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Lab Assistant
Original Poster
#1 Old 1st Oct 2005 at 2:34 AM
Default Making Nightlife Cars
Do car models need to be prepared in any special way for them to have working doors for nightlife usable cars? If so what needs to be done differently.

Thanks in advance for any help.

Kralore.
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Inventor
#2 Old 1st Oct 2005 at 2:57 PM
Yes there are some special things. Most meshes have to be the same size of what is called a 'reference object' to have correct animations. The car is an exception in some cases. Your car has limits such as ther fact that your car must be in the size range oif the clone. The doors have to be similar sized. Someone at Various Simmers did like 10 cars. He or she can give you more informatiioon. I make the assumption you have the address ot Various Simmers. If not, here's the link: http://www.variousimmers.net/.

Various is going through NL updates, so it may be slow.

P.S I searched and VampCat is the one. VampCat is the only person to have made a NL car. PM him or her.
Forum Resident
#3 Old 1st Oct 2005 at 8:22 PM
You will most likely have to use the mesh tool for cars. I think it would be just like making a fridge.

Now known as CMW15
Scholar
#4 Old 1st Oct 2005 at 8:50 PM
cars are extremely difficult to make i wouldn't bother. anyway vampcat will practically have every cool car ever made done eventually so best to wait!
Lab Assistant
Original Poster
#5 Old 2nd Oct 2005 at 2:45 AM
I've done objects for the sims 2 in the past so i'm familiar with Maya/3ds Max, and the mesh tool for getting the objects into the game. Where i'm entering new territory is with the car doors opening and closing and the sims getting in and out of the cars. Do I just import the new car model and the game takes care of the animations for the doors opening/sims getting in and out? (which I think I already know is not the case). Or do I have to create extra models and/or animations of the doors and sims. (Which is what I think needs to be done). If I have to make the extra models or animations for the doors or sims, how do I go about doing this? Will I need to use car models that have the doors as separate objects? I don't necessarily need a detail by detail explanation, just the general steps I need to take should be enough to point me in the right direction.
Scholar
#6 Old 2nd Oct 2005 at 11:22 AM
Quote: Originally posted by kralore
I've done objects for the sims 2 in the past so i'm familiar with Maya/3ds Max, and the mesh tool for getting the objects into the game. Where i'm entering new territory is with the car doors opening and closing and the sims getting in and out of the cars. Do I just import the new car model and the game takes care of the animations for the doors opening/sims getting in and out? (which I think I already know is not the case). Or do I have to create extra models and/or animations of the doors and sims.


hmmm i don't know try it and tell me if that works!
Lab Assistant
#7 Old 2nd Oct 2005 at 7:30 PM Last edited by willem81 : 14th Oct 2005 at 9:33 PM.
You need to assign some vertexes to the right joints in Milkshape. Just like Maxis did in the "reference object". For example the right front wheel of your car has to be assigned to the joint "Joint@07h".
The size of the car is not important. You will only need to position the wheels, the doors, the lights, etc. if the size of your car is not the same as the size of the "reference object".

Edit: the height (bottom and top, especially around the doors) of the new car needs to be similar to the reference car. Otherwise the animations for getting in and getting out will look strange.
Lab Assistant
#8 Old 5th Oct 2005 at 10:12 AM
Ok, this is how I make a car for nightlife.

I used wes_h milkshape plugin to import the car to get the car bones data (SimPE 0.48 has bug for exporting boned GMDC). I removed the maxis model and imported my done model. I assigned every vertices to the respective bones and exported to Milkshape ASCII. I opened the file using notepad and edit the bones position to the right positions.

I imported the file back into Milkshape and exported to gdmc using the milkshape plugin. But, this will make most of the parts not in right position in game. So I need to edit the resource node bones data to reposition them (you need to do try and error for these works).

After you done all of these, the car will animate correctly. Normally the animations won't be right for the tyres and doors, but these methods will solved it.

Take a try for my car here .


Good Luck.
Lab Assistant
#9 Old 6th Oct 2005 at 1:28 PM
Cevic,

can you be more specific about this: "edit the bones position to the right positions"?
Lab Assistant
#10 Old 7th Oct 2005 at 9:57 AM
Sorry, its not bones actually, its joints.

When u created a new model of car, the model will not have joints position exactly the same of existing joints (Maxis made), normally the tyres will have in different position of joints. Thes U need to edit the position, otherwise the animations are going to be wierd (the joint are not in center position of tyre). When the joints are in correct position, the tyres will spin smoothly.

Good Luck.
Field Researcher
#11 Old 9th Oct 2005 at 11:17 AM
the problem come when your car is smaller tha the original one.
i'm working on a car but the weel are more closer, but if i move the joints in milkshape the sphere of joing rotate too so the car will be messed up

http://img397.imageshack.us/img397/...305435f82ye.jpg

ps.
cevic a poly is a face, evey face are composed with 3 vertex so,
8361 x 3 = 25893
Lab Assistant
#12 Old 9th Oct 2005 at 1:38 PM Last edited by VampCat : 9th Oct 2005 at 1:50 PM.
Quote: Originally posted by Max3D
the problem come when your car is smaller tha the original one.
i'm working on a car but the weel are more closer, but if i move the joints in milkshape the sphere of joing rotate too so the car will be messed up

http://img397.imageshack.us/img397/...305435f82ye.jpg

ps.
cevic a poly is a face, evey face are composed with 3 vertex so,
8361 x 3 = 25893


In milkshape just move all the joints to where you want them (with wheels, you want them dead-bang in the centre), then in SimPE you go to the CRES hierachy in the Resourse node. This contains the 3D grid co-ordinates for everything, you just change the co-ordinates to move the part of the mesh you wish into the correct position. Each joint is labled in the cres so it is easy to work out what is what, just be prepared to run a lot of tests.

If you need to change the anims to make them get into a higher or lower seat, you do this in the text list in Anim-Object, change the name of the corresponding anim to that of one from another vehicle, e.g. for higher choose the anim from the truck, lower choose the anims from the super sportscar.
Lab Assistant
#13 Old 10th Oct 2005 at 10:37 AM
Quote: Originally posted by Max3D
the problem come when your car is smaller tha the original one.
i'm working on a car but the weel are more closer, but if i move the joints in milkshape the sphere of joing rotate too so the car will be messed up

http://img397.imageshack.us/img397/...305435f82ye.jpg
What U have done were just right, now u need to edit it in Resource node as mentioned and explained by Vampcat.

Good Luck.

Quote: Originally posted by Max3D
ps.
cevic a poly is a face, evey face are composed with 3 vertex so,
8361 x 3 = 25893
Don't get wrong. A rectangle/square have 2 faces and 4 vertexes but not 6 vertexes.
Field Researcher
#14 Old 10th Oct 2005 at 11:27 AM
i'm completly lost in CRES
i've to chagne the value with which reference ?
i've to change it just a bit and then run the game to see if it's correct ?
Lab Assistant
#15 Old 12th Oct 2005 at 10:51 AM
OK, I give you a simple brief to solve your problem,

I used my porche as a model. As you can see, when you're modelling in MilkShape all the 3 base axises as per magenta, cyan and yellow axis. However axises are switched to green, blue and red axis in SimPE Rcol Editor. The origin of the axises in Milkshape should be around as on pic, but in SimPE I'm not sure where is the origin, in my theory it is around the center of the mass.

You should notify that a few joints need to be modified and few nodes need to be repositioned. Normally they are (in my case):
1. r_wheel_rear_rot (right-rear wheel)
2. l_wheel_rear_rot (left-rear wheel)
3. r_wheel_rot (right-front wheel)
4. l_wheel_rot (left-front wheel)
5. l_door_rot (left handed door)
6. r_door_rot (right handed door)
7. slot_driver
8. slot_shotgun
9. slot_fxautomataheadlight0_fx (right handed headlight)
10. slot_fxautomataheadlight1_fx (left handed headlight)
11. slot_fxautomatataillight0_fx (right handed taillight)
12. slot_fxautomatataillight1_fx (left handed taillight)
and for a special case you need to edit body_rot joint.

The pic here is the hierarchy of the Hunka/Carrera hierarchy.

You just edit the xyz translation values and never edit others. These value as about the axises as shown axises on top pic. You need to edit these values in trial and error values. Its mean you have to edit the values and take a look in what position the part you edited in game, if it still not in correct position get out from the game and edit it again till all of the separate parts in position that you satisfied. And take a look the difference values for what I have done between Hunka and Carrera.

If you want better explainations, please look at this thread.


Good Luck.
Field Researcher
#16 Old 14th Oct 2005 at 5:01 PM
thnx alot for the explenation.... but i'm so bored

maybe sooner or l8r i'll try
meanwhile i hope quaxi & c. will crease the productivty of SimPE
Field Researcher
#17 Old 17th Oct 2005 at 4:09 PM
i've fixed the car aspect but the door have a wrong rotation point
damn made car on that way is a nightmare
Field Researcher
#18 Old 17th Oct 2005 at 4:20 PM
it's a wash of blood
s#it :@
Lab Assistant
#19 Old 17th Oct 2005 at 5:04 PM
Quote: Originally posted by Max3D
i've fixed the car aspect but the door have a wrong rotation point
damn made car on that way is a nightmare


The rotation point can be solved this way:
The joints for the doors should not be inside or outside the car, just exactly at the sides of the model. The only thing you have to do is moving the joints for the doors (in the front or back view) towards the side-edges/-borders of your model. There's no need to move them in any other direction. This will solve your problem.
Field Researcher
#20 Old 17th Oct 2005 at 6:30 PM
i've the same problem with the weel
Lab Assistant
#21 Old 17th Oct 2005 at 7:06 PM
Quote: Originally posted by Max3D
i've the same problem with the weel


The joint for a wheel needs to be moved to the centre (in the right or left side view) of the wheel.
Guest
#22 Old 17th Oct 2005 at 9:11 PM Last edited by Phaser59 : 18th Oct 2005 at 7:00 PM.
i got very strange thing i have modify a car model found on cars (the viper)

i have import into milkshape 1.7.3 the model appear correct i make all joints and export for the sims

and into the game i get this

the wheel and door work perfect i need to adjust position

and need texture, only material on this car, no texture

and the front light are very big and large ( the effect )

taillight corrct and good placed
Field Researcher
#23 Old 18th Oct 2005 at 9:08 AM Last edited by Max3D : 18th Oct 2005 at 10:31 AM.
the problem, i think it's SimPE i've exported the ascii milkshape file to watch how the bones are positioned and they are completly messed




now the car looks perfect but iv'e alot of axis to correct

it's 8000 poly that's should be the limit for every car in TS2 !

.... btw
i've aligned the r_wheel_steering_trans with the r_wheel_rot
but that's didn't correct the rotation axis

i wish to know where the hell is gone the center of my weel :@
Lab Assistant
#24 Old 18th Oct 2005 at 10:33 AM
You just done great jobs and I hope this will not give U up.


Congrats.
Field Researcher
#25 Old 18th Oct 2005 at 10:47 AM
there is nothing to congrats the car doens't work and the doors / weels have a wrong center of rotation
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