Attached Link: http://www.beyondbent.com

Anybody here know how the sims models and skins are made and how they can be imported into the sims? I'd be interested in know what programs they use, if anybody knows anything, thank for letting me know. Davo

Well, just using Poser isn't possible since the polycount is way too high for the Sims. I think you will have to either create the model directly in for instance Milkshape, which is a shareware modeller, or make it in Poser and then reduce the polycount down to a fraction of Poser's native files. I could imagine that it would take a shorter while to build it directly in a low-poly-modeller than to use polyreduction methods, given the amount of postwork this would entail.

well, I can model in rhino just fine and make low poly models (not figures like people, but rather settings and places). I was wondering if there was any documentation on how to get a model into the sims and texture it.

There is a thread in this forum about Sims characters that Jim Burton participated in.

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http://www.renderosity.com/messages.ez?Form.ShowMessage=1296568

Attached Link: http://www.hairfish.com/mermaidcove/html/links.html

Heres a program called Bodywarp...I Believe Spanki created it...

Attached Link: http://www.swissquake.ch/chumbalum-soft/

Milkshape is the best program for doing the conversion...

thanks for the info guys. Is there anywhere that tells you what to export the model as from milkshape? What format does The Sims import? Yadda yadda.. the technical stuff.. heh heh.. Inquiring minds want to know. Davo

its on the site link I gave you. SKN format is the format for the Sims. :))

Attached Link: http://www.secretsims.com/diy.htm

here's another link with some interesting tips :)

oh thank you Bijouchat! I need to sort this all out when I get home :-) Can you see madlab for sims... bwaaa haaa haaa haaaa!!!!

Attached Link: http://www.lushcreations.com/TransmogrifierTutorial.htm

what I see is a lot of the 'props' are actually 2d sprites, and you can just render your hipoly stuff and create sprites for them instead. Seems you're going to need that transmogrifier tool to do that stuff. the figures are animated lowpoly 3d models though.

oh no... oh yes... ROFLMAO!!

There was a product called Transmogrifier that was supposed to do that (try http://www.7deadlysims.com/tutorial/tutorial_001/), and a product called Blueprint which was perpetually in development (can't find the link now). TheSimsResource.com might have more links. (I only know this stuff because my wife's a Sims nut -- seems more like Sea Monkeys for the computer, to me, but there you are). If I remember right, SKNs were the skins (textures), and they actually used some variation of the OBJ format. But don't quote me on that. You might also want to connect with Dr. Frankensims (http://baronofpain.50megs.com/sanctum/index.html) to see what's already out there for some more... original Sims stuff, or 8thDeadlySim.com (R tried to lure me into the game, as you can tell, but just never had the time to read up on building stuff for it). (BTW, saw the brazier. Looks good, and will be trying to put money aside. Unfortunately, my car appears to have other plans, again). Take care; Chas

Just remembered: there was someone named Fionn or something like that at TheSimsResource that made good hair using meshes, and I had meant to contact this person to find out more. Might want to keep an eye out for him/her.

I actually modeled my Sims figures with Max, using Milkshake for the assigning-of-the-vertexes. There is very little information about building Sims figures, because it looks like nobody other than me has ever done it from scratch- what they do is modify the basic Sims figures, which aparently is allowed. The Sims SKN file is sort of a combination of what Poser does with both a OBJ and CR2 file, so there is more to it than just mesh, though. I hope to have mine for sale in a couple of weeks, nobody has done that either, BTW, so it is all new ground. Here is one of mine, the hair needs better textures but the rest seems to be coming along, I think the heels are cute on her! She runs (off the top of my head) about 3500 faces (or what would be 1750 polygons), for body, head, hair and shoes, rather lower than Poser!

wow jim that mesh looks great.. Have you tried in in the Sims? If so does it drag the game.. As for objects for the sims, they aren't.. they are 2d sprites... You need to do a lot of cloaning and transmogging, you will need several programs. If you have never done this is best to start small. here is a very basic tut you might find handy: http://www.strategyplanet.com/thesims/sas/bwsost/bwsost.htm go there scroll down about half way there are several very good tutorials there under the title ' BunnyWufflesTutorialKit' I am not an object maker, but i did follow the first tut and it worked a treat.. Also I might add if you are going to just be doing recolours, which is the best way to start, make sure you on;y recolour maxis originals, or get permission from the original creator, and never clone or recolour anything from a paysite! ;) above all.. have fun.. I would love to see what you make. Skins on the other hand are based on a mesh, but all meshes are just shells really for the internal 'bones' of a sim which the game creates anyway, so you have to get the joints correct, or your sim won't work in the game I have been making Siim meshes and skins for about 3 years now... Heres my site: http://simderella.moonfruit.com Oh and if you get stuck you may want to ask for advice and help here: http://www.thesimsresource.com/ click on TALK and access the forums, the people there are very friendly and helpful!! Hope you like my site, and best of luck!! -SimderZ- xXx

heres a list of programs I use for skin creation: Creating the SKIN (texture) You will need a base (you can use maxis nudes) Photoshop 7 (make sure your textures are saved in 256 colours) skin textures are in parts: Head, Body, Hands For viewing the skin (and creating great preview poses) Simpose http://www.pygott.demon.co.uk/simpose/ For making the mesh (you can modify maxis ones) Milkshape the addy has already been given (i bought mine its really cheap) export it as a .skn file To creat the .cmx for the .skn file Bodywarp (addy has already been given) I think thats it!! If you ever need any help please feel free to ask, I have been doing this for quite a long time!! -SimderZ- xXx

Btw Jim, Most meshers do modify maxis meshes, and they do a fine job, I have done some meshes from scratch, but I have spent many hours making detailed and different meshes from Maxis bases, Modyfied so much as to undistinguishable from the original.... This is not any less creative. The only meshes you should alter is other peoples unless you have permission... So please no-one think that people who modify maxis bases are any less than people who make them from scratch... and i'm not getting at anyone, LOL.. I'm very passionate about my sims... Jim would LOVE to see your meshes in the game.. They are truly wonderful, I think they have the right amount of detail, but not too much, because of the size of the sims in the game theres little point making highlyt detailed meshes and it makes the game run slooooww... so i think ur new meshes look perfect ;) If you ever need a beta tester who knows what she's doing I am more than willing. Here is a pic of my newest mesh, which i made, I also made the head mesh and all the textures.. This is the mesh/skin I am most proud of to date!!... The body mesh is remapped to allow more flow to the texture.. What do u think? *hugz* -SimderZ-

Wow SimderZ, that's remarkable!! It looks hipoly, but I guess it isn't? Otherwise it would be too heavy. Your style generally reminds me SO much of Peter Czernich (y'know, from Marquis), wonderful! :] Fish

Thanks FishNose... and nope its not highpoly, I never make meshes that will drag someones system and make the sims run at a crawl as that is sooo annoying.. hehe Peter's photography is very kewl, I'm flattered my work reminds you of it !! ;)

Some of the modifed Poser hair that has been converted to the Sims goes about 10,000 faces, and THAT does drag the game down when you get 3 or 4 characters running around with those heads, but I haven't seen any problem with mine. Doing these figures has been an education for me, I never realized you could do so much with textures, either. Many of the Sims figures are truely remarkable!

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I decided to just post the latest version of BodyWarp if anyone is interested (look to the bottom of the linked thread). - Keith