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Is Claeric
Original Poster
#1 Old 6th Mar 2015 at 12:48 AM
Default Converting Sims 3 Accessory to Sims 4 Accessory
So here's the situation: I have a Sims 3 Package file. I can open it in S3PE. I can export the GEOM file. I can open or import the GEOM into Blender. If I import it into a Sims 4 mesh, I can see it already lines up where I need it to just fine, so really I just need to get it into Sims 4 format.

But I can not for the life of me figure out how to do this.

I can't export to ".blend", which is what Sims 4 Studio uses. I can export to .obj which TSR Workshop uses, but it crashes if I try to load it. I can export to .geom, but Sims 4 Studio and TSR Workshop don't *use* geom, that's the Sims 3 format. CASTools just simply does not seem to work. I use the panel that says Convert Sims 3 GEOM to Sims 4, and it creates a new file, but the new file is also .geom and it doesn't load in Blender at all.

What am I missing? I searched first but with the games having identical names except for numbers and with all the titles on this sub being very nondescript, this is very hard to search for.

I'm super confused. I can't even get to the step where I have to UV map it (though I think I figured out how to do that just fine?).
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Ms. Byte (Deceased)
#2 Old 6th Mar 2015 at 7:06 AM
Why can't you export to .blend?

CAS Tools converts to Sims 4 GEOM format AFTER you've completed UV mapping and bone assignment (if necessary) in Blender. You can either export from Blender in TS3 GEOM format to keep the bones and do the TS3 -> TS4 / no reference conversion, or export from Blender to .obj and do the obj -> TS4 / with a similar accessory mesh as reference conversion. The converted TS4 GEOM can then be imported into a cloned TS4 accessory package.

Please do not PM me with mod, tutorial, or general modding questions or problems; post them in the thread for the mod or tutorial or post them in the appropriate forum.

Visit my blogs for other Sims content:
Online Sims - general mods for Sims 3
Offline Sims - adult mods for Sims 3 and Sims 4
Mad Poster
#3 Old 6th Mar 2015 at 11:55 AM
OP, I'm not sure if I'm understanding you right, but are you saying that you're trying to use 'Export' as your method of exporting a .blend from Blender? That indeed won't work - you need to use 'Save' or 'Save As' instead. Then the file saved will be a .blend.

On the Sims 4 Studio website there's a simple and basic tutorial on converting accessories to TS4 using Sims 4 Studio and Blender and also a more comprehensive and thorough one on that subject that goes into loads more detail.
Is Claeric
Original Poster
#4 Old 6th Mar 2015 at 3:02 PM
Aw dammit, is it really that simple?

Aaaand...mesh loaded into S4Studio. I can't believe it was that simple.

Now to figure out UV mapping which is giving me an enormous headache because all of these tutorials use different versions of blender and assume you already know where windows and options and stuff are. I can get a texture...covering my entire sim's body. But that's about it.

Thanks~
Mad Poster
#5 Old 6th Mar 2015 at 6:20 PM
Quote: Originally posted by Scarity
I can get a texture...covering my entire sim's body. But that's about it.

That will happen if your UV map is the size of the whole 1024x2048 TS4 CAS texture map. Accessories have to go in their own very tiny portion of that map - see this link which has a chart showing you where each CAS item has to go. For instance, earrings can only go in that one tiny peach-coloured rectangle in the top right hand corner of the map. Map them anywhere else, and they appear on a different part of the sim's anatomy.
Is Claeric
Original Poster
#6 Old 6th Mar 2015 at 8:36 PM
Yeah, I think I grasp that concept...but I cannot figure out how to actually change where the UV map is mapped on the texture itself. From what I understand I should be able to cick on and manipulate the UV map right in blender and move it into the corner somewhere, but I can't figure it out. This whole program feels super unintuitive. I could barely get the right menus to show up.
Is Claeric
Original Poster
#7 Old 6th Mar 2015 at 8:37 PM
Oh! Wait! It hink I figured it out xdD
Is Claeric
Original Poster
#8 Old 6th Mar 2015 at 9:38 PM Last edited by Scarity : 7th Mar 2015 at 12:23 AM.
Okay. I made the mesh. I figured out the UV map!!! It looks fine in Sims 4 Studio (the texture is cruddy but whatever). But when I finally take it in game, I click it in CAS and it doesn't appear on the sim. What could I be missing?

Edit: Apparently I'm missing bone assignments. The Vertex Group for my mesh says b_head_ which is where it is supposed to be. I don't get this crap. Again, looking at tutorials, they ALL use varying versions of blender and ALL assume you already have a menu or something open or know where to find it. AUGH. This is so annoying.
Mad Poster
#9 Old 7th Mar 2015 at 9:55 AM
That usually happens if you haven't re-assigned the bone to your new item after swapping EA's mesh for your item. See this mini-tutorial on how to check that your bone is assigned. If your mesh shows as blue, it's not assigned yet. So (still in Edit mode), place your mouse cursor in the 3D window display and press the A key to Select All (so that you get orange highlights around your item), and then click the Assign button. Your mesh will then turn red to show it's been assigned.
Is Claeric
Original Poster
#10 Old 7th Mar 2015 at 8:57 PM
It comes up red just fine.

I didnt want to share it because it's embarassing, but someone asked me if I would convert a Sims 3 accessory I made to Sims 4...lol



I feel like I've done everything I need to do, but it just doesnt show up when I click it in-game. And it's not an LOD issue, as for laziness and pure testing purposes each LOD uses the same mesh.
Mad Poster
#11 Old 7th Mar 2015 at 9:31 PM
Ah, you have a typo in the name of your bone. There need to be two underlines after Head, not one as you have it there. The game doesn't know what b_Head_ is, it only understands b_Head__ . Try that and see if it will work.
Is Claeric
Original Poster
#12 Old 7th Mar 2015 at 10:16 PM
Are you serious.



Lets see.
Is Claeric
Original Poster
#13 Old 7th Mar 2015 at 10:21 PM
Progress.



I give up for now, though. This is frustrating. I have no idea what is going wrong, and something goes wrong every step of the way. Thanks for the help u_u
Test Subject
#14 Old 2nd Oct 2016 at 12:03 PM
hey,some body please help me!I replaced a mesh in blender and I did joint assignments too,but when I import it into s4s nothing is showing.what am I doing wrong????
Ms. Byte (Deceased)
#15 Old 2nd Oct 2016 at 11:24 PM
Quote: Originally posted by starked
hey,some body please help me!I replaced a mesh in blender and I did joint assignments too,but when I import it into s4s nothing is showing.what am I doing wrong????


Why don't you ask in the S4S forums?

Please do not PM me with mod, tutorial, or general modding questions or problems; post them in the thread for the mod or tutorial or post them in the appropriate forum.

Visit my blogs for other Sims content:
Online Sims - general mods for Sims 3
Offline Sims - adult mods for Sims 3 and Sims 4
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