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Criminal Mastermind
retired moderator
Original Poster
#1 Old 4th Jun 2009 at 2:43 AM
Default Looking To Mod Sims 3
As the title stated, I am looking for information on getting started with modding Sims 3. I looked at various programs listed at Inge and Peter's Sims 3 site focusing on the development of tools, libraries and whatnot. I looked here for information about getting started to no avail.

I would appreciate finding out how to get started. There is one idea I'm toying with, and much to my frustration, the information on these sites are different and confusing. Recommendations on which tools can be used to get the files to be readable and editable would help too.

Many thanks in advance!
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Warrior Gryphon
site owner
#2 Old 4th Jun 2009 at 2:51 AM
Considering the game has only been out less than 2 days... you're going to be hard pressed to find the wealth of information that we have for TS2 but for TS3 instead.

It's hard to know what information you are looking for when you really haven't asked much.

Story books are full of fairy tales, of Kings and Queens, and the bluest skies.
Criminal Mastermind
retired moderator
Original Poster
#3 Old 4th Jun 2009 at 3:12 AM
Okay, what I needed to know:

Programs:

Which programs are used to create mods for Sims 3?

I have seen a trickle of new mods out already for Sims 3 such as a censor blur removal mod, a couple done by HP and a few from others like Rick.

Which additional programs are used to unpack the objects file(s) from Sims 3?

I noticed at least 3 tools out to unpack the Sims 3 files downloaded from the TS3 store and the Exchange.

Which files contain (if you will in Sims 2 terms) BHAVs and BCONs to edit?

Rick and Carrigon has a few mods modifying the rate at which the Sims write and the amount earned from royalties. I am assuming they located at least some form of BCON to edit.

What are the methods to use to edit?

I read on one site that the scripts or (if you will) BCONs/BHAVs are in .xml or in .lua. I am not sure if the information is true or not.


These are the basic questions I have in mind to look for information to get started on modding Sims 3.

Oh, how are they doing the mods? That's the gist.

Thanks again for the response and help.
Shaken, Not Stirred
#4 Old 4th Jun 2009 at 4:34 AM
You'll need a hex editor, notepad, and one of the package readers like Peters one

You open a package with the package reader, look around for hex data that seems vaguely similar to what you want, and start messing around editing it in a hex editor.

There is no object exporter publicly available yet for Object models. (For sim models there is, see weshowe's site) All mods must be made at the moment by decoding the binary structure of the object files, and then editing them in hex. Hopefully that will change in the not too distant future.

Basically its at the extremely hard, and you'll need to know a lot to edit anything stage.

BHAV equivalent is C# code here. You will need to learn MSIL and C# programming language to be able to do behaviour, and they are stored in script.package, and gameplay.package, and simcore.package

BCON does not exist, although some is in the C#, and the rest are in Tuning/Interaction xmls in the Gameplaydata.package... You'll have to extract those, edit them in notepad, and reimport again into a new file.
Criminal Mastermind
retired moderator
Original Poster
#5 Old 4th Jun 2009 at 4:57 AM
Okay, thank you so much for the info. When you mentioned extraction, which program would you suggest that will do the job to extract the xmls.

Isn't there a program already to re-package them?

I am basically looking for BCON-equivalent stuff to tweak, and that sounded like a good place to start and learn the basics of Sims 3 modding.

Yeah, I got the bookmark to the MSIL site to learn about it. Any C# programming language sites do you suggest for learning? Not that I am not familiar with the current programming languages, but I can grasp the basic functions.

Thanks. That's a big help.
Mad Poster
#6 Old 4th Jun 2009 at 5:33 AM
remember this game JUST came out and that when the sims 2 came out we didn't see a mod until a month after it's release. i am glad though that you're looking into modding the game! you and squinge make good stuff.
Test Subject
#7 Old 4th Jun 2009 at 7:38 AM
Raw beta level mesh related tools available here:
http://www.customsims3.com/forum1/s3t/dnldtools.htm
Test Subject
#8 Old 5th Jun 2009 at 3:00 PM
Woah, they used an actual scripting engine this time? I am so going to mod sims 3 if it's in C# (Is a C++/C# coder).

*Cracks knuckles* Time to get busy!
Shaken, Not Stirred
#9 Old 5th Jun 2009 at 7:18 PM
The script is very moddable, and all C#. You'll have to edit existing scripts in MSIL though unless you want to deal with a frigging ton of errors trying to recompile code to dll's

Closest BCON equivalents would be the xml tuning files, although they're basically large xml's...

But either way: http://www.simlogical.com/Sims3Tool...x.php?board=6.0

Use that program to extract files. I mentioned where the xml's were earlier.
Test Subject
#10 Old 5th Jun 2009 at 8:32 PM
The library/front-end you linked doesn't do much but throw me lovely exceptions for not recognizing resources. Anywhere that has the actual package file format documented? I'd rather put out my own toolsets for doing things in C++.
Shaken, Not Stirred
#11 Old 5th Jun 2009 at 11:20 PM
Sure. Program away. New viewers are always good.

http://www.sims2wiki.info/wiki.php?title=Sims_3:DBPF

File compression is all refpack

Script is Signed Assembly, so that has to be removed to get it working.
Criminal Mastermind
retired moderator
Original Poster
#12 Old 6th Jun 2009 at 10:57 AM
Thanks guys for sharing information about modding Sims 3. I have one mod in testing already after cracking the files open and poking around in them.

One thing to keep in mind for those of you new to Sims 3 modding:

1. Copy the working files and paste them to another place such as a folder on the desktop. Then those files will become your working files without messing with the actual files within the game folders and not screwing up royally.

That's just from experience messing with Sims 2. Same idea - make copies and use those copies to work with.

2. Never use WordPad to edit files. The program contains special formatting rules that most games will not recognize and can cause issues. Use NotePad for straightforward editing.

That's it!
Test Subject
#13 Old 6th Jun 2009 at 11:35 AM
I found the format earlier based on some guys spore project. I found decompression code too, but knowing it's refpack now lead me to more options for compression too Once I stick in compress I should be done with my package tool. Although all the "Unknowns" in the header don't make me happy, but that's the life of modding.
Alchemist
#14 Old 6th Jun 2009 at 2:22 PM
Some of the unknowns are releated to the 'hole' index list. When the game deletes an item, instead of repacking the whole file, the index itself is deleted and the unused data block is added to the holes list.

The way we have been using files to date, merely recreating them, results in a fully packed file, and an empty hole list. Now that the game is out, expect to see some more research that will document where the hole list offsets are at.
Test Subject
#15 Old 6th Jun 2009 at 2:32 PM
What is an s3sa file anyway? I'm pretty sure my decompression is working correctly because it spits out the compressed xml files correctly.
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