PDA

View Full Version : Object Modding Help, Textures and XML Tuning


Rez Delnava
14th Sep 2009, 04:52 AM
First off, Sims 3 is the first game I've tried to mod, so my experience in modding is lacking.

Recently, I've been working on a new object mod, with the specific goal of producing a shower for beaches and public swimming pools. I have the project nearly completed, including the re-mesh and core script changes for the shower. But I have run into a few difficulties that don't seem to be covered in the tutorials or on the forum (and if they are covered, then I blame my less than spectacular abilities with google search; in which case, a link would be helpful).

The first problem (probably easy to do and I just overlooked something) is with the color options that appear for my new object(s) in buy mode. Currently, they are using the same textures as the default object from which I cloned the object. I would like to change the textures to something else, but have had no success on my own. I understand that in order to do this, I will have to retrieve all the object data when cloning (the package linked here does not have all the clone data)--i.e. unchecking the the default resources tick-box in S3OC. But after that, I'm a little stumped. I have tried changing the info in the _XML file (the one with the same instance ID as the OBJK/OBJD files), but it did not work--the object would appear in Buy Mode with the default textures and, once the object was placed, would the freeze the game when clicking back to Live Mode. Any guidance here would help.

The second thing, probably more difficult, is a custom XML tuning file for the showers. In my .il (and consequently the .dll) script, I have included the whole of a plumbing.mimcs.showerbasic script (renamed of course), as I know thats where script references the specific tuning variables. The issue is that I don't know how or where the XML file is called in the core script, and/or if it matters what the _XML is called or instanced as in the package. This part has been solved, thanks for the info Inge! The attached package has been updated to include the working XML tuning.

Any help would be greatly appreciated, and much thanks in advance.

P.S. - Attached is a beta version of one of my modded showers, this one is the surf shower (for use at beaches). Its supposed to look like a wood post with a shower fixture, but as was mentioned above, I'm having problems with that. The custom script makes the person that uses it change into their swimwear while using the shower, and retains the swimwear on exit (unlike normal showers, which will set the clothing on exit to something appropriate for the time of day). The script also ignores the privacy situation that normal showers have, so you can set these in an open area without your sim trying to shoo everyone off the lot. Please test at your leisure and feel free to poke at the dll/il. I'm always happy to receive criticism and improve where I can.

Note - this is a (core) script mod as considered by IndieStone Compatibility Checker, but I have been running it with AwesomeMod, KolipokiBear, SimplyLockable Door, and a few other 'core' object mods with no conflicts. But there is always a chance for conflicts, just let me know if you run into any that way I can fix them before the main release.

P.P.S - I hope this thread hasn't turned into another one of my tl;dr threads.

Kolipoki
14th Sep 2009, 05:21 AM
First off, KolipokiBear and SimplyLockable Door are not core mods.

Second, what are the exact tuning values you are looking for?

Rez Delnava
14th Sep 2009, 05:54 AM
First off, KolipokiBear and SimplyLockable Door are not core mods.

Second, what are the exact tuning values you are looking for?

Thanks for your fast reply.

I know that they are not true core mods in the same sense that AwesomeMod is, but when the IndieStone Checker (or at least my version of it) looks at them, it calls them a core scripting mod (I think it just calls anything with an S3SA file in it a core mod), thus the use of a half quote.

As for the tuning values, I'm not looking for them, I know that they are all XML tunables. But for an example of what I might set the tuning as: (My XML would be included here, but the [ code ] box was breaking the page. So I will have to add an attachment for now)


I haven't tested that XML, its just an example, but in theory it would make the shower unable to get dirty, be unbreakable, not give any upgrade points, and never give the exhilarating shower buff.

What I'm looking for, and I'm not sure if I made this clear enough in the first post, is to make my mod reference its own XML tuning file and NOT one of the default tuning or a default replacement files. I know I could probably set the shower to be unbreakable and never need cleaning by using static tuning in the DLL script, but I want to avoid it. So I need help figuring out how to include a new XML tuning file in the package in such a way that the script will reference it (instead of using random default values like it has been doing).

And for the values of the textures I would like to use:

Pattern A: grainMildWavy01VerMed_1
Pattern B: grainMildWavy01VerMed_1
Pattern C: metalHammered01Med_1

Inge Jones
14th Sep 2009, 08:15 AM
The rules about the xml tuning file is that its instance number must be a fnv64 hash of the whole string in your OBJK's scriptclass entry.