Skin tones and normal maps

BlogpostPublished: Oct 08, 2007Views: 648

*blurg* I just wasted a good week of my life trying to cobble up a genetic skin tone that had normal mapping (bump-mapping) and I have to tell you, the changes to the fast render engine in The Sims 2 has altered radically since the initial release. I am not sure why but Body Shop crashes at the point where it starts to generate the preview of a new skin tone project with normal maps. The in-game CAS hates them a lot too. Semloh managed to make a skin tone with normal mapping in 2005 that doesn't crash the game, so I am not sure what changed in the over-all structure of the package file, nothing I can readily see. Another big bust is adding new sub-groups to clothing files. At this point, the envelope on developing new meshes that are more complex is looking bleak. I think if I am to make any progress here, I will end up having to make dummy files and use the repository method to pull textures. *double blah* I am starting to think that the old ways are the best ways, just make what I know and be happy... but like all of the people who download custom content for The Sims 2, I find the same impulse. I start to do something in game and come to a halt. I need something that isn't in the game. And at this point, if it isn't in my game, that means I have to make it. It's getting to be rather annoying that the graves I want to make for the Halloween set I am making will have to be clones of a hot tub... I don't especially want to make a huge file with all the over-head of a hot tub just so I can have an ornamental grave dug in the backgarden. It's the sad truth that somewhere out there on one of 200+ web sites someone may have posted an answer, but I don't have the time to read 200+ web sites every day to find out. I am getting to the point I have to become rich simply so I can buy EA and make those guys make this stuff for me *wry laughter* Then, again, with the negative responce I am seeing over Bon Voyage, I am seriously begining to wonder if even they would know how to make the things I want.

BeOSBoxBoy ∙ Oct 12, 2007

I understand the "thank god for an edit button" world of typ(o)ing >_<

I guess if I root around in the hottub files long enough I will solve the mystery, but yeeeeeeeeeeesh, talk about terra incognita.

MsBarrows ∙ Oct 12, 2007

Okay, a correction/addendum - when I say "alpha ground textuire" what I was actually picturing in my head was 100% transparent floor textures, not paintable terrain textures. Teaches me to hit "Post" before re-reading and thinking over what I just said. $\:D$

MsBarrows ∙ Oct 12, 2007

You know, I'd actually been thinking of making some "in ground" objects recently, and was trying to figure out the "how to make a hole in the ground" problem. The only relatively easy solution I could think up, offhand, was to have a special alpha-ground-texture to use where the item went, and then design my object to fit over the resultant hole. The main problem I could see is having to get users to understand that they need to both a) paint a x-tile sized hole and then b) place the item over the hole.

Surely there must be an easier solution somewhere though! Clearly the game does contain some form of coding for making floor tiles at least partially invisible, since as you mention, the hot tubs do so.

Elven_Ranger ∙ Oct 9, 2007

I have to agree with Jack $\:\)$ You always seem to find a way around the game limitations and produuce some wonderful creations that are always welcome in my game $\:\)$
Good luck with find a solution!

Ranger