oppacity plane... once they are in your 3D editor import each of the 3 "bedding" shapes you extracted. After each "bedding" shape is imported into your 3D editor re-name it "bedding1, bedding2, bedding3". Now you will have 5 shapes in all in your editor, export as wavefront object and put through Delphy's mesh importer as normal... Next, in Simpe replace your mesh as normal... After you have named it(commit), assigned the hash(commit) and "fixed integrity" go down to the "items 3" tab and cahnge "bedding1, bedding2 and, bedding3 to "bedding". Then we register our GUID's and replace our textures and we have a bed in the Sims 2... :)

[thefuzmixman]

Thefuzmixman:

To start with when you chose to clone, you needed to click the "Load Parent Data" because your base object(like most of the lamps) borrow textures from the colonial table lamp in which I am unsure which lamp that is or I would say clone the parent(colonial table lamp).

I recloned choosing the load parent data... I then noticed you did not rename in the first "scene-o-graph". I renamed and clicked "update"... Next I saved your package with the proper format (best to put date at the end :) )... The next thing I did was re-import your mesh...
After naming, clicking "commit", adding the hash, and clicking commit again I renamed your objects shapes to custom names. I did this because the lamps are as well complex objects that borrow textures; by giving the shapes custom names it enabled the proper textures in game... Next, I went to check the GUID.... As Numenor stated above your GUID was invalid (forgot to click "update MMAT's and commit I guess... :) )". I re-imported your textures and saved... It seems to work fine now... One hitch is that I couldn't get the shade to lighten when turned on but the textures do show... :) I am going to make the assumption that because there is a separate MMAT and Texture for the Lamp Shade unlit that would mean technically your object would need another shape to point at the MMAT and Texture(Shade unlit) I hope this helped...

Happy Easter to all...


Happy Easter to you as well. Thank you so much for helping me out.
The very first thing i noticed when i opened the new package is that you cloned a different lamp. Im wondering if i was also having problems because of the particular lamp i chose? Next i noticed that there were now 3 files in the GMDC, instead of two. One is my object, and also the pile of debrees. But now i also see a floor lamp is there as well? So instead of replacing the old object, you instead added another gmdc entry?

[JWoods]

I had to re-clone because in the scene-o-graph you seemed to have forgotten to name or click update...

Also upon examining the package I noticed that there was An MMAT and a Texture for the shade lit and unlit... This tells me you were short one shape in your object that is why I changed the clone base object... Your 6th shape is a duplicate of the shade... one shade for "lit" and one for "unlit".

You see the floor lamp because it is part of the parent data... In you case you needed the parent data because otherwise the "unlit" Texture and MMAT would not be included in the file... Due to the complexity of the lamps in general(pointing here and there to other files) it was difficult to figure why the shade wouldn't illuminate....

If you like you can extract your 1st gdmc and then replace the 2nd(floor lamp) with it... I do not seeing this as doing anything though... You could try experimenting and deleting the extra gdmc and see if the object behaves the same... I didn't do this because the package at least showed the green shade... LOL :)

[thefuzmixman]

well i see. yea, after cloning that same lamp i saw that SimPE added the parent data automatically. I noticed that the texture doesn't light up, but like you said... It least it shows up! i appreciate so much the help. I can just about release this. just need to do the shade texture. the other thing was just to test it.

[Spitze]

Here is your bed working fine in the game... Please download it and also remove your package from the above thread as I will remove mine from here after you download it... :) The problem with the bed was one I had encountered some time ago when I made my first bed... There are three shapes called bedding... The trick to making beds is to extract the three "bedding" shapes individually... next import into your 3D editor, the frame and oppacity plane... once they are in your 3D editor import each of the 3 "bedding" shapes you extracted. After each "bedding" shape is imported into your 3D editor re-name it "bedding1, bedding2, bedding3". Now you will have 5 shapes in all in your editor, export as wavefront object and put through Delphy's mesh importer as normal... Next, in Simpe replace your mesh as normal... After you have named it(commit), assigned the hash(commit) and "fixed integrity" go down to the "items 3" tab and cahnge "bedding1, bedding2 and, bedding3 to "bedding". Then we register our GUID's and replace our textures and we have a bed in the Sims 2... :)

Thanks, I actually was thinking about looking into that "phenomenon" but go too frustrated.

I have downloaded and deleted my attachment.

Thank you VERY much :D

[Numenor]

JWoods, does your bed have the animations on the bedsheets? I didn't know it was possible to import a mesh retaining the animations...

Anyway, since I've realized too late that you were working on this bed, too, in the meantime I've applied my method; and much to my surprise it worked!

My modded bed uses all the beddings from the colonial double bed, has the new frame (recolourable) and retained all the animations on the bedding.

I'm posting my bed, too, so that Spitze can test both of them (I'll remove my attachment, too, as soon as Spitze will remove his).

EDIT: seems that I've arrived too late another time... I'll leave my attachment until tomorrow...

[JWoods]

I did not even check that.... I think it's agood thing that we both look into the files... We get to learn something too... No the annimations did not work, I just went and checked them.... I am guessing this would be due to the extra (bedding)?

[JWoods]

Ah... I just looked at the gdmc's and shape files... Seems your theory of adding the frame to the shadow gdmc works... :) Is it nessacary to have the "old frame" shape in the first gdmc? Just curious...

[thefuzmixman]

:lol: hey Nume i never did thank you for looking at my package as well. i tried what you told me to do, but i kept screwing up the texture links. i guess cloning the another object was definitely needed in my case, or even if not needed, i will never touch that whodunnit lamp again!

[Spitze]

Thanks Numenor,
How did you get the shadows the map correctly?

When I export the 2nd GDC where the new frame is located (I made a tad bobo on the depth of the legs :anime: ), and import the GDC back in the shadows mess up. I didn't touch the shadows. I am guessing that in the import-export process, the shadow UVs broke out of their original place???

Thanks again...

EDIT: NM, figured it out. I have found the shadows to be ugly regardless, because the original Colonial has very dark shadows. Its still works. Through all this I hope I understand what you exactly did, because it works easier in 3D modeling to just see the frame. Thanks! :D

[Numenor]

JWoods, the problem with the animation is not caused by the multiple "bedding" subset. Simply, Delphy's plugin and the MeshTool can't manage the GMDC->OBJ->GMDC data transfer without losing some info.

The "oldframe" is there because I couldn't find a way to delete it :). Since no Shape actually refers to it, the game ignores the related data.

As for the indoor shadows (the groundshadow, southwallshadow...), I edited the Shape to make it point to the original shadow texture, instead of the "custom" ones contained in the package (that anyway were identical to the originals). Modifying the GMDC that contain the shadow meshes shouldn't alter anything: if editing the frame you have a result to mess up the shadow, there's something you can do in the 3D program; the MeshTool preserves correctly the shadow UVmap.
The outdoor shadows, though I haven't tested, should be completely missing (Quaxi and I are studying a new implementation in SimPE that should preserve them when cloning the objects).

[Samekh]

I read somewhere (I think it was a post by WDSBrianna - but don't quote me on that) that when you just want to change the shape of a bed frame (without interfering at all with the bedding) you export only the frame. Is that redundant information now?

Just frame and shadows perhaps?

[Numenor]

As far as I know, if in a GMDC there are more then one mesh (e.g. the frame and all the shadows), you can export only some of them, unchecking the meshes that you don't want to export. But after you have edited the exported mesh, you can't add them to the existing meshes: the MeshTool replaces the whole GMDC; therefore, if you export only the frame, you lose all the other meshes.

The only correct way to manage the meshes is the one suggested by JWoods: export all the meshes, edit all of them in the 3D program (adjusting/scaling/moving the shadows, as well), and reimport all of them in the GMDC.
That's what I've done.

[Samekh]

I've just found that out. I'm going to have a look to see if any of the bed meshes group the frame with the shadows rather than the bedding because, even without altering the bedding in the 3d editor, it reimports into the game as blocky.

Thanks for your help though. I may be back with a more technical question soon..


He ran away!

No. None of the beds have gmdcs where the shadows are grouped with the frame.

I wonder if it's possible to juggle the items in the gmdcs of a cloned bed or make a completely new gmdc just for the frame and delete the frame item from the existing gmdc?

Clone the gmdc with the frame and replace it with a simpe file with only a frame mesh in it perhaps? That seems logical Samekh!

[Numenor]

No, there are no beds having the frame grouped with the shadows. I had to modify the one by Spitze in this way to make it work.
AFAIK, there's no way to delete a mesh from a GMDC: I had to rename it in order to make the game ignore it.

[Samekh]

This is what happened when I imported the frame with the shadows to SimPe and renamed the original frame to some nonesense in it's gmdc file.

I shall keep trying. If there's something fundamentally erroneous with the above somebody please tell me. Please

(The bedding was there but no frame)

Image and zip deleted now to conserve space. Thanks for the help.

Thanks AP for your (peculariar) interest in having the floating bed in your collection. If anyone else wants this strange item I still have the zip file on my hard drive so send me a message!

[AP]

i like it ;-)

[peter_halland]

Just some feedback and thanks to Numenor. If i have had any idea about how much time this project will take i probable never started. But it was worth it.
Posted as an update here http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=53990

[JWoods]

Peter Very nice Mirror... :)

Samekh, Here is what you need to do....

Make a new shape in the "shape" file... Just copy the first Shapes data with the frame to the second shapes with the shadows and your new frame... see below screen shots for example in SimPE and in game, your bed working with this theory in place... I also opened Numenors mod and noticed the frame in the shadow GMDC... in order for your game to see it it must point to the shape in the shape file then the material deffinition file, then the texture.... When you "add" the new Shape, "frame" to the shadow shape file be sure to copy and paste the material definition file to that area too as shown in the screener.... Hope this helps you...

[Samekh]

It should help. Thank you thank you JWoods. I shall try that now. I thought it would be something to do with the frame being with the shadows in the gmdc but with the bedding in the shape file but had no idea what I needed to copy in the shape files so I will try it now. Bless you.


Well... It worked!!!! Thank you so much. I know the mesh for the frame itself has some problems but the important point is it's in the game, it uses the same bedding as the other beds and, as a plus, has an indoor shadow. This is such a breakthrough for me - you don't know how long I've been trying to do beds! Now I know! Thank you so much - you're wonderful.

[peter_halland]

Numenor. I got a renaming problem with the very-private. Renaming the file causes that the new file dont show the object in the game. And i guess there could be conflicts with other objects too in the furture? Will you be kind to take a look, i realy have to give up at this point. I am at work now---no time to place the file here--- please if you could catch it upi n my thread? I realy would appreciate your expert help.

[Samekh]

JWoods. We're having a bit of trouble here

http://forums.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?p=337847&posted=1#post337847

A: They hate my cushions
B: I've almost killed Sims2Master
C: Do I need to know what the resource node does?

Here's my steps. Did I do anything noticably wrong? I've already corrected the custom-object name in the gmdc file of the bed you downloaded (haven't tested it and replaced the zip yet though). We're trying to make it and a cushionless version recolourable.




Alright, hideously messy at the moment (and please don’t ask to see the package created for this description because I didn’t – on this occasion – actually get new guids) I just did a mock up so I could remember exactly what I did the other times. I shall tidy this up soon but – having checked it – it looks like a complete replication of my process. The one that doesn’t work!

Cloned the funkensnooz bed (using SimPe33) leaving all boxes checked apart from ‘Load Parent Data’

Scenegraph Rename Wizard – gave it a new name (no underscores), clicked update, saved new package.

Object data – got seven new guids (updated MMAT, committed AND saved after each new guid (I save because sometimes SimPE and internet connection cut out when I’m in the middle)

Geometric Data Container – (the first one has the original frame, bedding and opacityplane) left it alone for now
The second one (with four shadows) copied the file name to clipboard, which because I’m doing it again is

testing-samekh_root_rot_gmdc

Replaced the gmdc file (the second one with the shadows) with my simpe file (which contains meshes called frame, groundshadow, southwallshadow, eastwallshadow, westwallshadow so I don’t have to do too much renaming)

Pasted the testing-samekh_root_rot_gmdc over the filename of the gmdc I just replaced, committed and saved.

Selected the first gmdc (the one with the original frame in it) items 3 selected the frame and changed it’s name to a something random so that the game would ignore it committed and saved

Shape – the first shape file has components bedding, frame and beddoublecolonial_opacityplane. In parts I selected the frame and copied, to clipboard, the name of the Material Definition file

##0x1C050000!testing-samekh_frame_lime

the data part of this 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 can be left alone because it is reproduced automatically at the next stage

the subset name – frame – I can remember that
I selected the second shape file parts clicked ‘add’ to make a new part selected the colon that appears gave it the subset name frame and pasted ##0x1C050000!testing-samekh_frame_lime in the Material Definition. Committed and saved

The next stage I’ve done two different ways (with the same results)

1: First shape file (the one with the original frame) select the frame part and delete it, also clearing the boxes for subset name and material definition and data. Committed and saved.

2: Didn’t delete it, left it completely as it is.

Replaced the texture image for the frame, committed and saved, fixed integrity and saved again. Put a copy of the package in my downloads, tested it in game. OK

Close game, open SimPe, find the new package in downloads folder to make it recolourable.

Now it is, infact, the second geometric node

testing-samekh_root_rot_gmnd

where the new frame I want to recolour should be residing but in the blocklist there’s no option for tsdesignmodeenabled so I can’t do anything with THAT, but, in a vain attempt to try ANYTHING at this point I designmode enable the first geometric node.

Commit save

Open the package with Object Workshop, make clones of it, give it recolour packages. NADA.


Pleeeeaassee.

[TheSims2Master]

Heheheh, yeah I think we'd both like help here! I think I took on too much then I could take! Well not really I just kept mucking up cos I'm an idiot!!

Btw, Numenore/Jwoods, could either of you tell me why my textures are not showing correctly? Such as, I have made a breadbin and put on a nice wood texture I would like to use. However, in simPE preview and in the game the texture displays as a flat brown colour. So no nice wood texture just this horrible muddy brown. I deleted the package because I was going to start again, but does anyone know why this is happening?

[peter_halland]

Maybee i can some help of JWoods or Numenor. Big problems with this package, a wallampclone added to a wallmirrorclone. When i rename the saving name in simpe, sometimes!, the object don t show up in the game anymore. The new thumbnail says no pic, but the object, if placed with the former package before renaming in the game, still is there. I the tried fix integr + new guid+uppdate mmats+ renamed forced prefix for the lampfiletextures in the txt-list. It still don t work. If i load the game with a clean DL folder i get rid of all and after that the game accept the renamed package as a new object and everything is fine.
I got even this message:


[QUOTE=jawal]I ran half a dozen tests this morning after I installed your newest 'VeryPrivateMirror 93' and finally managed to have it properly showed up in the game (including all my customed objects added).

When I first removed 92 and installed this package without any customed contents in my d/l folders, 93 didn't have any problem showing up and there wasn't any problem even after I added all other NewMeshed objects, but as soon as I moved my 'Recoloured Maxis Objects' back to the game, 93 was missing again, logged off (without saving game) and relaunched, still nothing showed. So I logged off (without saving the game) and reboot my PC, 93 finally showed up without a glinch.

I would think that those who had a problem with this package are also having recoloured objects in their games. Relaunching the game couldn't resolve the problem without a reboot, at least that's what happened to me!

Btw, 93 all look great, they're more detailed and refined. Thank you very much!!

[JWoods]

The formula I use to keep the animation in tact is to import the bed frame into the shadow GMDC...

I have tried to use the mesh tool(0.9.46) to replace only the frame. This also disturbs the animations because when you "load sims 2 mesh" in step two of the mesh tool you have to convert it to a mesh through the mesh tool. This destory's the animation as stated above... I did try this as well as the normal way of creating a custom mesh with the mesh tool...

There are two things you can do here...
1. Follow the original theory of importing the frame into the shadow file (keep the name "frame" (not lime frame)) produce your bed in game and see that the animations are correct... Next follow "Numenors" color enabling tutorial not the one he and I wrote "Quick color enabling". This I would think should work but That is his area and you may want to ask him his opinion...
My theories and part of the "Quick object color enabling" is the matter of not changing shape names... I worked on this theory to avoid the long process of enabling re-colors through the tutorial whenever possible... As Numenor mentioned the beds are complex objects and not every object can be "instantly color enabled. Once the structure of the package is changed the "instant enabling" will not work.... I have named all the files the original names and when doing a recolor the two sub sets show up and after the package is finished it does not show up in-game as another "color".

This tells me that I am awfully close but that doesn't help does it? LOL

2. Your second option is to type in the search above, "beds". You will come across a thread where a women has succesfully imported the frame in the first GMDC, her beds animation is still in tact, the extra bedding is, as far as I noticed, drawn from the original colonial bedding and the package may not be color enabled... The way to incorperate recolors for her bed is to make recolors for the original colonial double bed. I believe they should show up in the new bed....

You asked if I saw anything that stuck out that may be wrong...

1. Clone the "Colonial bed" for your project, no other as they use the data from that bed....

2. Keep the shape name "frame" as that not "Lime Frame".

3. The first GMDC's name can be changed, hash assigned... But do not export the objects and run them through the mesh editor. The mesh editor is as Numenor also stated killing the beds animations...

[JWoods]

Heheheh, yeah I think we'd both like help here! I think I took on too much then I could take! Well not really I just kept mucking up cos I'm an idiot!!

Btw, Numenore/Jwoods, could either of you tell me why my textures are not showing correctly? Such as, I have made a breadbin and put on a nice wood texture I would like to use. However, in simPE preview and in the game the texture displays as a flat brown colour. So no nice wood texture just this horrible muddy brown. I deleted the package because I was going to start again, but does anyone know why this is happening?


It sounds like you are seeing the texture just a mushy one.... If not check your shape names they should be that of the original...

if it is a matter of your object not having the texture you expected then that can be caused by one or two things...

1. (The easy one) make your texture smaller, It's to big and stretched out... DDS tools are best for this type of thing...

2. The MMAT for the original texture is causing it to display as the original object did... If your not fluent with MMAT files and what to change Pick a clone base object that you are sure will show a solid texture... If you only have one texture then try the 12th centuary vase as your clone base object... If you still have problems upload the package so I can take a look at it...

[TheSims2Master]

If the 12th century vase is the blue one with a white texture on it that's the one I am using. Also, (sarcasm) I know so much about MMAT files my brain can't take it.. Lol, I know nothing about them, unfortunately.

[JWoods]

Yes it is that one.... This tells me that it is the texture it's self.... Try making the texture bigger and/or smaller that is what is happening I am 99% sure...

[TheSims2Master]

I have tried this, it always asks if I want to crop it, and whether I press yes or no it still appears as small as the original picture. I don't understand what's going wrong. Also, I don't think making it any smaller shall make much difference, seen as the picture is already very small.

[TheSims2Master]

Ok, I have increased the picture twice at different sizes and decreased the size once. Nothing changed and my object is still horribly muddy.

[Numenor]

I'm sorry for the delay I'm answering, but I had a lot of work to do, today.

SAMEKH:
When I've read the request you had for a bed without cushions, I had a simple idea: why not create a special recolour for the frame/cushion that would make the cushions invisible? So, I've created a recolour package, addad an alpha channel to the texture and I made the cushion transparent. But I had a little problem due to a glitch in the UV map: the border of the cushion and a small part of the wooden frame use the same portion of the texture; therefore, if I reduce the transparent part, the border of the cushion remains visible; and if I enlarge the transparent part, a little portion of the wooden frame disappears.
I'm attaching the recolour package I've created. If you correct the UV map (leaving few pixels between the "cushion" part and the "frame" part), you'll have a bed with no cushions, without having to create a different bed.

[Samekh]

I'm having to tell my 4 yr old child (whose just discovered the joys of Paint Shop Pro) to bug off for a minute. I managed to make a new mesh, with new guids, for the same bed frame without cushions but it's the whole bit about having the frame in with the shadows gmdc that's causing problems.

The margin problem creating whilst mapping (bits of pink and green appearing along the edges) was due to me not anticipating the amount of space a pixel needed from the edge of a colour block in an image or texture map. Child is bolshy. I hope this explains my failure here. Have a look at the new mesh that anonymous asked for. Why can't that be recoloured. That's a changed mesh. I put it in with the shadows gmdc, it's not recolourable. I've been subsequently told that the new meshtool can import 'parts' of a gmdc separately. So, the question I humbly ask is:

Put the frame mesh with the shadows
or
Does the new mesh tool import the frame model into the gmdc with the bedding without altering the bedding

Oh lordy.

When I/We crack this. Me and Sims2master will make a tutorial just for recolourable bed frame meshes and all the credit will go to you and JWoods. I'm banned.

[Numenor]

PETER:
I had a lot of trouble with your very-private mirrors (both v 92 and 93): I couldn't manage to enable colour options, no matter what I tried.
In these cases, there is only one solution: start again from scratch.
And so I did. Basically, I've rebuilt your mirror from the ground up; if you look at my package, you'll see that very little of the original package was saved.
No, this is wrong: actually I've saved the most important things, the mesh and the textures! :)

I can't tell you what was wrong in your package. I noticed that there were TWO text lists 0x88, pointing to two different resource nodes (one of them, the sconce, wasn't actually included in the package): this must have created a lot of confusion in the game ;)

When you want to "merge" two objects into one, you can't clone both of them: you clone the main one (in this case, a mirror), and then add some meshes in the existing GMDC, edit the existing shapes, and finally add the MATD/TXTR/MMAT from the second object. There's no need to tell you how hard this job is to do... :)
My suggestion is: everyone should do what he knows better, and you are a master in mesh creating. I volunteer to colour-enable your most complex packages, if you can't do it by yourself.
Please don't misunderstand me: the problem is *not* that I don't want to share my knowledge; actually, I've posted on MTS basically everything I know.
But colour-enabling, and the internal structure of a package are too wide subjects to explain in detail, and every object has its own peculiarities.

Anyway, as I wrote on your thread, I was delighted by this mirror, and I simply had to fix it! :D
Here is the result of my efforts: a package with all your 4 frame colours, plus 4 different glass screens (the glass is now recolourable). I used your original meshes, but I've re-grouped them: the bulb, the glass and the metal with the frame, all the shadows in another GMDC. I noticed that the frame is not in touch with the mirror: probably I've messed up while regrouping the meshes, please fix it before releasing the package.

The golden rule I applied is to make everything neat and well-ordered; the number and the name of the original subsets should always be kept; even the internal filename are to be considered with attention: if possible, don't use underscore in the Scenegraph rename wizard, and use a common unique prefix for all the filenames.
Next, I want to try and activate the turn on / turn off functions (the autolight feature is not possible, but maybe a manual switch can be implemented...).

[Numenor]

SAMEKH:
I'm not much experienced with 3D editing and the MeshTool; I've read that now it's possible to "add" a mesh into the GMDC, but so far I've always used the old system: export the shadows, export the frame, import both in the 3D prog (I use Wings 3D) and export all the meshes at once.

[TheSims2Master]

Hello Numenor! Any chances of you helping me with my problem? Scroll up if you will, thanks.

[peter_halland]

Numenor. You touch my hearth and keep my brain. Yes i mainly feel as a designer and want to create new things. I realy apprechiate your friendly helping hands. Did you noticed that you allready were mentioned in the catalogtext for this mirror?
In some way i fixed it and it worked. But it was like a very beautyfull car that ballanced on three wheels only. Not everybody could drive it. So realy big thanks. You know, there is the same other way arround. If you have a cool idea packaged in a exciting way and you want to have the gmdc s modelled and coloured...just call me by.
I will check the file, but i am waiting with posting it. Maybee you find that switch to turn the lamps on and off. I tried with that "behaviors" to add in the mirror behaviors, but all crashed all the time, :) . I suggest one of our hackers here could do it. It seemes that they can add whatever behavior they want to that menu-bubbles.
AND: Recolours for the glasses? WOW...that was where all my troubles got even worse, because i was not satisfied to have the same glass colour on the different recolours. I am soooo curious now to see and try...fantastic.

[Numenor]

TS2Master, if the suggestion give by JWoods didn't work, then it could be an internal reference problem.
Use my check-list (http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=44997) to spot the broken link.
Or better, try the Scenegrapher: it's in the Plugins menu of SimPE. In the Scenegrapher you can follow the internal link structure: if a file is marked with "Available:false" or "Available:extern", then concentrate on that.

[JWoods]

I am sorry I should have stated the problems with TS2Masters problem here too... The problem is resolved as his object was not UV mapped... This cause the texture to be streched all over it and be distotred. After mapping his object the texture was not streched out...

A suggestion to TS2Master is to obtain a free program like UVmapper pro or Lithunwrap... Then he can use the saved map to paint detail in places he would like... :) I also did not mention that mesh is nice... Good Job.. :)

[Numenor]

Did you noticed that you allready were mentioned in the catalogtext for this mirror?
Thanks! Actually, I usually check the catalog text, too, but this time I had mor important things to check; I've copied and pasted the text without reading.

Maybee you find that switch to turn the lamps on and off. I tried with that "behaviors" to add in the mirror behaviors, but all crashed all the time, :) . I suggest one of our hackers here could do it.My suggestion is: everyone should do what he knows better
This applies to me, as well... I tried, but the lamps are totally different objects then the mirrors, and the LampGlobals are far too complex for me. I hope that some experienced modder will solve the problem, sooner or later. Otherwise my suggestion is always valid: create a lamp suitable for one or more mirrors, and place it with the moveobject cheat; not an elegant solution but it would work anyway... :)

[TheSims2Master]

Thankyou very much Jwoods! Sorry to put you through all that trouble. Also, the thing I don't understand about uv mapping, is that how do I know how big the texture should be? It wants to stretch it out big and with several programs it turned out as a perfect square= not much help at all. I guess I will have to fiddle around with this more. Once again thanks for your help :D

[TheSims2Master]

Ok new problem- I need an object with 2 TXTR files because uv mapping is already overflowing the box, yet, I want one of the shelves in my object to be frosted glass. Does this mean I have to get a special object with glass in it already or something? I don't understand MMAT files so I dunno whether that shall change anything. Or is there a special alpha texture I have to get for the glass bit? I am soooo confused, please can you help me!

Basically, my object has 3 parts to it, the glass part, the frame and bottles, and then the shadow. I have uv mapped the bottles and frame hopefully correctly and all that should work out, yet, I need the to have frosted glass in the shelves. I have not yet made a package because I don't know what object would be best to clone it from or is it something to do with changing the MMAT? Please help! Btw it is a wall shelf not a floor one.

[ParsimoniousKate]

Taking Jwood's advice I'm being not so unfortunate by asking for the help of any kind soul who would be willing to tell me what I've missed before I start indenting the wall with my head (or vice versa). My little loveseat first kept picking up the fabric textures for the barccoco loveseat it was cloned from and not giving the the option of the new fabric texture I wanted it to use - after a bit of tweaking its now not offering me the fabric from the original (good) however its offering me instead that lovely white and black 'I can't find your texture' image and I'm quite convinced if I stare at it any longer I shall probably start seeing things which aren't there.
I forgot to get a picture but its based off of this Sims1 design http://www.parsimonious.org/objects/living/k8tsloveseat4ts.gif

Sanctuary Loveseat zip (http://www.parsimonious.org/000/k8-thesanctuaryloveseat-033105.zip)

If someone (anyone) who understands this could possibly take a quick look and find the 'there's your problem right there -you idiot' I'd be very grateful.

Sims2master - the map can be any size you want it to be on your UV map, however if its a tiny object with low detail you want to produce then stick to a small size map, say 128x128 (or smaller) to keep the filesize down, if its a very large high detail object you might need a much larger map, but again keep in mind if you're going to use it your computer has to load it in to your game so a huge 2000x2000 pixel texture might be overkill! Also although your texture might be dealt with as a perfect square when you're mapping but your map will have its aspect ratio 'corrected' to fit whatever size your texture is, so if your finished texture ends up being 1024x64 then the layout of your UV mapping will be stretched horizontally to fit your texture if that makes any sense. That said check the display options of whatever program you're using, its entirely possible you can set it to display the working area to the size you're after.

[TheSims2Master]

Ok Pistachio or Kate whichever name I should call you, I shall try in a different uv mapping program. The one in wings3d maps as a square all the time and tries to fit them inside.

Btw, I love your Jazzy study set on your site! Any chance of you making a sims2 bed the same as your chrome bed from sims1? Heheh going off topic here but everything on your site is AMAZING!

[ParsimoniousKate]

Ok new problem- I need an object with 2 TXTR files because uv mapping is already overflowing the box, yet, I want one of the shelves in my object to be frosted glass. Does this mean I have to get a special object with glass in it already or something? I don't understand MMAT files so I dunno whether that shall change anything. Or is there a special alpha texture I have to get for the glass bit? I am soooo confused, please can you help me!

Basically, my object has 3 parts to it, the glass part, the frame and bottles, and then the shadow. I have uv mapped the bottles and frame hopefully correctly and all that should work out, yet, I need the to have frosted glass in the shelves. I have not yet made a package because I don't know what object would be best to clone it from or is it something to do with changing the MMAT? Please help! Btw it is a wall shelf not a floor one.

You can make this all into one mesh that uses one texture if you attach them all to create one single one, create an area on your UV map where you want the glass texture to appear, move the verticies for the glass object to it, on the texture make it whatever colour you want the glass to be, export the alpha channel and make that area grey so that its seethrough, lighter grey is more opaque, darker grey is more see through. I'm not sure having out of range data is a good idea on your UV map, I'd suggest trying to move everything inside the square thats associated with the single mesh, if you're using multiple meshes in one object they'll need to be mapped seperately before combining them into the .obj file you're importing with the mesh tool and yes if you do that you will need a seperate texture file for each one, and you'll need to edit the alpha channel for your glass object.

[TheSims2Master]

Uggghhh, I need that in english now. Lol. I need to understand that more.. Back to basic objects for me then. I don't understand anything except just making it and putting it into simPE.....

[TheSims2Master]

Pistachio, Due to my unimaginable nosiness, I had to take a sneak preview into your sanctuary loveseat, and luckily, due to unimaginably lucky luck I have managed to fix the chair, I shall test in game and get back to you if it does work! I had to redo the package and redo one of your textures (Don't worry I only resized it to the right ratio) which was actually the frame, which was odd considering originally the fabric was the odd texture. Unfortunately I can't really tell you what you've done wrong as I immediately went into making the new package because I knew I wouldn't know what would be wrong. I am glad I did try to fix your chair because I now know how to correctly map something!! If you've already fixed it or not I have done it anyway and thanks for the knowledge lol.

Tested and functional!!! Here's a picture of your seat working fine! I like it and at least the dreamers like it too! It still takes fabric from the original chair, of which some actually look dam good on it. It should be recolourable and luckily, to avoid strange textures, it's not taking textures for the frame. I shall give it to you while you're here so I can take it off for download to stop nosy people (Like me) from downloading it here lol.

[ParsimoniousKate]

Wow, that was quick - much obliged to you S2M - can you email the thing to me ([email protected]) - I went back and had another go at the thing after a break and some coffee and unfortunately ended up with black and white text on the frame aswell as the fabric - looking though it the texture names didn't match up in the shape and g-node which I swore I'd committed on, however making those the same didn't help so I think I may have done something irrevicable to it. I've done the sofa for this and that doesn't use the existing baraccoco fabric textures so I'll either have to change it so it does or change the loveseat so it doesn't.
Anyway cheers for that :beer: !!

[TheSims2Master]

Ok Pistachio, will email it to you! I think you should try and enable the sofa to take textures from the original chair because as I said before, they still look good on it, and none of mine (Not saying all) look weird. Now I know how to map correctly I can probably continue my shelf. Still gotta figure out the glas thing though..

[TheSims2Master]

Ok! Me again! :D

Right first off, I could have had this finished in about 5 hours... but no I decided I had to do this on my own! Like.. 20 hours later I have given up and I just need help! I have created a stereo which I think looks really cool, did all the uv mapping and so on and BAM! There's my problem. No programs want to map some of the front parts :( So I have asked Brasstex how he made a TXTR file, which I need to texture the front parts. Shadow's working well, base looks fine but right there-front parts are white. Dam! So, all I have to do is quadruple check names/shapes/textures/TXMT and as far as I know, every possible name is ok. So, thinking that simPE preview just wouldn't show that texture because it's been manually added, I started up the game, and I get this, Please help!

[Numenor]

S2M, I've given some hints on your other thread, here:
http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=54481
Tell me if it works.

[Numenor]

PISTACHIO: I see that you have followed my advice in the FAQ, correcting the GMND. Actually, the info I have provided are not complete: when you have corrected the GMND, you have to copy the name of the new texture (the one you created for the fabric), and paste it in the Material Definition for the fabric (replace the texture reference both in the "Properties" tab and in the "File List" tab of the Material Definition; the reference must be preceded by the ##0x1c050000! prefix).

The next version of SimPE will automatically create a stand-alone package even if the original object was "borrowing" the textures from other objects.

[TheSims2Master]

Numenor, thankyou for your advice but luckily I had actually corrected the object before, sorry for a slight false alarm lol. There is always one major name I always miss to correct so I am writing down which part needs to be corrected for further uses, as I missed it in my 2 new objects for the "Funky Banana" set which will be available for download and updated with new items in my thread on the objects forum :D

[TheSims2Master]

I feel like such an idiot but how the heck do I use the mesh tool to import seperate objects? I wanna import a bed but I don't wanna do it all then find out the animations aren't there so any help with this, thanks.

[Samekh]

You must be sick of me here but, I'm getting close to a solution now - I can feel it. Please can I have a bit more help.

The new version of the meshtool and it's ability to replace just one model of a gmdc seems to be working for me. ie. The bedding isn't messed up, it's animated properly, has indoor shadows and comes up with two recolourable parts (double bed). However,

I wan't both the frame and the bedding to be able to use all the textures for the Colonial Double Bed (I mapped the new mesh in the 3d editor so it doesn't need a unique texture). The odd thing is it's coming up with just the blue bedding and the mahogony frame and - they both have asterixes next to them.

I've been trying all different ways to get them to have all the colonial's recolours (for the last couple of days) and I can manage to make recolours for the frame and bedding by cloning my new mesh and, at one point (by unchecking 'pull only default texture' and by trying to remove all the prefixes with 01500 in (or whatever it is) the bedding came up for all the original maxis options (all with asterixes however!) but not my colonial bedding recolours. In the scenegraph rename wizard I've been doing what I'm told and giving it a new name and I think this may be the problem. It's loosing that beddoublecolonial reference and, when I've compared my package to someone elses that I know works - theirs has the beddoublecolonial references. All of mine are lonelyheartbed-double-samekh. I know I'm so close now. I've made a very simple package and left it pretty much alone. Please Numenor or JWoods, have a little look at it and tell me that there's one little thing I have left to do to get it to point at the colonial's colour options.

Sims2master. What you do is (by the way hi), right click on the gmdc that has the model you want to replace, click extract, it will as you to save and then save it as a .5gd. Start the new version of the meshtool, don't use the wizard, it says load 3d file (this is the .obj file you've made in your 3d editor) do that, then load sims2 mesh (this is the file you just extracted in SimPE). Whether the next bit is necessary or not I don't know but I've been doing it. Go to settings and highlight the model you want to replace, don't change anything though, click commit and then save the file as a .simpe. Then replace the gmdc you extracted with the new simpe file. Hope this helps. By the way the cushions have gone now but that's a long story.

[TheSims2Master]

Samekh, it doesn't work I've been trying that for aaaages.

[Samekh]

Are you doing it one model at a time? Does your object file have one mesh in it with the name 'frame' for instance? The process may be different for replacing multiple models.

[TheSims2Master]

my .obj file has 1 object in it and it's called frame... Still not working after several more tries :(

[TheSims2Master]

Ok it's worked, but can it also add objects? I need another object in that file but obviously can't overwrite anything.

[Samekh]

save your package as something else now and then try it. Then you'll always have a backup. If you gave the mesh a unique name it won't overwrite but ?will it load?

[TheSims2Master]

It doesn't wanna load in the new mesh. I called it metal so it can't overwrite anything cos nothing has the same name.

[SnowStorm]

Hi I could use some help also. I've created a remeshed high chair. I figured out how to get the tray to animated, though I lost the groundshadow, not a biggy there. BUT i can't figure out how to get the textures to change to dirty like in the original high chair. I linked those textures to the original high chair. Ifyou could take a look at it I'd appreciate it. It's the highchair in this thread (http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?p=316559)

[Numenor]

SAMEKH:
To link the cloned object to the original, follow Procedure B in this tutorial:
http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=42014

Remember that using the original textures means that any custom textures created for your object are ignored; if you have created recolours for your bed, you have to use those textures for creating a recolour package for the colonial ironwood bed: your recolour will be available for both beds.

As for the asterisks, until you don't actually link the bed with the original, all the recolours contained in the recolour package, though they look exactly the same as the originals, are not the originals: therefore the game marks them as custom content.


SNOWSTORM:
I've examined your high chair; at a first glance seems that everything is OK, but if it never turns dirdy, there must be something wrong... Let me check this some more.

EDIT:
Snowstorm, your chair *gets* dirty, at least using the cheat to make it dirty "quickly": I couldn't wait until the chair should have gotten dirty in normal game. But my test proves that the dirty texture is correctly found and applied.
Therefore, if really the chair never gets dirty in normal game, this is related to the BHAVs: haven't you altered anything about them?

[ParsimoniousKate]

PISTACHIO: I see that you have followed my advice in the FAQ, correcting the GMND. Actually, the info I have provided are not complete: when you have corrected the GMND, you have to copy the name of the new texture (the one you created for the fabric), and paste it in the Material Definition for the fabric (replace the texture reference both in the "Properties" tab and in the "File List" tab of the Material Definition; the reference must be preceded by the ##0x1c050000! prefix).

The next version of SimPE will automatically create a stand-alone package even if the original object was "borrowing" the textures from other objects.

Thank you again Numenor for your advice - this has indeed fixed the texture on the loveseat, all now appears to be working fine with all items in this collection except I can't recolour any of them. I suspect this may be because I'm intrinsically too stupid and have missed something fundamental - that said the important thing for me atm is that they work, I'm exceptionally unbothered by the fact they can't be recoloured to the extent that I may just go ahead and publish them anyway!
The other issue someone has raised with a test object I did not that long ago is for some reason the ground shadow object shows as bright purple in their game - not blue (I got screenshots to confirm this wasn't just a subjective interpretation of the regular texture not found blue) and I'm fuzzled as to why this might occur and wondered if anyone could shed some light on this (excusing the terrible pun)?

[Numenor]

PISTACHIO:
I think there might be a problem in the Material Override:
check your package following my check-list (http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=44997), and pay particular attention to the Material Override.

[SnowStorm]

SNOWSTORM:
I've examined your high chair; at a first glance seems that everything is OK, but if it never turns dirdy, there must be something wrong... Let me check this some more.

EDIT:
Snowstorm, your chair *gets* dirty, at least using the cheat to make it dirty "quickly": I couldn't wait until the chair should have gotten dirty in normal game. But my test proves that the dirty texture is correctly found and applied.
Therefore, if really the chair never gets dirty in normal game, this is related to the BHAVs: haven't you altered anything about them?

No I haven't changed any BHAVs. I did replace the null mesh with a frame mesh to beable to split the frame out from the cushions though. No clue if that could affect it.

[Samekh]

Numenor. Procedure B - I have come to a crunching halt again. Colonial Ironwood Double Bed. It's to do with using SimPE 33b and the name of the resource node (without the cres extension). It's not that easy to find out what it is in 33b and at step E10 I'm supposed to add two new strings. One for bedding, one for frame, I'm supposed to know what the original resource node name is and I can't find it. I'm taking a wild guess that in this case it's for both bedding and frame:

beddoublecolonial

Is this wrong?

It's so hard.

From
Linking the new object with the original one

it's like crossing the Rubicon

do I need to fiddle with the shadows and link them to the original object too?

Help me please.

[TheSims2Master]

Samekh, I had the same problem. but, I have just thought of an idea. You know when you clone the original object with only pull default colour selected (Or whichever one it is, I forgot) look at fix integrity. There usually at the bottom is a filename with the _cres extension. You could use that, and seen as it's been saved with no additional names or anything it's exactly as the last one. If this works out maybe Numenor should add this to his tutorial so people know where they should be taking it from instead of the resource node?

[Samekh]

I'll try that. I'm sorry I pointed you at the quick guide now. It's fine if you don't want to use all of the original textures but not for things like beds. I crashed the game trying to use beddoublecolonial. Then there's the shadows which, presumably, I should point at the original because you have to delete all the material definitions and material overrides (including the shadow ones presumably). Oh my...

[Samekh]

Uhhuh, beddoublecolonial! I'm going to clone the light that Numenor talks about in his Method B and try looking at that in the fix integrity.

[Samekh]

Yes, lightceilingdesigner... That's on the image on his tutorial in the string field in Geometric Node.

[raquelcesar]

Samekh, you guessed right. The Resource Node filename for the Ironwood double bed is "bedDoubleColonial" (without the _cres extension).

If you want both the bedding and frame to "borrow" the textures from the Ironwood double bed, then you should include the two items in the tsMaterialsMeshName block with value "bedDoubleColonial". However, if you just want to link the bedding to the original but use your own textures for the frame then include the two items in that block but in the “String” field of the frame item write the name of the resource node in your package.

[raquelcesar]

You don't have to delete all the material definitions and material overrides! In fact, you can't simply do that if you are using your own textures for the frame or shadows. Delete just the ones related to the subsets you are linking to the originals.

[Samekh]

Thanks raquelcesar you're confusing me now and that's not good because

I'VE DONE IT. I can't believe it. You made that lovely set of 4 beds? Is that right. They're very good and I did, at one point, open one of your files to see if I could learn from it but the package files are so complicated!

Thanks for your comments. Give me a few days resting on my own meagre laurels and I'll probably be back to try and implement them and then get into more trouble.

I'm so HAPPY!!!

[raquelcesar]

I'm sorry, I didn't mean to confuse you.

I'm happy that you did it. Congratulations! :)

[Samekh]

Cheers. I made notes while I was doing it and I've tidied up my method that works. If anyone has anything to add (raquelcesar if you want to take it and amend it so that it has your procedures - particularly the one for dissassosiating the new package from the shadows which, for the colonial bed, are very dark please do) or any questions - maybe I haven't explained clearly enough... But here is my concise tutorial for getting a new bed mesh to use all the frame and bedding textures. Following on from Numenor and JWoods Quick Guide at the start of this thread - which definately works. After creating a package following the quick guide and testing it, open it in SimPE 33b and

This is specifically for double beds cloned from the Colonial Ironwood

I've missed certain bits out that only really need attention if you changed the model names at some point. And work on a copy, i.e., please make a backup before you start on the package.

Procedure B – Linking Bed Frame and Bedding to the originals and their recolours where the models have retained their original names after modifying a clone of the Colonial Ironwood Double Bed

Delete all:
Material Definitions
Material Overrides
Texture Images
Save
______________________________________________________________________________

SHAPE PLUGIN VIEW PARTS

return the subset name and Material Definition file to what they are in the original object (two shapes in a bed – including shadows - 7 parts to rename)



and these are - for the Colonial Ironwood Double Bed:

1st Shape File

frame beddoublecolonial_frame_mahogany commit
bedding beddoublecolonial_bedding_blue commit
beddoublecolonial_opacityplane beddoublecolonial_opacityplane commit

SAVE

2nd Shape File

groundshadow beddoublecolonial_shadows_alpha commit
eastwallshadow beddoublecolonial_shadows_alpha commit
southwallshadow beddoublecolonial_shadows_alpha commit
westwallshadow beddoublecolonial_shadows_alpha commit

SAVE





GEOMETRIC NODE PLUGIN VIEW EDIT BLOCKS

Pull down menu – select (cDataListExtension) click ADD but DO NOT COMMIT






GEOMETRIC NODE PLUGIN VIEW CONTENT

Select the cObjectGraphNode tab and click ADD change two of the values for the new line created in the Data List Extension Reference. Select the new line. In the enabled box change the value to 0x01

In the index box change the value to 0x00000005 so that it fits in numerically on the end of the list to the left.

DO NOT COMMIT

Select cDataListExtension in the pull down Blocklist
In the name field of the cExtension tab enter tsMaterialsMeshName and commit but do not save

In the pull down Blocklist select tsDesignModeEnabled and copy down the names of the items which should be bedding and frame if, when you made the new mesh, you kept the same model names.

In the pull down Blocklist select cDataListExtension again

In the pull down Blocklist in the bottom right corner (where you will see Array) select String
Click ADD twice
In the items box select the first of the two new strings
In the name field enter bedding
In the string field enter beddoublecolonial
In the items box for the second of the two new strings
In the name field enter frame
In the string field enter beddoublecolonial

Commit and save
Leave the second geometric node alone.




There's a better set out version in the zip file

[raquelcesar]

If you want to make your own custom shadows, you just need to modify a little your procedure:

Don't delete the Texture and Material Definition for the shadows (the shadows don't have a corresponding Material Override).

Don't change anything in the 2nd Shape File.

The rest is the same.

You can then change the textures for the shadows as you like.

[JWoods]

<--- Silently absorbing.... He He... I have been busy and wowza!! I am glad you two typed all that text and not me... LOL... I have DLed your notes and went over them... That reenforces the idea of creating recolors through the original bed, am I correct? If so how would the textures lie on custom U.V.ed Frames? I would imagine since the recolor for the new frame would be a texture map produced from the "new" frame it would look ok... If that frame recolor is used on any other frame the texture image would be odd due to the U.V. mapping I am thinking... In the contrary we would only use these recolors ourselves for the particular frame we made them for.... Just some thoughts to add...

[Samekh]

UV maps.. I don't know. I was presuming that people are mapping their new meshes when they create them and, so long as you map your mesh to the image size that the Colonial Ironwood Bed uses - there are no problems. But I'll check it out because I have a couple of textures that I made for the frame that I know will look weird if the mapping has been messed up or is being ignored. Is that what you mean?

[Samekh]

Sorry, I see what you're getting at... Yes, absolutely. Textures made specifically to fit the mapping of the new frame will look stupid on all the other frames which can use them - and they will. But I was trying to find the easiest way around the problems I was having with getting, primarily, the bedding to be the whole selection.

[Samekh]

Thanks raquelcesar. That seems straightforward enough and should also shorten the procedure a bit!

[raquelcesar]

JWoods, if you want the "new" frame to use custom textures, while still linking the bedding to the original one, you have to proceed as I outlined in post #106.

In detail, follow Samekh procedure except for these:

Don't delete the Texture, Material Definition and Material Override for the frame.

In the 1st Shape File don't change the filename for the frame subset. It should point to your new frame Material Definition.

In the Geometric Node, when adding the item "frame" to the new block "tsMaterialsMeshName", in the "String" field enter the filename of the Resource Node in your bed package (without the _cres extension) instead of "beddoublecolonial".

That's it! The bedding will be linked to the original one but the new frame will use your custom textures and recolours.

This was the method I used when creating my beds.

[JWoods]

raquelcesar, I have been a bit tardy in this thread and missed the fact of where the frame is "housed". If in fact(I will re-read all the above posts when I can) the frame is in the first GMDC how did we get it there without spoiling the animations? I use the most recent mesh tool but haven't yet figured out how to import only the frame without hurting the animations... I must have obviously missed something above and will re-read...

Thanks for all of your input here as it is proving to produce answers to the complex objects such as beds...

[raquelcesar]

I replace the frame in the "first" GMDC with my own using the Mesh Tool (version 0.9.46). I discovered that I can do it without eliminating the animations using two different methods: either not using the "3D View" interface or using the "3D View" interface, checking the “3 weights” box before replacing the mesh (otherwise I get the infamous vertex explosion phenomenon). It appears to me that the first method produces some alien artefacts, so I now always use the second method.

In detail, here’s what I do:

1. Clone a bed and extract the gmdc file and also export the obj file from within SimPE;

2. Modify the bed frame in my 3d program (actually, I usually use the original object as a reference only and make a completely new frame);

3. Export the new frame to a obj file;

4. Open up the mesh tool and load the new obj file;

5. Load in the gmdc file extracted from the package;

6. Open 3D View from the File menu;

7. Check the “edit groups” box;

6. Click on the "frame" entry in the object list;

7. Now click on the name given to the new frame in the models list;

8. With both entries highlighted, enter the number 1 in the “Sub-Group #” and click commit;

10. Check the “3 weights” box and click the “Replace” button to save the new gmdc file;

11. Open the new bed in SimPE and replace the gmdc for the new one.

I've been asked so many times how I import the beds into the game and replied with this same information that I probably should post a tutorial on it. :)

[JWoods]

raquelcesar,
Thats what I was looking for... :) Thank you very miuch... :)

[Numenor]

Hi, guys, sorry for not having posted for so long, but beside the death of the Pope (that here in Italy basically altered all the normal activities), there's a regional Election Day, here, and I volunteered to work in a voting office, so I'm quite busy...

Anyway, I'll try to give some answers, though you have solved many problems by yourselves.
The "original CRES name" in point E9 of the Procedure B is the same that you should have written down in the previous point C3.

About the shadows: if you have created a custom texture for the shadow, then you can follow Raquelcesar's suggestion about *not* deleting the shadow MATD and not restoring the original shadow reference in the shape. But if you are going to use the same shadow as the original bed (and actually, even if you re-mesh the frame, the ground shadow is likely to be always the same), then you can safely delete all the shadows MATD and textures. There's no need to put the shadow in the tsMaterialsMeshName, because it's not recolourable: the reference to the original Material Definition contained in the shape is enough to "link" the shadow to the original one.

As for the frame, what I strongly suggest is to re-mesh the frame and then try to UV-map the original texture on the new mesh; it's a bit more difficult then creating a new custom texture, but I think that it worths the effort: all the original (and downloaded) texture for the colonial bed will be immediately available for your new bed.
But if you want to use a custom texture for your new mesh, but you still want your bed to "borrow" the original beddings, then the procedure described by Rachelcesar is correct: basically, you use the "Procedure B" for the bedding only.
Samekh, you decided to link the frame to the original bed, too; but probably your UV-mapping wasn't that accurate: you should map on your mesh only the plain wod part of the original texture, avoiding all the decoration to be mapped on the mesh (unless you want to use them on your new frame, obviously).

I hope to have helped in clearing up something, and not having contributed to your confusion... :)

[JWoods]

Numenor' I would imagine that the recent events with the Pope have turned life upside-down there... I wish you well and thanks for your additional input as it is always helpful... :)

I have followed raquelcesar's procedure and it worked perfectly... Very nice input' thank you.... I otherwise followed the "Quick Color Enabling" as it is what this thread is about... :) As I expected, I was able to produce an instantly recolor-able bed...

I highly recommend that raquelcesar if desired post a small tutorial on the proper way to extract and handle the "bedding"... It's good stuff and worth sharing... just a thought... :)

I have posted a screener of an in-game shot with the design tool in use and the package and recolor for anyone to examine or keep.... :)

Again thank you all for each of your input on this... As far as 'Quick enabling" a bed is concearned we have suceeded! :)

[Numenor]

JW, you forgot to link the bedding to the original bed (since you haven't altered the bedding mesh, there's no need to use custom textures.

I suggest, since now we have that wonderful tutorial by Raquelcesar, that we don't use any more as a base the double colonial, but another double bed (that has the bedding already linked to the double colonial). And if the creator wants to create the single bed, as well, he should link the frame to the double bed, too.

[raquelcesar]

Numenor, I think JWoods was just making a point: we now have a way of quick enabling colour options for the beds.

When I created the single bed versions of my double beds, I thought of linking the frame of the single beds to the frame of the double beds. That was the logical procedure since I kept the textures for the frame unaltered. It would also have reduced substantially the size of the single beds packages. But I decided not to do that because that would force people who wanted just the single beds to also have to download the corresponding double beds. Also, most of the people that will download the beds will not be aware of that linkage or of its implications. And there might be the case that people decide to delete the double bed package after downloading both versions of a bed. What would happen then?

This problem has also arisen to me in other cases, with different objects. What I think would be advisable to do in these situations, where two or more objects are interdependent, is to have them all in the same package. What do you think of that?

[JWoods]

Raquelcesar, Yes you are precisely right... I am trying to keep the package within the threads subject(quick enabling). I agree that the linking to the original bedding is a great idea but for two reasons I think its not...

1. The beginners may find the linking a bit difficult due to their lack of experience with Simpe and the terminology involved...

2. I have, just from this thread 3 or 4 new beds... If I were one who actually played the game (LOL) and made recolors for all my beds through the "colonial bedding imagine the amount of recolors to go through for each bed... My theory is that most of the "players" are big time downloaders who most likely have downloaded many more beds then I have... Imagine the amount of bedding recolors for every bed in their game...
With the idea of keeping the recolors within the bed it came from or one you wanted to create the recolor for it would be easier to maintain and find... To sum it up I think either way is good but to keep it easy for the new folks The (quick enabling) in my eyes would make more sense...

I am not trying to debate here or down anyones theories, I am just thinking of the "players" and "beginners"... :)

Also I wanted to mention and thank Samekh as he has contributed a lot to this subject as well... :) I missed that in my last post... You guys are all great people for sharing your knowledge and findings... I have learned a great deal from all of you, thanks again... :)

[Samekh]

Silly. SHE.... And I did nothing really but get cleverer people thinking about the bed problems.

Do we use any bed other than the Colonial when we clone?

Also, I wanted to link the frame to the textures of another bed (one of the maxis originals), then I could have a double and a single that would refer to the same set of textures and then they could be independent of eachother (you could have a single without having to have the double and vica versa). When I used the Colonial bed it was only, after all, the colonial bed that could have the frame recolours I made for my new frame. And while the recolours I have for the new mesh frame look silly on the Colonial and the Colonial colour options look silly on the new frame it didn't bother me too much because the Colonial, in it's unaltered state, isn't one I like that much and serves better as a 'bank' than a bed. But yes, there are inherent problems with this.

[Numenor]

Raquelcesar, though keeping both beds (or two inter-related objects) in the same package might be a great idea, it's impossible to do: the different Object data files, the text lists and some other files in the 0xFFFFFFFF group will conflict...
But yours is a good point; maybe we can think of an intermediate solution: link both bed frames to an original bed. Or we could even make each bed version have its own custom textures, but in this case who have both versions should remember to recolour both of them :)

As for the bedding, I think that we all agree on the necessity of keeping it linked to the double colonial bed. The less experienced users will have no problems, anyway, because if you try and recolour a "linked" object, SimPE automatically creates a recolour for the "master" object (i.e. if you create a recolour for the new custom bed bedding, SimPE will actually create a recolour for the double colonial bedding: the user won't even realize it...).

[JWoods]

OMG... Kick me twice!! Please excuse my ignorance, I never thought to check if you were male or female...

Please except my apology.. :)

[Samekh]

It's fine. No problemo. However, I take back some of what I said in the last post. Thinking about what raquelcesar said it makes more sense to have completely independant recolour packages (and therefore to try to get the frame to refer to it's own specific texture) because (forget the considerations of space saving - there will be duplicated recolour packages in our downloads folder if we want matching single and double beds)

because at some point everyone will have more of their own remeshed beds and those they downloaded than all the maxis put together and, if were all referencing our bed textures to the colonial or any of the maxis originals we'll have rheims of recolours that can be chosen but will be wrong, wrongly mapped.

Independant frame textures. Linked bedding textures. Are we all coming to this conclusion?

[Latricia]

I have tried doing this a dozen times in different ways, still having the same result:
I am working with the latest SimPE version [34].
Object cloned : Baroccoco Loveseat
I have followed the tutorial to the dot.
The new mesh shows up lovely, with re-coloring abilities. Problem is is has the maxis color options for original disappear. Is it because it's part of a set with the sofa, and is there a way to correct this?
I will be so grateful if I can solve this. I need a loveseat to accomodate 2 objects to get the wanted result .

[Numenor]

The loveseats are all linked to the respective sofas, and borrow their texture.
What version of SimPE have you used? Current version 0.34 lets you clone a "linked" object creating a stand-alone object (not linke any more): to do so, you have to check the "Create stand-alone object" option before cloning.

[Samekh]

It is probably because the Loveseat borrows the textures from the sofa. I'm looking at the fix integrity screen for the loveseat and, while most of the references are loveseatartnouveau and anything to do with the fabric is looking at sofaartnouveau. Is the frame using the maxis frame recolours and the fabric not?

[Numenor]

Yes, the fabric is borrowed from the sofa, while the frame is internal.

In general, in order to know which textures are borrowed and which are internal, you can look at the GMND, into the tsMaterialsMeshName: in this case, you can read: "Fabric (String) = sofaartnouveau", and this means that the fabric (and only it) is borrowed from the sofaartnuveaus. If a subset is *not* listed in the tsMaterials block (or the block doesn't even exist), then its textures are internal to the package.

[Latricia]

The loveseats are all linked to the respective sofas, and borrow their texture.
What version of SimPE have you used? Current version 0.34 lets you clone a "linked" object creating a stand-alone object (not linke any more): to do so, you have to check the "Create stand-alone object" option before cloning.

Thank you so much for the response.
I am using the 34 version and I have done it with stand alone, but the weird thing is: With the one loveseat clone, only one texture file instead of 2 was available.

Then I use "draw all textures" method, it cloned fine. In game it shows up with color options for the cloned object but orinal objects is then drained from color options. I have tried with 2 different loveseat meshes, same thing happens each time. When I pull only default, it clones without color options. when I pull all textures, the clone shows up with color options.
In both methods the original object is then without color options

[Motoki]

Okay, I asked this on the SimPE forum but no one seemed to know. I have a feeling this is a question for Numenor, but if anyone else knows please jump in and let me know.

I'm trying to find out how to make a clone of a Maxis object that is not normally color enabled (without CEP) to accept recolors. Neither this process in this thread nor the process A in the old thread helps.

In the old thread, Numenor stated:


Note: if the "tsDesignModeEnabled" block *doesn't exist*, then you can quit here: your object can't have colour options.


But I know some of those types of objects have been enabled with CEP and also in other instances (for example the bunnybear). How would I go about doing that? Specfically, the object I am trying to enable color options for is a clone of the Maxis cheap "Moneywell" computer.

Could I possibly just yank out the parts in CEP that apply to that computer and change the reference names accordingly and insert them into my file?

Also does anyone know how to get the mouse animated like Maxis does? I tried exporting the old mesh and importing the new with both Meshtool (which I'm told destroys animations) and Wes H's plugin (which I'm told in some circumstances preserves animation). Neither has worked and the mouse is part of the same mesh as the computer so I don't think I could separate them out without lots of headaches and hassles.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Oh and BTW Numenor, the SimPE site is down for me now for some reason so if you already answered me there since the last time I looked (last night) then I apologize for posting the questions again here.

[Numenor]

Motoki, when you clone an object, SimPE doesn't pull the original GMND, but the CEP one; you can check this by opening the GMND in the cloned object and look at the blocklist: in the CEP GMND the last block is "copyright".
If you find the copyright block, then the clone is already colour enabled (i.e. there is a tsDesignModeEnabled block). You only have to be sure that while re-meshing the object you don't alter the original "model" structure in the GMDC (= keep the same number and names of the original meshes).

The CEP GMND is pulled (instead of the original Maxis one) if:
- you have the CEP installed :)
- you haven't deleted the reference to the download folder in the "folder.xml" file, located in SimPE\Data folder.

Since almost *all* the objects are already colour enabled (originally by Maxis or via the CEP), basically you never need to manually enable colour options for your clones.

Anyway, you are right: if you extract the right GMND from the _EnableColorOptionsGMND.package and the right MMATs from _EnableColorOptionsMMAT.package (located in the gamedir\Sims 3D folder), you can add them to your package.

[Motoki]

Hmm, okay that makes sense. I think the problem is I am working off a clone originally made by someone else and modifying it, so maybe he didn't have CEP installed. I will try to reclone it, I didn't think to do that.

Grazie!

[Numenor]

Prego! :)
In these cases (when you work on a clone by another user) I always suggest to re-clone the original. You can then extract and reimport in your package the custom meshes (or the whole GMDC, if you want to keep the animations) and the custom textures, checking that the original models structure is respected.

[TheSims2Master]

Hi Numenor it's me again back with troubles from my little world I live in.

Right anyway I made this plant it's a maxis original with the pot changed. But, it uv maps annoyingly and doesn't show the dam pot. I figured this is the right place to ask this? Anyway I shall attach the .obj file so someone may be able to fix it. Anyways if you do please make a template of bright colours or complete it by leaving the leaves texture and putting in a wood texture for the pot.

Thanks!!

(Btw I have put it through 3 uv mappers with the same results :()

[Numenor]

I'm sorry, but UV map is not my specialty... Maybe JWoods?
Anyway, it's easier for you to create a template: the UV mapping programs usually have an option to output a texture with the mesh unfolded on it.

[TheSims2Master]

Ok thanks anyway, but if you do, what uv mapper have you been using?

Right now I am also stuck uv mapping the stairs that I made except this time it says "numeric problem" and if I unfold instead of project it shows absolutely nothing even when you scroll out for 5 minutes lol. Again can someone come along and be a god/dess for me and help uv map this as I am making an absolutely huge set with items from all around the rooms and I justb wanna get as many objects as I can done in a day.

[JWoods]

I am sorry, for some odd reasons my subscription to this thread wasn't working... TS2M I will take a look at your obj. files for you... I'll be back in a while... :)

[JWoods]

I have attached a file with your 2 .obj files fixed and two Maps to color...

I converted the maps to PNG and also to RGB color mode...

I use UVMapper Classic (http://www.uvmapper.com/downloads.html) and/or Lithunwrap (I do not think it is free anymore just the Demo)

In this case I used UVMapper Classic.

below are a few screen shots to look at to show the short process...

For the tree I used "planner" UV, For the stairs I used "Box" UV.

A few things to keep in mind when using a U.V. mapping program...

Make sure you save the obj. file.

Make sure you save your texture map and resize to a size divisible by 2 like in the game packages...
(IE: 256*128, 1024*1024, 64*512)

Last point... Make sure the first thing you do when you bring a new map into your paint program is to change the color mode to "RGB".

Tip* DDS format is what I normally use, I find the quality to be very good.

[wallsims]

I don't know if it the good place to ask my question... I would like that my object must be recolorable, but I do not how in SimPE to do that ? Someone can help me ? Thanks,
Marianne.

[JWoods]

This is the place... refer to the first page and read the tutorial... If you have questions we will try and answer them as best we can.... :)

[wallsims]

Oops sorry I don't see it... I am looking , thanks :)
Marianne.

[JWoods]

Oops sorry I don't see it... I am looking , thanks :)
Marianne.


Here you go this will take you to page #1... :)

http://forums.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=52499&page=1&pp=25

[wallsims]

The problem that I have, my object work perfectly in game, I check the geometric node to make them recolorable, but it do not work ... I do not how to do ?

Marianne

[Numenor]

If you have followed this tutorial correctly, you should already have a colour-enabled object (the main point of this tutorial is choosing a recolourable object as a base for your clone).
Are you sure you haven't altered the name of the Models in the GMDC?
Use this troubleshoot guide (http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=44997) to spot the problem, and be careful not to confuse Geometry Nodes (GMND) and Geometry Data Container (GMDC).

[Monicasim]

Okay, I got to the point of right before choosing the GMDC, but choosing that isn't an option for me. I just downloaded the newest version. Is this the problem?

[Monicasim]

Okay, I got to the point of right before choosing the GMDC, but choosing that isn't an option for me. I just downloaded the newest version. Is this the problem?

[Numenor]

You mean that in the "Filetypes" list, there is no Geometry Data Container entry? the screen should look like in this picture:
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y83/Numenor65/Guide/8-GMDCmeshes.jpg

Try and save, close SimPE and reopen the package again.

[wiccadwitch]

Okay I am experimenting with simPE going through this tutorial and I get to the point in the tutorial where it tells me to go into the geometric data container to check the meshes. The problem is that in plugin view there is nothing it is completely blank. I have the newest simPE and I followed the directions up to this point very carefully. Anyway is this a problem most likely with the simPE program and my plugins or a problem with the object?

[Numenor]

Open the Plugin menu and select the first entry (Installed plugins); browse the list looking for a plugin called "CRES Wrapper"; when you find it, uncheck the checkbox next to it.
The close SimPE and re-open it.

If it doesn't work, or the CRES Wrapper is already unchecked, maybe you have corrupted installation: re-download it and, *before reinstalling it*, manually delete the whole SimPE folder.

[wiccadwitch]

Okay I went looking for the plugin it wasn't checked but even if it had been when I tried clicking on the checkboxes of any of the plugins in the list nothing happened. They don't respond to anything except moving them up or down in the list.
Since it WAS already unchecked regardless of my inability to affect the list one way or the other I went ahead and tried removing the simPE folder manually and then re-downloading and re-installing. The same problem persists. the plugin view is blank when trying to look at the geometric data container. Could the situation with the plugin list have anything to do with this? Apparently one should be able to check or uncheck those boxes and since I cannot then it would seem that something is not right.

[Numenor]

Sorry, Wiccadwitch, I can't help you more then this. Try posting a help request in the SimPE forum at http://ambertation.de/simpeforum/

[wiccadwitch]

Thanks Numenor I posted there with the problem and everything you had me try. Hopefully someone there will be able to help.

[Saiz08]

Hey Numenor here is the mesh i told you about. You already know the password!!!

[Rado]

Hi there!
I know, it's about building colour-enabled objects but could be I'm right here, too...
I've made some changes to the "make-up-table" (don't know the English word for it). One of these changes was to copy the mirror in the middle twice but the mirror wasn't there in the game later:

http://people.freenet.de/rado-sims2/mirror.jpg
(texture isn't the final version because I want to wait for an answer before making detailed work there)

So I think, I've to do some changes in SimPE at the .package but don't know what and where. Is there quite a tutorial for it or can someone help me?
Thanks a lot,
Rado.

EDIT: Ok. Looking around in the gmdcs and testing was solving my problem for this object. I have my three mirrors know :D
So I redefine my tutorial-question: Is there a tutorial for creating a mirror (for example if there isn't one included in the package or I want another form) and place it right to an object?

[Numenor]

Rado, you should ask for a tutorial to the Master of the Mirrors: peter_halland.
Anyway, if you clone any mirror you'll notice that there is always:
1a) a GMDC containing a mesh called simple_mirror_reflection (the mesh can be edited to give the mirror the desired shape)
1b) a Shape that refers to the simple_mirror_reflection
1c) a GMND that points to the mirror GMDC
2a) a GMDC containing the model "subset0"
2b) a Shape that refers to "subset0"
2c) a GMND that points to the GMDC

All these 6 files must be in the package; you can edit the "simple_mirror_reflection" mesh, but nothing else (the filenames can be changed, using SimPE's scenegraph renamer.

For further information, you should ask peter_halland: he's a real expert! :)

[Numenor]

SAIZ08:
I checked your packages (mesh and recolours).
First of all, the mesh package didn't show the problem you told me, about not being able to place it anywhere in the lot, or being it invisible: the bench appears sorrectly in the catalog, can be bought, can be placed on plain terrain (obviously, it needs the terrain to be flat), anc can be recoloured in design mode.
Anyway, I noticed that the "frame" mesh was removed from the GMDC: in these cases, you should also delete the line in the Shape that refers to the removed subset (i.e. delete the line for the "frame" subset in the Shape - "Parts" tab).

As for the recolour package, when you put more recolours in the same package you should give the Material Overrides a unique instance number, otherwise only 1 colour will show up in the catalog.

An additional note about the texture: the game is consistently slowed down by huge textures; since the UV mapping and the textures themselves are quite simple, a 512x256 texture is way too big for your needs. Since the graphic has an horizontal layout (the coloured line are horizontal), I suggest to cut the textures horizontally: try a 128x256 texture, compressed in DXT1 format (since the texture has no alpha channel, there's no need to use the DXT3, that doubles the size in byes). Try it: you'll see that there will be no noticeable difference.

One last thing, but this is just an "aestetic" suggestion: the colours of the textures are too plain and bright; I suggest to use some wooden/plastic/metal textures that can be found freely on the internet (if possible, always choose "seamless" textures).

[Rado]

Rado, you should ask for a tutorial to the Master of the Mirrors: peter_halland.
Anyway, if you clone any mirror you'll notice that there is always:
1a) a GMDC containing a mesh called simple_mirror_reflection (the mesh can be edited to give the mirror the desired shape)
1b) a Shape that refers to the simple_mirror_reflection
1c) a GMND that points to the mirror GMDC
2a) a GMDC containing the model "subset0"
2b) a Shape that refers to "subset0"
2c) a GMND that points to the GMDC

All these 6 files must be in the package; you can edit the "simple_mirror_reflection" mesh, but nothing else (the filenames can be changed, using SimPE's scenegraph renamer.

For further information, you should ask peter_halland: he's a real expert! :)
Thanks :beer:
I'll going to ask peter for more information as you tell me.
As I wrote, my object works now. But creating new mirrors is still interesting for me.
Bye,
Rado.

[peter_halland]

Thanks :beer:
I'll going to ask peter for more information as you tell me.
As I wrote, my object works now. But creating new mirrors is still interesting for me.
Bye,
Rado.
Rado. I don t think thats a good idea to start with a whatever package and then add a mirror, you can add 3d models within the mirror package -creating subsets-, link to them in the shape file, and then forget about all textures and material definitions, change only in the shape file, when clicking on the subset name, the second line to
simple_mirror_reflection
No less no more. It works for comman 3 d models, even for exampel a cylinder. But you will see that the reflection is bad, when you try to use it other than on a plane wall: it shows up only from the wall angel...so, not realy working like a mirror. Good luck.

[yggdrasil]

Lovely tutorial, thanks a ton for writing it!

On to the problem:

Been fussing with this all day, and I'm not managing to get color options enabled. I'm using the most recent version of SimPE, which has a slightly different set of options in the clone dialog, but I've tried it every which way from Sunday and it doesn't seem to make any difference. Tried creating stand-alone and not, tried pulling default color only and not. Attempted to use your "Procedure B" from the other tutorial, but was stymied by the fact that my Resource Node has no "filename" entry (JPG attached of the resource node.)

I may just be being thick (wouldn't be the first time), but if anyone has a moment to glance at the attached packages (one is the main package, the other an attempted recolor), I would be vastly appreciative.

Otherwise the model seems to be working out fine. It's the Retro bar, so lack of possible recolors is not the issue. I would *prefer* to create it with its own set of textures, but if necessary I can deal with linking it to the original textures.

I've also checked and rechecked the model names; I've renamed those puppies so many times today that I've got them all memorized.

Thanks again for writing this up, and in advance for any help :)

-y

[Numenor]

Yggdrasil, the GUID references in the MAterial Override are wrong: you must use the GUID of the "main" Object Data (0xEC14CB0F). When you register a GUID for the main OBJD, you have to click "Update MMATs"; on the contrary, when you register the secondary GUIDs, just hit "commit" in the lower right corner.
Fix the GUID in both Material Overrides and then create again the recolour package.

As for the Resource Node wrapper, open the Plugins menu and choose "Installed plugins"; browse the list until you find "CRES Wrapper ....." and *uncheck* it.
Then close SimPE and reopen it.

[yggdrasil]

Thanks a million. Worked beautifully.

[Rado]

Good luck.
Wow :argh:
Thank you so much. I'm at the beginning of meshing objects. The interactions would be fine, but to make a flat wall or anything else flat reflecting is one point of my interests at the beginning. The difficult "thing" I'll learn later. Now I can give reflections a try :-)
Ciao,
Rado :howdy:

[Samekh]

Hi Numenor, I'm a bit confused by your last post can you just clear something up for me please? If we have multiple Object Data files in our object (which is frequently the case) we should only be clicking the 'update MMATs and commit' for the top one (or main one if it is the top one) and clicking the commit at the bottom right of the screen for the others? Is that what you said. I've been clicking 'update MMATs and commit' for all the guids and it didn't cause any problems - hold on, maybe it did?

I get a new guid
Update MMATs and commit and save

for every object data entry. That wrong?

[Numenor]

Samekh, though updating MMATs for every GUID *is* wrong, usually it doesn't cause problems (because SimPE is *very* smart! :)). Nevertheless, the "Update MMAT and commit" link should be clicked only for the main GUID; and the "Update all MMATs" option should be always left unchecked, unless you know what you are doing.

That's how SimPE works:

1) If you click only "Commit", SimPE doesn't change anything in the MMATs.
2) If you click "Update MMAT and Commit", SimPE will search all the MMATs looking for the *old* GUID, and replace it with the new one (since usually the secondary GUIDs are not referenced in any MMAT, clicking "Update MMAT and Commit" when registering a secondary GUID should not change anything in the MMATs).
3) If the "Update all MMAT" option is active, SimPE will replace the GUID in all the MMATs with the newly registered GUID, regardless to the old GUID value contained in the MMAT: this may break colour options for objects (like the fireplaces) that have more then 1 "main" GUID.

[Samekh]

Ok. I see. Is the top Object Data entry always the 'main' one, and if not - is there an easy way of telling which one is the 'main' one. I've opened a recent file with 3 object data entries to see if I can tell which is the main one and I can't.

In the filenames I get

Table - Coffee - Pine
Table - Coffee - Pine - 0,0
Table - Coffee - Pine - 1,0

That's an object I've already got into the game so maybe it's not the best example. I should really clone a fresh object and see if I can tell which object data is which.

Ah, hang on, is the main object data entry the one where there are room options ticked in the catalogue sort? Therefore, it would be the filename without numbers after it which isn't, necessarily, the top one.

[Numenor]

The main OBJD is the one without the numbers after it (but, in few cases there may be more then one without numbers: it's when the "object" is actually composed by multiple objects).

[Samekh]

So that prompts another quick question. We 'update MMATs and commit' for all the Object Data entries that don't have numbers after their filenames and merely commit (bottom right corner) with the others? And it doesn't matter in what order we deal with the primary or main object data entries as long as we get their guids first?

Thanks for your patience Numenor. Like I said, it's not a problem I've encountered yet but while we're on the subject, and other people are having issues with the object data entries - they might be wondering about this!

[Numenor]

Correct. The order you register the GUIDs is irrelevant. You could even register the secondary GUID first (clicking only Commit) and then the main one (clicking Update MMAT and Commit).

[Dr Pixel]

I just went to clone an object in SimPE v.35 but now I find a new checkbox, "Stand Alone Object"

I am going to create a new mesh, and I want it to use only my own textures (and recolors), not the Maxis textures

Do I check this? Or is it used for something else?

[Numenor]

That option was created to "break" the links when cloning an object that borrows the textures from another object (thus the name "stand-alone"). But if the object is already stand-alone (i.e. it uses its own textures), checking that option won't hurt, anyway.

So, if you are cloning a bed (that borrows the bedding textures from the double colonial bed), checking that option will create a clone that *doesn't* use the common beddings, but its own ones.

If you check the Recolourable_and_Excluded_Objects file posted in the CEP thread, you'll know if an objects uses external texures (all the subsets marked as "slave of...").

That option should be used wisely: it's easier to create always stand-alone objects, but we don't want beds with custom beddings, do we? ;)

[Motoki]

but we don't want beds with custom beddings, do we? ;)

I've actually come across some and it's annoying. :p IMO Quaxi really didn't publicize that option too well and what it does. It just appeared there and I wasn't sure what it did until you told me Numenor so I was just always checking it just in case :o but luckily I wasn't working with anything like a bed that grabbed textures.

[Numenor]

Yes, the new features and updates in SimPe are too many to explain them clearly enough...

So, I'll state it once more :) :
The "Create stand-alone object" cloning option should be always left unchecked, unless you find that your clone borrows unwanted textures form other objects.
Always try with that option unchecked, first!

[MagickElf666]

Alright, here's something to think about. I made a new object, using the Electric Guitar as a base object. I made an entirely new 3d model, changing the shape and everything, and even made a new texture file. I have all the files I need (.obj, .simpe, the mesh, and the .package) yet when I put that in the downloads folder, nothing came up...

what do I do?

(originally posted: http://forums.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=57625 )

[Numenor]

Forget that guitar: even the original Maxis one has serious problems :)

The guitar set is composed by two pieces: the ampli and the guitar itself (unlike the bass, that is a single, animated object). So, in order to re-mesh the guitar, you have to clone the ampli, as well, and then edit its BHAVs in order to let it use your guitar instead of the original one.

A lot of work, and at best you'll end up with a (hopefully) working guitar that can't even be recoloured... :blah:

[JWoods]

I have also made a guitar mesh and sorry to say it is a very difficult object to make as "Numenor" has stated...
There is someone working on one in which he claims the sim will pick up (but, oddly he stated) and play... If and when he comes up with a procedure he mentioned he would make a guide on "How To". He also mentioned that editing the BHAVs played the main role also stated above... :) When I was first attempting the guitar I managed to get it in-game butt lying on the ground though I placed it exactly as the original... Top that off he wouldn't touch it... I also made a keyboard which plays well and is color enabled but the "perform and Join" do not work... As stated in this tutorial it covers most basic object creations... Beds and instruments are complex there for this procedure will not produce a working object... You asked "What do I do?" Save that beautiful mesh and wait to see if anyone figures a method... I realize the work involved and hope a method does come about...

Numenor, would you know if SimPE fully supports the instruments? I ask this because the E.P. is fairly new and when I cloned the Piano in my eyes it should have
carried the structure givin to the piano after installing the E.P. After installing the E.P. as I am sure you know the original piano has the "join and Perform".

[Numenor]

It's not a problem related to SimPE, I guess: the instruments are heavily managed using BHAVs that refer to the GUID of the instrument.
Moreover, there is the know problem about the animations: only the Milkshape plugin by Wes_h has a limited support for animation (and I'm not accustomed with Milkshape).

Once I managed to create an acoustic counterbass to replace the bass (it's not as difficult as the guitar), and actually it worked, but... with no animations. LOL! The sim picked the counterbass and pretended to play it, but the counterbass stayed still in its original position! :)

I guess that for the instruments we have to wait a little...
The keyboards are easier, because they are made by only one, non-animated object (there is only the problem to edit the BHAV in order to enable the perform option); but the other instruments seems off-limit to me, by now.

[Latricia]

I am using the latest version SimPE and for some strange reason I suddenly cannot get my new object to have color enabling. I am using the Serenity sitter as clone object. I have tried the short version as well as the older version. Strangely I could succeed with previous version by making use of the short version tutorial , also using the Serenity sitter as clone object.
I have checked the unsuccessful package with the successful one, and cannot see a diffrence...??
Can someone please advise me?

[JWoods]

Latricia could you post the package up so I could take a look at it please?

[Latricia]

Thanks!! :)
Here is the link :
http://www.simsnobs.com/zip2/ssnbschairbelito.zip

[JWoods]

Latrictia: Your shape names are not that of the original object you cloned the "serenity sitter" The shape names should be as follows;

1. frame
2. fabric
3. eastwallshadow
4. westwallshadow
5. southwallshadow
6. groundshadow

Your object in the GMDC only contans 2 shapes;

1. chairframe change to "frame"

2. chairfabric change to "fabric"

also you should have the 4 shadow files in there as well though the lack of color enabling is mainly to do with the 2 misnamed shapes "fabric and frame".

change these and your package will be color enabled... :)

[Latricia]

I have tried that before :) It simply shows up as a blank., that is not visible in game plus on the thumb it still does not shows the color option enabled.

[Latricia]

Another interesting fact I have noticed by following the quick color enable tutorial to the spot, is that the color options appear as recolors at the serenity sitter...? But no color option ability at the new mesh. Thought I should share..

[JWoods]

I have tried that before :) It simply shows up as a blank., that is not visible in game plus on the thumb it still does not shows the color option enabled.


I have taken a more in depth look at your package.. It seems you may have follwed the old tutorial(mesh tool) and then tried to enable coloring with Numenors color enabling tutorial...

I re-did the package following the tutorial in this thread and your object is color enabled without a hitch...

I am sorry I didn't look deeper into the package... The shape names were flashing like big red lights... I assumed that you merely mis named your shapes.. Below is screen shot of your object properly enabled...

It may be a good idea to avoid following the old tutorial and refering to the one here as it is most current... I also used the GUID from your original package if it is not your own registered guid you will obviously need to change it... :)

Hope I was of some help...

[Latricia]

Thank you so much for the file :D
Something weird is going on with my system. I have tried again this morning but still no positive result.
Another thing: Some items in the catalog window ( some beds & one chair) has a pink background, instead of blue :confused. The colonial double bed has a color option for bedding, not frame..?? Even after I have uninstalled the SimPE, Color Options, Sims 2 and re-installed Sims 2, the colonial bed has only color option for bedding, not frame. My guess is that something wrong got stuck somewhere and I don't know where to start looking. Any ideas?

[Numenor]

The missing frames for the colonial bed is a know TS2 (and EP) bug. Read this:
http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=57977

[Latricia]

Thanks, Numeror :D
Can you please advise me: I just cannot get the color enable to work. Even although I have done it exactly correct according to the tutorial. What I should mention is that I have installed & uninstalled various versions of SimPE to try and get a bed to work. May it be that in my installing/uninstalling struggle I might have deleted an important file? If I uninstall the SimPE and install it, there's a message: Updating the XML. Should I click on YES?
Also, I have noticed a file INFCache.1 in System Folder [Wndows XP] Does it sounds familiar?
Sorry to ask so many questions...

[Numenor]

Reinstalling SimPE always gives you a working copy, because all the needed files are copied onto your computer. If SimPE asks to update the XML file, answer Yes (the folder.xml file is a list of the folders where SimPE should search for packages).
The INFCache.1 is not part of SimPE (SimPE keeps all its files in the SimPE folder): it's a cache that Windows uses to keep track of the installed hardware.

[Latricia]

Thank you so much for the info. Also for the patch for having the correct colonial bed & lamp.
Much appreciated!

[Latricia]

Just want to share, if by chance the same happens to someone else: I have at last succeeded in cloning the object WITH color option!! Yeah! I had 2 problems which I found 1) The DDS utility was corrupted so I downloaded the latest version & installed 2) Norton ani-virus cahed the uninstalled data. I disabled my norton protection , uninstalled the SimPE, installed again.
Thanks so much for the help, James & Numeror. You are the best! :)

[JWoods]

Yes, the new features and updates in SimPe are too many to explain them clearly enough...

So, I'll state it once more :) :
The "Create stand-alone object" cloning option should be always left unchecked, unless you find that your clone borrows unwanted textures form other objects.
Always try with that option unchecked, first!

I was removing Latricia's package to avoid it being distributed here as it is her creation... I noticed the above comment and was wondering...
I made some stand-alone shutters, I in fact checked the box "create stand alone" and unchecked the box "only pull default colors". This allowed me to have use of all the files I needed as well as incorperate 4 extra texture maps to add 4 other colors to the shutter packages... In this case or similar ones I would think checking the "stand alone" and unchecking "pull only default colors" was a good idea... Am I correct in assuming this? Just wondering your thoughts on applying these settings in such unique cases as this... :)

[Numenor]

You succeeded by chance, I think...
Where the shutters have been cloned from? It was a "slave" object (i.e. an object that borrows external textures)?

If the object you clone is already stand-alone, that option has no effect whatsoever, so checking it by mistake won't hurt, anyway.
On the contrary, if the object is a "slave" (e.g. a bed), checking that option by mistake would lead to trouble.
Obviously, I you *want* to create a stand-alone object from a slave one, you can check the option, but in this case you know what you are doing.
That's why I stated to leave it unchecked, unless you have good reasons to check it.

And the other option, "Pull only default colour", is not related in any way to the "Stand-alone" one: they have different uses and can combined in various ways.
In order to create a multi-texture package, unchecking the "Pull only default colour" option is enough (unless, of course, you are cloning a slave object... :))

[JWoods]

Well, I wouldn't say by chance, I tried this due to the information provided in the above threads... The clone base I chose was in fact a "slave" object so "stand alone" was needed... Remembering about how linking the bedding allowed the use of all the re-colors made me realize that by incorperating the extra textures by not checking the "pull only default colors" would allow multi colors within the package... I agree that by checking it without understanding what it does can really mess a package up... Knowing it's benifits is also good to share... :)

[Numenor]

Oh, I'm sorry, I was re-reading my own post and I realized it sounded quite rude :) It wasn't intentional, I didn't know that the shutters (that btw I'm extensively using in my houses :D) were cloned from a slave object...
Sometimes, the need of translating everything in English and to the cronic lack of sleeping hours make me forget to connect the brain before activating the mouth (or the fingers, in this case!) ;)

[JWoods]

No need of appologies my friend... :) My respect for you and the knowledge you provide us "ALL" with is what is most noticed by these eye's..

I was more trying to let you know in a subliminal way that your quote about tying the beds "bedding" together has jarred my brain to think about how to incorperate more colored shutters in my package... Sometimes when you tell the "kid" not to touch the cookies, he does(unchecking pull only default colors)... :)

I may be the one who should have given a little more detail as to what I cloned and so on...

I read a lot and a lot of what I read is what you type in all kinds of threads... There is no room in "JWoods" to think such a kind and giving person could be "rude"... :)

I am quite pleased that you liked the shutters... Means a lot... :) I was a bit displeased with the additional colors I added, they were a bit to dark... I am just about done the "board and batten shutters" which will be up tonight... :)

[urshekke]

Hi
Could some kind preson please assist?
I've made a few simple objects to test my mesh creation skills and found myself certainly lacking..the biggest problem, however is that my meshes replace the original maxis ones. I clone the maxis object, renaming it as suggested. I also get new guids and have ensured that the mmt box is ticked. I update and commit on all the guid replacements one at a time and then save but still I have the replacement problem. This object is a plain 3 layer box (had to start really simple) I also don't see a shadow although I'm not deleting them or replacing them.


Please help!!!!!
Thanks
Urshekke

[JWoods]

I looked at your package briefly... I recommend following the tutrial above as it seems you have fllowed another procedure...

Your package problems are as follows...

1. your shape names are not that of the original object you have cloned...

2. Your 2nd GMDC file(shadows) also contain your object's shapes... This is the shadow shapes they shouldn't be changed...

3. I looked at your GUIDs all of them are the same as the originals...

4. I would highly recomend choosing a differant object to use as your clone base... The table you chose has the shadows in the first GMDC, maybe the club distress coffee table?

5. I also noticed that your two shapes were not U.V. mapped... In order for your sapes texture to place properly and not look muddy this should be done...

Remeber to have a color enabled object you need to keep the original objects shape names... :)

[urshekke]

hi
Thanks...lots to check. I'm not sure why the guids don't change. Other than go through the procedure from the tutorial I don't know what else to do if they don't change
How do I uv map? Sorry.... using milkshape and have no idea as I've never used that programme before
Thanks for your help

[Samekh]

The most obvious thing to me that might be causing the guids not to update is that you said you had the MMATs box ticked. Do you mean 'update all MMATs'. You don't need to do that. There's a post (it might be earlier in this thread) where it's stated not to have that box ticked unless you really know what you're doing. Having that box ticked won't help you in what you're trying to do. The reason why new meshes overwrite the existing maxis ones is because they are using the same guids. If you open your package in SimPE and go through the process of getting new guids for each object data file and click Update MMATs and commit each time you get your guid, then save it before you go on to do anything else with the package it will no longer overwrite the original. Test it in game at that point just to check.

As for mapping in milkshape - you'll have to have a hunt around on this site. There's probably quite a body of information on it now. Mapping is where you assign a texture image to your mesh and you specify exactly which pixel goes where.

[urshekke]

Hi Samekh
Thanks for the info...Will check out for mapping

[Samekh]

I hope leaving 'update all MMAT's' unticked works!

I have a question and I don't know if this is the right place to ask it. I can't find any reference to it anywhere else. It might be technical enough to be in the WIKI, I don't know.

New meshes for single beds: Why do they chew into walls if they're placed with their sides against them? Is it something to do with the opacityplane? I've been using Bed by St. Ajoque. I know I'm not the only person making single beds that eat into walls, the double beds I've been making don't have this problem. Is it because the St. Ajoque bed refers to beddoublecolonial_opacityplane
or is it something to do with the alpha?

I've made a couple of single beds and I'll post a zip for one of them if anyone thinks it'll help to understand the phenomenon.

Any ideas?

I've just checked again (I was going to take a screenshot) and I've discovered that the maxis single beds eat into the walls too.

On the left: maxis double bed. On the right: maxis single bed.

Is there any way of making the single beds look like they have a space between them and the wall? It's really obvious with the new meshes that are being made.

[JWoods]

Samekh: I never thought to try making a single bed but you know, I am going to go try after I post here and get back to you on that later if an answer isn't givin before that...

urshekke: My honest opinion after looking through your entire package is to start over and follow the above tutorial step by step... As Numanor stated some post's back "SimPE" is smart, weather you click "update MMAT's and commit" is irrelivant... I check the box and click it and also click the commit on the bottom as well, never had a problem... Since Numenor posted it is only needed for the first registered GUID, I try to remember to only click "commit" and not check the box "update MMAT's and commit" to say I remember this sequence everytime would be false so gratefully SimPE is in fact "Smart"... :) In urshekke's package it is plainly noticed there was an error in registering all the GUIDs as they remain the same as the object cloned... A little practice and a few times going through the tutorial will help out tremendously in that case... I remember the first few times I tried to get a package correct(the old way), it took a few times to memorize the procedure and get it down... :) Do not get discouraged just redo the tutorial and before you know it you will never need to use it again.

As far as U.V. mapping is concearned try downloading UVMapper Classic. It is free and very simple...

A note about mapping: When you are in your 3d program (MilkShape I use most) only extract the shape you want to map... If you extract and map the object as a whole(shadows and other shapes) you are not correctly mapping... These additional parts should be mapped seperatley... Shadows shouldn't be mapped at all unless you are making custom shadows but thats another thing all together....

[Samekh]

Thanks JWoods for getting back to me so quickly. However - a subsequent inspection has revealed at least one other object that eats into the wall and that's the new single tile lockers. I think this is a Maxis issue. While it's not so much of a problem that the lockers eat into the wall (we could alway's try making small dressers based on the two tile objects), it's really annoying when we're trying to make single beds and a portion of one side of the frame is dissappearing. My next experiment is going to be to make the frame substantially narrower and see if it a: looks silly or not b: stops biting the wall or not. It's only something you notice if you make a bed with, for instance, bedknobs at the corners (or something like that) - and you end up with two bedknobs and two hemispheres.

[JWoods]

I just made the single bed version of the "SunRise" bed..
I found the same problem though it was a bit more minor considering I had to make the frame more narrow to "tuck" the bedding in... I don't think it is a big problem, if folks complain about it then an explanation could be given... I made some upper kitchen cabinets and found that when they were placed against the wall a tiny portion of them were set in the wall a bit... I researched the "why's and how to fix" and learned that the way maxis made the walls was the reasoning behind it... I spent hours trying to align over and over until a friend of mine out here explained it wasn't my object but the walls thickness which is needed to place windows and doors... I in turn made a corner cabinet at a 45* angle to eliminate the problem... I wouldn't worry to much... If you make that frame to narrow the animations of the bedding may look odd... :)

[Samekh]

Thanks for your help and your explanation. I know I'm just being an old fussbucket and, on this, I concede defeat. It was bugging me for a while, I thought it was something I was doing wrong. Now if I spent more time playing the game instead of trying to make new objects for it I'd have realised, before today, that it wasn't just my meshes that were doing it.

Thanks JWoods!

[robbase]

Hi, I have a question about the “Create stand alone object function” when cloning a slave object. My base object is the Chiciettina “sardine” kitchen island (slave of its counter parent).
I chose this because it uses 3 different meshes, one for center, one for east corner & one for west corner. I can’t have the textures linked to the original due to Custom UV’s. I’ve just updated to simpe v0.35 and tried the new Stand alone object feature. It seems this has broken the link to its parent in one direction only. The new object no longer takes textures from the original, and is using it’s own (good), However it is no longer recolorable (no Icon in the catalog preview. And when I make a color package for it from object workshop the new color op shows up for the original counter only (bad) & not the new island (bad). Doh I can make it work by keeping it linked to the parent but this creates unusable color options in both the parent and new custom object. Any help / suggestions are much appreciated.
I’m attaching the base package & 1 color option. (Both in early stages)
Thanx in advance. -RobBase

[Numenor]

ROBBASE:
The problem is in the GUID in the Material Overrides: all of them shoud be set to match the new one you registered for the counter (0x00000553).

BTW, I see you have reserved the GUID range 0x000005XX: cool, I thought it was off-limits :)

And why the package name is "windowedwall"? Isn't it a counter?

[robbase]

ROBBASE:
The problem is in the GUID in the Material Overrides: all of them shoud be set to match the new one you registered for the counter (0x00000553).

BTW, I see you have reserved the GUID range 0x000005XX: cool, I thought it was off-limits :)

And why the package name is "windowedwall"? Isn't it a counter?

Numenor:
I can’t thank you enough, problem solved.
I had actually tried changing the GUID in the Material Override in one of my many experiments today, but I must have made an additional change in that same test that created a new problem.

As far as the package name goes, in the finished project when the 3 meshes are put together they will form a wall with a window cut into it & a kitchen counter installed.
The working title is (Windowed kitchen counter wall), but I’m hoping to find a better one. I wonder if there is a word in architecture for this sort of thing.

So Numenor, I’m blown away by your lightning fast response time. 
You’ve made a friend today. If you find yourself in Boston Ma, USA beers are on me.
Thanx again, -RobBase.

[Numenor]

Cool! It reminds me the Sushi Bar in TS1 Superstar...
I'm glad your problem is solved, and thanks for the beer (so far, I have a beer offered in most European countries, and many US states, but I was missing Massachusetts!) :)

[WindBlower]

Hi Numenor

Here is the package.file that I am working on.
I used the 'model-palne' as a base for this object.

Thank you for looking at it

WindBlower :)

[Numenor]

OK, downloaded. Let me check it.

EDIT:
That was easy :)
You have probably clicked on the "Assign Hash" link: it should never be clicked, because it assigns a has in the form "0x7Fxxxxxx", while the EP-ready format uses only "0x1C050000" and "0xFFFFFFFF".
Instead, use the "Fix integrity" function: when the pop-up window appears, don't change anything, just click "OK". You can use the "Fix integrity" function multiple times, without any problem. Use it now to "magically" fix all the problems affecting your package.

Note: I've noticed that the "Global Data" file still had the original GroupID of the model-plane: it should be in the 0xFFFFFFFF Group (the Fix Integrity will fix this, too).

[WindBlower]

Hi Numenor

:) Glad its easy ;)
But can I do what you said now, or do I have to start from skratch ? :)

Again Thank you
WindBlower

[WindBlower]

Numenor

It did not work, it still shows me the 4 extra blue textures, and now no catalouge descrition?

WindBlower

[Numenor]

Windblower, the object shows up correctly in my catalog (see picture); you must have forgotten an older copy in your download folder.

The only problem is that I've found is that the colour options aren't enabled. That's because you didn't followed the tutorial, regarding the mesh name:
you should restore the original mesh name in the GMDC; you should correct all the "babyhang" occurrencies in the GMDC, Material Override and Shape, replacing them with "camo".


EDIT: the forum has problems with the pictures... Trust my word, anyway :)

[WindBlower]

Numenor

I thought I followed the mesh tutorial?
Ahh, So I should never have typde 'babyhang' in those boxes? (I should had let it be as camo) ?
But will this remove the 4 extrax blue textures?
The picture works fine also in my game. It is still the 'Descrition' I've written, that is not showing up.
But I'll try do this, But I can't see how this removes the extra blue textures? (I thought I should remove some textures, that was hiding somewhere? )

I will try to see if there is anything old, but I don't think so ( but you never know before you look) :)

Thanks again
WindBlower

[Numenor]

WindBlower, I know it might be quite confusing, but [U]there are different tutorials[/I] on this site; now I understand why you clicked the "assign hash" link! :)
The official Mesh Tool tutorial is a bit outdated. You should choose only one tutorial to follow (this one, maybe? ;)) and not refere to any other one.

As for the "extra" textures, I've answered you by PM.

[WindBlower]

Dear Numenor

Thank you so much. I will try to remake it all using this tutorial :)

Thank you
WindBlower

[Sims2Star]

This is great, thanks.

[WindBlower]

WindBlower, I know it might be quite confusing, but [U]there are different tutorials[/I] on this site; now I understand why you clicked the "assign hash" link! :)
The official Mesh Tool tutorial is a bit outdated. You should choose only one tutorial to follow (this one, maybe? ;)) and not refere to any other one.

As for the "extra" textures, I've answered you by PM.

HI Numenor :howdy:

IT WORKED :) Damm I am Happy right now
THANK SO SO MUCH
I was just missing the 'fix intg.'

WindBlower

[Samekh]

Please can I ask for some advice? I uploaded a table (I think you may have it JWoods!) and there's a chance it might be causing crashes. I wanted to make a four tile table (2x2) but I had to make two tables that went together. Could the fact that I had to extend one side of it, to join up in the middle, be causing it to crash or is it just a coincidence. I was thinking that it might be something to do with the BHAVs or something. This is not the 'hacking objects' forum - I know. Maybe you can tell me who to ask about this. I'd really like to make a functioning four tile table as one object. Is this theoretically possible? Sorry if this is not the best place to ask but I suspect there is that kind of expertise here.

[JWoods]

Samekh: I did take a look at your table after reading about the lack of Sims cleaning it up after eating. It did not crash my game during the 20 minutes of making messes and having my Sim clean it up. The only experience I had was after having a few "instant meals" some of the empty cans were displaying "no action available". I took the liberty to look at the object in milkshape. I noticed that the table legs were a tiny bit higher then the ground plain but the surface of the table seemed to be the right hieght in-game. I do not have every object you created so if there is crashing going on with anyone you may want to double check your 3 guids. I have made many tables that are made to be put together as yours was. I have never encountered any problem with this either. I would suggest that you try re-cloning a different table, checking your guids(just to be sure), and also try lowering the hieght a very tiny bit... As far as making the four tile table I would imagine you would need a table that was four tiles to use as the clone base. I think someone with the knowledge of every file within the packages could make such a table but I do not personally have that amount of knowledge of the complete packages. I think personally that the way you made it looked good as I saw no seam... :)

[Samekh]

Thanks JWoods. I'll look into what you said about the surface level at which the table is interacted with, and the guids (I'm pretty sure it's not the guids but I'll check anyway). I thought I had the surface of the table exactly in line with the original but, if it's slightly higher, that would probably explain why things can be unselectable when they're on it. It's the mention of a crash that's got me rattled. Alarm bells go off.

About four tile tables - I found a tutorial for adding extra tiles to an object but that was for the sims1 and tmog. Things are probably much more complicated now. For one thing, we'd have to duplicate and invert sim seating positions. I might go off and leave a request in the mesh section for someone to tackle this because it's way beyond my ability or understanding to do it (my knees give way at the prospect of visiting the Wiki), and I can't be the only person who'd like a working four tile table to clone. :) Actually, maybe I am. Thanks for your suggestions J!

[ParsimoniousKate]

I'm back again... yet another problem :confused: pretty please with sugar and cherries on top can someone tell me where I've gone wrong with this bed. It works, well a treat in game even if I do say so myself (it took me the *whole* of yesterday to make) however its not designable, I don't personally care about not being able to be able to recolour the frame part, but I know that if I put this online I'll drown under the weight of complaints because it doesn't allow a choice of bedding. I've cloned it off the expensive sleigh single bed (St Anjou? I forget the names my bad) - I didn't know if this was a no-no but my attempts at cloning other beds didn't go well, the cheapest and the modern one with the canopy wouldn't import the modified gmdc at all, the moderate did but wouldn't offer me the new texture, only a choice of the old ones and still no bedding options. I'm starting to go into mental meltdown with it so I'd really appreciate some help :smash:
http://www.parsimonious.org/000/tempbed.jpg
Zip of bed (http://www.parsimonious.org/000/k8-vroomsinglebed-050605.zip)

[Numenor]

PISTACHIO:
In the GMND, inside the tsMaterialsMeshName block, the reference for the external bedding is missing. That's probably because you checked the "Create stand-alone" options while cloning the bed. Therefore, as you might guess, your bed was create as stand-alone :), i.e. doesn't use any more the "shared" beddings"

I've fixed the GMND.
Morover, since you bed will not use custom beddings any more, I have deleted from the package all the Material Overrides, Material Definitions and Textures related to the bedding; and then, I've used your custom bedding to create a separate recolour package.
To simplify the things a little, I've merged the recolour package with the bed itself: installing the bed will install also the bedding recolour, that will be available for all the beds.

This means that your bed will appear in the catalog with the default bedding that all the other bed share (that ugly grey-blue bedding), until the user will select the green bedding. This can't be modified: it's the fee you have to pay for letting your bed use all the shared beddings.

I'm attaching the corrected package: check the (many) differences with yours, especially in the GMND, MMAT, MATD, and Shape.

If you want to better understand how to fix a package that "borrows" textures from other objects, you can take a look at the "Procedure B" in this old tutorial (http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=42014) of mine.

[ParsimoniousKate]

Heart-felt thanks as always Numenor, you're quite right I did check the stand-alone package, it never occurred to me that of course it would give this problem, which makes a lot of sense! I think its only a very small price not having the green bedding selected automatically - far better people can at least choose, thank you thank you thank you! :beer:

[smile.smilie]

I am about to pull my hair out....
In the last week, I've spent every moment of free time attempting to make objects for the first time.
Test One: Simmosis tutorial, stereo. Results= a stereo that doesn't show up in the game, and has some white specks viewed under the GMDC's preview.
Test Two: Several tutorials mixed, chair. Result: invisible chair.
Currently, I am working on making another chair. Everything has run smoothly so far, and I have a chair with the game-made texture. Problem is, when I put in my own texture, it says "Error: Cannot read beyond the end of stream." Argh! What am I doing wrong? I tried it in PNG and BMP format, and it says the same thing! PLEASE help... (This is my texture in PNG format)

[JWoods]

I have re-thought your problem and if infact your image is to big thats something that dds format can fix... Download the zip file with the converted dds texture and then go into SimPE... Instead of importing and updating sizes just right click on the image you see in simpe then choose "import dds" and find the dds texture I named "Your texture"(do not worry about the name you do not have to change it..). Next click commit and thats it... There is no need to update all sizes because dds format creates the mip maps for you... :)

[smile.smilie]

Oh, my goodness! It's FIXED! Thank you so much! How do you make a dds?

[JWoods]

Oh, my goodness! It's FIXED! Thank you so much! How do you make a dds?

I gave some information here:

http://forums.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=59293&page=3&pp=25

Go to post #69, That should help you with downloading and installing for PS and PSP... :)

Glad to have been of some help to you... :)

[Samekh]

I'm stuck again guys. I've looked at the list as to what objects are slaves to what and I thought I was doing the right thing by using a certain counter as a base. I can't remember what it's called now but it has the butcher's block island.. The recolour package I made for it is not working, it's coming up with the 'blue' textures. Please answer a quick question. Which counter and island should I clone? Also, my new mesh is throwing out splines for some reason. I've got about five mix and match counter objects ready to go, modern/retro stuff. Please tell me which counter to clone so that I can recolour (I'm remodelling the counter top too because I don't really like the splashback thing). The spline problem (I say spline because that's what they're called in meshing but they look like spikes coming out of the object when it's in game - I've had this before with a chest of drawers). It's not a high poly mesh by any means, it's something like 300 polys. Way too ambitious for me but I've got this catalogue with a fantastic kitchen in it.

[Numenor]

I can't answer for the mesh problem, but about the counter to clone, seems that you have cloned the infamous "Club" counter: it should work fine, but still sometimes it gives problems.
Try cloning a simpler one, like the "Counter Culture" one.
But why are you talking about the Butcher island? If you are creating a counter, don't clone an island.

[Samekh]

Sorry, I'm doing an island too. I just couldn't remember what the counter was called.
Still can't. I'm trying to do a whole kitchen Numenor. I know it's a grand scheme but I can't help myself. Any idea why meshes (low poly meshes) throw out splines. In my experience they are either too high poly (which mine isn't) or they have some sort of animation that's interfering with them. What sort of animation is interfering with the counters? Gilesy did a wonderful set of kitchen counters, I'd ask him but I'm embarrassed. Thanks though, Counter Culture, thanks. I'll do that.

[JWoods]

I am curious... Are you working the meshes in "The Mesh Tool" like one would an armoire? You need to work your mesh in this type manor. Delphy made a superb tutorial for armoires that can help you... I also made a set of upper kitchen cabinets I donated to another site... At the time my mesh tool skills were not what they are now. I made recolors of the lower cabinets which looked perfect. I think RG's cabinets are far more beautiful with the shelves and glass... :) I did speak with him about his set as we finished them at the same time never knowing each other was working on them(ironic).. :) I think he did say it was a difficult task to mesh the lower cabinets but donot remember if he said he did or did not make new mesh's for them... He is a gentleman and he doesn't bite, I am sure he would answer any question he could for you... :)

[Numenor]

Again, I leave the explanation about mesh editing to our maestro JWoods... :)

As for the counters, you said that you remember only that it was something like "Butcher's Block"; now, the "Club Distress Butcher's Block" is the island that goes with the "Club Room Countertop" (the "Club" counter that I've talked about in my previous post).
As I've explained, sometimes SimPE has problems when dealing with this particular counter, because it tends to pull some additional (unneeded) files from other counters.
So, I've suggested to clone another counter, for instance the "Counter Culture Surface", along with its island "Catamaran Kitchen Island".

Remember that all the islands are slaves of the correspnding counters, while all the counters have textures of their own. therefore, you can safely check the "Create Stand-alone" option when cloning the counter, but you don't have to check it when cloning the island (the island will need som manual editing, in order to let it borrow the textures from your new counters).

Try starting from scratch, cloning the Counter Culture counter, and if still you have problems, post here the package; but before, you'd better solve your meshing problems... :)

[Samekh]

Was I really the last person to ask for help? I just thought I'd come and say thank you and, for once, without wanting something. This is such a good thread!

[JWoods]

We thank you Samekh for taking the time to stop in and post your kind words... :)

We enjoy helping everyone and anyone we can... :)

[XTS]

thank you!

[XTS]

I'm back again... yet another problem :confused: pretty please with sugar and cherries on top can someone tell me where I've gone wrong with this bed.
http://www.parsimonious.org/000/tempbed.jpg
Zip of bed (http://www.parsimonious.org/000/k8-vroomsinglebed-050605.zip)

That's still a great looking boy room! I want that bed lol.. I think it's great..

xts

[Vicious Hobbit]

I don't know if it's just me, but I'm having two problems.
1) the mesh tutorial listed on this page:
http://ambertation.de/simpeforum/viewtopic.php?t=356
gives me a "Not Found" message. Is there a different place I'm supposed to go?
2) my SimPE doesn't look like the one that is being used in this particular tutorial. The biggest problem seems to be that when I look at the different meshes on a particular object, they are named something like:
bedding (FaceCount=176, VertexCount=190)
instead of "wood," or something similar.

Also, does anybody have any cool items they've made that they are willing to share? Is it legal and Kosher to share?

[JWoods]

Vicious Hobbit: The tutorial was made with an older version of SimPe is all... You most likely are using .38c... Thats fine... The site in general is about sharing... Knowledge and work... :)

[Vicious Hobbit]

but I can't figure out how to correlate "facecount" or "vertexcount" with someting as simple as "wood."
HELP!
And I found stuff you guys had up for downloading a few minutes after posting the previous message.

[JWoods]

The face and vertices counts are automatically counted by SimPe V.38c wheather it is a custom object or not... :)

[Vicious Hobbit]

I know i'm being anally retentive, but I don't know how to comprehend the different code for the descriptions. Is there a file I can read?
The mesh tool tutorial is still down for the count, so I can't relate to that.

[kyjj911]

it seems that the offcial mesh tool tutorial is down, giving me cannot find server.... and i cannot continue, anyone can post the steps 3-7 on the mts2 mesh tool here?? The one i am reffering to is :( http://dev2.modthesims2.com/meshtool/Tutorialpage3.html as the link numenor gave is outdated

[JWoods]

Within my other thread you can find the same procedure for use of the mesh tool.... :)

http://forums.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=59293

[kyjj911]

I am encountering problems importing my buddha statue(main statue by other ppl, original is a maya file and the place where it seat at is created by me. Then i goruped them together and export as an .obj file through Maya first then Milkshape then UVMapper) into the MTS2 Mesh tool. When i tried to import it, it gives me a error dialog stating Run-time error '6':Overflow. It has 27444 vertices. I do not know whether it causes problems with so many vertices and a big file 5+mb but it is the same even though i compressed the file in Windows. (Properties/Advanced/Compress files)

[Numenor]

The Windows compression is irrelevant. I think that the problem is in the number of vertices. I'm sure that the .obj files produced by UVmapper are compatible (in structure) with both the MeshTool and SimPE. But such a great number of vertices makes your object unplayable with TS2 anyway (many games will crash trying to load it), and therefore you should definitely perform a massive simplification of the mesh, if you want to make a TS2 object from it.
Remember the "rule of thumb" for the TS2 objects: about 800 faces (triangles) per tile. In some cases you can reach 1000 or even 2000 faces, but 27000 is definitely out of bounds. I'm not surprised if the MeshTool refuses to load it :)