Insimenator.org

What is a mesh and where can I download it/or one?

Think of a mesh as a template. For clothing - think of it as a mannequin that a tailor would use.

There are meshes and there are recolors. Take a Maxis sofa. There are only so many sofa colors for it and then someone makes a new "recolor" and puts it up for download. The "shape" or "template" of the sofa is already in your game (part of the Maxis program). You only need to download the "recolor".

Now take a look at the wonderful bodybuilder meshes and clothes available on this site. You don't see any body shape like that in the regular game, right? Well, first you must download the mesh - the "template" / "mannequin" for the bodybuilder's shape. Then you can download skin colors (nude/ anatomically correct / whatever you want) that sit on top of the mesh or you download clothing that sits on top of the mesh. The bodybuilder clothes won't show up on your sim if the mesh isn't there for them to "sit on top of".

Does that help? If not, feel free to ask more questions.

Objects in 3D games are comprised of "geometry" (or "models") and textures - two dimensional pictures or images that are applied to the surface of that geometry to give it a particular look.  In 3D games, object geometry is actually made up of tiny triangles "glued" together to make a single contiguous surface.  This is traditionally called a "mesh" - a latticework of triangles that make up 3D geometry:

(http://box156.bluehost.com/~aestudi1/images/female_mesh1.jpg)

If we solidify this "mesh" we get our mannequin that Simmie spoke of:

(http://box156.bluehost.com/~aestudi1/images/female_mesh2.jpg)

We can then apply a texture (clothing, in this case) to our model to give it a more appealing look than dull gray :)

(http://box156.bluehost.com/~aestudi1/images/female_mesh4.jpg)

The 2D texture is stretched across the surface of the geometry, producing the end product:

(http://box156.bluehost.com/~aestudi1/images/female_mesh3.jpg)

As SimmeCal mentions you might download one mesh, and then multiple textures (or skins) which are applied to that mesh to create many different looks.

In short:

A mesh defines shape

A texture defines style

You need both to see anything in the game.  Many (if not most) custom clothing or content just uses the mesh files that are already in the game.  But if you want a differently shaped object - one not present in the game by default - then you need a custom mesh for that object as well.  Many custom body styles, hair, and clothing require the use of such meshes.

J

Excellent work Jase, thanks for this!

When I download a mesh to I just put it straight into the downloads section?, and what happens to the clothing or whatever that I download with it?

Both the mesh and clothing packages belong in your Download folder or in a subfolder off of it.

if I wanted to MODIFY a BODY mesh with 3D Studio Max or Maya where would I look for the files?

You wouldn't be able to use those for body meshes.  At least now without an inordinate amount of unnecessary suffering.

See this thread (http://www.insimenator.org/showthread.php?t=19412) for necessary software.

See any one of the 50-odd tutorials at MTS2 for how to extract the necessary files.

Almost everyone here puts a link to any required meshes in their description of their upload.

you realise that InSIMenator.net has nothing whatsoever to do with Maxis?  And, personally, as far as I am concerned the Exchange is a leper colony?

This happens with my downloads too... and thank you SO much for all your explanations Beoxboy (sorry forgot the name again)... but all those pretty hunks i've downloaded... just the same happens as the quote here above;.. i'm so sorry cos i think this has been in the topic lots of times... i've opened the Rar or Zip files with no problems, they appear there where they should but they look kinda stupid and small... not those creat creations that i loved so much... i don't seem to 'get' it huh...:sad5:   Chris.

Hi there! I'm having a problem getting a bodybuilder mesh to work, I have been trying for days now. I have nightlife. I download load bodybuilder and when I get them to the game they are normal size bodys. where is the mesh I need at? help please.              Dawn

Yes. Systems toward the low end of the game recommendations may experience slow downs, though. Especially with lots of high poly meshes.

I don't think anyone said this, so I will:

Anyone having issues getting a mesh to show up properly, make sure you have "Sim Detail" set to "High" in your graphics settings, everything should show up fine. If your computer can't handle this, make sure you have Effects, Lighting, and Shadows, as well as Antialiasing (I can't remember what they call it, it's the vertical bar on the right side of the window) turned down as low as possible. For Antialiasing, that means having it at the top of the bar.

Someone else must have said this already, but I dare to repeat if anyone still don't know.
Take a look in your system availability before downloading a lot of whatever.
I mean the minimum system requirements stated for the game (126 MB RAM) is almost ridiculous. You need minimum 512MB to start thinking on increasing your downloads folder. Pay attention on the size of the meshes or recolors you are downloading. Beds are critical, mainly if double and based on the expensive Maxis beds. They are over 5MB and slow down the game miserably.
There are cars which meshes are over 12MB. I have a super powerful comp and don't download anything that overpass 3.5MB in single unit.
Everything you download requires longer time to load the game.
Start to use subfolders to classify your downloads (If you have EPs, the base game does not allow subfolders). Rename files that present something like that: alfjsdairitanvndurp54dioruasa69doruasf57. package or anything alike.
If you do not know what is it about, open it in SimPe.
If it is a mesh, it will be composed of 4 items: Geometric Data Container GMDC, geometric node GMND, Shape SHPE and CRES (whatever it means).
Rename it whatever_MESH.package (choose a name for "whatever" that you can easily identify).
If it is a mesh with texture it will have a TXTR included in it, if it is not there, you have to identify what textures are related to this mesh (if none, it will not appear in the game). After identifying it, rename it also in a way that you can easily relate it to the respective mesh. Keep them both close and if possible include the name of the creator in the file name so that you can report any problem, if any.

This thread has a lot of good info in it. I have a question though... XPTL297 says to use SimPe to look at files when you don't know what's what... well I have the setup for it but it says I need to install .net framework v1.1 Do I? I d/l'ed that before I got my new harddrive and it seemed to be nothing but an annoyance whenever I turned on my computer. But I deperately need to do something about my downloads folder. It is terribly overcrowded and I honestly don't have a clue what 95% of it is.

From where i get the simpe, and how i make all that of the triangles, with what program?

Where is the Downloads section? (i have 4 sims 2 ,in which of the 4 i put the meshes?)

can someone make a gide to mesh something of the game stuff?

Get SimPE here: http://sims.ambertation.de
 
Meshes and any other downloaded custom content go in \My Documents\EA Games\The Sims2\Downloads
 
There are many meshing tutorials available. Look in the Mesh Creation Forum (http://www.insimenator.net/forumdisplay.php?f=41) here or search the tutorials on MTS2 :angel1:

i have downloaded bodybuilder mesh and cloths but it does'nt show up in the game. Can any one help me?

Hi mayorjak and welcome to InSIM! There are a few reasons this may be happening. Here are the obvious ones to start. First is custom content enabled in your game? Do you have a skintone linked to the bodybuilder? Also, do you have all three meshes for the bodybuilder? You need: full body mesh, top mesh and bottom mesh.

Now take a look at the wonderful bodybuilder meshes and clothes available on this site. You don't see any body shape like that in the regular game, right? Well, first you must download the mesh - the "template" / "mannequin" for the bodybuilder's shape. Then you can download skin colors (nude/ anatomically correct / whatever you want) that sit on top of the mesh or you download clothing that sits on top of the mesh. The bodybuilder clothes won't show up on your sim if the mesh isn't there for them to "sit on top of".

Does that help? If not, feel free to ask more questions.[/QUOTE]

someone else posted this question, but no one answered it. So I am hoping someone can help! I have downloaded all skin tones and the upper and lower body meshes and they are in my download folder. I can see the option of HBB in the skin tone type, but how do I make him big!? He just stands there all skinny and puney waiting for someone to juice him up. Please help!

Check in BeosBoxBoy's and Warlocks sections.  Both have sticky posts that may answer your questions.  Any questions or problems you have would be best placed in the appropriate creator's section so they'll notice it.

I don't know

:bawl::roll:i still really dont understand how to download meshes. i want a marmaid mesh of the teenage mermaids, but every time where it says 'get the mesh from marvine here' i click on it and i only get back to the main merfolk menu. can i have some step by step instructions please from someone. i would really appriciate it! im so confused :D

i still dont get how to do meshes and what they r.like r they just clothing or can u edit the by like giving it wings or something?

leelee1696: Meshes for outfits show up in the clothes section of BodyShop. Accessory meshes - like horns or wings or pre-Bon Voyage jewelry - will show up in the same section of Body shop that glasses do.

mason81: Just using the HBB skintone won't change the sim's size - you have to have an HBB outfit - and its mesh - on him to notice. And for him to show up as HBB in the shower, you'll need a showerproof skintone and the nude mesh.

keena: The meshes are likely on that page - if you download all of the files that it has listed for download, you should have everything you need. The mermaid meshes will show up under clothing, just like any other outfit you download.

All: Most meshes, unless they are included in the outfit/recolor file, will say "mesh" somewhere in the download link.


I hope this was helpful ^_^

How do you download meshes into bodyshop?

Help with that would be greatly appreciated.