TUTORIAL: How to Divide a Full-Body Mesh into Top & Bottom Meshes -updated 2 Nov 2006
BeosBoxBoy:
FINE TUNING YOUR TOP & BOTTOM MESH WITH DEMON432'S TOOLS
To be done
*** continued below ***
BeosBoxBoy:
FINAL THOUGHTS
USING LITHUNWRAP TO GENERATE A UVMAP
Start MilkShape 3D.
Import the .simpe of the mesh. It is important that you do not use an OBJ
directly exported from SimPE; the mapping of OBJs exported from SimPE is
buggered ad will be off the bottom the texture.
When importing you will be asked if you wish to create blend groups.
Figure 1.
Click "NO" to this query, they are unnecessary for this operation.
Figure 2.
The Mesh will now appear in the MilkShape 3D view panels.
Figure 3. - Click to enlarge in a new window.
Export the mesh as an OBJ by selecting FILE >> EXPORT >> WAVEFRONT OBJ...
from the menu.
Figure 4. - Click to enlarge in a new window.
Save the OBJ with a name you will remember.
Figure 5.
Close MilkShape 3D. Start LithUnwrap.
Figure 6. - Click to enlarge in a new window.
Import the OBJ file by selecting FILE >> MODEL >> OPEN... for the menu.
Figure 7.
Select the OBJ file you just exported with MilkShape 3D. Click "Open".
Figure 8.
You will now see the basic UV map in the LithUnwrap display window.
Figure 9. - Click to enlarge in a new window.
Export the UV map to a BMP file by selecting FILE >> UV MAP >> SAVE...
from the menu
Figure 10. - Click to enlarge in a new window.
Give the UV map a name that will indicate to you for which mesh this is made.
Figure 11.
The Save UV Map Details window will now appear.
Figure 12.
Make certain that the numerical figures in the WIDTH and HEIGHT are set to 1024;
if they are not, change them to 1024.
Optional Method: Use 2048x2048 and resize to 1024x1024 in Photoshop or Gimp for an
anti-aliased UVmap - which may work better for some meshes.
Figure 13. - Click to enlarge in a new window.
Click OK. The UV map has been exported and you may now exit LithUnwrap.
Figure 14. - Click to enlarge in a new window.
This is the UVmap of the sample bottom created in this tutorial.
Figure 15. - Click to enlarge in a new window.
MAKING A SHOWER-PROOF SKINTONE WITH NEW MESHES
For steps on how to assign your new top and bottom to a genetic skintone
see this tutorial by Marvine at MTS2.
BeosBoxBoy:
GLOSSARY OF TERMS
.5cr • file extension (like BMP or JPG) for extracted Resource Node files.
.5gd • file extension (like BMP or JPG) for extracted Geometric Data Container files.
.5gn • file extension (like BMP or JPG) for extracted Geometric Node files.
.5sh • file extension (like BMP or JPG) for extracted Shape files.
.simpe • file extension (like BMP or JPG) for files ready for use by SimPE.
3D Model • for this tutorial a The Sims 2 GMDC file.
Bump Map • a 2D image used in computer rendering to produce the
appearance of depth, or "bumps", in a multi-channel texture-mapped image. This
term is often used erroneously by people within the Sims community for "Normal
Map".
CRES • common abbreviation for The Sims 2 Resource Node of a The Sims 2
mesh package file.
DBPF File • DBPF files are files used by Electronic Arts to store data
for several computer games. These games include SimCity 4, The Sims 2, and The
Sims Online.
Like many game data formats, the file is actually an archive of several files
that store the various pieces of data used by the game. These may include
graphics, 3d models, animations, sound files, and scripts.
• .dat (Data provided with the SimCity 4, user downloadable plugins/mods for
SimCity 4)
• .SC4Model (User created building models for SimCity 4)
• .SC4Lot (User created lots for SimCity 4)
• .SC4 (Savegame file provided with SimCity 4, User created savegame files for
SimCity 4)
• .Package (Data provided with The Sims 2, user downloadable plugins/mods for
The Sims 2)
The format is titled DBPF not because of the extension (as in most cases) but
because the first four bytes of all such files is DBPF.
Face • a polygon or triangle of a mesh, "Triangle" is the preferred term
in gaming circles.
Face Count • the cumulative total of the faces of a mesh, also called
"Poly Count".
Geometric Data Container • a 3D Model used in The Sims 2
Geometric Node • a portion of data for a 3D Model used in The Sims 2
GMDC • common abbreviation for The Sims 2 Geometric Data Container
GMND • common abbreviation for The Sims 2 Geometric Node
Mesh • for this tutorial a The Sims 2 GMDC file
Morph • The shape changes determined by a displacement map contained in the GMDC.
Normal Map • In 3D computer graphics, normal mapping is an application of
the technique known as bump mapping. While bump mapping perturbs the existing
normal (the way the surface is facing) of a model, normal mapping replaces the
normal entirely. Like bump mapping, it is used to add details to shading without
using more polygons. Sometimes referred to as "Dot3 bump mapping".
Normals • lighting cues embedded in the information of a mesh to achieve
the visual illusion of 3-dimensional shape on the 2-dimensional environment of
a computer monitor. Not to be confused with Normal Mapping.
Package File • DBPF files for The Sims 2
Poly Count • the cumulative total of the faces of a mesh, also called
"Face Count".
Polygon • a face or triangle of a mesh.
Resource Node • a portion of data for a 3D Model used in The Sims 2
Shape • a portion of data for a 3D Model used in The Sims 2
SHPE • common abbreviation for The Sims 2 Shape
SimPE • Simple Package Editor is a package editor for The Sims 2. It
allows users to edit neighborhoods, recolor existing objects, modify existing
objects, create new objects, modify game behaviors and the like. It can also
create sims2pack files, a handy way to distribute files that can be installed
using the Content Installer that came with the game.
Skin • the texture used on a mesh, also used for a complete .package file
containing the texture of a mesh.
Texture • a bitmap image to the surface computer 3D models or the image
file painted on the virtual surface of a mesh.
Triangle • an alternative name for Polygon commonly used in the Sims
community and other gaming circles.
UniMesh Plug-ins • software plug-ins for MilkShape 3D developed by Wes
Howe (wes_h) for use in making custom content for The Sims 2.
UV Map • UV mapping is a 3D modelling process of making a 2D map
representing a 3D model. This map is associated with an image known as a
texture. In contrast to "X", "Y" and "Z", which are the coordinates for the
original 3D object in the modelling space, "U" and "V" are the coordinates of
this transformed map of the surface. Then the image is back-transformed
("wrapped") onto the surface of the 3D object. For example, it is used to give
an animated character a realistic looking face, but various other applications
are possible.
Vertex • singular, pl. Vertices., a corner or point of a 3D model: any
point where three or more edges meet or connect to each other. The edges are the
connections (line segments as shared sides) of two or more faces (polygons).
BeosBoxBoy:
CREDITS:
Brad Bolthouse (LithUnwrap)
Delphy (ModTheSims2.com - without which most of the knowledge in this tutorial would have been unavailable for years to come)
Demon432 (for a pair of the handiest plug-ins ever made for correcting normals and fine-tuning a mesh!)
Faeriegurl (for starting me on my way to meshing for The Sims 2)
Kathy & Eric (excellent friends & gracious hosts)
Kavar (excellent friend & for explaining many aspects of accessories & hair meshing in an English I could understand)
Marvine (Sovereign of my Dreams, Chief Goddess of my Pantheon, Empress of Heaven, Paramount Eidolon of Virtue, Love of my Life, and motorbike & for translating endless amounts of information into an English I could understand, holding my hand when it made no sense, and calming waiting for my tantrums to subside when I misunderstood and things didn't work)
Megawarrior (for requesting this tutorial)
Mete Ciragan (MilkShape 3D and excellent help in making MilkShape 3D more friendly for The Sims 2)
NeptuneSuzy (Original meshing tutorial)
Peter Jones (PJ Body Mesh Tool for SimPE)
Quaxi (SimPE)
Wes Howe (UniMesh Plug-ins and the countless hours of developing & debugging them)
EXTERNAL LINKS:
MilkShape 3D by Chumbalum Soft - http://www.swissquake.ch/chumbalum-soft/
MilkShape3D forum - http://www.chumba.ch/chumbalum-soft/forum/
MilkShape 3D Plug-ins by Demon432 - http://forums.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=139859
ModTheSims2 - http://www.modthesims2.com/
PJSE Plug-Ins for SimPE - http://www.simlogical.com/PJSE/ (hosted by Simlogical)
SimPE by Quaxi - http://sims.ambertation.de/
SimPE Forum - http://ambertation.de/simpeforum/
UniMesh Plug-ins by Wes Howe - http://forums.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=122399
BeosBoxBoy:
Image Files
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