Khaibit,
...deleted...
Lol, may google and try various hard-disk recovery utilities if one doesn't work well in your case. But, I think system mechanic (spelling?) may help? I've used a few ones for different relatively desired results. So, I can't say what it must be good in your case. The best suggestion is to try out various ones out there.
the f it's just the failure of the operating system (OS), just use another HD with a relevant OS to recover the data.
If the files were deleted by an accident or a partition-failure, use those suggested type of softwares.
If it's hard disk (HD) failure, I'm afraid even a hardware technician may not be helpful except for the diagnosis.
...deleted...


Numenor,
That's really a long list of txmt infos... Thanks a big bunch. ...deleted...


pixelhate,
good reasoning, and that's why "D3D" can't be referred to the version of Milkshape.


teko,
Thanks for explaining that... ...my kiddy things deleted...except you did some really nice mirrory floor objects... Will you make custom-object-based ceiling reflective as well? Can you make the mirror floor compatible to the base game, too...?


added for the following post.

Khaibit,

:jokes & teases gone:
So, the KIds TUrn their BOdies over and around on the floor for the exercises? :D
Lol, Nu should have enjoyed your hugs a lot despite his pretending to try to survive! N, should that be fatal, that should still be what he dies for! :D
The dragon must have found that clueless coz the lost scorpio-pieces have formed new scorpios with more and stronger poisons that whoever touches them again will die immediately except their kind. So, the others only stay away or die. What a sharp blade!

It says these new fatal scorpios can transform into dragon-feu-mann, too... weird?

Niol ...deleted...

Inge and Numenor fooled me perfectly, indeed :D
The "lost data" was a fake, caused by Numenor's phantastic and without any errors working ( ) BaseGameStarter (in fact it's really cool, unfortunately I struggle with one or two bugs...) - and the genious could help me to get my stuff back *phew!*

Your suggestions about KiBoTu aren't bad ...deleted...

Actually it's a stupid German abbr for Kinder Boden Turnen - children's floor exercises Maybe a bit more dangerous than kisses but my tempestuous hugs are even more risky - you can ask Numenor how he survived the last one I owed him :D


BTW, can you maybe help me out, try and explaining/ answering my question before we started to fool around? Would be cool, my little scorpio *says the dragon - and looks for lost scorpio-pieces lying around...*



Added to the added stuff above:
Hey, on the one hand it's nice to stop spamming but on the other hand expecting the other to check for "edits" in already read posts is... clever

Yes, the children have to avoid exercises which can't be done lying. Who stands up is dismissed and has to sit on the bench - that's why KiBoTu is such a dangerous fight sport

Hmm, thinking about it makes sense - this also explains why Nu wanted me to hug him to pay my debts of bets ... and now I even know what's the quota woman is good for Never mind! *jumps and huggs Nu even more tempestuously tempestuous* *goes on and huggs Ni also tempestuously tempestuous, too tempestuous to notice the perfume* Dragon-women aren't affected by scorpio- poison, the opposite: I can use your poison for defense, thank you.
*erhm* isn't it a bit frustrating when scorpios only can touch themselves or dragons? :P

Edit without deleting:
The dragon is amused about these tiny scorpios that can transform after hugging... lots of little Grizus around

Am I the last person to realise this fact? If you set materials for your meshes in your 3D editor, such as wings or milkshape, the game respects many of those settings. I wondered why one moment my new object was to dark for the game and the next momoent it was too bright without me changng the material or the texture. It was because I had played with a material in Milkshape.

Are you sure you haven't just played with the smoothing/welding/unwelding?
As far as I know, the GMDC (where you store whatever is output from MS) just ignore anything related to the materials. The smoothing routines built-in in MS are so illogical and misleading that sometimes the user just can't understand what's happening...

In any case, I can say for sure that neither the OBJ format nor the MS-ASCII format can hold information about materials. I don't know how the Unimesh plugin works, but I'd be rather surprised if it can store these info (the Unimesh, on the other hand, is strongly suspected to alter the smoothing).

EDIT: the OBJ format *can* hold info about the materials in a separate .mtl file, which is ignored by SimPE, anyway.

Well, it certainly seemed to look that way. I can experiment some more with a flat plane - make a few copies and apply different materials in Wings without touching anything else about the mesh.

The only material parameter I know of in the GMDC is the opacity value. Whay this is stuck in with the mesh versus being included in the TXMT file is just a mystery to me.

Besides this, changing the normals could have a particular effect on the display brightness. While editing the normals is not doable in MilkShape, it is apparent that this can be done and used for effects by maya. In particular, the edge of the hem of a skirt mesh has each vertex in pairs, one with a normal pointing roughly horizontally outward from the mesh center, and one pointing downwards at the floor. This makes the edge sharp and prevents a darkened shadow at the hemline.

<* Wes *>

Inge, the normals can affect the looking of an object a lot. Have a look at this example:


(Sorry for the german legend )

It's twice the same mesh. On the right side the normals are generated with Wings 3D and on the left side they are generated with a special plugin for Cinema 4D.

Teko,
the legend is clear to me ("Plugin" and "Shading" are a German words anyway ) instead of the 'message' - what do you want to show? It looks like the plugin turns the direction normals face to
(to light -> away from light) which shows the result in game... just wonder if you show this comparison because you prefer this plugin or what... I mean, what should this tell me, the context is missing if there is more than the topic discussed in here now *curious* Not relevant but well, I'm curious about it, that's all
Relevant seems to be the flipped direction normals are facing to

All,
as I have to learn lots of things and it's somehow quite ineffective to try learning everything right now at once it's possible that the following is absolutely nonsense - if so feel free to laugh at me I'll do the same when I understood the reason
So far I just downloadd the 3ds texture baking tutorial but did not read in it or work with it yet so isn't the princile to apply texture withing editing the UV map but applying the texture immediately onto the mesh and import this into SimPE again (suppose via .smd format or Unimesh, maybe both) at least possible somehow? (Even without owning Maya, I mean.)

In this case I dunno if it's possible to affect textures in MS, too or how exactly SimPE processes the texture data that 'came with the mesh' but this also reminds me of a problem reported by WindBlower who couldn't fix the brightness of a pumpkin mesh (Nu, do you maybe remember? Still unsolved as far as I know) so either it is possible or Inge, a similar mistake happened to you???


Edit:
for the original topic, TXMT...
As this thread contains a new post by KevinsHope I noticed it and I found a list of several reflection*whatever*-envcube listed by Dewshine (in post #5, unfortunately some typos included, see correction by Frillen in post #23 below...). I guess you all know already about these several "envcubes" and in the Pets aquarium (well, I noticed it there) I also found a "reflectionsparking-envcube". I didn't know them yet but they are great to know, something like that increases the possibilities. It would be very useful to include all the different possibilities of 'envcubes' (are they complete? Isn't there even more for outside-reflection of cars etc.?) and maybe even a short explanation of the effect they come with/ are good for/ how they look like.

I don't know where in the TXMT-xls by Nu they could be listed, suppose they don't fit the sceme as they're additional input which needs a kind of definition on it's own (at least for the average user!) but they belong to topic and a list can't be wrong; I think.
Thanks to all those guys in this "old" thread for collectiong and sharing infos

Thanks so much for starting this discussion. I am learning a lot from reading it. It's a long one though!

Yes Khaibit, envcube info is definitely very useful.

Thinking about, it definately makes sense for the Plugin for easy TXMT-editing (maybe even for the txmtdefinition.xml- update)

So what about listing the envcubes and their known usage in here to collect them, in best case even all

So I re-post Dewshine's listing, hopefully free of typos and what else I know/ suppose so far, additions appreciated

Used for colorized reflections of textures:
reflectionbronze-envcube (orange)
reflectiongold-envcube (gold)
reflectionbronzenonlit-envcube (darker orange)
reflectiondarkgold-envcube (darker gold)
reflectiongoldnonlit-envcube (med tone gold)
reflectionsilver-envcube (sliver)
reflectionsilvernonlit-envcube (darker silver)
reflectionkitchenhighcontrast-envcube (rusty orange to black)
reflectionsparking-envcube (black to red)

Used for the glass-subset in the aquarium, seems to be required for effects??? Not used in bathtubes and else, also not used in the base-game aquarium...
reflectionsparking-envcube

Standart reflection surface, seems to be neutral, not colored... so as it's used for almost everything what are it's limits, why are other envcubes needed/ when have others to be used?
reflectionkitchenhighcontrast-envcube

Creates the outdoor reflection of cars, metal, glass, whatever
outdoordaytime-envcube

That's all I know/ suppose for now... additions?

Sorry Khaibit for loosing the context. It should show how an object can look with different normals generated and that the GMDC cannot save any material definitions (except the opacity).

Here are a few more of the envcube:

The Sims 2

reflection-generic (something like reflectionkitchenhighcontrast-envcube)
nightreflection2-envcube (dark violet)
reflectionoutdoorwater-envcube (landscape)
fencemoroccangate-envcube (black-brown-yellow-white)
swimming_pool-envcube (blue-white-blue gradient)
gothlivingroom_01-envcube (brown)
neighborhooddesert-envcube (desert sims landscape)
neighborhood-sky2-envcube (blue-turquoise gradient)
outdoordaytime-envcube (landscape with a forest)
outdoornighttime-envcube (violet with white spots)
sidebluelights-envcube (black with a violet spot)
skymap-generic-day-envcube (blue-turquoise-darkblue gradient)
skymap-generic-day-highres-envcube (blue)
skymap-generic-night-envcube (dark violet)


Nightlife

reflectionkitchenhighcontrastonyx-envcube (blue)
reflectioncubecityscape-envcube (city with skyscrapers)


There are some more but just templates by Maxis.

That reflectionoutdoorwater doesn't work as originally designed. Maxoid Tom told me some time ago that they disabled it internally other than in hood view as it was messing up the mirrors.

Nice that I'm not the only context-looser
Forgot to say, added: thank you for explaining the context to me
Eh, but this means that texture baking works not as I thought it would (it does work, doesn't it?)... before I start trying this I have to get along with anim/BHAV editing and slots (the stuff I have to texture is easy to do with UVmapper)

Cool, thanks a lot for the additional envcubes!
Curious again, how did you find them? By chance or are they listed somewhere?

Then reflectionsparking-envcube seems to belong to Pets...?

Inge, seems like some envcubes have to be checked not only for purpose but even for 'being in use'...

Khaibit, the "Finder" in SimPE is very useful for such things. :D

@Inge
How is it disabled? So we cannot link this texture like the others?

Great - I always struggle with SimPe's features *trying* and I don't know if it just takes ages or if I'm not able to adjust the "Finder" to find things... at the moment I'm even unsure if my Finder can search al least...
Guess I'm too stupid for SimPE

Now, as the conversation took place very early on in the game, it is probable I didn't understand it fully. However, I was asking Maxoid Tom if it was possible to make the water in garden ponds and the water in the neighbourhood you can see from the lot as nice as the reflecting water you can see when in neighbourhood view.

He replied:

'We had the water at the lot level reflective at one point, but had to take it out at the very last minute because on certain cards (or perhaps all, I don't recall) it would conflict with mirrors.

It may not be as simple as changing the material from "lotSkirtSeaNoReflection" to "lotSkirtSea," since we have some code-level things disabled.'

Ok so this isn't the same envcube after all. It just reminded me of that, and the same principles may be involved.

I'm going to have a look at these materials because they contain some interesting stuff anyway.

Khaibit, find it with "keystring" like "envcube".
Besides...reflectionsparking-envcube does exist in the base game.. find it out...

Inge, odd... I thought I saw some default settings using this texture. Maybe, I mixed things up tho. Probably, those settings are disabled, too. But, the texture isn't what I thought it were. I guess it's more useful for the matte sphere... :D

The neighbourhood water reflection has its own definitions and "commands" in the neighbourhood shader apart from the mirror shader. The mirrory reflection or the neighbourhood water reflection is completely different from the env-mapping...
The former is basically defining a certain area of the screen to show the mirrory patterns of the pixels in order to simulate the corresponding mirror effect. (say, in a photoshop, you're doing a mirroring of an image; in TS2, the mirror shader is dynamically mirrorring or flipping of an image relative to the mirror area. n, the sides of a mirror in the monitor screen will be the boundaries of the "reflection".)
The latter is a presumed/predefined pattern/image/texture of a reflection, in which the pattern of a reflection is predefined/preset/presumed/fixated to apply on the base texture map. The content of the reflection has nothing to do with the surrounding indeed, but just a generalised reflective look.

Niol, how can I enter a keystring, anything in the finder??? Can choose a bit in "Find" and "Match" (some preselected stuff, where to try finding) but that's it so can it read my mind or how can I start searching to hopefully find? (And why is the interface of SimPE not explained, only tutos for procedures but I can't even find (already looking for month...) an explanation of the interface (what to do how, what is possible and if so how- seems like you have to be a developer (or a finder) to get along with SimPe... *frustrated*

If I make it to find (at least I made it to find out that the updated QA completely shuts down after a "tilt" SimPE because of finding-trial... and yep, Inge psje is updated, too... doesn't help finding anyway - what am I actually doing wrong???) I'll do a happy dance when knowing where the reflectionsparking-envcube is used in the base game... *doing an agressive war dance surrounding the Kriegsklappstuhl to fight SimPE and my PC*

Thank you that you try to help me out - so you're invited to have some Dampfnudeln (???) with me when finished *preparing*

Khaibit,

Did you read this here or that in the SimPE site just in case... SimPE - From The Ground Up (User Manual)
http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=80960

That texture has already existed in the base game texture.package file, so may open it with your simpe...

Yes, Tazzman's explanation explains what I can manage on my own but things like "how to get SimPE displaying the objects in English to be able to compare the names with English filenames" and else isn't explained (know how, already :D) and Tazzman's explanation of the finder... yes. Found out on my own at last Just enter the keystring in "ResourceName" and that's it I need the explanation for the technical challenged! *embarassed*

Indeed, I also want a prism-like effect...! Like highly cut diamond. Some people do have this type of caustic material shader...

An ultra basic sketch for the tree analogy/illustration...

*edit* not needed anymore I guess..

Hi Pix,

here is your test cube. Just cloned and changed the mesh, only one change in the TXMT to get default values (and changed the texture itself :D) Didn't try in game.

And others: do not try to download this object, it is password protected because it uses a temporary GUID I'll recycle for "real" objects again. To avoid GUID conflicts you cannot open the RAR. It's just a requested "play around with the TXMT - object" so if someone needs one he/she can create one on his/her own I think.
Niol, if you could use it too and you don't want to try creating a cube mesh I can tell you the password, too. It will take some time until the cube can start to conflict - but it will somewhen - in this case you should be able to create your own cubes, too

Ah yes, created with SimPE 0.61.3QA (thanks Quaxi and crew), Milkshape 1.7.10 and UV Mapper pro - Credits can't harm Texture by me :D
Because of the (not changed) shadows 20 faces, 40 vertex.

Only Base Game required.

Edit: removed the download with it's temporaty GUID (3 user downloaded... :D). I don't want to risk conflicting your stuff with using the test cube.

Offering this cube for everyone will be ok to me, in this case I will keep this GUID and you wouldn't have to worry about it. So ask me if you want it, ok?

Keep the credits of course, they're still valid