The Chatterbox

Last edited by Ali on Tue Jul 17, 2007 7:22 pm; edited 1 time in total

Ok...firstly I must apologise for what you are about to read...hahaha!
I'm not too good on the old explanation front, I'm using a laptop with no seperate mouse and the mouse pad does strange things and I haven't meshed anything in a while and I'm drinking vodka but I will do my best to explain. Any questions feel free to post them and I will do my best to help out. I'm not an expert at meshing, more of a novice so if anyone knows better...which won't be hard...please correct me Very Happy

Ok, the programmes to mesh objects are as follows with links.

Firstly go and get SimPE, Microsoft .NET Framework Version 2.0 and Managed Direct X 9c from http://sims.ambertation.de/ they can be found in the downloads section and will not mess up your pc as far as I am aware, they work fine for me anyway.

Secondly, to ensure you can texture your new mesh correctly you need to go and get the NVIDIA DDS utilities which can be found here http://developer.nvidia.com/object/nv_texture_tools.html

For the actual meshing I will use milkshape as its really easy to work with but you only get a 30 day trial, you can find it here: http://chumbalum.swissquake.ch/ms3d/download.html

The next programme you need is UV Mapper classic which is here: http://www.uvmapper.com/downloads.html

You will also need a good paint programme such as paintshop pro or adobe photoshop, anything that works really Very Happy

Ok...end of post 1...next post coming up shortly...

Thank you for those. Very Happy

My plan is that once I get caught up on all these sports requests, and get a sim or two up on the site for variety....i'm thinking of trying meshing> Very Happy

Last edited by Ali on Tue Jul 17, 2007 7:21 pm; edited 1 time in total

Cool! Well I want to see you all meshing by the end of this, especially after I have dragged myself into m ilkshape again...I got a months free trial on my laptop so it may work...

OK Step 2

Setting up SimPE

After installing everything (UV mapper should just be extracted to your desktop or wherever you want it) you need to open up Simpe to set it up before meshing.
I have not really used the new simpe so forgive me if it's already set up for you or something...
Ok, first we need to check which expansions we want to include.
Open SimPE.
On the top tool bar (links) Click on 'extra' then on 'preferences'.

One the first page that pops up you need to locate the dds utilities so after clicking on the browse button go to 'my computer/programme files/NVIDIA corporation/DDS utilities/nvdxt and select and click on open this will show SimPE where it is located.

On the left hand side of the pop up box in SimPE you need to scroll down to 'file table' and you will see all the sims 2 expansions listed, select which ones you have or which you want to use, if you want to make something that anyone can download and use in game then select only the base game. Click on OK and then close SimPE.

Ok, next step coming up shortly...does anyone need images of this? I'm trying to do it without as this laptop is pap at scaling stuff down and that but I can do them if needed...let me know Very Happy

Last edited by Ali on Tue Jul 17, 2007 7:39 pm; edited 1 time in total

Ok...step 3

Extracting the mesh from SimPE

Open SimPE and select 'object workshop' and click on 'start'
Go and make a cup of tea as it can take a while.....

I have no idea what to make yet...erm....something simple yet stylish....
ok, we'll go with you basic table as it's easy to explain.

When the catagories show up black then select 'surfaces' and then 'coffee table' and then select 'simple structure end table' sorry, can't remember if this requires an expansion or not but my simpe won't work with just the original game selected...if this table does not appear in your catalogue then just select a different one tile table.

Click on 'next' and then in the pull down box you need to select 'clone' then 'start' and then 'finish'

When the popup box appears rename to something memorable like 'mycoffeetable' then click 'update' then ok.

The next box asks you to save it somewhere...name it the same as the last and save to a new folder on your desktop for easy location.

When the boxes have gone you will see lots of text in SimPE, you need to be looking in the top left box and select 'Geometric Data Container' when you click on this you will see your new object name on the right. Click on the object name in the top right window and click on 'plug in view' at the bottom of SimPE.

We are now looking in the bottom window.
You can see that 'texture' is already ticked, click on 'export' and save it to your new folder with the previous save. Ok...minimise simpe and open up Milkshape.

You will have to bear with me for the next part as it cannot be explained without images really so I had better go and make some hadn't I?

yes please images are good

Sorry to leave you in limbo with this but I have a 2000 word essay to write for tommorrow so gotta do that tonight before continuing with this.
I will try and get the rest up tonight at some point.

take your time ali. I'm sure that we all can wait. lol

I forgot.... Embarassed

You only had to wait 7 months though...not too bad considering NHS waiting times...hahaha!
I'll go grab some pics and finish this mother off!

OK! Step 4

Open Milkshape and pray. a_chuckle

Go to File/Import/wavefront obj

Find your saved file and open it.

You need to be looking here now...

Click on the select button and then select the vertex button and uncheck the 'ignore backfaces' box if it has a tick or whatever in it...basically make your screen look like mine...

OK! Now were ready to mesh! a_bigteeth

Back in 5...going for a fag and a coffee...

Step 5

Ok...now we can mesh!

We are going to make your bog-standard 4 legs and a top table...cause its easy.
Don't be getting carried away and deviating from what I am saying...you can mess about later on.

First task...lets make a new table top!

Select the box button

Then on one of the screens...like this one...drag out the size of the box using your left mouse button....keep that button held down until its the correct length.
I was using the top right hand screen to do my box and you can see it shown in red when finished...

but oh! on the other screens it is not the correct size! What to do!?!
On the upper left screen I right click and select frame selection to get a closer view...

you can scroll in further using your mouse wheely thing if you have one...if you don't have one then I don't know cause I have...erm...hahaha! Sorry...
You can see the ends of the box...ie, the red lines and dots, are not to the edge of the original top...

select one end, ie the two vertices (dots) on one end by holding down your left mouse button and dragging over the two vertices. Another way to select vertices one at a time is to left click on one of the vertices then holding down your shift button select the other vertice.

Now on the right tool panel select the move button and move your vertices accordingly...make sure that when you drag the edge that the line made by your mouse is straight before letting go of your left mouse button...you will understand when you do it, if it goes wrong you can always go up to edit and undo and start again or select the two vertices and move them until the box lines run straight.

then repeat the process for the other side until it kinda looks like this.

If you notice on the bottom left screen the box still does not match correctly...on your right hand tool panel select the 'groups' tab then box01 or whatever yours is called and select.This will highlight your box in red.

Then select the 'model' tab at the top to take you back to the tools panel...select the move button and on the bottom left panle holding down your left mouse button, move the box around until satisfied.

If all looks correct on each window then we can proceed...if not then keep at it until your happy. Make sure that the box does not go higher or lower than the original table top...you can move it as you did above using one of the top two screens for guidance...this bits quite important as if its too high anything which is placed on the table will dissapear inside of it and if its too low things will 'float'

We can now make the legs
a_bigteeth

k peoples....
next step...the legs

As with the top we are going to select the 'box' button and applying the same procedure as before we are going to drag out a box shape for a leg.
As I chose this stupid table without thinking it through we are going to have to make legs different from those already on the table...if you follow...anyway, starting at the base of your table top, drag the box down until it is at the same level as the bottom of the original legs.

We can see from the other windows that the box is much too wide so we are going to make it smaller. If we right click on the top right window and select 'frame selection' we can see the vertices more easily. Click on the 'select' button and select the end vertices on one side of the box.

Then select the 'move button and move the vertices to make the leg thinner until you are happy. If you look at the bottom left window while doing this you can see the shape of the leg from above. Remember to try and keep the mouse line straight before letting go. If you move too far or not enough just move again until happy.

If you go to the groups tab again and select the new box you can then select move on the tool panel and using the bottom left screen as a guide move the leg until satisfied.

You can check from all angles by using your mouse with the bottom right screen.

Now we can make the other legs.
Making sure you have the leg selected go up to edit and then choose duplicate selection.

Using the move tool, move the leg across from the original using the bottom left screen as a guide until it is in the correct position...watch your mouse line!

Repeat this process with the other two legs. You should then end up with something like the following...don't worry about the red lines...I highlighted them so you can see, you should only have the last leg in red.

Check your table from all angles in the preview window (bottom right)
If you are satisfied with the result we can move onto the next step.

Ok!

If you completely happy that everything is in the right place then we can delete the original mesh.
To do this select the 'groups' tag and click on the 'texture' file, remember the name! then click on delete.

You are now left with your new table!

Go up to edit and select all, then in the right hand box with all the file names select 'regroup' this will gather all of your box files into one file.

We need to re-name the file the smae as the original mesh so remembering what it was...hmm....'texture' type into the text box and click 'rename'.

Go up to file and we want to export/wavefront obj

then, save the file as something like 'tableMAP'

Now we are going to minimise Milkshape.

Open up your UV mapper classic and maximise.
Go to file/load model

Locate your file named 'tableMAP' and open. When the little box with data pops up just select ok.
Go up to edit/new uv map/planar

You will get a box pop-up with some details you will need to change.
We are going to select the 'y axis' and 'don't split' and also we are going to change the map size from 1024 to 256 as in this image...then select ok.

Then we are going to go back up to edit/new uv map/box

Another box will pop up and we need to change the size again to 256 and unselect 'spilt front/back then select ok

We can now see the table in map form.
As we only have one solid table we can leave it as is...or if there are more than one part which you will have as your meshing progresses you can move the parts around by going up to edit/select/by group.
As we only have the one part we are not going to do much but with later meshes you can move and enlarge parts by dragging the selected part around.

We are now going to go up to file/save model (just click ok on pop-up box) and save over the file you opened ie. tableMAP.
Then we are going to go back to file and select 'save texture map' in the size box change the sizes to 256 in each box then select ok and save in your folder. You can now close uv mapper.

Maximise milkshape and select file/new. When it says do you want to save say no.
Go to File/import/wavefront obj and open the 'tableMAP'
(sorry for lack of images but I think you get it by now...)
Then we need to select File/Export/wavefront obj and save over the original mesh file as thus...

We can now close Milkshape and move back over to SimPE!

Last edited by Ali on Wed Jul 18, 2007 12:13 am; edited 1 time in total

Oh! Just a note on the map sizes for future reference....you can check out what size map you need when looking at the texture files in simpe...I'll show you where when we import the texture later Wink

In SimPE we are going to import the new mesh.
Click on the import button and it should already come up with the file needed, click open.

Then when the next box comes up we are going to select 'replace'
and then click ok.
This has overwritten the old mesh with your new one and we can see a preview of it in the little window by clicking on the preview button.

Then click on 'commit' and ok.

Go up to Tools/Object tools/ Fix integrity. DO NOT CHANGE ANYTHING IN THIS BOX....EVER! Just hit ok. I'm not sure of when your actually supposed to do this but I tend to do it after any alteration to the file...such as importing meshes and textures

Now, if we scroll down the left hand box to 'texture image and click on it and the texture file on the right (One is the shadow file the other is the texture file, you will see which one in the image underneath)
You can also see on the left hand side the texture size which I mentioned before.

Minimise SimPE and open your paint programme.

I use photoshop but all paint programmes should follow a similar route...I'm not gonna be faffing on with texture, you already know how to do that yourself...just the basic job.

Open the texture map you saved from UVmapper, it is a bmp file.

Then you need to change the file from an indexed file to RGB...this is how in photoshop, you'll have to find it yourself in other programmes.

Now we can texture the image.
You can see how the shape of the table is laid out and I'm not going to waffle on about texturing because if you don't know how to texture you really shouldn't be meshing yet...go and do some recolours first.

Once your happy, flatten the layers, and save as a png file.

We can now go back into milkshape and import the texture.
Right click on the texture image and select 'build DXT' if you pointed SimPE in the right direction earlier you should have no problemo's.

When the box pops-up click on open and find your PNG file you just saved.

Click on build.

You will now see that your texture has been imported over the original.
Right click on the texture and select 'update all sizes' then click on the 'commit' button and then 'ok'

Now we can check out the preview...go back up to 'geometric data container' (where you imported your mesh) and hit preview...if your happy then we can carry onj...if it looks cack then you can go back into your paint programme and alter the texture and repeat the above steps until happy.

Ok...on the upper left box look for 'catalogue description' and click it, then click on the right and you will get the description box. Here you can alter the name and description as it shows up in the games catalogue...once finished click commit (which isn't shown up on mine as I haven't altered it yet)

Hang on my computers making funny 'chuck chuck' noises...better post this before it decides to crash or something...