Creating an accurate Shadow for your Object - Tutorial

[boblishman]

Hi Guys,

No one seems to have written any of this before...so I thought I'd give it a go...

This tutorial uses Milkshape, PaintShop Pro and of course, SimPe.

It is complete with step-by-step screenshots to help you through the entire process....(below are some sample screenshots)

To save space, I've created this as a .pdf file (which you will need Acrobat Reader (http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html) - free download) to open it. This way, you can have the tutorial offline....

I hope this helps someone....

Bob




----------
Tutorials:Creating_an_accurate_Shadow_for_your_Object_-_Tutorial

[Karlius]

wow! great tutorial bigest thanks!

[MissWendy]

Thank you.. this is what I was looking for!! All these tutorials are such a great help. thanks again. :)

[ToRnado]

awesome tut so easy to follow too i didnt even have to read much i followed it just by looking at the pics.

[Rib640]

Thank you very much vor this one! I was having problems with shades! :)

[Thesims2fan999]

everytime i download something it won't work. it will pop up a note said failed but i make up a name and then i click on see what the problem is and it still won't work. i have windows xp. i need help

[zeroth]

Could you explain how to apply a new shadow texture to the new shadow mesh in SimPE? I'm at a loss as to how to do this.

[xanathon]

You already asked that here (http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=126908&goto=newpost) and I replied to it.

[Khaibit]

I just have a hint to make it easier: when you want to take the snapshot just turn off "Show axis/grid" first. So you don't have to remove these lines in your paint program later on...

Anyway, great tutorial, thanks!

[beosboxboy]

OK, I am not without some experience using 3D modelling software, object creation for games (semi-pro), and using SimPE. Yet, I follow the steps boblishman put forward precisely, and invariably my shadows show as near-black squares regardless of what I do. I am using the latest nVidia DDS Utility and SimPE 0,58 (no letter). I am making rocking objects, but the shadows are really bringing me down. So far my best attempts have been creative recycling of the Maxis created - but - as anyone might guess - the shadow textures they use for base objects do not always provide a shape solution to the shapes of my objects.

Just to re-cap: I make the groundshadow texture by using the plan view (top down) from Milkshape 3D with Axis and Grid disabled - I am most careful to make the base texture true black (R:0, G:0, B:0) - I never use anything but true greys for the shading - I never use true white (R:255, G:255, B:255) - i resize the finish item to the precise size of the Maxis original - I import as DXT1 format and then manual change the file format to what the Maxis original was - I press "commit" and save.

Has something changed since the writing of this tutorial? Is there version problem with SimPE 0,58 that has not been noted in the bug list?

[beosboxboy]

Could you explain how to apply a new shadow texture to the new shadow mesh in SimPE? I'm at a loss as to how to do this.
In theory - you simply duplicate the growndshadow group (or whichever is appropriate) and remap it as necessary - then carefully copy & paste the comment and rename to growndshadow; or alternately regroup and C&P the comment and restor the name to groundshadow.

If you mean adding an additional texture and group that is more complicated, and not yet within my ability to explain in English.

[nengi65]

Thanks a lot Bob. Your tute was a great help to me. One of the greatest parts (and which makes me feel real stupid too) is that I found the 'invert selection' option in a program I own for years now thanks to your help. I guess one should sometimes at least look at the books that come with programs... LOL.
So thank you very much once again :)

[MysticRain]

I tried to create the groundshadow for my (decorative) object myself first and used DXT5 to import a texture which was transparent with darkgrey shadows on it -how it should look in game.
It looked ok in simPE preview but had some tiny pixelated corners.

I searched for tutorials and found out I had to use ExtRaw8Bit files for the texture and it had to be a black one with a grey shadow. I tried this and now my shadows are all black suqares in the preview.

Is this only in the preview or will it look like this ingame,too? (I had something else looking different in preview and game that's why I am asking).
If so, what did I do wrong?

When importing the shadow mesh (I had to resize it) I selected "shadow" and "replace groundshadow".

Do I have to do something else? Oh and I used an existing shadow, just resized and remapped it, so it's not something gone wring when adding a subset for it.

I hope someone can point me in the right direction.


edit: My quetsion was answered in another thread. The preview doesn't always show how it will look like ingame.