Sims 2 start to finish Object Creation Tutorial V 2.1 - UPD 22 feb 06

[IgnorantBliss]

OK, there was a problem with the subset names, which is one reason for an object being invisible. You had three different names for that one subset in the package, the original one in GMND, Cube_painting in GMDC and PaintingCanvasHorizontal in Shape. I changed them all so that they are now the original.

But there was another problem: The mesh was rotated wrong, so that it would actually be underground when you'd try to place it on a wall. You probably had a wrong setting at some point in SimPE, or used a different importing method than in the tutorial, because when following the tutorial step by step, I don't think this is supposed to happen. However, I rotated the mesh back into the correct position in Milkshape, and it's now hanging on the wall like it should.

Your thumbnail image in game won't be fixed automatically, though. If you want to see the correct thumbnail, delete the package files in the Thumbnails folder in the Sims 2 folder under My Documents. The game will generate a new, correct thumbnail the next time you start up the game and look at the catalog.

[Sheyla]

Thank you so sos os much. i really cant thank you enough!!!!! Ill go see it ingame right now...i cant wait.
but i do wonder why i got the rotation so messed up...and i did at one point also follow a different tutorial, so that might be the problem. i guess ill be more carefull next time.

Thank you for all your patience, help and time! *hugs*

[IgnorantBliss]

When you follow this tutorial, make sure the Order (a box under the Models list in Geometric Data Container) is set to XZY. You may have set it to XYZ before, and I think SimPE remembers your earlier settings, so you may have to change it back to XZY.

[Sims2boy]

where do you save the file

[IgnorantBliss]

You can save it anywhere on your computer where you know you'll find it. To put your object into your game, you have to put the package file into the Downloads folder.

[*@nn@*]

Do anyone know where I can learn about a little more advanced texturing?

*@nn@*www.freewebs.com/glamoursim2

[Sheyla]

I yet again have another problem.
After making some nice recolors of my last picture mesh (which worked perfectly now), i started to make a table mesh.
Everything worked until i looked at it in game. its visible this time, but somehow it doesnt appear totally solid the way i built it in blender...!?
i would include a screenshot of the mesh in blender, but i dont know how to do that (???)

however, heres a screen shot of the table ingame!

In-Game Screenshot (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v510/SheylasGraphics/snapshot_0000000e_b161324f.jpg)

and another view:
Screenshot 2 (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v510/SheylasGraphics/snapshot_0000000e_b1613246.jpg)


does anybody have any suggestions what might have gone wrong?? :blink:

[adman500]

i have a slight problem too, i am in the middle of your tutorial and on part 2 page seven, you change the mode to RGB. i am using Paint Shop Pro 7, and i don't know how to do this.

thanks

[Sheyla]

Hi adman500

Im using PSP 8. i have the german version so im not exactly sure how the tags and buttons are called in english, but ill try explaining to you how to change the color settings to RGB. RGB stands for Red Green Blue (at list i think it does...lol).
In my psp version i find it uder "Anpassen" , thats the 6th button at the top of psp (the row where you also find files, etc.) Click on that and then find something called Color Balance ("Farbbalance") another box should appear and there you find a sign showing those 3 colors and it should say Red/Green/Blue... . Thats what i think you need to click. at least thats what i did to change the mode to RGB!

hope that helped a little!

[IgnorantBliss]

With PSP 7, that I'm using, in the English version you can go to Colors -> Increase Color Depth and select "16 million colors".

[adman500]

thanks, thats great, i found it thanks! but noe i have another slight problem, when i copy and paste the texture onto table2map.bmp, it doesn't show up right? i'll show you a picture...
http://putfile.com/pic.php?pic=5/12108590471.jpg&s=x402
you can't see it too well, but it's all fuzzy and incorrect, i think?

[IgnorantBliss]

That's because the colors on that image have not yet been set to 16 million. Try to change them on the uv-map image before you paste the texture over it :).

[adman500]

yes, thank you so much!!! now i can finish my table!!! thanks :up:

[azarum]

Okay, I'm sorry, but I don't know how to post a new thread. I've been having a similar problem as stated way earlier in this post, about WinRAR having the "unexpected end of archive" error. I've waited for the download to finish. I've also tried going to the posts suggested to fix this problem, but the links don't seem to go anywhere. Can anyone help? Thanks.

[IgnorantBliss]

azarum, which version of the tutorial are you trying to download? I can email it to you if you give me your email address :).

A new thread can be started by clicking on the New Thread button at the top of the forum.

[azarum]

Actually, I was trying to download something else (a Sim), and this was the only thread I was able to find that had any information on it about the error, but I couldn't find anything about solving it.

[just4friendssims]

i dont have a (Geometric Data
Container) i did uncheck the option to "reference original mesh".

[IgnorantBliss]

i dont have a (Geometric Data
Container) i did uncheck the option to "reference original mesh".

What did you clone, the same table as in the tutorial? Can you post a screenshot of the view you have of the package in SimPE?

[DarkValentin]

Hi, iam following the Wings3D tutorial, and i have just finished cloning the blocks as it says there. However i now a a problem, in the tutorial it tells me:

"Now that we've created our new table top, we''ll
enlarge it a little, to give it a more natural look. To do
so, right-click anywhere on the main window and
select Scale Uniform. Move the mouse slowly to the
right, until the table top has the desired dimensions."

At the first screenshot included it says what i have to do from the tutorial, and the second is my Wings3D window, and the option i have...

Hope you can help me :D

[DarkValentin]

Nevermind, found out by turning advanced menu's on, lol :D

[DarkValentin]

Hey JWoods, justed wanted to say thanks for this tutorial, it helped me create my first objects without any problems at all, except my own dumbness of not being able to find the correct buttons in Wings3D :D hehe...
Thanks alot JWoods, you're really helpful :beer:

[morten8035]

I wanted to make a new desk but than i inported the mesh back to simpe show this up:
http://www.alphasims.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=4635&d=1146503436
why will it not be inported?

[cdh055]

i have been following your tutorial and my wings 3D doesn't have tesselate/triangulate. what should i do? the only right click options i have are:

-move
-rotate
-scale
-flip
-invert
-tighten
-smooth
-combine
-seperate
-weld
-cleanup
-auto smooth
-duplicate
-delete
-rename
-show all
-vertex color mode
-object to area light
-materials to colors
-vertex color
-uvmaping

please help!

[DarkValentin]

i have been following your tutorial and my wings 3D doesn't have tesselate/triangulate. what should i do? the only right click options i have are:

-move
-rotate
-scale
-flip
-invert
-tighten
-smooth
-combine
-seperate
-weld
-cleanup
-auto smooth
-duplicate
-delete
-rename
-show all
-vertex color mode
-object to area light
-materials to colors
-vertex color
-uvmaping

please help!

I had the same problem as you :P

First open Wings3D

Then click Edit in the Toolbar, and then Preferences...
There click the Advanced tab, and then check the box which says Advanced Menus.

Next, left click on the mouse (and hold it) while moving over your object. When the box covers the part you wish to tesselate, release the button. The part you "marked" should then turn red. Right click anywere on the drawing screen, and push Tesselate. A new "window" will come up, click triangulate.

There you have it, hope it helps you :D :beer:

[morten8035]

I wanted to make a new desk but than i inported the mesh back to simpe show this up:
http://www.alphasims.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=4635&d=1146503436
why will it not be inported?
i have maded a other desk but the new textures don't show so i hope some can say it to me and some can say me what so is wrong so i have quoted.

[cdh055]

I had the same problem as you :P

First open Wings3D

Then click Edit in the Toolbar, and then Preferences...
There click the Advanced tab, and then check the box which says Advanced Menus.

Next, left click on the mouse (and hold it) while moving over your object. When the box covers the part you wish to tesselate, release the button. The part you "marked" should then turn red. Right click anywere on the drawing screen, and push Tesselate. A new "window" will come up, click triangulate.

There you have it, hope it helps you :D :beer:


I did everything you said and i right clicked and it didn't show up. it stil doesn't have tesselate/triangulate!


Please Help!

[Jcool663]

I am new to this web site. i wanted to know how to make the objects i am so confused and how can i get to the object maker
???
Thank you so much.

[IgnorantBliss]

morten8035, I can't see the image that you posted. What does the message say when you try to import? About your other question, it's hard to say based on that information. Which version of the tutorial did you follow, and did you follow it exactly, every step on the way, not missing anything? Where do the textures not show up? In SimPE, in the game, where? It's hard for me to say what the problem is now, but if you provide more information about your problems and post your problem tables as attachments here, I can take a look.

cdh055, I don't have Wings 3D handy, but I seem to remember that, when you have those 4 pyramids at the top of the window, you will have to click on the third one from the left and then right click on the screen, and you should get the tesselate option.

Jcool663, there isn't just one object maker, but a bunch of programs you're going to need. Which ones depends on which mesh editor you choose to use. Please, download the tutorial and it'll tell you what programs you'll need and how to get them.

[DarkValentin]

cdh055, I don't have Wings 3D handy, but I seem to remember that, when you have those 4 pyramids at the top of the window, you will have to click on the third one from the left and then right click on the screen, and you should get the tesselate option.

Yes, your are right, i forgot to mention that..

cdh005 iam posting a screen of how your Wings3D window should look
(don't look at the model itself, that's just a bed I created :P)

Hope this helps :beer:

[morten8035]

morten8035, I can't see the image that you posted. What does the message say when you try to import? About your other question, it's hard to say based on that information. Which version of the tutorial did you follow, and did you follow it exactly, every step on the way, not missing anything? Where do the textures not show up? In SimPE, in the game, where? It's hard for me to say what the problem is now, but if you provide more information about your problems and post your problem tables as attachments here, I can take a look.
here is a picture of the desk with wrong texture and wrong buy-catalog picture.
(the texture are not at picture)

[cdh055]

thank you so much! that was really helpful! i was SOO cunfused. lol. I love your tutorial. I just joined this site ;)

[mrptkln]

thank you so much for the tutorial.

now i have question on blender, i use version 2.41 and blender get crashed when i try to import/export OBJ. i tried to ask this problem before on blender forum (http://blenderartists.org/forum/) it seems there is no help at there.

please help.

Thanks again.

[IgnorantBliss]

here is a picture of the desk with wrong texture and wrong buy-catalog picture.
(the texture are not at picture)

OK, that's not a wrong texture, the bright blue it's missing the texture completely. There is something wrong with linking the texture inside the package. You can pack up the package file into a ZIP or RAR and attach it to your post, I can take a look and try to figure out what's wrong.

[Lethe_s]

mrptkln,

hmm, it doesn't do that with me
are you sure you're importing the .obj files?
what's the error that it gives (hopefully you can read it in the little dos screen)
otherwise i'd suggest you make sure everything blender is uninstalled (old plugins might be messing with the new obj importer/exporter)
and reinstall 2.41

[morten8035]

OK, that's not a wrong texture, the bright blue it's missing the texture completely. There is something wrong with linking the texture inside the package. You can pack up the package file into a ZIP or RAR and attach it to your post, I can take a look and try to figure out what's wrong.
It's wrong texture.
i have added a new texture.
and the det desk it's dirty it's have the rigt texture.
left desk: dirty.
right desk clean.

[SwtNess2]

Could someone please help me? I am walking through this tutorial and I get to the part in milkshape where you have to regroup the table legs and as soon as I do that I get an error message that says milkshape 3d has encountered a problem and needs to close. I tried it three times and everytime the same thing. anyone have a clue?

[IgnorantBliss]

morten8035, I'm not completely sure I understand what you're saying. Is your problem now that your texture only shows in the dirty state? Like I said before, please, attach your object package to your post, not just a picture, so that I can take a look at it. It's hard for me to help otherwise. The bright blue "texture" you had in the first picture is not a texture, objects that are missing a working texture turn blue like that.

SwtNess2, that's a known bug with Milkshape, which version of Milkshape are you using?

[mrptkln]

@Lethe_s

thanks, i uninstalled and reinstall blender again and its work. its suprised me, never thought this before, i thought it was the phyton-script thing. btw, thx :)

-----

a newbie question:

btw, is unimesh editing only if we has EP? i only have Sims2 Original, and beside other tutorial seems to suggest me using Milkshape that i dont familiar with. Is the mesh that we created for sims2 original will work on EP?

thanks in advance :)

[morten8035]

morten8035, I'm not completely sure I understand what you're saying. Is your problem now that your texture only shows in the dirty state? Like I said before, please, attach your object package to your post, not just a picture, so that I can take a look at it. It's hard for me to help otherwise. The bright blue "texture" you had in the first picture is not a texture, objects that are missing a working texture turn blue like that.

SwtNess2, that's a known bug with Milkshape, which version of Milkshape are you using?

post the file here?

[DarkValentin]

yes, post the file here.

[morten8035]

morten8035, I'm not completely sure I understand what you're saying. Is your problem now that your texture only shows in the dirty state? Like I said before, please, attach your object package to your post, not just a picture, so that I can take a look at it. It's hard for me to help otherwise. The bright blue "texture" you had in the first picture is not a texture, objects that are missing a working texture turn blue like that.
here is the file.
members: pleas do NOT download this file.
it is not completed.
i will upload it so fast it will be completed

[IgnorantBliss]

I think your texture problem is related to the problem SimPE has with cloning counters. That's why Numenor has made counter templates (http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=124268) that you can use as your base instead. I recommend you use them, according to the instructions that Numenor has posted in that thread. Fixing your current package would be quite complicated. You can still use the mesh you already have, but on a new clone.

[morten8035]

do you mean to clone the desk i have meshed?

[IgnorantBliss]

What you have cloned is called a counter, not a desk. What you should do is download Numenor's counter templates and clone them instead of cloning the Maxis counters. SimPE does not link the textures correctly and there is a lot of fixing to do if you clone the Maxis counter. So, I recommend you go to the thread with Numenor's templates and follow his directions on what to do with them. And then you can import the mesh you've already made into this new clone, and also use the same GUID you already have.

[Tabber14]

can someone help me figure out how to make the cloths and objects on here? I'm sooo confused so somebody help me with me.

[IgnorantBliss]

can someone help me figure out how to make the cloths and objects on here? I'm sooo confused so somebody help me with me.

Well, you should start out with one of the many tutorials around the forum, like this one you posted in. This tutorial is for making objects with new meshes. If you have no previous experience in creating, I suggest you start out with recoloring and with Numenor's object recoloring tutorial that you can also find on this same tutorial forum. For clothing, there is a separate section, the Bodyshop forums, which have a ton of tutorials also.

[goateater]

i am a complete dumbass, i did the tutorial exactly but when i go to run the sims to look a my table, its not there but the original table is and i have no idea wots rong.

[IgnorantBliss]

Did you put the table into your Downloads folder?

[goateater]

erm.........downloads folder?

[IgnorantBliss]

Into the same folder you put any downloaded custom content otherwise. The game won't find your table just anywhere on your computer, it needs to be in the Downloads folder under the Sims 2 folder in your My Documents. If there is no such folder, you can create one yourself.

[goateater]

well ive downloaded stuff before and i never put in in a specific folder and it all appears on the game

[IgnorantBliss]

Then they were probably sims2packs and when you clicked to install them, they installed themselves into the Downloads folder. Package files have to be manually placed into the Downloads folder, though, unless you're using something like QXpress that might put them there automatically, I'm not sure. When it's an object you created yourself, you need to place it there manually. If you have downloaded and installed custom content before, then most likely you already have a Downloads folder.

[goateater]

i dont use QXpress mainly because i have no idea wot it is but anyway could you tell me where to find the downloads folder

[IgnorantBliss]

Like I mentioned, it's in your My Documents, where you'll find a folder called The Sims 2, and under that one there'll be a folder called Downloads.

[goateater]

yesssss!!!!!!! thankyou!!!

[prettypinkmemphis]

How do u make the sim?

[goateater]

are there any other tutorials using wings 3d on this site?

[IgnorantBliss]

prettypinkmemphis, this thread is for discussing the object creation tutorial, not about making sims. If by creating a sim you mean creating clothing, hair etc, I recommend you take a look at the Bodyshop forums also in the Create section of MTS2. Please, read the forum guidelines :).

goateater, there is a Wings 3D version of this very same tutorial available for download in the first post of this thread.

[Bella1234200]

i am having major problems!!! help me!, ok heres what happenes. ok i followed your toutorial to a tee, i did everything, everything you did. i got the table to work well, but now i tried to follow it to make a chair and other objects (mainly chairs) and when i finish it, it is only re colured.. my mesh didnt work,
can you PLEASE help me?

[IgnorantBliss]

Can you explain what you mean by "it's only recolored"? Does it show up as a separate object, with the original mesh and your texture, or does it show only as a color option of the original Maxis item?

[goateater]

I've made a sculpture with three different parts and i want each part a different color, and i dont no how to do it.

Also i want to make one part rotate constantly but keeping the other parts static. Is there a tutorial for animation on this site sumwhere?

[Willazzi]

Well, I've never tried anything like making a new object, but I play The Sims for a while. First, thanks for the tutorial, it's really good, explains everything in a easily comprehensive way, but, with the new simPE version, I can't find the GMDC, and there's nothing that opens a screen like the one in the tutorial. Does anyone know what's happening?

I read the tutorial again and saw in the image I should uncheck the "Create a standalone object". So i did it and it worked! Sorry if I occuped some space...

[IgnorantBliss]

I've made a sculpture with three different parts and i want each part a different color, and i dont no how to do it.

Also i want to make one part rotate constantly but keeping the other parts static. Is there a tutorial for animation on this site sumwhere?

For the texturing of the sculpture, you will have to uv-map the three parts on separate areas of the map so that they can be textured separately. Numenor has an article on uv-mapping in the Modding InfoCenter in the Modding discussion forum.

There are no tutorials for animation that I know of. What creators are currently doing is they are using existing animations in Maxis objects, I don't know if anyone has actually created completely new ones. So, basically you'd have to have a Maxis object that has a rotating animation like that and clone that one. I don't know if there is such a thing, though.

[Bella1234200]

what i meen by that is that it is the origional maxis object but in a different testure.

[IgnorantBliss]

Does it overwrite the Maxis table or are they both separately in the catalog? Did you give the object new GUIDs, updated MMATs with the main GUID and also committed all changes? Open the Object Data files of your bject package, do they have your new GUIDs? And open the Material Override and see if the number on the objectGUID line matches your main GUID (it's explained in the tutorial how to tell the main GUID from the other ones).

[Bella1234200]

i have read this toutorial about 20 times... and i have tried to make the same object 20 times.. i know this toutorial word for word.. but when i did what u told me to to (check all my GUIDs and mmats and stuff) i did alll that and it didnt work! is there another problem you have not considered?

[IgnorantBliss]

Probably there is, then. You haven't answered all of my questions, so it's hard for me to guess what the exact problem is, but try uploading your object as an attachment here in this thread (after packing it up into a RAR or a ZIP), and I'll take a look.

[Bella1234200]

would it help if i take an in game picture for you? so you could see what happened to my tables.

[IgnorantBliss]

It would be more helpful if you uploaded the actual object to take a look at.

[Bella1234200]

ok i will do that...

http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?p=1224774#post1224774

please tell me what heppened? it looks like a only textured it, but i did the meshing aswell.. and the UV mapping stuff aswell..

[IgnorantBliss]

Please, don't upload it as a normal download when it's not finished yet. Just upload the object into this thread. You can do it by using the Manage Attachments button when you make a post.

[Bella1234200]

here you go :D

[IgnorantBliss]

You did not follow the tutorial 100%. The problem is that your new mesh is in several separate groups (legs, tabletop, vase) when in the tutorial you're told to regroup them into one group only that's called "tabledining". You have to do the regrouping in your mesh editor before you export the mesh. The old table mesh is still in the package, and since that's the only group that has any textures etc linked to it, the game only sees that one, and that's why the shape you see in game is still the old table.

You also have duplicates of all your groups in SimPE: 2 legs groups, 2 tabletop groups, and so on.

So, this time, go through the tutorial exactly as told step by step, and combine all the groups into one :). When the group has the correct name and you use the Replace option when you import the mesh, your new mesh should then replace the old one.

[Bella1234200]

thank you sooooo much!

[maybesomethingdunno]

I have another question, if it's not too much trouble. I'm posting it here since it is related to this tutorial. Why does the tutorial say to "Tesselate / Triangulate" the mesh? Is this something that should be done with *all* meshes made with Wings 3D or just in this particular instance of making a table? From what I've seen, it seems to just add to the number of faces and edges.
I don't remember if I've said this before or not but I'd like to thank all of you for making these tutorials, answering questions, and especially for being patient with people like me. :)

[IgnorantBliss]

I believe that's because by default faces in Wings 3D are square, while in the game they need to be triangular. So, yes, making them triangular raises the polygon number, but there is no avoiding it.

[maybesomethingdunno]

Thank you IgnorantBliss. I'll restart my project later and triangulate the mesh this time (I need to stop working on it anyway). According to Wings 3D, my mesh only has about 149 faces, 374 edges, and 237 vertices; so a few more probably wouldn't hurt, especially if it means making sure the mesh is compatible with the game. Thanks again! :)

[pacotacoplayer]

after i install the tutorial on qxpress, how do i view it?!

[IgnorantBliss]

I think Q-Xpress installs everything into your Downloads folder, so you'll need to browse into that and find the tutorial. It should be in PDF form.

[squirrel7284]

i tried using the downoad link and the faq to unziping and i dont know what to do

can you email it to me?

[IgnorantBliss]

I can email it to you, but you're still going to have to unzip it, just like you need to when you download it yourself. Which version of the tutorial are you trying to download?

[Qwerty123294]

thank you

[Vrajitor]

How I instal it?

[IgnorantBliss]

Install what, the tutorial? Download the RAR file, extract it with WinRAR (or some other archive program), place the PDF file from the extracted RAR somewhere on your computer where you'll find it, and double-click to open it. You need a PDF reader like the Adobe Acrobat reader or Foxit Software PDF reader to view it.

[simssy]

bonjour , j'ai essayer de fabriquer des objets avec le tutorial traduit en français mais mes objets sont à l'envers a chaque fois et ne sont pas recolorable , savez vous pourquoi ?

[IgnorantBliss]

simssy, please, post in English only. Use a translation site (babelfish.altavista.com/) if necessary.

[simssy]

excuse me for the French message, in made C good I succeeded in creating a bed thanks to another tutorial of JWoods, I thank you for all these tutoriaux and councils!!!

[aumnimon]

hi first of all thank you for this great tut
i was gonna make a topic "how cani make models with blender3d"
btw is there an exporter for the blender3d or that other program?

[collbn]

Thank you for the tutorials. I followed the Wings 3d and it worked fine (though my texturing needs work! :lol: )
Anyway, my question is how do I know the parameters of the cloned object so I don't go outside of the area when I create my own mesh? Does the new mesh have to be the same height, width, etc? For example, If I clone the fruit bowl (I just want a deco object, without too many animations) does that mean my object cannot be any larger than the furthest points on the fruit and bowel? Can it be smaller?
Should I put a bounding box around it before I start to build my own mesh and then work only within it?
I'm sorry if I'm not making sense. :rolleyes:

[IgnorantBliss]

Your new mesh can be of a different size than the original, but within certain limits. If your mesh is big enough to span more tiles than the original, you will start running into problems with sims walking through your object etc, because they don't really see the mesh, they only see the space that was reserved for the original object. With things like tables, if you make the table surface higher or lower, objects are still going to be placed where they used to be, so you're going to have objects floating in the air or sinking into the table. There are tricks to change the height the object goes to, but, as a general rule, you should keep the table height the same.

In general, you have to consider that any possible animations related to the object are still going to stay the same, so you will have to figure out how much you can change the shape and size of the original and still have the animations look right.

[simssy]

I have a problem which I do not manage to solve, when I make a cupboard or any other object they appear with back! I think that that must come from the uvmap that I do not make as it is necessary, can you help me please? here photographs of what I obtain when I prévisualise my object:

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y19/son03/armoie1.jpg

whereas I should obtain this not?

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y19/son03/armoire.jpg

thank you for your assistance

[aumnimon]

um i have a little problem actuly a question do i have to take the normal shape first and then edit or i can start from scrach?

[IgnorantBliss]

simssy, I'm not completely sure what your problem is. Can you explain in more detail? What do you mean by "appear with back"? From the images you posted I'm not sure what's wrong.

aumnimon, with the mesh you can start from scratch, but it's recommended to use the original Maxis object as a reference, so that you'll know what size your mesh should be, and where it should be located, so that a chair will not end up being as big as a house or floating 2 stories in the air. You can then delete the reference mesh when you don't need it anymore and just keep your own mesh.

[simssy]

in the play my object is found to sleep in the ground

[IgnorantBliss]

Ahh, yes. Which mesh editor did you use, Milkshape or something else? Did you use the Mesh Tool to retain the animations? If you use the Mesh Tool, you have to change the Order to XYZ (this setting can be seen in the pictures you posted, yours is set to XZY, but with Mesh Tool it has to be XYZ). You should change this before you export the mesh to keep it simple.

I suggest you make a new clone, change the Order to XYZ, export the Maxis mesh. Open your own new mesh in your mesh editor, then import the Maxis mesh for reference, and rotate your mesh so that it's in the same position than the Maxis mesh, then delete the Maxis mesh. Proceed as you did before.

[simssy]

I use milkshape, is what it is necessary that I modify it with milkshape or only with the simpe?

ah ok, I have just seen the difference with milkshape my object is with back! Thank you! Thank you very much! , another small question, for the TVS is necessary it to notch sweater animations at the time of the cloning and is necessary it to import the file screen with the uvmap so that the image appears?

[IgnorantBliss]

You have to either rotate your mesh in Milkshape, or make a whole new mesh. In both cases you will have to take it through the Mesh Tool again, if that's the method you used for retaining the animations. You can't just change it in SimPE. Did you follow JWoods' Mesh Tool tutorials for this? The armoire doors will not work unless you perform some extra steps to keep the animations working.

[simssy]

yes I used the tutorial design of object by J.Woods

[IgnorantBliss]

But did you use this (http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=86295) one?

[simssy]

not before the last of this page http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=104795&c=1&page=1&pp=25

[IgnorantBliss]

If you only followed the basic object tutorial, I don't quite understand how your armoire ended up lying on its back. In any case, the armoire doors will not animate properly if you don't perform the steps to retain animations. You will see when you use the armoire in the game and the doors will not open. The Mesh Tool tutorial by JWoods is probably the easiest way to go.

[simssy]

Indeed don't the doors function, has ' til there another tutorial which explains how functions the animated objects? In all the cases I thank you because I really had much evil found how to turn over the cupboard! I am on my answers are in the forum but I do not include/understand too English and with the translator one cannot translate the whole pages but only sentences then I excuse myself for the disturbance

[IgnorantBliss]

This link (http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=86295) that I posted earlier has a tutorial for retaining the armoire animations.

[simssy]

Thank you very much for all your tutoriaux and councils! C really super all that you ridges!

[aumnimon]

one more question cani export a sim body to obj?

[IgnorantBliss]

Yes, you can, but body meshing is discussed on the Bodyshop Meshing forum :).

[Atgnat]

Yay! Thanx for a great tutorial. I have successfully made 3 meshes already!
only problem i had was that the original cloned maxis objects's textures showed up on my NeW object. (read that again... but slowly)
THEN i searched this tread, found a link to Numenor's explanation on the cloning options in simpE... and presto. Only MY textures are showing now.
Will have some new objects on my site soon-soon.
Thanx again!

[collbn]

Thank you for answering my question. It makes sense now! :)

[Markavian]

Thanks for the tutorial it was a great help.
And as further thanks, I bring you a preview of... (shockingly enough)
... the MKV Solid Wooden Table.

I used 3D Studio Max 6, and followed the milkshape guide. I've done low-poly modelling before so was more interested in import/export formats and how to get the objects packaged properly.

Few notes:
-I didn't make a 'project' folder (I will in future), instead I saved all my files directly to a sub-folder in My Docs/EA Games/The Sims 2/Downloads/.
-I didn't realise there was no way to change the texture size in the package and had made a 512x512 texture, which I then had to 'squish' down to 256x512. SimPE asks if you want to 'crop' the 512x512 texture to 256x512, which produces undesirable results.

- For 3DSMax, I exported to .3DS file, converted to .MAX and then did the same interchange back again. This seemed to work fine.

I am pleased with the final model, but I didn't put enough 'edge' around my texture so gritty edges show up when you zoom out - presumably because the rescaled bitmaps average in the black outline. Oops for me.

http://www.mkv25.net/showcase/mkv-dining-table%20preview%20composite.png

Blurb:
Spend time with your family, or friends at this solidly designed wooden table with a mosaic underside. The expertly crafted legs provide total satisfaction for table fans the world over, so why miss out?! Buy today... you know its the right choice.
Again, thanks for writing such a helpful guide. I knew it was possible to mod custom content into The Sims 2, but this just proves its easy!

Regards,
- Markavian

[IgnorantBliss]

Markavian, you can import a texture of the size 512x512 pixels if you install the DDS Utilities (and point SimPE to the right folder in SimPE preferences) and use the Build DXT option instead of normal Import when you import the texture. Note that with Build DXT you do not need to update all sizes, only commit.

[badboy1990]

Were do you find the tutorials? Are they in the game or are they on your desktop?

[IgnorantBliss]

It depends on where you saved them when you downloaded them. I recommend downloading tutorials in ZIP or RAR form rather than using Q-Xpress, which is really meant more for downloading custom content for the game. Save the RAR or ZIP into a place you know you'll find it, like your desktop, and then extract its content with WinRAR or a similar program that can open it.

[badboy1990]

Where can you get winRAR for free

[IgnorantBliss]

You download the free trial here (http://www.rarlab.com/download.htm). The trial will run out in a month, but you can still keep using it after that, there will just be an extra pop-up window you will have to click.

[micavity]

ok heres a problem i have...i get to the part in the tut where i have to do the geometry data containers or whatever,so i highlight them and click plug-ins but the problem is this. "cannot find directX-plugin, ect ect....ive downloaded and installed 3 times (directX) what should i do now?

[IgnorantBliss]

You need managed Direct-X 9c, which you can find a link to at the SimPE download page :).

[Secun687]

Can someone help me here, i tried to install the second half of the tutorial for the blender, and when i downloaded it and tried to open it up it says file error and the file is corrupted but the first part of the blender tutorial was ok, how can i get the second half of the blender tutorial. Please help?

[IgnorantBliss]

Secun687, I recommend you try redownloading the second part :).

[Secun687]

Secun687, I recommend you try redownloading the second part :).

IgnorantBliss, thank you it worked this time ;)

[micavity]

ignorant i have one more issue to adress if you would be so kind?


Ok i finished the tut with flying colors and BOOM created the tut table no problem...so i tried to do another one this time...not a table, i tryed to do a videogame system (xbox 1) and i got to the paintshop part and made the design texture thing. so im at the step where i go back to simPe, well i click import and an error pops up that says "index was out of range, must be non-negative and less then the size of the collection, and it wont lemme texturize the gamesystem...im all confused....after doin the table i though "SWEET EASY" but i guess im still a noob lol!

[IgnorantBliss]

Cloning the video game system is complicated, and many experienced creators have had problems with it, too. I suggest that after completing the table you try something else simple, like chairs, sofas, decorative items, and so on. :)

[Sparrows Wench 2]

Hi! I'm following the table tutorial step by step, but something is not quite matching up: after i delete the tabledining object, i'm supposed to click on the box01, duplicate01 and duplicate02 and click regroup, and later on rename the remaining two objects to Legs and Table top (box 2), right?

Well, when i click on the three objects and press Regroup, Box 2 disappears and turns into Regroup1 (now 17 after attempting to Undo and retry) whereas box01, duplicate01 and duplicate02 stay there, so I end up with 4 obejcts under Groups instead of the 2 I see in the tutorial picture.
What am I doing wrong?

oh PS i'm using milkshape!

[IgnorantBliss]

The groups that you want to regroup have to be selected (red in color) at the moment of regrouping. I don't remember the exact group names at that point, but to form the correct legs group, make sure all the legs appear red, as in selected, and then select Regroup. You can select and deselect each group by clicking on them in the groups list and clicking the Select button. Every time you click the Select button, the group in question becomes selected or deselected in turn. Click them all until all the legs appear red and the table top is not.

[Vivy66]

I just want to create my sims and i dont know how to do it , iam new in this please help

[IgnorantBliss]

Vivy66, you need to be a lot more specific about what exactly you want to create for the game. If it's objects, then you're in the right forum. Look around and you'll find plenty of tutorials for both recoloring and meshing objects. If it's hair, clothing or accessories, look into the Bodyshop section. And, again, if something else, there are other forums for other areas, too.

[Ronja]

I all!

I have the problem with my new mesh. I import my mesh and simpe show me this message:

http://digilander.libero.it/Ronjaa/FotoVarie/Simperror.jpg

Why? What's the error?

help me :rolleyes:

[Tommy Boy]

ok i have windows XP and i download a tutorial and i dont know wut to open it with. i knwo u said look on that ink and get the program, but thats only for 40 days. why cant you make a tutorial that goes for Microsoft word? im so confused....

[IgnorantBliss]

There are plenty of free PDF readers available out there, for example the Foxit Software reader (http://www.foxitsoftware.com/download.htm). Without being able to compress this tutorial into a PDF, the file size would be enormous. PDF allows smaller file sizes than Word documents. And Microsoft Word isn't a free program, either (but there are free programs like Open Office than can handle them, though).

[Ronja]

IgnorantBliss, you can help me?

[IgnorantBliss]

I'm not sure. What kind of a mesh are you trying to import when you get the error message? Is it the tutorial table? I've never gotten that message myself, so I'm not sure what it means.

[Ronja]

yes, I show me in the import mesh, import before.

ps: excuse me for my english :(

[Tommy Boy]

sorry to bother u again, but i downloaded Foxit Reader 1.3 and i cant open "The Sims 2 Start to Finish Object Creation Tutorial V 2.1 (Milkshape) (Norsk) - PART_1of2.rar". i downloaded it on firefox download bar and it had a "Word" symbol on it. i clciked open and it opens with Word. then i say open wth Foxit and it says it cant read it. then i open a file from foxit and clikc on ur tutorial and it says it could net Phrase it. wut do i do?
thx,
-Tommy Boy

[IgnorantBliss]

You need to decompress the RAR first with a program that can do that, for example WinRAR. Then you open the PDF file.

[Tommy Boy]

isnt WinRar a 40day trial? i hate to be picky but i dont trust those things and would prefer not to use it.

[IgnorantBliss]

It will keep working after the trial, there will just be an extra window you will need to click every time you open something with it unless you want to purchase the program, which, I believe, costs somewhere around 30 USD. I'm not quite sure what you mean by "not trusting" it. WinRAR and WinZIP are the two most common programs used to decompress downloads, used by thousands of people at MTS2 alone. Then there are freeware programs like 7-Zip that can open both ZIPs and RARs, among other things.

[Tommy Boy]

wow, didnt know it was a thing that worked after the trial (like mIRC) thx!

just to check, i see i need MilkShape software, its also a trail thing. does it keep going after the trial or not? and a paint program that handles .png? can a standard XP Windows "Paint" do that?
thx
Tommy Boy

[IgnorantBliss]

Milkshape will not keep working after the trial period. It will cost only 25 Euros/USD, though. Wings 3D and Blender are free.

Don't know if Windows Paint can handle PNG images, but even if it can, its tools are quite limited. Gimp is a free paint program that should handle them just fine.

[Tommy Boy]

so i can use Blender instead of MilkShape, and Gimp for free? No trials that mess it up?

[IgnorantBliss]

Correct. And UVMapper Classic, that's used in the tutorial, is also free.

(There are, of course, other free modding programs also, but I'm only mentioning the ones that are used in this tutorial when it comes to mesh editors.)

[Tommy Boy]

with the UVMapper, i got the demo, is that ok? or should i use the Classic?

also, the milkshape, i wanna delete it, but i cant find it. it is on my desktop as "ms3d178". it seems to be a WinRar file. it has the same icon as the uvdemo. wut do i do?

ALSO (sorry for all of this trouble) i went to GIMP, and i look on the downloads and all i see is a bunch or like documents, i click it and it asks if i wanna open it with WinRar. i dont understand the GIMP thing. srry first time with PDF, SimPE, Blender or those other things.
thx,
Tommy Boy

[IgnorantBliss]

With the UVMapper, you should get the Classic version, like advised in the tutorial.

You can just delete the downloaded Milkshape file, yes.

For Gimp, go here (http://gimp-win.sourceforge.net/stable.html), click the "Select download mirror" link under "The GIMP for Windows (version 2.2.11)", and then just click one of the download links in the next page.

[Tommy Boy]

i have a problem. i did the steps up to select geometric data container. then i clicked the same one outside of the resource tree adn an error occured saying "File Or Assembly Name Microsoft.DirectX, or one of its dependencies was not found. i looked this problem up and you put a link that helped sum guy but was outdated by now. i have also updated my MicrosoftDirectX. Appaernetly i need to download sumthin to fix this? can you help?

[BobbyBoo]

Tommy Boy Go to the SimPE website and download the DirectX thing. I had that too lol(and I figured it out just this mournin') it was bugging me. Go back to where you downloaded SimPE past the whole thing. Hit I agree and go down to programs needed to use SimPE and it is there (behind it it says "only if you want to mesh").

[cap0n3]

Check out what i made but i got to color it though thank againC:\Documents and Settings\Marty\My Documents\EA Games\The Sims 2\Storytelling\Snapshot.bmp

[IgnorantBliss]

cap0n3, your picture doesn't work because it's linked to your own harddrive. You can post a pic here by using the Manage Attachments button :).

[coolmare500]

I just cannot download this tutorial! Could somebody please e-mail it to me at coolmare500 (at) yahoo.com? Thanks so much!

[IgnorantBliss]

coolmare500, we need to know which version of the tutorial you want before we can send it.

[Simtastic132]

What Should I Download It On To Watch It Please Please Please Answer!

[IgnorantBliss]

OK, calm down :). You need a RAR extractor like WinRAR (http://www.rarlab.com/) to decompress the download, and then you need a PDF viewer like the Adobe Acrobat reader or the Foxit Software reader (http://www.foxitsoftware.com/pdf/rd_intro.php) to view the tutorial.

[coolmare500]

Ha ha, sorry... forgot about those little details- I need the Milkshape english version!

[IgnorantBliss]

OK, both parts of the tutorial have been emailed.

[coolmare500]

I did it! I made the table! Yayay!

[Tabskitty]

I can't open the tutorials for anything! Can someone email all of the english tutorials 2 me? Confused~

[IgnorantBliss]

Tabskitty, are you sure you want all of the English tutorials? That's 4 tutorials, 3 of them in 2 parts, so, 7 large files. Maybe you should decide which mesh editor you want to try first, Blender, Wings or Milkshape, and then I'll email you that tutorial? You don't need all of the tutorials unless you want to go through it with all the different mesh editors.

Also, I need your email address :).

[*@nn@*]

Hello and thank you for a great turtorial :up: But I have a problem. If you look at the pics you will see. One of them is when in UVMapper. And one is when i painted it. And the last one is when in the game. What am i doing wrong? (I use Blender)

[nitemare1134]

i built a desk and something weird hapened, you can see through part of the table legs (its suposed to be like a square not like a half square). Could someone tell me what i did wrong (its made with blender)

[Lethe_s]

anna and nitemare,
you both have the same, very common problem, namely some of your faces were inverted,
in the default configuration of objects, only one side of a face has texture, so the back is 'see-through'
this happens usually when you're scaling, and scale too far, so the object gets turned 'inside out'
to avoid this in the future, try zooming in closer so you see how far you're scaling,
in my experience, keeping the 'scale line' nice and long also helps, cause scaling goes a bit slower then.

to remedy the current situation,
you'll have to invert your faces again
either scale the cubes etc inside out again, or invert the faces one by one (if stuff is already glued together etc)
to do this, turn 'show normals' on, then, select the faces with the blue lines facing inwards,
then, select 'normals/flip'

[morten8035]

I have maked a new vampire coffin.

1. must i get a new guid at all of them or only one?
2. if I must take a new guid at all must they be different guids, or same guid?

[IgnorantBliss]

You must get a new GUID for each and every Object Data, and they all need to be different.

[morten8035]

The object is invisible. :(
what is wrong :(

[IgnorantBliss]

morten8035, I'm not very familiar with the vampire coffin, and if there are some special considerations about cloning it, but you can try posting your file in the Object Creation Workshop and Repair Center thread. This thread is mainly about the tutorial objects, and since the coffin isn't one, it's better to deal with it elsewhere :).

[morten8035]

Do you mean i must post the file so other can fix it?

[IgnorantBliss]

Post the file with an explanation of your problem.

[pellucid]

GREAT tutorial! I adore you authors! THANK YOU!

[XAfterShock08X]

Here is my first ever creation! i hope to be more advanced soon! =] :king:

My First Table:
http://i5.tinypic.com/15fn0hs.jpg

[Ronja]

I appear me this message, and I see:
Vertice 0
Faces 0
Joint 0
ecc...

Why?

[Numenor]

Ronja, the OBJ file you are trying to import seems non-standard or corrupted.
Don't try to import into SimPe the OBJ file saved by Milkshape, Wings or Blender: always load it in UVmapper and save it again, bevore trying to import it in SimPE.

[Ronja]

Ronja, the OBJ file you are trying to import seems non-standard or corrupted.
Don't try to import into SimPe the OBJ file saved by Milkshape, Wings or Blender: always load it in UVmapper and save it again, bevore trying to import it in SimPE.

if save the file obj in Uvmapper , I appaer me this message:

http://digilander.libero.it/Ronjaa/FotoVarie/Simperror.jpg

Ps: ho visto che sei italiano, nn riesco ad esprimermi bene in inglese, cmq questo problema nn me lo fa sempre...non ho capito dove sbaglio
Excuse for Italian!

[Numenor]

When you save the OBJ from UVmapper, be sure to set the options as shown in the following screenshot.
Another reason for your problem might be the exporting options in your 3D editor (Milkshape, Wings... which one?)

(Translation: Quando salvi l'OBJ da UVmapper, assicurati che le opzioni siano settate come in figura. Un'altra ragione del problema possono essere le opzioni di esportazione nel tuo editor 3D: Milkshap, Wings... quale usi?).

[Ronja]

Ho provato a fare come dici, ma niente, mi da sempre lo stesso errore.
uso studiomax7

[IgnorantBliss]

Ronja, if you post in another language than English, you need to provide a translation in English so that everyone can understand :).

[Ronja]

ok! excuse me.

There is a problem. I'm speak Enghlish very very bad :D.

Traslate:I use studiomax7. I have tried to change option, but appear me the error ...
I dont' know to use Blender, and Milkshap, I have finished trial period

Come ho già scritto sopra, la situazione nn è cambiata, l'errore me lo da sempre. uso studio max7, Milkshape mi è scaduto il periodo di prova, e Blender nn so usarlo per niente! Non ci capisco niente

[Lookylookmummy]

I tried to downlode your help thing but it woulden't let me

[IgnorantBliss]

By "it wouldn't let me", what do you mean? Does downloading not even start? Do you get an error message? And which version of the tutorial are you trying to download?

[kapete]

I tried to downlode your help thing but it woulden't let me

Oh yeahhhhhhhh! I did ittttt, I created my first Object!!!!! Thankyou ingnorantbliss and the creator of the tutorial!!!

Now, it's time to practise and practise, will anyone stop me? :lol:

[Numenor]

Ronja - Unfortunately, I don't know anything about StudioMax7, but I can guess that - like many other 3D programs - it has many options for exporting an OBJ mesh. Probably those options are not correctly set...
This is not the best place to talk about this, but let's do this: post the faulty OBJ file here, and I will take a look, trying to guess what options are to be set/unset in StudioMax in order to produce a compatible OBJ file.

Translation:
Sfortunatamente, non conosco per niente StudioMax7, ma posso immaginare che - come molti altri editor 3D - abbia numerose opzioni per l'esportazione di mesh OBJ. Probabilmente queste opzioni non sono settate correttamente...
Questo non è il posto migliore per parlare di questo argomento, ma facciamo così: posta il file OBJ che dà errore, ed io cerco di indovinare quali opzioni di StudioMax devono essere settate/rimosse per avere un file OBJ compatibile.

[Unit of One]

Thanks for the turorial, I really like it, but I am having problems. I am using Blender and when I export my mesh to UV Map it in UVMapper, I can't "Select By Group". I did like the tutorial said, and named the legs and tabletop seperate and such. Also, the tutorial shows a box of options when exporting that I didn't get in Blender, this may the be the cause of the problem, but I don't know. So anyways, I need some help. :( Thanks.

[spellone]

how do i make my own shirts with my pic

[IgnorantBliss]

Unit of One, which version of Blender are you using?

spellone, look into the Bodyshop skinning forum for clothing tutorials.

[Unit of One]

I'm using version 2.4

[makala1]

ehh how do u make this thing work telll me :'(

[Numenor]

Makala, it's simple: download the version of the tutorial you prefer (Milkshape, Wings or Blender), read it and follow it exactly.

[Lethe_s]

Unitofone,
the new tutorial was written for Blender 2.41 or later,
try updating to the newest version,
that one has the new import and export plugin for .obj files

[Unit of One]

Unitofone,
the new tutorial was written for Blender 2.41 or later,
try updating to the newest version,
that one has the new import and export plugin for .obj files

thanks, that was it, I dled Blender again not that long ago, never would have guessed I was out of date already, lol. Guess I just have to check the website more often, lol.

[pacotacoplayer]

Can anyone help me with downloading Blender? Everytime I click on my location to download it,, and sends me to this other page that says there was an error. I really wanna download blender :( can anyone help me?

[Wonkey]

ok this is wierd. i downloaded the TS2 Object Creation Tutorial V2.1 (Milkshape) UPD 22feb06 Part 1 of 2 and when i extract the file, it won't extract. It says tat the file is corupt or something.

[IgnorantBliss]

Wonkey, try redownloading it :).

[Lethe_s]

pacotacoplayer,
hm, I have no problems downloading it
make sure you have downloadmanagers turned off, and that your firewall/security setting allows this sort of thing
http://www.blender.org/cms/Blender.31.0.html that's the link (you'll need to click on a mirror for your platform)
or go to Blender.org and click on the 'download now' button in the top right corner

[pacotacoplayer]

Well I just decied to use Wings 3d, even tho i feel Blender is better. Everytime I click my location it sends me to a page that says The Page Cannot Be Displayed. Wel thanks anyways Lethe_S. Now I have a different concern. When it comes to adding texture to the custom object, im perfect with the talking table. But with a chair, it has 2 texture images, one for the cushion, one for the frame. What do I do then? It says Do You Want To Crop The Image? When I import my UV mapped thing. And when I click yes it screws everything up. Could someone help me with making this dialogue go away and being succssesful in recoloring a custom object other then the talking table? please please please!!

[IgnorantBliss]

pacotacoplayer, if you use the normal texture import, the new texture has to be the same size as the original one. So, say, the original seat texture is 128x128 pixels in size, then you should make the uv-map and your texture that same size. But if you want to change the size from the original, you have to use the DDS Utilities (http://developer.nvidia.com/object/dds_utilities.html) (after you install them, you have to go the SimPE Preferences and point it to the correct location). Then, when you import a texture image, instead of Import select Build DXT. You do not need to update all sizes when you do this, only click Commit.

[pacotacoplayer]

Thanks IgnorantBliss, you are the man! lol

[Numenor]

"The man"?! Hahaha! Watch out! You're going to be banned for this! (I'm jocking, of course... ;))

[Ronja]

Ronja - Unfortunately, I don't know anything about StudioMax7, but I can guess that - like many other 3D programs - it has many options for exporting an OBJ mesh. Probably those options are not correctly set...
This is not the best place to talk about this, but let's do this: post the faulty OBJ file here, and I will take a look, trying to guess what options are to be set/unset in StudioMax in order to produce a compatible OBJ file.

Translation:
Sfortunatamente, non conosco per niente StudioMax7, ma posso immaginare che - come molti altri editor 3D - abbia numerose opzioni per l'esportazione di mesh OBJ. Probabilmente queste opzioni non sono settate correttamente...
Questo non è il posto migliore per parlare di questo argomento, ma facciamo così: posta il file OBJ che dà errore, ed io cerco di indovinare quali opzioni di StudioMax devono essere settate/rimosse per avere un file OBJ compatibile.

Dopo vari tentativi ho capito come fare per poter modellare l'oggetto con studiomax. Modello con 3ds max , esporto e salvo. Salvo lo stesso oggetto con Wings. Lo mappo con UVMapper.exe e finalmente lo inserisco in simpe.
Ora ho solo un ultimo ma importante problema, vedo l'oggetto "affinato" come se gli mancassero dei vertici, com'è possibile?
Ps: chiedo ancora perdono per il mio inglese...



I have create object. I modelling the object in the 3ds max. I saved the file in wings , in obj, and mapped in the UVMapper. I import the file in simpe, but i have a problem. I see this object ( image )

[Numenor]

Ronja - The faces usually have only one visible side; the vase on the right, for example, seems to have the faces inverted: in fact, you can see the interior of the vase, while the exterior is expected to be visible. The same problem, though less visible in the screenshots, affects the whole mesh - for what I can see.
The solution is to select the hole mesh and invert its faces; I'm not sure which is the right command to invoke in StudioMax, but there must be one for sure. UVmapper Pro also has a similar feature, though less reliable.

TRANSLATION
Le facce normalmente hanno un solo lato visibile; il vaso sulla destra, per esempio, sembra avere le facce *invertite*: ed infatti risulta visibile l'interno del vaso, quando invece l'esterno dovrebbe esserlo. Lo stesso problema, anche se meno visibile nello screenshot, si presenta per l'intera mesh - per quanto possa vedere.
La soluzione è di selezionare l'intera mesh ed *invertire le facce*; non sono sicuro di come si chiami esattamente il comando da attivare in StudioMax, ma con tutta probabilità ci dovrebbe essere. Anche UVmapper Pro ha un simile funzione, ma è meno affidabile.

[iTAOLiSH]

I can't download the 2nd part of the Blender tut in english. I tried to twice but it keeps stopping. Can anyone email it to me?? Thanks !!!

My email is [email protected]

[IgnorantBliss]

Sent :).

[pacotacoplayer]

Okay,I have one last question for you guys. (Like IgnorantBliss who has helped me a lot); When creating an object, how do you add curves and round spots to it? Like for example, a car. Its not just boxes and cylinders, it has a round design, like alot of otherobjects. How do you make an object that has round edges and curves and all that kinda stuff? Could you please give me steps, I am using Wings 3d. The JWoods tutorial only helps on the basics, just 5 boxes put together to make a table. Please help! Im guessing this is my last question, and I really want an answer! :D thankyou in advance!

[IgnorantBliss]

I recommend Googling tutorials for Wings 3D. They don't need to be for the Sims 2 specifically, just general tutorial on Wings 3D :).

[esalkin]

Problem:

When I opened these files in Adobe Reader 7 the words were cut off on the right hand side. No amount of resizing fixed the problem.

Solution:
Click View -> Reflow

This will cause the characters to resize to the correct proportions for your screen. It will not change the actual content of the document.


btw Great work, thanks guys.

[iTAOLiSH]

Thank you, thank you! I made a great cage/table with this tutorial! It works fine and I just wanted to say, you guys are great for having such patience! :) :king:

[pacotacoplayer]

Okay I know I'm asking alot of questions but they keep coming along the wayy. 2 points for IgnorantBliss now! Umm...How do you add recolors to your custom objects? In Wizards of SimPe custom objects do not show up, only original maxis ones. SO what do I do?

[IgnorantBliss]

You have to use Object Workshop to recolor custom objects. It's very similar to recoloring Maxis objects, the only difference is that, in the beginning, you click Open instead of Start, and browse to where the mesh package is you want to recolor. Numenor has a tutorial for recoloring objects with OW if you're not familiar with that from before.

[pacotacoplayer]

But I opened the file, recolored it, saved it as a different file with the same GUID as the custom package, and it replaced it instead of giving it a recolor. Do I need a seperate GUID? or can you just give me a link to Numenors tutorial. Thanks:D

[IgnorantBliss]

You don't change the texture in the actual mesh package, or it will replace the original. See the recoloring tutorial by Numenor that I mentioned in the other post. You have to start up Object Workshop, click Open, select the custom mesh you want to recolor, then select Recolor on the next screen, and so on. This will create a separate recolor package instead of replacing the original.

[cragwag]

Thanks so much for this tutorial. I have been looking for an updated tutorial for ages.
The tutorials all fine, and great, but I was wondering were you could find the vertex and polly count?
Also, how do you texture something transparent?

[IgnorantBliss]

cragwag, you can see the polygon and vertex numbers in Geometric Data Container, in the cGeometryDataContainer tab (under the Content tab), after the word Models. You there are more than one Geometric Data Container for the object, you may have to combine the polygon and vertex count of all of them to get the total for the object.

And here's (http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=79870) a tutorial for making parts of objects transparent.

[djcynic]

I think a link for downloading winrar should be added, for those of us who are not familiar with .rar files. I am so used to .zip files, I got confused because I did not know what a rar. file was. Well, I quickly did a search in google, and now I am thankfully less computer illiterate.


http://www.download-zone-free.com/winrar/

[IgnorantBliss]

There is an article about extracting RAR files in the Downloads FAQs section of the Help part of the forum :).

[pacotacoplayer]

I really need help! First of all i want to thank I.B. for his awsome help, and JW for his awsome tutorial! I got great objects which are almost featured! One problem...I was creating a microwave, was importining the texture map into photoshop, and then photoshop froze. Every since that, I cant click Import Texture File into simPE because it will freeze, adn everytime I open a file in Photoshop, photoshop freezes. Any help? Im working on an object and I really need the texture! People are waiting for it :(

[esalkin]

I know I've seen this error posted here somewhere but they must have uploaded it as a screen shot because I could not Google any significant part of it. I get the error below at the completion of the "save with a unique name" screen. Note the mis-spelt "Packaed" (missing a "g"). Sorry to repeat the question.


Message:
Unable to open a Packaed File in the SimPE GUI. (00000000-FFFFFFFF-000041B0.simpe)

SimPE Version:
Default (0.58.0.1284).

Exception Stack:
System.NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object.
at SimPe.RemoteHandler.OpenPackedFile(IScenegraphFileIndexItem fii)
at SimPe.RemoteControl.OpenPackedFile(IScenegraphFileIndexItem fii)

Source:
SimPe

Execution Stack:
at SimPe.RemoteHandler.OpenPackedFile(IScenegraphFileIndexItem fii)
at SimPe.RemoteControl.OpenPackedFile(IScenegraphFileIndexItem fii)

[pacotacoplayer]

is that directed to me? if it is i dont get it

[IgnorantBliss]

pacotacoplayer, I don't think that message was directed at you. I'm not sure what is causing your problem, I've never heard of a similar situation before. Have you tried importing different textures files to SimPE and do they all do the same thing, or is this just one texture you're having problems with?

esalkin, I'm not sure what's causing your problem, either. You could try clearing the SimPE cache in SimPE preferences. If that doesn't help, I recommend you make a separate post about the problem on this (http://www.modthesims2.com/forumdisplay.php?f=133) forum.

[Crociut]

Does any one has a link for me to download for Object creation

[Ronja]

Ronja - The faces usually have only one visible side; the vase on the right, for example, seems to have the faces inverted: in fact, you can see the interior of the vase, while the exterior is expected to be visible. The same problem, though less visible in the screenshots, affects the whole mesh - for what I can see.
The solution is to select the hole mesh and invert its faces; I'm not sure which is the right command to invoke in StudioMax, but there must be one for sure. UVmapper Pro also has a similar feature, though less reliable.

TRANSLATION
Le facce normalmente hanno un solo lato visibile; il vaso sulla destra, per esempio, sembra avere le facce *invertite*: ed infatti risulta visibile l'interno del vaso, quando invece l'esterno dovrebbe esserlo. Lo stesso problema, anche se meno visibile nello screenshot, si presenta per l'intera mesh - per quanto possa vedere.
La soluzione è di selezionare l'intera mesh ed *invertire le facce*; non sono sicuro di come si chiami esattamente il comando da attivare in StudioMax, ma con tutta probabilità ci dovrebbe essere. Anche UVmapper Pro ha un simile funzione, ma è meno affidabile.

I don't find the option in 3dstudio max and Uvmapper Pro :(

Non riesco a trovare l'opzione nè in 3dstudio max, nè in UVmapper Pro, che ho scaricato oggi

[cragwag]

Thanks ignorantbliss!

[esalkin]

esalkin, I'm not sure what's causing your problem, either. You could try clearing the SimPE cache in SimPE preferences. If that doesn't help, I recommend you make a separate post about the problem on this (http://www.modthesims2.com/forumdisplay.php?f=133) forum.

Found it! Seems I had accidentally saved the original instead of renaming it first. (When I ran the game the Talking Table had a * in the icon.) I was able to restore from a backup of the MyDoc.../Sims2 folders that I had made.

Modders rule #1 backup the originals! :up:

[Darkboy134]

Hi I was using the wings3d version of this tutorial and when it got to the part where I had to right click and hit teselate/triangulate, I dint see the teselate optin. Since it didnt show up I skipped that part. The object i tried create wont show up, is that because of me skipping that step. When I first start the game it asks about enabling custom content which I did and then it doesn't even show up.Can anybody help me.
Thanks
Darkboy134

[Numenor]

In order to see the Tasselate option, you must be in "Face selection mode", i.e. looking at the 4 little pyramids at the top of the screen, the third from the left must be selected.

[Darkboy134]

Thanks Numenor

[pacotacoplayer]

Oh i found out my problem :D Its just that my user account was messed up and it kept freezing when i uploaded textures. I made a new account and it worked, had to delete my old one :( Okay, well here it goes: i read numenors recoloring tutorial which taugt me to make custom texture sizes OMG That was just what i needed:D But what i need now is how to add recolors to custom objects? It only explains the recolor to maxis objects. How how how?

[IgnorantBliss]

Numenor's recoloring tutorial also mentions how to recolor custom object. The only difference basically is that you click the Open button instead of the Start button when you start up Object Workshop, find the mesh package you want to recolor, and go from there.

[cragwag]

OK, I was cloning a object which at 3 meshes. The meshes were fine, and made the texture, went onto simpe, and found there was only 1 texture image. How do I recolour the whole object in just one image?
Thanks in advanced for your great help. :up:

[Numenor]

Quite often, in the Maxis object, different meshes use and share the same texture: replacing the texture in your clone should then change the texture in all three parts.

In some other cases, the colour of a mesh (especially glass parts) is made by the TXMT alone, without involving any texture: in this case, the colour is determined by the RGB values written in the "stdMatDiffCoeff" parameter in the TXMT.

[cragwag]

In that case, how would I recolour these 3 objects differently, in 1 texture, is there a tutorial for that?

[Lethe_s]

cragwag,
you'll have to map them all to one texture
I don't think there's a specific tutorial for it, but the general technique of mapping several meshes to one texture image is explained in JWoods' thread on the repository technique (http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=82227). Just skip to the uv-mapping part

[pacotacoplayer]

im confused. i have the same problem as cragwag. I understand to open a custom object instead of loading it in the object workshop, but if there is only one texture, you edit that texture, then you click save, it will replace the original one, it wont add a recolor. Can someone please give me steps on doing this i really want recolors for my object :(

[IgnorantBliss]

pacotacoplayer, please, see Numenor's object recoloring tutorial. When you open the custom object in Object Workshop like instructed, you will create a new, separate recolor package instead of replacing the original :).

In short: Start up Object Workshop, click Open, find the mesh package you want to recolor, click Open. Then, from the options select Recolor as the task, then click Finish. A new window will pop up where you'll give the recolor package a name, and, after that, the new package will be created. This will now be a completely separate file from the mesh package, and should not overwrite the original texture.

[cragwag]

Ok, I think I'm beginning to understand...Thanks!

[pyrateplyr]

woah all this sounds confusing

[Ronja]

I have created my first object. All created to me! Also model 3d.
Thank you to Numeror.

Ho creato un oggetto completamente, modellando 3d, è la prima volta per me. Solo un ultima cosa, mi rimane il problema dei vertici, come ho scritto qualche post fa, nn riesco a trovare l'opzione su Studiomax che mi fa invertire i vertici ,per far si che nn li veda " troppo sottili"

http://digilander.libero.it/Ronjaa/Sims2/divano.jpg

[Numenor]

Ronja, good job! :)
As said, I don't know StudioMax, and I don't know whether exists an option to invert the faces. In any case, I don't see problems of inverted faces in your sofa...

[Ronja]

Thanks!
yes, in this object there isn't a problem. I have a problem with a thin object.

Ok, Cercherò l'opzione e sconfiggerò il problema! ;)

[pacotacoplayer]

Yay, thankyou Ignorant Bliss! Well, what Iwas doing the whole time is opening the custom object from the File option. I never noticed it under the object workshop tab. Haha no wonder i never got it :lol: But now I have encountered a new problem :(, Ever since I started using the NVidia DDS tools to change the size of a texture image, my objects have been turning out red:( These are the exact steps I follow (everything is fine except for when I get to texture adjusting)

1. Create the texture over the UV map
2. Save it as a PNG and go to SIMPE
3. Right click the image and select Build **** (i forget the rest of the text)
4. You select the image you would like to replace, and click Build
5. Wait a minute for the picture to load, then hit Commit

Done! Now when I try the oject out in the game, all the textures are red :(!! Any beneficial advice?

[IgnorantBliss]

That's a problem I've never heard before. You could post one of the red recolor packages (and, if it's a custom mesh, the mesh package, too) in the Object Workshop and Repair Center thread at the main Object Creation & Texturing forum, and I'll take a look.

[pacotacoplayer]

i understood the problem. Its because after building the nw texture size, I was not done the texture. So since i already had the size, i just click the Import button to refresh the texture. What I was supposed to do was that the last time when I have decided to keep the texture, I do not go to Import, i have to build the picture again. Ha! Thanks for your help during all of my bad times and my future ones I.B.! You are the best! Even though your window tutor was confusing lol. Just out of curiousity, how old are you?

Oh so sorry! I cant believe how many obstacles i come upon! Well, when creating a computer or tv, what do you do? Do you export the screen with the body. For example: a computer. You export both the screen and body, then when you import to say Wings 3D, do you adjust the body but leave the screen alone? THen can you just like scale and move the screen and not delete it
?? can you help

[IgnorantBliss]

When you clone a computer or a TV, if your mesh requires changing the size or location of the screen, then you should export that part, also, so that it'll fit the rest of your TV.

[cragwag]

Ok, I understand how to texture, but how do you work out which bit you want green, or red, and put that colour in the right place?
Sorry to bother you again, thanks for all your help (:

[IgnorantBliss]

OK, so you have three parts in a mesh that you want to map to the same texture. Say, you want one part green, another one red, and the third one blue. You map the first part of the mesh to the left edge of the uv-map, for example, the second part to the middle and the third one to the right. Then, when you make the texture, you make the left edge green, the middle red and the right edge blue.

[cragwag]

Woah, that was a quick reply! Sorry it took me along time to understand. :rolleyes:

Sorry again, but I just keep getting confused. I have cloned the 'milano royale dining table', and in txtr file, in the 'type' bit, there is only one image, and that is the shadow. Where do I put my texture image?

[IgnorantBliss]

That means the table is originally a "slave" to another object. You will have to reclone the object and this time check the "stand-alone" cloning option, and the texture should be there.

[cragwag]

Right, so now I aslo have the repository object textures? Do I just leave these, and I am missing other textures for the object I want-It only has the texture for the base, and the surface is not there. Sorry to be so annoying, but thanks for all the help.

[pacotacoplayer]

how do you chane the amount of tiles an object has? i am making a trampoline cloned from a sofa, and I have to change the amount of tiles the trampoline requires so that its not like if the moveobbjects cheat is on when you place it in a lot.

[GiJoehanson]

Help when you download these with WinRAR it shows up as an adobe thing. How do I get into the program?

[IgnorantBliss]

cragwag, the surface has no texture image because it's just plain glass, it only has a material definition. Of the textures and materials that show up, the "seat" ones can be deleted, and of the shadows the "groundshadow" is not needed.

pacotacoplayer, here (http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=97054) is a tutorial for changing the amount of tiles an object has.

GiJoehanson, you can use Adobe Acrobat reader that comes free with many various other programs, or you can download Foxit Software (http://www.foxitsoftware.com/download.htm) PDF Reader that's also free.

[cragwag]

Right, so now I aslo have the repository object textures? Do I just leave these, and I am missing other textures for the object I want-It only has the texture for the base, and the surface is not there. Sorry to be so annoying, but thanks for all the help.

Errrr... This isn't really anything to do with object creation, but a trampoline has already been made...http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=169043

[IgnorantBliss]

Well, there is no rule against more than one trampoline ;). After all, we have a lot more than one couch available for download, as well :lol:.

[pacotacoplayer]

I was making my tv, and the screen turned out good but look at the rest of the tv:

http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g146/pacotacoplayer/snapshot_11b18aec_51bce907.jpg

its all pink? what did i do wrong??

[IgnorantBliss]

pacotacoplayer, with objects not directly related to the tutorial, please, post them in the Object Workshop and Repair Center instead, and include the package in your post also so that the helper can take a closer look :).

[pacotacoplayer]

wow that was fast :D what is the object workshop and repair center anyway?

[IgnorantBliss]

It's a sticky thread in the main Object Creation & Texturing forum.