New "Write Novel" covers

[MogHughson]

This mod is almost finished. I'm just ironing out one remaining problem when the game is ended and restarted the books forget their covers. As always my first draft of the text for the upload follows, and I am interested in general feedback, as well as specific feedback on the listed quirk. Do people think that it is usable that to replace the 9 icons, the game has to be stopped and started?

N.B. The call for extra textures is part of the draft text, I don't quite want any yet! Wait until it gets approved!

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This mod allows new novel covers to be chosen for the "Write Novel" interaction available on computers and on my manuscript object.

http://thumbs2.modthesims2.com/img/3/1/8/4/3/5/MTS2_MogHughson_1134000_DialogWithNewIcons.jpg

Maxis has limited this dialog to only allow 9 cover icons. However, this mod allows you to have a different 9 icons each time you start the game by changing the icon set package in your downloads folder and any previously written novels that were created using a different set of icons remain with their correct covers.

This mod is made up of a central package 'novel-covers-Mog-20100822.package' which controls the textures applied to novel covers. Once you have created novels with new (non-Maxis) covers this package should not be removed from your Downloads folder or the covers will revert to a Maxis one.

In addition to the central package, there are a number of icon set packages. Initially there is only one, but the intention is that we can have lots of covers, and thus will need lots of icon sets because of the 9 icon limit on the dialog.

Known Quirk
The existing Maxis novels all have their own identical mesh which seemed wasteful to me, however it does mean that the icon when you put "read novel" in a Sim's interaction queue, has the correct cover. For the new covers, in order to save download space, they are just new textures, so the icon in the interaction queue will be the reference book for all of them.

Expanding this mod
Now I am really not very good at texturing. The textures I have used for the first set belong to plasticbox and come from her Recolors for BibloFile and CinderBook books.
http://thumbs2.modthesims2.com/img/3/1/8/4/3/5/MTS2_MogHughson_1134001_TheBooks.jpg

I would welcome any expert texturers who would like to see more novel covers, to get in touch. Unfortunately, it's not quite as easy as just providing a recolour of an object since the main package must be updated and the icon sets must also be done, so there can be only one object to do this. So, to have your novel covers be part of this, there are two templates provided on the download page for you to colour in and send back to me to include in the package. One for the novel once created and one for the dialog icon. If you have enough covers to make a whole set of 9 then great, I will group them together as a complete set. If you don't, I will group them with any others provided to make up sets of 9 where possible. Massive credit will of course be given to all novel cover artists. I see this mod as enabling you to get your covers out there for all Sims to write!

[lucy kemnitzer]

I think I might have trouble with the fact that you can only switch out the covers between play sessions -- just that I might not bother to do it very often, though I do massage my download folder kind of a lot.

On the other hand, the fact that previous novels will keep their covers is a tremendous plus for me and might inspire me to fiddle with it.

[Gwenke33]

I did not actually expect the ability to increase the number of book covers available at any one time, so for me, this is as good as it gets.
I guess it is like with the default painting replacements - those can also only be changed after quitting the game. So you don't change them all the time, but it's great that you can change them when you want to!
All in all, I would love this mod despite the "quirk", as long as books do not forget their cover.
And do post recolouring templates :)

[lientebollemeis]

I think it's a nice idea. Just one thing: I guess in game you can't choose between more than 9 covers at once? It would be nice to just add the covers and have a choice between let say 20 covers at once.

[MogHughson]

The game doesn't allow for more than 9 cover icons in the dialog - I can't change that. I propose to let you have as many covers as you want in game at the same time, but the dialog can only offer 9 at any one time. Sorry I didn't explain that clearly.

[Lavaster]

Well, having to remove and then put back the covers in my downloads folder would get REALLY annoying..

[MogHughson]

The covers will never have to be removed and put back - only the icons you wish to see in the dialog.

I do get the impression though that if I were ever to upload this mod I would get so many complaints about the fact that the icons can't be changed without stopping and restarting the game that it really just wouldn't be worth it.

The number of icons on show at once is something that cannot be changed.

[leesester]

Hi Mog - I think its pretty clear that we can only have 9 icons at once - what you are offering is a lot more than EA/Maxis gave us for options and I realise that you cannot change the way the game itself is coded. I think that this would be a cool mod for people who would like to have lots more variation in book covers, though I agree that opinion seems divided. Its like a baby clothing mod - you only get one suit at once - and have to swap in the DLs folder. Those are pretty popular, and your mod has the advantage that already dressed "babies" (books) get to keep their "suit" (cover).

I for one would like to have this mod.

I have several anygames set up on my PC - this is a handy trick if you want to have different themed hoods - and so this idea of different covers per downloads folder per game set up is in fact perfect for that style of play.

[lauratje86]

I agree with leesester - I think that this would definitely be worth having, and I'd use it in my game for sure!! You're probably right though, a lot of people who say things like "OMG why won't all 27 icons show up in my game at once!!!!1!!!!1!!?" (like they do for stuff like the baby clothes replacement) but I'm sure a lot of people would understand it and would appreciate it! Given that books keep their covers even if you swap the icons out I don't see that it would be a huge problem, and would allow for lots of variation in novel covers, which can only be a good thing :-) Some of my prolific novel writing sims have written several novels with the same cover - I would love for that to not be necessary anymore!! :-D

I would definitely make use of this mod :-D And if you do upload it I'd like to have a go at making some new textures for it too, it looks like fun :-)

[JasonXHowe]

It's been awhile since the last post...I'm guessing you decided not to upload? I've been searching for this type of mod for several months now as I am getting tired of the same old covers...!

[Emerence]

Did you upload this? I've been looking for a mod like this.