I have a problem with the mesh. I've made this nightstand and all seemed to be fine in SimPE, so I started the game. The picture shows what I got - one drawer and the knobs are grey while the rest of the object has the right colour (as you can see the same problem with the desk). I imported the mesh from SimPE and it also looked weird in Milkshape, though it wasn't when I finished doing the mesh and exported it as a .obj. Unfortunately I've lost the original ms3d file, and only the regrouped .obj from SimPE is availabe. Please don't tell me I have to redo the mesh...

OK, I did a couple of things.

First, when I imported in MS, I got the same issues you did. I applied the AlignNormals plugin and that helped: http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=139859

Second, your Object GUID did not match in the MatOverride file. You need to remember to click on Update MATs and then fix integrity and save.

I think this did it. Try it out and see.

Hmm... the top drawer and the knobs are still grey (or was I supposed to do it myself? ).. but at least the .obj file after align normal looks like one piece, so I can try and do this object again. Also I'll remember to update and fix integrity from now on

Thanks for your help

Huh. No, the package file I uploaded was the one that I took a screenshot of.

I have checked the "aligned" object in game it's not grey anymore, but it looks yucky, somehow reflective (it's 0, so that's my imagination). Is there anyway to prevent this happening?

The screenshot is not really high resolution, but then there are limits on file attachment size. However, it looks like it needs smoothing.

The smooth all command makes objects have rounded corners, but you can try that on a copy and see if it fixes the inconsistent look. I suspect it will.

You can create different smoothing groups for each flat surface, and make sure those edges are not welded. With smoothing groups, the normals at the edges are not averaged, so smooth all works like it should (recreating the normals without averaging the edges).

<* Wes *>

Thank you for this suggestion, though I don't know yet exactly how the smoothing groups work, I shall try

I have used the smooth all for the drawer (the smoothing group - used as shown in the Milkshape help - seemed to have no visible effect). What I got still has that tiny strange shading, but I guess I could live with that

I'd like know what can one do to have a mesh without this shading. Is it just the Milkshape's fault? If I use another to make a 3D objects wouldn't that happen? Also it's been the first time for me to see such thing - I've made 3 objects before and haven't encounterd that kind of problem.

Well, with the exception of the areas you outlined, the overall appearance, as I see it, is vastly improved. The fronts of the drrawers are a consistent shade, as is the top.

I do not know why those corners are not properly shaded. I downloaded and checked the previous post before my prior comment, and I did not notice that shading issue. Perhaps you are using Autosmooth (checked on)? That has been a source of problems for some users.

Except for face reversals, improper shading is caused by inconsistencies in the normals. The trouble is, you can pretty much only control those in MilkShape by using smooth all, as modified by smoothing groups. The Align Normals and Normal Data Merge plugins, and the extended manual editor plugins all correct some normals issues, but mostly stuff people are doing on body meshes, where there is a lot more slicing and dicing of parts.

<* Wes *>

Doesn't reflectivity need to be set at 1 to completely get rid of it?

I've set it to 1 and 0 and in both cases the result is the same as on my last screenshot, I think it has to be something within the Milkshape program.

Also I have the "Auto Smooth" option unchecked.

This is an example: I make a box - it's grey, you can easily tell the faces apart, and it won't cause the problem I have in game. While the black figure is an extruded plane - it's black and the faces are not to be distinguished. When I use the "align normals" or the "smooth all" on this extruded plane the effect is the same and it's this problematic shading.

So the question is: why is this happening or what should I do to prevent this?