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The Sims 2 GMDC Importer/Exporter for Blender 2.80+

by DjAlex88 Posted 19th May 2021 at 12:39 PM - Updated 29th Sep 2022 at 10:10 PM by DjAlex88
 
45 Comments / Replies (Who?) - 37 Feedback Posts, 7 Thanks Posts
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Test Subject
Original Poster
#26 Old 3rd Jul 2022 at 9:58 PM
Quote: Originally posted by yoursingrey
Hi, and thank you for this revolutionary tool.

I too am having some issues, but with exporting a rigged mesh. I keep getting an error "Error! Object list is empty." I am sure that I have selected all the necessary parts for the export, but perhaps I am missing something?

I am sorry if it is something painfully obvious, I have been trying to figure it out for quite some time but could not find much on the Internet.

Thank you.

Hello!
What type are your objects (the ones you tried to export)? The exporter selects objects of type MESH. Perhaps, for some reason, your objects are of a different type.
Also, you don't have to select the armature object as it's not processed anyway.
Additionally, I pushed a slightly updated version, which takes view layer object set instead of active collection. So, you can try the updated version.
Test Subject
#27 Old 18th Jul 2022 at 7:01 PM
Quote: Originally posted by DjAlex88
Hello! When you import your mesh back into Blender, do you see the morphs?

No, I do not see them.
Test Subject
Original Poster
#28 Old 24th Jul 2022 at 11:21 PM
Quote: Originally posted by AppleWS
No, I do not see them.


Can you then provide more details (e.g., logs)?
Test Subject
#29 Old 2nd Aug 2022 at 12:22 AM
Thank you very much for this plugin! It's great! I do have some questions though, hope you don't mind.

1. Any import/export prompts some sort of error (attached screen of the error, can also send log if you need, just tell me where to find it) it seems that everything works fine, but i'm not sure why it happens? Do we need to have Python for this or something else? I'm using Blender 3.2.1 if that matters.

2. Having problem with morphs too. If i import mesh exported from Blender into Milkshape it will ask if i want to load morphs and if i say yes, i still can't see them. If i import it back to Blender i can see the keyshapes. Also if i'll just import mesh from Blender in my mesh package (bypassing Milkshape) then i can see that morphs are listed as exisitng. I think it might be problem in naming? Like for clothing it's "~00MORPHMOD.1" group name and "botmorphs fatbot" is treated as a comment, i.e. when you import it to Milkshape mesh doesn't have those group names to read, so it skips them? Unless it works for you?

3. How does align normals feature work with clothing? If i'm working on a top that has morphs and i export it with "Aligned Normals" checked will it also align morphs? I could align them by hand in Milkshape, but that would also be a problem after exporting from Blender because they don't show up, so... that's where question 2 comes from. Worst case scenario i could work on morphs in Blender not being keyshapes, but groups instead and then rename everything properly in Milkshape, so if that's not how it works and is hard for you to implement, that's ok. As i said great plugin, will use no matter what
Screenshots
Test Subject
Original Poster
#30 Old 21st Aug 2022 at 11:47 PM
Quote: Originally posted by SweetSweet
Thank you very much for this plugin! It's great! I do have some questions though, hope you don't mind.

1. Any import/export prompts some sort of error (attached screen of the error, can also send log if you need, just tell me where to find it) it seems that everything works fine, but i'm not sure why it happens? Do we need to have Python for this or something else? I'm using Blender 3.2.1 if that matters.

2. Having problem with morphs too. If i import mesh exported from Blender into Milkshape it will ask if i want to load morphs and if i say yes, i still can't see them. If i import it back to Blender i can see the keyshapes. Also if i'll just import mesh from Blender in my mesh package (bypassing Milkshape) then i can see that morphs are listed as exisitng. I think it might be problem in naming? Like for clothing it's "~00MORPHMOD.1" group name and "botmorphs fatbot" is treated as a comment, i.e. when you import it to Milkshape mesh doesn't have those group names to read, so it skips them? Unless it works for you?

3. How does align normals feature work with clothing? If i'm working on a top that has morphs and i export it with "Aligned Normals" checked will it also align morphs? I could align them by hand in Milkshape, but that would also be a problem after exporting from Blender because they don't show up, so... that's where question 2 comes from. Worst case scenario i could work on morphs in Blender not being keyshapes, but groups instead and then rename everything properly in Milkshape, so if that's not how it works and is hard for you to implement, that's ok. As i said great plugin, will use no matter what


Hello and thanks for your feedback!
1. This is a minor issue. I will upload an updated version to fix this. As you can see, the script finishes import and tries to show the message "Done!", but since there were changes in Blender API in version 3, an exception is thrown. For now, you can just ignore this error.
2. I've never used Milkshape, and compatibility with Milkshape never been the goal. Sorry about that. This problem is not due to naming. Nevertheless, my question is, do morphs work in the game (e.g., Body Shop)?
3. Align Normals is an experimental feature which I could not test thoroughly. It was intended to align normals on the edge of connection to the normals of another mesh to avoid seams, e.g., between body top and head. (Now using custom split normal can solve this issue.) Currently, this feature does not support morphs, only basic shape.
Test Subject
#31 Old 27th Aug 2022 at 3:26 PM
Quote: Originally posted by DjAlex88
Hello and thanks for your feedback!
1. This is a minor issue. I will upload an updated version to fix this. As you can see, the script finishes import and tries to show the message "Done!", but since there were changes in Blender API in version 3, an exception is thrown. For now, you can just ignore this error.
2. I've never used Milkshape, and compatibility with Milkshape never been the goal. Sorry about that. :) This problem is not due to naming. Nevertheless, my question is, do morphs work in the game (e.g., Body Shop)?
3. Align Normals is an experimental feature which I could not test thoroughly. It was intended to align normals on the edge of connection to the normals of another mesh to avoid seams, e.g., between body top and head. (Now using custom split normal can solve this issue.) Currently, this feature does not support morphs, only basic shape.


1. Good to know it can indeed be ignored, that's what i did :D
2. Just checked and yes, morphs did show up in BodyShop! So it's only importing back to MS that was the problem.
3. Thanks for explaining. Well it looks like i'll still have to manage to port meshes back and forth between MS and Blender, but at least won't be losing joints data, that helps a lot too :)
Test Subject
#32 Old 24th Sep 2022 at 10:58 PM Last edited by redsimmer : 26th Sep 2022 at 1:22 AM.
Hi! First of all, thank you very much for making such an amazing tool and sharing it with the community! I started to use Blender 2.80 a couple days ago (have been using 2.79 a very long time and ngl I was kinda intimidated on how different it looked lmao) and finally downloaded this add-on and I am amazed on how good it works! :_____ I really hope that more people switch from Milkshape to Blender with this plugin ♥

B̶y̶ ̶n̶o̶w̶,̶ ̶I̶ ̶j̶u̶s̶t̶ ̶h̶a̶v̶e̶ ̶o̶n̶e̶ ̶q̶u̶e̶s̶t̶i̶o̶n̶:̶ ̶i̶s̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶r̶e̶ ̶a̶n̶y̶ ̶w̶a̶y̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶a̶s̶s̶i̶g̶n̶ ̶O̶p̶a̶c̶i̶t̶y̶ ̶v̶a̶l̶u̶e̶s̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶m̶e̶s̶h̶ ̶g̶r̶o̶u̶p̶s̶ ̶w̶i̶t̶h̶ ̶t̶h̶i̶s̶ ̶a̶d̶d̶-̶o̶n̶?̶ ̶(̶l̶i̶k̶e̶ ̶w̶i̶t̶h̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶'̶C̶o̶m̶m̶e̶n̶t̶'̶ ̶s̶e̶c̶t̶i̶o̶n̶ ̶i̶n̶ ̶M̶i̶l̶k̶s̶h̶a̶p̶e̶,̶ ̶w̶h̶e̶r̶e̶ ̶y̶o̶u̶ ̶a̶s̶s̶i̶g̶n̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶O̶p̶a̶c̶i̶t̶y̶ ̶o̶f̶ ̶e̶a̶c̶h̶ ̶m̶e̶s̶h̶ ̶g̶r̶o̶u̶p̶ ̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶a̶l̶s̶o̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶'̶N̶u̶m̶S̶k̶i̶n̶W̶g̶t̶s̶'̶)̶

EDIT: sorry, found out about changing the opacity of mesh groups! For anyone interested, you just need to change the 'flags' number in Object Properties, it works with hexadecimal numbers

Then when you export your mesh, check the 'Use object properties' box

For example, if I want to set the Opacity to '5', I just need to put '00000005', or if I want it to be '12' I have to put '0000000C'. If I need to change it to a negative number, like '-2', I need to put 'FFFFFFFE', or something like '-16', 'FFFFFFF0'. Hope I explained myself well By the way, you always need to keep your number with eight digits or your mesh it's not going to be exported. Also, if you have any doubts about the hexadecimal numbers, there's always the Programer mode inside the Windows Calculator, and you can try to export a mesh from Milkshape to Blender too ^^
Sorry if this was something obvious!
Test Subject
Original Poster
#33 Old 29th Sep 2022 at 10:21 PM
Quote: Originally posted by redsimmer
Hi! First of all, thank you very much for making such an amazing tool and sharing it with the community! I started to use Blender 2.80 a couple days ago (have been using 2.79 a very long time and ngl I was kinda intimidated on how different it looked lmao) and finally downloaded this add-on and I am amazed on how good it works! :_____ I really hope that more people switch from Milkshape to Blender with this plugin ♥


Hello and thanks for you comment! As regards the flags property, you are right! Very good description of how to use flags!
Also, I've just posted an update addressing a small issue in Blender 3.
Test Subject
#34 Old 12th Jan 2023 at 7:56 PM
Hi! I have 2.9v Blender, and it seems that imported 5gd mesh is rotated 180 degrees Z-axis and much lower then Adult Base used for armature. 5gd has been exported from Milkshape with UniMesh, so i really have no clue why this happens. Is this 2.9 Blender issue?
Test Subject
Original Poster
#35 Old 28th Jan 2023 at 10:45 PM
Quote: Originally posted by Syakes
Hi! I have 2.9v Blender, and it seems that imported 5gd mesh is rotated 180 degrees Z-axis and much lower then Adult Base used for armature. 5gd has been exported from Milkshape with UniMesh, so i really have no clue why this happens. Is this 2.9 Blender issue?

Hello! I don't think it's a Blender issue. Unfortunately, I cannot help you, because I've never worked with Milkshape.
Test Subject
#36 Old 16th May 2023 at 12:49 AM
Hi, I'm looking to export a rigged mesh but the joints don't appear to be exported in the GMDC file. In SimPE, the joints section is empty and I think it's causing my mesh to crash the game. How can I export a geometry with the armature?
Field Researcher
#37 Old 18th May 2023 at 1:07 PM
Hello, First of all thank you for making it possible to not only use blender for TS2 meshing but the newer versions of blender! I've been trying to make a crib for TS2 and have been having zero luck with getting the morphs to work right. Everything I try milkshape, blender, unimesh, meshtool, everything does weird stuff to the morphs and essentially leaves me with a broken crib gate. This is the only tool I've found so far that is still supported, so thank you for that as well!

The issue I'm having is that I don't actually know what settings I need checked off for export and have been experimenting to see what results I get. When I leave "Rigging data" unchecked my morphs are utterly broken and the groups that have "bones" pre-export no longer have those bones. However when I check that box (because I figure that's what that box is for "bones"/rig) I get an error and it does not export. I have attached the error log upon export, a screenshot of my export settings and the log for importing the original EAxis cheap crib gdmc. I already looked at both logs and the error is that there is no transforms but there are none upon import and I have no idea what to do to put them in there or if I even should... or what they are tbh. I can share my blend as well if that's necessary but would rather not if not needed.

Any help/insight into what I'm doing wrong would be very appreciated.
Thanks in advance!
-MonoChaos

I have moved again this time to a private domain here are the links:
Sims 4: https://monochaos.blog/
Sims 2: https://sims2.monochaos.blog/
Test Subject
Original Poster
#38 Old 20th May 2023 at 10:45 PM
Quote: Originally posted by LilyValley807
Hi, I'm looking to export a rigged mesh but the joints don't appear to be exported in the GMDC file. In SimPE, the joints section is empty and I think it's causing my mesh to crash the game. How can I export a geometry with the armature?

Hi! Could you provide more details, e.g., logs?
Test Subject
Original Poster
#39 Old 20th May 2023 at 11:27 PM
Quote: Originally posted by MonoChaos
Hello, First of all thank you for making it possible to not only use blender for TS2 meshing but the newer versions of blender! I've been trying to make a crib for TS2 and have been having zero luck with getting the morphs to work right. Everything I try milkshape, blender, unimesh, meshtool, everything does weird stuff to the morphs and essentially leaves me with a broken crib gate. This is the only tool I've found so far that is still supported, so thank you for that as well!

The issue I'm having is that I don't actually know what settings I need checked off for export and have been experimenting to see what results I get. When I leave "Rigging data" unchecked my morphs are utterly broken and the groups that have "bones" pre-export no longer have those bones. However when I check that box (because I figure that's what that box is for "bones"/rig) I get an error and it does not export. I have attached the error log upon export, a screenshot of my export settings and the log for importing the original EAxis cheap crib gdmc. I already looked at both logs and the error is that there is no transforms but there are none upon import and I have no idea what to do to put them in there or if I even should... or what they are tbh. I can share my blend as well if that's necessary but would rather not if not needed.

Any help/insight into what I'm doing wrong would be very appreciated.
Thanks in advance!
-MonoChaos


Hello!
You mesh does not have rigging data, so uncheck "Rigging data" flag. Second, try selecting "Diff in v.coords only" as in original mesh. Also, you may try exporting without bounding geometry and object properties. If this does not work, then send me the logs.
Field Researcher
#40 Old 24th May 2023 at 7:12 AM
Quote: Originally posted by DjAlex88
Hello!
You mesh does not have rigging data, so uncheck "Rigging data" flag. Second, try selecting "Diff in v.coords only" as in original mesh. Also, you may try exporting without bounding geometry and object properties. If this does not work, then send me the logs.

Hello! Thanks for the reply! This indeed worked. Thank you!!!!!

I have moved again this time to a private domain here are the links:
Sims 4: https://monochaos.blog/
Sims 2: https://sims2.monochaos.blog/
Test Subject
#41 Old 5th Jul 2023 at 10:32 AM
Hello
So as I tried to install this add-on using the description in the post, it did not work, so instead, I placed the whole folder in C:/Program Files/Blender Foundation/Blender 3.6 (This is my version)/3.6/ scripts/addons and I re-open blender and tick the add-on (import/export ts2 gmdc add-on or smth) to enable it in preferences, so that it could work. I think to avoid confusions and misunderstandings, this should be made clear, thank you.
Test Subject
#42 Old 19th Aug 2023 at 6:10 PM
Hey! The importer will take .gmdc or .5gd, but the exporter only wants to do .gmdc, which SimPE won't recognise. Could you fix this please?
Test Subject
Original Poster
#43 Old 3rd Sep 2023 at 1:24 PM
Quote: Originally posted by morepopcorn
Hey! The importer will take .gmdc or .5gd, but the exporter only wants to do .gmdc, which SimPE won't recognise. Could you fix this please?

Hello. The importer does not care of file extension. As regard exported files, I don't know if this is an issue since I haven't worked with SimPE for ages. I will look on it. For now you can just rename exported files from .gmdc to .5gd.
Test Subject
#44 Old 3rd Jan 2024 at 2:06 AM
I'm trying to weight hair using Blender 3.2 but no matter what combination of options I use on export, there is no bones/joints that show up in SimPE or Milkshape or when I re-import the gmdc into Blender. Which kind of defeats the whole purpose of these tools. Any help is greatly appreciated 🙏
Attached files:
File Type: txt  botan5.gmdc.export_log.txt (580 Bytes, 1 downloads)
Test Subject
#45 Old 4th Jan 2024 at 9:07 PM Last edited by blueHuntress : 4th Jan 2024 at 9:16 PM. Reason: Forgot to add a step to explaination
Quote: Originally posted by blueHuntress
I'm trying to weight hair using Blender 3.2 but no matter what combination of options I use on export, there is no bones/joints that show up in SimPE or Milkshape or when I re-import the gmdc into Blender. Which kind of defeats the whole purpose of these tools. Any help is greatly appreciated 🙏


Okay, I think I've figured out the problem. This will probably be badly explained but bear with me. When using the "blender bases" found here, they open normally in 2.7 and have an armature object. For some reason, if the armature is present the rigging data will not export and you'll always get an error. But just importing a regular .5gd file, doing the weight paint and exporting works normally, physics show up in game and everything. Weird thing about this, there have to be weights already present on the hair or the bones wont show up under the vertex tab, and even if they are there the names are gone and they're called bone #1, #2, ect. Still works though!

TLDR: If you're having the same problem and you're looking for a solution: Do some basic weighting in Milkshape, export as .5gd and then import it into Blender. When you're ready to export, remember to tick "Rigging Data"and then re-import it back into Milkshape and then export it and go on. I don't know why, but it bugs out unless I run it back through Milkshape. Heres what the bones will be called:
#61 - f hair
#5 - spine 2
#64 - B hair
#7 - head
Lab Assistant
THANKS POST
#46 Old 24th Feb 2024 at 11:26 PM
Hello DjAlex88, I'm developing a tool to import animations of Sims from The Sims 2 into Blender. Since The Sims 2 supports a rig with IK animations, I need a base mesh of the Sim's body with a rig connected with IK. In the first screenshot of your tool, I see a mesh of a Sim with glasses, to which a rig with IK animations is applied. How did you manage to import it?
The base meshes currently available on the web with IK bones do not have the same bone mapping as the original ones, which I necessarily need in the creation of a tool that reads data from exported SimPE files and imports them into Blender by finding the correspondence of the bones.
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