Help somebody!! I just attempted to make my own mesh using Warlokks poser magnets and Als shoes!! I attempted to lengthen a maxis skirt as well, but now in Bodyshop it is showing this!

Could this have something to do with the UV Map?? I have no idea what I did wrong!

Looks to me that at some point in the process (maybe in doing the magnets), the neck got mis-aligned. I haven't used Warlokk's magnets so I can't say the same has happened to me, but it seems like it wouldn't be too hard to fix... put it back into Milkshape... import a sim face GMDC (open any adult female sim file in SimPE and grab out the GMDC in it, not the LOD version but the normal one), and match up the neck seam. Wes's Vertex Data Merge/Normal Data Merge would help with that.

As for the body looking like that... it's hard to tell if that's uv mapping or just a weird texture. Can you show us a screenshot of your UV map in Milkshape?

Ok, I'm pretty sure I figured it out! I was reading threads about Warlokks Poser magnets and I guess the head being detached from the body is a normal thing and the arms sticking straight out as well! I guess I have to make bone assignments! Same with the shoes! UGH!!! I hope I can figure it out! I think I may go take a looksy at the third tutorial! Maybe that will help! But here is a picture of the UV map, it looks way messed up!! would it be because there is no bone assignments??

I think with Warlokk's poser magnets, you have to use the Meshtool. If you look at the Meshtool tutorial, it explains more about that... basically, instead of editing your OBJ in Milkshape you'd edit it in Poser, and then send it back through Meshtool once the changes are made. Then continue editing that GMDC that the Meshtool gives you in Milkshape. Does look very much like your UV Map got screwed up, but that wouldn't be because of the lack of bone assignments. Not sure what would cause that... does Warlokk maybe have a tutorial somewhere on using his magnets? It might explain a bit more step by step.

HP, yeah, I just got done downloading meshtool! I'll give that a try! I think my uv map got screwed up cuz of the shoes I tried to put on! I think I just got WaYYY over my head! LOL, I'm going to just try and get the Warlokks shape working first, and then maybe I'll try to add the shoes! I have a feeling though, I'm trying to do something far more advanced that I'm not ready for yet!! Do you know of any good tutorials with Al's shoes?? Both tutorials I have found seem very outdated!! I hate maxis shoes so I figure some of Al's cute shoes would look so much better on the mesh I'm working on!

Oh, I forgot to add, themysticalone at insimenator has a great tute on using Warlokks magnets, I just thought I'd be able to get away with importing to milkshape to work on it! I guess I was wrong about that!

ahahah.. That's one for the bloopers collection! :D

Al's shoes are pretty easy to put on once you understand the basics of bone assignments. I know he offers pre-deformed lower legs and feet to match his shoes that you import along with the shoes, and then you need to put the assignments back yourself. Easiest way to do that is to just compare to the assignments on a regular Maxis mesh and match them up row by row and foot by foot to yours. For the really high heels and any sort of platforms, I would skip doing any sort of assignments to the toe bone at all... just do all foot assignments, including the toe. It makes it so the toe doesn't flex when they walk, which is more realistic for that shape of shoe, and gives them this really cute tottery sort of sex kitten walk. Every tutorial on them I've seen has been pretty outdated (as you've noticed) and usually results in not a wonderful result. It might take a little trial and error to get them working right the first time, but I bet as a beginner you'll learn quite a lot in the process. Just make sure to test the animations a lot in-game with stuff like dancing, so you can be sure you don't get any weirdness happening in the ankle region.

Alot went wrong Jess:

Before you export your file out of Milkshape as a obj file you have to export it as a objx file first.
Exporting a objx file will store the skeleton and bonesettings wich you will lose the moment you export it as a obj file.

Then you can export(milkshape) and import your obj file into poser, make sure not to tick any of the boxes when you import.
Apply the magnets, and if desired make also the fatmorph/pregmorph.(seperate)
Export the file(s) as obj again.

Import the file back into milkshape and import the objx file to bring back in the bones and skeleton.
Import the fatmorph and/or pregmorph and rename them properly.
Fix the normals.
Export with unimesh.
Done.


When you have done that correctly and checked in bodyshop then think about attaching the shoes.

Bloom- hehe, thanks for the advice!! I will try that as soon as I try a new mesh or redo the one I'm working on! LOL , before I read your comment I ended up downloading mesh tool and attempting it that way, I'm opening up bodyshop as we speak to see if that got rid of the problem! *keeping fingers crossed* If my small mesh edit of making the skirt longer and using Warlokks magnets tests fine in game, then I think I will attempt to put on Al's Shoes! Wow, talk about a lot of work! LOL I've been at this for a few days straight now!

HP- Thanks for advice!! Do you know where can I read about bone assignments and how to do that in milkshape??

Ok, I officially have a monster!! But the good thing is at least the boobs are showing up and it's arms aren't poking straight out, and well the mesh isn't black, and the skirt part that I wanted to lengthen looks good!! LOL Hmm, do you think I somehow moved the body on accident or something?? the uvmap also looks normal too!

edit: ok, I just realized something when I opened up the first file after exporting from Poser, I noticed the body in milkshape is not lined up as it should be, see the picture below, that blue line that goes through the body is misaligned! How in the world did that happen? And is there an easy way to fix it? I hope!?

It looks like some of the joints were moved. This can happen when the joints are displayed and get selected along with some vertices or faces, and get dragged out of place.

Later versions, and for sure UniMesh V4.09, will not allow joints on body meshes to be moved... because it does not work in the game and is the wrong thing to do. You may well be able to rescue your current work by the skeleton replacement method, where you import a maxis original mesh, delete the body but not the skeleton, import your broken mesh, excluding the skeleton, and then saving your now corrected mesh.

<* Wes *>

no, you moved the body in Poser.
If you import your obj file in poser you can NOT use your mouse IN the window itself to view/move or watever.
You have to use the buttons in the right upper corner to move, zoom and rotate.
Dont touch the body itself with your mouse, you will move it.

Bloom- you were right, somehow I got it all messed up in Poser! So I tried it again and voila! It worked!!! Although, now I have the problem when importing into milkshape it's laying down! Is there an easy way to fix this while still using mesh tool??

i do not use meshtool, i prefer to work with the objx file like i described.
You dont have the issue's with the body laying down then.

Oohhh yay!!! I just imported the latest into bodyshop and it worked!!! Hooray! I finally got it, I just hope I can repeat what I did next time!! Now I just have to test in game, and if that goes well, apply Al's Shoes!!!

Bloom- I'm gonna attempt doing the objx next time I start a mesh! Maybe that way, if I can manage it, will work better for me!

Thank you soooOO much everybody for your help so far!!!

Here's a few screenies of my ALMOST finished product!!

I just wanted to say it's all completed and I tested in game and it seems fine! There are a few minor things that happens when she's walking with the bottom of the skirt but it's hardly noticable! And when she was playing football the ankle went to an extremely weird position, don't know if I messed up on a joint or not?? But, I thought I'd post a final pic! Thank you guys for helping me!!