First, I have no idea if this is the correct forum for this question. If not, please feel free to move it.

I was hoping someone could tell me how I might be able to import Sims 3 objects into Maya with the goal of generally messing around with them.

Yes, I am a (very) beginner user of Maya. I am grateful for any help (pointing me in the right direction?). Thanks

I'm pretty sure Maya takes .obj, so try using the Milkshape trial version to import the .mcfg files into Milkshape and then export them as a .obj or something like that until someone makes a Maya plugin.

"Bridging" through MilkShape should work well, although bone assignments will not transfer, and may need updating in MilkShape. Fortunately, most object meshes have very simple assignments.

As I remember, the OBJ plugins are not loaded by default in Maya. You need to use the Plugin Manager to load them and make them autoload. I think it is located on the Window/Settings menu.

<* Wes *>

Thanks, guys! I already have the OBJ plugins autoloaded, that was the first thing I did after installing. Well, after making a very weird koosh ball type thing that moved with a mind of its own.

I'll give the "bridging" idea a shot.

I've just tested this myself as well and importing them into Maya was no problem:





Textures on the model look fine so you can get a better sense when modeling however I have no expierence with Milkshape I was able to import a modified mesh into milkshape from Maya and it looked fine I just don't know how to do anything from HPs tutorial not because it's confusing just because well I don't know milkshape

So I haven't tested out a Maya imported mesh into Milkshape into TS3 maybe you can though and let us know if it works! That would be amazing.


-edit-
Played around with the mesh and was able to make something decent sorta.. kinda maybe I'll try now this milkshape buisness and smack it around till it works and see if I can get it into the game





-edit part two-
This is how the mesh looks imported in Milkshape

I know that 3ds max has a obj importer and exporter as well, should this also work in max. Because I tried to do bridging with milkshape put in a obj file than imported in max worked fine, did my meshing put it back via obj in milkshape. Put my package together put it in the mods file and than tested it in game, then my game closes to windows. I know that meshing/modding is still in the infantshoes but do I do something wrong in my steps or is it just not doable yet??? Someone if you can please help me because I don't understand milkshape and I'm familiar with max.

greetings

OK, now the title of the thread is "Sims 3 objects". The screenshots are Sims 3 body meshes. These are two vastly different things.

Obj format is simply inadequate for body meshes. While you can transfer the visible shape with the UV (texture) mapping that way, all of the information related to the joint assignments and weighting, VertexIDs and for hair the TagVal are all lost. All of this information was in the body meshes for a reason, and unless you are prepared to remake it all, your project will not work.

Object meshes (wall, rugs, sofas and whatever) have the same limitations, but their joint structure is so much simpler that reassigning the joints may take mere seconds, as some objects have only a single root joint that everything is assigned to.

So for right now there is no simple solution. Perhaps Morgade's blender plugin may work, as his does try to retrieve some of the data from the original file when creating the output. But that one is a GEOM (body mesh) plugin. The objects are MODL format, and it is quite different from the GEOM one.

<* Wes *>

Thnx for you reply Wes and for your explanation. So it does work for objects but not for body meshes; that's probably the reason why it doesn't work I didn't do all the necessary things to make it work again.

So there's only one thing left to do; learning Milkshape.

Thanks again greetings

Well, having said that, I may release some maya plugins, if I ever get caught up around here. Maya is very version sensitive, the plugins have to be compiled for the specific Maya version (and I don't have all of them).

Which version are you using?

Sorry, I kinda got distracted with pattern making.

I have the most recent, Maya Unlimited 2009.

I haven't had much luck getting actual objects to import. I exported the banana leaf plant and tried to import it into maya and got a cannot read file error.

Ooh ok I see no wonder I was running into that error and oops I thought the thread "object" meant as in ".obj"

I've never done meshing so I was really just testing it out but thanks for the heads up Wes.

I'm glad I can do this now though since I won't have to boot up my game now to see if seams match on the clothing, now I can just update it in Maya ^^

I see how the "object" came to be misinterpreted.

I agree that Maya has far more capabilities and tools to make better meshes easier and faster. It is also considerably more difficult to write plugins for, and the entry price is too high for the average game modder.

<* Wes *>