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Test Subject
Original Poster
#1 Old 28th Aug 2007 at 3:30 AM Last edited by drewbster : 28th Aug 2007 at 3:44 AM.
Default *Free* 3D-modelors suitable for TS2 creation?
I registered Milkshape a couple years back, and today I tried installing it on my new computer. For whatever reason it doesn't want to start up, so while I get that problem sorted out I'd like to know which modeling software is commonly used by this point for making primarily objects for TS2.

I have no interest in uses other than for TS2, and for now I'm not concerned with making anything sim-related such as clothing or hair.

The program must be free too -- I've already paid for Milkshape so I don't want to pay for anything else until I know MS will never ever work on my computer (and I certainly don't have money to spare, getting BV will be enough of a financial challenge).

I've done a search here, and so far I'm looking at Wings, Gmax, or possibly Blender. Those seem to be the most common, which for me translates to information on their use regarding TS2 is more likely to be available.

I'm also not very familiar with 3D-modeling, so I don't know why one program might be more suitable for me than another, besides the interface. I'm familiar and comfortable with MS, but only from doing a lot of simple things like minor modifications to TS1 meshes, and I know a little of how 3D works just from doing a lot with TS1 (like vertices, alphas, and UV mapping). I've used Anim8or but never quite got the hang of it, and had tried Blender a very long time ago, but from what I remember it had a steeper learning curve. Never tried Wings that I recall but at least had it bookmarked, and Gmax is totally new to me.

Program suggestions (and especially reasons) and any other thoughts are appreciated

[edited to add:] I've seen that there are, or have been, issues with importing/exporting, and using SimPE with another editor -- so that's why I'm asking about the current preferences. I have the latest version of SimPE as well (1.6 or something IIRC), so I'm not sure if maybe updates have cleared up those issues, or better workarounds have been found (the majority of posts have been at least a year old, which is eons in the simming community).
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retired moderator
#2 Old 28th Aug 2007 at 10:12 AM
Why not contact the Milkshape developers? You already bought it - you should be able to use it.

Wings and Blender are used a lot and you'll find help and support (and tutorials) for them here, but you're going to be limited to non-animated, static meshes that way, and only the object side of stuff - no sim content like clothes or hair (which sounds like it's okay by what you want). That does make it so things like toilet seats, microwave doors, etc., are beyond you, but as a beginner, you'd be doing simpler stuff anyway.

The learning curve on Blender is a lot higher so I think you'll probably be more comfortable and able to use Wings if you're not ready to really get into learning a very complex program.

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One horse disagreer of the Apocalypse
#3 Old 28th Aug 2007 at 10:25 AM
Milkshape is the only 3D editor that seems to be totally compatible with SimPE. Even if I do some edits in Wings I import and export from Milkshape as a last step. It's worth persevering with Milkshape IMHO.

"You can do refraction by raymarching through the depth buffer" (c. Reddeyfish 2017)
Instructor
#4 Old 28th Aug 2007 at 11:49 AM
I still use Wings a lot and I have been making meshes for objects for a year now. It actually allows quite a bit of complexity, but you have to really learn the ins and outs. Of course if i am making anything with joints, I use MS, but generally after I have made the inital mesh in wings. I love the mapping feature in MS and have pretty much stopped using UV classic. So, I use both. See if you can get your MS to work.

Cogito ergo nupta non sum.
Test Subject
Original Poster
#5 Old 28th Aug 2007 at 6:50 PM
Thanks for the replies

I definitely do want to get Milkshape working, I've just needed to take a break from troubleshooting, and searching around online in general. I'm coming upon so much new info that I'm struggling keeping it all straight -- been recolouring, searching out downloads and working on a movie too, and the movie's the reason I'm looking into all of this (I just wanted to do something simple for my first film, but it's turning into Waterworld >.< ).

So, I take it I can use Wings with SimPE then right? For now I just want to do a couple little things -- I'm hesitant to call them "simple" at this point -- like add a note to a refrigerator door (recolouring didn't give me the look I wanted). I'll focus more on object-making after the film, since I don't want to get too distracted and lose steam.
Scholar
#6 Old 29th Aug 2007 at 4:57 AM
You definately can use Wings for non-animated objects.

However, it doesn't handle "joints" and "bones" which are necessary for animated objects like the fridges.

It might still be possible to do something with these using Wings, but would involve some extra complications (if it is possible at all)
Instructor
#7 Old 29th Aug 2007 at 12:08 PM
Quote: Originally posted by drewbster

So, I take it I can use Wings with SimPE then right? For now I just want to do a couple little things -- I'm hesitant to call them "simple" at this point -- like add a note to a refrigerator door (recolouring didn't give me the look I wanted). I'll focus more on object-making after the film, since I don't want to get too distracted and lose steam.


You cannot export directly from Wings into SimPE. You will either have to import the object file in MS and just reexport it or open up the model in UV classic/pro and save it.

As Dr. Pixel noted, Wings cannot deal with joints and animations. You will need MS for anything like a usable fridge. I am not sure if Blender has joints or not. I have never really gotten the hang of Blender, although I would like to.

Cogito ergo nupta non sum.
Retired Duck
retired moderator
#8 Old 29th Aug 2007 at 3:57 PM
Quote: Originally posted by Paleoanth
You cannot export directly from Wings into SimPE.
Really? I've never had any problems using the 3ds export/import from Wings to SimPE... But for animated meshes I do of course go via Milkshape.
Field Researcher
#9 Old 29th Aug 2007 at 5:04 PM
Blender is much more complex than Wings 3D but I think the choice is personal for i.e. I was been more comfortable to learn meshing with Blender than with Wings
In any case Blender is NOT compatible to create animation for TS2.

With Blender you can make animation, you can create bones, joints or "morph" but the format are NOT compatible for TS2.

I use Blender for all my work, but I must import my 3D meshes into MS to rebuild all the joints or morph needed for the animations.

Someone tells that also the meshes created with Blender can't import direct into Simpe: this is NOT true, Blender can export the obj file in much more different "code": using the right options the obj file is full compliant with Simpe.

He should contact the MS developers to get his MS to work again......

If you like my creations, you may consider to make a little donation to support my site and my modding activity.
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Instructor
#10 Old 29th Aug 2007 at 6:39 PM
Quote: Originally posted by Echo
Really? I've never had any problems using the 3ds export/import from Wings to SimPE... But for animated meshes I do of course go via Milkshape.


Huh! I never tried that. I have always just used the object file and get errors if I forget to rexport it. I am going to try that!

Cogito ergo nupta non sum.
Forum Resident
#11 Old 30th Aug 2007 at 10:20 AM
You may want to have a look at the beta version of Moment of Inspiration (MoI) on http://moi3d.com

It is a little hard getting used to and work best with a graphics tablet but after an initial phase of familiarization it is quite intuitive and it has a very nice polygon reduction routine on export, where you can set the output to triangulated and assign the number of vertices with a slider.

The exported .obj-files import into SimPE without error. (You may have to texture in UVMapper nonetheless).

happy simming,
Xanathon


Xanathon's Laboratory :: WishList

.: Do not harass me with requests via PM, you will only get ignored :.
.: Don't post my objects or objects derived from them on paysites or the exchange! :.
One horse disagreer of the Apocalypse
#12 Old 30th Aug 2007 at 1:12 PM
Quote: Originally posted by Paleoanth
Huh! I never tried that. I have always just used the object file and get errors if I forget to rexport it. I am going to try that!


Same here lol! But another thing I find weird in Wings is that it has these ghost planes that don't even show in Milkshape, but it makes it hard to work out what you're doing in Wings. That doesn't happen in models made from scratch in Wings however.

"You can do refraction by raymarching through the depth buffer" (c. Reddeyfish 2017)
Scholar
#13 Old 30th Aug 2007 at 6:25 PM
There is now a .smd import/export for Blender. This does allow the joints and bones to be imported back into SimPE http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=245965
Retired Duck
retired moderator
#14 Old 31st Aug 2007 at 11:03 AM
Inge - if you click on those ghost planes, right click and select "hide", then it's as if they aren't there.
Test Subject
Original Poster
#15 Old 1st Sep 2007 at 3:59 AM
Finally got MS to work (crashes a lot, but works) -- turns out I only needed the mesa32dlls, which are no longer available on the main downloads page. I just happened to stumble across them during a search, they're buried at the bottom of a sticky in the Bug Reports forum -_-

I requested that they be returned, or at the very least that something's noted about where to find them.

Is it just me, or is the new version missing some features? I thought there were a lot more tools available, and I can't find how to show vertices on the 3D model. While I was at the forums I noticed mention of things that had been removed or disabled, but haven't been back yet to find out what's missing.

Thanks for that link too xanathon, looks like an interesting program. I like all the curvies Looks like it might be similar to Milkshape -- think an MS user might pick it up a bit quicker?

(and btw, I'm SO glad the site's back up, I got the fridge looking right but I've been looking all day to find out how to keep the animations, and nearly all links have been pointing to MTS2)
Alchemist
#16 Old 1st Sep 2007 at 5:12 AM
Quote: Originally posted by drewbster
Is it just me, or is the new version missing some features? I thought there were a lot more tools available, and I can't find how to show vertices on the 3D model.


Right-click on the 3D window, and select "Wireframe Overlay".
I'm not aware of any useful stuff that was removed. A few versions ago, a couple of buggy plugins which no one updated were deleted.

<* Wes *>

If you like to say what you think, be sure you know which to do first.
Test Subject
Original Poster
#17 Old 1st Sep 2007 at 7:38 AM
Y'know how sims sometimes slump to the floor and make funny noises? I'm doing that right now lol

The first installation of MS kept crashing, and finally wouldn't even open its own files. I uninstalled, then reinstalled, added your plugin, checked the folder because I kept getting "do you want to overwrite" messages, and said "where'd all these files come from?!?"

Apparently the first installation was very incomplete....kinda surprised it ran at all. No dlls needed, everything's running smoothly, there's a bajillion tools like I remember, and even the wireframe overlay.

Then after almost an entire day of searching everywhere for info on how to work on objects with animations, I find that I'd had Grapholina's armoire tutorial the whole time >_<

Think I'll go do something easier for a while, cry and build rockets or something
Field Researcher
#18 Old 1st Sep 2007 at 9:23 AM
Quote: Originally posted by Dr Pixel
There is now a .smd import/export for Blender. This does allow the joints and bones to be imported back into SimPE

Thanks !!!
This is a good news for me. Of course, I'll try them.

If you like my creations, you may consider to make a little donation to support my site and my modding activity.
MaryLou's Sims 2 World - MaryLou Sims 2 Forum (Italiano)
Alchemist
#19 Old 2nd Sep 2007 at 6:34 AM
Quote: Originally posted by drewbster
checked the folder because I kept getting "do you want to overwrite" messages, and said "where'd all these files come from?!?"


Well, people have problems with MilkShape (and Blender and whatever) but not normally like you were having. I am glad that mystery got solved for you.

I get confused easily (more frequent almost-senior moments), but I think the current set of UniMesh plugins, V4.09, is what ships with the current MilkShape (1.8.1b). But that may not always be true, and sometimes wasn't true in the past, because I would forget to send a copy of my updates to Mete and he would forget to check for the latest set here at MTS2.

The animation plugins themselves (AniMesh) are located in the Animation Tools forum (of all the strange ideas). But they aren't needed unless you are trying to create a new animation from scratch. Retaining the game animations only requires that the mesh joints are passed from teh original to the clone. Moving them is possible, but a more advanced project.

<* Wes *>

If you like to say what you think, be sure you know which to do first.
Test Subject
#20 Old 3rd Sep 2007 at 9:48 PM
Quote: Originally posted by xanathon
You may want to have a look at the beta version of Moment of Inspiration (MoI) on http://moi3d.com


Are you able to work with bones, joints, and animations with this program?
Forum Resident
#21 Old 4th Sep 2007 at 9:52 AM
No, it's a modeller, you have to provide another software for animation.

happy simming,
Xanathon


Xanathon's Laboratory :: WishList

.: Do not harass me with requests via PM, you will only get ignored :.
.: Don't post my objects or objects derived from them on paysites or the exchange! :.
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