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Test Subject
Original Poster
#1 Old 7th Jun 2010 at 6:14 PM
How to make shiny objects?
I tried editing a recolor using SimPE I tried to change the reflectivity in the material definition
and I tried to change "stdMatEnvCubeTextureName" to "reflectionkitchenhighcontrast-envcube" like in the tutorial
Link : http://thesims2carsource.createmybb...hread-1124.html

Steps that I took:
1. go to Material Definition
2. find reflectivity
3. change the value from 0.2 to 3.0
4. click add
5. a box will appear saying like "do you want to commit the changes", I clicked yes


I took the same steps for "stdMatEnvCubeTextureName", but still no luck...

But all I get is an error, saying:
"Empty name is not legal
parameter name: name"

and all of the content, reference etc part got blank

HELP I NEED TO FIND OUT HOW TO MAKE THINGS SHINY!!!

AND PLUS!!!
1. Do you have to import and export the .xml? I've tried this, exporting the xml, change the reflectivity value to 3.0 and import it back and commit the changes. When I closed SimPE and open it again, the changes were updated without errors. But I haven't tried it in game.

2. And if you're willing to, can you make a tutorial on how to make objects shiny, for beginners?

Thank you, I really appreciate this
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Me? Sarcastic? Never.
staff: administrator
#2 Old 7th Jun 2010 at 6:35 PM
Please verify what forum your in before posting, you posted this in TS3.

I linked you to a great resource for what the values do in your other post. http://www.modthesims.info/showthre...5#startcomments

The value you've used appears to be incorrect. I do believe the options are from .1 to 1.0. Read the linked thread from above, Pixelhates resources list the values you can use.
Field Researcher
#3 Old 7th Jun 2010 at 8:18 PM
Quote: Originally posted by autotrasher

... from 0.2 to 3.0
4. click add
5. a box ...



This here is the problem. When you click add, a new line will appear at the bottom of the Properties list. It is empty and only marked by a ':' You have to fill it out for SimPE to accept it.

So click on the ':' and fill in in the two boxes 'Name' and 'Value' to the right BEFORE committing. Or at least you must fill out the 'Name' otherwise you get the error you just described.

But you only have to add the 'stdMatEnvCubeTextureName', if it doesn't already exist. Same thing for the 'stdMatEnvCubeCoef' and 'stdMatEnvCubeMode', which I think most Material Definitions already have, even those that aren't shiny. The tutorial you referred to says nothing about adding anything, so I'm not sure where you got that from.

But - like HugeLunatic said - do check the answers you've already been given before asking for new tutorials and stuff. I'd also add: Go easy on the exclamation marks. Nobody likes to be shouted at when they're actually trying to help.

Moune's Neighbourhood
If you need a cool place for your sims to chill out.
Test Subject
Original Poster
#4 Old 8th Jun 2010 at 4:48 PM
Quote: Originally posted by HugeLunatic
Please verify what forum your in before posting, you posted this in TS3.

I linked you to a great resource for what the values do in your other post. http://www.modthesims.info/showthre...5#startcomments

The value you've used appears to be incorrect. I do believe the options are from .1 to 1.0. Read the linked thread from above, Pixelhates resources list the values you can use.


Nope, this forum is for The Sims 2 (read the text above the title), ok, I will try that
Test Subject
Original Poster
#5 Old 8th Jun 2010 at 4:58 PM
Quote: Originally posted by moune999
This here is the problem. When you click add, a new line will appear at the bottom of the Properties list. It is empty and only marked by a ':' You have to fill it out for SimPE to accept it.

So click on the ':' and fill in in the two boxes 'Name' and 'Value' to the right BEFORE committing. Or at least you must fill out the 'Name' otherwise you get the error you just described.

But you only have to add the 'stdMatEnvCubeTextureName', if it doesn't already exist. Same thing for the 'stdMatEnvCubeCoef' and 'stdMatEnvCubeMode', which I think most Material Definitions already have, even those that aren't shiny. The tutorial you referred to says nothing about adding anything, so I'm not sure where you got that from.

But - like HugeLunatic said - do check the answers you've already been given before asking for new tutorials and stuff. I'd also add: Go easy on the exclamation marks. Nobody likes to be shouted at when they're actually trying to help.


First of all, sorry for shouting. I meant to show my desperation.

I've searched all forums for a tutorial for making things shiny and none of the worked. So I was hoping someone would give me a correct tutorial.

So, if I add something, the ':' will appear, can I just delete it anyway? Can I changing the 'reflectivity' to a higher value, like Huge-Lunatic mentioned, '1' instead of '3.0'

And for your information, I'm just a beginner recolorer. And this is no tutorial, these are the steps that I took to make the object shiny using instinct.

The 'Env' things you mentioned are available
stdMatEnvCubeCoef : 0.09804,0.09804,0.09804
stdMatEnvCubeTextureName : vc-0583-envcube
stdMatEnvCubeMode : reflection
Field Researcher
#6 Old 8th Jun 2010 at 5:19 PM
Quote: Originally posted by autotrasher
I've searched all forums for a tutorial for making things shiny and none of the worked. So I was hoping someone would give me a correct tutorial.

In your other thread I gave you a link to a thread and told you to look for Dewshine’s post. Dewshine’s post IS a tutorial on how to make things shiny. There is nothing more to say about the basics of making shiny textures than what is in that post. For more advanced understanding about what the parameters do HugeLunatic linked you to Pixelhate's very thorough thread about the Material Definition.

In short you have all the information you need in the first thread you posted.

Quote: Originally posted by autotrasher
So, if I add something, the ':' will appear, can I just delete it anyway? Can I changing the 'reflectivity' to a higher value, like Huge-Lunatic mentioned, '1' instead of '3.0'

Yes, you can just delete it by clicking on it and choosing delete over to the right. Yes, you can change the reflectivity to a higher value. Refer to Pixelhate’s thread to find out what values are within the accepted range.

Quote: Originally posted by autotrasher
And for your information, I'm just a beginner recolorer. And this is no tutorial, these are the steps that I took to make the object shiny using instinct.

I am aware of that. If you had followed the mini-tutorial in Dewshine’s post you might have gotten it right the first time around. I know that post is exactly how I learned to do it when I was a beginning recolorer.

Quote: Originally posted by autotrasher
The 'Env' things you mentioned are available
stdMatEnvCubeCoef : 0.09804,0.09804,0.09804
stdMatEnvCubeTextureName : vc-0583-envcube
stdMatEnvCubeMode : reflection

Good, then all you need to do is to maybe change the values and the reflection texture name. Again refer to Pixelhate and Dewshines stuff for that.

Moune's Neighbourhood
If you need a cool place for your sims to chill out.
Me? Sarcastic? Never.
staff: administrator
Test Subject
Original Poster
#8 Old 8th Jun 2010 at 7:21 PM
Quote: Originally posted by moune999
In your other thread I gave you a link to a thread and told you to look for Dewshine’s post. Dewshine’s post IS a tutorial on how to make things shiny. There is nothing more to say about the basics of making shiny textures than what is in that post. For more advanced understanding about what the parameters do HugeLunatic linked you to Pixelhate's very thorough thread about the Material Definition.

In short you have all the information you need in the first thread you posted.


Yes, you can just delete it by clicking on it and choosing delete over to the right. Yes, you can change the reflectivity to a higher value. Refer to Pixelhate’s thread to find out what values are within the accepted range.


I am aware of that. If you had followed the mini-tutorial in Dewshine’s post you might have gotten it right the first time around. I know that post is exactly how I learned to do it when I was a beginning recolorer.


Good, then all you need to do is to maybe change the values and the reflection texture name. Again refer to Pixelhate and Dewshines stuff for that.


Nope, not working. I managed to make it all shiny by changing the "stdMatEnvCubeTextureName" to "Reflectionsilvernonlit-envcube"

It made the car (the thing that I'm trying to make shiny)'s color faded.

But using "stdMatEnvCubeTextureName" the original one, like I said, doesn't work. I even tried changing the "reflectivity" to '1' and changing the "stdMatEnvCubeCoef" to '1,1,1'

And to HugeLunatic, sorry, I don't know how to 'double quote'
Test Subject
#9 Old 8th Jun 2010 at 7:43 PM Last edited by HugeLunatic : 8th Jun 2010 at 8:33 PM. Reason: Do not attach tutorials from other sites, link to them please
Autotrasher-

Perhaps this tut I found over on TSR will help...
Field Researcher
#10 Old 8th Jun 2010 at 8:10 PM
Quote: Originally posted by autotrasher
Nope, not working. I managed to make it all shiny by changing the "stdMatEnvCubeTextureName" to "Reflectionsilvernonlit-envcube"

It made the car (the thing that I'm trying to make shiny)'s color faded.

But using "stdMatEnvCubeTextureName" the original one, like I said, doesn't work. I even tried changing the "reflectivity" to '1' and changing the "stdMatEnvCubeCoef" to '1,1,1'


Yes, working. Dewshine tells you that you can use different stdMatEnvCubeTextureName's to get different results. And if you'd read a few more posts ahead in that thread you'd have seen somebody recommenting the outdoordaytime-envcube for metal. Metal as in cars.

Without actually having checked I'm pretty sure that Pixelhate's thread would have told you about the different effects too.

Sometimes when dealing with these things, it's just a good idea to take a step back and review everything you've got. Maybe leave it for a day and then look at everything with fresh eyes. Often you'll see things you'd missed the first time around. Sims creating isn't something you just do with your left hand. It takes time and sometimes patience and brain cells, so give it that. And that is honestly a friendly advice - not a reproach.

ETA:
The TSR tutorial says exactly the same about adding shinyness as Dewshine. No difference there. There really isn't anything else to say about adding shiny textures.

Moune's Neighbourhood
If you need a cool place for your sims to chill out.
Test Subject
Original Poster
#11 Old 9th Jun 2010 at 8:53 AM
I tried doing it with pixelhates tutorial, instead of getting a gray metallic car, i got a faded white instead. I used the reflectionsilvernonlit-envcube, is it possible that the car's original env cube texture name is "unmetallicable"?
Field Researcher
#12 Old 9th Jun 2010 at 10:02 AM
I have no idea. Make a new test recolor of the car and see what it says.

Moune's Neighbourhood
If you need a cool place for your sims to chill out.
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