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Field Researcher
Original Poster
#26 Old 28th Dec 2010 at 6:01 PM
Alright, next time I try to use meshes that has 2 meshgroups. This kid's mesh didn't seemed to be like that so that is why I chose to create the morph myself since I really wanted to use this as base for my edits. But anyhow Thanks for all the help
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Sockpuppet
#27 Old 28th Dec 2010 at 7:10 PM
The childs are indeed alot easier as they only have one morph but if you want to frenkenstein stuff on other ages you definatly want to use it.
every age/gender has a 2group outfit(makes you think EA wanted us to mod) that you can use to frenkenstein as frenkensteining diffrent GEOM morphparts into one just isn't possible.
All are fullbodyoutfits but they work fine as top or bottom.

You dont have to use my upload but i am sure the less carbage there is in the GEOM the better your graphic card will handle it.
I have the idea that EA's GEOMs are not build that good because when you make a outfit mesh transparant it has tons of wat looks like reversed faces...not good.
And your welcome, really like the outfit and hope you will release it one day
Field Researcher
Original Poster
#28 Old 28th Dec 2010 at 9:27 PM Last edited by -Mallow- : 30th Dec 2010 at 11:11 AM.
Not quite sure but if I manage to fix the second LOD I could release it Now I only have the one you fixed up - certainly give you credits for that And I really do appreciate all the people who help of their good will so since your site has that donation I made donation for you so you can eventually get that better pc, it can be pain with bad computer, especially if you need it for 3d stuff. Had to once Render one scene with crappy pc for work, took damn 4 days and in the end it crashed in the last few minutes lol.
Sockpuppet
#29 Old 28th Dec 2010 at 11:52 PM Last edited by BloomsBase : 29th Dec 2010 at 12:11 AM.
thank you so much!

I know a way to reduce the polycount on the lod1 meshes and use them for lod2 with the use of the direct x tool but direct x often breaks the mesh, leaving gaps....
Here is a screenshot of the lod2(reduced to 4052verts/5599faces) but altho not visible on the screeny its full of gaps.
You should weld the whole lod1 mesh before using the direct x tool to avoid that i think but im afraid it will screw up the uvmap.
Still experimenting with it.

Oh, you also need to reposition some parts on the uvmap.
they are mapped in the bottom area(see the pants pockets in the mirror )
Here's a template i once made
[IMG] Uploaded with ImageShack.us[/IMG]
Screenshots
Sockpuppet
#30 Old 29th Dec 2010 at 1:07 AM
Got it working
Not sure if its wise to write a tutorial bout it tho....
After making the lod2 with directx there is still alot work on it.
Besides fixing the the neck and waist seam its also better to replace the arms and hands.
When direct x divides the faces and you reassigned the mesh by copying the lod1 boneassignements the mesh animates terrible on the fingers and elbows.
To fix this you need to move arround some vertices and reassigne them so that the elbow bents properly again.
I included the mesh so you can have a look.
You can load it in the lod1 in the package.(has lod1 comments altho you might need to change the normalmap TGI reference as i added a custom one, unless you load it the package i created ofcourse)
Few boneassignements are missing on the bow, need to reassigne those.
I could not prevent that the back and front faces of the bow got mixedup but it doesn't show in CAS.(scaled the mesh 10000 times bigger before using direct x, still wasn't enough)
Still need to replace the arms/fix the normals and fix the neck and waist(the waist i also forgot on the lod1 btw)

Ill try to write down a small explanation but got a terrible headache now

I am going to use this method if i ever start meshing again, does work quicker then rebuilding a new lod2
Attached files:
File Type: rar  lod2final.rar (115.6 KB, 10 downloads) - View custom content
Field Researcher
Original Poster
#31 Old 29th Dec 2010 at 12:26 PM
Lots of work for the lod2, and complicated haha - I'lll try to learn this.
Yeah I know the bow's uvmap is in the bottoms area, since there's hardly any space in the uvmap and scaling the bow's parts too small so they would fit to free space would end up making the bow's texture quality too low in comparison to other parts - or at least in 3ds if parts arent' sharing good proportions the result isn't great, so don't know how this is with the sims.
Sockpuppet
#32 Old 29th Dec 2010 at 7:36 PM
Besides my crappy comp one of the reasons i haven't created something for months now, its so timeconsuming.

But isn't 3ds a much better program then MS?
You should be able to pull this off in 3ds?
Field Researcher
Original Poster
#33 Old 29th Dec 2010 at 8:27 PM
Yeah, 3ds is really great 3dprog and very easy to use, maybe even easier than MS since there are a lot of options MS does not have. But I have two problems why I can't take the sims body meshes into 3ds, - it messes up the boneassigments, and secondly I still haven't figured out how turn off the option of autosmooth, like in milkshape. Taking the mesh in 3ds brings up the nasty seams. So I better just learn MS better.
Sockpuppet
#34 Old 29th Dec 2010 at 8:42 PM Last edited by BloomsBase : 29th Dec 2010 at 9:19 PM.
Making medium and low detail meshes with the high detail mesh using Milkshape's direct x tool:

-import your lod1
-go to groupstab and select the mesh
-go to model tab and tick scale
-at the scale options you choose Origin
-at the 3 boxes you fill in 10000
-hit the scale button
-go to vertex menu and choose weld together
-go to tools menu and choose direct x mesh tool
-pull the slider to 50%(or calculate it by comparing similar GEOMS) ***
-hit save button
-go to tools menu and choose Model Cleaner
-choose NO in the first popup window
-hit OK in the second popup window
-go to groupstab and select the mesh again
-go to the model tab and fill in the 3 boxes 0.0001
-hit the scale button
-export the mesh as OBJ file(Wavefront OBJ)
-save it in watever you want to call it

-go to file menu and start new
-import your lod1 mesh again
-go to groupstab and rename the GEOM-00(i call it reference)
-import your just saved OBJ file(new lod2)(Wavefront OBJ)
-go to groupstab and select both meshes
-go to model tab and choose scale
-at the scale options you choose Origin
-at the 3 boxes you fill in 10000
-hit the scale button
-go to vertex menu and choose weld together
-go to groupstab and copy the comments in the comment box from the reference mesh
-past those comments in the comment box of the GEOM-00(newlod2)
-delete the reference mesh
-go to tools menu and choose Model Cleaner
-choose NO in the first popup window
-hit OK in the second popup window
-go to model tab and choose scale
-at the scale options you choose Origin
-go to the model tab and fill in the 3 boxes 0.0001
-hit the scale button
-export as GEOM

I have autosmooth on during this process
When done you still need to:
*fix the neck
*fix the waist or foot seam
*fix the normals
*make new morphs if needed
*update the comments with the correct ones
*** i used the afBodyShirtLong as test file(its medium lod2 was arround 50% of the higher lod1)

Issues:
The mesh sometimes loses boneassignements on the fingers.
The area were the elbow bents is often screwed
Best to cut off the arms and replace them with ones of a lower lod basegame mesh
Lower lods dont use breast assignements(and maybe a few other joints)

The scaling is done to avoid that Non identical vertices that lay close together are being weld.
Field Researcher
Original Poster
#35 Old 29th Dec 2010 at 8:47 PM
Thanks this sounds great, and helpful
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