From Anouschka
Programms :
Meshing : Milkshape 1.8.5 beta 1
Graphic Editor : Photoshop .0.1
UV Mapper Classic 0.30A

I made screenshots for the steps to show what I did. Every figure means the order of watching, and the used program.
I hope this can help people who want to try meshing.
I am very greatful to the people who heloed me with their own tuts, or advices in this forum. This " tut" allows perhaps to bring another art of informations.
I apologize for my english. If you don't understand, tell me and I could try to update. Further I would like if this helped you or not. If yes, I would translate it in French and/or German then.

Image 1 : Milkshape
I made a mesh.
It was originally the TableDiningBistro (1 tile).
I made a 1-tile squared table from it.
At this moment, 3 groups make the all mesh.
Group00 = the groundshadow (in a foot of the table)
Pieds = feet of the table (in the middle of the picture)
Table = the support of the table. (above the feet)
I’ve reduced the group00 very tiny and integrated it in a foot of the table. So it will disappear in the final mesh.
I export the 3 groups as 1 mesh into Wafefront .obj.

Image 2 : UV Mapper Classic
Select File, then Load Model, Browse and select the exported mesh as .obj.
The screenshot represents the mesh but it’s difficult to identify every group of the mesh. And it will be difficult to use it in your graphic editor.

Image 3 : UV Mapper Classic
Select Edit, Select (not select by in my case), choose the group you want to identify.
This is here the group00 in red. When it’s selected, you can move it, maximize or reduce it like you want.

Image 4 : UV Mapper Classic
I aim to place the group00 and “pieds/feet” in the right part of the screen, and the “table” in the left part.
I select each group of the mesh and place it, maximize,…
The 3 groups are in the right place.
Now I select each group and modify the way of the uv mapping.

Image 5 : UV Mapper Classic
Select Edit, New uv map, (planar, box, cylindrical, spherical/
Here I choose box for the table and the feet.
I don’t change anything for group00.

Image 6 : UV Mapper Classic
I’m happy with this uv map.
On the left part : the table
On the right part : the feet and the group00 under.

Now, select Save Model (into another .obj file) + then Save texture map (into a .bmp file).
The settings are ok like that.

Image 7 : Photoshop
I open the .bmp file. It’s the texture map saved.

Image 8 : Photoshop – Make the RGB mask
This mask will allow to use the colorable parts of the sims 3 game.
I make it easy because, it’s my beginning of meshing, texturing,…
Check the settings of the image in Photoshop.
Select Image, then Mode, Choose RGB
Add (if it’s missing) an Alpha Channel.
You have to work with the “channels”.
First I make the Mask RGB. (this red green or blue thing).
Select the Red channel (the 2nd from the top of the tab).
Select with the “Square selection” the left part of the image. Fill it in white. Select “invert the selection”, (the right part is selected) Fill this right part in black.

Select the Green channel (the third from the top of the tab).
Your right part is yet selected. Fill it in white. Select “invert the selection”, (the left part is again selected) Fill this left part in black.

Select the Blue channel (the fourth from the top of the tab).
Select all of this channel and fill it in black.

Select the Alpha Channel (the last one). Check it’s in white.
Note :If it is in black, you’ll add transparency to all the mesh, so the object will disappear.

Save this mask into a .DDS file. Check that the save is “ARGB 32bpp / unsigned”. Save.

Image 9 : Photoshop – Make the bump mask (apply the texture on the mesh)
I use the base of the RGB mask to apply the texture.
Check the settings of the image in Photoshop.
Select Image, then Mode, Choose RGB
Add (if it’s missing) an Alpha Channel in black.
You have to work with the “channels”.
Select the RGB channel (the first one on the top of the tab).

Here I want one texture for every group of the mesh, except for the group00 (=shadow).
Select the left part and fill it in with a pattern. Select “invert the selection” and fill the right part with another pattern, or with the same if you want.

Select the entire image, Select “Image”, “Settings”, “Desaturate”.
All become in a grayscale version.
Save this texture bump mask into a .DDS file. Check that the save is “ARGB 32bpp / unsigned”. Save.

Image 10: Photoshop – Make the specular mask (apply the texture on the mesh)
Here I use the way like for the step 9.
I suppose we could apply modifications on this grayscale, like something brighter (the original specular masks of the game are very bright). But I don’t know today how this mask really acts in the game.
All become in a grayscale version.
Save this texture bump mask into a .DDS file. Check that the save is “ARGB 32bpp / unsigned”. Save.

Image 11 : Milkshape
I close the file I’ve exported at the step 1 and I open the .obj file I’ve exported from UV Mapper classic at the step 6.
I will apply the uv map on this file.
First I try to apply the RGB Mask (step 8).
At this step you can regroup the groups you want. The tableDiningBistrot from EA has 2 groups.
The first is group00 (=shadow), the second is all the mesh).
I regroup the feet + the table and let the group00 here as the first group in Milkshape.
Select all the groups. Select “Materials” Tab. Click “New”, then “none” (under the specular button”, browse and open the file .DDS from step 8. Select assign.
You can see that the feet +group00 are ok in green and the support of the table in red.
That means that in the game, I can then use the first color/texture for the support of the table, and the second for the rest.

Image 12 : Milkshape
Second I try to check the Bump Mask (step 9).
You can check how the texture is applied by opening “Texture coordinate editor” (in “Windows”).
Here we see the support of the table.
When I’m happy with these applications I overread the 3 .DDS files over the original .DDS files (Tablediningbistro; see http://www.modthesims.info/showthread.php?t=373467 for example) I’ve exported from S3PE.
These will be then import into S3PE and will replace the old files.

Image 13 : Milkshape
Now it’s time to export the mesh from milkshape. There are here 4 files (3 as .LOD and 1 as .MODEL).
Identify which file content the mesh in the same size and at the same location.
Here you see the 4 files from, just to see the difference between all.
The file 00000000 (2 groups) and the file 00000001 (1 group) go together because they have the same size and have the same location. There are the little in my image. Don’t forget to regroup in one group for 0000001.
The file 00010000 and 00010001 (here both 1 group) go together. There the big tables in my image.
I’ve moved and scaled until I reach the size and location I want.
I overead the 4 old files from S3PE with my mesh.
These 4 will be recompiled with Wes Tool, then imported into S3PE and will replace the old files.
Save in S3PE.

Image 14 : EA Sims3
Here the table outside in the game. I can apply a color/texture from the game on the feet and on the support of the table. We have only, the sunshadow.

Image 15 : EA Sims3
Here the table inside in the game.

Anouschka, you have put a lot of work into this tutorial.

One question for you...you said, "I’ve reduced the group00 very tiny and integrated it in a foot of the table. So it will disappear in the final mesh."...and I am wondering why you did this. If you do this, then in the game the object will have no shadow when it is indoors right? Or am I mistaken in that?

OM

Hi OM,

I've compared inside the original mesh with my own new. See in the picture. The groundshadow seams to be the same.
They have the same color, and are on a white carpet in a room with roof.

Interesting and good to know Anouschka...I thought we would have to reshape the shadow piece but it seems its' mere existence as a group is sufficient to make the correct shadow. That will save a step during the creation process

OM

Super tutorial. Thank you very much