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world renowned whogivesafuckologist
retired moderator
Original Poster
#1 Old 26th Jul 2009 at 12:44 AM Last edited by Delphy : 26th Jul 2009 at 1:44 AM.
Default Q&A Thread for Sims 3 Hair Basics Tutorial
Tutorial Link:



Question and Answer Thread:

This thread is for questions and answers directly relating to the tutorial! If you have general questions on how to do stuff in Milkshape, how to use Q-Mesh, or how to make textures for Sims 3 hair, please post your question on a new thread in the main Meshing forum. Off-topic comments or questions on this thread may be split off or removed.

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Test Subject
#2 Old 26th Jul 2009 at 5:02 AM
Just doing some basic conversions of my old stuff, and I noted that after using DirectX tool, the joints assignment options are lost. Should something be imported back in at that point, or am I missing a step?

Thanks!

Fionn
Field Researcher
#3 Old 26th Jul 2009 at 5:42 AM
I know this is going to sound ridiculous, but I installed the Q-Mesh GEOM plugin (doublechecked, too), and when I open Milkshape, I can spot the Unimesh plugins, but not the other. Is it labeled as something else? This will be the first time I've tinkered with hair meshes (and Milkshape) since I tend to stick to modding, so I'm probably missing it somewhere.
Lab Assistant
#4 Old 26th Jul 2009 at 6:41 AM
Default Make your LODS (?)
Quote:
Make your LODS
Now you also need to create 3 lower-detail versions of the same mesh. While you can remesh the whole thing from scratch with lower detail, there's a quick and dirty way of doing it that works okay... Tools>DirectX Mesh Tool. Drag the slider over to the left and you'll see how the number changes. That's your poly count. Click the floppy disk icon to apply changes. It may look kind of ugly, but the only ones that really matter is the LOD0 (used in high detail) and LOD1 (used in low detail and in the portrait pictures) - the others are only used when zoomed WAY out so as long as the overall shape still resembles your hair, it's fine if they're kind of fug.

For LOD1, you'll want about half the count for LOD0. LOD2 should have about half of that, and LOD3 should have no more than about 250 polys.

After doing the reduction to half the count to make your LOD1, you'll need to:

Align Normals again (it will have gone black)
Redo the bone assignments (Joints tab, assign to b__HeadNew__)
Reset the Extra Data (just fill in 255 for all, To All x4, Commit, Save All).
Then export as LOD1. Repeat for LOD2 and LOD3, making sure to do the normals, bone assignments, and extra data after each reduction.


I follow this correctly, but after doing the DirectX Tool there's no joints at the Joints tab.. Is there any tip on doing this? How can I assign it if there's no joints available?
Lab Assistant
#5 Old 26th Jul 2009 at 7:14 AM Last edited by savio_araujo110 : 26th Jul 2009 at 12:38 PM.
Hey KagomeKagome, I had this same problem, and the reason was I was using an older version.. Make sure you have the latest one... ^^ (eta for typo..)
Field Researcher
#6 Old 26th Jul 2009 at 7:29 AM
Blargh, you're right. The main site for Milkshape is down, so I had to get the beta elsewhere, and apparently, it was mislabeled. Downloading what is hopefully the correct blasted copy this time.
world renowned whogivesafuckologist
retired moderator
Original Poster
#7 Old 26th Jul 2009 at 11:01 AM
The joints issue is because I'm stupid and messed up that bit of the tutorial. You'll need to reduce to each of your LODs and export them as OBJ files, then for each one, import your LOD0 (to get the skeleton, import the OBJ file atop it, and fix the comments/normals/assignments/extra data, then delete the original mesh. I usually do tutorials as I do the steps but I was in a hurry to get that done so Delphy could release DABOOBS and got a bit messy. I'll fix it in the tut shortly - after I have some much-needed coffee.

my simblr (sometimes nsfw)

“Dude, suckin’ at something is the first step to being sorta good at something.”
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Test Subject
#8 Old 26th Jul 2009 at 12:06 PM
I'm very new to creating hair meshes but thought I would try to follow the tutorial with using blender and Morgade's blender plugins, I've gotten to the 5th step of packaging the mesh but I'm not sure how to find keys for specular and diffuse for specific hair like afHairShortEmo, I was wondering if it is even possible to make hair without using milkshape?
world renowned whogivesafuckologist
retired moderator
Original Poster
#9 Old 26th Jul 2009 at 12:09 PM
Tigger379 - I don't know anything about Morgade's plugins, but they do need to support, well, all this stuff - comments, bone assignments, as well as the -very important- stuff like the Extra Data.

Finding the keys for that stuff is a matter of exporting the textures in CTU and looking at the filenames. They should have it listed - the longest bit will go something like 0x########## - copypasta that number into the end part of the key string after the last :

my simblr (sometimes nsfw)

“Dude, suckin’ at something is the first step to being sorta good at something.”
Panquecas, panquecas e mais panquecas.
Test Subject
#10 Old 26th Jul 2009 at 12:57 PM
First of all, thank you very much for this great program and for the wonderful tutorial!

However, I think I did something wrong. The hair appeared and works in the CAS, but the whole thing is plain black. I can't recolor it, but the alpha channel shows fine. I'm sure the diffuse is OK, is this a problem with the RGB mask (I didn't edit this) or it's a problem in Milkshape with Sims 3 Extra Data tool?

Thanks.
world renowned whogivesafuckologist
retired moderator
Original Poster
#11 Old 26th Jul 2009 at 1:00 PM
*Norbi* - That's definitely an extra data issue. Go back and check that you've got extra data assigned to the whole hair - if you maybe didn't click "to all" properly or commit/save properly it won't stick. There's little < and > buttons on that panel that let you flip through the vertices so you can see what their values are.

my simblr (sometimes nsfw)

“Dude, suckin’ at something is the first step to being sorta good at something.”
Panquecas, panquecas e mais panquecas.
Test Subject
#12 Old 26th Jul 2009 at 1:08 PM
It says 255 for all of them.

Is this what this tool supposed to be look like? I don't see the two buttons down there and I can't extend this window. I clicked on the left one and I noticed that is saved the values so I assumed that was the save button.

world renowned whogivesafuckologist
retired moderator
Original Poster
#13 Old 26th Jul 2009 at 1:09 PM
Yes, the left one is Save All (the right one is Cancel). You've clicked To All on all four of hose boxes, and tried using the little > arrow to cycle through the other vertices to check whether they're saved too?

my simblr (sometimes nsfw)

“Dude, suckin’ at something is the first step to being sorta good at something.”
Panquecas, panquecas e mais panquecas.
Test Subject
#14 Old 26th Jul 2009 at 1:13 PM
Yes, I did it exactly as it was written in the tutorial It says 255 for all. I did it again, I'll take a picture from the game in a few minutes.
world renowned whogivesafuckologist
retired moderator
Original Poster
#15 Old 26th Jul 2009 at 1:15 PM
:\ Well that's odd. Maybe Wes can shed some light on the subject when he has time - I know sometimes the Vertex ID stuff is important but I haven't set it on any of the hairs I've made and it's been fine. Can you upload your LOD0 file (just stick it in a rar or zip and attach it to a post using Manage Attachments) so he or I or someone can take a look?

my simblr (sometimes nsfw)

“Dude, suckin’ at something is the first step to being sorta good at something.”
Panquecas, panquecas e mais panquecas.
Test Subject
#16 Old 26th Jul 2009 at 1:27 PM
It worked this time, though it looked horrible in the game.

Thanks for your help.
Lab Assistant
#17 Old 26th Jul 2009 at 2:23 PM
Thank you so much, Hp. =) Seems it worked fine... At least I've done the MS steps... hehe

Now I've got one problem: I don't have NET. Framework 3.5. Tried installing: it downloaded (abou 71 mb), but there was an error on the installation... D= I'm downloading it again, (redistributable version), and if it doesn't install, I'll get the full version. (exe file, 197 mb ~)
Test Subject
#18 Old 26th Jul 2009 at 5:14 PM
I have never made a hair mesh, but I thought I might try converting a Sims 2 hair mesh. I followed all the steps and I opened the extracted AM Balding files in milkshake, and this is what appeared. Is it normal?

Lab Assistant
#19 Old 26th Jul 2009 at 5:56 PM
I'm also new to the meshing scene, and would like to begin making hair meshes, I have little experience with making meshes with Sims 2.
I have followed this tutorial step by step, down to the part in Milkshape where we begin editing meshes, which leaves me with a question:
1. When the tutorial asks us to import an .OBJ file ("File>Import>OBJ and choose the example face/scalp/body obj file appropriate to the age/gender you're creating for.") Does that mean the 'Wavefront OBJ...'? As this is the only OBJ I see in the import list? (Sorry, I just need to make sure)

Sorry if I'm asking in the wrong thread...

Field Researcher
#20 Old 26th Jul 2009 at 6:04 PM
austinf4564, what you're seeing is the skeleton. On the right side of Milkshape are four tabs: Model, Groups, Materials and Joints.

Click on Joints, and halfway down the column (under Vertex Weights) you will find a checkbox for "Show skeleton". Make sure you untick this to hide the skeleton.
Test Subject
#21 Old 26th Jul 2009 at 6:34 PM
THANK YOU!!! But now I need more help, lol. I imported the Sims 2 hair I wanted to convert onto the AM Balding, but the new hair is under the AM Balding mesh. How do I move it up, replace the AM Balding, and change it to female? I admit I'm a noob .
world renowned whogivesafuckologist
retired moderator
Original Poster
#22 Old 26th Jul 2009 at 6:36 PM
tomclinton - Yes, you need Wavefront OBJ.

austinf4564 - Err, if you use DABOOBS it won't -replace- the original, it will be a completely new item in Create a Sim, underneath most of the others. If you want it to be female, you just need to tick that option in DABOOBS.

my simblr (sometimes nsfw)

“Dude, suckin’ at something is the first step to being sorta good at something.”
Panquecas, panquecas e mais panquecas.
Test Subject
#23 Old 26th Jul 2009 at 6:49 PM
I mean how do I move the converted mesh up and remove AM Balding?

This is my problem:

world renowned whogivesafuckologist
retired moderator
Original Poster
#24 Old 26th Jul 2009 at 6:52 PM
austinf4564 - If you want to make a replacement, that's really best asked in its own thread, as this thread (and the tutorial) are about making non-replacement hairs.

my simblr (sometimes nsfw)

“Dude, suckin’ at something is the first step to being sorta good at something.”
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Test Subject
#25 Old 26th Jul 2009 at 6:54 PM
Sorry I'm not explaining my question well, but I need to move the converted hair up because it is lower that AM Balding. I don't want to replace any hairs, I just want to make a completely new hair, but is is too low on the model. How do move it up? This is my problem:

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