Don't distribute them as external INI files, this prevents future TS3 patches from working (as obviously demonstrated). Make a package.

Yes, this works.

1. FNV64 hash the name portion of the INI filename (in the case of VideoCamera.ini, VideoCamera, which is 0x65E54BD7265CB3FB).
2. Use a type ID of 0x1F886EAD.
3. Use a group ID of 0.
4. Make a package as normal.

Bumping because this info is extremely useful and shouldn't get entirely buried!

...I just submitted an ini camera mod today. That said I have no idea what the heck the first step says...

Also, would this process work for ANY ini? Because I just learned earlier how to change the water color with ini files, and that would be extremely useful.

Yes, it would work for any INI, and if you're confused on how to do that, I'm sure someone will be able to help - I think S3PE can generate an FNV64 hash, and we can send back your mod for changes required if you want. If you're on and wanting to work on this now I can open S3PE and see if I can give you more "for dummies" instructions. I did this once before but not since Rick posted it.

Yes, that would be nice. Knowing the process would be fantastic for future reference as well, because like I said, it sounds like the only way to make water colors a real plausible thing.

I am so typo-y today

Yes S3PE does hashes - it's under the Tools menu.

Okay, hopefully these steps will work okay for you - or at least give you a good start.

1) Open S3PE.
2) Tools > FNV Hash
3) Put your filename without the .ini part in "Text to Hash" - "CameraFade" is the mod you're doing. Hit Calculate.
4) Copy the value under FNV64.
5) File > New
6) Resource > Import > From File. You will have to change "Files of Type" to "All Files" here. Select your INI.
7) In the box that comes up, change type to: 0x1F886EAD
8) Leave Group the default of 0x000000
9) Paste your FNV64 you copied into the Instance box. Leave the rest of the settings the default and click OK.
10) Save your file as a package, drop it in Mods\Packages, and test it in-game. Make sure to restore the regular INI file so you know it's your package doing the changes in-game and not the INI.

Doing the changes to the INI to start with (with a backup saved!) is good though - it's easier to change that way as it updates instantly in-game even without closing the game. So you can just switch to the INI in Notepad, make a change, save, and switch right back to the game and see changes immediately. Cool, huh?

Heh, it took like 10 seconds. Loading the game to test now.

.

Doing the changes to the INI to start with (with a backup saved!) is good though - it's easier to change that way as it updates instantly in-game even without closing the game. So you can just switch to the INI in Notepad, make a change, save, and switch right back to the game and see changes immediately. Cool, huh?

whaaaaat?! No way. @_@ That's awesome. I wanted to change the sun reflection size(is it just me or is it way too wide?) but didn't want to spend hours going in and out of the game to test. That's awesome

EDIT:

...It didn't work. I wonder what I did wrong, if anything...I guess I'll have to play with it tomorrow.(or..today. After nighttime is over.)

Thanks for the "updates in realtime" tip, whoever posted it =). I was fiddling with camera settings and it was a bit of a hassle having to remember to tweak between sessions.

Which bit didn't work, Claeric? The mod or the updating in real time?

This IS cool. I packaged up Aikea's mod and it worked perfectly. My camera mod was already packaged because it wasn't an .ini file. The realtime testing would have been really helpful.

The mod. I made it into a package and nothing changed.

Edit: tried again, still doesn't work. When I click ok, the "type" section of what pps up in S3PE says 0x000~. Could that be it?

That happened when I did it, too. So, I changed the type again, and still 0's (it was right in the popup, though). But after I saved it, it changed to the right type.

HP,
Thanks for the "real time" tip. That's wonderful. I don't have time to play with it right but I can't wait to try it.

I dunno whats up with it, it wont work no matter what I do.

The changing-ini-in-game works though, I made the moon HUGE. It looks so awesome.

Try selecting the type instead of typing in the number ( I'm assuming that's what you're doing). It's like the 11th choice in the drop down menu I think.
I bet the extra large moon DOES look cool

To go a little OT here, but still partly relevant,
The real-time update thing works for most graphic elements (specifically their definition tables (.ini .layo)) that are non-cached, so you can make on-the-fly changes to shadows colors, lights, water color, etc. as well as making changes to the UI. The difference with the UI though, is that you have to refresh the node when you make changes (i.e. if you are in a tab in CAS, then you change its layout, you then have to swap to a different tab and swap back to see the changes; if the change is in one game mode's main UI/HUD then swap modes, etc).

The only catch is that the package containing the mod must exist in the mods folder prior to loading the game; so you can't make a new mod package with a ini/layo change and drop it in while the game is running and expect it to auto-update.

I got it working, I had to re-edit the details a couple times until it said "_ini" and then the numbers in the "type" box(the editable one, it still said 0x0 in the S3PE details one).

:D

I'd better list this as a possible bug then.

by "details one" i mean the main page, yknow what I mean. Where it lists type and instance and name and etc. It still said 0x0000~ even after I managed to get it to say _ini 0xblahblahblahba in the window that pops up when you go to open the ini to begin with,.

I've tried to make a package with my cloudy sky, but it didn't work

I've followed these steps:
1) Open S3PE.
2) Tools > FNV Hash
3) Put your filename without the .ini part in "Text to Hash" - "CameraFade" is the mod you're doing. Hit Calculate.
4) Copy the value under FNV64.
5) File > New
6) Resource > Import > From File. You will have to change "Files of Type" to "All Files" here. Select your INI.
7) In the box that comes up, change type to: 0x1F886EAD
8) Leave Group the default of 0x000000
9) Paste your FNV64 you copied into the Instance box. Leave the rest of the settings the default and click OK.
10) Save your file as a package, drop it in Mods\Packages, and test it in-game. Make sure to restore the regular INI file so you know it's your package doing the changes in-game and not the INI.

But when I open the game, nothing is changed...
This is annoying...

Which sky file are you modding? Can you show a screenshot of the contents of your package in S3Pe, so that we can see the instance and type?

Also, bear in mind that if you are modding a single weather type (partly cloudy, for example) then you may not see that weather type often. The frequency depends upon what you have the probability weights set to. You could try this mod to switch the weather in your game:
http://modthesims.info/d/481816

Oh, thank you very much!

I changed Sky_Clear1, Sky_Clear2, Sky_ClearSky and the clouds ini of each weather.
Once, it worked, but changing directly the ini files, and not the mod:


After the first time, it stopped work, so I think to make a mod, but nothing is changed..
These are the job in s3mpe with type and instance:

They look very pretty!

So, you've modified the cloud layer for four of the weather types (Clear, Partly Cloudy, Overcast and Stormy).

I can't see anything wrong with how you've imported them into the package file from your image. So, if they are not showing up in-game, there must be something that is either wrong with your settings, or else with your package file installation.

Just to verify, your other mods work? If you don't know how to verify this, then download our framework and check whether the intro and build sparklies still show:
http://modthesims.info/wiki.php?tit...Setup_and_Files

If that's all set, then you know your package should work, so we need to look at your file.

Things to consider- if you have the probability weights (in the Sky_[weathertype]Sky ini files) set to default, then clear and partly cloudy may show up, but overcast and stormy will almost never show up.

If you have your weather randomization interval set to default (Skycommon ini) then the weather will randomize every 8 hours, and if your probabilities are default then you will likely have the same weather rolled again! So you may want to tweak these figures to test.

Cmomoney's mod that I linked above is very useful for testing your weather, it is the only way I know of for changing weather type on demand in-game.

Also- are you sure that you aren't seeing the weather in-game? There is a known EA bug where the cloud layer will sometimes not load correctly (it exists in all worlds, EA and custom).
http://twitter.com/SimGuruGraham/st...066072411516928
This makes the sky look like this when it should really look like this. The only way I can find to fix this is to play your world for a few sim hours, then save it, exit to main menu and reload. If that still fails, you may need to reboot the game and reload the save, sometimes I find that deleting the caches and world caches can help too.

If you are sure that your weather isn't showing up, perhaps you could attach the package file for me to look at (or you could PM it to me if you prefer)?

Another note- if you want to make custom weather just for a single world, you may like to look at this:
http://modthesims.info/showthread.php?t=459198

Wow, thank you!!! :D

Yes, the other packages work, but I hadn't the Overrides folder, nointro and NoBuildSparkles files, and my resource file was obsolete!
But the mod still doesn't work...

I think could really be the bug that you quoted above, because the clouds are disappeared also in Travel A. worlds :'(

Yes, sure I attach the package here!