Insimenator.org

How do i get around remodeling an existing mesh that has been packaged?  :)

You can extract the mesh with SimPE.

You extract the GMDC, either via the OBJ extraction (at the bottom - for objects and things that don't ned a skeleton), or by right-clicking the GMDC and choosing "extract". From there, you might need some tutorials. Milkshape is the most compatible program to do your editing in.

After the mesh is done, and you've exported the proper format (OBJ or SimPE file) you import the mesh via the OBJ import, or right-click the GMDC and click "replace". This will change the original mesh.

If you want to make a new object or piece of clothing, you probably need to find a tutorial, because there are a lot of steps.

If you change a body mesh, remember to delete the cache files before loading Bodyshop or TS2, because otherwise they can show the wrong recolor or mesh (I've had a few instances of pseudo-exploding meshes, and old recolors showing the old mesh instead of the new one).

Which tutorial would you recommend for a non skeleton object that you would find in buymode?

Also how would i tag this differently from the original object?

You'll find some useful ones here: http://www.modthesims.info/wiki.php?title=Tutorials:Basic_Object_Creation
There are also a few here: http://classic.modthesims.info/forumdisplay.php?f=541

If you want the new object to be different from the other, and both to show ingame, you can clone the old object and give it a new GUID. That way the object will work like the old one and have the same texture settings, and it's a bit easier to edit things like descriptions. At least one of the tutorals in the first link above should tell you how.

There is one last thing that i can't seem to understand, nor dose the tutorials cover.
Creating the recolors from the new clone is becoming a problem with this particular object as the current textures cannot be seen as the box is in black.
this is because the texture is transparent I'm unsure if the recoloring was done in simpe or in a different way completely.

So i was trying to upgrade an object by simply duplicating the object and mirroring and connecting them both together.
But this hasn't turned out too well, the object is the light saber by Shaklin which you can get here.

http://sims2graveyard.com/index.php/downloads/send/1191-shaklin/31441-shaklin-starwars-lightsaber-mod-new


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This was my attempt  :(

http://www.mediafire.com/file/irgr4zm9f3ak8z1/The_Double_Bladed.rar


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This creator has vanished from existence.
I spoke before about trying to get a double light saber  for months to the point where i have decided to try and make it myself.

From what it looks like it's not as difficult as it looks but testing it. just seems to be a problem as the interaction doesn't seem to
be as identical as all i'm doing is simply cloning and editing.


what am i doing wrong?

Since the lightsaber is technically a light, things can get a bit more complicated than just cloning and editing the mesh.

What exactly is it that doesn't work with your version?

Well after spending some time reading the tutorials i started to understand the basics of Milkshape.
Keep in mind i've never used this before, comes to think of it i've never recolored anything.

I intended to extract the GMDC from simpe as you instructed, which went successfully.
the object was defined as a group set. The Hilt the inner thin blade and some sort of cylinder coating

My attempt was to duplicate each object and flip the 3D model piece 180 degrees this would make it look like a double bladed lightsaber.
Placing this back inside the clone was no problem. but recoloring this in, doesn't make any sense as the textures are all black and white.
That's not even the worst part. the testing of my version seemed to of broken the interaction, which i don't know how that's even possible just by changing the model appearance.

I have no idea how the original creator did this and this was over 10 years ago.

It's possible some of the textures use TXMT-colors only, or alternatively use colored lights (since it is a light). I've so far not made a working light (only tried once, though - and it's a while ago), so I'm perhaps not the best one to ask.

Shacklin used to make more advanced, often heavily modded objects, and because of that I'm not so sure this is a good beginner project. There are tutorials on how to make/edit lights, and I think there's at least one at MTS, probably in the "object modding" section in the tutorials. You'll probably also need the ones on editing TXMTs.

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Had a closer look at the files, and I saw that Shacklin's version has a lot more resources than yours, which probably means something went wrong in the cloning process. When I tried to clone it, I got the same amount of resources as the original.

Which boxes did you have ticked in the "Object Workshop"? I usually tick all except the "Reference original mesh" and "change description", and the "Pull wallmasks" isn't always needed, either.

You also must change the GUIDs for all the OBJD resources. I'm not exactly sure how new creators do it nowadays, since you can't register any more (I registered before the GUID site went down, and can still get them the regular way), but there's probably a solution to that somewhere.

When you export a GMDC, it's a good idea to keep the original name, or you can occasionally break the file. I see you've named the resources "Blades-of-Legend" but the GMDC says "Blades of Legend" - it's a good idea to only use "-" to separate words in the "fix integrity" window, and not spaces or "_" or punctuation marks. They tend to make less fuss that way.

As for the textures - it does look like the colored (or "lit") versions use TXMT colors. The black textures are for the "unlit" versions.

(Must admit I spent a minute playing with the original lightsaber in the preview, making zapping noises. It's oddly entertaining. Just click the "preview" button in the GMDC, hold the mouse the pointer over the handle, and hold down the right mouse button while moving the mouse. Also works for previewing meshes and textures, by the way).

I did everything exactly the way you instructed. The tutorials which told me to tick all the boxes except 2 which match they ones you mentioned.
Keep in mind i've never done anything like this before but i made sure that this was done correctly.
It sounds like you got the same result as me. you mentioned changing the GUIDS, but wouldn't the GUIDs be changed if the object was cloned? i thought that was the whole point of the GUID system.
You will also find that the Version i did also uses the recolors from Shaks version which shouldn't happen.

I agree 100% that this is using TXMT for colors.

The GUID doesn't change on its own (not with TS2 tools, anyway), so you have to change it for objects and such. It's different for CAS/Bodyshop items.

Because you didn't change the GUIDs, yours probably overwrote Shacklin's version, and used the recolors because they're linked to the old GUID - but this way you wouldn't be able to use both versions in your game.

It may be possible to make your version pick up Shacklin's recolors (AKA "slaving" or "Repositoring"), but since there are multiple MMATs and TXMTs I'm not quite sure how to. The best way would be to make new recolors that match Shacklin's.

Which goes back to what i mentioned about the recolors not having normal texturing types.
You're right about the object overwriting the original object, but i don't know exactly what needs to make the object unique from the original if the cloning wasn't enough, as i was under the impression that the cloning leaves an individual code separate and exclusive to the cloned object.

I also i tried my version without the original and kept the recolors, and it's exactly how you described but there's a problem with it working problem which makes sense because these recolors weren't assigned to the version i made.

The cloning process (it randomizes some instance numbers and such) and the GUID (Gives it a unique number that, among other things, tell recolors where they belong) is what makes an object unique.

Your version lacked several of the needed resource files (the original has 374, I think, while yours had around 90. Something clearly went wrong when you cloned it).

Try to clone the original again, and see if that does the trick.

(And if all else fails, try this one: http://www.simfileshare.net/download/170366/ - has new GUIDs, uses your mesh edit, and has all the original recolors. I have not tested it ingame, but I don't think I've done any changes that would potentially cause crashes or errors. It should be a standalone mesh edit with separate recolors).

I tested your version first it ended up like my problem.
the interactions lead to the sim stopping or snap reset.

Something is out of place.

Other than that everything with the recolors work perfectly, this is almost complete.

I'm unsure how to approach this, this requires something more than just the cloning, the interactions themselves are behaving like they have been misplaced.
In the sense that it knows the pie menus are there but cannot find the command.

I know what it is.. i put both models in the one i got from you and the shak one..

I placed both on the floor and tried to pick shacks one first.
Right off the bat i figured it out. the interaction with the objects are acting as one.

When trying to pick one up, it is being seen as one object even though i had my version and shaks on the floor.
Which goes back to the tags where exactly would these be.

Were so close into getting this fixed.

Does Shacklin's version work fine on its own? I must admit, I haven't tried it ingame - not for a very long while, anyway. It is very possible the original mod isn't compatible with a full game, since the files are from 2005/06 (around OFB/Pets, I think).

You should also remove your version when testing, as it seems to be interfering with Shacklin's.

The only thing I can think of is if I shouldn't have changed the GUIDs for the "Social - Play - LightsaberMenu" and "Social - Play - LightSaberFight" - but they do seem to be in the area of Shacklin's GUID block (all 3 GUIDs starting with "685xx") so unless some interactions refer to those GUIDs, I can't see the problem.

I can confirm 100% that they work with full expansion on their own.
It is the reason why i wanted to remodel them in the first place.

You could call it a revision. :)

Also are you referring to the object data for those GUIDs? because i can't that 68xx figure you mentioned.

I would recommend trying this out with just these and no other downloads in your folder.

THe 68xxx numbers are the GUIDs, in the OBJD.

I'll see if I get the chance to test the files later tonight.

It could be that Shacklin's files are tinkered with in such a way that clones won't work. I don't know how that would be, but who knows?

 The behavior of what i tested with the two objects on the floor were acting one, so there must be a way to cut the link tagging them both and converting them both as two different objects.
the bottom line the version i made still has data acting as shaks and must be changed.  1sw1

I think your version didn't have proper GUIDs, and it doesn't have all the resources it needs. So it won't work properly on its own or together with Shacklin's version.

Mine should be standalone - unless there's some other info bit that needs to be changed. I have to check it ingame before I tinker any further with it.

Have you considered swapping GMDCs to test drive the models stability
I may have done something wrong with the design itself.

Although i don't think that would affect the interactions.

The GMDC doesn't have anything to do with that (Or so I think, anyway).

It looks like the "on" pie menu got screwed up somehow. I'll have to take a look at that. Also, sims won't pick it up.
Might be the extra GUIDs, as I suspected, since they're referenced in the BHAVs. I'll have another look.

This object may be a little too advanced even for me. It might involve some BHAV editing - and I'm only somewhat comfortable with BHAVs when it comes to poseboxes.

You will notice that if you go back to buy mode once you try to use the objects it will say that is in use.
I totally agree that the pie menu GUIDs are messed up, however the Status is working.  3beer

It's got to do with the social OBJDs, I think. I'm going to try and keep them the way they were (old GUIDs), and just hope they won't interfere with the original object.

Nope, that didn't work, either. Maybe the accessory object also is referenced somewhere.

It looks like something is wrong somewhere, and for some bizarre reason the pie menu functions refuse to point to the proper BHAV, even when I try to change them. I'm beginning to think Shacklin's editing skills are waaaaay over my head. Even the file I cloned first, the one I didn't change GUIDs for, has screwed-up pie menu functions.

If you want, I can make a double sword replacement using the original - but you wouldn't be able to use the single sword.

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Edit again:

I think the problem is that the original object has multiple BHAVs with identical instance numbers, which makes the clone read the wrong ones in the "Pie menu functions". For instance, "Function-Init" and "Interaction - Person A" has the instance 1000, and somehow the clone reads the first, and Shacklin's object reads the second. This is true for a lot of the BHAVs. Essentially, it means Shacklin's object is more or less broken to start with - it just doesn't show ingame. Somehow, the object works fine ingame, even if it really shouldn't.

I can go through all the broken BHAVs and fix the instance numbers, and fixing those again wherever they're referenced wrong, but I have no idea if this will be enough. I'm not very used to editing BHAVs, and while I can fix the problem for a posebox, I have no idea if editing the instance numbers will have anything to say for the rest of the resources. I'm also not sure if it's safe to edit the main GUID (for the "Accessory - Lightsaber"), or if I can safely edit the GUIDs for the social interactions (and edit the numbers in the BHAVs that refrence them).

Dam we're gonna need some more help with this.
I can't believe that this cannot be cloned, i've never seen anything like this. lol

How the hell did Shaklin do this?

How many Behavs are you dealing with and how would you tell if they are broken?

At least 5-6 pairs of BHAVs. They share the same instance number.
The main problem is that I don't know if the extra ones are used by the object, or how Shacklin managed to make the object read the correct ones.

I've had a similar problem with poseboxes, when I've forgotten to fix the instance numbers - but since I know how the BHAVs are supposed to look like, and what I can safely edit, I've managed to fix them. But the lightsaber object has several things I haven't even seen before.

Lol this is well and truly ahead of its time.
This is way over my head now, i'm unsure where to locate those numbers that you haven't seen before.

Keep in mind this has several different modes when equipped and unequipped.

Now you see why i consider this a work of art, there is clearly nothing like this.  :)

I hav seen more intricate objects than this - but I don't usually tinker around much with them. BHAVs and such isn't my strongest area.

My biggest question is how Shacklin got this thing to work in the first place, seeing as there are a bunch of mistakes and errors everywhere...

While I don't have the skills to make such an object, I sort of understand the basics behind it. It looks like the object is loosely based upon the "Run with scissors" object from the original Sims 2 site, with a few new/modified animations and some interactions borrowed vrom various sources, plus a few sound files and such.

There's a run with scissors object? i've never seen this unless you are referring to the ones used to trim shrubs.
Also, you mentioned errors i was given the impression that errors wouldn't be left littered in the finished object.  :confused:

The errors in the original are the cause of trouble with the clones. I have no idea how Shacklin made the object work, because it really shouldn't work the way it is made.

Somehow, the pie menus read the correct duplicate instance in Shacklin's object, but the wrong duplicate in the clone, and therefore pick the wrong BHAV in the pie menu. I have absolutely no idea why. I'm not even sure if the duplicates are needed for anything (they have different functions and names), so I can't tell if it's safe to remove them altogether.

Well you did your best, i'm amazed how advance this object is for it's time.

I have made this mainstream on MTS2 i take it you're Simmer.
This definitely needs serious attention.