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Original Poster
#1 Old 11th May 2011 at 6:07 PM Last edited by birdyfly : 17th May 2011 at 5:24 PM.
Default Making a new dining set for Fusion Lounge Bar (Edit: Recoloring Problems)
Hi,

I am trying to make a functional dining set like these images:







At the moment, I am working on the table (with the pillows, since they need to kneel in order to eat which is a custom animation, I'm saving that part for last) and I am not sure how to make it so the sims can eat food on a lower table (such as a coffee table). Is there any way to do this?


EDIT: Sorry if this should be in the modding section. I wasn't sure if this is going to be a scripting problem or something with the object modding.
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Lab Assistant
#2 Old 11th May 2011 at 6:26 PM
Have you seen this thread: http://hideki.modthesims.info/showt...t=401882&page=1?
I know absolutely nothing about any of this kind of stuff (passing interest brought me to that thread), but someone managed to get a sim eating of a small table at one point so it might be helpful?

Excuse me, but I just have to explode.
Field Researcher
#3 Old 11th May 2011 at 7:19 PM
I may be wrong, but for the table part you'll have to change the slots (where the sim/chairs go to eat around the table) to lower it to the correct position. It can easily be done with workshop. Haven't tried slots with S3PE so I'm not so sure on that.


I'd try first changing the slot placement and see if that works.
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#4 Old 11th May 2011 at 9:56 PM
Cloudburst: Thank you so much for that thread. I did not see it at first.

Odistant: Unfortunately, my computer hates TSR Workshop. I am not sure how to change the slot placement in S3PE or in S3OC.

I am assuming that I should work on the table first since it seems a bit easier.

For the table:
I was going to just shorten the legs, but I am now thinking of using a regular coffee table and try to figure out how to add the script so it acts like a dining table.

For the pillows/chairs:
I saw the kneeling pose from PTylo's blog (Better look at the pose here). I watched a video, even though outdated, about adding a custom animation to an object here. With this, I was planning to make a kneeling animation for the pillow/chair and somehow make it act the same way as a normal chair, but just have the sims be kneeling.

I remember someone made a pillow/chair where the sim actually sat on the pillow (not kneel), but I don't remember the uploader or if it functioned for coffee tables (since it was too low to be used for a regular dining table). So, at least I know that it is possible to make the sims sit on a lower object. It's just getting them to kneel while acting like they would in a dining chair that seems to be the hard part.
With the table, it's just getting it to act like a functional dining table even though it's a coffee table.
Field Researcher
#5 Old 11th May 2011 at 11:43 PM
Quote: Originally posted by birdyfly
Cloudburst: Thank you so much for that thread. I did not see it at first.

Odistant: Unfortunately, my computer hates TSR Workshop. I am not sure how to change the slot placement in S3PE or in S3OC.

I am assuming that I should work on the table first since it seems a bit easier.

For the table:
I was going to just shorten the legs, but I am now thinking of using a regular coffee table and try to figure out how to add the script so it acts like a dining table.

For the pillows/chairs:
I saw the kneeling pose from PTylo's blog (Better look at the pose here). I watched a video, even though outdated, about adding a custom animation to an object here. With this, I was planning to make a kneeling animation for the pillow/chair and somehow make it act the same way as a normal chair, but just have the sims be kneeling.

I remember someone made a pillow/chair where the sim actually sat on the pillow (not kneel), but I don't remember the uploader or if it functioned for coffee tables (since it was too low to be used for a regular dining table). So, at least I know that it is possible to make the sims sit on a lower object. It's just getting them to kneel while acting like they would in a dining chair that seems to be the hard part.
With the table, it's just getting it to act like a functional dining table even though it's a coffee table.


Well, for the script part is easy. Just edit the OBJK to reference the DiningTable script. No need to create a completely new one. Though I'm 95% sure you'll still end up having to edit the slots.
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Original Poster
#6 Old 12th May 2011 at 12:04 AM
Do you know how to edit the slots without TSR Workshop? Or do you know a tutorial for it? The only slot tutorials I've seen are for TSR Workshop, and sadly, the program crashes my computer whenever I try to install it.
Field Researcher
#7 Old 12th May 2011 at 1:14 AM
Well, my guess is, is that the slot placement values are somewhere in the grid in the MODL file or OBJK file. I'm not sure since I haven't checked lately.
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#8 Old 12th May 2011 at 1:15 AM
Thanks, Odistant. It's times like these that I wish that TSR Workshop worked.

I now need to figure out which coffee table will look best as a dining table. None of the EA ones really seem to be what I'm looking for, so I will have to modify one of the meshes.
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#9 Old 12th May 2011 at 1:58 PM
Okay, for the coffee table, I am just using a random coffee table from the base game just to figure out how to make it work as a dining table.

In S3PE, I just went to the OBJK tag and hit Edit OBJK. In the area where it says Script | String:, I changed the string to say: Sims3.Gameplay.Objects.Tables.Mimics.TableDiningAsian2x1.

I am still unsure how to change the slots of the object without TSR Workshop. If someone can help me with that, I would be greatly appreciative.
Inventor
#10 Old 12th May 2011 at 2:24 PM
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#11 Old 12th May 2011 at 2:37 PM Last edited by birdyfly : 12th May 2011 at 6:05 PM.
Thank you sooooo much! Hopefully I will be able to test out my new dining table today.

EDIT: So I tested out the object with just changing the coffee table script in the OBJK file like I stated in the previous post above. I haven't done anything with the slots yet so I can test to see if the table is even usable, and I actually got it working.

Here are some screen shots of what I have so far.

Now all I need to do is change the slots (thanks again Cocomama).

I will update this if I am successful or not.

Also, I managed to get TSR Workshop to work, so I am going to use that since it's much easier.

Second Edit:

I need an opinion on this. Do you think I should raise the table slightly? Note that the sims will be kneeling and not sitting how this current sim is now. I am curious if a slightly higher table will look better appearance wise or not.


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Okay, so I changed the slots, but the cereal is still floating when the sim goes to eat it. I am not sure what to do about it. Here is an attached image of what the slot positioning is.


___________________________________________________________________________________________________

New Update:

I got the slot positioning to work. Only problem is that the sim now floats when eating the cereal. I am not sure if this is a table problem or the chair problem, so I am going to say the table is done (unless someone tells me that the floating sim is part of the problem with the table) and start working on the pillow. I will start another post with my work on the pillow since it is a separate item.

You can see the correct slot placement and the floating sim in the attachment. If you know what is causing the sim to float, please tell me. Note that the pillow the sim is sitting on is a downloaded object and not part of the project I am working on.
Field Researcher
#12 Old 12th May 2011 at 7:17 PM
Glad the suggestion worked.

Okay, one problem though.

As for the sim sitting, my guess is that its something to do with the jazz file? I'm not sure however since from what I'm aware on my researches with the Jazz scripting language, they are only referenced for playing animations, not for keeping someone static.

So, I guess you could also try changing the slot on the pillow too and see if that works. TSRW should show you where the slot is on the pillow so it'll be easy to see if you get it right.

EDIT:

Now, if you're going to have your own custom animation for the sim sitting part, you're going to have to create a custom script for that. I guess you could implement a interaction to have the sim sit and play the animation. You should really look at how EA setup the jazz file and scripting file for that since what I'm currently working on has nothing to do with chairs.
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#13 Old 12th May 2011 at 7:39 PM Last edited by birdyfly : 12th May 2011 at 11:29 PM.
Thanks.

Yes, I am going to be adding a custom animation where the sim kneels. I have not yet touched custom animations yet, but I did manage to get the sim to sit on the pillow without floating. She does, however, go back to floating when I have her use the dining table (See attachment).

For the custom animations, I am not exactly sure where to start since I'm new at it. Will the pose player tutorial help any, even though I am using the interaction for an object and still have the sim do another animation along with the current one running (the current one being that the sim is kneeling and the other animation is the sim being able to eat and talk)?


I want the sim to be kneeling like the kneeling pose in PTylo's blog:


But I also need the sim to be able to function to eat and use the dining set without losing the kneeling/animation pose until I exit out of the sim kneeling on the pillow.

Also, I obviously need to work on the floating sim, but I am assuming that I need to work on the kneeling animation first then work on the floating sim.


Also, I noticed that a couple animations tutorials use Microsoft® Visual C# Express Edition. Is it possible to just use notepad instead?

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Okay, I am using this video tutorial on making my custom animation. I am hoping that this is the next step and I'm doing this right.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

UPDATE:

I have the custom animation now. (Unfortunately the animation looks robotic when kneeling, but I don't know how to make that look natural)

Everything looks good when I use the move_objects on cheat, except the fact that the arms are in an idol stage, but I was using the pose player to test the custom animation.

Now comes the tricky part. I need to add the custom animation to the pillow so my sim can kneel on it while eating her cereal. If someone has a suggestion on how to do this so I can have the kneeling animation and be able to have my sim eat and talk (also use the table without floating in mid air) then I'd love to hear it.

I am not too sure what to do with the jazz animations due to trying to keep the kneeling pose and be able to have the sim eat as well.
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#14 Old 16th May 2011 at 4:12 PM Last edited by birdyfly : 16th May 2011 at 6:03 PM.
So, I am working on the custom animations for my object set. You can read it in this thread if you'd like.

I want to fix the pillow a little bit to make it look a little better.

Edit:
The pillow mesh is finished. I used the pillow in this image for inspiration. I don't have an in game image of the pillow just yet, but once I do, I'll put it as an attachment in this post.


Here is the new pillow. I have it next to the old pillow for comparison. I am debating over if I should make the table like the table in the image or leave it alone. I might go ahead and try to make it look like the table in the image and post side-by-side shots to see which one is better.



I tried to make it look similar to Laura Ashley's Pillows with how the sides concave in, but the edges look a little messed up when I tried doing the same thing to my pillow. I smoothed the edges out, but I'm worried it's going to be high in poly count now. Should I get rid of the concave sides and just make the pillow's sides straight? I wanted to pull the sides in to make the pillow look less boring, but I'm not sure if I should keep it the way it is now or change it.
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#15 Old 16th May 2011 at 7:06 PM
You'll probably want to change it at some point, if only to have
another option for something for your sims to kneel on. Are
you going to, or have you already animated the pillow's mesh?
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#16 Old 16th May 2011 at 8:59 PM
Hi,
I have not yet animated the pillow mesh yet. There are 27 clip files I need to animate frame by frame, then work on the clip files for when the sim kneels and eats. I have the first clip done, but I need to figure out how to delete the IK files before I move onto the second clip.

What I'm planning to do with the table though is keep the old one and then make a second one that looks like the table in the image.


I am also hoping that once I get the clip animations finished, I will be able to make different types of pillows for sims to kneel on as well.
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#17 Old 17th May 2011 at 5:23 PM
I have a new problem with recoloring.

So, when I go to recolor, the UV mapper has it like the image in the first attachment. There is no way I can recolor the legs without recoloring the table (I tried).

Well, if I switch to the left view in the UV mapper on milkshape, I can easily recolor the object and it looks perfect in the milkshape preview. (Second attachment)

The problem is that when I go to TSR Workshop, it doesn't use the left UV map view, and instead uses the view from the first attachment. Is there any way at all I can get TSR Workshop to use the left view?

Hope someone can help with this.
Inventor
#18 Old 17th May 2011 at 6:16 PM
You can recolor the legs without recoloring the table, if you give them a seperate place on the UVmap. As it is now the legs are on the tabletop and therefore will get the same textures as the tabletop.
You can open your Multi, Specular and mask textures in a graphic program and make the textures bigger, e.g. if it now is 256x256, you can make it 256x512. You have to double the size, you can not just add 10.
Than use that new multiplier as material in Milkshape, and you will have enough room to move the meshpieces for the tablelegs to a seperate place.

Alternatly you could scale all meshpieces a little bit smaller and than you maybe also have enough room to give the leg pieces a seperate place. You cannot scale to small, or you will get trouble with the way your textures will apply/spread on your mesh.
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#19 Old 17th May 2011 at 6:48 PM
This is probably a stupid question, but how do you make a multi and specular for your object? I've been using a blank gray .dds file to replace to original multi mesh.

I do have UV Mapper, but I don't really know how to use it, so I've been using the milkshape mapper instead.
Field Researcher
#20 Old 17th May 2011 at 7:12 PM
Check here, and the other few lessons that they have. A very good resource too. Probably the best multiplier tutorial I could find.

http://www.blackpearlsims.com/showt...-The-Multiplier
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#21 Old 17th May 2011 at 7:19 PM
Thank you so much! Does this tutorial work with milkshape as well? I haven't used Blender since I was in 7th grade, so I don't remember how to use it.

This will also be helpful for when I make my other set as well.

Edit:
I have a question about this part:

"Now you need to browse to where your "scaled table.obj" file is on your Desktop in our working folder.
Blender is slightly tricky to navigate as it always starts of in the Blender install folder as default."


What exactly is the scaled table? Is that something explained earlier in the tutorial? Is it something I have to make separately? Sorry, a little confused at that bit.
Alchemist
#22 Old 17th May 2011 at 8:22 PM
That BPS tutorial is for an outdated version of Blender. An easier way to bake a multiplier is to download Blender 2.57 and install Cmo's Blender Tools. Then follow this tutorial:

http://www.modthesims.info/showthread.php?t=435938

The way Cmo has his Blender tools set up all you have to do is import your obj, select what size you want the multiplier to be, and click the bake button. It's very easy and well worth the one time step of installing them. All the links for the things you need are in the tutorial.
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#23 Old 17th May 2011 at 8:44 PM Last edited by birdyfly : 18th May 2011 at 1:49 AM.
I finally got a working UV map. I used this tutorial in case someone else needs it: http://www.modthesims.info/showthread.php?t=135136 and http://www.modthesims.info/showthread.php?t=60686


Now, I am at trying to use the UV Map/image editor in the tutorial that is from Black Pearl Sims, but nothing shows up when I click it. My object is there in when I have it in object mode, but nothing in UV map mode. I am going to try OM's tutorial to see if that one works for me. I'll update the post if it does or doesn't.


EDIT:
For some reason, the sims 3 EASY BAKE isn't in my blender files. I have the bake option, but not the one that came with these tools: http://www.modthesims.info/d/433882
The user preferences says that io_TS3_tools are already installed as well.
Alchemist
#24 Old 19th May 2011 at 2:37 AM
If you have questions regarding anything in my tutorial I'm more than happy to answer them in the tutorial thread I prefer to have them there so anyone else reading that tutorial and having the same issue can see the Q & A by reading the thread.
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#25 Old 19th May 2011 at 2:50 AM
Will do. I didn't want to spam your tutorial threads, but if it's not bothering you, then I'll post the questions there.
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