Hi there! You are currently browsing as a guest. Why not create an account? Then you get less ads, can thank creators, post feedback, keep a list of your favourites, and more!
Mad Poster
Original Poster
#1 Old 6th Sep 2008 at 7:32 PM
New Tool Needs Name
Hello, All!

I`ve started work on Yet Another Sims 2 Modding Tool, but I`m at a bit of a loss for what to call it. I originally called it Sims2Mod, then changed the name to Sims2MultiTool, and just now though of YAS2MT, but I don`t really like any of them.

Currently, the tool does next to nothing, but I want it to be a user-friendly tool that automates a variety of tasks that are currently possible but error-prone or inconvenient with existing tools as well as a number of tasks that are not possible with current tools.

Can anyone suggest any good names?
Advertisement
Warrior Gryphon
site owner
#2 Old 6th Sep 2008 at 7:58 PM
Thats about as vague as can be in terms of actually what it does.

I suggest thinking up a name when it actually has a purpose. Especially if, right now, it does next to nothing.

Story books are full of fairy tales, of Kings and Queens, and the bluest skies.
Top Secret Researcher
#3 Old 6th Sep 2008 at 8:46 PM
For a working name, how about "Dreaming". By the time you have worked out the details and the dream has come to fruition, it will have told you its name.

Retired from the Sims world. Please continue to enjoy my creations. Thank you to everyone who helped -- by either giving me the tools and knowledge to create or by encouraging me & downloading my creations. The Sims community is the BEST!
Mad Poster
Original Poster
#4 Old 7th Sep 2008 at 12:17 AM
So far, Delphy, it reads and parses the DBPF header and index records, and the various STR "files" in the database, and dumps the data to the screen in a barely legable format. Next up is groking another record format. I`d prefer to start with the "easy" ones and move "up" the list. Any suggestions for which one to decode next?

As for purpose, it is intended to perform various surgeries on various .package [and possibly other format] files. "General Practitioner", perhaps? At any rate, it is still in school, in pre-med.

No, actually, it`s still in kindergarten! [...though it DOES want to be a surgeon!]

Um, "Sims2Surgeon"?
e3 d3 Ne2 Nd2 Nb3 Ng3
retired moderator
#5 Old 7th Sep 2008 at 12:39 AM
Mad Poster
Original Poster
#6 Old 7th Sep 2008 at 7:07 AM
Good try!
One horse disagreer of the Apocalypse
#7 Old 7th Sep 2008 at 9:33 AM
Quote:
tasks that are not possible with current tools


So call it MoreSimpierThanYou?

"You can do refraction by raymarching through the depth buffer" (c. Reddeyfish 2017)
Warrior Gryphon
site owner
#8 Old 7th Sep 2008 at 12:18 PM
I already have a program called Sims2PackSurgeon (unreleased so far).

I'm curious as to what kind of operations you will be doing though.

Story books are full of fairy tales, of Kings and Queens, and the bluest skies.
world renowned whogivesafuckologist
retired moderator
#9 Old 7th Sep 2008 at 12:35 PM
ThingWotDoesStuffs?

GlitterPoniesYay!!!?

Sims2Screwdriver?

Sims2Toolbelt?

Can we make requests for stuff for it to do? I have a couple ideas of great (and relatively simple, from a programming standpoint) things that such a tool could do...

my simblr (sometimes nsfw)

“Dude, suckin’ at something is the first step to being sorta good at something.”
Panquecas, panquecas e mais panquecas.
One horse disagreer of the Apocalypse
#10 Old 7th Sep 2008 at 12:40 PM
A free tool that does the same as SimEnhancer would be good! Don't forget that you may "borrow" any code that has been used for the development of SimPE, if it gets you somewhere faster - it's all intended for community use.

"You can do refraction by raymarching through the depth buffer" (c. Reddeyfish 2017)
Fat Obstreperous Jerk
#11 Old 7th Sep 2008 at 5:15 PM
I generally refer to projects of this nature as "Thingy". "Sims2Thingy" is a good name.

Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I cannot accept, and the wisdom to hide the bodies of those I had to kill because they pissed me off.
Mad Poster
Original Poster
#12 Old 7th Sep 2008 at 8:14 PM
Quote: Originally posted by Delphy
I'm curious as to what kind of operations you will be doing though.
I`m not ready to get into specifics yet. The would-be doctor has to pass grade-school first. Remember, it`s still in kindergarten. Meanwhile, I`ve been thinking that I`d like to [try to] automate some of the tasks that we have tutorials for.
Quote: Originally posted by HystericalParoxysm
Can we make requests for stuff for it to do? I have a couple ideas of great (and relatively simple, from a programming standpoint) things that such a tool could do...
Excelent! What is the easiest-to-parse record needed for one of those ideas? [I gotta start somewhere!]
Quote: Originally posted by Inge Jones
A free tool that does the same as SimEnhancer would be good!
Great! What does SimEnhancer do?
Quote: Originally posted by Inge Jones
Don't forget that you may "borrow" any code that has been used for the development of SimPE, if it gets you somewhere faster - it's all intended for community use.
Thanks! Much appreciated.

But... SimPE is not written in Python, is it? My tool is. [I believe that SimPE is written C# ... nyet?] However, I can translate algorythims if needed.
Mad Poster
Original Poster
#13 Old 10th Sep 2008 at 8:06 AM
While I was waiting...
Whilst awaiting replies from you, I`ve gone ahead and added some additional processing to the program.

It now translates language codes from the STR records into language names, when possible. Whilst testing this, I discovered the following language codes, which are not mentioned in the modthesims2 wiki: 21-25, 27-44. These language codes were found in "...\EA Games\The Sims 2\Downloads\Vehicles\EA-MontgomeryHawker-HIGHRES.package", downloaded from the official site.

It also now reads GLOB records.
Not actually evil.
#14 Old 14th Sep 2008 at 12:06 AM
MATY forums have a section about tool development. If I recall correctly, they want better tools that help create new/different BHAV's. Have you checked the forums there? I think they might be relevant to your project.

I'm hoping that changing BOTH sim genetics AND appearance to custom genetics is one of the functions of your new tool. I've yet to find a tool that does both, and works correctly. TS2Enhancer chokes on custom genetics and costs money. I tried SimPE SimSurgery and got a giant fireball visible from space. Also, I don't like having to make donor sims, I just want to pick a skin/hair from a list. (Not knocking SimPE, just saying it didn't work for me.)

I agree that a name can wait until you've narrowed down the functionality of this thingie.

Please spay or neuter your pets. --- Cat Music Video! --- my meshes
Mad Poster
Original Poster
#15 Old 16th Sep 2008 at 3:27 AM
Cat, I`m not on any sites extept MTS2. What you suggest sounds very interesting, but I know nothing --YET!-- about most of the internals, though I do want to learn. I`m still hoping that HystericalParoxysm and Inge Jones will get back to me on this. Meanwhile, will someone please suggest a good record type to tackle next?
One horse disagreer of the Apocalypse
#16 Old 16th Sep 2008 at 7:39 AM
Why don't you upload the tool as far as it has got, it might inspire us to come up with more ideas?

(This post is further to being nagged in PM to make more contributions to the thread)

"You can do refraction by raymarching through the depth buffer" (c. Reddeyfish 2017)
Mad Poster
Original Poster
#17 Old 16th Sep 2008 at 8:06 AM
Quote: Originally posted by Inge Jones
Why don't you upload the tool as far as it has got, it might inspire us to come up with more ideas?
It doesn`t do enough yet to justify uploading even as an attachment. Besides, it **REQUIRES** that the Python programming language be installed to use it.
Quote: Originally posted by Inge Jones
(This post is further to being nagged in PM to make more contributions to the thread)
I apologize for that. You suggested duplicating SimEnhancer`s functionality. I don`t know what SimEnhancer DOES. I had been hoping you would follow through with your earlier post with clarification. "Need input!" When none came, I actively sought some. If this was inappropriate [which I`m guessing it was], please forgive me. I have difficulty with social interactions.
One horse disagreer of the Apocalypse
#18 Old 16th Sep 2008 at 9:37 AM
You can find out about it here: http://ts2enhancer.com/

There is nothing I can do about your tool not being ready for uploading or needing Python, I am afraid

"You can do refraction by raymarching through the depth buffer" (c. Reddeyfish 2017)
e3 d3 Ne2 Nd2 Nb3 Ng3
retired moderator
#19 Old 16th Sep 2008 at 6:21 PM
Some of us already have Python installed.
Mad Poster
Original Poster
#20 Old 16th Sep 2008 at 6:37 PM
Great! Would you be willing to test, when there is anything TO test?

By the way, which version of Python? I have:
Quote: Originally posted by IDLE startup banner
Python 2.5.2 Stackless 3.1b3 060516 (release25-maint, May 30 2008, 08:54:23) [MSC v.1310 32 bit (Intel)] on win32
I also have pygame installed, and I intend to use the pygame features when I have something that can benefit from them.
Not actually evil.
#21 Old 16th Sep 2008 at 7:08 PM
We can download the latest version of python or whatever is needed when the time comes. I think what's important right now is figuring out what you want this program to do. Figure that out, and everything else will fall into place. I think making a free version of TS2Enhancer that actually works properly with custom content would be extremely useful. Of course, that's a huge program. So start small. Try getting your program to just display a list of sims in a neighborhood. Then try getting a list with their pictures. Then try displaying some of their stats, maybe personality? Then let the user make changes to personality. Then pick something else to display and change.

And see if you can coordinate with Delphy. If he has the time, that is. If Sims2PackSurgeon is supposed to do much of this, no point in duplicating it. If it's supposed to do something different, find out what. See if there's any common free code you can reuse (yes, I know, python, but python can be used with libraries written in c/c++ or what have you)

Please spay or neuter your pets. --- Cat Music Video! --- my meshes
Mad Poster
Original Poster
#22 Old 16th Sep 2008 at 7:50 PM
Cat, I like your approach, but I`m still in the trying-to-parse-records stage. I just added NREF to the list. It now understands the following:
  • DBPFHeader
  • DBPFIndexTable71 [Most people call this "7.0"]
  • DBPFIndexTable72 [Most people call this "7.1"]
  • CATS, CTSS, STR#, TTAs
  • GLOB
  • NREF
Can you point me to some particular record formats that I will need to parse for your suggestion? I`ve been adding to the list by picking record formats that I know I will need, and those that look easy to add, but I don`t really know where to look. I`m getting my data on the formats from the MTS2 Wiki. Meanwhile, with these formats alone, my stub program is dumping out HUGE quantities of text.

...and does anyone have what it takes to build a *.pyd that will compress/decompress EA/Maxis package compression byte streams? I cannot see trying to process this compression in pure Python, and I do not have the tools to create a *.pyd myself.
Not actually evil.
#23 Old 16th Sep 2008 at 7:55 PM
Sorry, I know nothing about Maxis record formats. You may want to ask at MATY in addition to here. Also, if SimPE is open source (I don't know, haven't checked), you could see how they parse records.

Please spay or neuter your pets. --- Cat Music Video! --- my meshes
One horse disagreer of the Apocalypse
#24 Old 16th Sep 2008 at 8:05 PM
SimPE is open source, but you'd probably need to feel at least comfortable with reading C# to get anything out of looking at it.

"You can do refraction by raymarching through the depth buffer" (c. Reddeyfish 2017)
Mad Poster
Original Poster
#25 Old 16th Sep 2008 at 8:06 PM
Not even WHICH formats I need to research? I`m not having trouble figuring out how to parse well-documented records; I`m just having trouble figuring out wich records to parse. Also, I`m not on MATY. As for SimPE source, please scroll up to post #10.
Page 1 of 5
Back to top