Basic Tutorial: Making Bigger Boobs! (aka Basic Body Meshing in Milkshape)

[aardvarkams]

Edit (by Tiggerypum)

This tutorial will help you get familiar with how to view and edit your mesh using Milkshape. To extract a mesh from the game and build your new mesh file to edit, you need to follow one of the tutorials below:

Using Meshtool: http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=141997
Using Unimesh: http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=142305 There are now 3 tutorials to help you learn Unimesh

Also you should go to the Milkshape Site (http://chumbalum.swissquake.ch/) and simply get the latest version of Milkshape. You can also optionally download the help files, and the Mesa drivers are necessary only if Milkshape doesn't seem to work on your system.

(end edit by Tiggerypum)

Hi, this is a very, very basic tutorial that may help some of you out there.
Please bear in mind I am a novice, at both writing Tutorials and the proper useage of Milkshape.
But I hope this may help some of you get started, at least until someone professional, who understands all the workings, does it properly!
Sorry, it's a big file, and I have no idea how to put it on the site - so unless some kind soul wants to do it for me, it's here in download form ... (should open in Wordpad).

Apologies again,in advance, but I hope it helps ...

Happy Meshing, Skinning and Modding - if this helps MTS2 stay at the forefront of Sims2 Modding then Yeah!

PS; thanx to all the contributors, modders and everyone who makes this THE site for Sims2!
PSS; I just noticed Dr.Pixel has done a Tutorial - oooops! I'm sure his is much better than mine!

L+K's xxx

[WesHowe]

Well, I though it was quite a nice thing of you to post this. While I do know a thing or two about what vertices are, I learned a lot seeing the ways you manipulated them in MilkShape.
<* Wes *>

[ParsimoniousKate]

Thank you for the tutorials, I certainly learnt a thing or two too!

[Dr Pixel]

Very complete and well done - good job!

BTW, my tutorial is about making objects, which is done differently anyway

[*Secret-Vampire*]

Can you help me!! I can't find my file! I looked everywere Coz I do what you say but when you said open MESH file its nowhere to be seen! Help plz!

[joeiskrappy]

Can someone help me? I need to know how to get file ##0x1c050000!amsafnudetop03_aftopnaked

[metro]

Yes, I've seen many tutorials about mesh & co. but they were only 'mesh to game' stuff. May you can develop your thread making it just a Milkshape tutorial :-)

(ps: in the tutorial n1 u wrote ..of tabs in the upper left corner <- right corner :P )

[wilhelmina]

Great tutorial!!! Congrats!!! But... I have a tiny newbie problem... how do I put the skin into the package again or... how do I change it so it isn't an .obj file anymore? Because I can't seem to get it... sorry, but I'm kind of a graphics dummy. :P

[CrazyChip]

Thanks! Should really help me. :Slap:

[aardvarkams]

Yes, I've seen many tutorials about mesh & co. but they were only 'mesh to game' stuff. May you can develop your thread making it just a Milkshape tutorial :-)

(ps: in the tutorial n1 u wrote ..of tabs in the upper left corner <- right corner :P )
Sorry, no time to develop this further really - got too much going on in my life at the moment ... but if anyone else wants to take the ball and run with it, you're welcome ... and sorry if I got it wrong a bit - hey, I'm just an amateur!
L+K's
Amy xxx

[aardvarkams]

Great tutorial!!! Congrats!!! But... I have a tiny newbie problem... how do I put the skin into the package again or... how do I change it so it isn't an .obj file anymore? Because I can't seem to get it... sorry, but I'm kind of a graphics dummy. :P
Ok, you need to check out BriAnna's tutorial for creating meshes using Simpe - you create a savedsim e.g. adult female undies, open up the saved sim package in simpe, get it's name and extract the relevent files from The Sims and cretae your own mesh, then link that new mesh to your savedsim, extract the wavefont.obj from simpe - import that into Milkshape for altering, export it back out as another wavefront.obj, then use MTS2 MESH TOOL to convert that .obj file into a simpe file to be brought back into your mesh. Please read BriAnna's tutorial, that's how I worked it out - just follow the steps

OK, I've found my copy of it - just follow it step by step; hope BriAnna doesn't mind me re-printing it here for you ... without her none of this would be possible!

New Clothing Mesh Tutorial by WDS BriAnna

This tutorial will help you alter a clothing mesh. The resulting mesh will be a stand-alone file that doesn't overwrite existing meshes and is expansion pack compliant. This has a lot more steps than making an object mesh.

You can only alter existing meshes, and you can not add parts (hats, purses, etc.) to the mesh.

You will need the following:
A. Simpe 0.15 or later: http://sims.ambertation.de/
B. Delphy and Miche's Sims 2 Mesh tool: http://meshtool.modthesims2.com/
C. Delphy's SimPE OBJ Extracter: http://forums.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=32166
(To get the obj extractor to show up in simpe:
C1. Open simpe
C2. In the menu, go to plugins/installed plugins
C3. Select GMDC wrapper and click on it.
C4. Move it up, so it sits directly above the one called Generic Rcol Wrapper
C5. The box should have a check in it.
D. A 3D Program that can read and write obj files. (We'll be using Milkshape for the tutorial).
E. Basic knowledge of SimPE and Bodyshop. If you don't have this knowledge, make a skin or two with bodyshop and recolor an object or two with SimPE first. There are tutorials everywhere.)
F. Basic knowledge of the 3d program you picked. I can't teach you how to use every one, but every 3d program has tutorials on the web.



We will remove the hanging back decoration from the full skirt formal dress for this example.


Part I - Creating a temporary texture for testingC.

1. Open bodyshop and choose the item you want to alter. It should be similar somewhat to what you would like to end up with (a skirt for a skirt, pants for pants etc.). For this tutorial we're fixing the full skirt formal with the back piece, so we'll pick that. Export it and name it anything you'd like. We won't be keeping it for the final item, so I'll call it MeshTutorialTemp. Import it to your game (tooltip and category don't matter right now). Close bodyshop.



Part II - Finding the mesh parts.

2. Open SimPe.

3. Open the package file you created in bodyshop. (It will be in my documents/ea games/the sims 2/saved sims and it will be named with a hash number at the beginning, an underscore, and then the name you gave it part 1. For example, 7f835c0e_MeshTutorialTemp.package.)

4. Click on property set in the "Packed Files" window. Then click on the plugin view tab in the middle of the screen. Write down or remember the name from the name (dtString) line. In our case, it's afbodydresslongloose_grayline. We only need the "afbodydresslongloose" part so ignore the "_gray". We're done with this file for a while. We'll get back to it later.

5. Make a new folder to keep your project files in.

6. File-Open "C:\Program Files\EA GAMES\The Sims 2\TSData\Res\Sims3D\Sims06.package"

7. Using the namemap, find the item that matches what you copied down in step 3. [Note: one says lod15 on it. Don't pick that.] Copy the instance field (OxFF70C65F in our case) into the "instance filter" box that's in the top right corner of the screen.

8. Click on "Resource Node" Only one item should appear in the Packed Files list. Right click on it and hit extract. Put it in the folder you made. Clear the instance filter box.

9. You've got the resource node (cres), now repeat steps 5-7 for the shape (in sims05.package), the geometric node (gmnd - in sims04.package), and the geometric data container (gmdc - in sims03.package). Remember to empty the instance filter box each time.




Part III - Building your mesh package.

10. Click new in simpe. Leave long index checked.

11. I'm starting to repeat myself, but make sure your instance filter box is empty.

12. Right click in the packed files window and choose add. Go to your project folder and add all 4 files that show up there. All four files should appear in the packed files window (unless you didn't clear your instance filter box -- but you did right? Do it now if not, and the files will appear.)

13. Save your file in the downloads directory. Call it MESH_YournameAfilenameThedate. For example, MESH_WDSGown020505.package.

14. Click "fix integrity" in the PLUGINS menu. (Note: If there is not a "fix integrity" in the PLUGINS menu, you need a new version of simpe. Go get one, then open this file and proceed).

15. A Scenegraph rename wizard window will open. Type your filename in the ModelName box. For mine, it's WDSGown020505. Click update. Then click OK.

16. Save.

17. Extract new copies of your resource node and shape into your project folder. Name them modifiedcres and modifiedshape so you can tell them from the originals.




Part IV - Pointing the temp skin at the new mesh package.

18. Open the package you made in bodyshop (see step 3 for locating it.)

19. Right click in the packed file window and choose add. Pick only the modified cres and modified shape from step 17. They will appear in the packed files window.

20. Go to the 3D ID Referencing File (3IDR). In the plugin view tab, you will see a button that says package. Click it. A window will pop up.

21. Drag your shape and resource node from the popup window into the list on the left. You will now have two shapes and two resource nodes.

22. Click on the resource node at the top (the one marked [userfile]) and delete it. Click on the shape at the top (the one marked [userfile]) and delete it.

23. Move YOUR shape and resource node up to the top (resource node first, shape second).

24. Click commit. (If you can't see the commit button - resize your window, it likes to hide.

25. Delete the shape and resource node from the PACKED FILES window. (They were added in step 19, just to make changing the reference easier, and we don't need them in this file anymore.) Then Save your file.

(Note: I like to check in bodyshop now to see if my temp skin is showing up in bodyshop. If it is, I can go on. Your mesh hasn't been modified yet, so you don't know if it's actually grabbing the new one, but the important thing is: if it isn't showing up you messed up. Go back and double check steps 17 and 20-23.)

Part V - Editing your mesh (finally!)

26. Open up your MESH package in simpe.

27. Choose the geometric data container. In the plugin view tab, click "Export to OBJ" If the button isn't there, double check the "what you need" section at the beginning of this tutorial, specifically part C.

28. Your obj file will be placed in either your downloads directory (if you opened this package manually) or the C:\documents and settings\yournamehere directory (if you opened it with recent files). [If it isn't in either of those places, check your saved sims and project directories, this thing is a little random. It mostly puts it in the last directory you navigated to, but sometimes the my documents parent folder mentioned.]

29. Open your 3d program, and open up your obj file. (Use import wavefront obj if you're in Milkshape.)

30. Edit your mesh, be creative. Some tips/rules: a. If you're in Milkshape, uncheck the "auto smooth" box in the groups tab before you move anything, or else you'll get all these weird sharp edges. b. Don't delete any vertices, just move them -- you never know which ones are being used for the animation.

As for me, I'm just going to grab the vertices that make up the hangy thing on this gown and move them inside the body where they won't cause more ugly trouble. For anything else, we could probably delete them - but we avoid deleting vertices, remember?

31. Save your file in case you want to make more changes later. Export your obj into your project directory and call it something like mygownforimport.obj.

Part VI - Putting the new mesh into your mesh package file.

32. Open up your MESH package in simpe. Right click on the geometric data container (gmdc) and choose extract. Call it something like originalgmdc.5gd and save it to your project directory.

33. Open Miche & Delphy's mesh tool.

34. Click "sims 3d file" and choose your edited obj file (mygownforimport).

35. Click "load sims 2 mesh" and choose the gmdc from step 32 (originalgmdc.5gd). (You'll have to tell it to show 5gd files at the bottom, it defaults to showing only .simpe files.)The tool uses this as a reference to keep your names and the animation and skeleton data. (By my understanding).

(Note: I've heard that some 3d programs may require you to edit settings with the settings button, for milkshape, I've been leaving everything but overwrite names checked - it works best in my experience. I've also heard that requires you to uncheck "export polygons" for hair. Haven't tried. Let me know. )

37. Click save file (something you can find like editedgown.simpe)

38. Go back into simpe and reopen your mesh .package file if it's not already open.

39. Right click on the geometric data container and choose replace. Pick your new .simpe package (editedgown.simpe.) Then click commit. Save.

Go see if it works in the game and bodyshop. If it has weird problems like holes, you probably deleted vertices or moved too many too far. If it is still the old one, repeat steps 34-39 and check that you did part IV correctly. If it's just not quite right visually, repeat step 30, 31, and 33-39 until it's wonderful.

Part VII - You're done! You rock!

40. Now you can go back in bodyshop and pick the new thing (the temp skin) and choose it to make a new skin from. You need to have at least one skin with this mesh in it to be able to choose it in bodyshop (obviously), but that first temp skin (the one still using the maxis texture) can go in the garbage once you've made more.

Additional notes:
You can distribute that MESH_ .package with the .zip/.rar file of any skin that needs it, and it'll overwrite itself if your user already has it - as long as you leave the name alone. So, no need to say "grab my ugly green dress and don't ever delete it if you want the pink one". The skins rely only on the MESH_ .package file and not on each other.

L+K's
Amy xxx

[wilhelmina]

Thanks a lot Amy, I hope this will help me. :)

Kisses,
Bye.

[jameyab]

First off, let me just say that I am finding this board VERY informative! :)

Now to the goodies. I'm trying to manipulate the frame of the adult female to give her a more shapely stance. I am editing the file afbodynaked from the sim03 package under the Geometric Data Container and am exporting it to an .obj file. I am able to change it under milkshape and everytime I reload the sim03 file, it shows up as edited. However, there is no change to the AF frame in the game. Can someone please tell me what i'm doing wrong or just what i'm not doing period! Thanks in advance

Jamey

[cubbie2004grl]

i have one question. how do i do the file in simpe to get the top half of the body? I know it is a dumb question. i was just wondering

[angel4decale]

help i can't find my file i can get every other part of the tutorial (posted here) but i'm completely lost in this part it's like somethings missing could you please reexplain that part of the tutorial in dummies form i've been trying for days i have something i'm trying to make with altering the body i think everyone will love thanks i'll be patintly waitng well to tell the truth impatiently waitimg thanks a lot

[chloe1992h]

where do i download milkshape as everyone seems to have it and i dont i only have paint???

[mod_bv]

Search Milkshape 3D on :google: or any other search engine.

[simmygurl]

Thank God! I donwloaed your tut yesterday and I was asking 1 question. I have already posted it to Dr.Pixel in a post..
Question; How to Import a mesh for the skin? I export a skin in Bodyshop, but I can't import it in Milkshape! Help (it may seem daft but It'll help!)

[~kathy~]

You select import wavefront to import into Milkshape.

[simmygurl]

Yes but I open up my exported bodyshop SKIN and not a MESH. How do I import a mesh?! Thx anyway.

[bule]

is this like an adult topic

[summerloverr9]

ok I'm having a little trouble in the tutorial for making meshes you posted from BriAnna. Well she is doing it in a lower version of SimPE so everything is different and I cant get it done right. Can anyone kind of either make a new one or tell me where the stuff is that I have to do in the new version. Thank you!!
-Taylor

[hazard04]

It is obviously an adult topic "rolls eyes"

[dnicecar]

summerloverr9, I believe the latest SimPE has classic GUI that u can use while trying BirAnna's tutorial

[morten8035]

hanks must i do the same if i want to make a smaler boobs?
it don't work to go in there the mesa621dlls.zip is :(

[gapikm]

Help! How can I import a MESH in MilkShape. I know how to do it but I can't seem to find the .obj file (how do you extract it from SIMPE or BodyShop).

[IndigoRage]

Yep, I'm stumped... Where is the mesh file package?

[tiggerypum]

To find your mesh, you need to follow most of the steps in Brianna's tutorial. This tutorial just gives some hints about how to actually use milkshape to modify a mesh.

http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=43092

[Rsim]

OH yeah. I need a help in milkshape. This tut is perfect. I haven't seen it yet, but I know it will be.Thank you. I only have 24 days left of free milkshape so... :)

[dmjcn]

it no work plz help i cant find the simpe folder help!!!!!!

[tiggerypum]

try using the search function on your computer? And you do need to actually *install* simpe on your computer, it's _not_ part of The Sims, it's an extra program developed by Quaxi that let's us modify game content.

It's found at http://sims.ambertation.de/

[dmjcn]

i tried that but simpe wont open it says

"a recuired .DDL file, MSCOREE.DDL, was not found." plz help!!!

[tiggerypum]

Sounds like you're missing something. Try going to the SIMPE site (link above!) and check the faq, there is a link for getting the Microsoft .NET Framework thing - I clicked it and it went to a bad page at microsoft but you should be able to search for that at microsoft and get what you need.
If you still can't figure out what you need, post this on the SIMPE forum so that they can help you find what you need to install the program and get it to run.

[dmjcn]

sorry it still dosent work i need 2 install a another thing of simPE but 2 install it i need 2 install windows 5.01 or later and then install simPE AGAIN (it takes 30 mins 4 me) and i cant be stuffed :sorry:

(ps i just have 2 ask what the hell is it with the blu thing blowing bubbles? it annoies me!!)

[ldlfjhg]

what graphics programe is best for doing this

[*illusion]

ahhh im so confused, i dono wat to download, the milkshake thing has so much am i supose to download all of it, or just some!?

can anyone list exactly what im supose to download for me? cuz im so lost

[tiggerypum]

Illusion, I added some info about what to download into the first message, I hope that helps.

[fananydanny]

THANX A BUNCH, you say your a novice but what you wrote has made more sence than any other i have read, that was brilliant, i know understand the method behind basically stretching the mesh, i was about to give up lol, honestley, thanx again, i look forward to your next tutorial, and dont change a thing, keep it simple lol

[Vitixme]

I followed the tutorial, which worked wonderfully; I have a couple of questions though.

I created a new Sim Genetic in Bodyshop. I opened the package in SimPE. I used briannas tutorial to create a new mesh with the cres, shpe, gmdc & gmnd files. Extracted aftopnaked_tslocator_gmdc. I edited with Milkshape, and exported the obj. I loaded it back to my 4-file mesh with Meshtool.

My questions are: Did I do this the right way to edit my created sim only? How do I import the new mesh back into the package for my created sim? I have searched for a tutorial or thread regarding this to no avail.

Thanks for any help.

[Vitixme]

Ok, I took another look at part one of the tutorial. It appears as if the .obj is a clothing mesh; am I wrong? If that is true, how does one go about adding dimension to the body only? Like I stated, I pulled the GMDC from a Genetic creation, I would like to add the dimensions to this so that all clothes will adapt to it. Am I offbase here? Will clothes conform to the body, or do they become pieces of the body?

I am a complete newbie on this subject; I have spent hours on the site search for threads and tutorials to no avail. I apologize if my level of ignorance on the subject is beneath that which can be obtained by reading the explicit and well-written tutorials on this site, but I just haven't seen this topic addressed.

Any pointers are appreciated; links or instructions.

Thanks.

[tiggerypum]

There is no 'body' separate from 'clothing'. I keep meaning to write a 'everything you need to know about mesh parts' writeup, maybe that will be my next side project.

When a sim changes from nude to formal to swim to regular, the entire sim from the neck down is changed to a single new mesh (or 2, with a separate top and bottom). It only looks like there is a body with clothing on it, because the entire set of meshes were made to the same specifications. On that count, the 'nude' mesh and a clothed mesh, are the same kind of item.

So no matter *what* you do, you'd need to change a whole set of meshes to have the same body specs - you can see Warlokk's basic body mesh project where he created a variety of tops and bottoms.

But getting the *nude* mesh (which happens to have been built as a top and bottom mesh, we don't know why) to work with this is a tricky project. It requires that the new nude body be associated with a specific skintone, which you then must use for any sims you want to have that bodytype, in addition to selecting appropriate clothing for them. How to do that is in marvine's tutorial (but this is an advanced topic, and I've never done it, although I understand the concept).

It actually sounds like you *might* have gotten that to work, except that you can't view a nude sim except in game. Create a sim with the new skintone you made and take her in game and get her nude and see if you see your new mesh. She'll also need coordinating clothing, but if you got that working, you're well on your way!

[Vitixme]

Thanks for the response Tig. I just couldn't wrap my head around the concept. You make it all very clear, except for one thing. If I wanted to create a sim with a specific body type, would I have to edit all "instances" of that character? Meaning, separate custom meshes and packages for nude, nudesoft, nudecut, and all clothing the sim would wear (undies, formal, everyday, etc.), including work clothes? Sorry if this is splitting hairs, but I'd like to figure out what I have in store for creating a custom sim.

Thanks again

*Edit*

Ok, had a look at Warlokk's ladies. Should've had a look before I responded. I see how it works now...

I'll give it a go and hopefully get a couple up and running.

[tiggerypum]

I don't know the details about all the nude variations, but a definite yes on the clothing. I expect Marvine's tutorial explains what's involved with the nude, but I don't know if that's the case. If not, I suggest you post a new topic in the main bodyshop meshing forum and ask questions - as specific as you can make them :)

You'd need to create a entire wardrobe for them, if they are so differently built that you feel it is necessary. Just an fyi, there *is* warlokk's project, which has a lot of top and bottom variations, and you might find what you need there. There's also a couple sets of heavy women meshes on site, and at least one person did make a working nude body attached to a skin for one of the options... I don't know what sort of character you're building, but I suggest you do explore what's on site, because maybe you'll find some meshes that will work for at least part of your project.

We've definitely strayed off topic for this tutorial - so we should continue in the main forum (or actually maybe someone who knows will have more info)

[rankyroz]

hello I've had a scan through your tutorial it look's very good, It's just you say something about a mesh file that you have to import first .... The problem is that I dont know what file you mean .. you also mention a tutorial by BriAnna do i need that ? If so where is it as i have searched Mod The Sims 2 for it ....

[tiggerypum]

If you'd looked at the beginning of either of the two 'beginner' body meshing tutorials, you would see that they have replaced Brianna's tutorial... so take your pick of one of them.

[rankyroz]

oh ok ... sorry ........

[luisdude555]

First off, let me just say that I am finding this board VERY informative! :)

I'm trying to manipulate the frame of the adult female to give her a more shapely stance. I am editing the file afbodynaked from the sim03 package under the Geometric Data Container and am exporting it to an .obj file. I am able to change it under milkshape and everytime I reload the sim03 file, it shows up as edited. However, there is no change to the AF frame in the game. Can someone please tell me what i'm doing wrong or just what i'm not doing period! Thanks in advance

Jamey

you are only changing the body frame, the clothes have ther own frames, if you want the girl to have the frame you edited, you must change the clothes' frame too.

[cleoluva]

thanx sooo much. i wanted to no how to make bigger breast for a long time :rofl:

[Cylais]

Hey aardvarkams! I was looking at your tennis skirt textue and I see that you added the skirt to an existing mesh. I have reformed a mesh and I would like to add a skirt to it. I took the cylinder from milkshape and shaped it around the new body. I assigned the material, fixed the bones, couldn't do anything with the UVmap because Control T (texture editor) gave me a texture error message. Can you help me or point me to a tutorial Pleeeeease?

http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h111/Cylais/th_flygirlwhls.jpg (http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h111/Cylais/flygirlwhls.jpg)
http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h111/Cylais/th_flygirlskirt3.jpg (http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h111/Cylais/flygirlskirt3.jpg)
http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h111/Cylais/th_flygirlskirt2.jpg (http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h111/Cylais/flygirlskirt2.jpg)
http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h111/Cylais/th_flygirlskirt.jpg (http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h111/Cylais/flygirlskirt.jpg)

[tish85]

this is MORE than useful!thanx 4 all hard work!i will save this 4 sure!thanx again girls!hugs

[VampireMuse]

how can u make a mesh without milkshape???
just wondering, bcuz i have ms paint

[SimArchitect]

how can u make a mesh without milkshape???
just wondering, bcuz i have ms paint

There are tons of free and non-free meshing programs on the internet. Mspaint cannot make meshes. Its just a paint program thats downt do a very good job at texturing.

Some meshing programs that I can list off the top of my head are:
3DS MAX
Milkshape
Wings 3d
Maya

Painting programs:
Phototshop
Photo Impression
The Gimp

Go to http://www.modthesims2.com/wiki.php?title=MTS2:Create for ttorials and help.

[Cunnety]

vb :rofl:

[MonarchSim]

what is the link for the latest version i cant find it ...

[gillianreynolds]

it's a hell of a lot faster and better perfection.



Thanks
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