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Test Subject
Original Poster
#1 Old 10th Aug 2006 at 4:55 AM Last edited by Echo : 11th Sep 2008 at 12:34 PM.
Default Creation of simple object using Maya 7
I recently have learned to create objects: after wrestling some months, at last, I could substitute object in GMDC and make its visible in game. Besides I am not practical very much and delve into every detail: I try to make my objects well looked and traced in details, therefore I can have 3000 ranges in an armchair, but if there are too much ranges in the object, it loads difficult in the game. Here after all searches I have made bold to create this tutorial and I try to make it as far as possible easier and more accessible to development. Therefore I have a favour to ask of those, who dislikes this tutorial don’t throw in me rotten tomatoes as I still have not enough experience . I have found very few advice and any tutorials using Maya, because I decided to share with those not against, with small knowledge that I got by trial and error.

Creation of simple object using Maya 7.

You’ll need: SimPE 0.58 (this version have some automated functions of old versions, and I advise to get that version SimPE which I use, in order to prevent mistakes),
Maya, it is desirable, Maya 7,
UVMapper,
and any graphic program (on your taste).

I used in work: SimPE 0.58,
Maya 7,
Macromedia Fireworks 8 ( graphic program).

Step 1.

1) Create a working folder for the object. Name it Tutorial Sofa. In this folder create three more folders: Maxis, Mesh, GMDC. During all tutorial I’ll work with these three folders.
2) Open SimPE. Go to Tools> Object Creation> Object Workshop or press button Object Workshop on the panels below. Click Start.


3) Wait while the program loads. Then find Seating> Sofas and choose a sofa which is shown in the picture.


4) Further press Next. In the pulldown menu choose Clone. Check and uncheck boxes in boxes as illustrated in the picture. I don’t say it is the most ideal variant of cloning, but it’s OK with me. Click Next.


5) If you have the same version SimPE, as well as I have, you will have a window where you can fix the price and give object a name. I’ll fix the price 500 and name Wand-Wunder Sofa. You also can object give a description if you want. Then press Finish.

6) Then window “Scenegraph rename Wizard” opens. Type there the name, (I type tutorialsofa) click Update, then OK.


7) Then save your object to the working folder which creating at the beginning of tutorial, and name it YourNik_FileName_Date. I named object MausGrosser_TutorialSofa_030806.

8) Then go to tab Plugin. In window Resourse Tree choose Geometric Data Container (GMDC). Then in the right window choose Geometric Data Container.

9) Look downwards. Below you’ll see in a tab cGeometryDataContainer window Model. Check (if it is not checked yet) files, as illustrated in the picture. Check in Order position XYZ. If you’ll leave XZY your object will lay on a back in game. Click Export. Save the exported object in folder Maxis Sofa. You can keep the same name.

10) Then click in the right window with the right button on Geometric Data Container and press Extract. Save a file in folder GMDC.

We do so for having a backup GMDC if you want to return back. For this you can click on Geometric Data Container with the right button and press Replace. Choose from a folder backup GMDC and press Open. When the program ask, whether you are sure, click Yes. Then click Commit and File> Save.

But we don’t need in changing GMDC, therefore we close SimPE and go to a next step.

Step 2.

11) Open Maya 7. Click File> Import. Open object that we exported in the ninth step. If you don’t see the object in a working folder simply change type of the file to obj.


12) After you imported a sofa, you should define how you'll be more comfortable to work. You can click on the button on the left panel (as illustrated in the picture) then you’ll have 4 windows:


or you’ll work (as well as I) using a compass in the right top corner. By clicking on each of rods the window will rotate in accordance with their position: green – y, dark blue - z, red - x.


If you don’t have compass you can open it, by clicking on the panel above a view window. Press View> Camera Settings> View Compass.


Also we need a window Outliner. If you choose four windows, press Window> Outliner. If you choose a compass you can click button Persp/Otliner on the left panel.


Now to know quantity of ranges in object you should click Display> Heads Up Display> Poly Count. In the left top corner there will be a counter which will help you in your work. In general the number of ranges of SimPE differs from quantity of ranges of Maya a little, but it is not terrible. The main thing is that you approximately knew number of ranges of the object, and small differences are not important.


The leftmost column shows quantity of ranges (vertexes, edges, etc.) all visible objects. The average column shows quantity of ranges (, etc.) selected objects. The right column shows quantity of the visible selected parts of object (for example, some sides or vertexes of any object). One small advice: you'll be more comfortable to work by using combinations of buttons of the mouse with key Alt.
13) We have opened a sofa as which we shall create our own. For the beginning we should make this sofa nonselecteable that it doesn’t hinder you from your work with object. Click on button Create a new layer on the bottom right panel.


Then choose object. There are two ways to do it: choose it by clicking on it or choose it in Outliner. Then, with selected object, click the right button on created layer1 and press Add Selected Objects.


Now you may deselect object. If you wish to rename layer 1 and set it personal color simply click the left button two times at this level and made all necessary changes then click Save.


Now we should make our object nonselectable. For this purpose we click in the second window at the left on our created level.


And now press figure 5 on the keyboard and you will see a skeleton of a sofa which became grey.

Click once again in the second window at the left and you will see, that the sofa became volumetric, but neither in the first nor in the second case it cannot be chosen.

Click once again in the same window and your sofa will be selectable and becomes a volumetric figure.

We need the sofa was not selectable and wireframe to see our object, therefore click in a window while you’ll have there letter T.
14) Now, when we finished prepare a workplace, we start to do our own sofa. Choose Modeling in the top pulldown menu.


Then press Create> Polygon Primitives> Cube.

Or press button Polygon Cube on the top panel in Polygons tab.


15) Go to mode Top. Then press 4 on the keyboard. Choose on left panel Scale Tool.


Stretch and reduce the created cube with proportions Scale X=1.726, Scale Y=0.672, Scale Z=0.06 using dark blue, red and green cubes. But I think that it will be easier to you to enter these sizes into the right window.


Then move a rectangular using Move Tool (the button is on the left panel above tools Scale Tool and Rotate Tool), or typing coordinates: Translate X = 0.496, Translate Y=0.002, Translate Z=0.253. Now I shall suggest you save a file because my Maya likes “to take off” when I press Bevel. I save my file in a working folder and name it Tutorial Sofa.
16) Select a rectangular which we created. Press on square located near to Edit Polygons> Bevel.


You’ll have a window Polygon Bevel Options. Enter value 0.7000 into window Offset Distance, and in window Segments type value 3. The more value is in window Segments, the more smooth corner you have. And you can set an angle of smoothing using window Offset Distance. Press Bevel.


17) Create other cube and enter values Scale X=0.553, Scale Y=0.702, Scale Z=0.172. Also move a figure to following values: Translate X =-0.064, Translate Y=0.017, Translate Z=0.363.

Then set Offset Distance on 0.2766 in window Polygon Bevel Options. Click Bevel.


18) Select a figure which we have created last. I have it named pCube2. Press Edit> Duplicate. You had a copy pCube2. We shall work now with it.

Select pCube3 and set Rotate X=103. You can turn round object using Rotate Tool which you’ll find on the same panel where are Move Tool and Scale Tool. Move object so that its coordinates became equal: Translate Y =-0.318, Translate Z=0.62.

19) Now we have one third of the back and seat. We need to unite them. We select pCube2 then press and hold pressed Shift. Now we click on pCube3. If you made all correctly you have two selected figures. You can select these figures another way. Click and hold pressed the left button of the mouse and stretch a rectangular round the necessary part of object. Then we press Polygons> Combine. Now instead of two objects we have one. If you’ll need to divide these objects choose Polygons> Separate.


20) As I spoke, we have one third of the sofa, and we want to have the whole sofa, therefore select this third which named polySurface1 and press Modify> Center Pivot. This function moves a point of support to the center of a figure. After such functions as Combine, all kinds of Boolean functions, etc. the point of support of object moves to the origin of coordinates. If you’ll choose Scale Tool or any other tool you’ll see, that all arrows, cubes start with one point. Also this point is a point of support. I place it in the center for more friendly work. This is better, than to move object which central point is beyond the sight.


Now press Edit> Duplicate. Move a copy of object on distance x=0.55. As you already notice, after you combined the seat and the back of a sofa the setting have disappeared all in the right panel. It is the result of the central point of object moved to the origin of coordinates or took default state. Now select polySurfase2, clone it, and move polySurfase3 on much the same distance, as polySurfase2. You should have much the same:


Now we unite the top part of our sofa. We choose all three polySurfase and press Polygons> Combine. We rename this part of the sofa. You can make it two ways. In window Outliner click two times with the left button of the mouse on polySurfase4 and enter new name Top.


Or click two times on polySurfase4 which is down right at the beginning of panel Channels, and enter new name Top.


Now rename pCube1 on Bottom. Hide level MaxisSofa. For this purpose press letter V in the first left box.


Go to mode Front. Part Top is a little shifted from the center of part Bottom, therefore we move the top part of the sofa so it places down directly in the center of the base (part Bottom). Select Top and choose Move Tool.

As you can see, after we grouped three parts the point of support has moved to the origin of coordinates. Therefore press Modify> Center Pivot. Then move Top a little to the right until it appears in the middle of part Bottom.


21) Select parts Top and Bottom. Press Polygons> Combine. Rename this new part of a sofa. Give it name Sofa. Then press Modify> Center Pivot.
22) So we made a body of a sofa. It remained only to made legs and pillows. Press on small box near Create> Polygon Primitives> Cube.


You have window Polygon Cube Options. Enter value 4 into lines Subdivisions Along Width and Subdivisions Along Height. Press Create.


You should have a cube, demarcated by a grid from the several parties. And now we transform it into a pillow.

Rename a cube in Cushion and move it somewhere aside. So we have more comfortable to work. Reduce a cube on axis Z on about 0.288. Go to window Front. Press button F9 on the keyboard. The grid should become blue and pink points appear. And now we move them.


23) Select the topper of points, dragging around of them a rectangular; you must have 10 selected points.


Then, keeping pressed Shift, select 10 bottom points.


Now, pressing Shift, select lateral points, dragging around of them a rectangular. You should have much the same.


Now after selecting all necessary points, take Scale Tool. Go to window Top, with selected points. Click on dark blue box and reduce distance between points on about -0.006.


Go to window Perspective. Press button F8 on the keyboard. Your pillow should look much the same so:



24) But the figure is slightly hard for a pillow, therefore go to projection Front and select 16 points as illustrated in a picture. Simply outline round their framework, keeping pressed key Shift.


Now go to window Top. Take Scale Tool and reduce distance between points on 0.706 on axis Z.


25) Our pillow is almost ready. Press F8 on the keyboard. Perform the operation Center Pivot. Go to window Front. Take Scale Tool. Stretch a pillow on about 1.666 on axis X.


26) And nevertheless it is not a pillow yet. We again should move points. Press F9. Select points, as illustrated in the picture.


Take Scale Tool and reduce distance between points on - 0.935 on axis Y. Then select lateral points and reduce distance between them on-0.935 on axis X.



27) Now we should make a pillow smoother, therefore press on small box near Polygons> Smooth.


Window Polygon Smooth Options will open. Change Subdivision Levels on 2 and Continuity on 0.5603. Press Smooth.



You should have much the same so.


28) Now we need to reduce a pillow and to put it on a sofa. Do Modify> Center Pivot. We change the size of a pillow: Scale X=1.056, Scale Y=0.634, Scale Z=0.183, we move Translate X =-1.306, Translate Y =-0.171, Translate Z=0.317 and rotate Rotate X=56.368, Rotate Y =-0.408, Rotate Z =-0.114. But I think values Rotate Y and Rotate Z should be made equal 0. And approximate up value Rotate X to 56.


Select a pillow and duplicate it. Place the duplicate near to the first pillow.


29) Select both pillows and look quantity of ranges in the average column.



The figure is not terrible but I don’t recommend uniting these pillows with a sofa, if you don’t want 2000 ranges in your sofa. Therefore unite pillows function Combine and name Cushions. Don’t forget to make Center Pivot.
30) Now we’ll create legs for our sofa. Open Polygon Cube Options. Change Subdivisions Along Height on 1. Press Create.


Turn around cube on 90 on axis Y. Name it Leg. Enter values Scale x=0.351, Scale Y=0.018, Scale Z=0.106. Move Leg on following values: Translate X=0, Translate Y=0.128, Translate Z=0.05.

Press F9. Select two right line of vertexes.


Take Rotate Tool and turn around vertexes as illustrated in the picture.


Then move vertexes as illustrated in the picture.


Now press button 4. Move the first line of vertexes on 0.72 on axis Y. Then move the second line of vertexes on 0.100 on axis Y. Again select last three lines of vertexes and move them on 0.207 on axis Y. Move vertexes until you have something like it:


Then select the first line of vertexes and expand it using Scale Tool on-1.803 on axis Y. Select the next line and expand it on-1.442 on axis Y.


31) Go to window Top. Press F8. Reduce a figure on 0.27 on axis X.


Enter value Rotate X =-45. You must have something like this.


32) Our leg is almost ready. It is necessary to do one small Boolean operation. Press Create> Polygon Primitives> Pipe.


Enter values Scale X=0.026, Scale Y=0.026, Scale Z=0.026, Translate X =-0.283, Translate Y=0.272, Translate Z=0.01, Rotate X=90, Rotate Z=45.

Further click the right button of the mouse on object and choose Face.


Remove unnecessary edges as illustrated in the picture. Simply click on a point in the center of a edge and press Delete.


Press F8 two times. Now we should move a little bit pPipe1 a little aside, otherwise we have not Boolean operation. Do Center Pivot. Enter values which are shown on a picture.

Now select Leg. Then, keeping pressed button Shift, click on pPipe1. Press Polygons> Booleans> Difference.

You must have poll leg.


Now we should make very important function. As you see, we have cut off our leg, but on the picture above you see, that any edges don’t support the cut edges of profile plane. If you’ll not make a support on this plane it will not be visible in game. Therefore press Polygons> Triangulate.

Now our leg is ready. We only need to clone it, correctly turn around and go to a following step.
33) We choose polySurface4. Do Center Pivot. Duplicate it. Move the duplicate on 1.38 on axis X. Enter value Rotate Z =-90.
Choose polySurface5. Duplicate. Enter values Translate Y =-0.434, Rotate Z =-175.
Duplicate polySurfase6. Enter values Translate X =-0.003, Rotate Z =-280.


Select all 4 legs and combine them. Name received figure Legs. Remove loveseat. Press File> Export All. Choose in File Type expansion OBJ. Export a file to folder Mesh. Name it Sofa.
If you don’t have expansion OBJ in File Type then press Window> Settings/Preferences> Plug-in Manager.


You have opened window Plug-in Manager. Check boxes in line objExport.mll. Click Browse.


Close Maya.

Step 3.

34) Creation UV Map. Open UVMapper. Press File> Load Model.



Load Sofa.obj from folder Mesh. Press Edit> New UV Map> Box. You’ll have the window Box Mapping. Enter value 512 into line Map Size. Click Ok.


You’ll have a map of our sofa.


35) Press Edit> Select> by Group.


In the appeared window choose Legs.


Then again press Edit> New UV Map> Box.


Then the window pops up check a box Scale Result. Click Ok.


Move Legs to a corner of map as I do. Click somewhere in the party for deselecting. It makes it easy for us to texture all parts of object.


36) Press File> Save Model. The window OBJ Export Options opens. All settings are ideal, therefore click Ok. Name object Sofa2Map and save it in folder Mesh.


Then press File> Save Texture Map. When the window opens enter value 256 into line Height. Press Ok. Save a map, not changing the name in folder Mesh. Close UVMapper.



37) Open Maya. Import Sofa2Map. Open Outliner. You can see two files default1 and default2. These files are the faces which separated from object.


Click on default1 and have a good look at its location. I think this face was separated from object Cushions. Unite default1 and Cushions. Name object Cushion. Make the same with default2 and with object Legs. Name this file Leg. Save a file over Sofa2Map. Close Maya.


Step 4.

38) Now we’ll take our sofa in SimPE. Open SimPE. Open a working file. Click on Geometric Data Container. Press button Import.


Load file Sofa2Map.


You’ll have a window. In the left part of this window there will be parts of our sofa. We need to connect parts of our sofa with parts of a game sofa. Select cushion and in pulldown menu Action choose Replace. You’ll have one more pulldown menu below. In this menu you should choose an element with which you wish to replace. As you can see there are two files loveseat in this menu. They are not identical; therefore you must choose the first loveseat in the list. Further select object sofa. Choose Replace in the pulldown menu, but choose last file loveseat. We don’t make anything for object leg yet. Press Ok.


After pressing Ok you’ll have window Warning. Do not pay to it attention, it’ll not affect in any way object and game. Simply press Ok.


Now press button Commit. Then Tools> Object Tools> Fix Integrity. When the window opens simply press Ok, but do not click button Update. And I don’t threaten you, simple^ in all tutorials I saw restraint of click this button upon penalty of death, I obey their :-) Save a file.


Now press button Preview. On the right you’ll see the image of a sofa. It all is covered by a texture, except legs. If you’ll load object in such kind in game it’ll be without legs. And now I’ll tell how to get rid of this illness. This problem which had tormented me for some months because I don’t know how to link object with GMDC. Legs will not be visible, because they are not linked with a texture. Therefore our following step will be linkage of a texture with object.


Step 5.

39) In Geometric Data Container click on tab Groups. Choose from the list leg. Copy from field Name name Leg.


40) Open Geometric Node.


Open tab Edit Blocks. In the pulldown menu choose (cDataListExtension) and click Add. There was a new line in the list at the left. Remember its number. Press Commit.


Then go to tab Content. Open cObjectGraphNode.


At the left you will see button Add. Click on it. There will be a new line in the list. Select it and enter into line Enabled number 0x01. In line Index type value 8 – this is a number which I asked you to remember. Click Commit.


Look upwards and you’ll see window Blocklist and Filename under it. Choose in Blocklist last line. We created it last time and we must edit it.

Enter into field Name leg. This is the name which we copied from GMDC. Press Commit.


On the right you’ll see field Items. Press Add. The line “= (Array) 0 items” will appear at the left. Again click Commit.


In the field Blocklist choose the first line. This is a source game file. Copy the text from field Filename.


Again open last line. Insert the copied name into field Name on the right. Remove the end before the first underlining.


Past leg in the end of the name in field Name. You must have tutorialsofa_leg. Press Commit. Save a file.



41) Open Shape. Press tab Parts. Choose from the list a file in which name does not contain shadow. Click Add. Select last newly created file. Enter the name of our object “leg” into field Subset Name. Enter leg into field Material Definition File after the first underlining. Click Commit. Save your file.


42) There is a set of materials of object: glass, mirror, metal, tree, fabric, etc. At the same time metal will be very shining or indeed matte. We want to take Material Definition metal. For this purpose create the new document. Open Object Workshop. Clone a cooker.


Open the cloned cooker (if it is not opened yet). Find Material Definition in Resource Tree. Find the third file from the top in the list on the right. We’ll take it. Click on a file with the right button of the mouse and choose Extract. Save somewhere this file. Open our sofa.


43) Click on Material Definition in Resource Tree. Click with the right button of the mouse in free space on the right and choose add. Add Material Definition of metal which we have taken.


Then open Shape, tab Parts. Copy the name tutorialsofa_leg from window Material Definition File.


Click on Material Definition metal. Past tutorialsofa_leg in field Filename. Go to a tab cMaterialDefinition and also past tutorialsofa_leg in field Description. Click Commit.


Open Texture Image in Resource Tree. Click on the second file of a texture from the top. Copy the name from Filename before the second underlining.


Again open Material Definition of metal. Find stdMatBaseTextureName: ##0x1C050000! …… in the list below Filename. Remove the text in field Value after “!” and past the name which you have copied. Click Commit.


Further go to tab File List. Choose the second file from the top and enter the copied name in Filename, replacing with it the text after “!”. Press Commit. Save.

Press Tools> Object Tools> Fix Integrity. When the window opens simply press Ok. Save.
Now press Tools> Object Tools> Scenegrapher. Look all link of object with a texture. If there is “false” in any boxes it means, that you made a mistake.
44) Now we need to register object. If you want to remove the registered object save guides. The new guide is necessary only to make out this object from another in the game. Open Object Data. On the right you can see three files. Click on the first file. Below you’ll see words “get GUID” near to window GUID. Click on words. If you have not registered, click the “Register New User” button, and follow the instructions given. Click Get GUID, enter your object name in the field, and then click “Register Object”. Don’t forget to press Commit. Do the same with the second Object Data.


Last Object Data is main. You can see it for two reasons: 1) it has no numbers on the end of the name; 2) it defines location of object in a buy mode.


Before pressing on “get GUID” check the “update all MMATs” small box. Then register object, click Update. And, certainly, Commit. Save.


45) Now we almost finished. You need to texture our object. Open Sofa2Map.bmp, make all necessary changes and save the file in a format .png. Open in SimPE this texture of our sofa, click on it with the right button of the mouse and choose Build DXT. Then press Open, open your graphic file and click Build. Then again click with the right button of the mouse and press Update all Sizes. Don’t forget to press Commit. Save.
46) You can change the description of object in Catalog Description. Save your package, exit SimPe, place the new package inside your game’s Downloads folder. Your object is ready!!!

Download tutorial http://files.modthesims2.com/getfile.php?file=351938

I created some objects by this metode and you can see its on my site lifesims2.narod.ru/objects/tables/tables.htm, http://lifesims2.narod.ru/html/obje...ing/seating.htm.




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Tutorials:Creation_of_simple_object_using_Maya_7wiki
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Part-time Hermit
#2 Old 10th Aug 2006 at 9:51 AM
Thanks for the tutorial, I'm sure a Maya object creation tutorial has been looked forward to by many creators. There seems to be an issue with the screenshots, though. The pics you did post only show up as thumbnails. Numenor will take a look at that if he can fix it. But then the rest of the tutorial has no pictures at all. Was this intentional? In either case, I would recommend adding pics for the rest of the tutorial, as well, since they really are helpful, worth more than several words . When the image issues have been fixed, I think this tutorial can be moved to the tutorial section . We can also make this available as a downloadable PDF then.
Test Subject
Original Poster
#3 Old 12th Aug 2006 at 6:47 AM
Thanks for your good words about my tutorial. I have some problems with Internet because there wasn't any pictures in my tutorial. But now there are all images.
Part-time Hermit
#4 Old 12th Aug 2006 at 8:17 AM
Thank you for adding the pictures . I'll ask Numenor to convert it into a PDF, and we'll move it to the tutorial section then .
Test Subject
#5 Old 21st Sep 2006 at 12:59 AM
Just found this now. Hopefully it will inspire a few more artists. I do this pretty much the same for the maya portion. I do my UV's and such in maya though, can be a little more sloppy sometimes if you want to be.

The other part I do different is that I use the MTS2 Mesh tool with the OBJ so that its all in one piece. saves on importing multiple obj's. Limits you in some ways but it can be nice.

That renaming step is key though. I must have tried ten times to get an objects texture to appear proper. Oh well , go figure, smallest thing always holds you back.

Keep up the good work.
Test Subject
#6 Old 12th Nov 2006 at 3:59 PM
hey man your tutorial is really great. i was able to import my object into the game. but...

I don't understand how u put the textures , type of texture editign etc. perhaps u can make a developed tutorial in this criteria?

Cos if i wanted to add extra ungrouped meshes ifor the object, how can I assign a texture to them all seperately? and i don't understand how to work with material definitions

thx for your help, hope u udnerstand what i mean ^^;
Part-time Hermit
#7 Old 12th Nov 2006 at 5:26 PM
Sedna98, if you look into my profile, you will see a tutorial for adding a subset to an object which covers adding material definitions and textures.
Lab Assistant
#8 Old 7th Dec 2006 at 5:48 PM
is maya 7 free?
Part-time Hermit
#9 Old 9th Dec 2006 at 6:31 AM
No, I don't think Maya is free.
Lab Assistant
#10 Old 11th Jan 2007 at 2:35 AM
Not free and not cheap.

Thanks for this tut. Ive been waiting for someone to make a Maya tut!

Dead Metal Simming: -Gothic Lovin!
Test Subject
#11 Old 14th Jan 2007 at 9:53 PM
Default Hello
Quote: Originally posted by TimSimser
is maya 7 free?


You can get an educational verison of maya free from their website www.alias.com. If you are seriously thinking of getting into the game art design business then I highly recommend this software. Maya 8 is full of bugs right now, so just get Maya 7. The educational verison comes complete but when you render images out of the render engine there are watermarks.

For textures, you want to select all the faces of your object and go to Polygon UVs - Planar Mapping. Click on the option box for more options. Then go to you UV texture editor under Window - UV texture editor. There you will see the texture map. Now its time to import the map to photoshop or gimp. On the top, click on Polygons and scroll down to UV snapshot, and you'll be directed to the option box.

File Name - Save your UV map to a folder that you'll remember.

Size X and Y - You can adjust the UV map according to object size. These measure units are in pixels.

Check Keep Aspect ratio and Anti-alais lines

Save the uv map in the image format you want. BMP or TIFF will do.

Now open the file in photoshop. Good luck!

Also, since you want to work with low polys, you want to simplify your objects by selecting your object and go to Polygon - Reduce and watch you polygon count decrease!

Have fun! And remember, stop illegal geometry!
Test Subject
#12 Old 27th Apr 2007 at 2:41 AM
Hi,MG!According to your tutorial,I've imported my object to the game.But it appearantly lost its textures.I don't know if it borrows the texture of the origianl objects I copied from the game or something.I wonder how I can import an object to SimPE with its cloth on.In brief,I've got a already exsited object in Maya,how I can import this thing into SimPE and not losing it textures.
Test Subject
#13 Old 8th Sep 2007 at 9:03 PM
Is Maya 7 related to something called Endorphin by any chance? I need to know this so I don't download loads of rubbish onto my PC.
Lab Assistant
#14 Old 18th Sep 2007 at 7:05 PM
i'm actually using cinema 4d to make my first sims mesh, and thought i'd try out a vase because they seem nice and easy. however, i'm not able to cleanly zoom in and out, and my 'extrude' is also affected. pulling a surface creates an instant leap in size, with no way to scale it down again. i've tried a few objects and all of them behave in this way when loaded into c4d.
has anyone experienced this? (btw i apologise for what might seem like thread hijacking, but for some reason i'm unable to start a new thread.) it makes meshing almost impossible.
Test Subject
#15 Old 3rd Nov 2007 at 5:38 AM
part 9 in the tutorial

9) Look downwards. Below you’ll see in a tab cGeometryDataContainer window Model. Check (if it is not checked yet) files, as illustrated in the picture. Check in Order position XYZ. If you’ll leave XZY your object will lay on a back in game. Click Export. Save the exported object in folder Maxis Sofa. You can keep the same name.


it doesn't show any of that stuff and it keeps saying i need Managed DirectX. i installed it like ahundred times and it keeps saying i need to install it.
Test Subject
#16 Old 5th Dec 2007 at 1:52 PM
Will this work on the Personal Learning Edition?

Psh...
Lab Assistant
#17 Old 31st Dec 2007 at 4:17 PM
Great =), I was searching for a tutorial related with autodesk max, (I dont have milkshape so those tutorials doesnt work with me (especially by the export part in simpe).
Thanks =)

Paint it Black...
Test Subject
#18 Old 10th Apr 2008 at 2:07 PM
Ok, here is where I get stuck:

9) Look downwards. Below you’ll see in a tab cGeometryDataContainer window Model. Check (if it is not checked yet) files, as illustrated in the picture. Check in Order position XYZ. If you’ll leave XZY your object will lay on a back in game. Click Export. Save the exported object in folder Maxis Sofa. You can keep the same name.

I am not seeing any cGeometryDataContainer Tab. All I see below the resource tree is the object data Editor. I followed everything exactly like the tutorial except i have the most recent version of SimPE and I cloned the Soma 44" Pancake Tec Television instead of a couch. (actually my mesh is already finished but I'm re-doing the tutorial because I can't figure out what to do with my finished mesh to get it into the game)

Please help! Thanks =)
Test Subject
#19 Old 11th May 2008 at 5:28 PM
I am having a problem.

When i get to importing the file into maya, it tells me it's an unreconicable file.

I follow all the directions exactly and it all goes fine until then.

Life's not about waiting for the storm to pass...
It's about learning to dance in the rain.
Test Subject
#20 Old 27th Apr 2009 at 1:10 PM
Thanks, great post.
Field Researcher
#21 Old 17th Nov 2009 at 9:11 AM
ty for this tutorial brillaint! i'll be defo giving this a try been looking for a strict maya tutorial for sims2 x one question though how did you get the texture from the old chair to accurratly size up to the new mesh you created because i didnt see any evidence of actually doing so it was only the legs your moved... please tell, if anyone else knows please inform me much appreciated xx
Field Researcher
#22 Old 18th Nov 2009 at 3:35 PM
Anyone ???
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