I'm attempting to recreate a TS1 style scene in Maya, and I'm looking for the 3D models of the sim characters specifically. I understand the 2D sprites thing with the objects, not concerned with those as I will attempt to make replica models based off the images available. It would be cool to get the actual model (obj. file?) of a character, doesn't have to be too specific although both male and female would be ideal. I'm not looking to repurpose the models, but use them as reference for poly count/distribution. I intend to build one from scratch, and I want it to look like it came right out of the game. Images of the 3D wireframes would work just as well if they're out there, as I just need to see how the polygons are organized. If someone has gone over this somewhere already I apologize, but I've been searching through google as well as the threads of this website, and have yet to find what I'm looking for. If I have to download TS1 in order to get into those files then so be it, but I'd rather not as I've read about issues/crashes with newer systems.

Hello @sawyr
I would like to help and do have The Sims installed on this Windows 7 desktop.
For The Sims to work, you have to uninstall Windows Update KB3086255 then hide it, and simply run The Sims as Administrator.
Do you know the location on the C Drive where I would find the files you are looking for?
I confess I am only familiar with UserData for copying lots/residents to import to new neighbourhoods. Most of the files I am seeing are IFF. Should I be looking in The Sims Creator?

Hm not familiar with The Sims Creator, I did a quick search for where they might be located in the directory, but all I found was C:\Program Files (x86)\Maxis\The Sims\Gamedata\Objects being the location of objects, but I feel like the sim characters themselves might not be too far off from there.. assuming they're accessible somewhere. I'll keep looking around to maybe find out their directory location, but I think my answer might lie in the .SKN file types. I was aware of these before and thought they were just the "skin" of the sim, but they might actually contain the 3D information as well (mesh,polygons,joints,etc.). So in that case, if you could locate the skn file I think I might have what I need, I just need to use one of the converters out there to import it as an OBJ. file in Maya.

I'd be happy to upload whatever you need, or you can read this tutorial about how to install The Sims 1 on Windows 10.

There's an object in the Objects.far megafile called TemplatePerson.iff. I don't use Maya, so I don't know if a .iff file will give you what you want.

There are also a lot of .cmx and .bcf and .bmf files that control the appearance of the sim's bodies, if a .iff file isn't what you need. But since I don't know what sort of input Maya takes, you'll have to tell me what file suffix works for you.

The skins usually have three components -- a .cmx file, a .skn file, and a .bmp file. The .bmp is just the texture; you don't need that. The .skn file is the mesh, and the .cmx file tells the game how the texture should fit on the mesh.

There are a TON of .skn files, because the clothes and bodies are not separate. :-) If we got you the .skn file for a sim wearing a swim suit, that might come closest to what you want.

The .skn files for heads and bodies are separate. The file for the body includes the feet but not the hands; the hands are a separate file. So if you want two complete sims, you'll need six files -- male head, male body, female head, female body, right hand, and left hand. The mesh files used to just be .skn, but some of the later expansion packs have the mesh files in a .bmf format instead.

Thank you all, I have found a route that works for me. Scholar, looked up to see what .iff files were exactly, but still not sure I undestand what they're for. However, it looks as though the .skn file was the way to go. I downloaded the Skn2obj program and it successfully converted and imported the correct 3D mesh group i was looking for. Only thing is I'll have to locate the other individual components of the body like you said, as the one I had was just the body minus the head,feet, and hands. I'm sure those will be easy enough to locate somewhere. Looks like thesimsresource.com has a lot of stuff, gonna take a gander there.

Glad you have what you need.

The feet, by the way, are part of the body; the hands are separate, but not the feet.