Goth loli fake Kimono thing... Feedback wanted!

[emhpb]

Hi! I've made this dress out of the trenchcoat mesh. It's a rough draft so to speak, I need to fix up the mesh in the arms area and add some small details to the texture. What I'm curious to know from you guys is if the overall shape is good. I based it loosely off of those weird goth loli kimono things: http://www.modyourpanties.com/hosting/20947_1007021341542603447387_8eb4ee8eb4.jpg (you can see more if you google goth loli kimono)

Here's the dress:

http://www.modyourpanties.com/hosting/20948_100702134336gothmono.PNG

So what I want to know is, is it too weird looking? Do the collar and the tailoring on the shoulders throw it off? Does it look remotely good, even if you didn't know what it's supposed to be?

Thanks for your help!

[wickedsims_93]

I really have no idea what this is, even though I don't know much about japanese tailoring, I'd say the sleeves are a bit to long and the skirt is just, a little weird )this is mesh wise) and the texture seems to be more western (paisley) than japanese.

[emhpb]

Crap, okay I'l scrap the pattern then. xD; I don't really know what you're talking about with the skirt, but I did just make some improvements on the mesh, so I'll post an update in just a sec and you can tell me if I've fixed it ;p

[emhpb]

http://www.modyourpanties.com/hosting/20955_100702155237goth.PNG

There's the fixed mesh, although I accidentally killed the 3rd channel, so the underskirt is black, not white. :C

[Wicked_poppies]

The dress mesh is too big, because it shouldent clip the arms like it dose. Also, the sleves are way too long; they shouldent cover the hands because it will clip with anything they touch in-game. The sholders are too pointy, and the colar is wrong compared to the pics.

[calisims]

The first thing I thought of when I saw it was Leanne's trench coat dress from Resonance of Fate. It looks a lot more like that than the kimono type dresses, which wrap around differently than the trench coat, and have a different collar. Also the sleeves of the kimono dress are much wider, not just at the wrist but the whole sleeve.
Here's a link to a pic of the dress I think your dress looks like it's becoming:
http://assets.vg247.com/current//2010/01/Resonance_of_Fate-Xbox_360Screenshots19794Cut_Scene_9.jpg

[Evanuś]

Instead, it can make a dress, remove the sleeves and collar.

http://img815.imageshack.us/img815/9924/20955100702155237goth.png

[emhpb]

Okay, thanks for your advice! I'll make some adjustments on the mesh. :) I actually did add some stuff to the texture, so it looks a little less like a trenchcoat, but I'm not sure how to fix the shoulders without making them look quite strange...

[Esmeralda]

This is an interesting idea, but I (and I'm guessing maybe others) don't know what you're trying to achieve, as you haven't given a comparison photo and it's not a style I recognise. I've seen a lot of Goth Loli stuff but not seen something like this. So if you could post a photo of an example of this dress, it would be a big help! But from what I see, the one thing that leaps out is that the texture is very stretched on the skirt part of the mesh, because you've widened the mesh in that area - you'll need to enlarge/reshape the UV map for that part of the dress accordingly and then hopefully the texture will look right.

[moryrie]

I can sortof tell what you are going for, but you may have a better time achieving something similar, but different. You seem to be trying to do the 'Wa-Lolita' look, but not all of those kimonos are fluffy, or that long, so you may have an easier time doing one of the 'Sexy' type ones that are kindof.. looked down on. Also, since those can be really short.. that would probably be a little better as a top than a dress. (That longish tunic top might be a good candidate for this if tweaked to have longer sleeves.) That way either underwear/tight jeans/or a skirt could be paired with it, and if you made it flare out just enough, and made a fluffy skirt to go with it, either look could be 'possible', as the more conservative Wa-Lolitas tend to wear about as many petticoats as the typical Sweet or Goth Lolitas.

But eh, it's just a suggestion. Feel free to ignore.

[emhpb]

Esmerelda: Thanks for your input! I did post a link kind-of reference pic, but I'm really just going on the general idea, haha. I don't know how to edit UVs for clothing properly without loosing bones or anything, is there a tutorial for that?

Moryrie: Aha, an expert! <3 I think that's a really good idea, but perhaps as a separate project, I wouldn't want to loose the work I've done so far on this one, lol. Do you think you could direct me to a pic/website/description of "sexy" wa-lolita? Or idk, search terms I could use to find it? /fail at google

Thanks! I'll edit with a pic of an update in just a minute, I've taken into consideration some of the suggestions with the skirt and sleeves, and added more texture elements so it looks more 'lolita'

Edit: I don't like how the skirt turned out, any thoughts?

http://www.modyourpanties.com/hosting/20979_100703214703goth2.PNG

[moryrie]

'Autumn Gardens' and both 'Heartless' variants (http://www.taeliacstudio.com/tsv5/index.php?page=gallery&sub=6) are less fluffy than what you are going for. There's also some not so nice, but a variety of different short kimonos here (http://www.lionella.net/c/short-kimonos) if you want to look through them. Searching 'Short Kimono' should give you some other ideas. 'Sexy Kimono' also works, but you'll want safe search on for that one.

As for the new version, the skirt needs to flare out more, so.. your first attempt skirtwise was more accurate. With that sort of skirt it's going to be glitchy no matter what you try.

[emhpb]

Yeah, I figured it would clip somewhat with the arms in that position, regardless. xD;

Oh, yeah I see what you mean. ;) I'll do that as my next project ;) It's an entirely different cut then this one, so yeah, gonna have to be another mesh. :)

[emhpb]

http://www.modyourpanties.com/hosting/21025_100705202003goth3.PNG

There's an update with the skirt changed.

[Haaailey]

Maybe you can make the bows on her arms more 3d? They look painted on.

[emhpb]

Hmm, well I could do a bumpmap I guess? Idk ;x

[Haaailey]

Could you make them part of the mesh? That would look nice.

[Wicked_poppies]

I think right now the main concern is getting the mesh to look right, and then details like that (the bow) can follow. I think the biggest problem is the skirt. It looks too poofed out, and it clips badly with the arms. So, I personaly think it needs a little deflating. also, the sholders look better, but they're still a little pointy looking. I think it would be great if you could take a kimono from the sims 2 and convert the mesh for sims 3, and then modify it to make what you want, because it would already be closer to what you wanted it to look like than the outfit you started from on this mesh.

[emhpb]

Converting bodymeshes means reassigning all of the bones. xD; There are a lot of them, and it's really difficult. So no, not trying that until I'm better at milkshape. ;p

I can deflate the skirt- I think. I'll try with the shoulders, but no promises. :)

[Esmeralda]

Esmerelda: Thanks for your input! I did post a link kind-of reference pic, but I'm really just going on the general idea, haha. I don't know how to edit UVs for clothing properly without loosing bones or anything, is there a tutorial for that?


There's a good UV mapping tutorial here - although the tutorial is for TS2, UV mapping is done in Milkshape so it's exactly the same procedure for TS3 meshes: http://www.modthesims.info/showthread.php?t=135136

Basically what you need to do is select the skirt area of your mesh in Milkshape's Texture Coordinate Editor, and use the Scale function to re-scale that part of the map bigger (and probably reshape it a bit by going into TCE's Select function and moving a few vertices around on the map after rescaling it) to make the map, and therefore the texture, correspond to how you've expanded the skirt area of the mesh.

It's coming along nicely - I see what sort of look you're going for now, you'll get there!

[emhpb]

Thank you Esmeralda <3 I didn't realize I could do it in milkshape :D And thanks for the encouragement, I was kinda thinking I was completely off target and imagining that this sort of thing actually exists irl. xD

[emhpb]

Here's a small update:

http://www.modyourpanties.com/hosting/21092_100709164946goth4.PNG

The skirt isn't as big, so I dunno if it still needs remapping?

[Wicked_poppies]

I think you should make it look a little more like the pic below I made in PS. Softer sholders, more graceful waist, dee-poofed sleaves, and there's a weird line around the bottom of the mesh that i removed, but I dont know how to decribe it, but maybe you'll see what I mean in the pic.

[emhpb]

Oh, that line is the underskirt. ;p If you'll look at the trenchcoat, you'll see what I mean!

Thanks for the pic! I'll do some more editing.

[Wicked_poppies]

No problem. Hope it helps some... Dose the outfit you have on mind have an underskirt? I kinda think is looks better without the underskirt in your case.

[emhpb]

Hmm, well I don't really care. I can certainly make it so the underskirt doesn't show, but it might show with other animations.

[BloomsBase]

Lol, for those who dont understand wats emhpb after:
Google gothic lolita kimono and you see he aint far of :)

[emhpb]

Lol! Thanks Base! <3 (I'm a girl btw, haha)

Hey, if you read this, can I pm you with a question about accessories and transparency?

[Missa]

I have 2 cents! Can you make a version with a ruffled petticoat? It seems like the undergarments are a huge thing is Gothic Lolita fashion. And as the pictures you showed, all of them have that. Just an idea. You're doing great though! Keep it up and thank you! I always love more "alternative" fashions for my sims.

[BloomsBase]

Lol! Thanks Base! <3 (I'm a girl btw, haha)

Hey, if you read this, can I pm you with a question about accessories and transparency?

I haven't figured out how to make transparant things...
But i can make things dissapear :D
Thanks to cocomama i downloaded the alphaskirt from the store, in there i found the material settings needed.

[emhpb]

I actually figured out how to make it transparent, by cloning the WA Egyptian necklace thingy. Now I need to know how to get the textures from the other equipped accessories to stop showing up on it. (it's wings, so a great big square thing behind the sim, which pretty much uvmaps 1:1 onto the texture. I keep getting a big square with my wings, and then around them the texture from another accessory. Taking the other accessory off of the sim doesn't work either) Ever encountered this before? I know it's happened with shoes and bottoms, but not sure about accessories. ;/ And I know it's possible to get a transparent accessory to work, because of the necklace.

/rambles off topic
Anyways, is there any help you can give? Thanks!

Edit: Thanks Missa! I could certainly enlarge the underskirt and make it ruffled, if that's what you're after? I think it would look cool, actually. ;) And I like alternative sim clothes too!

[mustluvcatz]

The skirt isn't as big, so I dunno if it still needs remapping?

It should be remapped. The print should be the same over all. The bottom of the sleeves should be remapped, too.

[emhpb]

I actually don't think I can remap it. ;/ It would be impossible to remap either the skirt or the sleeves wider, there's no room on the texture and it would create seams anyway I think... D;

[emhpb]

I did some edits... Idk, did I cover everyone's suggestions?

http://www.modyourpanties.com/hosting/21151_100712201050goth5.PNG

I just noticed some abnormailities in the left side arm and waist, but aside from that, is it better?

[moryrie]

Can you remove the collar? It doesn't fit at all. I think that might be part of the problem.

[emhpb]

I know, but there's no mesh under the collar, plus I would have to reassign the bones. ;C Plus redo the UV map and the texture. xD; And I can't do bones... the whole mesh would animate weird. I think it's worth having the collar to have a mesh that animates properly. ;p