[Tutorial] Changing Pattern Categories

[HugeLunatic]

This is just a small how-to about changing the category of patterns. For those who create patterns, you may be going, "doh, do it when you create it". But some (me) who don't create patterns and just want to change a pattern to a category that fits more with your game or style of playing, then hopefully you find this useful. This is based on custom .package files, not the default patterns.

If you have sims3packs you would like to recategorize, you can either convert them to package files using the info here (http://www.sims2wiki.info/wiki.php?title=Convert_Sims3Pack_to_Package). If already installed, you can try and find it in C:\Users\UserName\Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3\DCBackup and change it.

You have the following choices for categories in the game:

Fabric
Weave_Wicker
Plastic_Rubber
Tile_Mosaic
Abstract
Metal
Miscellaneous
Carpet_Rug
Paint
Theme
Wood
Leather_Fur
Geometric
Masonry
Rock_Stone


I am using the application Postal (http://www.modthesims.info/download.php?t=362599) , since it is available for OSX users as well as Windows users. If you need help with installation, usage, or errors, please see the Postal thread.

I put the patterns I would like to change on my desktop, since I find it the easiest place to navigate to and find the package.

1. Open Postal, then go to File/Open, and select the pattern you would like to change.
2. Double click the Pattern List xml line (see img.#1)
3. Double Click the name inside the quotes in the bottom (see img.#2).
4. Replace with the category from the list above. Make sure to leave the quotes around the name, and make sure to capitalize and use the underscores.
4. Commit (see img.#3)
5. File/Save As - Save over the existing or save as a new file name.

http://thumbs2.modthesims2.com/img/3/6/8/1/7/9/MTS2_HugeLunatic_983373_Changing-Pattern-Category.jpg

[Srikandi]

Nice tut HL :) I assume from your discussion that the method only works for custom patterns, right? Might want to make that explicit.

[HugeLunatic]

Thanks Srikandi. This can be done with sims3pack patterns and store patterns, but it requires extracting them first. Can I add how to do that? Or is that now allowed?

[Srikandi]

There's no issue in discussing conversion of sims3pack files to .package. We have the instructions in our wiki, although the links to the tools mentioned there are currently broken (working on fixing this), because of the end of Sims3Tools. Method number 1 involves no tools though: http://www.sims2wiki.info/wiki.php?title=Convert_Sims3Pack_to_Package

You're correct that we don't support conversion of store content here.

What I was clarifying was that it does NOT apply to the built-in patterns, right? Those are the ones IMO that most need reclassifying :p And yes, they could of course be extracted and reclassified by your method... however, I for one would not want to put an override package for every single pattern in the game in my downloads folder, just to get the reclassification. Wonder if there's a slimmer way to do it.

[Delphy]

You don't need to extract every single pattern and re-do them. There is a master list of patterns you can change :)

[HugeLunatic]

Oh no, I wasn't referring to the game patterns, but custom patterns. :) Someone had asked how to do this after not finding an appropriate tutorial or link here to do it.

I think I understand what your referring to Delphy. An override for the entire works if you choose, pretty sure I've seen it in the xml files. Of course now we (not we as in here) are wondering if we can add a category! lol Pretty sure that is way above my skill level.

[Killc*a]

This tutorial is great!
And even if you make a package file from a launcher-installed file, the game remembers, on which objects and clothes you used the patterns.

[Winterhart]

You don't need to extract every single pattern and re-do them. There is a master list of patterns you can change :)Where is that master list? How and where do I change it? :lovestruc

[groovilicious]

Thank you thank you thank you! :lovestruc