I wrote this a long time ago because there is not a tutorial from the ground up.
The tut's i have seen are missing alot info.
However, i was far from finished....but decided to upload it anyway.I decided to make this Tutorial in chapters because its time consuming.
I will try to explain how to get a custom car working in the sims2.
At first, this is wat you will need before we even are going to start:
*simpe:
http://sims.ambertation.de/en/download/realdownload/Also make sure that you install the 2 proggy's Simpe needs!!
*Microsoft.net Framework:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=0856eacb-4362-4b0d-8edd-aab15c5e04f5&displaylang=en*Direct x 9.0C:
Also install DDS Utilities from Nvidia and link Simpe to it in its preferences.
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=2da43d38-db71-4c1b-bc6a-9b6652cd92a3&displaylang=en*Milkshape:
http://chumbalum.swissquake.ch/*Milkshape plugins by Wes H:
http://www.modthesims.info/showthread.php?t=122399I have no experience with other 3d programs, i do have zmodeler/Blender and Poser but only use these to convert 3d models to other formats.
*Photoshop or a similar program to edit or make new textures
And another important thing.......The custom car 3d model.
When looking for a custom car model:
--make sure the model is in a format that you can import into Milkshape like a obj, 3ds or lightwave file(there are more but these are the ones i use)
So before you start check if you can import the desired 3d model into Milkshape.
When the model shows up:
-Look if the doors are seperated from the mesh and even more important if those doors are completly build with a inside/sides and bottom.
Do not use a model that doesn't have complete doors(for beginners that is!!)
-Use a model that doesn't have to many polygons, i personal dont use models that exceeds the 20.000 polygons as they give trouble on heavier lots/garages with 10 of those cars etc etc.
That doesn't mean a 30.000 polygon or higher will work, it definatly will on smaller lots and such.
-Also look if the model is build in a way that understand the parts, in other words:
Dont use a car with 40 to 60 carparts, keep it simple(for now) Look if the body is one part, the chrome one part, the doors seperated, windows seperated and that the details(interieur,seats/lights) are seperated.
-Important!!!!
There are hundreds of free meshes arround but unfortunatly arround 80% of those meshes are build very bad.
So if you finally found a decent mesh, check it first for errors
*alot 3d models i have seen had reversed faces(the triangles faced insideout) and altho this is fixable it will take you a huge ammount of time.
another fix for this is to texture both the inside and outside of the car but this can cause some lag ingame(we use this method only for the windows)
Chapter 1, clone a excisting car
The first thing we are going to do is to clone a excisting Maxis car that we can use for our own custom project:
*Open Simpe
*Start object workshop(this will take a while before all files are loaded)
*Open General/Cars
*Pick a car
This is important, you need to pick one of the five maxis cars that comes close to your mesh!!!!
-the lenght of the car isn't that important but the width is!!!
-choose the height that comes close to your 3d model
-Pick either a four or two seater, dont use a four seater on a sportscar unless it has backdoors
*When you picked a car click next.(sometimes, (depending wat screenresulotion you using) the next button isn't visible, then pull up the object workshop window a little)
On the next tab you have some options, i always tick all the boxes except the''reference original mesh''
*choose clone(not recolor)
*click next
*On this tab you can change the description/prize etc etc, change this to your liking
*click finish(Simpe will now get all the files and make a new package, this will take a sec.)
*A popup will appear, change the name of the package to your name, part of the cars name or watver you like and click update
*Tick the university ready box when it is there(bottom popup window)
*click ok
* a second popup will allow you to save the package, save it somewhere in your downloadfolder!
Give it a proper name so you always know wat car it is/who made it etc etc.
* If you did it all correct your now viewing the complete carpackage with all its files in Simpe.
One important thing:
This package is build from all the game files wich means that it will overwrite the car i cloned it from, we have to give it a new Guide to make sure it works as a standalone custom object.
*Click Object Data in the left windwon(resource tree)
*Click it again in the right window(resource list)
*Click plugin view
Your now viewing the Object data editor were you can change the Guide for the car
*Click Get Guide
A popup appears, its smart you register with Simpe so you get your own personal ID wich is very easy to use on future Objects/projects.
*If you have registred click Register Object
*The guide will automaticly change in your personal one
*Tick the box ''update all MT's''
*click Update
*click commit
*Save your File
You now have made a standalone package with its own guide that you can use for your own custom car
Chapter 2, The Mesh/es and UVmapping
This is prolly the hardest part of it all, making the mesh ready to use for sims2
I am assuming you have a mesh that you can import into milkshape and that this mesh has its complete doors seperated!!
We first have to split/join all those groups in 8 new understandeble groups:
*The windows(front/rear/left/right)
*The chrome, all parts that you want chrome and reflective ingame(bumpers/handles/rims/moldings, you name it)
*The surface wich is the body and is reflective ingame.
*The matte, the chassis/some bodyparts/interieur/cockpit etc that have matte look ingame)
*The headlights, the glass of the headlights
The windows,(and your first uvmapping practice)
Speaks for itself, find them and give them a correct name so you can find them back easy and know wat it is
Some 3d models have a inside mirror or door mirrors(Glass, not the frame) you can name those like the windows if you like.
all will look like this:
Wfront
Wrear
Wright
Wleft
Winsidemirror
Wdoormirror
Now the most difficult part(in my opinion) UVmappin your parts
You want every part to be textured ingame right? So you have to fold out the mesh parts on the uvmap so you be able to texture them.
If you do not uvmap your parts that part will get assigned to exactly one pixel wich is ok for solid colored parts like the body or windows and also the chrome will work that way.
But if you are also going to use the reflection i strongly recomment to uvmap all your parts as they will look much better ingame.
Uvmapping
*Select everything
*hide everything
*bring up the Wfront
*select it
You will see something like this:
*assigne a material to it
-click the material tab
-click new
-click none
-a popup will appear, surf to the file i incluced(templatecheckpattern1024x512) and open it
-click assigne
Now right click in your main 3d window and choose textured(make sure colored groups is unchecked.)
You will see something like this:
If it turns out black or as a dark solid color it means the part isn't uvmapped so you have to do it yourself:
Make sure the Wfornt is selected and assigned to a material(like we just did)
*Open your texture coordinate editor(windows tab)
*Look up the Wfront in the first box
*choose front in the second box
*click region
*Draw a big rectangular on the map
*choose remap
If you did it ok you will now see the front window folded out on the uvmap.
close the editor and look in your 3d window, your window should now have the pattern of the uvmap drawn on to it.
Try to map all the other windows yourself using the same method.
The only diffrence is the direction option you choose in the texture coordinate editor when mapping the other windows.
So if you have to map the left window you choose Wleft in the first box and left in the second box.
I am aware(before i get some comment on this) that if you want to uvmap the windows perfect you have to rotate the window itself first so that it stands up straight and then uvmap it.(and when done you rotate it back.)
But in this case its not that important(unless you want to see the sims reflection in the car windows, but maybe i write that down in a advanched tut lol.)
The windows will work fine this way, even without uvmapping.
When you have done all the windows, you will see something like this:
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