Help needed! Want to edit CC, but don't know where to start!

[SIMpleMinded]

Hi all

I've been a member here for as long as I've had TS3. At this point I'm a user of all the cool CC the talented creators here have been making, but now I want to contribute myself. I figure I owe you guys after more than a year of leeching :)

What I really want to do is take some of the really good female underwear and bikini designs that some of you guys have made and improve on them a little. Call me a perv if you want to, but I'm a big fan of thongs and so far there are very few examples of underwear, bikinis and swimsuits with a thong back that look as good as I think they could.

The main problem with many of these otherwise great designs is that the piece of the thong that goes "between the legs" (trying to keep it sober here), which would normally not be visible is covering the crack rather than being "in the crack". I'd really like to do something about that.

For the past 3 days I've been spending an average of 4-6 hours a day getting programs and plugins and reading tutorials and I'm still not any closer to figuring out how to do it. Many of these tutorials are either too generic or too specific and aren't touching anything near what I want to do.

Here's an example of how I see one design becoming better:

I want to work on a basic thong from LorandiaSims3: LorandiaSims3 Thong (http://lorandiasims3.com/moreviews.php?cat=clothing&id=26)

As you can see, this is a really beautiful design, but it has the problem I mentioned above. The "in the crack" part is actually more "on the crack". I figure that a simple way to do something about that is just to make that part invisible, making it look like it's actually "in there" insted of "on there". But how do I do this? First off, I'd just like to know if we're talking a MilkShape thing or a PhotoShop thing? The tutorials don't seem to point me either way...

The other thing I'd like to do, is move some stuff around. The higher the cut over the thigh and hip, the more sexy a thong looks. It accentuates and highlights the female curves. As far as I can figure out, that would be a mesh thing. If I'm right about this, how the devil do I edit this in MilkShape? When I load the basegame mesh for the tied bikini bottom for instance, I see the entire lower body and cant distinguish which parts are the bikini and which are the body. If I'm not right that it's a mesh thing, then what is it? Where do I go to do these things?

Sorry for the REALLY long post, but I'm hoping that in being this specific, someone's going to know exactly what I need to do.

Thank you in advance for your help, thank you all for creating cool stuff for this already cool game and happy new year :)

[CmarNYC]

Both of the changes you're talking about can and should be done by editing the base texture, not the mesh. Modify the RGB channels to change the shading and texture of the thong, and edit the alpha channel to control where the skin shows and where the suit shows. For the thong part, just reduce or eliminate the white strip on the alpha. To move the part over the hip, extend or move the hip strap on the RGB and move it on the alpha, and of course do some editing to smooth everything out.

Here's a texturing tutorial - it uses a tattoo as an example but it's the same process: http://simswiki.info/Sims_3:Creating_A_New_Base_Texture

IMO it's a little clearer to explain the alpha channel this way: White = only the clothing shows, Black = only the skin shows, Gray = translucent. If you use GIMP and need help with editing the alpha, just ask. :)

[SIMpleMinded]

Thank you so much for your answer and the link. It's a jungle of tutorials out there and I don't think I would have found this one on my own any time soon. Now all I need to do is get familiar enough with PhotoShop to actually do all this stuff :)

Would it be okay if I PM you if I need a little more help at some point? I wouldn't expect you to check this post on a regular basis just to see if I have more questions.

BTW, how do I get CC into the CTU? As of now, all I have access to through the CTU is base game CAS parts. Is there a folder or something I should place CC packages in? Can't seem to find an "Open" function, so I'm guessing it's not there. And also, can the CTU work with both package and sims3pack files?

[Esmeralda]

BTW, how do I get CC into the CTU? As of now, all I have access to through the CTU is base game CAS parts. Is there a folder or something I should place CC packages in? Can't seem to find an "Open" function, so I'm guessing it's not there. And also, can the CTU work with both package and sims3pack files?
CTU does have an Open function, under the File menu at the top left of its screen, for opening .package files. It only opens package files, it doesn't work with sims3packs. But if you want to use CTU to work on the contents of a sims3pack, you can use Delphy's Sims 3 Pack Extractor, which converts sims3packs to packages: http://www.modthesims.info/d/364038

[BloomsBase]

The problem here is that the thong is based on a underwear mesh.
If you really want to do it correct you should use the nude bottom as base as it has a deeper crack..... :giggler:

Edit,
Thought i would give it a shot and see how it looked...
Unfortunate i could not pull this off with TSRW as it still has the normalmap/tangents bug.
And CTU has a wrong setup on the nudes so i couldn't use that one either.

[SIMpleMinded]

Thanks EsmeraldaF. That link will come in handy.

@ BloomsBase: So what you're saying is I should just drav the whole thing myself? I'm not exactly sure I have the talent or the patience for that to be honest :p

I finally got the DDS plug-in for PhotoShop to work, so I'm going to start out slow with the base game tied bikinibottom and see where that takes me.

Thanks for all your help so far and please check in every now and then. I'm kind of a dunce when it comes to tech, so I might need more help :rolleyes:

[BloomsBase]

i tried with s3OC but it all gets to complicated when trying to avoid the normalmapissues....
Ill try to build a new package that you can use.

[BloomsBase]

Ok, here you have a correct package.

For those who like to know :P

*Cloned the nude bottom with s3OC as default replacement.
*extracted its Bgeo's and GEOM's with s3PE.

*Cloned the afbottombriefs with s3OC as default replacement.(cloned the briefs to save me the work of also fixing the normalmap, it doesn't have any. :) )
*extracted its GEOMs(you could also use CTU for this.)with s3PE.

*I opened each nude bottom GEOM with Delphy's GEOM editor and updated(and added) the TGI references with the ones from the afbottombriefs.

*I opened the afbottombriefspackage with s3PE and deleted all textures(not a problem since its cloned as replacement).
*I replaced the Bgeo's in the package with the Bgeo's from the afbottomnude.
*I replaced the GEOMs with the updated nude ones.
*Saved

*Cloned the file with TSRW and replaced multiplier and specular.
*exported as sims3pack
*converted to package
*tested ingame

You now have the underwear on the nude bottom but no ugly normalmapissues when using the muscle slider.
I think this is the best way till the Milkshape/Blender plugins are fixed?

If you need to replace GEOMS and Bgeo's you best clone with s3OC as it includes the filenames(lod1/2/3 and Fat/fit/thin and special) wich makes it alot easier to identify the file.

Reason i did this is that i still have bottom files i need to update on SS2, i can clone this file for it. :)

[CmarNYC]

Feel free to pm me if you want, but in general it's better for everyone to post questions and answers in a forum thread like this one, so other people with the same questions can learn. :)

[SIMpleMinded]

So I'm beginning to get the hang of PhotoShop and the basics about texturing. So far I've made a respectable thong (but still not even close to good enough to post here) from the base game basic briefs. So far so good. Now I want to do what I originally set out to do. Edit other people's great designs to make them a little better. But I've run into a problem.

I found out that I could use TSRW to convert sims3packs to packages so I can open them and extract the textures with the CTU. I tried it with a couple of different things from other creators, but I keep coming up with these weird skins where the preview in the CTU is either fully nude, weird looking or haven't accepted any of my changes at all when i replace the base texture with my own edited one. I do exactly the same thing as I do with the base game textures, which works fine, but once I get other people's CC in there it just messes up completely!

Any idea what's going on?

[SIMpleMinded]

If it helps at all in uncovering the problem, all I'm doing in PhotoShop is editing the alpha channel.

[CmarNYC]

Could you link an example of a custom package you're having problems with?

[SIMpleMinded]

Sure. Here's one example: TSR (http://www.thesimsresource.com/downloads/details/category/sims3-clothing-female/title/jp16-metallic-bikini-pants/id/905146/)

When I remove the string part and replace the original base texture with my own in the CTU, it just shows up as a naked body in the preview window.

Here's one by Saliwa I tried that did the same thing: TSR (http://www.thesimsresource.com/downloads/details/category/sims3-clothing-female/title/angel-dream-thong/id/954207/)

[SIMpleMinded]

Yay! I figured it out all by my lonesome! :lol:

When I went into the designs tab in the CTU while having loaded another designers .package, I looked under "Other details" and found that there was a reference to a base game mesh. I tried reloading the CTU with that base game mesh and then replacing the texture with my own and hey presto! No more naked preview sim!!! :D

Now I can actually do what I set out to do! One last question though. As a matter of ethics, what would be the most correct thing to do? Can I just upload my adjusted designs here or should I ask the original creators if it's okay first?

EDIT: Saying that was the last question was a bit rash, as it turns out... When I've done all the editing, how do I get the colors on it from the original design? The new design just takes on the colors of the base game texture.

[CmarNYC]

I'm glad you figured it out, since I can't try your examples without logging into TSR and unpacking a sims3pack (I never use sims3packs) and was unable to see the naked effect when replacing the base texture on a custom package. :) Possibly it's something to do with the structure of TSRW-generated packages? Anyway, doesn't matter now.

You can check the policies of the original creators. I don't know if TSR creators have any place to post a policy - I didn't see one. If there's a policy, you should do as it says. If there isn't one, you should at least try to contact the creator and ask permission. Here's a link to the MTS policy on remixing other people's creations, including when you can't contact them for permission - basically if they're no longer in the modding community you can go ahead as long as you link back to their stuff and explain how you changed it: http://www.modthesims.info/showthread.php?t=426734 Since in this case you're working with stuff from TSR, IMO you should ask for a decision from the moderators here first by starting a thread in the Creator Issues forum: http://www.modthesims.info/fd.php?f=492

I'm not sure what the problem is with the colors - the colors/patterns should be the same as what was set up in the package you started with. Did you also update the RGB mask that determines which color or pattern is applied to which part of the texture?

[SIMpleMinded]

You might be right about the structure of TSRW-generated packages. I'll look into converting sims3packs in other ways and see if that makes a difference.

Thanks for the info on policies. My intention with this is anything BUT stepping on other creators' toes.

About the colors. You say they should be the same as the package I started with and that might be where the problem is. I start out loading a package from another creator into the CTU and exporting the texture. When I'm done editing it, I fire up the CTU again, but this time, I'm not loading the original package. I'm choosing a base game mesh, clicking "Add new design" and replacing that texture with my own. That might be why I'm only gettting the base game color as well. If that's it, I'm REALLY hoping that converting sims3packs to packages with a different program is going to solve it!

About the RGB masks. Where do I change that? Would that be under "Textures" and just exporting the masks and part masks from the original package and then replacing the base game ones with those when I'm done editing or is it somewhere under "Patterns"? If it's the first option, I've tried it and it doesn't make a difference and if it's the last option, I'm going to need a little more explanation than "yes it is" ;)

EDIT: Just confirmed that it is indeed the way TSRW generates packages that sucks! Just tried a quick edit of a design that I originally downloaded as a package and there were no problems whatsoever. Time to look into that Delphy thing :)

[CmarNYC]

For keeping the original CC patterns, with packages that behave themselves :) try replacing the base texture and save as a new package, hopefully keeping all the patterns and so on. Otherwise you'll have to try exporting the pattern textures if they're custom and not base game (in Designs tab/Patterns tab click on the RGB mask Find button for each pattern, then Export) and importing them into the new package (same screen, use the Replace button). For solid and pattern colors open the old package in CTU, go into the Designs tab/Patterns tab, click on the Colour square(s) at the bottom, and copy the Hex Color number. Then in the new package, do the same and paste or type the Hex Color in.

For clothing RGB masks, go to Designs tab/Textures tab, and highlight the Mask. Then you can pull up/Export the original RGB mask with the Find button and use the Replace button to replace it. :) The red area is where Pattern A will be used, green is for Pattern B, blue for Pattern C, and the alpha is for Pattern D if four channels are enabled. (Look in CTU Other tab for the choice of 3 channel or 4 channel. There's some trick to it which I don't remember offhand.)

(BTW, the RGB mask in Patterns is for the pattern, not for the clothing texture, and controls where the colors that make up the pattern are displayed - magenta for color 1, yellow for color 2, cyan for color 3, alpha for color 4. Confusing, isn't it?)

[SIMpleMinded]

Thanks a lot for your help and patience. I can't even begin to tell you how much I appreciate it :) I'll try all that stuff out later. Right now I'm working on my own thing.

BTW is there some easier way to see what my design will look like in CAS on a real sim (CTU preview isn't detailed enough) than running the game, going into CAS, trying it out, shutting down the game, editing the design and then running the game again? I feel like I'm spending too much time waiting for the game to start up each time I've made a little change to something.

[CmarNYC]

You could try the TSRW preview but IMO it's no better than CTU. I'm afraid there's no substitute for running the game and testing both in CAS and in the actual game - rendering is a bit different in CAS vs game. We'd all love a separate CAS like in Sims 2 with the ability to modify and reload.

[whiterider]

How do you mean detailed enough? CTU doesn't show the specular, but apart from that, you should be able to see everything using zoom/rotate/etc. If you want to see in preview how your item looks with various patterns, you could add a new design for testing purposes, then delete it once you're done, so you don't have to change any of your carefully worked out primary designs.

[daluved1]

How do you mean detailed enough? CTU doesn't show the specular, but apart from that, you should be able to see everything using zoom/rotate/etc.

Does too :p

Also, I recommend you read the CTU Guide (http://simswiki.info/wiki.php?title=Sims_3:CTU_Guide).

It'll show you how to manipulate CTU a little better, especially the 3D preview part. In my personal experiences, I've found that things actually look better in CTU than they do in game. So, it's always best to test in game afterwards.

[SIMpleMinded]

Okay, so the phrasing was off... By "not detailed enough" I meant that it doesn't look the same as it does in the game and after all, that's where all this is going when it's done. What looks good in the CTU doesn't necessarily look good in the game and vice versa.

[SIMpleMinded]

Quick question:

How do you get clothing items to show up correctly as an accessory in game?

I made a teddy (from the base game one piece swimsuit) that I'd like my sims to be able to wear as an accessory underneath their other clothes. In the CTU, under "Part Category", I made it an accessory under "Type" and a glove under "CAS Part Type". It shows up all weird looking in the game and I've changed the CAS Part type three times now to earrings, bracelets and socks and nothing seems to make it better. Other creators have made all sorts of stuff like bras that go underneath the shirt and other things as accessories, so I know it can be done.

[BloomsBase]

set it as accesory instead of body file
You do need to relink all the texture files.

It is much easier to clone the socks or gloves and link the textures to a bra or existing swimwear.

This is a bathing suit as accesoire i did a long time ago.
it doesn't contain any meshes or textures, all linked back.
http://www.bloomsbase.net/images/phocadownload/Transgender/phocathumbnail-transgenderbreastslider.jpg

I never checked if it gets covered by other clothing tho.....

[SIMpleMinded]

I'm not sure I understand what you mean by "relink all the texture files"... Could you elaborate a little on that?

As I said above, I did set is as an accessory instead of a body file under "Type" and tried setting it to different things under "CAS Part Type", but it didn't work. I also tried starting with an accessory (earring, fingerring, glove, sock etc.) to begin with, going into "Designs" -> "Add New Design" and replacing the texture with my own. That didn't work either, so I'm kinda hoping that's not what you're telling me to do...