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Replies: 150 (Who?), Viewed: 61388 times.
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teko
Lab Assistant
#76 Old 1st Aug 2009 at 8:19 PM
@kihaad
You don't open the program that way. You have to drag&drop the modl/mlods onto s3modld.exe, respectively mcfg onto s3modlc.exe. If this doesn't work you can associate the files with the correct programs and all you have to do is a simple doubleclick on modl/mlods and mcfg.
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TSR Workshop
A Custom Content Tool for The Sims 3
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WesHowe
Alchemist
Original Poster
#77 Old 1st Aug 2009 at 8:57 PM
I posted the V0.05 update just now. It fixes the (occasional) normal flipping, adds an automatic vertex split on UV seams, and scans for unassigned bones.

The groundshadow meshes do not always have bone assignments, and some have no normals. The EA format uses a "flexible vertex format" (FVF) where the package specifies the components to be used for each vertex, and their order. The exporter uses the FVF to build the exported mesh following the structure of the original. So, for example, if you smooth your model and get nice normals on the groundshadows, they still do not export if the original had none. Ditto for bone assignments.

So you may try to export a freshly imported model and get a warning that unassigned bones exist. You can shut this off by assigning the groundshadow to some joint, if the original had no joints, then the export will not use them, but it will stop the nagging.

As far as I know, the MilkShape plugins in this package will work with versions back to 1.7.8. The body mesh data that required 1.8.5 does not appear in the object meshes, and so does not need the new MilkShape to work.

<* Wes *>
If you like to say what you think, be sure you know which to do first.
Udderbelly
Test Subject
#78 Old 1st Aug 2009 at 10:48 PM
Hey Wes I'm no longer getting the black faces any more! that's all done and fixed. There's just the groundshadow (Which as you said doesn't always show up but I thought I'd point it out), and the multiplier is still offset? You can see here;



Teko thought that by mapping right up to the edges this wouldn't allow the multiplier to offset ~ I tried that and it still offsets a little.

But apart from that I'm lovin' it. Thanks in advance and thanks for all your hard work
WesHowe
Alchemist
Original Poster
#79 Old 1st Aug 2009 at 11:03 PM
Good news.

Well, I don't know what the issue with the multiplier is, so far as I know nothing in teh package changes that. The UV mapping is, I think, dead on target. If you can come up with a reproducable example I can play with, I'll look. But in the past I reproduced maxis meshes perfectly, so there must be some difference in the way they made their originals.

Anyway, I owe a big thanks to you for providing a reliable example file to work with. You were right that it was just the normals that pointed vertical or horizontal, the problem was a math abuse issue when I was recompressing the normals into the game format.

<* Wes *>
If you like to say what you think, be sure you know which to do first.
skygirl22
Lab Assistant
#80 Old 1st Aug 2009 at 11:35 PM
I tried to place a .lod onto s3modld.exe and it gave me this error screen:


The other three .lod file and one .model file did not produce any .mcfg files in the folder, and gave no errors after placed on s3modld.exe (The console screen did show for a moment but then nothing)
WesHowe
Alchemist
Original Poster
#81 Old 2nd Aug 2009 at 2:18 AM
And which package was that from?
If you like to say what you think, be sure you know which to do first.
skygirl22
Lab Assistant
#82 Old 2nd Aug 2009 at 3:55 AM Last edited by skygirl22 : 2nd Aug 2009 at 4:16 AM.
Quote: Originally posted by WesHowe
And which package was that from?


Sorry I thought I uploaded it but it has to be compress to upload here
WesHowe
Alchemist
Original Poster
#83 Old 2nd Aug 2009 at 4:08 AM Last edited by WesHowe : 2nd Aug 2009 at 4:46 AM.
Thanks, I really just needed the instance or name, but I have it now.

I will fix that in the next release. The limit was arbitrary, but a limit exists in the code so that a defective file has less chance of crashing the system. I just wanted a number bigger than the largest real buffer required, because Windows does not always behave reasonably when it is almost out of memory. By asking for an unreasonable amount of memory, the system can slow to a crawl as it starts to use the harddisk as virtual memory.

Please try something else in the meantime, all the other objects I tried were much smaller and worked fine.

<* Wes *>

Ah, I see it is a building. 33 groups. I'll make sure the next release works with this for you.
If you like to say what you think, be sure you know which to do first.
MalikNetok
Test Subject
#84 Old 2nd Aug 2009 at 4:50 AM
Not sure if this is where I'm supposed to post this but...

I noticed, and use, the converted Sims 2 hairs and understand it is a matter of the mesh being converted to the Sims 3 style of mesh. So basically my question is would it be possible to use the same method to convert the custom cars from Sims 2 over to Sims 3. I miss the "real world" cars like my Lambo collection. Nothing screams, "I cheated my *** off ", like seven Lambos parked in the driveway.

Sorry if I posted in the wrong place. This isn't a request, just a question or maybe a challenge. Up to the reader as to which it is.
Odistant
Field Researcher
#85 Old 2nd Aug 2009 at 5:07 AM
Thanks for putting up the link Wes. Will do some more testing and figuring out things tomorrow morning.
WesHowe
Alchemist
Original Poster
#86 Old 2nd Aug 2009 at 1:32 PM
There has been some previous interest shown in cars, yes.
At present we are stuck with the wheels in the same places as one of the original game items, because we don't have all the pieces needed to alter the joint layout.

That said, there are enough vehicles with different rigs that I expect to see some new designs showing up soon.

Your post confused me a little at first. In this game, hair and cars are bastly different file formats and require vastly different tools and methods to modify.

<* Wes *>
If you like to say what you think, be sure you know which to do first.
*Norbi*
Test Subject
#87 Old 2nd Aug 2009 at 3:31 PM
Thank you very much for constantly working on the tools! The updated version fixed the issue with the flipped faces perfectly, but now I noticed that my models looses it's joint assignments when exporting It looks like this is affecting the patterning/recolouring in the game.
useruser3
Test Subject
#88 Old 2nd Aug 2009 at 3:59 PM
how will it handle objects like the game system where there are multiple parts or parts that animate in the original object?
WesHowe
Alchemist
Original Poster
#89 Old 2nd Aug 2009 at 6:29 PM
Quote: Originally posted by *Norbi*
Thank you very much for constantly working on the tools! The updated version fixed the issue with the flipped faces perfectly, but now I noticed that my models looses it's joint assignments when exporting It looks like this is affecting the patterning/recolouring in the game.


It's not supposed to lose any joint assignments, I carefully export those. I presume you redid the assignments on any new vertices you added to your mesh?

If so, please let me see an example of one that is broken.
If you like to say what you think, be sure you know which to do first.
buggybooz
Instructor
#90 Old 2nd Aug 2009 at 6:33 PM
Teko, the fact that you are actively participating in this thread obviously means that you will once again share your creations freely with the whole community. That is good news and a very positive step. I am sure that I am not the only one to thank you for your interest and output in this. Of course without Wes where would we be? Not very far, I imagine:D
*Norbi*
Test Subject
#91 Old 2nd Aug 2009 at 7:14 PM
I do the same thing as I did earlier. I import my new object in Milkshape, select all, than Joints - Assign. I check it with the SelAssigned button and it shows all vertices assigned. Than I export it.

When I import it back, I choose the SelAssigned tab to check the vertices and they doesn't show up as assigned.

Here's a sample object.

Thanks a lot for all of your hard work.

Quote: Originally posted by WesHowe
It's not supposed to lose any joint assignments, I carefully export those. I presume you redid the assignments on any new vertices you added to your mesh?

If so, please let me see an example of one that is broken.
Screenshots
Attached files:
File Type: rar  table0.rar (7.6 KB, 7 downloads) - View custom content
teko
Lab Assistant
#92 Old 2nd Aug 2009 at 7:39 PM
Quote: Originally posted by WesHow
It's not supposed to lose any joint assignments, I carefully export those. I presume you redid the assignments on any new vertices you added to your mesh?

Some vertices of my living chair also lost joint assignments (only a few). I just ignored this and imported it into the game anyway and didn't note anything looking bad while recoloring.

Quote: Originally posted by buggybooz
Teko, the fact that you are actively participating in this thread obviously means that you will once again share your creations freely with the whole community. That is good news and a very positive step. I am sure that I am not the only one to thank you for your interest and output in this. Of course without Wes where would we be? Not very far, I imagine:D

I do not intend to leave the site where I currently am and enjoy, nor change the way my stuff is distributed. MTS and TSR are collaborating on making Sims 3 meshes a reality by helping out with thorough testing and research. We're all very thankful Wes puts so much effort into this. I'm not a programmer and try therefore to be helpful in testing the tools and find bugs quickly, as are many other members from TSR.
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WesHowe
Alchemist
Original Poster
#93 Old 2nd Aug 2009 at 7:40 PM
Thanks for the example.
There is something wrong with the importer. The groundshadow has no assignments in the mesh, so it will never have them when read back in.
The exported binary for the table part all the bones assigned, I checked it with a hex editor.
However, the importer is only assigning some of the joints when it reads the mesh back in. This is a bug, and I will fix it. I dislike bugs, but I manage to create them sometimes, anyway.
So the issue you are having with the patterning and this mesh is not the joint assignments.

<* Wes *>
If you like to say what you think, be sure you know which to do first.
petallotus
Lab Assistant
#94 Old 2nd Aug 2009 at 7:56 PM
Hey Wes thanks for the tools. I have managed to make my first object. A freestanding shower. I just have to find a way to fix the thumbnail in the buy menu.
Screenshots
lithium_1103
Test Subject
#95 Old 2nd Aug 2009 at 8:02 PM
Hi Wes.

Thanks for the experimental plugins.

I think that the LOD "0x00010001" is used for the generation of the objects outdoor groundshadow.
Look at my double bed before and after changing it.
Screenshots
WesHowe
Alchemist
Original Poster
#96 Old 2nd Aug 2009 at 8:14 PM
Hold it, guys and gals. Please.

My license terms are very clear, and I believe everybody at TSR knows it. I know TSR has put a lot of work into making their own tool, with different usage terms. I am fine with this. Good old free market competition.

I have posted details about how the mesh format is laid out on the wiki. TSR has their own programmers, and they are welcome to look at what I have learned and use it to develop their tool, just as Morgade used the GEOM spec to make his Blender plugin from. They should add any discoveries they make there. Fair enough.

That is the extent of my involvement with the TSR workshop... they are writing the code themselves, and will own their tool when they are done.

I am gratified to have experienced modders/modelers helping debug my program. The community will benefit all the way around, in that we will learn the limitations, and I assume TSR will benefit because as their tool develops, they can compare the functionality of the items created with it to ones created with my tools. As long as they aren't posting them as subscriber-only content, then they have not violated any license terms.

If continued discussion of non-mesh topics is needed, please make a different thread. I want to stay on topic in this one because this takes a lot of my time to do the programming and understand the sometimes subtle little things that creep into the process. It took me two days to figure out the normals flipping issue, and it was ultimately a single bit wrong on normals that had one particular value in them. Truly, the proverbial needle in the haystack sort of thing.

<* Wes *>
If you like to say what you think, be sure you know which to do first.
WesHowe
Alchemist
Original Poster
#97 Old 2nd Aug 2009 at 8:23 PM
Quote: Originally posted by petallotus
Hey Wes thanks for the tools. I have managed to make my first object. A freestanding shower. I just have to find a way to fix the thumbnail in the buy menu.


There are three .png files in the clone package that have the thumbnail in them. However, after you remake them you probably need to delete the cache files, including the ones in the World Cache folder, so that you can see the updates.

I did mine for the BioHazard Sculpture by setting the background and axis colors in MilkShape to pure black, and took a screenshot. I then used that as the source to make resized .png images with an mask (alpha) layer. I did mess up, making the mask wrong, and it has blockier edges that it should have.

There are probably many other ways to do it, but that is one that can be done. Changing the MilkShape preferences and then changing them back is a nuisance, but looked to me to take less time than exporting an .obj and rendering it in some raytracing program.

<* Wes *>
If you like to say what you think, be sure you know which to do first.
petallotus
Lab Assistant
#98 Old 2nd Aug 2009 at 8:45 PM
Thanks Wes. One more question do you think it is safe to post this so I can get some feedback on how it behaves in other peoples games?
teko
Lab Assistant
#99 Old 2nd Aug 2009 at 9:10 PM
Regarding thumbnails:
You can easily delete the PNG images from the cloned object package. You might also need to delete ObjectThumbnails.package in Documents/The Sims 3/Thumbnails. The game generates the thumbnails then on it's own which gives some consistence throughout the buy and build mode. As well less work. :P
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TSR Workshop
A Custom Content Tool for The Sims 3
Inge Jones
One horse disagreer of the Apocalypse
#100 Old 2nd Aug 2009 at 9:32 PM
We'll probably have it as an option to not include thumbnails in a future release of our cloner.
"You can do refraction by raymarching through the depth buffer" (c. Reddeyfish 2017)
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