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Author Topic: Accessory mesh/SimPe problem  (Read 7202 times)
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Theraven
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« on: June 06, 2009, 06:00:48 pm »

So I'm trying to make my first accessory mesh (well, second - but the first one never ended in anything...). I've got the base mesh ready and UV mapped - and have come to the stage of getting it ingame. So now I'm trying to decipher the base tutorials at MTS2 - the clothes/hair/accessory tuts. I've made a new mesh file, and so far so well - up until linking the new mesh package with the recolor (before doing the actual mesh/recolor editing). I get this message



when I try to do the linking stage with the PJSE tool.

I'm using the square maxis glasses as a base mesh, as I want this accessory for all ages (not sure about toddler yet, as I have to figure out how to make it for the other ages at first - so I'm making it for child and up to begin with...) - so I have a feeling that all those multiple files have something to do with it - but I could find nothing at all at MTS2 about it... The accessory tutorials are either for one age, or just some kind of "do this instead of that in the other tutorial" instruction, with no apparent solution to my problem.

The MTS2 base clothing tutorial says I'm supposed to link everything with the PJSE tools, while the MTS2 accessory tutorial says "this linking is the old long way - linking by hand - not using the PSJE tools." - and I've got no clue how to do it the old way...

I've tried to find a solution at MTS2, but to be honest, I do find their creation/tutorial section a bit difficult to navigate. (and now I'm tired and impatient...)

so does anyone know what might be wrong?

Oh, and another thing - do I need different mesh files (or something like that) with resized versions of the mesh, linked to the skeleton, for all the ages?
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BlooM
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« Reply #1 on: June 07, 2009, 05:19:08 pm »

*First you clone the accesoire with bodyshop
*You open milkshape and make a meshfile with PJSE tool.
You will see that the meshfile will contain multiple GMND/GMDC/CRES and SHAPE files.
Thats ok as you need those for every age and gender.

However, you can not use the PJSE tool to link the mesh package to the recolor because of those multiple cres and shape files.
You have individually link every cres and shape file for every age and gender to the corresponding ID file in the recolor.
I am sure this is written down on older tutorials or else you can use Marvine's tutorial(on mts2) on how to link the showerproofmeshes to the skintone as the same method is used.
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Theraven
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« Reply #2 on: June 07, 2009, 07:51:32 pm »

well - I think I've managed to make my first (hopefully) working meshfile. So now moving on to linking. Which is the point I'm having troubles with... Sad

and I've figured out that I just hate working with Milkshape... I like 3D max a lot better, since there I can actually work in the perspective window, and use the keyboard and a lot of useful tools. Do you happen to know if there's a SimPE plugin of some sort for 3D max?  Undecided

(oh, and now I actually start to understand what I did wrong the last time I tried. I did not do half the steps here - so I'm not even surprised bodyshop decided to crash back then...)

about the linking - do I have to replace all the GMND/CRES/SHPE? The tutorial says nothing about the GMND files.
« Last Edit: June 07, 2009, 08:34:04 pm by theraven » Logged

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« Reply #3 on: June 08, 2009, 02:56:11 am »

You should be able to export obj files with 3d max, those you can import into the gmdc with Simpe.
But only for objects and without bone support.
If you do need the skeleton then export the obj file out of 3d max, then import the original maxis object with the correct plugin into milkshape.
Delete the original and import your 3dmax obj file, you then only have to scale it a little and fix a few bones.
I use that method alot to export from Poser.

When you made a meshpackage with PJSE it will generate 4 files for every gender and age.
Depending for how many ages and genders the accessoire is available you end up with alot of files.
You only need to right click the cres and shape file for every age, extract them and then relink it them the recolor file.

I am sure there is a tutorial for hair linking somewhere as those are linked also manually.
So you end up by extracting the child cres and shape-teen cres and shape-adult cres and shape and maybe the elder cres and shape.
For both genders...
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« Reply #4 on: June 26, 2009, 01:42:02 pm »

Just wanted to say that I managed to make it work Smiley

I just did not see the linking tutorial that the accessory tutorial had a link for...

Oh, and I guess that if it said AF for three files, and AM for three files, then YA and elder are included in those? I assumed so, and it did seem to work (not the first time, since I did not think I had to link all the files, only one of each - but then the mesh showed up as glasses for most of the males...)

So now I know how to make accessories for child--> elder  YAY (... accessories for all ages next Smiley)


EDIT: For some reason, the alpha on the textures won't make anything transparent - at least not in bodyshop... Though, it looks like it shows as transparent in the thumbnail.
« Last Edit: June 26, 2009, 07:40:07 pm by theraven » Logged

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« Reply #5 on: June 26, 2009, 07:43:13 pm »

Cool
Depending wat accesoire i am making i often delete the elders and young adults.
Deleting the mesh overlay that is in the recolor file.
I even delete one gender if i now the accesoire mesh itself will fith both genders.
When done and satisfied i change the mesh overlay file to unisex or change the age number to YA A and Elder.
Saves you alot of work.
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« Reply #6 on: June 26, 2009, 08:10:20 pm »

great tip Smiley

But I've got a problem with the new meshes. You see - the accessories work fine for teen/adult/elder female, but not for any males or for children (who uses the child uni mesh). I cloned the accessory from the square framed glasses, and I also remembered to put in both parts (lens and frame - lens as a single vertex). I've used the same mesh for all ages/genders (except for scaling/moving it/moving a few vertexes).

For males + child, the mesh shows up like it is turned inside out, and displays really weird in live mode. Also, for Male adult the mesh in the thumb shows up as the glasses I cloned the accessories from, yet the accessory I made shows up when clicking on it. Do you know what might be the problem?


EDIT: I think I found the solution at MTS2. It's some kind of PETS problem (curse EA...). It's the material definition that apparently needs to be changed to "SimStandardMaterial" instead of only "StandardMaterial". I found that the female versions had this correct, but not the male versions  Undecided

The AM thumbs still shows up as glasses, but otherwise they work like they should...
« Last Edit: June 26, 2009, 09:18:26 pm by theraven » Logged

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« Reply #7 on: June 27, 2009, 03:13:54 am »

Keep in mind that you can not scale a adult accessoire simply to teen or child size.
You must swap the skeletons also!!!

Fixing that(if you forgot) is ez, you import the base game gmdc for the children in milkshape, then import the one you had scaled already.

And another important thing......The game caches always gets messed up when editing a accessoire file, you must delete the caches before loading bodyshop again to view any changes made to the mesh!!
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« Reply #8 on: June 27, 2009, 04:19:31 am »

I did that Smiley

I used the skeletons in the glasses mesh, and imported the rescaled and fixed OBJ files I had finished in 3D max (I found some body models that are very useful for fitting things like accessories). Then I renamed parts and deleted the parts not needed, before I did the bone assignment part. For the weird mesh, it was just a Pets problem that messed around with me. After changing the material thing, the accessories worked like they should (apart from the AM thumb - but the accessory shows up like it should).

And yes, I usually delete the cache files - especually after messing around in bodyshop.
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« Reply #9 on: July 01, 2009, 06:00:02 am »

(sorry for double posting)

One more question: Is it somehow possible to make an accessory follow the lower jaw/lip? Or at least that it stays in the mouth even if the sim opens his mouth (like a cigar would do)?  I only found the head bone assignment...
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« Reply #10 on: July 01, 2009, 03:33:11 pm »

Its nearly impossible because the face has alot morphs for the animations and we can only export 2 morphs with Simpe....
The closest thing i can offer is my Steel navel/labret spike as accessoire.
It uses one animation morph that makes the navel follow the chin a bit.
http://www.insimenator.org/index.php/topic,84986.0.html
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« Reply #11 on: July 01, 2009, 06:02:17 pm »

hmm... I've got no clue how to do morphing for sims, so I think I might have to do another idea I had instead... But thanks for the help anyway Smiley
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« Reply #12 on: July 02, 2009, 01:24:08 am »

The morph is just a copy of your mesh but positioned and named diffrent.
just open the mesh and you will see.
The animation of your accessoire will be a interaction/movement between the original mesh and the morph.

If you start fresh it will be a little harder as you need to import the face(and morph) for reference.
I do have de 2 needed faces if you like(just cant upload them here...)
« Last Edit: July 02, 2009, 01:38:37 am by BlooM » Logged

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« Reply #13 on: July 16, 2009, 06:27:33 am »

one more thing I've been wondering.... Is it possible to somehow import UV maps from another 3D programme into Milkshape?
I just hate the mapping thing in milkshape. Gets on my nerves... 
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« Reply #14 on: July 16, 2009, 11:17:02 am »

yes, you can
I am not at home at this moment(so do not know all the details.) but i use Lithunwrap to edit exported uvmaps and import them back again.
If i remember correct the file extention is *.luv but Lithunwrap supports a few more.

Doing this however can result in a few known problems(bugs) like having gaps and such
Rewelding verts or reassigning boneassignements will often solve this.
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