Sims 3 Object Tutorial

Here is a quick (well not so quick) and hopefully easy tutorial on how to make a custom object for the Sims 3.

This tutorial will not contain information on how to mesh or texture. There are many tutorials that will teach you these steps.

Tools needed:
1. Wes H [S3Model Tool] http://linna.modthesims.info/showthread.php?t=363908

2. Peter Jones [S3OC] http://linna.modthesims.info/showthread.php?t=362413

[S3PE] http://linna.modthesims.info/showthread.php?t=362412

3. Milkshape [http://http://chumbalum.swissquake.ch/] Make sure you have the latest version.

4. And alot of patience.


**Please read each creators notes carefully as to what programs or additional tools are needed. And the settings that are required for each program. I will not be covering this in this tutorial.**

Before I get started I would like to thank both Wes and Peter for their amazing tool and everyone on MTS for their endless help.

Now for the Steps:

1. Open s3oc

2. In the top left hand corner click file then new (clone)

3. Let the thumbnails and objects load. For the progress of the loading check bottom left hand corner.

4. Scroll until you find an object you want to clone. I choose the Country Cushion Dining Chair. Left mouse click on the thumbnail. The Options screen will pop up on the left.

5. Do not uncheck or check anything at this time unless you know what you are doing. The defaults are good for most users. Remember to give your clone a unique name, the default is okay. Click start.

6. Create a working directory if you haven't done so already. Next click Save. You can save it to your working directory or to your mod/package folder.

7. Click Ok. You can close S3OC or just minimize the window we will be using it again.

A. Before you go any further please make a backup copy of this file in case anything goes wrong, you will have a fresh file to start from again.

8. Open S3PE.

9. In the top left hand corner click file then open.

10. Navigate to your working folder or wherever you saved your clone and open the file you saved in step 7.

11. There are four files that we are interested in. One model file and three lod files. To help you find them look at the second column that says tag and look for the the extensions MODL and MLOD.

12. We are going to export each of these four files. One at a time. To export go to File at the top left hand corner and click export. Make sure these are going into your working folder. Repeat until all four files have been exported. On a side note it has always helped me to put each of these files in a separate folder that way I can elimnate confusion.

13. Okay now we are moving on to the Milkshape plugins by Wes. Extract them both to their own folders.

A. Okay now open the ObjMSPlugins folder and select both .dll files.

B. Now Navigate to where you installed milkshape. Usually C:\Programs Files\Milkshape and either copy and paste the .dlls or just move them to this directory. Your are now finished with this folder you can delete it or save it if you wish. Make sure you read Wes's text in there.

C. Now open the S3ObjTool folder do not move or delete anything from this folder. Once again it will do you much good to read Wes's text files that are provided. Now double click on the S3ObjTool.exe to open the program.

D. It will bring up the window pictured below.

14. Now we have to run each of our four files fro steps 11 and 12 through the program. To do so we are going to left click modl/mlod button and navigate to our working directory.

A.First we are going to load the lod1 this is the most important one and the model of the highest quality. So we are going to select the lod 1 file to know which one it is you can look at the numbers The second set of numbers tell you which lod it is, this one is all 0s so we know it is our lod1. next we are going to hit open.

B. You should get a screen like the one below. Next we are going to hit decompile.

C. Once again back to directory and the lod1 folder and again select your lod file and hit open.

D. After decompiling you should have a bunch of files in your lod 1 folder.

E. Do step 14 a-d for the other two lod files and the model file.

15. After that is done open up milkshape and import the .s3asc for lod1. To import them go to the top left hand corner click file then import go all the way until you see Wes plugin called Sims3 Object import V1.00. Now import your first .s3asc file and edit until you are happy. If you are only modify a mesh and not converting one go to step 16. If you are converting a mesh keep reading.

****If using a file that you are converting, make sure you pay attention to the TS3 object. See how many groups it has and it what order they are. You object must have the same amount of groups and must be in the same order as the original. For example our chair has two groups and the chair is the first group while the shadow is the second. Your object must follow the same pattern: two groups with the object being the first group while the shadow is the second. Use the up and down button if you need to get them in the right order.

Next click the joints tab at the top right hand corner and see if any bones are assigned to the original mesh. This is one as you can see see we are going to click on the joint that we want to assign to our object. Next click unassigned. This will show you which groups are unassigned to your bone. Next with the group highlighted we are going to hit assign. It is not necessary to assign the shadow to a bone.

End of custom object editing***** Continue to step 16.

16. When you are finish editing use the Sims3 Object import V1.00.

Make sure to do this for each file.

When you are finish editing use the sims 3 object export click on your lod file and hit save.

17. Repeat steps 15-16 for the other three files. Some important notes here are that the other files shall not be as high poly as lod 1. This is a rule of thumb I follow if anyone else has insight on this please feel free to correct me.

A. Lod 2 should be around 750 polys or lower. Sunshadow fo Lod1.

B. Lod 3 not bigger than 250 polys. Sunshadow for your Mode file.

C. Model should be half of Lod1. This is a lower detail version of Lod 1 file.

To achieve this in milkshape select your object and go to tools and select directx mesh tools and slide the bar until you get close to these numbers, then hit save.

Now go to the joints tab again, you will notice that your bone assignment is now gone. Don't panic. Just reimport your lod 1 object or one the other three files. Now once again click unassigned and then assign. Now delete the object you just imported and your shadow file. The other three files will only have one group and the shadow is not needed. Now export your object and continue until all files have been edited.

18. I will not be covering texture mapping or the editing of the image files. There are plenty of tutorial for this already. When you are finishing editing and texturing your objects we will import them back into S3PE.

19. To reimport them back into S3PE we have to go back to Wes's Program.

20. Once again click the mlod/modl button and navigate to your lod1 file and select it then press open.

21. Now you are going to recompile your file.

22. Repeat step 21 for your other three files.

23. No getting them back into S3PE. Reopen S3PE if it isn't already. Now we are going to replace the old lod and mod files with the edited ones. To do this click on file then import and replace the original file with your edited one. One you import your file you will get a pop up window. See pic below. Do not change anything just click ok. Do this for each of the four files.

A. If you have created custom textures then you want to edit your texture files in this package. I will not be explaining how to do this. It's pretty simple you would just export each img file, edit them and then import them back the same way as the lod and modl files.

24. Save (do not forgot to save).

25. Now go back to S3OC and go to file then open(fix). You will be opening your file that you saved in step 7.

26. Click on your objects name in the left hand panel. Now we are going to edit the details of our package. We are going to edit the catalog name and description. Next we are going to edit the price if you like. Make sure the copy to English button is checked. Next click start.

27. Click OK.

28. Import your file into your game.

29. Test it out in the game. See if has any major issues.

30. If there are any issues then retrace your steps and remember you always have that clean package I told you to save right.

Enjoy your object and remember noone gets everything right on there first try. I will be more than happy to answer any questions to include any steps I missed or to change any mistakes that I have made. Just email or pm me at MTS. Good luck.