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Field Researcher
Original Poster
#1 Old 8th Nov 2007 at 2:48 PM
Default Tutorial: Customize the Previews of lots (SimPE required)
CUSTOMIZE THE PREVIEWS OF LOTS



Introduction
Many people asked me how they can get a custom thumbnail of the lots in the game catalog, like the ones I create for my own lots; so I made this easy tutorial that it's suitable also for beginners: it doesn't require any advanced knowledge.
The tutorial assumes you are already familiar with just the basics: how to get a screenshot from the game using the camera options, and how to do simple image editing in a graphic program; such details are not explained here.

When you build your lot and save it, the game will create automatically some thumbs for it: one of these thumbs depicts the preview to be used in the general lot catalog.
The game makes these screens with a default, standard camera that shows the lot itself, the surrounding neighborhood, and also the adjacent lots.
If you move the lot in the catalog, or export and install it, you'll see a thumbnail like this:


You can replace this image with one made by yourself!

What you need
- SimPE, use always the last version available that you can find here: sims.ambertation.de
- a 2D graphic program (Paint is also fine)

STEP 1
The lot must be finished, completed in all its parts: otherwise, when you edit and save it again, the game will create new images for it.
  • Make a screen of your lot
    Enter into the lot and choose the view that you prefer, the camera angle that looks best, what you want visible in the lot catalog.
    For more info about how make good screen you can follow this tutorial by daysies
    Screenshot Tips

    Hints:
    Run the game in windowed mode.
    To get a better screen do NOT use the option of the photos in the game ( pressing C ). It's better to capture the whole image using the key "PrintScreen" (or "PrtScr") from your keyboard; even better, for a whole or partial image, you can use a software to capture images, like ScreenHunter 5 Free that allow you to save directly your screen in the folder you have chosen, take a partial screen from the window with the right size and more features again.

    Remember that:
    - Press PrtScr -> captures the whole monitor
    - Press Alt+PrtScr -> captures ONLY the active window.
    - Open Paint or your program, from the menu Edit -> Paste and save your screen where you prefer with a custom name.
    You must paste the captured image into your graphic program to save it; keep in mind that you can capture only one image at a time.

  • Where keep the lot
    You can left your built lot on its placement on the neighborhood, or move it into the general lot catalog: is not important where it is located.
    Keep your lot where you can find it more easily, keeping in mind that:
    - you have to search it using the date of "last modification";
    - the lots displayed in the catalog are numbered in increasing order; usually the last added lot is identified by the highest number, but this is not necessarily true, because a lot deleted from the catalog will leave an "empty space" that will be reused by the next lot added to the catalog;
    - the lots displayed in the neighborhood, too, are numbered in increasing order; the "empty spaces" left by deleted lots are never reused: therefore, the last lot placed on the neighborhood will always have the highest number;
    - in order to export the lot, and optionally rename it before creating the Sims2Pack, it must be placed on the neighborhood;
    - the folder "LotCatalog", containing the general lot catalog, it's easier to find and it's shared between all the neighborhoods;
    - if you edit the thumbnail of a lot placed in the catalog, the new thumbnail will be immediately visible; but if you edit a lot placed in the neighborhood, you need to move it to the catalog, in order to see the new image.

    Therefore, it's not important where you keep the lot when you edit it; but in any case you have to move it in the general lot catolog to see the new thumb and you have to place it on the neighborhood to export it.
    Usually, I made my lots in an alternative game using the BGS or AGS and its lot catalog is empty, so I prefer to move the lots to the catalog as soon as I complete building them.

  • Make the new custom thumb
    Run your graphic program, (Paint is suitable, too, even if it has limited editing functions) and open the image created earlier.
    You have to edit the image, cut it and resize it if required.
    You can add test, filters, or other effects that you like.

    The final image must have a size of 300x300
    If the image has a different size, it will be automatically stretched by the game, losing quality and resulting deformed and ugly to see.

    Save your new thumb 300x300 in a format supported by your graphic program. SimPE is able to import correctly the most common formats even if they are not explicitly indicated, like: .jpg, .png, .bmp, .tga
    In this case I usually use the .png that preserve more quality when you import it and it will be compressed again.

STEP 2
  • Run SimPE and open the file of your lot: from the File menu choose Open... and browse to your file.

    - If the lot are in the general lot catalog go to MyDocuments\EA Games\The Sims 2\LotCatalog

    - If the lot is placed on the neighborhood go to MyDocuments\EA Games\The Sims 2\Neighborhoods\N0XX\Lots
    Where XX is the number of the neighborhood where your lot is located: N001=Pleasantville, N002=Strangetown, N003=Veronaville, N004= your first custom neighborhood, and so on.


  • Be sure to select the "Plugin View" tab.
    - In the "Resource Tree" search and select the files type "jpg/tga/png Image (IMG)"
    - In the "Resource List", search and select the file with Instance 0x35CA0002

    ClickME
    (Click to enlarge)

    - Right Click on this file -> Replace.... and browse your new thumb created earlier.

    ClickME
    (Click to enlarge)

    - Choose "Yes" to confirm the change of the resource. Your new thumb will replace the existing one. Save the file, from menu File -> Save

Note: the game creates many thumbnails for each lot (from a minimum of 3, up to 11, 13 or more) to show the different levels and views; it's not important how many files you find inside your package, you have to edit only the file with Instance 0x35CA0002 that depicts the preview used in the general lot catalog.

Finish!

Run the game and admire your custom thumbnail in the general lot catalog.

Screenshots

If you like my creations, you may consider to make a little donation to support my site and my modding activity.
MaryLou's Sims 2 World - MaryLou Sims 2 Forum (Italiano)
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#2 Old 20th Jan 2008 at 2:19 PM
Wow,this is really really good,thank you very much.
Test Subject
#3 Old 17th Nov 2008 at 5:38 PM
thank you, thank you, thank you!!!
Test Subject
#4 Old 11th Jan 2009 at 6:34 AM
Thanks A Ton!!!

Time to roll 'em out, you ready? No? What's this "Nyyeah" business?? Are you or are you NOT?? Yes? Okay, much better! ~~[tru]slate homes coming this July.
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