Tutorial: Converting standard outfits to BodyShape Meshes

[Warlokk]

Clothing:

Open BodyShop, Create Clothing, start a new Clothing project, and export the outfit you want to use the textures from. Name it something you can find later (PurpleShirt, for example). Once it exports the textures, cancel that project.

Now do another Clothing project, using the outfit of mine you want to use, and give it the name you want to use for this outfit, preferably with the size you're using (Nat36DTankTop for this example). You're limited to a certain number of characters so you may have to be creative. It helps if the mesh is based off the same one you're transferring to, but not always necessary if you can make it work.

Once the files export, open an Explorer window (keep Bodyshop open), and browse to your My Documents\EA Games\The Sims 2\ folder, and find the Projects folder. Inside you should see a folder named for each project you made. Copy the .bmp files from the first project folder (PurpleShirt) into the 2nd (Nat36DTankTop), overwriting the ones there, there should be 2 or 3 of them depending on if there's a normal map (bump map) or not. Make sure you don't overwrite the .package file, or you'll have to start over.

Now go to BodyShop again, and click the little circle-arrow Refresh button, and you should see the new texture over my mesh. If everything looks OK, you can put some notes in the Comments field and import it to your game, and select which categories you want the outfit to show up under, and you're done! If you need to make some tweaks, you can use your favorite graphics program and edit the .bmp files in the new project folder, and use the Refresh button to check your progress after each save.

Now here's a cool trick... if you want to use the same mesh to do a number of different outfits, you don't have to re-export mine, you can just use the same project you already created. You just have to export the outfits you want to use the textures from, and copy them into that project folder and re-import, it will create unique outfit files each time and put it in your SavedSims folder.

Skintones:

Again in BodyShop, go to Create Parts, Genetics, and export the skin you want to convert, which will dump the textures into the project for you. Like before, give it a name that's descriptive, 'cause you may want to use it again later (We'll call ours LightReal).

Next, cancel the project (the files will stay where you dumped them), and start a new one to export the custom mesh skintone with the shape you want, and name the project something with the size in it (Nat36D36) so you can find the files later. Then, in Explorer copy the texture files (.bmp's) over from the first folder you exported (LightReal) to the new project folder (Nat36D36)--don't MOVE them, unless you feel like going through the whole first part again, and make sure you don't copy the .project file, just the textures.

In Bodyshop, click the little refresh icon to make sure it worked(you'll see the updated texture, but still no shape, that's normal since the mesh isn't a true nude), and re-import my skin to your game. If you want, you can edit the swatch.bmp file so the icon looks better, but it's not necessary. That's it! You can redo it with other sizes too now that you have the textures exported you want from your favorite skin (you did copy them, and not move, right?). To do more sizes with the same skintone, repeat the process starting at the 2nd paragraph. I'd advise putting something in the Notes field telling which skintone and mesh it is using.

I hope this helps some people tailor all these new custom meshes coming out to suit their needs. Remember, don't upload or distribute anything you make using someone else's work without permission! My meshes are free to pass around, but many textures/outfits/skintones are not.

[meremale]

Thank you for these tutes.  If anyone wants to adjust the breast to suit your upcoming 3D meshes, these are the locations that fit perfectly using paintshoppro (as they are pixel locations any graphics programs should be the same).
This should be done before importing the new skins.
A Female Left Horizontal  716-720,166; 716-720,172 Vertical 715,167-171; 721,167-171
A Female Right Horizontal 816-820,166; 816-820;172 Vertical 815,167-171; 821,167-171
T Female Left Horizontal  716-719,167; 716-719,172 Vertical 715.168-171; 720,168-171
T Female Right Horizontal 816-819,167; 816-819,172 Vertical 815,168-171; 820,168-171
Hope this helps

[meremale]

Is there any one who knows a way of importing bumpmaps (Semloh skin for eg.)?  I tried using the above procedure adding the bumpmap files. The skin shows fine but not the bumpmaps.  I know the bumpmaps will only show when the sim is clothed (some clothing) but I like the effect and would like to keep it while using Warlokk's different sizes.  Any help would be appreciated.
PS Semloh's skin fits the 3D meshes and is worth looking at.
(I hope it is ok to post this here)

[Warlokk]

The current version of the Unimesh tool does not support bumpmaps.  Wes is still working on a way to get it to work, but for now the data gets lost during the import.  This should only affect the skintones however, which usually don't have bumpmaps anyway.

Once Wes gets them working in the importer I'll fix any meshes released to that point.

More info in Wes_H's thread at MTS2, of course:  http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=122399

[meremale]

AHA Getting my head around this. English to you Swahili to me at the mo. I thought the data was lost because Semloh's skin crashed when being exported in simpe.  I have a feeling that when using the bumpmaped skin and your default new top mesh, they remained in clothing that allowed them but disappeared when naked. Will have another look. No reply needed and thanks for your help. Cheers

[meremale]

In CAS TOP CLOTHING, depending on what garment I choose, I have the choice of 3 variations when using Semloh's skin.
1 Semloh's bumpmap effect - uses a mesh without a bumpmap/normal layer, or 3D effects.
2 Your incredible 3D effects - uses your 3D mesh
3 No effect - uses a mesh that has its own bumpmap layer.

Sure beats the old Barbie effects

Am I on the right track?

Regards MereMale

[Warlokk]

Sounds like it's working exactly like it should... skintone bumps will show through any clothing that doesn't have it's own, which is probably why Maxis didn't use it on skintones.  If Wes figures out how to get the bumps working in the new tools then they should work again on the nudes too, after I fix them.

[Sleepycat]

Clothing:
Once the files export, open an Explorer window (keep Bodyshop open), and browse to your My Documents\EA Games\The Sims 2\ folder, and find the Projects folder. Inside you should see a folder named for each project you made. Copy the .bmp files from the first project folder (PurpleShirt) into the 2nd (Nat36DTankTop), overwriting the ones there, there should be 2 or 3 of them depending on if there's a normal map (bump map) or not. Make sure you don't overwrite the .package file, or you'll have to start over.

figured I would mention that this method dosen't work on some computers but the bmps can still be copied by opening each one in the graphics program and then doing copy&paste over the new bmp files (the ones you wish to replace of course)

Clothing:
Now here's a cool trick... if you want to use the same mesh to do a number of different outfits, you don't have to re-export mine, you can just use the same project you already created.

oddly enough this also dosen't work on some computers  I tried this method a few times when doing the same outfit in different colors and always had trouble getting all of them to show up (and stay showing up) unless Maxis changed something since I last tried it.

[meremale]

If a piece of clothing (after transfer) shows up distorted in bodyshop, it is not likely to work in game, is it?  Is that because it needs its original mesh? Any quick fix?
Thank Warlokk for all your hard work

[Warlokk]

Distorted how?  Exploding mesh, or just off textures?  Pretty much what you see in BodyShop is how it'll show in game, so yeah, you have to get it right.  Post a screenshot if you like.

[meremale]

The top I was trying to convert was an "off the body open front shirt"  When converted it had black shaddows down the front and some panels of the shirt appeared missing.  The bmp images consisted of scattered panels of material so I guessed it needed its own mesh to show properly

[Warlokk]

Ah, sounds like it has more groups or alpha channels than the normal outfits... I haven't worked with those much yet, but I know there are a few in the game.

[kendra]

I love all your body shape project meshes, I just have one desire that you and marvine hook up to make clothes for all the different breast sizes useing those great heels. But once again loveeeeeee your work, keep it up!!

[ladyakhila]

Thank you so much for this tutorial!  this is exactly what I was looking for!  Hope I can manage to do it correctly...

[ionlylook2sweet]

I'm confused:/ are the .rar files already exported into the bodyshop??