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Sockpuppet
Original Poster
#1 Old 24th Feb 2010 at 12:29 AM Last edited by Base1980 : 25th Feb 2010 at 11:56 AM.
Default Tutorial: Creating a custom bodymeshpackage
This tutorial will show you how a custom meshpackage is build together.
I am going to convert the adult male ninja to a child version.

NOTE,
This is a extremly time consuming process and does require meshing skills.
and you do need to know how to handle Wes his vertex data and normal data tool!!
It will NOT teach you how to mesh parts for the sims 3, there are alot tutorials for that already!
Neither will it show how to handle the texture files, i only used the base game textures(the package will only contain links to those)



Programs/plugins needed:
CTU (http://www.modthesims.info/download.php?t=364926)
BMM (http://www.modthesims.info/download.php?t=387348)
Milkshape (http://chumbalum.swissquake.ch/ms3d/download.html)
GEOM plugins (http://www.modthesims.info/showthread.php?t=357403)
Unimesh plugins (http://www.modthesims.info/showthread.php?t=122399)
Postal (http://www.modthesims.info/download.php?t=362599)
s3PE (http://sourceforge.net/projects/sims3tools/files/s3pe/)

Never work with the original gamefiles!!
Make a copy of the Fullbuild0 located in your gamefolder and copy it in your Create folder.
By default: C://program files\the Sims 3\GameData\Shared\Packages
Not sure tho as my game is installed on a difrent disk in difrent folders.


STEP 1:(Looking up the meshnames)
*Open CTU and untick the box ''Enable 3D view.
choose at the first tab(find a cas part)
-Adult
-male
-Body
Scroll down to the ninja outfit and select the thumb
scroll back up and Write down the meshname(amBodyNinjaOutfit)

Now select
-child
-male
-body
Select the 1st thumb and write down its meshname(cmBodyStreetBall)

Close CTU ---------------------------------------------------------------------

STEP 2a(exporting the meshes):
*Open Postal
*open your copy Fullbuild0
*At the Workspace tab choose ''show Nmap Names''
It will take a while before all files are loaded.
*Click the tab ''Long Name'', it will place all files in alphabetical order
This will even take longer, be patient.
*Scroll down(use the scrollbar 1st) to the AM(adult male) and look for the ''amBodyNinjaOutfit''
We only need a few GEOM files but there are alot, even a duplicate...
The duplicate with group ID#0x0063bff7 is either the teen or elder, haven't checked BUT we do NOT want it.
We only need the files with groupd ID#0x008efc5e!!

*Export the following files:
-amBodyNinjaOutfit_lod1
-amBodyNinjaOutfitamBodyNinjaOutfit_lod1_fat

-amBodyNinjaOutfitamBodyNinjaOutfit_lod2
-amBodyNinjaOutfitamBodyNinjaOutfit_lod2_fat

-amBodyNinjaOutfitamBodyNinjaOutfit_lod3
-amBodyNinjaOutfitamBodyNinjaOutfit_lod3_fat


Exporting is done as follow:
-select the file
-go to the HEX tab
-Export
Save your files with either the fullname or rename them
I name them:
Base.simgeom
fat.simgeom

If your using my method(wich i recommend) you must create subfolders
Start with a folder named ''amBodyNinjaOutfit) then subfolder it with:
-lod1(were you save the base mesh and fatmorph)
-lod2(were you save the base mesh and fatmorph)
-lod3(were you save the base mesh and fatmorph)

Postal will save the file as GEOM format, change this into SIMGEOM.
Wes H his GEOM plugin only imports simgeom files.
(unless you use the show ''all files'' in the drop down menu when importing)

STEP2b(exporting the meshes):

*Scroll down(use the scrollbar 1st) to the child meshes and find the cmBodyStreetBall.
*Export the following meshes:
-cmBodyStreetBall_lod1
-cmBodyStreetBallcmstreet_lod1_fat

-cmBodyStreetBall_lod2
-cmBodyStreetBallcmstreet_lod2_fat

-cmBodyStreetBall_lod3
-cmBodyStreetBallcmstreet_lod3_fat

Rename them to base.simgeom and fat.simgeom and place them in a subfolders like you did with the adult ninja meshes.
Name the folders lod1, lod2 and lod3 within a folder called ''cmBodyStreetBall''

As you prolly noticed the child has only one morph, the fat one.
If your creating adult shapes(and teens?) you also need to export the fit, thin
and pregnant(if wanted)
Those morphs are handled the same way as the fat i am using as example.

close Postal

---------------------------------------------------------------------

STEP 3(meshing part)
To skip this part download the final meshes and its morphs and continue to step 4 but do read it throug as it contains usefull information!

*Open Milkshape
*Import the lod1 base mesh from the child(cmBodyStreetBall)
*Import its fat morph mesh
*Import the lod1 base mesh from the adult male
Now in order to import the adult fatmorph you must first place the adult base mesh(GEOM-02) ontop of the list in the groups tab(you will get a error if you forget)
*Import the adult fat morph mesh(amBodyNinjaOutfit)
*Place back the adult base mesh GEOM-02 in the correct order
*Rename your files to make things easier:
GEOM-00 renamed to Child
GEOM-M-01 renamed to childfat
GEOM-02 renamed to adult
GEOM-M-03 renamed to adultfat

Scaling

*Select both the adult and adultfat mesh in the groups tab.(All faces from both meshes are selected)
You can hide the childmeshes if you like
*Go to the Model tab and select the scale button.
*At the scale options tick the Origin(instead of Center of Mass)
Fill in the boxes below:
-X 0.686
-Y 0.683
-Z 0.684
*hit scale next

Both adult meshes are now scaled to child size but you will see they do not match at the neck and ankles.
Use Wes H his merge tools and your meshing skills to fix this.
When using his tool always make sure the reference mesh(both child meshes in this case)
are on top of the list( the reason i imported those first)

I am afraid this is a very difficult task for beginners as the neck has a kinda collar and needs alot adjusting while the ankles need to be scaled/lifted.
You also must have noticed that the adult meshes, especially the fat state still have diffrences but since this is just a
example i leave it up to you guys wether you want to fix this or not.
I like the chubby guy and decided not to scale him down
Also the uvmap needs a little bit tweaking on the ankles but i choose this outfit not only because it has 4 recolor options
but i wanted it in my game, srry..

Hint, assigne shortcuts to Wes his merge tools, it works so much faster!!
You find them in the tools menu(edit shortcuts)
The tools are named msTS2NDM and msTS2VDM
You must restart MS to get them applied.(if im correct)


The comments,
We are almost done with this mesh but the comments from the adult mesh needs to be updated:
*Go to the groups tab and open the comments from the child mesh.
*Copy the last TGI reference(TGIRef03: 00AE6C67 00A7598C 00000000 6F67C205)
*click cancel and open the the comments from the scaled adult mesh
*select the last TGI reference and paste the one you just copied from the child over it.
That last line stands for the skeleton wich needs to be changed.
All other references are the texture files wich we will use.
*Delete the 2 child meshes



Renumbering the vertices,
When you are at this point but working on your own custom project wich is:
-added with new parts
-Updated with new faces
-A sims 2 conversion
-build from seperate tops and bottoms
-etc etc
this is the time to renumber the vertices to make the mesh compatible with the games sliders.
*Choose the sims3 vertex Id autonumtool from the vertex menu
*Fill in the box the starting number

Fullbodymeshes-5000
Tops-5000
bottoms-15000
shoes-3000

*hit autonum
The tool will automaticly renumber all vertices and copy them to the morphs
*Export your 2 new custom scaled down adult meshes.
You should save them in a new folder(call it Final) with a subfolder lod1.
Save them as base.simgeom and fat.simgeom in that lod1 folder.

Unfortunate were are not done with the meshing part....
You need to do it all over again for the lod 2 meshes and yup....also for the lod 3 meshes.
Save your meshes in a lod2 and lod3 folder within the Final folder.

When done you end up with 3 folders
LOD1, wich contains a base and fat mesh.
LOD2, wich contains a base and fat mesh.
LOD3, wich contains a base and fat mesh.
Later on we are going to load the base mesh into CTU and use the morphs for building the Bgeo files

And this is just a child mesh wich has only one morph....
When creating a adult you need to do this for the fit and thin also(and a pregnant if needed)

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Step 4(Creating a custom meshpackage)

*Open CTU and untick the box ''Enable 3D view.
choose at the first tab(find a cas part)
-Adult
-male
-Body
Scroll down to the ninja outfit and select the thumb

*Go to the 5th tab(Designs) and choose ''Add new design'' and choose ''copy all from base''
Then select the textures tab within the Designs tab
Here you find all necesarry texture files that we are going to use.

*Open a 2nd version of CTU(disable 3D view if necesarry) and place it next to the other window.
*Now select
-child
-male
-body
*Select the 1st thumb(cmBodyStreetBall)
*Go to the Part category tab and tick the desired boxes in the clothing category
*If wanted tick the box female in the gender category(child meshes can be used as unisex)
I also unticked the Valid for random box in the extended category.

*Go to the Design Tab and choose add new blanc at the Add new design button.
*Select the Textures button
You will now have 2 CTU windows open both displaying the textures.
*Copy all the textures links(one by one) from the Ninja and past them in the boxes for the child mesh
-right click the base texture from the ninja outfit and choose ''edit'' then right click again and copy the whole texture link
-Go to the child window, right click the base texture, choose ''edit'' then right click again and past the new texture link
-Click commit when done
Repeat this for all texture links EXEPT the skin ambient and skin specular at the bottom.
Those are links to the skintone that we want to keep.

*Go to the patterns tab choose your recolors for the outfit
You can click the color box, copy the hex color and past it in the child color box.
Enable the 3d view in the adult CTU version to see results if you choose diffrent colors.

*Close the Adult ninja CTU version

*Go to the meshes tab of the child outfit
*change the meshname in NEWcmBodyNinjaOutfit or watever you want to call but change it!
*click commit
*tick the button next to the LOD1 box and surf to your folder Final/LOD1 and import the base mesh
*tick the button next to the LOD2 box and surf to your folder Final/LOD2 and import the base mesh
*tick the button next to the LOD3 box and surf to your folder Final/LOD3 and import the base mesh
*click commit

When you are creating your own custom project wich needs a custom Normalmap texture tick the button next to the bumpmap box and import it.
If its not made yet, import the default one(it can be replaced later with Postal or s3PE.)

*Save your package and give it a easy to reconize name

when i am creating my own custom meshes i do the following:
-I save my package in my creation folder(Not the game folder!)
-Then i copy that package into my game folder and start the game(i leave CTU open)
-I go into CAS and set the simbodyshape to default.
-Inspect the outfit

By setting it to default the shape will not be deformed and lets me inspect the textures/normalmap and other things i might need to change.
The sliders will not work as we haven't update the package with the correct Bgeo files yet.
The game will also generate the thumbnails wich i can update with my logo/name.
- close the game and fix either the textures, normalmap or mesh.
since CTU is still open i can reattache updated meshes and/or normalmap

As most others i had issues with the thumbs so i always use the ones that the game generates and update them with my name.
The thumbs you find in CASthumbnails in your thumbnailsfolder (Documents and Settings\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3\Thumbnails)
You can open it with Postal(or s3PE?), extract the pngs, update them and import them in the still open CTU.
This method will always work so i stick to it...

* I save my file again in my creation folder and copy(overwrite) the one in my gamefolder

If i want to see the changes i either open a 2nd version of CTU and check the textures/normalmap or reboot the game again to view the meshchanges.
I am writing this down as the next step is updating the package with new Bgeo files.
The moment i update my package with new Bgeo files i will no longer be able to reopen the package with CTU as errors will appear when i try to update texture files or meshes.
I can use CTU to fix minor changes tho, like changing category's, patterns, colors and such.

Oh, the reason i copy my original package is due the fact that my CASthumbnails cache often gets corrupt when i leave CTU/Postal open.
Also incorrect build custom packages from other creators can cause this.
Best is to test your creation without any other custom content installed and delete your caches before booting the game.

At this point i am satisfied with the base mesh, its textures and normalmap

---------------------------------------------------------------------

STEP 5(creating the Bgeo files)
These files are build from the morph data and need to be updated to make them compatible with the sliders.
Another file that needs to be updated are the Bblend files as those contain still a link to the original Bgeo files.

Since i am still using a older version of BMM and follow a diffrent procedure to add the necesarry files i suggest you download CmarNYC's latest version of BMM and follow the instructions given in her post.

When you have added the Bgeo files and updated the Bblend files open the package with S3PE and compress the GEOM, Bblend and Bgeo files

---------------------------------------------------------------------
Attached files:
File Type: rar  Bloom_cuBodyNinjaOutfit.rar (286.2 KB, 180 downloads) - View custom content
File Type: rar  Meshes.rar (320.3 KB, 269 downloads) - View custom content
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Mad Poster
#2 Old 24th Feb 2010 at 12:58 AM
This will be fantastically useful, thank you for taking the time to write it!
Inventor
#3 Old 24th Feb 2010 at 1:29 PM Last edited by Cocomama : 24th Feb 2010 at 4:25 PM. Reason: More questions
Great tutorial Base, it worked and I think I can finish my own project too.

I have a few questions:
-If you do not extract/use the meshes own skincontroller, is it not easier to export the meshes from CTU?
-How do you know which mesh to extract if there are duplicates?
-How do you set the simbodyshape to default in CAS?
-what do you mean with default normalmap? The one from the adultmesh textures?
-I tryed a custom Thumbnail, but it did not showed in CAS? All caches cleared with Delphys Dashboard.
-Autorenumbering toddler Frankensteined meshes? They have no starting vertexnumber when looked with BMM.
Ms. Byte (Deceased)
#4 Old 24th Feb 2010 at 4:05 PM
Great tutorial! I'll have to try this myself when I get a chance.
Sockpuppet
Original Poster
#5 Old 24th Feb 2010 at 5:33 PM
Quote: Originally posted by Cocomama
Great tutorial Base, it worked and I think I can finish my own project too.

I have a few questions:
-If you do not extract/use the meshes own skincontroller, is it not easier to export the meshes from CTU?
-How do you know which mesh to extract if there are duplicates?
-How do you set the simbodyshape to default in CAS?
-what do you mean with default normalmap? The one from the adultmesh textures?
-I tryed a custom Thumbnail, but it did not showed in CAS? All caches cleared with Delphys Dashboard.
-Autorenumbering toddler Frankensteined meshes? They have no starting vertexnumber when looked with BMM.


-The meshes own skincontroller?
I use to extract the meshes with CTU but you only have the base meshes then, not the morphs.
After extracting the morphs i always had to rename the one extracted from CTU, the reason i export them all at once with Postal.
It doesn't make a diffrence tho wich one you choose to export.
-By checking the group number, in case of the ninja i looked up the group number of another adult male GEOM wich didn't shared its meshes with the elder or teen.
That was the group ID i wanted.
But if you export the wrong one by mistake you find out when trying to import its morphs.
In case of the ninja i exported the diffrent base meshes but when trying to import the morphs i had a error.(face mismatch if i remember correct)
I haven't checked it but i think the morphs of the other basemesh are listed under the elder or teen)
-The top slider must be centered while the bottom one is set to unfit.
Elders and teens/child you move to the left.
You will see the distortions/gaps appear when moving them arround, its just a global(?) setting to inspect the textures and such.
-In this case i wanted the normalmap from the adult to be applied on the childmesh/textures.
I could have extracted it while i had the adult outfit open in CTU(its done in the meshes tab) and added it as a custom one with CTU in the bottom box of the meshes tab when creating the child package.
But since i didn't need to update or change it i decided to change the TGI reference in the child GEOM(well, actual i didn't as i used all settings from the adult GEOM exept the skeleton)
In your case(the elder top) you can do the same, use all the settings/TGI references from the adult female top exept the skeleton TGI reference.
That way you dont need to include the normalmap so it saves space.
Another thing with conversions are the material settings, some clothing have diffrent settings and i wanted to keep those also.
-Thumbs are a pain, like i said in the tutorial i keep CTU on my very first attempt(creating the package for the first time) open.
I go ingame to let it generate the thumbs, extract them, update them and import them within the open CTU version.
By keeping it open i can recreate a ''new'' package again wich does accept custom thumbs without any problems.
Reopening your package with CTU and then adding thumbs is asking for trouble, most of the times they dont appear.
In some cases it is possible to fix this by changing its groupnumber(i think) with either Postal or s3PE.
There is a thread in CASparts were HP explains wat you need to change.
-Are there any sliders for the toddlers? if not then there is no need to number the vertices.(like accesoires)
Inventor
#6 Old 25th Feb 2010 at 8:21 AM
Fantastic Base1980, you have answerred all the questions!
Time to chew on all the new info and to play with the meshes.
Yeah, creating will be fun again!
Thank you so much for sharing all this information with us.
Sockpuppet
Original Poster
#7 Old 25th Feb 2010 at 11:50 AM
Coco, i haven't checked if meshes that have vertID's cause problems when using them on the toddler.
But if they do, you can export your mesh with the Format changed to 6(instead of 7), done in the comment box.
It will unassigne the vertices.
Test Subject
#8 Old 25th Feb 2010 at 10:27 PM
This is very useful, thank you.

But I have a problem. I can't edit the morphs, because when I try to import it, I get a error that says "Incorrect face count in morph". I don't know what causes this. I'm using the original base mesh I extracted.
Sockpuppet
Original Poster
#9 Old 26th Feb 2010 at 5:03 AM
Wich meshes cause that error? (child or adult) and at wich point?
Plz, do read the instructions given on how to import the 2nd pair of meshes.
Test Subject
#10 Old 26th Feb 2010 at 1:51 PM
Well, it's a different project, not the ninja outfit convertion.
I want to create a pair of jeans, lile the ones the base game has that are named amBottomPantsTight_jeansGoth, but for wearing with high boots, so the they must fit the calf.
I import the normal mesh LOD1, and when I try to import the fat morph, Milkshape shows that error.

I'm not importing two pairs of meshes, because it's not an age convertion. I just need the adult mesh (though I do need the fat, thin and fit morphs).
Inventor
#11 Old 26th Feb 2010 at 3:56 PM Last edited by Cocomama : 26th Feb 2010 at 4:22 PM.
Importing amBottomPantsTight_jeansGoth with morphs works for me.
Maybe you used the wrong version, the em or tm?
If you look in Postal under amBottomPantsTight_jeansGoth, all the lod 1-2-3 are there 3 times. One is for the am, one for em, one for tm. You have to extract the ones for the age you need. Base1980 already wrote that you will not be able to import the morphs, if you are using the wrong age.

Trick/hint to find which Lod is for which age
Extract the meshes for the age you want from CTU, look at the VPXR file that comes with it.
In Postal under the amBottomPantsTight_jeansGoth Lod1-2-3, look at the number under Group, one will be the same as on the VPXR.

If you want the teen morphs you have to scroll down in Postal to the tmBottomPantsTight_jeansGoth morphs.

I prefer to export the morph meshes with s3pe, after you selected them all (click the first->CTRL+click the rest) you can export them all in 1 (rightclick)export to file.
Test Subject
#12 Old 27th Feb 2010 at 12:22 PM
Oh that was the problem, thanks! I didn't know how to extract the one I really needed, so I just took the ones that were first in the list for each LOD and morph. Thank you so much!
Lab Assistant
#13 Old 28th Mar 2010 at 11:38 PM Last edited by ZippyZX3 : 28th Mar 2010 at 11:50 PM.
Use Wes H his merge tool?

Where in Milkshape do I find this? I have all Wes's plugins. Both Sims2 and Sims3.

I found them in the edit menu. But they are not showing up in the list of tools.

Thanks
Tim
Test Subject
#14 Old 26th Dec 2010 at 4:04 PM
Quote: Originally posted by ZippyZX3
Use Wes H his merge tool?

Where in Milkshape do I find this? I have all Wes's plugins. Both Sims2 and Sims3.

I found them in the edit menu. But they are not showing up in the list of tools.

Thanks
Tim



i konw that the thread is old but i have the same problem
Sockpuppet
Original Poster
#15 Old 14th Aug 2011 at 1:34 PM
Read again,
In the tools drop down menu you find ''Edit shortcuts'', hit it first
Then scroll down to both commands and assigne a shortcut to it.
srry for the late response...
Lab Assistant
#16 Old 28th Mar 2014 at 5:20 PM
Thanks so much. Have a long coat for my male Sims child. Just followed your directions
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