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Lab Assistant
Original Poster
#1 Old 8th Nov 2018 at 2:37 PM
Default Finding the Medator_Instance_Name for specific objects
Hello everyone!

If it were to present me in real life, I would begin with my name, but now, as I am on a site, my username, as you can see, is TheThirdWizard, and I am just another humble noob who is currently trying his hand at merging a few mods together.

How I got into playing TS3 is a long story that I'll keep for later. All you may want to know about me is that I have migrated from TS4 (which I absolutely hate right now) to TS3, that I am an incurable mod addict and that I have 6 years of experience with C++ coding, but I'm still looking to learn something new about computers in general everyday.


Anyway, now I am looking for some , if anyone would be kind enough to offer it to me.

I was trying to use KittyTheSnowCat's Inventing Revamp mod as a base for my project, to then add back the default EA inventions that Kitty too out of his mod, and then to see if I like the changes found in the Power Inventor mod by Shimrod and eventually add in a couple of those, and then make any other changes that I wanted in between, all of those for personal use. I thought to not share it because the resulting mod will be more like a remix of others' work rather than my own work.

Sooo, exactly like Kitty tried to do, my wish is to make the inventing skill slowly evolve in time, by gradually unlocking more futuristic items from the EA store and ITF, but I would like to fine-tune it to my standards.


My problem is that I have troubles finding the <Medator_Instance_Name> for the time portal. I have read a few tutorialson XML modding, but I still haven't managed to understand how to find it in the GameplayData.package.

Could you please help me, please? I would specifically like to know how to find the instance name myself, so I won't stress you with questions on any item that I might want to add.
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Alchemist
#2 Old 8th Nov 2018 at 9:41 PM
Hello

For starters, it looks like you've found the file that you need to edit - namely, the Inventing XML, instance ID 0xA3B185C555C7A9F7 within GameplayData.

Looking through it for a bit, it seems to have a structure similar to the file governing the objects sims can purchase using festival tickets (a mechanic that came with the Seasons EP).
I made a mod adding several more items to the list of buyable objects, here: http://www.modthesims.info/download.php?t=613509
At the end of the description there's a guide on how to add your own items to the list, including custom content.

Long story short: if you use S3OC to look up the portal, the name you need should be in the Resource field to the right of the window. I attached a screenshot showing one of the widgets as an example.

Within S3OC, I went to Tools \ Search, and in the search field I copy/pasted the name of the object (in this case "widgetDrinkingLlama"), ticking the Resource Name field.
Finally, from the Kind of Object drop-down menu select "Normal Object", and hit Search. It can take some time, and when your file is found, click on it in the list and you will see the stuff in the screenshot

Now, I don't have the Into The Future EP, so you will have to locate the file yourself, but I'm guessing that searching for "portal" will be enough to find it.

ETA: looking at the Inventing file, there are two sections to it: items that can be invented, and items that can be detonated! And for the inventions, there seems to be this line of code:
Code:
<EPVersion>Store</EPVersion>

I'm not sure if it's relevant, but if you want to add items that aren't from the Ambitions EP you may need to adjust this field to the number of your EP e.g. EP11 for ITF.

ETA2: please make sure you're not working directly on the XML in the GameplayData package! Extract it somewhere else, start a new project in S3PE, reimport it there, and edit that version. In case something goes wrong, you don't want to have to reinstall the entire game
Screenshots

Tumblr - more downloads! ◾ CC reuploads / creator backupsTS3 CAS Conversion Catalog - for basegame, EP, SP, and Store clothing!
Field Researcher
#3 Old 9th Nov 2018 at 8:03 AM
Hi,
I made a tutorial about this some time ago, sadly the forum I posted in on crashed..
The best way to find the Medator instance is by using S3OC. Most of the time they have the same name their as in the game.
Since editing the XML and then reloading the game is super annoying I advice to use Nraas DebugEnabler to find the right name.
Click on the ground somewhere in game choose NRAAS-> DebugEnabler_> Options-> Create Object then type in the MedatorInstance you think it is for example ubertoilet followed by a comma and the ep version, which as you can see in my Mod is BaseGame, EP2... Store. So in this example ubertoilet, Store.
If the Medatorinstance and the EPversion are correct the object appears. Otherwise it is a white cube. This way you can test through your whole list.
If you cannot find out the Medator instance another possibility is to just make one. In the end it is just a hash pointing to an object.
Arsil added a great tutorial to his generic foodmaker description, so I won't repeat it. The part where he talks about creating your own NGMP entries, is the part that is interesting to you. With that you can add objects where EA got to creative with their naming or CC objects that never had an entry in the first place.
Sorry for the formating I don't have much time right now, I hope it is helpful.
By the way the instance for the portal is portal with EPversion EP11.
Lab Assistant
Original Poster
#4 Old 9th Nov 2018 at 12:25 PM
Big thanks to both of you!

It seems that I was on the right track, but I only got a bit blocked at the finding objects part. I have already started working with a copy in case I mess up with something and I've already backuped the GameplayData.package somewhere else besides my game files too. I have also already considered changing the <EPVersion> value too. But thank you for warning me about those important steps. Anybody makes mistakes, especially people with less experience like me.

I now think that I will manage to find any object that I might want to, using either S3OC or DebugEnabler or both. I think I'll start with S3OC only since I currently have some issues with my game when switching to other programs while the game is running.

Although I've noticed that I can change the detonation data too, I think I won't change it for now, because I can already detonate the most common objects, and also detonating is not an important gameplay aspect for me, so being able to detonate less things doesn't bother me that much.

Also thank you for mentioning the tutorials and taking your time to explain me part of what I need to do. I have no other questions for now, but when I'll have any, I'll make sure to ask them before making my game explode!
Field Researcher
#5 Old 9th Nov 2018 at 1:54 PM
Just to make this clear:

The names in S3OC are not always the Medator_instance. Sometimes EA got a bit creative. Which is why, before you change your XML and then test your Mod and have your Sims invent lots of failure objects, you should test your Medator_instances with DebugEnabler.
Sometimes it is something similar and can be guessed. Sometimes it is not, in that case you need to make an NGMP entry yourself.
Lab Assistant
Original Poster
#6 Old 13th Nov 2018 at 2:23 PM
Well, you definitely made it clear to me! I will remember to check the names using DebugEnabler before putting them in the XML. Thank you!
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