Tutorial: Change EA Painting Image - For Those New to S3 Object Modification-Read the bold print

[orangemittens]

:alarm: The process for changing an EA painting image and making paintings with multiple images has changed with the introduction of the new Texture Tweaker Tool by Inge Jones. I have posted a new tutorial on the SimsWiki that uses the new tool to do both of these things as well as change default patterns on the ones with frames. This tutorial should be considered a replacement for the one below although I'm leaving this here in case it's needed for some reason I'm not thinking of. Please use the new tutorial and not this one.

The link is http://simswiki.info/wiki.php?title=Tutorials:TS3_Add_Change_Object_Images

The new methods are easier and less time consuming. They can also be used on any object...not just paintings. I encourage everyone to use the new tutorial instead of this one. :) :alarm:

I've been meaning to write an updated version of the painting tutorial ever since people seemed to start having trouble with or questions about the old one in the SimsWiki. This version has eliminated the steps that have been rendered unnecessary by the newer tool versions and has pictures of what the tools actually look like now. I modeled the format of it on tutorials by HL and cmo since their tutorials work so well for people. I hope people find it useful.

This tutorial is for people who are beginners to Sims 3 object modification. It assumes you already know how to use your graphics editor and will not teach you how to use one. If there are any questions about the tutorial please post them in the thread. If anyone spots a mistake in the tutorial please let me know in the thread.

To use this tutorial you will need:

1. The current version of s3oc Cloner (this tutorial uses version 0912-13-1531) http://www.modthesims.info/showthread.php?t=362413

2. The current version of s3pe Package Editor (this tutorial uses version 0912-13-1729) http://www.modthesims.info/showthread.php?t=362412

3. A graphics editor you know how to use (Photoshop, Paint.NET, GIMP or Paint Shop Pro (it has to be able to handle alpha layers)

4. Nvidia DDS-Utilities http://developer.nvidia.com/object/dds_utilities_legacy.html

(Install the tools per the instructions in the respective threads.)

Tutorial: Change EA Painting Image - For Those New to S3 Object Modification

1. Create a working folder where you will put the painting clone package and the painting IMG. Open s3oc. Select Cloning in the top bar (left side). Select Normal objects from the dropdown menu.

http://www.modyourpanties.com/hosting/27364_110505001006pt1.jpg

2. Let the list generate and then select PaintingModern.

http://www.modyourpanties.com/hosting/27365_110505001206pt2.jpg

3. Click the Clone or Fix button on the right hand side at the bottom.

http://www.modyourpanties.com/hosting/27366_110505001306pt3.jpg

4. The view will show a split screen with a line down the middle dividing left and right.

a. Your left side should look like the picture below. Make sure your checks are in the correct boxes. It is especially important to make sure the Renumber/rename internally box has a check mark in it. Double check that it does before going to the next step.

http://www.modyourpanties.com/hosting/27367_110505001408pt4.jpg

b. On the right hand side you can see a thumbnail of the painting. Change the name, description, and price now. Only change those 3 things. Don't change the thumbnail and don't click the replace button.

http://www.modyourpanties.com/hosting/27368_110505001513pt5.jpg

5. Click the Start button on the left side. Navigate to your working folder, name the package, and click Save. Click OK in the popup box which appears.

http://www.modyourpanties.com/hosting/27369_110505001626pt6.jpg

6. Close the s3oc - you will not need it anymore.

7. Open s3pe and in the top left hand corner pick File. From the dropdown pick Open.

8. Navigate to where you saved your painting package and click on it. Click the Open button.

9. In the lower left corner put a check in the box by the word Sort. In the upper bar click the word Tag. This will reorganize your list by Tag name.

http://www.modyourpanties.com/hosting/27370_110505001738pt7.jpg

10. Right click on the line that starts PaintingModern_o_. Pick Export from the drop down menu. From the second menu pick To file. Navigate to your working folder and click Save. (See note at bottom about IMG names)

http://www.modyourpanties.com/hosting/27371_110505001851pt8.jpg

11. Minimize or close s3pe for now.

12. Open up the IMG (it will be a .dds) you exported in your image editor of choice. I use Paint Shop Pro but Photoshop, GIMP, or Paint.NET (among others) will work just as well. (See note about PSP below)

13. Figure out the size of the EA painting image by cutting out the part you want to replace. In this case the size is 189 x 263.

http://www.modyourpanties.com/hosting/27372_110505002006pt9.jpg

14. Resize your image so it is the exact same size and paste it onto the dds. Move it so it lies directly over the EA painting image.

http://www.modyourpanties.com/hosting/27373_110505002116pt10.jpg

15. Merge all layers and save as an interpolated alpha (DXT5).

http://www.modyourpanties.com/hosting/27374_110505002226pt11.jpg

16. Open (or bring up your minimized) s3pe. If you closed it before open your painting package again.

17. Right click anywhere on the list. When the drop down menu appears choose Import. From the second drop down pick From file. Navigate to the folder where you saved your dds.

http://www.modyourpanties.com/hosting/27375_110505002346pt12.jpg

18. Select your dds and click Open. A popup box will appear. Make sure Replace duplicates is selected and that the Use resource name box has a check mark in it. Then click OK. Do NOT change any of the numbers. Just click OK.

http://www.modyourpanties.com/hosting/27376_110505002502pt13.jpg

19. In the upper left hand corner select File and from the drop down pick Save. A strike-through line should appear through the IMG line of the IMG you exported before.

http://www.modyourpanties.com/hosting/27377_110505002530pt14.jpg

20. Put your new package in your Mods folder as you usually do and check it in the game.

http://www.modyourpanties.com/hosting/27378_110505002710pt15.jpg

Note: Eight of the twenty-eight original EA paintings have the _o_ in the name of the IMG you need to change. The other 20 have some (apparently) random name. I've listed the names for the other twenty IMG's in the attached text document although it isn't that hard to figure out which is what once you get used to the way the object list forms.

http://jaue.com/om/EAPaintings_IMGList.rar

If you're ready to add multiple painting choices to a single painting cmo's wonderful tutorial can show you how to do it. This isn't a beginner's tutorial but it is excellently written and very do-able. This tutorial will allow you to replace the multiple default images some of the paintings have with your own allowing you to have a single painting with multiple image choices in the game (like how Sims 2 paintings are). It's here:

http://www.modthesims.info/showthread.php?t=377737

A couple people now have posted that they've successfully used Paint.NET to manage dealing with alphas that are needed for paintings. I also use this tool to make my alphas and find it very simple to learn and easy to use. If you're interested in trying Paint.NET for this purpose Samelo gave excellent instructions on what you need (with links on where to get it) and how to use it here:

http://www.modthesims.info/showthread.php?t=377501

in post 18. This is where I learned how to finally manage alphas.

If you're trying to make paintings and the alphas are giving you trouble this is well worth trying. Paint.NET is free too :)

Note on PSP: If you want to use PSP to edit the dds you need to rename the dds before you try to open it with PSP. The name the dds comes out of s30c with is too long for PSP to handle. What I usually do is just make a copy of the dds, rename it something shorter, edit it, and then rename it back when I'm ready to import it back to the package.

[leesester]

Hi OM - first - great tutorial. Nice and clear, I hope many people will be able to make cool things for their game using this.

The thing is, (speaking as a bit of a download addict) this particular method means that each painting made will be a FULL clone of the original. That's heavy on the game, and it will start to clutter the catalogue.

I saw that cmomoney had made a tutorial on changing the PICTURE inside an object - adding more pictures to one mesh. That seems like a really neat idea and keeps the catalogue clutter down. Its my personal preference to do it that way, and I think that uploads to MTS should ideally be made that way.

Here is the link to Cmos tutorial http://www.modthesims.info/showthread.php?t=377737 I have to warn new users - its NOT a walk in the park, but its well explained and totally doable.

However, we all have to start somewhere (my first TS3 object was a painting made using similar techniques as those in your tutorial) and I think that this is a great tutorial for helping new creators to get an understanding of the methods used to create and recolour objects. It will definitely help to deliver that unforgettable OMG I MADE THIS and its IN MY GAME moment.

[orangemittens]

Thanks for your post Leesester :)

I made this tutorial because I had answered several people who were coming here asking questions about how to make a painting with a lot of confusion because of the outdated tutorial on the topic in the Wiki here. In particular one person new to S3 meshing and I spent quite awhile trying to fix her painting which had completely borked thumbnails. The problem turned out to be that she had followed an outdated MTS3 Wiki tutorial to the letter and screwed them up that way. At the end of that thread she suggested an update should be made and it's hard to argue her point...lol.

For some reason, one old tutorial has caused a few new people to end up with brown-fronted paintings (?) which they then post about trying to find answers. And lately, a couple more questions about how to easily make a painting spurred me to finally get a replacement made. If it seems to work out perhaps it could be linked in the old tutorial so people have something up to date to get started with?

This tutorial, as the title suggests, isn't meant for people who are ready to provide the forum with lots of great new uploads. It's meant for people who have just downloaded the tools and are wondering how to get started. It's also for people who have no interest in meshing at all but would like to add a few of their own personal paintings to their own game.

The thing of it is, many meshers, myself included, like to start out with something fairly easy and straight-forward to build confidence with and to get the general principles down. I think that's why a lot of people, like you, started out by making a simple painting texture replacement. People like us are heading to MTS looking for a tutorial and finding this outdated thing with lots of unnecessary steps and views of the tools which are imtimidating and obsolete. That's why I made this tutorial.

Anyway, thanks again for your post. I think for people who want to upload items to share your point is well-taken. :up:

[Delphy]

Which tutorial on the wiki is outdated, orangemittens?

[orangemittens]

The one linked to from Xanathon's tutorial page here:

http://www.modthesims.info/showthread.php?t=359314

recently updated to indicate that the tutorial is now outdated.

This one:

http://www.sims2wiki.info/wiki.php?title=Sims_3:How_To_Clone_A_Painting_And_Change_the_Texture

Although now that I look at it more closely I'm confused...is this a MTS Wiki? The main page for Sims 3 modding there looks the same as the one here and the names of people posting there are familiar to me from here but other things are different...but it's linked to from Xanthon's thread here at MTS.

I apologize if I've made a mistake in thinking this is a MTS Wiki page.

eta: also, if I use the Search wiki in the navigation bar here and type in painting tutorial the list that pops up includes the Xanathon tutorial but it looks like a different page...so now I'm really confused...lol.

Oops...forgot the link:

http://www.modthesims.info/wiki.php?title=Sims_3:How_To_Clone_A_Painting_And_Change_the_Texture

[flora523]

I agree with Leesester, great tutorial. Only thing I might add would be about using the "view dds" option. It's pretty easy, and you can see your image before you export it. Your list will work too, it's just an option.

[orangemittens]

Thank you for your input Flora. :) If you would like to write a clear step-by-step explanation of how to use the dds viewer with pictures showing the new tools I'd be glad to add that with credit to you at the bottom of the tutorial for people who would like to try it.

I don't use that tool and it isn't necessary to the painting alteration process so I didn't include it. But it wouldn't be a bad addition if someone's willing to do the work. If not, the list I've included removes all trial and error from the process of selecting the right dds to export.

[flora523]

Point taken. ;) I'm just one of those freaks that has to LOOK at everything.

[mtsimguy]

Thank you for updating the tutorial and for providing the images which need to be changed.

Is it possible to clone paintings such as the Mission at Noon, Lance Ng (PaintingMission2x1) which also has another DDS underlay with a greyed-out image of the painting (paintingMission2x1__0x79656471ed323eee)? Would that greyed-out underlay image also need to be changed? And if so, how? This DDS image (paintingMission2x1__0x79656471ed323eee) does not seem to appear in either Paint.NET or GIMP.

[cmomoney]

I think that's the specular image. It determines the shine, in this case for the frame and the paint. You would need to edit this, probably by painting that area with black. If not, you'd have the original painting's shine. I don't know why they don't open right in your graphic programs.

OM: Great tutorial. I linked mine to this one :)

[orangemittens]

cmo is right and that IMG the one named paintingMission2x1__0x79656471ed323eee, is the Specular.

In PSP it looks like this:

http://jaue.com/om/Mission2x1Spec.jpg

To use this painting you're going to have to keep the alpha in place and you may have to change the greyscale part of the IMG where the painting is. The easiest way to do that is to select a grey from the rest of the image that is somewhere in the middle between the brightest and the darkest and just fill over the greyscale mission painting image with that. An example you could use to give you an idea of what I mean is the last IMG in that package, the greyscale one named: paintingMission2x1__0x79656471ed323ef0. If you look at that one the IMG is basically the same as the Specular except the painting image on it is solid grey. I would use a similar but lighter grey to change the Specular with.

You may not need to do that however. I would first just try cloning and changing the painting as I do any other and then if the image portion had strange shadows on it in-game I would alter the Specular. It may be that this Specular is only going to provide shadows for the frame part. Since you aren't changing the frame you don't need to worry about changing the Specular for that part of the painting.

I hope that makes sense and that you'll post again if you try it and run into problems.

Thanks for linking my tutorial cmo and for the kind words. I should have thought to do that with yours...especially once Leesester mentioned it. I'm going to do it now :)

[Jetas]

I've tried to open the DDS file in Gimp but it will not work. I keep getting an error message that reads, "this is the wrong file type". I've exported the correct files and such but I'm stuck. :cry:

[Cocomama]

*DDS-plug-in for GIMP = gimp-dds-win32-2.0.7
http://code.google.com/p/gimp-dds/

To install, extract these files to your GIMP plugins directory.
This directory is usually located at:
C:\Program Files\GIMP-2.0\lib\gimp\2.0\plug-ins

[nicky_Q]

Your Step 9. isn't working for me. My s3pe looks confusingly different:

http://www.pakt-der-bedraengnis.de/eigenes/s3pe.jpg

Can anyone help me?
I noticed I have a newer version. :cry:

[Inge Jones]

Do you see the tickboxes near bottom right of your screenshot? Tick on Names and Tags.

[nicky_Q]

I could bash myself. -.-

thx for your hint for Idiots. lol

[orangemittens]

I prefer to think of things of that sort as "tips for those new to s3 meshing" :)

I should have put a pic of that in the tutorial but my boxes were always ticked off so I didn't think of it. I apologize for that.

[MarleneJ]

Hi, I followed the steps through this and changed 3 dds files which were the options for a painting. I have viewed the new files and they are as they should be. I have replaced the originals and loaded the package back into game, also clearing my cache files. However, imagine my surprise when I find that the painting in game still has its 3 original texture options ! I repeated the import/strike etc proceedure again, but still only the original textures are showing. What can cause this ? Thanks.

[orangemittens]

Hi Marlene :) I'm confused by what you mean when you say you changed 3 dds files which were the options for a painting. When you open the painting package in s3pe after cloning it with s3oc you should see a list of names. There is only 1 IMG on that list that controls the image of the painting if you have cloned one of the original EA paintings.

What painting are you cloning? Could you post the name of the three dds files you changed? What is import/strike?

[MarleneJ]

Hi, Sorry I confused you ): I used a custom painting which has 3 image options, so I replaced all 3 image files. I have just gone back in to the package and this time instead of replacing the image files by importing the new ones, as per the walkthrough, I right clicked on each of the original images and chose the option replace. Back in game there is some advance ! I have one new image which I can use although the image is not centered on the painting. The other 2 new images are appearing as available and I can select them in game but as soon as I click ok, the image jumps back to the original image. Very odd. Clearly the old images are still in the package although they are not being listed. I probably should have started with just a daffodil on a single tile painting ! However, your walkthrough has helped me to understand what is involved with creating new dds files for objects, but clearly there is more to do than just replace them ! Thanks.

[orangemittens]

Did you "fix" the object after copying the package and replacing the images? There are a lot of caches and you may not have emptied them all...so if the object has the same TGI as the original the game may show you the old images.

To make a new painting using a custom mesh with multiple images you would do basically the same thing as you do for a one-image painting:


1. Copy the package of the painting you want to recolor

ETA: Change the name of the painting package to your new painting name

2. Use s3Oc to "fix" the package you have renamed (ETA: instructions on that are below in this thread)

3. Open the fixed package in s3pe

4. Export each of the images you want to replace

5. Open the dds in your editor and replace the image

6. Save the dds without changing the name

7. Import the dds images back into the package using s3pe and save

8. Check out painting in-game

[MarleneJ]

Thanks for the reply. s30c isnt very helpful with the fix option. The button is marked start/fix but I havent found anything directly relating to "fixing" It does make sense that the package needs old info clearing out, but there is no obvious button to click ! I am a senior citizen, so probably shouldnt be trying to do any of this and should just stick to knitting ):

[orangemittens]

Nah...don't stick to knitting...this is much more fun :) And don't worry about this being a "seniors" issue...this just isn't easy stuff no matter how old you are.

To fix with s3oc:

Open package with s3oc

On the right hand side of the screen near the bottom is a button labeled clone or fix...click that.

Change the catalog name & description/price if you want

Then over on the left hand side near the bottom click the Start button

When the little box pops up giving you the option to click ok just click ok

That's it...the tool has taken care of everything else for you.

The left hand side of the screen should look like this:

http://jaue.com/om/s3oc.jpg

with just those boxes checked off. Don't check off the other boxes. And of course, in the unique name slot should go the new name of your package.

I apologize for not mentioning it in my above post, but after you copy the package you should rename it to your new painting name before you open it with s3oc and fix it.

[Corubia]

Do you see the tickboxes near bottom right of your screenshot? Tick on Names and Tags.
Thank you. That helps sooo much. To bad *I* didn't see it :)

Thanks for the reply. s30c isnt very helpful with the fix option. The button is marked start/fix but I havent found anything directly relating to "fixing" It does make sense that the package needs old info clearing out, but there is no obvious button to click ! I am a senior citizen, so probably shouldnt be trying to do any of this and should just stick to knitting ):

If I maybe so forward to comment on your comment. I think its great that your doing this. My mom was was in her 60's when she went back to school to pursue an AA in Fine Arts. She showed me that I could do *ANYthing* I wanted to, age be dammed. Never give up! :)

[suzetter]

OMG, you sweet thing you. A toast to Orangemittens! :Pint:

That tutorial was so easy to follow and so well illustrated that it made creating a custom painting a breeze. I've never created a custom object before. Wow. Feels good. Thank you so much.

For fellow newbies to modding -- I'd like to share that I had a heck of a time trying to get Gimp to acknowledge the dds files (or the plug-ins for it for that matter--I never did get it working :cry: ). I was uninstalling/reinstalling Gimp to start all over again for the 3rd time when I decided to try Paint.net.

Wish I had done that sooner. The dds plug-ins are included in paint.net in vers. 3.5.5 that I downloaded and I was able to immediately see, work with, and save the dds file for my custom painting.

Sorry, gotta run...gotta make more paintings... :)

[orangemittens]

Thank you for the feedback. I agree with you that Paint.NET is wonderful for working with the dds files this game requires. There is no other program I've tried that lets me open them as easily or work with the alphas some of them have.

I'm glad the tutorial worked out for you :)

[eiahmon]

Thank you for this wonderful tutorial! :) I had been hoping to learn how to make my own paintings for sims 3 since I had never been able to for sims 2 (SimPE would never work on my comp for whatever reason) and now I'm just as pleased as punch because I just made my first painting, and it worked!

I had to use Paint.net since GIMP 2.6 would not save as an interpolated alpha, and Nvidia Utilites would not run at all for some reason, but everything else went off without a hitch, and now I'm off to makes loads of cutom paintings. :)

Again, thank you so much!

[orangemittens]

You're very welcome :) I use Paint.NET to make my alphas with too. It really is so easy to use it and all the other editors I've tried were very uncooperative. Since you're the second person in a row to mention it and I find it so helpful too I've edited the tutorial to provide a link about it. Thank you for the feedback.

Congrats on your first painting :up:

[LoofahFlufferduff]

Hi Orangemittens!!!! I am really beginning to love you ;)

GIMP on mac has all of the tools needed to successfully edit DDS... so, if I can get s3oc and s3pe to work on Mono, then this should be something even Mac folks without windoze can do!
I wouldn't mind co-authoring a wiki page with you to include that :D

[orangemittens]

Hi again LF :) I don't know the first thing about Wiki pages or Mac so I probably wouldn't be of much help to you there...lol. But if you decide to take that project on and there's anything in my tutorial you want to use for it feel free :)

I can link to yours from this one too once it's finished so if a Mac user wanders here they can get information more appropriate for their system.

[suzetter]

How can I find the polycount on a cloned painting?

Edit: nevermind. I saw your response on another thread so I opened my clone painting and exported the MLOD file to a folder where I could have S3Objtool read it and I got a faces and vertexes count which I think is what I need.

[jeepjeepcat]

Thank you so much for this tutorial (I hope you won't mind my reply bumping an oldish thread). I only started messing with s3oc and s3pe yesterday after deciding I needed a new roof colour for my current build and whilst looking for a tutorial stumbled across this one. The roof turned out okay (after much messing about) and I decided to have a go at making portraits of my sims. Less than ten minutes later I have a portrait in game:)

[quasigoodandy]

Hello, thanks for this tutorial, but I'm having trouble with steps 17,18, and 19. When I import my dds file into s3pe, it shows up with the tag "UNKN" and doesn't replace the original file (no strikethrough). I did make sure "Replace duplicates" and "Use resource name" were checked.

Is it possible there's a problem with the format of my dds? I used Paint.NET to edit the image, and saved it in the DXT5 Interpolated Alpha format. However Paint.NET had several other formatting options which I'm not familiar with.

I appreciate the help.

[orangemittens]

Hi quasigoodandy :) When you're importing the new dds what is in the "Type" box in the Resource Details pop-up? Which painting are you working with?

I don't usually use Paint.Net for anything but making alphas with. But I did try editing a painting dds with it using a variety of the settings for dds and they all worked. I could be mistaken but I'm not sure that's where your problem lies.

[gabrielorie]

Thank you soooo much orangemittens :lovestruc It was very easy to follow and now i have lovely paintings in my sims' house :D .

[orangemittens]

Thank you for letting me know the tutorial worked for you gabrielorie :) Ooo...and I meant to thank jeepjeepcat also so I'll do that now. Also, people who have questions about a tutorial shouldn't hesitate to post them even if no one has posted in the tutorial thread in awhile...threads in this section are different than in other places and it's not really bumping to get answers about a tutorial.

[celebkiriedhel]

OK. I feel stupid.

I've done the 3OC thing, Opened the new package with S3PE, and when I right-click on the IMG to export, the import/export options are greyed out.

What have I missed?

(I'm doing the painting_cars option, wanting to do CMOMoney's tutorial).

I can export to a file from the main title bar option, but it won't open in PSP7. :(

Versions are:

S3PE: 1001-03-1524
S3OC: 10-1031-1514

I have installed a DDS filter for PSP7.

I've successfully done this once - so I'm at a loss about what I've forgotten this time?

[orangemittens]

(((Kiri!))) :) When you say you're doing the "painting_cars option" what do you mean?

The time(s) you've done this before were you using the same set-up in terms of s30c, s3pe, and your editor/plugins as you are now?

Can you post your package so I can look at it?

[celebkiriedhel]

In your example you do paintingmodern. In the tutorial with the multiple images, she uses paintingcars - I suppose it's because it has multiple images.

To be honest, I don't remember the setup with S3OC last time, I redownloaded for this try out. It has different things in it - I've included bitmap screenshots of exactly what was ticked and not ticked.

The biggest difference is that I've got LateNight installed.

Since I posted, I downloaded Paint.net. It can open the DDS file, and it looks ok. So I think it's just that PSP7 must not be able to cope with DDS too well :(

But I still would like to work out why the right click menu doesn't appear to work for me. (I've included a bitmap screenshot of that as well).

http://www.simthing.net/5fam/KIRIproblemS3PE.rar << There's the attachment complete with packages and bitmaps.

I'm making Aussie Pub posters for my new pub - before I start on the scary thing of trying to mesh stuff for it.

[orangemittens]

If you want to use PSP to edit the dds you need to rename the dds before you try to open it with PSP. The name the dds comes out of s30c with is too long for PSP to handle. What I usually do is just make a copy of the dds, rename it something shorter, edit it, and then rename it back when I'm ready to import it back to the package.

I'm not sure why the import/export on your s3pe are greyed out like that...it could be the version you're using. There is a newer version available at SimLogical. I'd try that one and if you're still having the problem I would ask Inge about it. Sorry I can't help more with that one.

[HugeLunatic]

This error seems familiar, so as OM said make sure you have the latest version. But try going to the menu at the top rather than right clicking. Does PSP have any options to change for the filename length allowed? I would think it would handle filenames the same as the OS and not have it's own limits, but maybe it's a setting somewhere?

[celebkiriedhel]

I hope this reply doesn't time-out.

Thanks for the tip about names in PSP7 - that worked perfectly, and I can now see the DDS in there! <hugs> OM!

The newer version of S3PE fixed the right-click menu problem. I feel like a real newb now for not checking that myself! Sorry for wasting your time on it.

@HL - I will look around in PSP7 to see if it can cope - I have done some checking but hadn't seen anything on long file names. It may be simply that it doesn't because it's such an old program.

Thanks again for your help! I'm off to finish the tutorials and make some paintings! :D

[orangemittens]

I don't think it's because it's that you have an older version of PSP. I've got one that's newer and it still has that problem. PSP and the long naming conventions we're blessed with in S3 just don't get along. And talking with you isn't ever a waste of time Kiri...hugs back to you :)...I'm looking forward to seeing your paintings.

[celebkiriedhel]

http://www.simthing.net/images/pubposter01.jpg

Step 01 is completed :)

Gotten further - but still have problems.

http://www.modthesims.info/showthread.php?p=3366487#post3366487

[Jeffs0418]

Thanks so much! :up: A tutorial I can understand.
So far I have created and tested 2 custom images by following your instructions to the letter.

[metalfenix]

So far, so good, I managed to make my first custom painting without too much hassle with your tutorial. I'll try the multi-image painting and see how far I can go.

Thanx for the tut!

[mfhorn63]

Orangemittens-
I am have been a fan of your creations, so it was easy to pick your tutorial first to try my hand at creating new wall art. Your tutorial is very concise and simple, containing precisely the amount of info needed for most to get rolling quickly. I did have some fits and starts, but I went back and found one...little...box...checked when it should have been blank (it was the one labeled "Default Resources Only" in s3oc). Since discovering that error, your procedure has worked perfectly!

I was a little confused when you wrote to "make sure Use Resource Name is 'checked off.'" I didn't know whether you meant checked or unchecked. I was able to sleuth that out quickly, as if the box is "unchecked," the IMG file replaced will not show in strikeout.

The newest version of s3oc is a little different from the version in your post, but not so much that it makes a difference.

Thanks again, and I look forward to your next creations- both decorative and informative!

[orangemittens]

Hi mfhorn. Thank you for the feedback :)

I'm wondering which painting it was you cloned that required you to uncheck the Default Resources Only box in s3oc. The overlay IMG usually gets pulled as a default resource and you shouldn't need to uncheck that box. If you do you end up getting a lot of resources you don't need in the package.

Your point about the Use Resource instructions is well-taken...I'll fix that. And I'm keeping my eye on the appearance of s3oc so that if it changes from the version I used in the tutorial too much I'll change the pictures.

Thanks again for the feedback :)

[misskitn]

This is a great tutorial and once I got through all the basic bugs I had (i.e., using a very outdated version of the game lol!) I am able to do everything very smoothly. However, I get stuck at step #15. I'm using Gimp and have the appropriate DDS plug-in for it, but I'm not getting an option to save it as an interpolated alpha. Don't suppose anyone could help?

[orangemittens]

I don't really use GIMP so I'm probably not going to be much help but these are the first basic questions: Which version of GIMP do you have? Which plugin are you using? Where did you install the plugin?

[claudiasharon]

This is an awesome tutorial, very easy to follow. Thanks so much for this!

[Kurgan Nazzir]

I have never used mods (outside of the custom content from the exchange) for my Sims games before, just started yesterday after finding some neat ones while looking for more tattoo options. Anyway, I started looking into how to make my own and this is one of the tutorials I bookmarked. After a rough start, because I didn't read the thread all the way through so I didn't know about the file name length issue with PSP Pro 9, I made my very first mod using a screen-shot from another video game. I can't tell you how unbelievable excited and proud I am right now.

So I just want to say thanks for the tutorial(s). If anyone is curious to see what I made, here's a Link (http://nazzir.blogspot.com/2011/03/amarthiel-in-sims-3.html) to my blog post (if that's ok to post).

[orangemittens]

I'm glad this worked out for you...thanks for letting me know :)

I'm going to update the tutorial post to let people know about the PSP name issue...that way people won't have to wade through the thread to discover it as you had to.

[faprod]

Amazing tutorial! :D

One thing I'd like to know is if I can use this method to create custom billboards. I've been trying to do so, but I can't find the .dds with the image of the billboard, help! :/

[orangemittens]

The dds files for the billboards are in Fullbuild2 and they are the ones with the Tag "_ADS" that have signBillboard in their name. Thanks to Granthes for helping to find these things :)

[faprod]

The dds files for the billboards are in Fullbuild2 and they are the ones with the Tag "_ADS" that have signBillboard in their name. Thanks to Granthes for helping to find these things :)

Thanks! Now I might be able to make custom billboards for my new series! :D

[afgs]

Thanks Orangemittens for this great tutorial.

Its very easy to do (even for me xD)

You really did a :gjob: :giggler:

[jenba]

Nah...don't stick to knitting...this is much more fun :) And don't worry about this being a "seniors" issue...this just isn't easy stuff no matter how old you are.

To fix with s3oc:

Open package with s3oc

On the right hand side of the screen near the bottom is a button labeled clone or fix...click that.

Change the catalog name & description/price if you want

Then over on the left hand side near the bottom click the Start button

When the little box pops up giving you the option to click ok just click ok

That's it...the tool has taken care of everything else for you.

The left hand side of the screen should look like this:

http://jaue.com/om/s3oc.jpg

with just those boxes checked off. Don't check off the other boxes. And of course, in the unique name slot should go the new name of your package.

I apologize for not mentioning it in my above post, but after you copy the package you should rename it to your new painting name before you open it with s3oc and fix it.

Thanks for this tutorial, OM. :) The photo in the above post isn't showing up, and I'm not sure which boxes to check off for "fixing" the package. Could you (or anyone else, whoever has the time!) upload a new photo or list off which boxes should be checked? I'm trying to recolor a custom mesh and can't get past this step...thanks!!

[orangemittens]

My server was temporarily incapacitated so the picture wasn't showing. It should be back up now :)

[jenba]

Thank you, OM! :)

[animenut31]

i recently made a custom painting using your tutorial.





what kind of file is it called? is it called an object modification file? i dont know what kind of file it is called. i need help!

[orangemittens]

i recently made a custom painting using your tutorial.
what kind of file is it called? is it called an object modification file? i dont know what kind of file it is called. i need help!The file extension is .package.

[animenut31]

The file extension is .package.

thank you, orange, for telling me. :)

[Laceyee]

sorry for this complete noob question, but what is meant by "20. Put your new package in your Mods folder as you usually do and check it in the game." ?

after step 19 i'm not sure exactly what i'm supposed to do....

[orangemittens]

sorry for this complete noob question, but what is meant by "20. Put your new package in your Mods folder as you usually do and check it in the game." ?

after step 19 i'm not sure exactly what i'm supposed to do....You just put the new painting you made into the game the same way you put any new .package custom content.

If you've never installed .package files this link might help:

http://www.modthesims.info/wiki.php?title=Game_Help:Installing_Sims_3_Package_Files

I hope this helps and if you still have questions post again :)

[Laceyee]

thats very helpful, thank you!
unfortunately, i'm still having trouble :(
here are screen shots of exactly what i've done, so hopefully you can she what i've done wrong? :cry:

thanks in advance!

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b368/H8ed_By_Many/The%20New%20Shit/1.jpg
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b368/H8ed_By_Many/The%20New%20Shit/2.jpg
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b368/H8ed_By_Many/The%20New%20Shit/3.jpg
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b368/H8ed_By_Many/The%20New%20Shit/4.jpg
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b368/H8ed_By_Many/The%20New%20Shit/5.jpg
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b368/H8ed_By_Many/The%20New%20Shit/6.jpg
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b368/H8ed_By_Many/The%20New%20Shit/7.jpg
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b368/H8ed_By_Many/The%20New%20Shit/8.jpg
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b368/H8ed_By_Many/The%20New%20Shit/9.jpg
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b368/H8ed_By_Many/The%20New%20Shit/10.jpg

[orangemittens]

thats very helpful, thank you!
unfortunately, i'm still having trouble :(
here are screen shots of exactly what i've done, so hopefully you can she what i've done wrong? :cry:

thanks in advance!I'm not sure what exactly is happening when you say you're having trouble. :) Is the painting showing up in your game and not looking right or is it not showing up at all? Have you had success installing other people's custom content into your game?

[Laceyee]

the game's acting as if i've changed nothing at all-- the modern painting is the same as its always been. :(
and as for other custom content, the only other stuff i've added ot the game has been stuff from the Exchange, and most of it's worked just fine. the only stuff that didnt was the stuff that included expansion packs and whatnot that i dont have.

[orangemittens]

the game's acting as if i've changed nothing at all-- the modern painting is the same as its always been. :(
and as for other custom content, the only other stuff i've added ot the game has been stuff from the Exchange, and most of it's worked just fine. the only stuff that didnt was the stuff that included expansion packs and whatnot that i dont have.Let's make sure you have everything installed right for custom content then before moving on to the painting itself. :) Take this painting I made and install it the way you're installing yours. See if it shows up in your game...it's compatible with base game and all expansions so it should. There's a jpg in the rar that shows what the painting looks like so you can find it in your catalogue easily. Are you still getting the intro when you start the game?

http://jaue.com/om/OM_Painting_Tilted.rar

[Laceyee]

no, it didnt work either. i extracted and put the .package in the mods fold, right with the nointro and nosparkles ones. oddly enough, THOSE both work! i dont get the intro, and when i build wall, there arent sparkles. so i'm soooo confused as to how this one didnt work! i chceked ALL of the paintings in the catalog, not just the modern one, and they're all just the same as usual.
maybe i just wasnt meant to have custom art :(

[orangemittens]

no, it didnt work either. i extracted and put the .package in the mods fold, right with the nointro and nosparkles ones. oddly enough, THOSE both work! i dont get the intro, and when i build wall, there arent sparkles. so i'm soooo confused as to how this one didnt work! i chceked ALL of the paintings in the catalog, not just the modern one, and they're all just the same as usual.
maybe i just wasnt meant to have custom art :(Of *course* you were meant to have custom art...everyone is :) Is your game patched up to 1.12.70 or higher? If the answer to that is yes we should prolly think of you heading to the Sims 3 Help section here:

http://www.modthesims.info/forumdisplay.php?f=551 before doing anything else. The people there can help you much more effectively than I can with a framework issue.

Once you've patched up or gotten things squared away with your framework if you still have issues with the painting post again :)

[Laceyee]

yes, i have the most current patch, so i'll go check out that link. thanks again!