Recolouring Objects with Object Workshop (NEW tutorial)

[Numenor]

>>> TUTORIAL <<<

RECOLOURING OBJECTS with OBJECT WORKSHOP


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SUMMARY
This tutorial explains how to create an additional recolour for a Sims2 object, using SimPE's Object Workshop. This is an alternative, more complete procedure, than the Wizards of SimPE (http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=86424): the Wizards only work with Maxis objects, and doesn't let you to edit anything else than the textures, while the Object Workshop can be used for recolouring custom objects, add transparency to textures and many other things.
NOTE: in the pictures, the RED references are related to the tutorial, while the GREEN text and boxes are informative only, and refer to the additional :cool: HINTS and :here: FAQs provided in this post.

:deal: This tutorial is also provided in PDF format. To view it, we strongly suggest to download the Foxisoft PFD Viewer (http://www.foxitsoftware.com/pdf/rd_intro.php): it's free and small, less than 1Mb!
Added Thai translation by Sweetsnut, in RTF format (readable with Windows' WordPad)
Added Italian translation by MaryLou: it can be found in this web page (http://www.marylousims2.it/utility/Tutorial_Recolor_Numenor.htm) (EXTERNAL LINK)
Added Spanish translation by Angelskin, in Word DOC format
Added Norwegian version by Ghostsim: it can be found in this web page (http://www.freewebs.com/dollysdesign/recolouringobjects.htm) (EXTERNAL LINK)
Added Czech version by M-I-A: it can be found in this web page (http://www.web-mia.com/TS2/Tutorials/Jak-vytvorit-recolor-predmetu.aspx) (EXTERNAL LINK - Select the czech flag)
Added Brazilian (Portuguese) version by Topz: it can be found on this forum (http://www.osimbr.net/sistemas/forum/index.php?showtopic=32403) (EXTERNAL LINK - Free registration required)
Added French version by Nan: it can be found in this web page (http://www.sims-fr.com/viewtopic-26884.html) (EXTERNAL LINK)
Added German translation by Magicdawn, in PDF format
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WHAT YOU NEED:

SimPE: get the latest version at sims.ambertation.de; this tutorial applies to SimPE v.50b and newer.
The CEP: get the latest version from the official CEP page (http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=92541); without the CEP, many Maxis object can't be fully recoloured, or aren't recolourable at all.
:alarm: The "Legacy" Nvidia DDS Utilities: get them from this page (http://developer.nvidia.com/object/dds_utilities_legacy.html) (the download link is at the very bottom of the page) and install them, just like any Windows program; then, start SimPE, select the menu Extra / Preferences and fill in the field "Nvidia DDS Tools" with the exact installation path (you can use the "Browse" button to easier find the exact folder where the DDS Utilities are installed).
http://thumbs.modthesims2.com/getimage.php?file=243241


STEP 1 - START OBJECT WORKSHOP
There are different ways to start Object Workshop; the best way is to use the "Object Workshop" button located at the bottom of the screen; if you can't see it, select the menu Window / Object Workshop. (Don't confuse this menu entry with the one located in "Tools / Object Creation": that is a different version of OW that doesn't provide all the features of the main one).
Then click the Start button.
http://thumbs.modthesims2.com/getimage.php?file=158516 (http://thumbs.modthesims2.com/getimage.php?file=158516)
:cool: HINT: Use the "Start" button to recolour Maxis objects; use the "Open" button to recolour custom objects.


STEP 2 - CREATING THE RECOLOUR PACKAGE
When you click the Start button, SimPE loads all the available objects (just wait a minute for SimPE to load them all). When the object list is ready, you can select the object you want to recolour; in this tutorial, we'll recolour the "4by4 Designer Chandelier", located into Lighting -> CeilingLamp. Open the "Lighting" category and "CeilingLamp" sub-category by clicking on the "+" mark, as shown in picture. Then click Next
http://thumbs.modthesims2.com/getimage.php?file=158517 (http://thumbs.modthesims2.com/getimage.php?file=158517)
:here: FAQ: SimPE tries to understand to which EP the object is related, but this feature is still faulty: ignore that information.

After having hit "Next", you are given the choice to recolour or clone the chosen object. The default option is "Recolour": don't change it, just click Start.
http://thumbs.modthesims2.com/getimage.php?file=158518 (http://thumbs.modthesims2.com/getimage.php?file=158518)

The "Save As..." window opens up: choose a suitable name for your recolour package and click "Save".
http://thumbs.modthesims2.com/getimage.php?file=158519 (http://thumbs.modthesims2.com/getimage.php?file=158519)

In the "Subset Selection" window you can choose which parts of the object you want to recolour. NOTE: the "Subset Selection" windows doesn't appear if the object has only one recolourable part.
In this tutorial, we are going to recolour only the "Shade" of the lamp, and therefore you have to uncheck the "Metal" subset; leave checked the "Shade" subset and click "OK".
http://thumbs.modthesims2.com/getimage.php?file=158520 (http://thumbs.modthesims2.com/getimage.php?file=158520)
:here: FAQ: Some objects, like the lamp that we are going to recolour, are multi-state, i.e. they can be clean/dirty, or lit/unlit; in these cases, the subset is composed by two or more textures; this is graphically represented in the Subset Selection window by an orange mark on the texture, reporting the number of alternative textures that the subset is composed of.


STEP 3 - REPLACING THE TEXTURES
In a matter of seconds, the recolour package is created and opened for you to edit.
Select the Plugin button in the bottom of the screen, then select Texture Images (TXTR) in the Resource Tree. In the right part of the window, you'll see two "Texture Image" entries: they are two because, as we have seen, the lamp has two alternative textures, for the "lit" and "unlit" state.
Let's begin selecting the first entry, that refers to the "unlit" texture; as you select it, the actual texture will be displayed in the bottom part of the screen.
Click the Export button.
http://thumbs.modthesims2.com/getimage.php?file=158521 (http://thumbs.modthesims2.com/getimage.php?file=158521)

Save the texture somewhere on your hard disk (you can optionally assign a custom name, but it's not necessary).
http://thumbs.modthesims2.com/getimage.php?file=158522 (http://thumbs.modthesims2.com/getimage.php?file=158522)
:cool: HINT: The best choice is to save the image in .png format, because the alpha channel (that stores information about the texture transparency, if any) will be stored along with the image; but if your favourite paint program doesn't support the .png images, you can save in .bmp format. Note: if you change the format to .bmp, you have to manually add the ".bmp" extension to the filename!

When you have edited and saved the texture, it's time to import it back into SimPE.
Right-click on the image and choose Build DXT.
http://thumbs.modthesims2.com/getimage.php?file=158523 (http://thumbs.modthesims2.com/getimage.php?file=158523)

The DDS Builder window will open up. Click Open and browse to your edited image. Before building the image, check the Format drop-down list, in the DDS window and choose DXT1 format. Then click Build, and your image will be loaded into SimPE, replacing the original one. COMMIT AND SAVE.
http://thumbs.modthesims2.com/getimage.php?file=158524 (http://thumbs.modthesims2.com/getimage.php?file=158524)
:cool: HINT: In the DDS window, you should always check the "Format" field, and choose the most suitable format for your image: the most used formats are "DXT1" for opaque images (that do no have any transparecy) and "DXT3" (for images with transparency) The other formats are rarely used: select them only if you have a specific reason for doing so.
:new: :cool: HINT: The default option for the "Sharpen" selector is "Smoothen"; in most cases, you will get better results changing it to "None".
:here: FAQ: Why should you use the DDS utilities, instead of the easier "Import" button? Because the DDS utilities, in most cases, ensure a better looking result (the "Import" button uses a compression routine that tends to lose details, thus creating inaccurate textures); this is mostly true with transparent textures. Moreover, the DDS utilities let you import images with different sizes than the original one, which is impossible with the standard "Import" function. The only case where the Import is better is when the image has a high contrast and very neat separation between the different colours (e.g. cartoons, logos...)


Repeat the step 3, replacing the second texture in the package, the one used for the "lit" state of the lamp. When editing it, remember to make it a little brighter that the "unlit" one. Import the edited image into SimPe using the DDS utilities, as explained above. COMMIT AND SAVE again.


The recolour is finished :)
Copy the package into the downloads folder and fire up the game: your brand new colour option will be available in the Buy Mode catalog, when selecting the "4by4 Designer Chandelier" ceiling lamp.





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OTHER USEFUL RESOURCES

Designing Beddings (Double and Single) (http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=85298) - Beginner Level - by Tiggerypum
Recolouring object with Wizard of SimPE (http://ambertation.de/simpeforum/sims2/Wizards-of-SimPE-Recolors) - Beginner Level - by DeeDee (at SimPE site)
Enabling transparency on textures (http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=79870) - Beginner level - by Mike190870
A broken glass for your windows (http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=39778) - Beginner Level - by Numenor
Creating animated recolours (http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=82395) - Intermediate Level - by JWoods
Understanding the TXTR and the MipMaps (http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=86151) - Intermediate Level - by JWoods

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[Numenor]

:cool: HINT: in the "Subset Selection" window, you should always choose only one subset (i.e. uncheck all the checkboxes but one); if your recolour package contains both subsets, deleting one recolour from the catalogue will cause the other one to be deleted, too.


:here: FAQ: After importing, my texture looks blurry/pixelized/deteriorated! What can I do?
When you import an image into a recolour package, the image is compressed and resized. These two jobs are performed either by the DDS utilities (if you use the "Build DXT" function) or by SimPE itself (if you use the "Import" + "Update all sizes" functions). Usually, the DDS utilities provide a more accurate result, especially with semi-transparent textures. On the contrary, SimPE's internal routines are better for images with neat contours and high contrast.
In some rare cases (for instance, a semi-transparent texture with very neat borders and decors), both system can fail. The best way to solve the problem is to manually resize the images.
Esample: the original texture is 256x256. If you select the TXTR file in SimPE, you will see, on the left part of the screen, the "mipmaps", i.e. the smaller copies of your images that will be used when you zoom out in game.
For a 256x256 image, the mipmaps are: 256x256, 128x128, 64x64, 32x32, ..., 1x1.
http://thumbs.modthesims2.com/getimage.php?file=170844&thumb=1 (http://thumbs.modthesims2.com/getimage.php?file=170844)

You have to load your new 256x256 texture into your paint program and resize it to 128x128, then save it with a different name; than reload the 256x256 image and resize it to 64x64; save it with a different name.
Then go back to SimPE and do the following:

Import the 256x256 image as usual, using the "Build DXT" menu (remember to adjust the format to DXT1 or DXT3, regarding the transparency of the image); commit.
Click the "Import" button; select the 256x256 image; do not "Update all sizes!, just commit.
On the left panel, select the mipmap 128x128; click the "Import" button; select the 128x128 image; do not "Update all sizes!, just commit.
Now select the 64x64 mipmap and do the same. Commit and save.

Note: you don't need to manually resize and import images smaller than 64x64: they are too small to be fully viewable in game.
http://thumbs.modthesims2.com/getimage.php?file=170853&thumb=1 (http://thumbs.modthesims2.com/getimage.php?file=170853)

This way, you can have the best result possible, because the images are resized using the (more accurate) routines of your paint program.

[IgnorantBliss]

I would like to add that you should always recolor the two subsets of an object separately (two different packages), because otherwise, if you delete one of the recolor subsets inside the game, the remaining subset will "break", and it's impossible to know in the game which subsets came in the same package to prevent this.

[Numenor]

Well, in my opinion, recolouring one or both subsets is a choice that should be done on a per case basis. What you say is generally true, and technically it is always possible.
But in some cases the the recolours of the two subsets are aestethically bound: removing one subset would make the other meaningless.
In other cases, both subsets use the same texture (you can spot this because in the "Subset Selection" window, both subsets show the same thumbnail: e.g. all the counters): though is technically possible to recolour them separately, this would lead to a duplicated texture in the game, with the consequent waste of resource and slower loading times.

Anyway, in general your suggestion is good, and I will add it in post #2. Thanks.

[IgnorantBliss]

Well, in my opinion, recolouring one or both subsets is a choice that should be done on a per case basis. What you say is generally true, and technically it is always possible.
But in some cases the the recolours of the two subsets are aestethically bound: removing one subset would make the other meaningless.
In other cases, both subsets use the same texture (you can spot this because in the "Subset Selection" window, both subsets show the same thumbnail: e.g. all the counters): though is technically possible to recolour them separately, this would lead to a duplicated texture in the game, with the consequent waste of resource and slower loading times.

Anyway, in general your suggestion is good, and I will add it in post #2. Thanks.

With some recolors, apparently made with older versions of SimPE, the remaining subset after deleting the other one not only lost its texture, but became undeleteable in the catalog. The only way to remove it from the catalog was to put the original package into the game, start up the game to refresh the catalog, and then exit the game and manually delete the package from your downloads folder.

It's too bad that the extra texture is a burden on the game. That's the only downside to recoloring the subsets separately that I can think of. With newer versions of SimPE, when you delete one subset, the other one remains in the catalog (at least during that game session), but if you try to use it, you get this error texture, black text on a white background, covering the object. At least the remaining, corrupt subset is deleteable, unlike with some older recolors.

[Numenor]

The problem you describe should be related to older non EP-ready recolours; but anyway, I agree that recolouring one subset at time is always safer (and the extra texture is a little burden, after all): I second your suggestion about this (that's why I included this hint in post #2).

[IgnorantBliss]

The problem you describe should be related to older non EP-ready recolours; but anyway, I agree that recolouring one subset at time is always safer (and the extra texture is a little burden, after all): I second your suggestion about this (that's why I included this hint in post #2).

Thank you for adding the hint :). I just wanted to clarify that the second subset didn't just disappear, but might cause a problem, mostly with older recolors apparently, though, I wasn't complaining :D.

[dolldrms1]

Just want to post a quick "thank you" for doing an updated tutorial for OW. One has been needed for quite a while. Even though I know how to use OW I always read new tutorials. I always learn something new, or find my memory refreshed on some issue.

Personally, too, I have been using the Classic GUI, primarily because that is what I have been used to using. It was nice to go through your screenshots using the new GUI. Your efforts are appreciated!

[Numenor]

Yes, my intention is to bring more people toward the use of the new Object Workshop, because the Classic version, and even the OW that is started using the Tools menu in the graphic version, aren't complete: they lack some useful options.

[alex6]

Thank you! I have officialy made my first object with RGiles' tutoril yesterday and I had a hard time with the recolour par. You helped me out! much easier now!

[Numenor]

RGiles' tutorial has been a great tutorial, but things (and SimPe in particular) evolve... :)

[MaryLou]

Yes, my intention is to bring more people toward the use of the new Object Workshop, because the Classic version, and even the OW that is started using the Tools menu in the graphic version, aren't complete: they lack some useful options.

Personally I have been using the Classic GUI too. Thanks for yuor excellent tutorial about th new OW.

Bye
MaryLou

[Loslonelyboys201]

Im trying and im confused. I don`t get it very well but I am at the saving part and I don`t know where to save it. Anyways ill keep trying. So slow! Ill die by the time it finishes! Thanks for the tutorial though. Adios!

[Numenor]

You can save anywhere you like. Only, I suggest not to save directly in the downloads folder: many creators have a "working folder", where you can put the packages, the textures and all the stuff that you need when creating something; and when the package is finished, you can copy it in the downloads folder.

[sublimity]

I followed the tutorial, but when I got to the "Build DXT" step it wouldn't let me select that option

[Numenor]

For the "Build DXT" option to work, you need the Nvidia DDS Utilities: get them from this page (http://developer.nvidia.com/object/dds_utilities.html) and install them, just like any Windows program; then, start SimPE, select the menu Extra / Preferences and fill in the field "Nvidia DDS Tools" with the exact installation path (you can use the "Browse" button to easier find the exact folder where the DDS Utilities are installed).

[XTS]

Thank you Numenor :D
I've subscribed and hope I don't forget it's here so I can go over it later (again) :)
You know me, bad memory issues.

Thank you!
xts

[Numenor]

All users please read the Hints & FAQs (http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?p=839037#post839037) for an alternative, most accurate, method of importing textures.

[Mage]

No matter what method I use, import or build dxt with .png or .bmp images, when I try to make a stained glass window my picture looks great until it is in the game (and until I re-open the package) then it looks blocky and blurry. I've seen pictures of beautiful ones that other people have done and I'd like to make some...

[Numenor]

Would you please post here a zip containing the package and the texture in .png? I'd like to see if some particular textures have problems, and how they can be imported correctly.

[Mage]

Here's one that I still have. I've tried importing the .png with the transparency and also importing the image and the alpha seperately with pretty much the same results.

[Numenor]

Mage, I easily imported the image with the DDS utilities, and the result is good.
Remember that when you use the "Build DXT" menu, you don't have to "Update all Sizes". If you had pretty much the same result either using the Build DXT and using the standard Import functions, then you probably have updated all sizes in both cases.

[Mage]

I'm sure I didn't... Thanks for taking a look at it. Next time I try this I'll pay strict attention to how I do it.

[Mage]

Guess what! I just made some stained gleass windows that turned out great. I honestly don't know what I did differently from all the times it didn't work, but I'm sure I have you to thank for assuring me it could be done and reminding me how. I'm happy. Thanks you.

[Numenor]

There are a lot of things that we do "automatically", almost unknowingly... The error is always behind the next corner! :)
It happened to me, too, countless times...

[Mage]

There are a lot of things that we do "automatically", almost unknowingly...

Lol and if I do it once I'm liable to keep repeating it.

[angelicbunny]

THANK YOU SOOOOO MUCH!!! I'VE BEEN LOOKING EVERYWHERE FOR THIS TUTORIAL!!!
This is sooooo helpful - and the pictures - Great job!!!

[Numenor]

Eheheh! Obviously you were looking on the wrong sites...! :D
LOL! Only joking... ;) You are welcome!

[RachieBoBachie]

I have the DDS Utilities installed, but I still can't click "Build DXT"

But besides that, thank you so much for this tutorial

[IgnorantBliss]

I have the DDS Utilities installed, but I still can't click "Build DXT"

But besides that, thank you so much for this tutorial

Did you point SimPE to the folder the DDS Utilities are installed in? Copying and pasting Numenor's text:

" start SimPE, select the menu Extra / Preferences and fill in the field "Nvidia DDS Tools" with the exact installation path (you can use the "Browse" button to easier find the exact folder where the DDS Utilities are installed)."

[Easier2Run]

I wanted to recolor a rug but I can't find it in Object Workshop.

Great tutorial btw!

[IgnorantBliss]

I wanted to recolor a rug but I can't find it in Object Workshop.

Great tutorial btw!

If you're using SimPE 0.50 or newer and the "docked" Object Workshop, the rugs should be under Decorative and Rugs.

[Easier2Run]

docked?
Sorry, english isn't my first language... I have 0.50 or newer yes, and I've looked under Decorative but it's not there.

[IgnorantBliss]

docked?
Sorry, english isn't my first language... I have 0.50 or newer yes, and I've looked under Decorative but it's not there.

When, in SimPE, you go to Extra and Preferences, and click on FileTable, do you have, under Simple Settings, Include Nightlife Files chosen? Do you have Nightlife installed, and is this a Maxis rug you're trying to recolor?

[crazymonkeyslovesoup]

YAY! Now i can finally upload somethings to this site ^-^ off to make recolors :agree:

[Easier2Run]

It actually says when I click on preferences: "You have installed Nightlife, this means, that SimPE needs to copy a File into your Config folder, in order to remove the Blur. Do you want to continue?"

And I haven't installed Nightlife, I don't even own it. I've pressed NO everytime. And I swear I can't find the rug. Cause it's suposed to be under Decorative and there's only one rug in the original game, right? Maybe two if you count the small one...

But I did have the option to show nightlife and university files checked. I unchecked them but I still can't find the damn rug.

[Easier2Run]

Just noticed that everytime I go to preferences the university and Nightlife file option are checked.
How do I make them stay unchecked??

[IgnorantBliss]

There are no Maxis rugs in the original game, only custom rugs that you must have downloaded, that's why there is no rug section under Decorative for you. In that case, when you start up Object Workshop, instead of clicking Start, click Open, then find the package file containing the rug mesh you want to recolor.

[Easier2Run]

What kind of files should it be when I open them in SimPE? package or something else?

Can I recolor whichever rug I want, or only those where the creator says I can?? Does it matter?

[IgnorantBliss]

What kind of files should it be when I open them in SimPE? package or something else?

Can I recolor whichever rug I want, or only those where the creator says I can?? Does it matter?

Yes, package files. But it may be hard to tell from just the name of the package if it contains the mesh or not. If the creator of the rug has the mesh package available for download separately from recolors, that might be the easiest way. If not, just open the packages related to that rug to see. Recolor packages will only have a texture, Material Definition and Material Override. Mesh packages have a bunch of other stuff, as well, including Geometric Data Container that has the actual mesh. That's the one you want to create a recolor package of.

Some rug meshes might technically be recolorable, but the creator of the mesh doesn't allow recoloring of it for one reason or another. Others might not be possible to recolor at all. You should find what the creator's recoloring policy is. Also, find out if the creator allows sharing the mesh along with your recolor, or if you should link people to the creator's site to download the mesh.

[Easier2Run]

Ok, I think I got it now. Thank you so much for helping!

[Tertsa]

Where i must put this pdf-file?

[IgnorantBliss]

Where i must put this pdf-file?

You can save it anywhere on your computer where you'll find it, for example your desktop, then click on it to open.

[Mage]

What is this? I just made a new door from the Colonial Tract Door. Everything looks fine in the game and it opens and closes as the sims go through the the straight door both ways but only when they go one way though the diagonal. Going the other way through the diagonal the door remains shut and thy walk through the hinges.

[IgnorantBliss]

What is this? I just made a new door from the Colonial Tract Door. Everything looks fine in the game and it opens and closes as the sims go through the the straight door both ways but only when they go one way though the diagonal. Going the other way through the diagonal the door remains shut and thy walk through the hinges.

I think you may have accidentally posted in the wrong thread? I'm not sure what the problem would be, I don't think I've ever cloned that particular door. Maybe that door requires the Mesh Tool or wes_h plugin to keep the animations, I'm not sure. I've only worked with one-tile wide doors so far.

[allupo]

I've done some recoloring in wizards of simpe and am trying my hand at this now. of course, right away I've got a problem/question...

after I select what I want to recolor (Beyond Belief Magazine) and name/save it, the program does its thing - but when its done there are (0) files listed in the resource folder.

Any thoughts on what I'm doing/not doing?

I have all the DDS files and CEP so it's not that...

thanks so much for this tutorial, I can't wait until I actually know what I'm doing.

oh...and here's a question...if I recolor something like the helicopter will it become buyable or will the default helicopter be changed...maybe this is the wrong place to ask...sorry.

thanks again.

[RoxyHearts]

What version of simpe is that? Mine doesn't look the same, but its pretty similar. U think I could still do it?

[IgnorantBliss]

What version of simpe is that? Mine doesn't look the same, but its pretty similar. U think I could still do it?

I think Numenor said he used version 0.50 for the tutorial, but you should get the latest version available, which at the moment is 0.52. It should look the same.

[RoxyHearts]

I think that's the 1 I have, and after I've done everything and I worked correctly, when I right click to do the DXT thing, it doesn't work. Like the DXT thing is faded! Im never going to learn how to recolor... :sadpanda:

[RoxyHearts]

WHY ISN'T IT WORKING TO USE THE BXT!?!? When I right click, its faded!! Any1 have any ideas WHY this isn't working. I'm going crazy!!!!! :gonemad:

[IgnorantBliss]

WHY ISN'T IT WORKING TO USE THE BXT!?!? When I right click, its faded!! Any1 have any ideas WHY this isn't working. I'm going crazy!!!!! :gonemad:

Just give us time to reply :)

Look into the first post and Numenor's instructions on The NVidia DDS Utilities. There is a link where to download them, then you need to install them, and in your SimPE Extra -> Preferences, you need to set the folder where you installed them.

[RoxyHearts]

Ok thanx. I've already made my design. Now, if this works, all I have to do is copy that paste it in my new one. THanks for all the help u've given me today, I relle appreciate it. Have a nice day! :wavegbye:

[RoxyHearts]

Ok, I've downloaded it but WHERE do I save it? In what kind of folder? Cuz when I open it, I saved it in Mydocuments, it's not there after I gone to extras->preferences. I wonder why. Do you know? Plz comment back SOON, u know how impatient I am!!!! haha.

[amberandcarlos33]

I am having a minor problem. None of the default objects are showing up. I can't get past the first few steps. This is what I do: I open the Object Workshop from the Windows menu. I click on the Start button and wait for the objects to load. When it is finished loading nothing shows up. I can't click on anything nor sort anything. I click on the Catalog button and still nothing happens. What am I doing wrong? Do I have to download something? I have CEP downloaded, do I need the DDS Utilities for this to work? I have NVidia are the Utilities separate from this? How do I find out if I already have this installed on my computer? Any suggestions/comments/possible solutions will be most appreciated.

Thanks,
Amber

[ANIMA85]

very nice, i really appreciate this tutorial that you made. im just a begginer and i got a lot of stuff to learn but with tutorials like this i know ill be able to learn faster than i thought. thanx again n hope to see more tutorials like this one.

[Numenor]

Ok, I've downloaded it but WHERE do I save it? In what kind of folder? Cuz when I open it, I saved it in Mydocuments, it's not there after I gone to extras->preferences. I wonder why. Do you know? Plz comment back SOON, u know how impatient I am!!!! haha.

ROXY - You are impatient indeed :)
The DDS file that you download from the Nvidia site is an installer: you can put it wherevere you want (for instance, on your desktop); then, you double-click on it, and the DDS utilities get installed (the installer, by default, will install the DDS utilities in C:\Program Files\Nvidia Corporation\Nvidia DDS Utilities). When finished, you can safely delete the installer from your desktop.
Lastly, open SimPE, go to Extra -> Preferences and fill in the path to the DDS utilities (i.e. C:\Program Files\Nvidia Corporation\Nvidia DDS Utilities, unless you have changed it).


AMBER - When you click Start, the object categories should appear, but they are temporarily grayed out, and you can't click them. If you wait a little more, the categories should turn from gray to black, and become selectable. Have you waited until they got black?

[allupo]

So I've tried to recolor a couple of different objects but after I've selected the object, Simpe saves it but the resource folder shows up as empty.

This doesn't happen with every object, and I have all the utilities I need (I think).

Off the top of my head the objects this has happened with are the DollHouse Doll Accessory and the Beyond Belief and Mode:Live magazines.

Thanks

[Numenor]

Both the objects you mention are not recolourable. You can recolour only the objects that appear in the game catalogue (this excludes the magazine); and even if they appear in the catalogue, they may not have colour options.
If you are unsure if an object has colour options, select it from the catalogue and wait for the description to pop up: if in the description window there are one or more little icons (among which one with a green border), then the object should be recolourable.

Oh, and you need the CEP for some objects to be recolourable. Be sure it is installed, and read the CEP FAQ (http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?p=768284#post768284) with title: "How can I be sure that the CEP is correctly installed", that shows the icons with green border I was saying about above.

[RoxyHearts]

Never mind about that. I got it work with a little advice from my dad ;). Well, I made this beautiful orange crib with little bumble bees but I can't get it onto the game. Like, I know how, but it just wont save as my orange bumble bee thing. If I go to another thing on my recource tree and then go back, the boring dull blue crib bedding comes back! Do u know what might be wrong?

[RoxyHearts]

U see the thing doesn't save into the game as my orange bumble bee, it saves as the blue. I don't know what happened. :duck:

[Numenor]

I think that they are two different problems.
As for the Build DXT window, I've never seen such an odd behaviour (the window that disappears immediately); are you sure that the window gets closed down? Or perhaps it is just placed behind the main SimPE window? Try using the ALT+TAB keys, to see if you can bring the DXT window to the front.

As for the other problem, the recolour that reverts to original, there may be several possible causes: an internal file name badly renamed, an internal reference missing, or even a bug in the CEP...
First of all, you should check that the in the Material Definition, there is exactly the same texture reference in both the "Properties" and the "File List" tabs.
If this doesn't solve the problem, try posting your package in the Repair Center (http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=82084)

[RoxyHearts]

I tried alt+tab, it didn't work. I get the whole DXT window up but after there is a black screen that pops up and then the whole DXT window and the black thing goes away. Is that what ur talking about? I'm not sure I understand the 2nd part tho.

[RoxyHearts]

also, do u see picture under my name?? I put cute piggies there but I can't see them, can u? :(

[Numenor]

No, I don't see any cute piggies... :)

If the DXT thingy doesn't work, use the traditional method:
1) right-click on the image and choose "Import"
2) load the new image (that must have the same dimensions as the original)
3) right-click again on the image and choose "Update all sizes"
4) Commit and save.

As for the 2nd part, if you don't know what I'm talking about, then you should post the package in the Repair Center (post a description of the problem there, too).

[SnowStorm]

RoxyHearts are you committing after you build dxt? And is your texture dimensions powers of 2 ei 256x256 or 512x512 etc.

[Kristainne]

Thanks for the tutorial. I've been wanting to try the object workshop but it always looked too complicated. Your tutorial makes it look like even I could manage it.
Unfortunately I can't get past the first few steps. I can select the object, hit next, and click start on the recolor but when it comes to saving it I get a small dial with a notation to please wait and then nothing. I am selecting the same light fixture in the tutorial. I have the latest SimPE, CEP, Nvida utilities, directX 9. Obviously I'm missing something but can't figure out what. Any suggestions? Thanks.

I uninstalled everything and redownloaded everything and reinstalled. Works!!

[simzfreak235xd]

What is SimPE and how do you get it?

[Mage]

What is SimPE and how do you get it?

SimPE (http://sims.ambertation.de/en/about-simpe/) :)

[simzfreak235xd]

When I right click on the image I am not able to choose 'Build DXT'. :( Please help

[IgnorantBliss]

When I right click on the image I am not able to choose 'Build DXT'. :( Please help

Look into the first post, under the title "What you need", line "c". You need to download and install the DDS Utilities.

[Khaibit]

Just wanted to say Thank you, Numenor ! After 4 month of waiting for my telephone line (arrgh!) finally online again - without a working Nightlife-compatible Simpe I've had some time to play the game :lol:

[amberandcarlos33]

I've done everything above, only used a different item and I don't see a change in the image when I click on "Build" from the DDS Utility Window. I just see the same image. Any ideas?

Thanks.
Amber

[IgnorantBliss]

I've done everything above, only used a different item and I don't see a change in the image when I click on "Build" from the DDS Utility Window. I just see the same image. Any ideas?

Thanks.
Amber

What are the dimensions of the image you're trying to import? What's the image format (like, DXT3, for example)?

[Hunter240x]

PROBLEM: Okay, so I can't even get the DDS Utilities to install. No, I'm not that stupid when it comes to computers :) I followed the link in the first post and downloaded the installer. When I click on the exe file to install the DDS Utilities I get "Preparing to install" and then this error message:

Unhandled Exception
Error Number: 0x80040706
Description: Objects reference not set.
Setup will now terminate.

Any ideas? Thanks.

[Numenor]

I'm sorry, I've never seen that message; and anyway I'm not experienced with such errors... Did you use an account with Administrator privileges? Have you tried to redownload the installer (in case the first copy was corrupted during download)?
Sorry if these pieces of advice are too "basic", but I can't think to anything better :P

[Hunter240x]

Numenor.... no problem, I really didn't expect anyone to know what that error message ment but had to ask just to make sure. Why can't they put them in plain English. I am using an account with Administrator privileges and I have tried redownload the installer. All well, maybe I'll be able to find something on the net.

Edit: Is there another way to do recolorings of custom objects without the DDS Utilities?

[IgnorantBliss]

Edit: Is there another way to do recolorings of custom objects without the DDS Utilities?

Yes, although the texture quality is often lower this way: When you're ready to import your texture, right click on the texture image and choose Import and choose the texture you want (and Open). Then right-click on the imported texture and select Update All Sizes, then click Commit and Save.

[Hunter240x]

Once again, thanks IgnorantBliss. I would like to make higher quality recolorings though, so I'll probably try to figure out what's wrong for a few days. My brother is also going to try to download the DDS Utilities onto the other computer we have and see if he can install them on there. If so, then he thinks he could just upload the folder to an email and send it to me. I personally don't think this will work, but I guess it's worth a try.

EDIT: Okay, I THINK I have the DDS Utilities. I have no idea why my computer is having trouble. It's only a month old and this is twice in the last 18 hours I've had trouble downloading something. I ended up downloading it/installing it on another computer (with no problem). Then I zipped the folder and sent it via email so I could download/unzip it here. So as long as there's no "shared componants" or stuff like that, I should have it. I guess I'll know when I go try to recolor an object... wish me luck. :)

EDIT 2: Okay, tried recoloring and it works (both to Maxis and my own object) so the DDS Utilities must work. And it was so simple... thanks for the tutorial.

[MishNumber1]

Hi,
after downloading the lastest DDS utilities files, I still get no Build option when I right click. I have included a screen shot. Do you have any more suggestions of how I can get it to work?
Cheers for any help :D

[Numenor]

(Answered to Mish by PM)

[kimajjas]

Okay Pulling all of my hair out here, and I have a lot of it. Okay I got as far as import picture back in. for some reason photoshop pro4 wouldnt open a .png file. So I took it into paint and yes it looks like crap but anyway when I go to right click on it the Build Dxt is not clickable so I am screwed up before I really get started. Can someone please tell me whats going on here. I need the rest of my hair.

[kimajjas]

oh yeah I do have the dds files installed.

[IgnorantBliss]

oh yeah I do have the dds files installed.

Have you also pointed SimPE to the folder where the DDS Utilities are installed in SimPE Preferences?

[filipino_boy]

why when i try to go to the page to get the nvidia dds utilities, it says services unavailable? is it because i have a radeon =p

[IgnorantBliss]

why when i try to go to the page to get the nvidia dds utilities, it says services unavailable? is it because i have a radeon =p

Have you tried this (http://developer.nvidia.com/object/dds_utilities.html) link? It works for me. It should not matter whether you have an ATI or nVidia card, the link should work. At least it does now :).

[Halloweenscorpio]

I don't know if this is the right place, but what causes the "newspaper" effect? Where the recolor comes out as numbers on white. I haven't had it happen in ages, but I tried 2x to recolor the 3 tile poster and I still haven't succeeded. I haven't had this problem in a while.

[Numenor]

That happens when the texture can't be found, or it is corrupted.
If you have followed exactly this tutorial, I guess that the problem is not related to a bad reference to the TXTR; probably, there's something wrong with the image itself.
Repeat the "Build DXT" procedure, and be sure that the size of the image is correct (both the width and the height must be powers of two: 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, 128, 256, 512, 1024, ...)

[Lethe_s]

Halloweenscorpio,
I believe the 3-tile poster was the one with the wrong reference
some of the old meshes have a !0X0500 etc missing in the material definition, if I remember correctly
try recolouring a working recolour, since that should have a fixed mat def file
install a working recolour of that poster, then 'open' it with object workshop
you can just select recolour and follow the rest of the procedure

[Halloweenscorpio]

Thank you both, I never actually have done any of the tuts but I will be checking this one out, in case I come across this again. I had noticed it hadn't been happening for a while, now I know why. Thanks again!

[Halloweenscorpio]

Talk about stupid! When I had to reformat last month I never reinstalled the Nvidia utilities. You don't want to know how long I waited for the dss option to come up! I think I need more caffiene.

[jessiejane2103]

i asked this in simpe help and support but nobody will help me and i been reading here and i though maybe you guys can help me im having a problem with simpe when i go to recolor a object lets say the toybox and when it goes to where you export the picture like the template thing in the plugin part the picture is not showing up and i waited and waited on it, i recently unistalled it cause my university game crashed and unistalled every sims stuff on my computer and now my univeristy wont work but i dont mind but only game i have is sims2, do u need univeristy to make it work?, i have the net frame work thing it worked before unitl i had to unistall my game and now it dont work i cant get the export picture to show up, is there another way to do it, it happens on the toybox,paintings and another one but says on the list that they are recolorable, is there a simpe just for sims 2 and one for university thanks for the help

[Numenor]

The Toybox is recolourable only if you have installed the CEP3 (http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=92541). Since you have reinstalled everything, perhaps you have forgotten to install/re-install the CEP.

If you do have the CEP installed, then I can't understand what is happening...
Perhaps it's a problem related to the size of the windows, within SimPE? Try enlarging the lower window (by dragging the horizontal separation line upwards)

[jessiejane2103]

i have installed cep already i never unistalled that but i will try to unistall it and reinstall that, and i think i have done the horizontal thing but i will try thanks for your help

[jessiejane2103]

i reinstalled cep3 and it worked i dont know why i never thought about that lol thank you so much i really appreciate it now i can recolor again lol

[JessicaRitchie]

I've looked around and can't find an answer to my problem and can't figure it out on my own, so some help would be much appreciated.

I have the newest simpe and have been recoloring several of the new meshes, today I went to do some game objects for a bathroom and my game objects don't show up :( I just installed nightlife last week and also have University.
Today I even redownloaded simpe again and it didnt help. The 2 pictures below show my simpe with the objects not showing and also a picture of my preferences, the only folder I added was for the DDS tools, could the others possibly be listed wrong?

Thank you
Jessica

[Echo]

Jessica: Well the path to your nightlife game looks off for one thing, but that may be a language setting. If you installed the English version, then try using the "browse" button and directing it to your nightlife install directory. Typically, it's here:
C:\Program Files\EA GAMES\The Sims 2 Nightlife
When you do that, the "Sims 2 Nightlife" line should change to something like:
C:\PROGRA~1\EAGAME~1\THESIM~4\

[JessicaRitchie]

This is what is shows now Echo, it didnt come up with the little squiggley4 at the end... and also the original showed University as 4 is that correct? and yes it should be the english version, you can see on the left of this photo also that like plumbing and different catagories dont even show.

Jessica

[IgnorantBliss]

This is what is shows now Echo, it didnt come up with the little squiggley4 at the end... and also the original showed University as 4 is that correct? and yes it should be the english version, you can see on the left of this photo also that like plumbing and different catagories dont even show.

Jessica

In the SimPE preferences, which options do you have checked under Simple Settings? Do you have "include original game files" checked?

For me, the folders in the File Table are:
Sims 2 folder: C:\PROGRA~1\EAGAME~1\THESIM~1\
University: C:\PROGRA~1\EAGAME~1\THESIM~3\
Nightlife: C:\PROGRA~1\EAGAME~1\THESIM~4\

[JessicaRitchie]

Thank you Echo and IgnorantBliss :)
I did have include original game checked and tryed putting your settings in but still nothing.
I have no idea what was wrong, but I completely wiped simpe from my puter and redownloaded all again and installed. My settings are at what I had originally (kinda weird) but my objects are now showing!! So I'm a happy camper again :beer: So I have no solution for any one else for this happening except to redo everything again.
But thank you both again for trying to help me out, its very much appreciated.

Jessica

[ville_valo_iz_god]

hello there! i would like some help if thats okay.
first of all, thank you for this, but i dl the four things and it still dosnt work, maybe im just stupid and do not know how to use it though i cant find something i need for the simspe to work for some reason, i THOUGHT i had it

[IgnorantBliss]

Are you talking about Microsoft .NET Framework? You can download it here (http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=262d25e3-f589-4842-8157-034d1e7cf3a3&displaylang=en)

[ville_valo_iz_god]

...nvm i found it! ^,^;; ummm i needed to dl the framework v1.1, god i feel stupid!

[ville_valo_iz_god]

can some one PLEASE help!!! i cant bet it to work for some reason, i cant import it back into SimPE.
I Right-click on the image and Build DXT can not be slected.
what do i do? please could some one send me a message telling me how to fix this??

[IgnorantBliss]

If you're following Numenor's tutorial, he tells you that you need to download and install the nVidia DDS Utilities (http://developer.nvidia.com/object/dds_utilities.html) for this tutorial. See the first post (=the tutorial) in this thread for more information on that. When you have that correctly installed, the Build DXT option will show up.

[ville_valo_iz_god]

so is this a way to like recolour, the DDS i mean, because all i used to do hair and stuff for body show was the *ikky* paint on my computer... and it looked all pixle-ish and it was blurry

[IgnorantBliss]

The DDS Utilities are just a better way to import your textures, you're still going to need a paint program, the DDS Utilities won't do that for you. The DDS is not obligatory, you can just right click on the texture image, choose Import, select your texture, then right-click on the imported image, select Update All Sizes and commit, but with Build DXT you will usually get better looking results.

[SharpeiVampire]

Hey, great tutorial, but where do I download the 'Object Workshop'? o_O

[IgnorantBliss]

Object Workshop comes with SimPE that you can download here (http://sims.ambertation.de/index.shtml).

[SharpeiVampire]

Object Workshop comes with SimPE that you can download here (http://sims.ambertation.de/index.shtml). Oh, well I already have SimPE, so I should have the 'Object Workshop' then right?

((I'm a master with clothing, but totally cluless when it comes to objects))

[IgnorantBliss]

Yes, you should have it, then :). Then see the tutorial for instructions on how to start it up.

[SharpeiVampire]

Yes, you should have it, then :). Then see the tutorial for instructions on how to start it up. OK, thnx. ^_~

[niol]

How to borrow other default textures already in-game?


Upddate after the following IgnorantBliss's post:

Thanks...

[IgnorantBliss]

How to borrow other default textures already in-game?

You could follow the article on the repository (http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=82227) technique, but instead of creating the custom repository object, clone the Maxis object you want to borrow the textures from with all of the cloning options unchecked (you only need it to get the filenames to link to, and this way you'll get the deafult filenames without the usual custom object codes).

[rindude]

Thank you Numenor! I'm brand new to this whole modding thing and your tutorial helped me greatly.

[FadedKisses]

When I went to select Build DXT, it was all grey and I couldn't select it. What should I do now?

[IgnorantBliss]

When I went to select Build DXT, it was all grey and I couldn't select it. What should I do now?

You will have to download and install the DDS Utilities (http://developer.nvidia.com/object/dds_utilities.html). See the first post of this thread again for details on that.

[k os girl]

hi
I tried the tutorial, and did everything (I was making posters) but when I got ingame, the recolours had the maxis texture. Maybe this has something to do with using the "import" button instead of "build DXT"? But the DXT option was garyed out. Aaah! *goes crazy*


(nvm about the DXT bit.... But is the Import button a problem, other than how it looks?)

[Numenor]

If you use the Import button, you have to right-click on the image and choose "Update all sizes", to prevent the problem that you've described.

The "Update all sizes" is NOT necessary when you use the DXT function.

[k os girl]

I just re-did it in dxt (I right clicked build DXT etc...) do I have to update all sizes? Or just make new files?

[Numenor]

NO! If you import the image using the Build DXT, you should NEVER "Update all sizes": it would make your image look worse!

[k os girl]

k.. it still doesn't work, even if I made it dxt...
Should I make new files?

[bkn1978]

Great tutorial!

Got it to work first time, so trying my hand at a different object to recolor and have sumbled upon a problem.

If this has been answered previously I apologise I tried to do a search for my issue first but couldn't seem to find it, anyways here's the problem :

I'm recoloring the maxis wallmount phone, that beige type color ALL the time drives me nuts! (give me options!! heh). Did everything fine and went in to game to check the package. Nice red phone for the wall!!.... with a beige handset?? Have I missed something or is there a specific process needed for certain objects to be recolored such as this?

While I'm posting I'd also like to say thank you to all the people here that take the time to make these tutorials and to help out on the forum, without you people I'm positive I would never even dream of trying to make things in the Sims2 - So once again thank you all!!

[Mage]

Great tutorial!

Got it to work first time, so trying my hand at a different object to recolor and have sumbled upon a problem.

If this has been answered previously I apologise I tried to do a search for my issue first but couldn't seem to find it, anyways here's the problem :

I'm recoloring the maxis wallmount phone, that beige type color ALL the time drives me nuts! (give me options!! heh). Did everything fine and went in to game to check the package. Nice red phone for the wall!!.... with a beige handset?? Have I missed something or is there a specific process needed for certain objects to be recolored such as this?

No, you're ok. Go back into the game. After you buy the new color phone (both wall and table phone have the new option) go into "live" mode for a moment. Then go back into "buy" mode and click on the handset with the "design" tool and you can choose the new color for the handset. The design tool is supposed to look like a ring of fabric samples, I think. It's under the "hand" and "eyedropper" tools.

[Numenor]

k.. it still doesn't work, even if I made it dxt...
Should I make new files?

I'm not sure to understand the problem, but yes, every time you can't fix a package no matter what you try, it's better to start a new package from scratch :)

[lindawing]

Could you explain where to find this tutorial in .pdf form? The introduction says it's available, but I can't find it anywhere. Please help. :-)

EDIT--I found it! Also, I carefully went through the recoloring tutorial while online, and though I was frustrated from time to time due to my less-than-full knowledge of Paint-Shop-Pro, but the simPE tutorial itself was excellent. Thank you.

Linda

[IgnorantBliss]

Could you explain where to find this tutorial in .pdf form? The introduction says it's available, but I can't find it anywhere. Please help. :-)

Linda

It's an attachment at the bottom of the first post as a zip (which contains the pdf).

[bkn1978]

Mage.. Thanks for your reply, you hit the nail on the head!

That was the problem and your solution worked perfectly. I apologise for not replying to you sooner, been a bit of a busy weekend and have been working on my first upload. So once again, thank you :)

[Withhold]

I got problem too. I dont have the build DXT - or what ever - in the list when i click the picture.

[IgnorantBliss]

Did you install the DDS Utilities? Take a look at the first post again, click on the link for those, install them, and set the path to the right folder in SimPE Preferences. Then you should have the Build DXT option :).

[Withhold]

I have them yes. Just doesn't work :/

[IgnorantBliss]

In SimPE, go to Extra -> Preferences. The path pointing to the DDS Utilities has to be set correctly to the nVidia DDS Tool Folder box. If installed to the default location, the path should be C:\Program Files\NVIDIA Corporation\DDS Utilities

[niol]

How to make some invisible recolours?

I just keep on failing to make an invisible recolour...:confused:
I thought I had just to delete the texture. What have I done wrong? How should I do to fix it?

Thanks in advance...

[IgnorantBliss]

No, you should not delete the texture or you're going to have to edit a few other things, as well.

With subsets that do have a texture image, make a transparent image (create a new image with a transparent background and save it as a png), import that into SimPE making sure you're using DXT3 format, because DXT1 can't handle alpha channels. Otherwise import as normal. Then open the Material Definition for that subset and look for the line called stdMatAlphaBlendMode. If that value for that is "none", click on the line and change it to "blend", then commit and save. If it's blend already, you can leave it as a it is.

If the recolorable subset has no texture image, like glass often doesn't, open the Material Definition and find the line called stdMatUntexturedDiffAlpha, then change its value to "0". That should make it invisible.

But you can't remove things like shadows with a recolor like this. For that you'd have to make a new clone of the object.

[niol]

Thanks IgnorantBliss,

I forgot to use DXT3 format when with the texture (:slap: myself) while I did add the "stdMatAlphaBlendMode" = "blend" into TXMT and "stdMatUntexturedDiffAlpha" = "0" when without any texture...

Actually, I prefer the one without any texture coz it's much smaller in size...


Update:

Note:
Numenor(MTS2)_SphereMatte_Moi_stand_nil.rar is the one I'd been editing. This one shows blue flashing in my game.

Numenor(MTS2)_SphereMatte_Moi_stand_GS is a new recolour file without texture but with those 2 lines added /edtied . This one shows characters in-game.

Numenor(MTS2)_SphereMatte_Moi_stand_GA000 is a new recolour file with empty transparent png imported in DXT3 format and without any line added/edited. This one shows up all black in-game.

:confused: still...


Update2 :
I've compared the txmt with a shadow txmt of a cloned Maxis miror and finally got most settings set to an estimated parttern. I've got an invisible recolour of the stand only that the shadow of the stand is still there... Check out the first from the right in the pic.
The file is Numenor(MTS2)_SphereMatte_Moi_stand_GS-nil.rar

In order to silence the stand shadow, have I to add shadow references from the original object, and/or I can simply edit a few settings...?

[IgnorantBliss]

Like I mentioned, you can't edit a shadow with a recolor. The outdoor shadows are formed automatically according to the shape of the mesh. To remove the shadow for the stand, you'd have to clone the object, remove the stand mesh and all references to it, and only then you could get an outdoor shadow for just the sphere.

[niol]

How to make a mirrory recolour?

[IgnorantBliss]

Do you mean an object with an actual mirror in it, or just one with a surface that appears shiny?

[niol]

Can it be somwhere in-between or complete like a mirror?

[IgnorantBliss]

I don't think that you make it an actual mirror with just a recolor, that would include editing the original object. To make the object appear shiny, you can play with the reflectivity and specularity ("spec") values in the Material Definition of the recolor. You can take a look at the Material Definition of an existing object that appears shiny and copy some of the information. That will not make it mirror surrounding objects, though, just reflect light.

[niol]

So, any tutorial for mirror making? Thanks...:)
I'll try to fool around those more to see what I can get though... :valentine (Now, I'm kinda in love with the mess-around!)

Update:
Can a shadow be made as a recolour itself?
(sorry for too many questions, I'm from wonderland... :bandit:)

[Numenor]

Making a surface act like a real mirror, as IBliss said, it's not possible making a recolour.
In order to have such effect, the original object should be cloned and heavily edited; in particular, it's necessary to add a couple of "virtual" meshes to the GMDC, and edit the CRES in order to attach to the object a virtual camera (the "reflection" is actually the output of an invisible camera attached to the object).

I *should* know how to do that, because RaquelCesar, ages ago (during the crestion of the Grand Trianon), discovered and explained us how to do that.
But I've never done it myself, and anyway the explanation was *very* complex :)

As for the second question ("Can a shadow be made as a recolour itself?"), the answer is: technically, yes, but not completely. In any case you have to clone the original object.
The *indoor* shadows can be made recolourable, but if the object still has 2 recolourable subsets (like the Matte Sphere), you can't add a third recolourable subset.
The *outdoor* shadows are computed on the fly by the game, unregarding the tranparency of the meshes: if the mesh is invisible, it still exists, and therefore an outdoor shadow will be drawn for it. The only solution is to clone (again!) the object, and physically remove the unwanted meshes.

In your case, this last solution seems the more suitable: clone the Matte Sphere, and remove the stand and the shadow (and optionally link the recolours for the "sphere" subset to the original Matte Sphere, so to make all your recolours to both the orifinal Matte Sphere and the "Sphere Only" clone).


EDIT TO ADD:
Again about the mirrors - Please note that the mirrored surfaces must be flat. If the reflection is applied to a 3D mesh, the mesh will look flat anyway.
...Unless I've missed something important in the working principles of the mirrors :)

[Faylen]

OK, I had some time on my hands and decided to give object recoloring a shot. I have to say - I did recolor a few things with the old SimPE, using RGiles' tutorial, and have them in my game, so this is particularly frustrating for me. I'm following everything in the tutorial step by step - I've tried turning the trash compactor white, and I've tried putting new images on two of the framed paintings, and they simply do not show up in my game. The NVidia utilities are there, that's not the problem, and I commit and Save. I made the files in My Documents so they wouldn't mess anything up, and even tried moving those files into downloads and installing with Sims2Pack, and nothing gets these objects into my game. Clearly, I'm missing something here. Can anyone help?

[IgnorantBliss]

Do you have the CEP correctly installed?

For installing the recolors, you just put the package files into your downloads folder and they should work.

You can try posting your recolor packages here as attachments and I can take a look :)

[Faylen]

Thanks. I'll do that. I did install the newest CEP, but you never know. This is one of the pictures.

[IgnorantBliss]

The painting shows up fine in my game, so I don't think it's the package itself that's the problem. Either you don't have the package in the Downloads folder, or your CEP is not working right. Do other CEP recolors show up fine for you? When you click on the daisy painting in the catalog, do you get the "design model thumbnails", are there any thumbnails in the description window, at least the original one? If there aren't the CEP is not working and this recolor will not work since it requires the CEP.

[Faylen]

I specifically downloaded the latest CEP. I know I did. I was absolutely positive, so I did a search to check.

OK, time for facial recolor, red. I sure did download it, I just never unzipped or installed it. Duh. Let me go back and try.

[BrokenLit]

I'm having a problem recoloring modular stairs and I can't figure out what I'm doing wrong.

I selected the modular stairs and the recolor box was checked, so I clicked "start" and it created a package file. Then I went to "plugin" and there were no resources in the resource tree. I can't figure out what went wrong. I recolored some wall hangings with no problem, but now I'm stuck.

Help?

[Numenor]

Not all the objects are recolourable. In particular, modular stairs are NOT recolourable.
The only way to recolour them is to download the specific *recolourable* versions that I have posted on MTS2 and create recolour packages for them.

Recolourable "Holy Smoke" (http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=50737)
Recolourable "Wrought Iron" (http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=55436)
Recolourable "Wooden Stairs" (http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=53159)

[BrokenLit]

Thanks.

I would have thought that if the object wasn't recolorable it just wouldn't give you the option at all. Oh well.

[niol]

I don't know why this recolour keeps on fail to work.
I've already followed the relative naming pattern to personalise those names:

MMAT-override
##0x1C050000!AAA


TXMT

filename
AAA_txmt

cMaterialDefinition
AAA

Properties
stdMatBaseTextureName
##0x1C050000!BBB

File List
##0x1C050000!BBB

Categorised Properties
##0x1C050000!BBB


TXTR
BBB_txtr


PS:
setting stdMatAlphaMultiplier to 0 will also make the object look invisible...Why?

[Reyn]

Okay, if I missed the answer, I'm sorry, its still early for me - I want to do a recolour of the Divide and Conquer room divider download from Maxis - but it isn't enabled. I am going to keep trying to find an explanation on how to enable it, but any help is appreciated - when I cloned it instead, I lost both in game.

Reyn

[IgnorantBliss]

niol, could you also upload the object that this recolor is made for? :)

Reyn, did you want your clone to replace the Maxis divider? If not, try giving the clone new GUIDs. While cloning, which options did you have checked? To not replace the original, leave all the default cloning options as they are. Then go to each Object Data and get new GUIDs (if you don't know how to do that, I will give more detailed instructions). From there on, proceed as with any recolor package: Import your texture, commit and save.

Then if you want to create recolors of this clone, it's going to need some further editing, namely editing the Geometric Node and Material Override. But we'll get back to that later if necessary.

[niol]

Thanks for checking it...
N, here's the object it's made for...

[Numenor]

NIOL - I can't test right now, but 99% the problem is in the names you have chosen for the Material Definition (TXMT) and the Texture.

In the texture name, NEVER use underscores ("_").
The TXMT, the name must follow a strict naming rule: modelName_subsetName_colour_txmt.
You can't add underscores to the name, and you can't delete/move the ones already in the name.
In a separate recolour package, like the one you have posted, you *can* change at will the first part (modelName), and the last part (colour). The subsetName must be the one suggested by SimPE when creating the recolour package (in this case, "sphere").

[IgnorantBliss]

Numenor was right about the underscores in the texture name. I changed the underscores to dashes, and fixed the texture references in the Material Definition accordingly, and the recolor seems to be working fine now :).

[niol]

Oh, now I see why I keep on failing to customise the names...:duck: & "_"
I didn't realise there's a pattern there for the underscore thing and the subset name...
And now I feel glad that I've learnt this and shall try again...! :D
Thanks for the clear description and explanation, Numenor...

Thanks for fixing it for me, IgnorantBliss. And, I'll take it as an guide example if I should fail to rename them...
:anime:

going back to try again...:)

Update:

just realised that all cases have to be low for the TXTR name

[Numenor]

As for the lower cases, yes, it's better: sometimes (you will never know when! :)) the game decides that names *are* case sensitive...

[Mixelia]

Hi . . . my name's Jeannette and this is my first time posting here [ I'm also swedish btw . . . at least that explains my poor english ]. I'll have to admit that I admire the ones here with all the patience to answer the same questions over and over again . . . :salute:

I'm a total newbie at SimPE and I have been playing around for a couple of days or so. Anyway . . . I have two questions for you [ I couldn't find the answers anywhere ]. I would like to make some recolor paintings using Maxis "Lady On Red" and I've been trying three different ways in SimPE.

This is what I have so far ;

Photo Studio - easy to use although somewhat limited. Very high quality on the final result [ in all "zooms" ] . . . and a huge filesize - 686 kB . . . Yikes.

Wizards Of SimPE - also easy to use, actually my favourite for now. Perfect quality on the final result in every "zoom" . . . but then again, same filesize . . . 686 kB.

Object Workshop - not to hard [ with a great tutorial, of course ] but with low quality on the final product [ and even worse when zooming out ] compared to the above [ and I have tried it both ways mentioned here ; "import" or "Build DXT" ]. However, filesize 88 kB and thats always something. :nod:

Now . . . How can I make a recolor painting with the perfect quality of Wizards Of SimPE but with the filesize of Object Workshop ?

. . . and how do you make high quality preview images of your finished painting if you don't want to use "ingame pictures" ? I know about the preview function in SimPE / Photo Studio but that's not an option.

Does all this make any sence ? Well, you never know . . . :giggler:

Jeannette

[Numenor]

Mixelia - Most of the times, a huge package size is due to an excessive dimension of the image you are importing.
Using the PhotoStudio is probably the easiest way to recolour a painting, but you always have to be sure not to use *big* images. For a square painting, usually the size of the image should be max 256x256; a large 2-tile painting *may* use a 512x256 image, but in most cases it is not necessary to use such huge images. As a rule of thumb, try and keep the size of the original image for the painting you are recolouring.

If you want to use this tutorial, instead of PhotoStudio, follow it carefully, and be sure - when you import the image using the "Build DXT" function - to select the DXT1 format.

If you still have problems, try posting here the image and/or the package that you have created, so we'll take a look and see what's wrong with it.

[Mixelia]

Thank you for replying . . . this is what I found out so far ;

Before installing Nvidia DDS Utilites I got perfect quality but huge filesizes when using Photo Studio and Wizards Of SimPE . . . and now - after installing Nvidia - I've got less quality and smaller filesizes [ 88 kB ] no matter what method I'm using to create a recolored painting. They look pretty good up close but when zoomed out the picture is blurry. Is there a way to change that using this tutorial ?

Jeannette

[Mixelia]

Ooppss . . . forgot to add that I've tried to "manually" resize my images and there's still no improvement.

Jeannette

[IgnorantBliss]

If you select "High Quality (Raw 24)" in Photo Studio for "Quality", then, yes, your painting will have a higher texture quality, but the file size will be unnecessarily large. Some compromise must be made between excellent texture quality and reasonable file size. The Build DXT option and DXT 1 or DXT3 should usually produce a good enough texture quality. Just make sure your original texture is of good quality, and of the right dimensions.

[Numenor]

They look pretty good up close but when zoomed out the picture is blurry.

If they are slightly blurry, this may be due to the smoothing that, by default, the "Build DXT" function apply to the image.
You can change this setting choosing "SharpenSoft" (or other "Sharpen..." options) from the drop-down menu in the Build DXT window, es shown in this picture:

http://thumbs.modthesims2.com/images14/MTS2_238824_Numenor_Immagine_1.jpg

[IgnorantBliss]

For some reason, none of the Build DXT options, like sharpening, make any difference for me. The result is always exactly the same, no matter which options I choose.

[Mixelia]

Thank you both for being very helpful.

Numenor ; I got a hint yesterday at another forum [ TSR ] to change the default setting "smoothen" to "none" [ why on earth didn't I think of that myself ] and now I have perfect quality images at a reasonable filesize, if I use DXT1 - 88 kB and if I use DXT3 - 174 kB. Just what I wanted . . . Thanks again.

Jeannette

[sim2veteran]

Please update these instructions to SimPE version 0.54.2223.28029 as the graphics in this tutorial do not match my version of the program. I am new to this stuff so I need accurate tutorials as I do not want to accedentally break my game.

[IgnorantBliss]

Please update these instructions to SimPE version 0.54.2223.28029 as the graphics in this tutorial do not match my version of the program. I am new to this stuff so I need accurate tutorials as I do not want to accedentally break my game.

Which parts don't match? I don't think any buttons or important layouts have changed since the version of SimPE that was used for this tutorial. The graphics may be different if you have a different Windows color theme, and/or if you have chosen a different layout for your SimPE.

Updating all the tutorials every time a new version of SimPE comes out would take a huge amount of time! Most of the time the changes are not critical, you should still be able to follow the instructions.

[sim2veteran]

GRR after spending several minutes looking around the programs GUI I finally noticed that the scroll bar was down a little so I moved it up and the next button appeared. Apparently when the prgram installed it did not start with the scroll bar all the way up. I have never before seen a programs start up defaults set to have the scroll bar in the middle instead of all the way up. It still dose not display the name of the EP on the bottom when I scroll down. Maybe that won't be a problem any way since the tutorial says that that dosn't work right anyway, maybe it was removed in my version.

[niol]

For some reason, none of the Build DXT options, like sharpening, make any difference for me. The result is always exactly the same, no matter which options I choose.

...
Numenor ; I got a hint yesterday at another forum [ TSR ] to change the default setting "smoothen" to "none" [ why on earth didn't I think of that myself ] and now I have perfect quality images at a reasonable filesize, if I use DXT1 - 88 kB and if I use DXT3 - 174 kB. Just what I wanted . . .

In my limited experiences, when I recolour with detailed texture, I tend to use "none" since I fooled around the "filter" option coz filtering means losing the accuracy of the source whether something is added or removed. I'm unsure if all the other options make a difference among them, but "none" does make a difference to me...


sim2veteran,
Just relax... Recolouring things can be a pleasure and some funs... MY simpe version is probably only half a month older than yours.. I've doing alright... with this tutorial...

[goaskholly]

I have a small problem this is the first time I am trying this and when I reach the section where I have to

{When you have edited and saved the texture, it's time to import it back into SimPE. Right-click on the image and choose Build DXT.}

when I right click on the pic the option to choose Build DXT is not enabled what should I do?

[IgnorantBliss]

Did you install the DDS Utilities like you're told to do at the beginning of the tutorial?

[goaskholly]

Yes I did install the DDS Utilities

[Numenor]

Since many people just miss the important info at the beginning of the tutorial, and ask why the "Build DXT" menu is grayed out, I've included in the first post a picture that explains how to specify the path to the NVidia DDS installation in the SimPe Preferences:
http://thumbs.modthesims2.com/getimage.php?file=243241

[goaskholly]

Thank you for your help.

[kace166]

Okay, so I'm wondering if I could get some help? (By the way, I'm sorry if this isn't the proper thread, but I'm ready to tear my hair out...). Okay, so I've got the DDS utilities installed and I've told SimPE the path and whatnot, but my images still come out blurry. I'm wondering, do I have to save the images as DDS files? And how can I do that, because I use Photoshop, and I have the DDS utilities as a plug-in, but it won't let me save my files as dds files.

Edited to add: Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[IgnorantBliss]

kace166, saving your images as .png files should be fine. Have you tried to change the DXT import setting from "Smoothen" to "None"?

[kace166]

Ooh, no I haven't tried that yet. I'm trying it right now!

Edited to add: No, it didn't work. I got the same effect. Is there like, a specific program I should be using or something?

[niol]

Lately, I'm coming across some problems when trying to recolour some objects...
http://ambertation.de/simpeforum/viewtopic.php?p=12734&sid=f0cb8d27ca7b619bdee0304bfdb38967#12734

now, I'm trying to recolour the community phone booth, I could only get the light subset out.
And, I made an original clone as well as a custom clone to fool around what should be inside the package.

I wonder if I can make some safe working recolours by deleting all the other files except txtr, txmt, mmat files in the custom clone and re-referencing the "modelname dstring" for the cres (simply copy it from the original clone or deleting the additional string names) in the mmat file. so, is the water deep?

[Numenor]

As for the Phone Booth, it is not recolourable, as is... To be exact, the "sign" subset is set as recolourable (probably because some Maxis engineer didn't understand how lit/unlit parts work :D), but the main body can't be recoloured.

It's not a problem of pulling the right files: if the booth isn't set as recolourable, user-created recolours wouldn't be loaded anyway (so, cloning it and deleting the useless files is not a solution).
When I've created the CEP, I didn't included it because of the handset: it uses the "home" phone textures; but if you think it should be fine to have the booth recolourable, and not the handset, I can add it to the upcoming new CEP4 for OFB.

As for the love tub, SimPE pulls some unnecessary files from the sunken hot tub: in the graphic interface of Object Workshop, the subset selection window shows *three* subsets (you might have to enlarge the window, in order to see them all). You have to *uncheck* the one related to the sunken hot tub, and leave checked the two subsets of the love tub.
If in the classic interface SimPE crashes when loading the love tub, I can't help you: I can only suggest to start using the new interface, that is the only one still fully supported by Quaxi.

[niol]

I'm sorry my description was messy....

Actually, before the simpe update, it happened that I could create recolours of the lovetubs and some other objects without any problem. But after the update, I no longer can make any recolours of those objects. Even worse, after switching back to the older version, it still doesn't work any more.
The confusion was caused by the fact that I could recolour those objects before and now I can't. I've already reinstalled the simpe and CEP, but nothing can get me to be capable of recolouring them again.

I was aware of the fact certain objects cannot be recoloured. But, how did it happen when I could?
Now, I clone the lovetub recolours I've made before and try to to see if it works, and of course, I'll set it another ID.

N, yes, the lovetub recolour I've got by accident can recolour the internal of the sunken hottub spa as well a itself. When I checked their clones, I can also see that.
Anyway, attched is that lovetub recolour if modders may find it/them interesting... (updated: file deleted)

[Numenor]

Yes, I've understood that your problem was not only related to recolourable objects, but mostly about SimPE not working, but I couldn't give any valid answer to that :P beside suggesting to start using the graphic interface (maybe using the "classic" skin on the GUI interface, which would look more similar to the one you are accustomed to).

[niol]

Actually, I'd tried both the old and the new ones... :P .. so long as which is working...! :bandit:

Anyway, I've come across a problem trying to import an image of w768 x h512 for a particular recolour, and its original image size is w256 x h512.

It led to this error message:

Message:
Unable to read beyond the end of the stream.

SimPE Version:
Default (0.54.2219.30234).

Exception Stack:
System.IO.EndOfStreamException: Unable to read beyond the end of the stream.
at System.IO.__Error.EndOfFile()
at System.IO.BinaryReader.FillBuffer(Int32 numBytes)
at System.IO.BinaryReader.ReadByte()
at SimPe.Plugin.ImageLoader.DXT3Parser(Size parentsize, TxtrFormats format, Int32 imgsize, BinaryReader reader, Int32 wd, Int32 hg)

Source:
mscorlib


Execution Stack:
at System.IO.__Error.EndOfFile()
at System.IO.BinaryReader.FillBuffer(Int32 numBytes)
at System.IO.BinaryReader.ReadByte()
at SimPe.Plugin.ImageLoader.DXT3Parser(Size parentsize, TxtrFormats format, Int32 imgsize, BinaryReader reader, Int32 wd, Int32 hg)

With the sorts of wording, is the image dimension the cause of the problem?
So, there're some limitations on the inputting image sizes? If so, what're they? Have they all to be a homo-multiple of 2/a power of 2?
Or the size of the image cannot be changed?

Sorry, I'm sorry if I mistake this thread as one of the relevant thread to ask coz I just thought this may be relevant to both threads.while I can respond something here at the same time. But, if this has to to be on the another thread, I'll move the content there leaving my response to the previous here.

Update:
I've just tried to use w1024 x h512, I didn't get any error message, and the file doesn't crash the game like the previous one.

[IgnorantBliss]

Yes, you can't use a "non-standard" size like 768 pixels. 32, 64, 128, 256, 512, 1024 and the like are the ones allowed. You can change the image size, but the dimensions have to be one of these numbers.

[niol]

Thanks, I've finally worked out my latest recolours... :anime:

[silvertreedrake]

I hope this isn't a stupid question, but before I upgraded to SimPE v.54, Object Workshop would allow me to decide which colors to pull. However, now I don't have a choice using the basic catalogue procedure (haven't tried doing it the long way). Is there some preference setting I can alter to tell it to give me my choice of colors? I'm trying to pull the dark wood of the pool table, but only the light wood comes up.

Also, I have this weird problem with any files that are 16 pixels on a side, but maybe that's my graphics program. Just wondering if anyone else has come across this.

[IgnorantBliss]

Object Workshop won't let you choose the texture anymore, but Wizards of SimPE will. But there is a way to still get the textures you want to in OW: Just clone the object and uncheck the "pull only default color" option. It should give you all the textures. (This clone is just used for pulling the textures, you should make a separate package for the actual recolor.)

[silvertreedrake]

Ooh, err, Clone, um, that's usually used for making a new object, right? So you're saying, just use it to get the texture I want, and then copy that texture back into the color package? Just want to get it straight. Thanks!

[IgnorantBliss]

Yes, just take the textures you want from the cloned package, then you can ditch it :)

[rak72]

There was an older version of Simpe where we could choose which texture from the object we wanted to recolor. Is this still possible?

[IgnorantBliss]

Object Workshop doesn't allow you to choose anymore, but Wizards of SimPE does. See the several posts prior to yours where we talked about how to extract those textures by cloning the object :).

[lissielu]

OK so I stayed up last night making paintings based on the Mango sims base mesh. I followed the tutorial step for step and when I put it in the downloads folder and started up the game (mind you I ONLY had the base mesh and my recolour in the folder, no other downloads) it was fine. Then I went to make other recolours of the same mesh using the same steps and put them in the downloads folder. I started up the game and when I click on the object my game goes into a loop and freezes up. It forces me to exit out using CTL-ALT-DEL. This happens EVERYTIME I try it. I even tried different meshes to make sure it wasn't the mesh and I still get the loop/freeze.

Can anyone help?!?

[IgnorantBliss]

lissielu, would you attach some of those recolors to a post in this thread, and tell where exactly at Mango Sims to download the base mesh? Someone will take a look and try to help :).

[lissielu]

I attached the three recolors I was trying to place in the folder. The mesh is on this page :
http://mangosims2.free.fr/meubles-bases-recolorables.htm

The "Nouvelle base du tableau"

Thank you so much. I really hope I can fix the issue!

[niol]

... (mind you I ONLY had the base mesh and my recolour in the folder, no other downloads)...

so, you've also removed the CEP package in your "downloads" folder?

I believe the CEP package is needed for the recolouring process as well as showing recolours in the game


Added:
Thanks for clarifying that to me ^_^.. I've been wondering about that...

[IgnorantBliss]

I put the mesh and three colors into my game, and as soon as I clicked on the painting in the catalog, the game crashed so that nothing else worked but turning off the computer completely. I don't know yet what the problem is, but I will keep looking.

The CEP is not needed for recoloring or using this painting, since it's a custom object that's already color enabled (but the CEP is needed for recoloring and using many of the Maxis paintings).

Edited to add: What was the other mesh that you used that you also had a problem with? Because I think it's the mesh file that's the problem. I found some problems with it, and fixed them, but it still doesn't work. I would ask a permission to use the painting mesh on another clone if you really want to use this particular mesh. But for a very simple shape this paiting has fairly many polygons/verticed (within the recommended limits, yes, but too high for the simple shape). I would try a different base from a different website and see if you can make your recolors work that way.

[lissielu]

The other mesh I tried was this tibetan painting #1

http://www.aroundthesims2.com/objects/sets_bedroom/004/index.html

I thought it may be the mesh because I could not see anything wrong with what I did.

If it isn't much trouble could you suggest a website with a painting mesh close to the mango sims mesh? It's the perfect size for what I need yet I've been hard pressed to find any sites with a similar mesh.

and thank you so much for doing all of this! I am at a loss when it comes to this technical stuff!

[Wanted guy]

Thank you! Werry muuuch! Numenor. Finally i understand howe im gotta recoulor objects!

[crazyfugitive]

can some one help me? when ever i choose the recolor option i save it but it says "object refrence not set to an instance of n object"

and i dont know wher to save it

[janek49]

This tutorial is great. Could anyone review for me how we should name our recolors? Not the package files. I made 4 recolors of a window shade,custom content not Maxis, and the first one I made showed up but the other three did not. All four are in my downloads folder. I am guessing that somewhere along the line I need to give them individual Id's but I don't know how to do it...Help? I have up to date versions of everything, they are all functioning perfectly, my paths are all correct and I use the Gimp. :salute:

[IgnorantBliss]

SimPE will automatically create individual names for the files so that they don't overwrite each other. The package file names have to be different, too, of course. No GUIDs or anything like that are needed for recolors. You will have to create a brand new recolor package for each recolor you make, you can't just copy the first recolor you made. Sounds like you may have been doing the latter by accident if only one of the recolors shows up in the game.

[trumpet/horn player]

Help
I am all done but I want to put the packages in my downloads folder but I dont kno what to put in the folder????? help!!!

[IgnorantBliss]

The recolor package (with the .package extension) that you created goes into the Downloads folder.

[ctnll5]

Your tutorial on recolouring objects was great & easy to understand, but I'm very computer illiterate & what I couldn't understand was how to actually edit the object. You didn't go into detail at that point so I'm sure the answer is very obvious. But could you please explain it to me?
Thanks,
C

[IgnorantBliss]

What do you mean by "editing the object" exactly? This is a tutorial for recoloring, and recoloring does what it says: only changes the texture of an object. To do more, like to change the shape and such, you will have to clone an object, and that's a completely separate subject. For that you can also find tutorials in the Create section, depending on what exactly you want to do.

[Numenor]

I've answered privately to ctnll5; (s)he was having problems in transferring the image from the recolour package to the paint program and viceversa.

[captain-ultima]

This quide is great it really helps me undrestend how to recolour objects, now i can make personal cars. Just could someone tell me where i could get the SimPE since the site seems to be down.

[IgnorantBliss]

You can download RAR versions of SimPE here (http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=133134&package_id=146286) , but they have to be installed manually. That means you will have to create a folder, extract the contents of the RAR into it, and then start up the program by clicking on the SimPE.exe file in the folder. It's fairly simple.

[captain-ultima]

That helped, Thanks!

[tr.a.sh]

Hey, I just had to thank you for this tutorial. It's been great. I'm gonna upload my first painting recolour here pretty soon. Hopefully someday I'll be able to make new meshes, but I needed this tutorial to get me started. Thanks again!

[Angelcookie51]

This is a great tutorial, But I had one problem..I right clicked the image and it wouldn't let me click Build DXT, it was greyed out, I had saved my recolor, It still won't let me Build DXT though, anyone know whats wrong? Thanks for the great, smiple tutorial though!!

[IgnorantBliss]

This is a great tutorial, But I had one problem..I right clicked the image and it wouldn't let me click Build DXT, it was greyed out, I had saved my recolor, It still won't let me Build DXT though, anyone know whats wrong? Thanks for the great, smiple tutorial though!!

You will have to install the DDS Utilities. See the tutorial post again, it has information about it in the beginning.

[Angelcookie51]

You will have to install the DDS Utilities. See the tutorial post again, it has information about it in the beginning.

Thank You! :beer:

[Angelcookie51]

Hi, I didn't know exactly where to ask this but I just wondered, I have recolored a maxis object but how do I package it to a file to upload here? Thanks to anyone who helps me :)

[IgnorantBliss]

You have to pack up the package file into a ZIP or RAR format before you can upload it to the site.

[haterz_23]

I copied pictures of good charlotte, my favorite rock band from the net, then, when i try to replace the pictures/images from the paintings/posters with the picture i downloaded, i found out that some decoratives cannot be recolored. Why can't I recolor some decoratives such as posters, carpets, paintings and others? are there other ways of importing your pictures into the game aside from "the sims2 poster importer"? because i'm having a hard time using the poster importer bacause of the required size/pixel of the poster. help plz!

[IgnorantBliss]

I copied pictures of good charlotte, my favorite rock band from the net, then, when i try to replace the pictures/images from the paintings/posters with the picture i downloaded, i found out that some decoratives cannot be recolored. Why can't I recolor some decoratives such as posters, carpets, paintings and others? are there other ways of importing your pictures into the game aside from "the sims2 poster importer"? because i'm having a hard time using the poster importer bacause of the required size/pixel of the poster. help plz!

You need the CEP installed to be able to recolor all of the pictures. I'm not familiar with the Sims 2 poster importer, but you can just use Object Workshop, as is explained in this tutorial whose thread you're posting in. However, the textures you import can't be any size. The dimensions have to be 64, 128, 256, 512 etc pixels. You can't have any random size.

[gonkski222]

I just had to say thank you. I've been using SimPE for several months and I've just been using the "import" option. No wonder most of my custom bedding looks so blurry! Thank you, thank you, thank you!

[alyson_m12239]

it steel wont let me reclorl help me plz

[IgnorantBliss]

it steel wont let me reclorl help me plz

You have to be more specific about your problem. At which point of the tutorial are you having problems? We can't help you until you give more information about what's wrong :).

[Fish1216]

My problem is that I can't seem to get DDS or whatever to work right.I installed the software from the link provided at the top, but whin I click prefrences on SimPe, I cant find it. But what gets me is that when I do find it, it says 'file not found'. It is located on my desktop, and the adress is 'DDS_Utilities...', But Im just so close to making that silly lamp thing. HELP ME ASAP!

[IgnorantBliss]

The needed file is in the folder called NVIDIA DDS Utilities. You have to go into that folder when you set the path in SimPE. Why did you not install it to the default location?

[dragonarts]

Hey, thanks for the great tutorial. I've been using Simpe for awhile, but had the older windowed version of the Object Workshop. When I downloaded the newest (v.56) I couldn't use the new Object Workshop because I couldn't find the clone/recolor button. I *knew* it had to be there somewhere.... Your pic showed me where it was supposed to be, and yup, there it was, mostly hidden under the golden bar at the top of the window. Plus, I'd never heard of using the DXT thingy, and so that was a good thing to learn. I always learn something useful following your tuts.

[lindawing]

Before I ask my question, I'd like to say how much I appreciated using this tutorial. It turned the tide for me regarding the creation of recolors. Thank you.

I've been meaning to ask this question for a long time, but keep forgetting when I'm not busy with the game itself, but here it is. I've posted the question on the simPE forum as well.

Let's say you have several (or a ton of) recolors in your Downloads folder. You play TS2 and create a lot you want to upload to the TS2 Exchange or just to a file on your hard drive. Knowing you wanted to do this, you did NOT use a single recolor in your lot.

If you don't completely remove your Downloads folder (or at least all the recolors--I keep mine highly-categorized for this reason), any recolors you have that match the categories of objects your used in your lot, will follow along--leaching themselves into the upload.

I never upload lots to the Exchange that have recolors or new objects in them. However, I DO upload them (my own--nothing belongingto anyone else, except by permission) to my own website:

http://www.flyingacres.com/NeighborlySims/NeighborlySims.html[/url]

I have one complete line of recolors added to that site now, and am working on a second. However, I also upload houses there that have NO CC (other than HomeCrafter--sometimes not even that).

I want to be able to not have to worry about this leaching thing.

Do you have an answer? This has been going on since the beginning of recolors, and I kept thinking the answer would be published somewhere, and that eventually it would stop happening, but that hasn't been the case.

Please let me know if there is some sort of setting I should be changing to make this NOT happen with my uploads. I would be very grateful!

I believe that Maxis/EA HAS finally solved a similar problem with the terrain paints made in HomeCrafter. They were doing the same thing, but with the last patch that came out, I believe that problem has been fixed. Perhaps you could check into that, to find out more about why this happens, if you don't already have a work-around.

I look forward to hearing from someone regarding this dilemma. Thank you :-)

Linda

[IgnorantBliss]

You can remove custom content from a lot upload with the Clean Installer. See more information here (http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=124539).

[XJonasX]

Thank you Numenor for this fine tutorial I just made my first object recolor with it.

I have no clue how all these people on this site would make recolors if they didn't have fine tutorial like yours.

[Ciane]

First, I loved the tutorial and finally made my first recolors.

Here are the problems I encountered: First I couldn't find the next button. I wasn't looking at the tutorial, only my notes; and I was scrolled below it and didn't know it. I figured that out after reloading, when I wasn't in the middle or at the bottom of the list. (Not your fault, just pointing out how we can stray on the simpliest instructions.)

Secondly, I used DDS without saving all sizes on the first cabinet I made. Then, I read in another forum that someone's image reverted to the original when she zoomed in, and she was instructed to save all sizes. So I made another version and saved all sizes. I made some other recolors (saving all sizes) using the same images for a rug (Maxis kid version), curtains, clamshell lamp, a couple pictures (the meaning of fruit). When I went into my game, I could not find the cabinets or the curtains. The rug showed up with great graphics, but my oval colored rug was on a white rectangular base - I think I shouldn't have flattened the layers in photoshop, or I shouldn't have saved the layers in Photoshop first, or I should have used the transparency version DXT3.

But here is my real problem - (I'm sure I'll get the others solved, and I doubt they are related to this problem, but I added them in case they are relevant.) When I was making the clamshell light, I rotated the image in photoshop because I couldn't tell where the top center was. When I went to build the DXT, it gave me an error message about the string too long or something. I reloaded a new lamp and tried again without rotating it, and it saved fine.

Now, I'm in the game, in a house that has many plants (easily 2, maybe 3 dozen) cluttered together using boolprop and moveobjects cheats (for a contest). I have placed my rug on the floor (the one mentioned earlier with the white rectangular shape under the oval color). I go into lamps to see if my light appeared, and the game crashed.

I will take out my rug recolor. (As all my recolors are in the same sub-folder under downloads, it will be easy to find). I will remake the rug. And I will load my game again and see if the cabinets (Maxis sardinia) and curtains (Maxis tie-back) I made earlier show up, if the rug looks right now, if the game still crashes on the lamp. I'll let you know the resolution. I just thought I'd share this info.

After I deleted the messed up lamp file, my game didn't crash.
I also had no idea that CEP file had to be in the working folder were I was saving my work before transfering copies to the downloads, so I now have more than one picture and chair, etc.
I didn't redo the cabinets and curtains yet, I just reloaded and hoped for the best... I didn't get lucky. (*edit: they have shown up now. I remade them, put the original file on my lot, and used the design tool to check for recolors. I don't know if I just missed them because I have so many download or not. However, life is very, very good now.)
And when I redid the rug without flattening it, just deleting the background layer; it of course came out perfectly.

[IgnorantBliss]

Ciane, you do not need to use the Update All Size when using DDS Utilities. It updates the sizes automatically. You only need to do that separately if you use the normal texture import button :).

For the rug transparency thing, make the texture on an image with a transparent background, and do not flatten the image, just save it as a png. It should keep the transparency that way. And, yes, I think you need to use DXT3 with that.

[Ciane]

Yeah... I know you don't need to use the update all size. I was just mentioning that I was led astray else where, but I'm back on track. And I thought I mentioned that flattening the image was what caused the problem. I just didn't think about it when I saved it; though it was obvious when I entered the game and laid it on the floor.
The curtains and cabinets have now loaded. LyricLee asked me if I'd used the design tool (for recolors) - I don't know if that triggered the recolors to show or not. But after remaking the curtains and cabinets, I then had at least two versions of each. So, it seems I made them okay the first time. It is possible I just missed them when I first looked, as I have so many downloads.

Once again, the tuturial is excellent, and I will now spend a lot of time recoloring. I just thought I'd share my mistakes so that others could learn from my mistakes as well.

[candice123]

OMFG!!!
Thanx so, so much!!You are the best Nume!!
I just made my first recolour.Gonna upload now!How long does it take usually before they pm you to tell you if it's accepted or not?

[Numenor]

Uploads of Recolours for objects are not moderated: they appear in the forum immediately.
But every now and then, some low-quality recolours are tagged for removal (and later on, removed).

[moonlight_muse]

Just wanted to say Thanks for the tutorial,
I did my first non-maxis recolour last night, which turned out very well, so I'm happy :)

[Beliria]

Thank you Numenor for this easy to follow re-colour tutorial :), think I'm going to go pick on another object now... 3 new colours and 3 new textures of that light I think might be enough for now.

Had a slight problem with the buildDXD stage, but scanned down the forum list and found someone else had that problem. Had to type in where I had the Nvidia DDS Utilities saved in for that to work, in the section for folder cause SimPe couldn't find it.

Thanks again :) am a very happy little :bunny:

[funkeymonkey22003]

Thankyou so much for this tutorial, I first tried the wizards of Simpe and made a lovely lounge set-recolor. Then I dived in and made a custom recolor of Meshkiste bed -came out fine-not too bad, I am happy with it. *grins* Im actually ecstatic...
Just one question when I want to zip or rar it for someone else, --all I need to do is fetch the .....package file out of my downloads, on doing same I came accross another file, it had my package name but with the extension .bak ?
what is this? Meshkiste mesh file? do I need to include it in the zip file?

[SnowStorm]

The .bak file is a backup file of your recolor package. Simpe automatically creates these when you save. You do not need to include it in the zip file.

[funkeymonkey22003]

SnowStorm thankyou so much for coming back. One more question though *grins* now that I've got you here:
When I make a recolor of custom content, and I finish the first subset, I need to go back to the screen where the subsets show, (for the 2nd subset) and I go back to step three and I cant seem to find where it is? strangely enough I was able to do the first bed, but I cant with this 2nd one--I am sorry if this has been aswered before.
thankyou.

[SnowStorm]

For beds, if the bed's bedding is linked to the the colonial ironwood bedding (which is the standard way) Depending on the version of simpe, you won't get the subset selection dialog. To recolor the bedding you'd select the colonial ironwood bed.

It's possible the first bed you did was completely standalone, and that is why you were prompted for two subsets to choose from.

[funkeymonkey22003]

Yeahh, I got it, thankyou soo much SnowStorm. If its a custom bed, you have to go in and do (a new) entirely separate workshop thing, from the beginning and give it a diff file name, anyhow it worked like that for me!
Thanks again.
XXX

[audio]

can u use paint shop pro 9 with simpe or what do i need please help

[audio]

ok i downloaded the dxt and i cant get it to work i saved in my docs should i save it on my desktop

[IgnorantBliss]

You can use any paint program that can deal with PNGs and layers, and Paint Shop Pro is fine for that.

It shouldn't matter where you install the DDS Utilities, but after you do, you have to point SimPE to the right place. Start up SimPE, go to Extra -> Preferences -> System Folders. You can see a line called nVidia DDS Tool folder. Click on the Browse button and browse to the folder where you have it installed. If you installed it to the default location it's probably C:\Program Files\NVIDIA Corporation\NVIDIA DDS Utilities, but if you put it somewhere else, then it's different, of course.

[bunnygoesboom]

I just recently found this tutorial today and thought I'd give it a go. :) I did everything specified in the tut, downloaded everything I needed, and created a recolour of some bedding. However, when I go to use the bedding in the game, it just shows up as the original maxis colour. Any idea what's gone wrong?

[IgnorantBliss]

Did you use the regular Import option for the texture, or Build DXT? If the former, did you select to "update all sizes" after importing and then commit? If you use Build DXT, though, you don't need to update all sizes, that's done automatically. Then you only need to commit.

[bunnygoesboom]

At first I used the Build DXT option. But since that didn't work in game, I tried the regular Import option and it seemed to work. But the quality wasn't as good. So I tried doing the DXT option again and have yet to see if it works in game. I managed to corrupt some files yesterday and have to reinstall all my games :/ Long story short, I wanted to use the preview option in the Scenegrapher, and had to retrieve files from the original Sims 2 CD, and somehow screwed things up. lol I was so annoyed.

Anyway, once I've reinstalled I'll post you my outcome. Thanks.

[bunnygoesboom]

Argh, huge problems with reinstalling now. I've installed Sims 2, but all my expansions have a fit towards the end of installion (the updating), and cancel the install. So it may take a lil longer than I thought to get the whole recolouring sorted >_<


EDIT: The recolour came out just fine! Dunno what happened the first time round. But it's perfect now. :) Thanks. And if anyone wants to see, I've posted it here (http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=161000)

[SimtopiX]

I've tried the recolouring-tutorial, and everything works... until I run the game : my recoloured object is in the catalouge, but it does not appear in the game. There, I only see the original (self-created) object.Where did I go wrong ?

[IgnorantBliss]

Do you mean that the catalog shows the new color, but when you select that and place it on the lot, it's the same as the original color? Do two color options show up for it in the catalog?

[SimtopiX]

Indeed, that's the problem. This is how it goes : I've cloned the "Fjord" kitchencounter and made a version with only the top drawer (empty space below). It's a fully functional counter : I can place a sink in it, I can make corners with it and I still can place an appliance under it. But it originally comes in only one colourcombination : yellowwood counterfinish and marble countertop. As you can guess, I want the full range of colouroptions that are available on the original kitchencounter to be available on my cloned object as well. But that doesn't seem to work with the tutorial at the beginning of this thread. So my question remains : Where did I go wrong ?

In addition to this major problem, I have another, less important question. For now, the catalouge shows two possible counterfinishes and two possible countertops. However, all four thumbnailpictures are shown as a mostly blue object, some are even incomplete (no countertop, or no drawer,...). And these thumbnails appear in a different way every time I open the catalouge. On the other hand, the thumbnail of my kitchencounter in the 'surfaces-catalouge' is shown as it should be : in exactly the same colours as the original counter I cloned it from. I've tried to solve the thumbnail-problem by erasing all files in the Thumbnail-folder of the game, but nothing happened. Any other suggestions ?

In case of incorrect English, you should know that my native language is Dutch.

[IgnorantBliss]

Cloning kitchen counters normally with SimPE will not link the textures properly. I recommend you use Numenor's counter templates as a base to clone from instead. You can find them in the templates subforum under the Object Creation & Texturing forum. He has some further instructions in the thread what to do with them.

[SimtopiX]

I still don't get what's wrong with my cloned kitchencounter. I haven't tried the counter templates you recommended, I'm hoping to find another solution. This is the current situation : I've restarted the entire cloning procedure, but at the beginning I unmarked the "pull only default color" checkbox. I was hoping to get all original colouroptions at once... and I did ! So now I have, in my catalouge, five possible counterfinishes and five possible countertops. But I still get only one combination in the game : the default colour (yellowwood with marble). I think it has something to do with the Material Override in SimPE, since the yellowwood-with-marble-file is the only one without square brackets in it. (Or is this just a coincidence ?). However, I think here lies the key to solving my problem... I just need to find it.

Do you think I'm going the right way ? Or should I give up ?

[Fresh-Prince]

Well, what you can try is open the mesh and export the original texture files of the colors that you want. Then just recolor the mesh in simpe and import those texture file so you can have those colors in the game. :) Hope that helps.