aelflaed
28th Jul 2009, 5:09 AM
Sims 2 Tutorial:
Replacing Maxis Default Maternity Wear with a Custom Mesh
Online and PDF versions updated 30/07/2009
This online version gives you all the text, and most of the images from the tutorial. I'm only allowed 8 images here. The PDF file attached below contains the whole lot, so download that for easy offline perusal. There are only a few extra; all the vital ones are here.
I am not much of a modder, and never made clothing before this project. I've had lots of help from Phaenoh and HugeLunatic and BlooM, not to mention many hours searching forums for each tiny scrap of information.
Constructive criticism is welcomed. I will answer questions if I can, but I'm no expert.
Credit goes to BlooM, Phaenoh and HugeLunatic, who have been holding my hand while I learn this.
**********************
Preliminary: Choose the mesh you would like to use instead of the Maxis default maternity. Make sure it has a preg morph (you can add one if it doesn't, but I can't tell you how. Search for a tutorial on that if you want one).
NOTE - if you choose a mesh that uses multiple groups (alpha 3, alpha 5, noblend) to add accessories to the mesh, those groups need their own pregmorph. If they don't have one, you won't be able to alter the accessories with this package. Just so you know.
Step 1: Begin making your replacement package. In SimPE, select File, New. This opens a new file. There's nothing in it yet.
Step 2: From the Tools menu, select PJSE, then Body Mesh Tool, Extracting Stage. This brings up the Sim Mesh Extractor window. Type in the name of the mesh - afBodyMaternityShirtPants. Press OK and wait - the tool will cleverly extract all the parts of the mesh and put them into your new file. You should have GMDC, GMND, SHPE and CRES files. We actually don't want anything except the GMDC, though, so right-click on the other three in the Resource List and select 'delete'. They'll be crossed out in the window, and when you save the package, they will disappear.
(Another way to do this, without needing to delete extra mesh parts - use SimPE to browse to C:/Program Files/EA Games.TS2/TSData/Res/Sims3D, and you will find the GMDC in the Sims03 file. Extract it to your desktop - or a folder - with a right-click, and right-click again to 'add' it to your new package.)
Step 3: In the File menu, choose 'save as', give your file a name and save it somewhere you will find it, such as the desktop or a dedicated folder.
http://thumbs.modthesims.info/getimage.php?file=971704
Step 4: At the bottom of the SimPE screen, click the Finder tab (marked 1 in the screenshot), or use the Scenegraph Resource Finder from the Window menu up top. Where the Finder tab says 'Find', use the dropdown to select Namemap if it shows something else.Then the 'Type' should say Contains[match]. Where it says Match, put in afBodyMaternityShirtPants again (marked 2 in the screenshot). Wait a bit, and a list of results will appear below. http://thumbs.modthesims.info/getimage.php?file=971705
Step 5: Scroll down to the TXTR files which are under the Sims07.package heading. Double click on the first one (marked 3 in the screenshot). After a moment the list will appear up in the Resource window, with your first file already highlighted (marked 4 in the screenshot).
Step 6: Now we need to extract all the TXTR files for this mesh. Right-click on the first afBodyMaternity one in the list, where it is marked 4 in my picture. Choose Extract from the resulting menu. It's a good idea to make a new folder to put these extracted files in, because they are not distinguishable from any other extracted files at this point - the names are encoded, and you get two files for each one extracted.
Step 7: Go back to the Finder results, and double-click on the set of LIFO resources (Sims08.package). There are two files for each name - you want the ones labeled 0_lifo (1). This time we don't want the coded version, so...in Plugin View (2), there's a button labeled 'Export' on the right hand side (3). Click there and save the image in a new folder. Add the 0_lifos for the rest of the maternity colours.
Step 8: Now go up to the toolbar and open the new package you made. In the Resource List, right-click anywhere, and choose 'Add' from the resulting menu. Navigate to the set of TXTRs you extracted, select them all and click 'Open'. http://thumbs.modthesims.info/getimage.php?file=971707
Voila! the now-recognisable files will appear in your Resource List. They will be in italics at first, but once you save the package, they will look normal.
This is your default replacement package. However, so far it's just a copy of the stuff that's already in-game.
Step 9: Now we have to get the replacement files ready. Open the package you want to use as your replacement mesh. I'm using the preg-enabled version of the hula dress from BonVoyage, made by the_mystical_one.
Step 10: In the Resource List, Right-click and extract the replacement GMDC into its own folder, just as we did when extracting the TXTRs.
That's all.
Open your default package again.
Step 11: Left-ckick on the maternity GMDC, then click the Plugin View tab at the bottom of the screen. Where it says Filename, highlight the name of the file and copy it (Ctrl+C).
Step 12: Go back up to the Resource List. Right-click on the maternity GMDC and choose 'Replace'. Navigate to your extracted replacement files. Select the file ending in .5gd, and click 'Open'.
SimPE will ask if it should reload the altered file, click yes.
Step 13: Notice that the Filename in Plugin View has changed. Paste the original name back in (Ctrl+V), and click 'Fix TGI' on the right side. This corrects the Type, Group and Instance numbers, and makes it all work properly. Press 'Commit' to transfer the changes to the Resource List. http://thumbs.modthesims.info/getimage.php?file=971708
Step 14: At the end of this process, the package should look just as it did orignally, but WE know the file has changed.
If you put this package into your Downloads folder now, and run the game, you should see any pregnant sims wearing your new mesh, but still in the default colours. Probably looks a little odd. (see my example, with coloured arms and hula decorations over sneakers!!) The seamlines of the old trousers and shirt are also visible.
So now we alter the textures and the bump map. The bump map is making seamlines and shadows that belong to the original mesh, and don't match the new one.
Step 15: If your replacement mesh has its own bumpmap, replace the maternity texture with that. If not, bucketfill the image with pale grey. When you have replaced that image using Build DXT in SimPE, you need to alter it to Raw8bit format or it will look really bad. There will be ugly lines and odd shadows on your sim's skin.
Step 16: You can now recolour the LIFO files you exported in Step 7, using your paint program of choice. You will need nine recolours to replace the nine maxis maternity textures. (I'm not giving detailed recolouring directions here, there are good tutes for that already!)
Step 17: Then, in SimPE, use 'Build DXT' to overwrite the maternity TXTR files in Plugin View. Replace them with the LIFO images you've exported and recoloured, so you get all the correct sizes.
Or, use unlocked maternity files so the outfits appear in BodyShop. There is a mod for buyable default maternity clothes by Motoki on MATY – http://www.moreawesomethanyou.com/smf/index.php/topic,1243.0.html. Using this mod will make your clothes appear in Bodyshop, whether you have the maxis defaults or a replacement installed.
Step 18: Put your finished replacement package into your downloads folder. Run the game, and check how it looks.
I used hacks to speed up my testing - making my sims pregnant and accelerating the pregnancies, as well as allowing me to change their clothing easily.
The mods I used for this were Numenor's Hacked Coat Hook (http://sumomo.modthesims.info/download.php?t=225251)
and Twojeffs' SimBlender (http://www.simbology.com/smf/index.php?topic=20.0).
Replacing Maxis Default Maternity Wear with a Custom Mesh
Online and PDF versions updated 30/07/2009
This online version gives you all the text, and most of the images from the tutorial. I'm only allowed 8 images here. The PDF file attached below contains the whole lot, so download that for easy offline perusal. There are only a few extra; all the vital ones are here.
I am not much of a modder, and never made clothing before this project. I've had lots of help from Phaenoh and HugeLunatic and BlooM, not to mention many hours searching forums for each tiny scrap of information.
Constructive criticism is welcomed. I will answer questions if I can, but I'm no expert.
Credit goes to BlooM, Phaenoh and HugeLunatic, who have been holding my hand while I learn this.
**********************
Preliminary: Choose the mesh you would like to use instead of the Maxis default maternity. Make sure it has a preg morph (you can add one if it doesn't, but I can't tell you how. Search for a tutorial on that if you want one).
NOTE - if you choose a mesh that uses multiple groups (alpha 3, alpha 5, noblend) to add accessories to the mesh, those groups need their own pregmorph. If they don't have one, you won't be able to alter the accessories with this package. Just so you know.
Step 1: Begin making your replacement package. In SimPE, select File, New. This opens a new file. There's nothing in it yet.
Step 2: From the Tools menu, select PJSE, then Body Mesh Tool, Extracting Stage. This brings up the Sim Mesh Extractor window. Type in the name of the mesh - afBodyMaternityShirtPants. Press OK and wait - the tool will cleverly extract all the parts of the mesh and put them into your new file. You should have GMDC, GMND, SHPE and CRES files. We actually don't want anything except the GMDC, though, so right-click on the other three in the Resource List and select 'delete'. They'll be crossed out in the window, and when you save the package, they will disappear.
(Another way to do this, without needing to delete extra mesh parts - use SimPE to browse to C:/Program Files/EA Games.TS2/TSData/Res/Sims3D, and you will find the GMDC in the Sims03 file. Extract it to your desktop - or a folder - with a right-click, and right-click again to 'add' it to your new package.)
Step 3: In the File menu, choose 'save as', give your file a name and save it somewhere you will find it, such as the desktop or a dedicated folder.
http://thumbs.modthesims.info/getimage.php?file=971704
Step 4: At the bottom of the SimPE screen, click the Finder tab (marked 1 in the screenshot), or use the Scenegraph Resource Finder from the Window menu up top. Where the Finder tab says 'Find', use the dropdown to select Namemap if it shows something else.Then the 'Type' should say Contains[match]. Where it says Match, put in afBodyMaternityShirtPants again (marked 2 in the screenshot). Wait a bit, and a list of results will appear below. http://thumbs.modthesims.info/getimage.php?file=971705
Step 5: Scroll down to the TXTR files which are under the Sims07.package heading. Double click on the first one (marked 3 in the screenshot). After a moment the list will appear up in the Resource window, with your first file already highlighted (marked 4 in the screenshot).
Step 6: Now we need to extract all the TXTR files for this mesh. Right-click on the first afBodyMaternity one in the list, where it is marked 4 in my picture. Choose Extract from the resulting menu. It's a good idea to make a new folder to put these extracted files in, because they are not distinguishable from any other extracted files at this point - the names are encoded, and you get two files for each one extracted.
Step 7: Go back to the Finder results, and double-click on the set of LIFO resources (Sims08.package). There are two files for each name - you want the ones labeled 0_lifo (1). This time we don't want the coded version, so...in Plugin View (2), there's a button labeled 'Export' on the right hand side (3). Click there and save the image in a new folder. Add the 0_lifos for the rest of the maternity colours.
Step 8: Now go up to the toolbar and open the new package you made. In the Resource List, right-click anywhere, and choose 'Add' from the resulting menu. Navigate to the set of TXTRs you extracted, select them all and click 'Open'. http://thumbs.modthesims.info/getimage.php?file=971707
Voila! the now-recognisable files will appear in your Resource List. They will be in italics at first, but once you save the package, they will look normal.
This is your default replacement package. However, so far it's just a copy of the stuff that's already in-game.
Step 9: Now we have to get the replacement files ready. Open the package you want to use as your replacement mesh. I'm using the preg-enabled version of the hula dress from BonVoyage, made by the_mystical_one.
Step 10: In the Resource List, Right-click and extract the replacement GMDC into its own folder, just as we did when extracting the TXTRs.
That's all.
Open your default package again.
Step 11: Left-ckick on the maternity GMDC, then click the Plugin View tab at the bottom of the screen. Where it says Filename, highlight the name of the file and copy it (Ctrl+C).
Step 12: Go back up to the Resource List. Right-click on the maternity GMDC and choose 'Replace'. Navigate to your extracted replacement files. Select the file ending in .5gd, and click 'Open'.
SimPE will ask if it should reload the altered file, click yes.
Step 13: Notice that the Filename in Plugin View has changed. Paste the original name back in (Ctrl+V), and click 'Fix TGI' on the right side. This corrects the Type, Group and Instance numbers, and makes it all work properly. Press 'Commit' to transfer the changes to the Resource List. http://thumbs.modthesims.info/getimage.php?file=971708
Step 14: At the end of this process, the package should look just as it did orignally, but WE know the file has changed.
If you put this package into your Downloads folder now, and run the game, you should see any pregnant sims wearing your new mesh, but still in the default colours. Probably looks a little odd. (see my example, with coloured arms and hula decorations over sneakers!!) The seamlines of the old trousers and shirt are also visible.
So now we alter the textures and the bump map. The bump map is making seamlines and shadows that belong to the original mesh, and don't match the new one.
Step 15: If your replacement mesh has its own bumpmap, replace the maternity texture with that. If not, bucketfill the image with pale grey. When you have replaced that image using Build DXT in SimPE, you need to alter it to Raw8bit format or it will look really bad. There will be ugly lines and odd shadows on your sim's skin.
Step 16: You can now recolour the LIFO files you exported in Step 7, using your paint program of choice. You will need nine recolours to replace the nine maxis maternity textures. (I'm not giving detailed recolouring directions here, there are good tutes for that already!)
Step 17: Then, in SimPE, use 'Build DXT' to overwrite the maternity TXTR files in Plugin View. Replace them with the LIFO images you've exported and recoloured, so you get all the correct sizes.
Or, use unlocked maternity files so the outfits appear in BodyShop. There is a mod for buyable default maternity clothes by Motoki on MATY – http://www.moreawesomethanyou.com/smf/index.php/topic,1243.0.html. Using this mod will make your clothes appear in Bodyshop, whether you have the maxis defaults or a replacement installed.
Step 18: Put your finished replacement package into your downloads folder. Run the game, and check how it looks.
I used hacks to speed up my testing - making my sims pregnant and accelerating the pregnancies, as well as allowing me to change their clothing easily.
The mods I used for this were Numenor's Hacked Coat Hook (http://sumomo.modthesims.info/download.php?t=225251)
and Twojeffs' SimBlender (http://www.simbology.com/smf/index.php?topic=20.0).