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Scholar
Original Poster
#1 Old 1st Aug 2009 at 2:39 PM
Default Importing Sims 3 objects to Maya
First, I have no idea if this is the correct forum for this question. If not, please feel free to move it.

I was hoping someone could tell me how I might be able to import Sims 3 objects into Maya with the goal of generally messing around with them.

Yes, I am a (very) beginner user of Maya. I am grateful for any help (pointing me in the right direction?). Thanks

Creator of the Sparkly Things
In Soviet Russia, the Sims mod you!

ZOMG Patterns! ZOMG! Patterns! the Group!
Awesomeness: When I get sad, I stop being sad and am simply awesome again. True story.
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Field Researcher
#2 Old 1st Aug 2009 at 3:04 PM
I'm pretty sure Maya takes .obj, so try using the Milkshape trial version to import the .mcfg files into Milkshape and then export them as a .obj or something like that until someone makes a Maya plugin.
Alchemist
#3 Old 1st Aug 2009 at 9:07 PM
"Bridging" through MilkShape should work well, although bone assignments will not transfer, and may need updating in MilkShape. Fortunately, most object meshes have very simple assignments.

As I remember, the OBJ plugins are not loaded by default in Maya. You need to use the Plugin Manager to load them and make them autoload. I think it is located on the Window/Settings menu.

<* Wes *>

If you like to say what you think, be sure you know which to do first.
Scholar
Original Poster
#4 Old 1st Aug 2009 at 11:27 PM
Thanks, guys! I already have the OBJ plugins autoloaded, that was the first thing I did after installing. Well, after making a very weird koosh ball type thing that moved with a mind of its own.

I'll give the "bridging" idea a shot.

Creator of the Sparkly Things
In Soviet Russia, the Sims mod you!

ZOMG Patterns! ZOMG! Patterns! the Group!
Awesomeness: When I get sad, I stop being sad and am simply awesome again. True story.
Lab Assistant
#5 Old 1st Aug 2009 at 11:36 PM Last edited by RandomNoir : 2nd Aug 2009 at 12:46 AM.
I've just tested this myself as well and importing them into Maya was no problem:



Textures on the model look fine so you can get a better sense when modeling however I have no expierence with Milkshape I was able to import a modified mesh into milkshape from Maya and it looked fine I just don't know how to do anything from HPs tutorial not because it's confusing just because well I don't know milkshape

So I haven't tested out a Maya imported mesh into Milkshape into TS3 maybe you can though and let us know if it works! That would be amazing.


-edit-
Played around with the mesh and was able to make something decent sorta.. kinda maybe I'll try now this milkshape buisness and smack it around till it works and see if I can get it into the game



-edit part two-
This is how the mesh looks imported in Milkshape
Test Subject
#6 Old 3rd Aug 2009 at 10:19 PM
I know that 3ds max has a obj importer and exporter as well, should this also work in max. Because I tried to do bridging with milkshape put in a obj file than imported in max worked fine, did my meshing put it back via obj in milkshape. Put my package together put it in the mods file and than tested it in game, then my game closes to windows. I know that meshing/modding is still in the infantshoes but do I do something wrong in my steps or is it just not doable yet??? Someone if you can please help me because I don't understand milkshape and I'm familiar with max.

greetings
Alchemist
#7 Old 3rd Aug 2009 at 10:47 PM
OK, now the title of the thread is "Sims 3 objects". The screenshots are Sims 3 body meshes. These are two vastly different things.

Obj format is simply inadequate for body meshes. While you can transfer the visible shape with the UV (texture) mapping that way, all of the information related to the joint assignments and weighting, VertexIDs and for hair the TagVal are all lost. All of this information was in the body meshes for a reason, and unless you are prepared to remake it all, your project will not work.

Object meshes (wall, rugs, sofas and whatever) have the same limitations, but their joint structure is so much simpler that reassigning the joints may take mere seconds, as some objects have only a single root joint that everything is assigned to.

So for right now there is no simple solution. Perhaps Morgade's blender plugin may work, as his does try to retrieve some of the data from the original file when creating the output. But that one is a GEOM (body mesh) plugin. The objects are MODL format, and it is quite different from the GEOM one.

<* Wes *>

If you like to say what you think, be sure you know which to do first.
Test Subject
#8 Old 4th Aug 2009 at 9:23 AM
Thnx for you reply Wes and for your explanation. So it does work for objects but not for body meshes; that's probably the reason why it doesn't work I didn't do all the necessary things to make it work again.

So there's only one thing left to do; learning Milkshape.

Thanks again greetings
Alchemist
#9 Old 4th Aug 2009 at 3:47 PM
Well, having said that, I may release some maya plugins, if I ever get caught up around here. Maya is very version sensitive, the plugins have to be compiled for the specific Maya version (and I don't have all of them).

Which version are you using?

If you like to say what you think, be sure you know which to do first.
Scholar
Original Poster
#10 Old 4th Aug 2009 at 4:03 PM
Sorry, I kinda got distracted with pattern making.

I have the most recent, Maya Unlimited 2009.

I haven't had much luck getting actual objects to import. I exported the banana leaf plant and tried to import it into maya and got a cannot read file error.

Creator of the Sparkly Things
In Soviet Russia, the Sims mod you!

ZOMG Patterns! ZOMG! Patterns! the Group!
Awesomeness: When I get sad, I stop being sad and am simply awesome again. True story.
Lab Assistant
#11 Old 4th Aug 2009 at 4:49 PM
Quote: Originally posted by WesHowe
OK, now the title of the thread is "Sims 3 objects". The screenshots are Sims 3 body meshes. These are two vastly different things.

Obj format is simply inadequate for body meshes. While you can transfer the visible shape with the UV (texture) mapping that way, all of the information related to the joint assignments and weighting, VertexIDs and for hair the TagVal are all lost. All of this information was in the body meshes for a reason, and unless you are prepared to remake it all, your project will not work.

Object meshes (wall, rugs, sofas and whatever) have the same limitations, but their joint structure is so much simpler that reassigning the joints may take mere seconds, as some objects have only a single root joint that everything is assigned to.

So for right now there is no simple solution. Perhaps Morgade's blender plugin may work, as his does try to retrieve some of the data from the original file when creating the output. But that one is a GEOM (body mesh) plugin. The objects are MODL format, and it is quite different from the GEOM one.

<* Wes *>


Ooh ok I see no wonder I was running into that error and oops I thought the thread "object" meant as in ".obj"

I've never done meshing so I was really just testing it out but thanks for the heads up Wes.

I'm glad I can do this now though since I won't have to boot up my game now to see if seams match on the clothing, now I can just update it in Maya ^^
Alchemist
#12 Old 4th Aug 2009 at 6:02 PM
I see how the "object" came to be misinterpreted.

I agree that Maya has far more capabilities and tools to make better meshes easier and faster. It is also considerably more difficult to write plugins for, and the entry price is too high for the average game modder.

<* Wes *>

If you like to say what you think, be sure you know which to do first.
Test Subject
#13 Old 13th Sep 2010 at 4:15 PM
Quote: Originally posted by Gangreless
Sorry, I kinda got distracted with pattern making.

I have the most recent, Maya Unlimited 2009.

I haven't had much luck getting actual objects to import. I exported the banana leaf plant and tried to import it into maya and got a cannot read file error.


Maya Plugin support is hard i know, but obj export in TSR for all Autodesk apps like 3D Studio and Alias Desiner and Motion Builder would be great.

Maya 2011 x64 is the version i have been using with Sims2 and the SimPE import and export tool. Obj is good enough for me.
Alchemist
#14 Old 13th Sep 2010 at 7:08 PM
So far as I know, TSR's workshop has always had a .obj import/export format, even in the earliest pre-pre-beta versions. However, you'll have to ask them any detailed questions about using it.

If you like to say what you think, be sure you know which to do first.
One horse disagreer of the Apocalypse
#15 Old 13th Sep 2010 at 7:15 PM
It did have, but they disabled it as it was causing problems.

"You can do refraction by raymarching through the depth buffer" (c. Reddeyfish 2017)
Alchemist
#16 Old 13th Sep 2010 at 9:43 PM
I guess that's one way to solve the problem...snicker. :P
Alchemist
#17 Old 13th Sep 2010 at 10:10 PM
Did Echo put .obj support into Postal? I thought it was in there, at least for GEOMs, once upon a time.

If you like to say what you think, be sure you know which to do first.
Alchemist
#18 Old 13th Sep 2010 at 10:17 PM
"Postal extracts .obj files from the geom to enable users to modify the mesh."

http://www.saraproft.net/blog/?p=2029
Theorist
#19 Old 18th Sep 2010 at 2:32 PM
Quote: Originally posted by WesHowe
OK, now the title of the thread is "Sims 3 objects". The screenshots are Sims 3 body meshes. These are two vastly different things.

Obj format is simply inadequate for body meshes. While you can transfer the visible shape with the UV (texture) mapping that way, all of the information related to the joint assignments and weighting, VertexIDs and for hair the TagVal are all lost. All of this information was in the body meshes for a reason, and unless you are prepared to remake it all, your project will not work.

Object meshes (wall, rugs, sofas and whatever) have the same limitations, but their joint structure is so much simpler that reassigning the joints may take mere seconds, as some objects have only a single root joint that everything is assigned to.

So for right now there is no simple solution. Perhaps Morgade's blender plugin may work, as his does try to retrieve some of the data from the original file when creating the output. But that one is a GEOM (body mesh) plugin. The objects are MODL format, and it is quite different from the GEOM one.

<* Wes *>


I don't understand why it wouldn't work, all you would have to do would be to import a base mesh and work from a slightly modified version of HP's hair tutorial skipping the parts like making an underside.

Hi I'm Paul!
Alchemist
#20 Old 18th Sep 2010 at 6:57 PM
Quote: Originally posted by Robodl95
I don't understand why it wouldn't work


.obj format has no joints or skin weights, just vertices, normals, UVs, faces and a link to a material file. Without skin weighting and joints, your beautiful mesh creation will sit as motionless as a pancake on a bunny's head.

<* Wes *>

If you like to say what you think, be sure you know which to do first.
Theorist
#21 Old 19th Sep 2010 at 3:36 AM
When you export from S2PE to convert hairs to TS3 they are in .obj also, you would just import a base mesh to get the comments + assign bones, basically the same things you do when you're converting.

Hi I'm Paul!
Lab Assistant
#22 Old 19th Sep 2010 at 10:41 AM
The option to export/import CAS meshes as .obj was token out of TSRW because it only allowed for moving vertices around. However the demand for importing .obj directly into TSRW is very high and for a while some development has gone into an .obj import for both CAS and object meshes. Basically a "skip Milkshape" feature with assigning joints inside the program. How it really works I don't know yet.

Minisite

TSR Workshop
A Custom Content Tool for The Sims 3
˙uʍop ǝpᴉsdn ǝɹ,noʎ 'oN
#23 Old 19th Sep 2010 at 3:58 PM
Quote: Originally posted by Robodl95
When you export from S2PE to convert hairs to TS3 they are in .obj also, you would just import a base mesh to get the comments + assign bones, basically the same things you do when you're converting.


I've exported an .obj out of Blender and it worked using this process. I had also assumed that if that's how you do it for hairs, then it should work for other things (so I used HP's hair tut). The Blender .geom script only allows tweaks, no adding or removing, so I didn't use it.

"Part of being a mesher is being persistent through your own confusedness" - HystericalParoxysm
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Test Subject
#24 Old 1st Oct 2010 at 9:13 AM
good discussion.
Test Subject
#25 Old 3rd Jan 2012 at 7:38 AM
sorry, may I ask?
is this a tutorial to import body sims 3 to milkshape? if i'ts not, may you help me?
I want to make simple hair but i don't know how to import body like this sorry, may I ask?
is this a tutorial to import body sims 3 to milkshape?
I want to make simple hair but i don't know how to import body like this http://img15.imageshack.us/img15/7586/77862697.jpg
does I need CTU or what?
thankyou before :D
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