Hi

This is a tutorial on how to add bump maps to skins that don't already have them. The results are then editable & can be used to make additional clothing.
This process only works on Maxis meshes. New meshes don't have whatever it is that is needed for adding the bump maps.

You need: SimPE Body Shop
a paint program

1) In Body Shop, export the piece you want to add a bump map to.
2) In your paint program, open the body~stdMatBaseTextureName.bmp file. Save it as a PNG file. Then convert it to a bump map & save it as body~stdMatNormalMapTextureName.PNG
3) In Body Shop export a similar piece that already has a bump map - for example, a dress if you want to add a bump map to a dress or a top if you want to add a bump map to a top. Use the same gender & ages. Immediately import this one into the game. It should be saved in your SavedSims or Downloads folder.
4) Close Body Shop & start up SimPE 5) Open the package file you created in step 3 - the one that does have the bump map - it will be in your Saved Sims or Download folder & be the most recent file in there (in case you didn't give it a memorable name!)
6) Click on the ------ line in SimPE to see a list of all of the packed files. There will be 2 Texture Images. Click on one of them & make sure Plugin View is selected. After a brief time you will see the image- if it's the color image then Import the body~stdMatBaseTextureName.PNG you saved in step 2. If it's the bump image then Import the body~stdMatNormalMapTextureName.PNG you made in step 2. Click Commit & be patient it takes a couple of seconds. Repeat for the other texture Image. Click Commit!

OK - just so we are clear - you are replacing the colored image with the colored image named body~stdMatBaseTextureName.PNG & the bump image with the bump image named body~stdMatNormalMapTextureName.PNG

7) Save the file.
8) Open the package file that is in your projects folder for the article that doesn't have a bump map from step 2. Click on the -------- line & then select the 3D ID Referencing File. Again, make sure Plugin View is selected. You'll see several lines of information in the bottom, left panel. Click on the line that starts with Resource Node & wait until it loads the information into the boxes on the right. Write down & label the numbers for the Instance & for the SubType/Class ID, for example:

Instance - 0xFF1F0698
SubType/Class ID - 0xE332EAC4

Now click on the line that starts with Shape & Write down it's Instance & SubType/Class ID, for example:

Instance - 0xFF3A6384
SubType/Class ID - 0xA40FD840

Close this package & reopen the one that is in your SavedSims or Download folder.

9) Click on the --------- line & then the 3D ID Referencing File & replace the Resource Node Instance & SubType/Class numbers with the ones you wrote down. Click Commit each time! Click on the Shape line & replace the Instance & SubType/Class numbers with the ones your wrote down. Click Commit. You should have clicked Commit 4 times Save the package & exit SimPE Start Body Shop up again & choose Create Parts then Start a New project, Create Clothing. Locate the modified skin - it will be near the front of the clothing. In a few cases I have found that it retains the thumbnail from the old skin, but it will load the new one. Start a new project with it & make whatever modifications you want to - you'll notice that it now has a bump map

You can safely delete the project & the original package file in the SavedSims or Downloads folder once you have successfully Exported it to a new project.

A special thank you to Quaxi for Simpe. Without it none of this would be possible.

Morague

I've attached a sample file - it's the Cobalt Blue dress that now has a bump map.

Thank you, Morague! I've been hoping for this info!

You are welcome I'm surprised there isn't more feedback - I thought people were wanting to do this for quite some time.

I agree, thank you so much for this, I don't use any of the bumpless skins now so this will give me so many more choices.!

hmmm I found this thread via a search. Perhaps others are like me and would otherwise be looking for such info in the Tutorials forum. /em shrugs

In our new forum, "how Do I. . ." there's a thread with a listing of skinning tutorials and mini-tutorials that includes this.

Thank you soooo much Morague!! This tut is really good! Often I find that my brain aint quick enough to follow the instructions, but this one was easy to follow! Thank you again!

Yay!!

Thank you

Hi Morague,

I'm following this tutorial fine - but I'm having a small problem.

The skirt I want to do bump maps for has 2 textures, and none of the others have 2 textures. Is there a way of adding either the 2nd texture, or adding bump maps to the original 2 texture skin?

Kiri

Which skirt is this? Basically, you have to find a mesh that also has 2 textures plus the bumps in order for this to work.

The Uni dress for students have 2 alphas, 2 textures and 2 bumps. Would that work?

I am very new to this and I'm wondering. Can this make maternity clothes. If it can't, do you know where I can make or get some?

Wats a bump

You can extract the maternity clothing - have a look in the Tutorials section on how to unlock the outfits.

http://forums.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=38392

A bump map is the grey colored bitmap that some outfits have. If your video card supports it, the bump map makes the clothing appear to have more detail than what the bitmaps show. There's a thread here called something like Bump Map tester - check it out to see if you can see the bump maps.

http://forums.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=43273

Yes yes yes! Thank you! I've been looking for this!

Well, it doesnt work for me. I did the same process twice, making sure everything was right. I used a maxis-made skirt for the bumpmap, and I used a skirt of my own to give it the bumpmap. The results where the same both times:

- I ended up with the default pants.
- The alpha file was erased
- even reacreating the alpha file ends up in pants

Does this have to do with the fact that the skirt mesh is another mesh than the Maxis default?

Thank you!

Thank you. I was searching for this a long time. I must have missed this one. I was refered here by simsample.

This process only works on Maxis meshes. New meshes don't have whatever it is that is needed for adding the bump maps.

Thanks a lot.
It's such a pity we can't add bump maps to custom meshes...oh well

How do you cuztomize a sim?????? PLEASE!!!! Help me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What do you mean by customise a sim? It is possible to make all texture files (including alpha and bumpmap) for our sims and also the meshes. So, of course we can customise them. Read the tutorials in this forum and you'll learn more about it.

Thank you so very much!! This worked perfectly, i'm so glad someone wrote this tutorial. Now my tshirt doesn't look all shiny like skin anymore. (used a previously top-less outfit lol). :D

Well, I tried again with a Maxis Nightlife mesh, and i had exactly the same problem. It doesn't work.

I've tried to follow your instructions exactly, but each time I try (4 times now) I get the Map file OK, but my alpha file comes up blank, and the thumbnail I get is one of the maxis defaults. What am I doing wrong?

This is so cool. It worked great. I am so happy. *gush* Thank you.