Insimenator.org

Okay, so I created a sofa and figured out a way for SimPE to accept my Lightwave created obj file by converting it w/ another 3d software.  Great!

I go through the tutorial "The Sims 2 Start to Finish" and get all the way through.  Now, when I check in game, the object isn't complete...only the bottom cushions show up.  That's cool, except the frame and the rear cushions of the couch aren't there.  I have no idea what I've done wrong here...I'm making progress though.

Any ideas?

I don't know much about other software than Milkshape, still it would be interesting to know wich one you used to convert the obj file.
Mmm just a thought: are all your groups listed and showing up in the SimPE preview after the import?

Well, that might be part of the problem.  I'm not sure how lightwave does groups.  Lightwave works on layers, much like Photoshop.  So, I would assume that condensing all layers into one in Lightwave would be like "grouping" in other programs.

The program I used to get the obj into SimPE was DAZ Studio (free from Daz3d.com).  

My head is spinning here.  I want to create things that everyone can use and enjoy, and I feel that I am capable of doing so.  But I'm battling several things at once...new software (lightwave), simpe, and obj importing issues.  I'm close to giving up, but I'm not there yet.

I did a little search, and DAZ Studio is never mentioned as able to convert Lightwave obj files to something fully compatible with SimPE; I'm even surprised that you got a part of your mesh to show in game! It seems that the best tool for that would - again - be Milkshape; at least some people successfully use Lightwave and Milkshape in combination (for static objects only, of course).

Still, you don't tell me exactly how the groups show up in SimPE; if there's an issue with the naming and order, the texture files won't recognize them - which would be enough to explain that some parts don't show up in game.