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Field Researcher
#226 Old 26th Apr 2006 at 4:41 PM
Thank you Numenor for this fine tutorial I just made my first object recolor with it.

I have no clue how all these people on this site would make recolors if they didn't have fine tutorial like yours.
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Forum Resident
#227 Old 1st May 2006 at 11:01 PM Last edited by Ciane : 2nd May 2006 at 6:35 AM.
First, I loved the tutorial and finally made my first recolors.

Here are the problems I encountered: First I couldn't find the next button. I wasn't looking at the tutorial, only my notes; and I was scrolled below it and didn't know it. I figured that out after reloading, when I wasn't in the middle or at the bottom of the list. (Not your fault, just pointing out how we can stray on the simpliest instructions.)

Secondly, I used DDS without saving all sizes on the first cabinet I made. Then, I read in another forum that someone's image reverted to the original when she zoomed in, and she was instructed to save all sizes. So I made another version and saved all sizes. I made some other recolors (saving all sizes) using the same images for a rug (Maxis kid version), curtains, clamshell lamp, a couple pictures (the meaning of fruit). When I went into my game, I could not find the cabinets or the curtains. The rug showed up with great graphics, but my oval colored rug was on a white rectangular base - I think I shouldn't have flattened the layers in photoshop, or I shouldn't have saved the layers in Photoshop first, or I should have used the transparency version DXT3.

But here is my real problem - (I'm sure I'll get the others solved, and I doubt they are related to this problem, but I added them in case they are relevant.) When I was making the clamshell light, I rotated the image in photoshop because I couldn't tell where the top center was. When I went to build the DXT, it gave me an error message about the string too long or something. I reloaded a new lamp and tried again without rotating it, and it saved fine.

Now, I'm in the game, in a house that has many plants (easily 2, maybe 3 dozen) cluttered together using boolprop and moveobjects cheats (for a contest). I have placed my rug on the floor (the one mentioned earlier with the white rectangular shape under the oval color). I go into lamps to see if my light appeared, and the game crashed.

I will take out my rug recolor. (As all my recolors are in the same sub-folder under downloads, it will be easy to find). I will remake the rug. And I will load my game again and see if the cabinets (Maxis sardinia) and curtains (Maxis tie-back) I made earlier show up, if the rug looks right now, if the game still crashes on the lamp. I'll let you know the resolution. I just thought I'd share this info.

After I deleted the messed up lamp file, my game didn't crash.
I also had no idea that CEP file had to be in the working folder were I was saving my work before transfering copies to the downloads, so I now have more than one picture and chair, etc.
I didn't redo the cabinets and curtains yet, I just reloaded and hoped for the best... I didn't get lucky. (*edit: they have shown up now. I remade them, put the original file on my lot, and used the design tool to check for recolors. I don't know if I just missed them because I have so many download or not. However, life is very, very good now.)
And when I redid the rug without flattening it, just deleting the background layer; it of course came out perfectly.
Part-time Hermit
#228 Old 2nd May 2006 at 4:34 AM
Ciane, you do not need to use the Update All Size when using DDS Utilities. It updates the sizes automatically. You only need to do that separately if you use the normal texture import button .

For the rug transparency thing, make the texture on an image with a transparent background, and do not flatten the image, just save it as a png. It should keep the transparency that way. And, yes, I think you need to use DXT3 with that.
Forum Resident
#229 Old 2nd May 2006 at 6:32 AM
Yeah... I know you don't need to use the update all size. I was just mentioning that I was led astray else where, but I'm back on track. And I thought I mentioned that flattening the image was what caused the problem. I just didn't think about it when I saved it; though it was obvious when I entered the game and laid it on the floor.
The curtains and cabinets have now loaded. LyricLee asked me if I'd used the design tool (for recolors) - I don't know if that triggered the recolors to show or not. But after remaking the curtains and cabinets, I then had at least two versions of each. So, it seems I made them okay the first time. It is possible I just missed them when I first looked, as I have so many downloads.

Once again, the tuturial is excellent, and I will now spend a lot of time recoloring. I just thought I'd share my mistakes so that others could learn from my mistakes as well.
Lab Assistant
#230 Old 3rd May 2006 at 5:03 PM
OMFG!!!
Thanx so, so much!!You are the best Nume!!
I just made my first recolour.Gonna upload now!How long does it take usually before they pm you to tell you if it's accepted or not?

If it's too loud,
You're too old!!
The ModFather
retired moderator
Original Poster
#231 Old 3rd May 2006 at 7:29 PM
Uploads of Recolours for objects are not moderated: they appear in the forum immediately.
But every now and then, some low-quality recolours are tagged for removal (and later on, removed).

I've finally started my Journal. Information only, no questions.

My latest activity: CEP 9.2.0! - AnyGameStarter 2.1.1 (UPD) - Scriptorium v.2.2f - Photo & Plaques hide with walls - Magazine Rack (UPD) - Animated Windows Hack (UPD) - Custom Instrument Hack (UPD) - Drivable Cars Without Nightlife (UPD) - Courtesy Lights (FIX) - Custom Fence-Arches - Painting-TV - Smarter Lights (UPD)


I *DON'T* accept requests, sorry.
Scholar
#232 Old 7th May 2006 at 11:22 AM
Just wanted to say Thanks for the tutorial,
I did my first non-maxis recolour last night, which turned out very well, so I'm happy

Please note - I'm not taking any requests at the moment.

You may include my items in your uploads but please credit with a link to either the object or my creator page please.

My Sims 2 videos
Test Subject
#233 Old 11th May 2006 at 11:37 AM
Thank you Numenor for this easy to follow re-colour tutorial , think I'm going to go pick on another object now... 3 new colours and 3 new textures of that light I think might be enough for now.

Had a slight problem with the buildDXD stage, but scanned down the forum list and found someone else had that problem. Had to type in where I had the Nvidia DDS Utilities saved in for that to work, in the section for folder cause SimPE couldn't find it.

Thanks again am a very happy little

You can also find some of my creations at http://www.spicysims.com
Top Secret Researcher
#234 Old 11th May 2006 at 3:02 PM
Thankyou so much for this tutorial, I first tried the wizards of SimPE and made a lovely lounge set-recolor. Then I dived in and made a custom recolor of Meshkiste bed -came out fine-not too bad, I am happy with it. *grins* Im actually ecstatic...
Just one question when I want to zip or rar it for someone else, --all I need to do is fetch the .....package file out of my downloads, on doing same I came accross another file, it had my package name but with the extension .bak ?
what is this? Meshkiste mesh file? do I need to include it in the zip file?
Instructor
#235 Old 11th May 2006 at 8:43 PM
The .bak file is a backup file of your recolor package. SimPE automatically creates these when you save. You do not need to include it in the zip file.

Eclectic Sims The place for your younger sims and unique animated items!
Charmed Sims Archives Gorgeous Clothing, Furnishings and more.
Two great sites ALL FREE NOW!!!
Top Secret Researcher
#236 Old 12th May 2006 at 11:04 AM
SnowStorm thankyou so much for coming back. One more question though *grins* now that I've got you here:
When I make a recolor of custom content, and I finish the first subset, I need to go back to the screen where the subsets show, (for the 2nd subset) and I go back to step three and I cant seem to find where it is? strangely enough I was able to do the first bed, but I cant with this 2nd one--I am sorry if this has been aswered before.
thankyou.
Instructor
#237 Old 12th May 2006 at 1:03 PM
For beds, if the bed's bedding is linked to the the colonial ironwood bedding (which is the standard way) Depending on the version of simpe, you won't get the subset selection dialog. To recolor the bedding you'd select the colonial ironwood bed.

It's possible the first bed you did was completely standalone, and that is why you were prompted for two subsets to choose from.

Eclectic Sims The place for your younger sims and unique animated items!
Charmed Sims Archives Gorgeous Clothing, Furnishings and more.
Two great sites ALL FREE NOW!!!
Top Secret Researcher
#238 Old 12th May 2006 at 2:55 PM
Yeahh, I got it, thankyou soo much SnowStorm. If its a custom bed, you have to go in and do (a new) entirely separate workshop thing, from the beginning and give it a diff file name, anyhow it worked like that for me!
Thanks again.
XXX
Test Subject
#239 Old 25th May 2006 at 2:47 AM
can u use paint shop pro 9 with SimPE or what do i need please help
Test Subject
#240 Old 25th May 2006 at 6:10 AM
i need help with build dxt
ok i downloaded the dxt and i cant get it to work i saved in my docs should i save it on my desktop
Part-time Hermit
#241 Old 25th May 2006 at 7:24 AM
You can use any paint program that can deal with PNGs and layers, and Paint Shop Pro is fine for that.

It shouldn't matter where you install the DDS Utilities, but after you do, you have to point SimPE to the right place. Start up SimPE, go to Extra -> Preferences -> System Folders. You can see a line called nVidia DDS Tool folder. Click on the Browse button and browse to the folder where you have it installed. If you installed it to the default location it's probably C:\Program Files\NVIDIA Corporation\NVIDIA DDS Utilities, but if you put it somewhere else, then it's different, of course.
Test Subject
#242 Old 27th May 2006 at 11:35 AM
I just recently found this tutorial today and thought I'd give it a go. I did everything specified in the tut, downloaded everything I needed, and created a recolour of some bedding. However, when I go to use the bedding in the game, it just shows up as the original maxis colour. Any idea what's gone wrong?
Part-time Hermit
#243 Old 27th May 2006 at 1:47 PM
Did you use the regular Import option for the texture, or Build DXT? If the former, did you select to "update all sizes" after importing and then commit? If you use Build DXT, though, you don't need to update all sizes, that's done automatically. Then you only need to commit.
Test Subject
#244 Old 28th May 2006 at 12:05 AM
At first I used the Build DXT option. But since that didn't work in game, I tried the regular Import option and it seemed to work. But the quality wasn't as good. So I tried doing the DXT option again and have yet to see if it works in game. I managed to corrupt some files yesterday and have to reinstall all my games :/ Long story short, I wanted to use the preview option in the Scenegrapher, and had to retrieve files from the original Sims 2 CD, and somehow screwed things up. lol I was so annoyed.

Anyway, once I've reinstalled I'll post you my outcome. Thanks.
Test Subject
#245 Old 28th May 2006 at 2:36 AM Last edited by bunnygoesboom : 28th May 2006 at 12:13 PM.
Argh, huge problems with reinstalling now. I've installed Sims 2, but all my expansions have a fit towards the end of installion (the updating), and cancel the install. So it may take a lil longer than I thought to get the whole recolouring sorted >_<


EDIT: The recolour came out just fine! Dunno what happened the first time round. But it's perfect now. Thanks. And if anyone wants to see, I've posted it here
Test Subject
#246 Old 28th May 2006 at 9:50 PM
I've tried the recolouring-tutorial, and everything works... until I run the game : my recoloured object is in the catalouge, but it does not appear in the game. There, I only see the original (self-created) object.Where did I go wrong ?
Part-time Hermit
#247 Old 29th May 2006 at 4:50 AM
Do you mean that the catalog shows the new color, but when you select that and place it on the lot, it's the same as the original color? Do two color options show up for it in the catalog?
Test Subject
#248 Old 29th May 2006 at 12:48 PM
Indeed, that's the problem. This is how it goes : I've cloned the "Fjord" kitchencounter and made a version with only the top drawer (empty space below). It's a fully functional counter : I can place a sink in it, I can make corners with it and I still can place an appliance under it. But it originally comes in only one colourcombination : yellowwood counterfinish and marble countertop. As you can guess, I want the full range of colouroptions that are available on the original kitchencounter to be available on my cloned object as well. But that doesn't seem to work with the tutorial at the beginning of this thread. So my question remains : Where did I go wrong ?

In addition to this major problem, I have another, less important question. For now, the catalouge shows two possible counterfinishes and two possible countertops. However, all four thumbnailpictures are shown as a mostly blue object, some are even incomplete (no countertop, or no drawer,...). And these thumbnails appear in a different way every time I open the catalouge. On the other hand, the thumbnail of my kitchencounter in the 'surfaces-catalouge' is shown as it should be : in exactly the same colours as the original counter I cloned it from. I've tried to solve the thumbnail-problem by erasing all files in the Thumbnail-folder of the game, but nothing happened. Any other suggestions ?

In case of incorrect English, you should know that my native language is Dutch.
Part-time Hermit
#249 Old 29th May 2006 at 12:58 PM
Cloning kitchen counters normally with SimPE will not link the textures properly. I recommend you use Numenor's counter templates as a base to clone from instead. You can find them in the templates subforum under the Object Creation & Texturing forum. He has some further instructions in the thread what to do with them.
Test Subject
#250 Old 30th May 2006 at 10:07 PM
I still don't get what's wrong with my cloned kitchencounter. I haven't tried the counter templates you recommended, I'm hoping to find another solution. This is the current situation : I've restarted the entire cloning procedure, but at the beginning I unmarked the "pull only default color" checkbox. I was hoping to get all original colouroptions at once... and I did ! So now I have, in my catalouge, five possible counterfinishes and five possible countertops. But I still get only one combination in the game : the default colour (yellowwood with marble). I think it has something to do with the Material Override in SimPE, since the yellowwood-with-marble-file is the only one without square brackets in it. (Or is this just a coincidence ?). However, I think here lies the key to solving my problem... I just need to find it.

Do you think I'm going the right way ? Or should I give up ?

"Life itself is not very interesting, it's the people you meet that make life interesting"
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