How to use S3pe

[velocity3d]

Let me just say I have looked through all the stickies, and browsed through the first page of posts.

I am attempting to learn the process for modding the sims3. Apparently this involves some expertise in the field of rocket science ---- moreso than learning expert level 3d modeling programs.

Anyway.... I am doing my best to follow the steps provided in this tutorial: http://www.modthesims.info/showthread.php?t=351328&c=1&ht=&page=1&pp=25#startcomments

This appears to be one of only about 3 tutorials in existence that deal with replacing skin tones in the game. It as well as the others and all other information I've found assumes a great deal of knowledge as it pertains to modding the game. I have so far found NOTHING that defines all the terms/jargon used.

So at one step in this tutorial I am to open import .dds files into S3pe. The tutorial shows the import option in the file menu - and in this current version of s3pe the only place I can find import option is under "resource" menu. I import my file, and even tried just importing the base file that the tutorial provides before editing and saving. All I get when I import from file, under resource details before I hit OK is a bunch of 0x000000 in every catagory.

After that under type group instance epflags all I get are 0x00000000s then chunk offset shows 0xFFFFFFF file size is more 0x00000s and memsize shows 0x000AAB38. Every other field in the program is blank. This is not what the tutorial shows should be happening.

I posted my issues with the tutorial on that page yesterday with no response. It doesn't seem that the sims3 would be old enough yet that there is no activity in the forums.

Obviously something is going wrong at this step and it has to do with this program s3pe. Is it the fault of the file I am opening, the process I am using to open/import it or am I using a wrong version of the program?

As it happens I don't know what catagory my issue is falling into and so I came here to the program forum to try to learn what should be happening. No avail. Any help would be greatly appreciated. :help:
Thank you.

[cmomoney]

If you have saved your .dds file with the sae name as the one your trying to replace, the fields will get their data from the name, i.e. S3_00B2D882_00000000_3A25B5F4AD0E1731_cuBodyDark_m_0x3a25b5f4ad0e1731%%+_IMG. 00B2D882 is the type, 3A25B5F4AD0E1731 in the instance number.

The author states :
This tutorial is for anyone interested in creating default replacement skintones for TS3. It assumes you have at least basic knowledge of either creating your own skintones from scratch, or blends of skintones; this is more of a technical guide than a creative guide.
The hardest part of this tutorial is editing the images, not putting it in game. What image are you trying to replace?

[pljones]

One major problem with many of the "tutorials" is that the authors do not seem to have appreciated that s3pe (and, indeed, s3oc) are in constant development -- to fix bugs, update for patches and EPs and - even sometimes - add new features. (Don't let on but we've even taken requests...)

So if you're reading a tutorial over about two months since last update, it's quite likely to be out of date, unfortunately. (If you're using a version of s3pe or s3oc that old, you're risking the games of anyone who uses your custom content.)

An alternative would be for us to stop developing the tools, of course... :!!:

The program does come with its own manual, which we (try to) keep up to date to reflect current features. Whilst it's not an instruction manual or set of howtos, it may help understand what the program does.

[velocity3d]

The author states : Quote: This tutorial is for anyone interested in creating default replacement skintones for TS3. It assumes you have at least basic knowledge of either creating your own skintones from scratch, or blends of skintones; this is more of a technical guide than a creative guide. The hardest part of this tutorial is editing the images, not putting it in game. What image are you trying to replace?

Thank you for your reply! My field of work is professional 3d modeling and texture work. That said I am extremely experienced in creating textures and already have created over the last couple of days a few sets of nice textures for the af.

My problem is with the technical aspects of the tutorial alone. ie getting the new "skintones" into the game.

I have been stagnant in my own field on hiatus and wished to use modding the sims 3 as a way to gain inspiration for my own work.
;)
One major problem with many of the "tutorials" is that the authors do not seem to have appreciated that s3pe (and, indeed, s3oc) are in constant development -- to fix bugs, update for patches and EPs and - even sometimes - add new features. (Don't let on but we've even taken requests...) So if you're reading a tutorial over about two months since last update, it's quite likely to be out of date, unfortunately. (If you're using a version of s3pe or s3oc that old, you're risking the games of anyone who uses your custom content.) An alternative would be for us to stop developing the tools, of course...

This does indeed appear to be an issue. Thank you so much for your interest in responding. After posting in a few threads I am finding some users willing to fill me in on the updated aspects as they pertain to the tutorials.

The program does come with its own manual, which we (try to) keep up to date to reflect current features. Whilst it's not an instruction manual or set of howtos, it may help understand what the program does.

Yes I did read through the manual as well. Without knowledge of the other aspects involved in modding - as in coming to this from scratch, it reads as greek. (no offense at all intended there, after I'm learned I'm sure it will be very informative). I suppose everyone has to start somewhere, and this here is where I am starting :rofl: Hopefully I don't lose all my hair in the process.

It seems possible that there may have been a problem with the original files provided. Someone else provided new files and they opened in s3pe differently. Who knows...

You'd think it would be in the interest of the site to require that some constantly referred to tutorials and stickies are kept up to date. It sure would be helpful.

[velocity3d]

Ok A user on the original tutorial forum nicely uploaded new versions of the .dds files for me (a full set, bless his/her heart). Using those files I was able to get a different result in s3pe but not the same as what is shown in the original tutorial. I am going to upload the SSs here (unfortunately will probably mess up thread formatting). Maybe someone here can see why there is a difference in the result.

Original tutorial image:
http://i734.photobucket.com/albums/ww347/velocity3d/tutorialwindow.jpg

s3pe window opening .dds file following tutorial instructions
http://i734.photobucket.com/albums/ww347/velocity3d/s3pewindow.jpg

http://i734.photobucket.com/albums/ww347/velocity3d/resourcedetails.jpg

The second imagine, needs to look like the first in order for me to proceed with the tutorial, so what do I need to change in s3pe to achieve this result? :turtle: .....

[Inge Jones]

Which difference are you particularly bothered by? If it is the Resource Details form, the only thing that appears to be different in the layout is the newer one takes account of the fact we now know about the "EP flags" and can show them.

Obviously a fundamental difference is that the resource you have selected is not the same as the one in the tutorial, but I guess you knew that anyway? :D

If you are more worried about the main form, the chief layout difference is we swapped the position of the package header details to the bottom of the window as not many people find those interesting, and replaced that pane with a preview pane. There are also extra buttons and options appearing on the form, but those are all covered in the Help files, which will open in yuor browser when you go through the Help menu.

[velocity3d]

No the file I open is in his list of files. The differences are file size, memsize, and the side panel (square to the right) in his being full of information where mine is blank.

In the tutorial it says after opening one file we should get that window- but it sorta looks like he opened several - either way - I only opened one, and why do I get the first row with type 0x0166038C? I only imported one file, not two, so why do I get that line showing that?

I guess I am concerned about the windows looking different because when you try to follow a tutorial step by step with no previous knowledge of the process (and why would you need the tutorial if you'd done it before ;) ) then you expect to get the same results as shown in the tutorial - or not sure how to proceed.

I mean if everything is still fine and this is what it is suppose to look like now with the program updated, that's fine by me, I just need to know so I don't have to worry about breaking something.

[Inge Jones]

I understand exactly why you are asking, but obviously in order to be of best help (as I have not read the tutorial) I needed to know which aspects of the difference were most obstructive to your purpose. You obviously didn't want me to regurgitate the entire changes list since the tutorial was written :D

What you see listed are the packed files (we call them resources) inside the .package- which is one file on your file system. Now if what you opened has fewer resources in it than it should, that means you either opened a different package which had fewer in it, or he took a picture of a package with more resources in, or you may have used the filtering options to only display a couple of resources - maybe without meaning to.

[pljones]

Please start a new thread if there are any problems with s3pe.