Hi everyone.
I have worked alot in 3DS Max, both in school and also after school, and now i would like to give it a try to create Sims 2 objects.
Therefor i've looked here at the forum, and in the tutorials, but i can't find a tutorial how to create objects using 3DS Max

Is it at all possible to use 3DS Max to create models to Sims 2, as Maxis used 3DS Max to Sims 1, but Maya to Sims 2.

Best Regards
Thomas Jespersen

It's definitely possible.

I've had some issues with normals going weird when exporting to .obj format from 3DS Max. There's a SMD export plugin you can find with some searching that I'm still struggling to figure out which apparently won't break normals quite so horribly. But yeah, it is definitely possible and certainly if you're experienced in 3DS Max it's one hell of a lot easier to create cool stuff than just about any other program.

Just bear in mind that Sims 2 is a low poly game, and uses triangles for polygons, not quads, so no Meshsmooth modifiers, and whatever your Max count is, double it for your TS2 poly count.

Maybe someone else who's used it more directly for TS2 applications can help with more specific tips on the creation process using it. All I've -really- used it for is making primitives I can't make in Milkshape, and trying to export some of my objects I'd made in Max and got frustrated enough I gave up. But I know people use it, so it's gotta be possible.

Yes, i know Sims 2 is a lowpoly, also i have a SMD Importer and Exporter installed, as i have made weapons to CS:S - but also i need a tutorial og someone to tell how to get the OBJ or SMD (or what format used) into Sims 2, maybe using SimPe!

Just follow the Start To Finish Object Creation tutorial in the Tutorials area here... just do all the editing in 3DS Max, and the rest as it relates to getting it working in game and all that should work pretty much exactly the same.

Thanks, i will give it a try!

I have some troubles Grouping the Objects correctly, as they aren't grouped when i UV Mapping, and also, if i import the OBJ again into 3DS Max they aren't grouped!
Therefor, after i've created all textures and OBJ files, i can only see the TableTop and a problematic Original Texture on the TableTop - so i couldn't do it just modeling in 3DS Max...
Anyone who have a 3DS Max -> Sims 2 related guide?

1. For boneless morphless objects (i.e. sculptures, tables, dining chairs, bed frames), 3ds format (built-in in Max, and supported in SimPE) is enough. 3ds and obj formats are similar in terms of export-import, so you can just follow any tutorial for obj (except for those with MeshTool).
There'll be bumpmap-enabling issue, but it's easy to solve - export and import in smd - and anyway it should be dealt with after the basic are covered.
I would strongly NOT suggest to proceed to more complex stuff until you familiarise yourself with simple objects enough. Not that it's impossible, but there's a lot of things to learn, and if you'll try to eat them all at once, you'll get indigestion
2. Smd is used for boned (i.e. dressers, fridges) and/or morphed (i.e. food) objects, and also clothing and hair. But finding proper plugin is a problem - for Max versions up to 8, Cannonfodder's plugins work fine, as far as I know; for Max 9, they don't work, and it seems to be that there's no smd-to-Max importer - only exporter. Which means you cannot recreate proper bone structure -> cannot assign bone weights -> cannot really use smd.
If you will found an importer somewhere - this old tutorial of mine may be helpful, it's about using smd format for clothing. It's quite old, and it's about clothing, not objects, but at least it has some info about smd.

Thanks.
Right now i've used this guide http://www.pandorasims.net/Tutorial...or_objmax8.html - just to 2008 (and i have both SMD importer and exporter to that)
And it worked, exept that the model is laying down in Sims, instead of standing, as it was modelled, it is laying down!

That tutorial is OK, too

'Lying down' issue usually comes from different axis orders - in GMDC, near the Export button, note the 'Order' dropdown - it contains XZY by default, but in Max order is XYZ, thus your mesh is rotated. Make sure that you use XYZ when both export and import.

Thank You very much, i think that is the problem (Haven't tried to export and import the model again, but thanks)
Also do you know why i can't see any pictures (miniature) in the Object Workshop?
I have Vista, i'm running SimPE as Administrator, and i have a Danish version of Sims 2 - also look at this post: http://simpeforum.ambertation.de/si...Object-Workshop