Mod The Sims - MTS2 Mesh Tool FAQ & Help thread (old thread)

Want to order The Sims 3: World Adventures Expansion Pack and help the site out? Click here to order it from our Amazon.com store!

MTS2 Mesh Tool FAQ & Help thread (old thread)

Page 1 of 20

Next >

Last »

Jump

Search this Thread

30th Jan 2005, 02:40 AM	MTS2 Mesh Tool FAQ & Help thread (old thread) # 1
Miche Original Poster Nearly alive Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 808 Thanks: 1264 in 14 Posts	This thread is way out of date.... look for the newest meshtool tutorials or the newest meshtool thread for info..... -- end edit by Tiggerypum April 2006 --- Ask your questions about the mesh tool in here. Please read the FAQ thread before asking a question here. Where can I download the Mesh tool program from? Follow the link on the mesh tool`s site: http://meshtool.modthesims2.com/ Where do I start? Try reading http://katiestuff.com/yss/read/?read=modapps (thanks yggdrasil) Can I use it to make new body/hair meshes? You can`t make completely new body or hair meshes at this time, you can however make some changes to existing body/hair meshes from the game. What file formats does it support? The mesh tool ONLY supports OBJ files. You will need to export or convert other file formats (max 3ds ma etc) into OBJ before using the Mesh Tool. Can I make new animations with it? Not at the current time, not enough is known about the way in which animations work. We are currently working on this. Where is the export button in Simpe, to export a mesh to a OBJ file? you need to download Delphy`s mesh extracter from : http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=32166 If you have any problems with getting this to work, please read the whole thread and ask your questions in there, not in the Mesh tool help thread I`ve got my new object into the game, but it doesn`t animate like the original version did. What`s wrong with it? If you used the "new object wizard" feature of the mesh tool, then objects created that way will not be animated (we are currently working on this). To allow a object to still be animated , you need to modify a existing object and import it back by treating it as a modified object in the mesh tool (ie not using the wizard feature). Do I need to know how to use SimPE (or Datgen) to be able to use this? Yes, you must extract the gmdc file from a package using SimPE and then replace the new one back into the package. Can I make changes to the way a sim behaves with a object using this program? No, this is only used for changing the graphics of a object, you must use SimPE or some other tool if you want to change anything else. What 3D program do you recommend? Everyone has their own favorites, so it`s not easy to recommend one. Some popular/common ones are Maya, 3ds studio max, Lightwave, gmax, Milkshake, blender. A very good comparison of them is at http://katiestuff.com/yss/read/?read=3d (Thanks yggdrasil) What is the difference between the mesh tool and the milkshake plug-ins ? The milkshake plug-ins are written by Wes_h, and are a great easy to use way of importing objects into the game, if you use Milkshake. (currently all animation data on a object is lost if you use the plug-ins to import a object, but Wes is close to adding support for a least some of this data to be kept/created/edited. ) The Mesh Tool is written by Delphy and myself, and takes a different aprroach (but shares the same goals) to the Milkshake plug-ins, it is a stand alone program which coverts 3d formats (currently only the OBJ file format, but this will soon change) into the format the game uses. It also allows some changes to be made to existing objects from the game, while keeping the animation data intact. So some changes can be made to body meshes and hair styles. We too will be adding more animation support soon. So they are both ways to get new objects into the game, they just take slightly different approaches. The Mesh Tool says I need vertex normals That is correct. You must have these and texture coordinates. If it comes up with an error saying you need these - DO NOT ASK US FOR HELP! This is a setting specific to your 3d program. If you cannot find the setting yourself, check the settings, or program forums. I've made a new hair or body mesh, what do I do with it? Hair and body meshes can ONLY be imported into the game if you first export the original, modify the vertices and reimport with ONLY the vertices. You MUST go into Settings in the Mesh Tool and deselect everything except vertices if you are attempting this kind of import. My object is appearing very dark If you are going through the wizard, and get a warning about not having vertex normals, and just click through the next stage, this can cause the problem. Wait for the next version to fix it The background of the Mesh Tool is very dark Change your Windows Application background colour or colour scheme to a lighter one. I can't click Next in the wizard! Whats up? Have you made sure you are loading the correct filetype? (OBJ) Are you clicking on the word next properly? Why can't I click on create SHPE and GMND files? It's greyed out These are currently disabled in this version. Why can't I do X? Have you read all the FAQs? Read them again Also check http://forums.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=41903 My object is flashing blue, or the original object still appears! Help! Please read http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=42014 I don't get the Export to OBJ button in SimPE Please see the Optional download on the meshtool download page and READ the first post in that thread. http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=32166 Can I use it to make objects for a pay site? Yes we have decided that objects created with it can be placed on pay sites. As long as some type of credit, in the release notes of any object created with it, is given that is was created with this program and includes a link back to our program, and that our program itself is not added to any other site, and is only available from here (www.modthesims2.com)
	Last edited by tiggerypum : 8th Apr 2006 at 06:35 PM.

30th Jan 2005, 02:47 AM	# 2
Guest Posts: n/a	Do you really want to open that can of worms in here. I have a thousand questions, but it might take a year to answere all of them in this format. LOL just kidding, but nice of you of you to ask.

30th Jan 2005, 02:53 AM	# 3
Miche Original Poster Nearly alive Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 808 Thanks: 1264 in 14 Posts	The questions are going to be asked (if I like it or not), so I`d rather they all be asked in one thread, rather than a seperate thread for each question.

30th Jan 2005, 02:58 AM	# 4
SimWizard2 Test Subject Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 13	Can we download the Tortue device that was in the previews, the Rack?

30th Jan 2005, 03:01 AM	# 5
Miche Original Poster Nearly alive Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 808 Thanks: 1264 in 14 Posts	Thats up to the person who made it, to release.

30th Jan 2005, 03:06 AM	# 6
Guest Posts: n/a	At last word, I thought it would be a few days befor I could get my hands on this little gem. . . . Give me a day, and I sure I can find a logical question or two. Thanx again to Delph and company. Your efforts have not gone un-noticed.

30th Jan 2005, 03:21 AM	# 7
WDS BriAnna Lab Assistant Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 170 Thanks: 2481 in 4 Posts	How do you clone clothes and hair (or are they in ow and I just can't find them?) You guys sooo rock. BriAnna
	Last edited by Miche : 30th Jan 2005 at 03:34 AM. Reason: I clicked wrong button.

30th Jan 2005, 03:33 AM	# 8
Miche Original Poster Nearly alive Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 808 Thanks: 1264 in 14 Posts	You can`t really clone them, you have to extract all the required files and then place them in a package and then change the links between the files and other details. I`m not really sure how the beta testers mangaed it in the end, but I know they had problems to start with working out how. Maybe one of them can reply and answer your question better.

30th Jan 2005, 03:34 AM	# 9
WDS BriAnna Lab Assistant Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 170 Thanks: 2481 in 4 Posts	Ah. I'll try figuring it out. Thanks so much.

30th Jan 2005, 03:40 AM	# 10
Delphy The Spatula Of Purity Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 7,306 Thanks: 35819 in 112 Posts View My Journal	You can also grab the modified social bunny or the mini skirts and look at the packages to see how they did it.

30th Jan 2005, 03:48 AM	mesh tool # 11
seresv Lab Assistant Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 68 Thanks: 6 in 1 Posts	First off is it out, am if so where can i download .

30th Jan 2005, 03:52 AM

# 12

Miche

Original Poster

Nearly alive
MooMoo Award Winner

Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 808
Thanks: 1264 in 14 Posts

Quote:

Originally Posted by seresv

First off is it out, am if so where can i download .

You can find the link , in the FAQ thread.

30th Jan 2005, 04:03 AM	# 13
ThomasRiordan Lab Assistant Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 184 Thanks: 82 in 3 Posts View My Journal	First off thank you guys so much for all your hard work. I've followed the tutorial and did a quick object which appears fine in the game but the catalog picture shows up blank. The textures show up right it's just missing a catalog picture. Any clue what may cause this? Also my object has 2 meshes and the shape data has 6 files. Two I replaced with my mesh and the other ones are shadows I believe. Is it safe to just delete these?

30th Jan 2005, 04:09 AM	# 14
Miche Original Poster Nearly alive Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 808 Thanks: 1264 in 14 Posts	Not sure why the catalog picture isn`t showing up, this normally happens when the object doesn`t show up. As for the shape entries , if they are no longer used, then yes it should be okay to delete them, or just leave them in as long as they aren`t linking any meshes with MATD files (which actualy exist) they shouldn`t do any harm.

30th Jan 2005, 04:18 AM	# 15
Paper Test Subject Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 8	Ok, I have a question having to do with Blender3d. Whenever I try to export something to the .obj format, it doesn't seem to save and I still get the standard toilet popping up whenever I load it. Would someone that has used Blender before tell me what I'm doing wrong or direct me to a tutorial?
	Last edited by Paper : 30th Jan 2005 at 04:22 AM.

30th Jan 2005, 04:24 AM

# 16

Miche

Original Poster

Nearly alive
MooMoo Award Winner

Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 808
Thanks: 1264 in 14 Posts

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paper

Ok, I have a question having to do with Blender3d. Whenever I try to export something to the .obj format, it doesn't seem to save and I still get the standard toilet popping up whenever I load it. Would someone that has used Blender before tell me what I'm doing wrong or direct me to a tutorial?

you might want to see if anyone else has had the same problem in the blender forums
http://www.blender.org/modules.php?...pBB2&file=index

or ask in there.

30th Jan 2005, 04:35 AM	# 17
kyjj911 Lab Assistant Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 174 Thanks: 540 in 5 Posts	when u rextexure the new object, will the template be changed?

30th Jan 2005, 04:40 AM

# 18

ThomasRiordan

Lab Assistant
Creator

Join Date: Sep 2004
Posts: 184
Thanks: 82 in 3 Posts

View My Journal

Quote:

Originally Posted by Miche

Not sure why the catalog picture isn`t showing up, this normally happens when the object doesn`t show up.

As for the shape entries , if they are no longer used, then yes it should be okay to delete them, or just leave them in as long as they aren`t linking any meshes with MATD files (which actualy exist) they shouldn`t do any harm.

Now it is showing up and I have no clue what I did to fix it. :werd: Oh, well it was a test object anyways.

30th Jan 2005, 04:55 AM	# 19
Saikatsu Lab Assistant Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 115 Thanks: 263 in 4 Posts	I can't even get to the part where I use the Mesh Tool. The Export to OBJ button flat out isn't there, and I AM using the newest version of SimPe. I've tried 014f and 014h, the button doesn't show up.

30th Jan 2005, 04:55 AM	# 20
MimeWhite Lab Assistant Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 85 Thanks: 6655 in 12 Posts	I have a noob question ..., how do I get the preview picture to show up? *edit oh wait I saw someone already ask about this,,
	+ All MimeWhite's Skins + From thesims2.com
	Last edited by MimeWhite : 30th Jan 2005 at 05:28 AM.

30th Jan 2005, 04:59 AM	# 21
Nemi Lab Assistant Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 128 Thanks: 2186 in 21 Posts	I've gone over the tutorials several times now but the old object is still showing up. :confused: What do I do?

30th Jan 2005, 05:03 AM	# 22
rosiedogsim Lab Assistant Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 142 Thanks: 184 in 2 Posts	Really happy the tool is out...you people are the best! :clap: Question: Will this process allow application of transparent textures? (such as Oberkorn's "Fire Crystals")

30th Jan 2005, 05:06 AM	# 23
seresv Lab Assistant Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 68 Thanks: 6 in 1 Posts	So does this mean we can have anatomically correct males. If so get the clinking.

30th Jan 2005, 05:06 AM

# 24

Nemi

Lab Assistant
Creator

Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 128
Thanks: 2186 in 21 Posts

Quote:

Originally Posted by Saikatsu

I can't even get to the part where I use the Mesh Tool. The Export to OBJ button flat out isn't there, and I AM using the newest version of SimPe. I've tried 014f and 014h, the button doesn't show up.

You need this.

http://forums.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=32166

"Studies show that 60% of the time, it works every time."

30th Jan 2005, 05:10 AM

# 25

Saikatsu

Lab Assistant
Creator

Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 115
Thanks: 263 in 4 Posts

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nemi

You need this.

http://forums.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=32166

Haha, I KNEW I had to be missing some sort of file, but it wasn't mentioned on the tutorial page. Thanks. <3 Now I can do stupid things like make penguin statues, or make a decorative object out of the Zora Sapphire I modeled back in 12th grade... or other junk I did in 12th grade cause it was done in 3DS.

EDIT: Now... I just have to figure out where one gets the plugin for 3ds5 to import from OBJ format. Blasted thing.

Last edited by Saikatsu : 30th Jan 2005 at 05:15 AM.

Page 1 of 20

Next >

Last »

Jump

Section jump:

All times are GMT +1. The time now is 07:47 AM.