How To Enable Additional Channels for Recoloring Buy Objects?

[gesimz]

I'm in the process of making the Ice Cream truck in Pets a drivable vehicle (to complement the Food Truck already available here). It works fine as a vehicle, but just now, I noticed an issue when Creating A Style/Recoloring the vehicle:

http://thumbs.modthesims.info/getimage.php?file=1258318

Only two parts of the Ice Cream Truck can be recolored, and as a result, it looks rather ugly and uneven when the two areas that can be recolored are recolored. How can those areas that can't be recolored be enabled to be recolored? Can you enable/unlock those extra two channels below the active ones so the roof and sides can be recolored (if possible) or is it possible make it such that the whole vehicle (including the bits that can't be recolored at the moment) is colored in one hit around the logos and so forth? Basically, is it possible to make those greenish bits that aren't black in the picture recolorable?

[Inge Jones]

I think this should be an easy change, and nothing like changing from 3-channel to 4-channel which is a larger step. Simply find the entry that says "Pattern C enabled: False" and change it to True. I just checked the material blocks and there is already a pattern c block created! However you will also have to edit the mask, as it only has red and green areas on it. You need to add some blue otherwise your 3rd color won't show up anyway.

[gesimz]

I think this should be an easy change, and nothing like changing from 3-channel to 4-channel which is a larger step. Simply find the entry that says "Pattern C enabled: False" and change it to True. I just checked the material blocks and there is already a pattern c block created! However you will also have to edit the mask, as it only has red and green areas on it. You need to add some blue otherwise your 3rd color won't show up anyway.

I found that, just enabling didn't work.

This is new territory for me. Where would I need to to add some blue in this mask of the Ice Cream Truck (see attachment) to get that 3rd channel to show up?

[Inge Jones]

Firstly, after enabling pattern C in the OBJD, did the CAStyle dialog box show the 3rd box enabled? That is a prerequisite to making this work at all. As to your question about *where* in the mask to add it, I will leave that to someone who specialises in object creation, as it's an art type thing :)

[gesimz]

The 3rd pattern in dialog box definitely does show up in-game when enabling, but recoloring is not possible at the moment, for the reasons you've stated. I'll experiment in the meantime and see if I can get complete coverage (while I wait for possibly another reply regarding where to add the blue in the mask). Thanks for getting me this far!

[orangemittens]

The 3rd pattern in dialog box definitely does show up in-game when enabling, but recoloring is not possible at the moment, for the reasons you've stated. I'll experiment in the meantime and see if I can get complete coverage (while I wait for possibly another reply regarding where to add the blue in the mask). Thanks for getting me this far!Ellacharm3d wrote a step by step meshing guide which is posted in the Basic Object Creation section of the SimsWiki. :) It goes over the basics of mapping an object and matching your mask to the map:

http://simswiki.info/wiki.php?title=Tutorials:TS3_Basic_HowTo_Mesh_Guide

[gesimz]

Got the channel enabled, now i'll follow that guide posted above and see if I succeed. Thanks!

[gesimz]

Is there any other program other than TSR Workshop where you can import new dds files and save the changes to the object to appear in game?

TSRW is simply too buggy. Not only does the program crash with an index out of range error (have to ignore to continue, see attached image) but the model loads up all funny (see attached image) and you can make changes, but saving a new file (exporting to package) irrespective of whether changes are made or not, wrecks the strings in the game so the object is blank for its description. In S3PE, you can only seem to view DDS files, but not import new ones and SAVE the new DDS file over the old one.

Are there any other programs like TSRW where you can edit Mask DDS files, replace them and apply that change to the object?

It's not editing the MASK thats the issue, I can use GIMP for that, but rather being able to overwrite the existing mask with the new one for the object without screwing up the objects strings in game.

I'm seeing this ViewDDS in the linked tutorial, but where is this ViewDDS, has it been merged in S3PE or is it a separate application?

http://simswiki.info/wiki.php?title=Tutorials:TS3_HTMG_ChapG_TexturingGimp

I can't see it mentioned in the tutorial where this ViewDDS can be found and you can't seem to be able to save changes like unticking alpha and so forth in S3PE.

Just wish the Ice Cream Truck was like the Animal Control Vehicle for Pets. Four channels but they all work fine.

[orangemittens]

Is there any other program other than TSR Workshop where you can import new dds files and save the changes to the object to appear in game?

TSRW is simply too buggy. Not only does the program crash with an index out of range error (have to ignore to continue, see attached image) but the model loads up all funny (see attached image) and you can make changes, but saving a new file (exporting to package) irrespective of whether changes are made or not, wrecks the strings in the game so the object is blank for its description. In S3PE, you can only seem to view DDS files, but not import new ones and SAVE the new DDS file over the old one.

Are there any other programs like TSRW where you can edit Mask DDS files, replace them and apply that change to the object?

It's not editing the MASK thats the issue, I can use GIMP for that, but rather being able to overwrite the existing mask with the new one for the object without screwing up the objects strings in game.

I'm seeing this ViewDDS in the linked tutorial, but where is this ViewDDS, has it been merged in S3PE or is it a separate application?

http://simswiki.info/wiki.php?title=Tutorials:TS3_HTMG_ChapG_TexturingGimp

I can't see it mentioned in the tutorial where this ViewDDS can be found and you can't seem to be able to save changes like unticking alpha and so forth in S3PE.

Just wish the Ice Cream Truck was like the Animal Control Vehicle for Pets. Four channels but they all work fine.S3pe is capable of switching out masks or even adding multiple masks to a .package. My old painting tutorial and Cmo's rug tutorial both show you how to switch out .dds images using it...the principle is the same whether you're switching overlay, mask, or any of the other .dds images in a .package. If I'm not mistaken his also shows how to add a new mask so that your object can be recolorable in multiple ways. Both of those are in the tutorials section here at Mod the Sims. S3pe also has a view .dds function.

There is also a relatively new tool Inge made that allows you to manage the .dds files in a .package. I wrote a tutorial showing how to use it and posted it at Simlogical here:

http://dino.drealm.info/den/denforum/index.php?board=34.0

[BloomsBase]

You can not recolor those parts, they are linked to a seperate overlay texture wich has its own UVcoordinates.
You can find the texture under materials in the meshtab.
Its a method used when there just not enough space on the 1024x1024 texture.

If you really want to recolor the vehicle you best create 2048x1024 textures and place both the 1024x1024 textures on it.
Do the same with the overlay, specular and mask.
It is not something for a beginner tho as you need to enable the meshgroups that use that extra overlay for recolouring aswell.(best is to delete them and duplicate one that has correct settings.)

[gesimz]

That doesn't sound like a project suited for a beginner! I might just either upload the vehicle as is then, or just might stick with the Animal Control vehicle (for the time being). Thanks for clearing that up. I guess it isn't that bad, it only looks off with really dark colors, lighter colors like those chosen by EA look ok with the Greenish blue on the sides and the top.

[BloomsBase]

you can give it a neutral color, just extract the overlay and edit the colors

[gesimz]

I might just do that, would definitely look better. Grey would probably be the best bet.

[gesimz]

Everything I said above about not being able to import/export DDS files in S3PE can be disregarded, just realized you simply import/export as you do normally via the resource drop down menu.

[Inge Jones]

Use Export and Replace (rather than Import) if you edit one of the DDS. That way you preserve the reference numbering chain reliably.

[gesimz]

Attached is the Ice Cream truck with with those areas highlighted in the first post grayscaled. The default game version looks a little better when using the trucks default colors, but the attached version looks better for extreme color ranges (i.e. black and white). Given this, i'm thinking of either just uploading the default version that has not had those bits greyscaled like the attached truck does and waiting for any requests/enquiries about those non colorable bits or uploading the original plus this version, for those wanting to recolor the truck in more extreme ranges, not sure what the better route to go down would be just yet. The Animal Control vehichle [not attached] (which i've provisionally changed in name from Animal Control to The Beast because of its rather large size and imposing nature with the spike/point object at the front) can simply remain as is as its fine the way it is. I noticed the modified texture for the Ice Cream Truck ALSO replaces the texture for the non-playable ice cream truck you buy ice cream from. Is there any way to avoid this? Also, to reduce file size as much as possible, what files in the .package do I need to keep for this truck and which can be deleted? I should note, I've done a slight edit to the strings describing the vehicle (has an error in it [missing the word been after which, which i'll correct]).

[BloomsBase]

how did you clone the icetruck?
I cloned it with s3OC and loaded the files in TSRW.(under project content)
If you have you file in tsrw you can easily relink such a texture(even if the file is a default replacement)
You simply delete the diffuse texture, commit and exit the material window.
Load a new texture in the texturetab or with project contents(make sure it has a custom instance number)
The revisit the meshtab/materials and add a new diffuse map, link it to your new texture.
The Lods will no longer use the default texture then.

[gesimz]

I did the same, cloned in S3OC but having troubles loading it in TSRW. I'll note, in S3OC, I only have compression ticked, is this what is causing TSRW to glitch up for me (is there something else I must leave ticked when cloning the Ice Cream Truck in S3OC to be properly recognized by TSRW)?

How are you getting the truck to load with no issues in TSRW?

Everytime I try to import it via Create New Project --> New Import --> Browse --> Next, I get that Index was out of range error I pictured in post number 8: http://thumbs2.modthesims.info/img/7/0/0/1/5/8/7/MTS_gesimz-1258489-TSRWissues.jpg. I'm not sure whether thats how its supposed to look in TSRW.

EDIT: I just did it via edit project --> project contents and then import, still looks the same as that image in post 8 linked above. Seems to allow me to edit still

[gesimz]

Ok, i've still got in a state where its working enough to edit.

Do I delete the diffuse maps for Groups 0, 1, 2 and 3?