Step 1 – Loading TSR Workshop

Go to your Start Menu > All Programs and load the TSR Workshop.

Step 2 – Creating a New Project

Navigate to the top left of the Workshop and click on the ‘Create new Project’.

In the new window that will pop out in front of you select Makeup/Facial overlay and click the button ‘Next’ in the right bottom corner.

As I said before I’m going to make an eyeshadow so I’ll choose afMakeupEyeshadowSmoky and click ‘Next’

In the next screen you will be asked to give your project a name and some additional details. Although it is very important to give your projects a unique identifier and fill in all the other boxes, we’re actually only going to use this project to get a file we will need – we won’t be exporting anything for the game from here. So for now, just click ‘Next’.

Finally your new project will load and you will be able to see the eyeshadow on the model in the left window and project details in the right one.

When you click on the ‘Texture’ tab you will see that under ‘Textures’ there are ‘Face Overlay’ and ‘Face Specular’. The important one for us is ‘Face Overlay’, which determine where the makeup is placed on the face.

Probably by now you also noticed that at the bottom, under colors, there is only one color that can be changed. That means you won’t be able to create a multicolor makeup starting from the eyeshadow you have opened.

However, this is still a very important step – as I mentioned earlier we’re just needed to find an image file – the face overlay is the image file we needed here, so now we’re going to export it.

Step 1:

Build a box 2 levels high

Step 1a:

Build a base (1x1) on the side with walls (1x1) on top of it. NOTE: Don’t forget to remove the auto roofs.

Step 2:

Enter the cheat constrainfloorelevation false (CTRL + SHFT + C + constrainfloorelevation false)

From top of your foundation, flatten the top level of your house-to-be with the terrain leveling tool (a floor tile can also be used for this).

NOTE: You need to pull the leveling tool (or floor tiles) FROM the foundation TO the opposite side of the house, not the other way around.

Step 3:

This is how it should look like. I have colored the walls in different colors so you may see what happened to the walls.

Step 4:

Now on the top floor, build a wall box inside the short walls (see the pictures), this will be on top of the green walls. This will pull the walls on the sides of the house up to the regular height, and that made the whole trick (the attic).

TECHNICAL: It will be much easier to use the “create room” wall than the “create wall” command.

Step 5:

Try adding roof. Using the ‘red’ walls as your base for your roof.

Step 6:

As you can see in the picture, the walls is higher than the roof, adjust it using the ‘adjust roof type’ slide, to your desired roof height.

This is how it should look like:

Using different colors of paint, so you’ll see what happened to the walls (see image). Your attic is already complete by this time, you may put windows at the front and back of the house. But if you want we may also add dormers. This will also enlarge your space. So let’s continue to the next step.

Step 7:

To make your attic/space more beautiful, let’s add dormers. Proceeding from Step 6, make a box for your dormer. See the image. Make sure that your cheat (constrainfloorelevation false) is still ON.

This is what it should look like with the main roof;

Step 8:

I painted the walls white (the uneven wall) and black (the main dormer wall). As you can see the ‘white walls’ isn’t nice to look at so we’ll delete it. Let’s remove the uneven wall on the side of the dormer. Using the sledgehammertool, smash the white walls.

Step 9:

Let’s add the roof of the dormer. You may add one or two dormers, depending on what you want. In this image, I made 2 dormers.

Step 10:

After adding roof to your dormer, this is what it should look like with the main roof.

Step 11:

Don’t forget to turn your cheat off “constrainfloorelevation true”. This is what your attic will look like: (the size varies to your own desire, you may change it if you want)

EXTRA:

If you want to change the height of the dormer roof, here’s how:

1. Use the sledgehammer tool to smash the MAIN roof;
2. Adjust the roof of the dormer on your desired height using the ‘adjust roof type’ slide.
3. Then click on ‘undo’ or press CTRL Z, to add the main roof back.
4. Change the color of the roof if you want and don’t forget to add stairs.

Step 12: Make your house beautiful by adding plants, paint and fences if you like. Now this is how your cottage or small house should look like after adding the finishing touches. Enjoy making your small houses bigger and make your roof usable. Happy Simmin’ !!

Introduction

Creating a waterfall can be a challenge, but the view they add to a property makes the time and effort well worthwhile.

Step 1

First of all, I like to start with a level lot. Open the build menu and select the shovel icon/terrain tool. Level the entire lot, including the land beneath the mailbox and trashcan. If you choose, paint the lot with ground cover.

(I like to play with a waterfall that obeys the natural laws of gravity, i.e. water flows down, not to the side or up. At this point, I build a small pond, just to look at the water in motion. I make note of which direction the water’s current is flowing, in order to build the waterfall with that orientation in mind. I then delete the “test” pond and begin to create my actual waterfall.)

Step 2

Next, open the raise terrain tool and use it to create your hummocks, hills and mountains. This is when you decide where you would like your waterfall to be placed, and the way in which the height of the lot will look in general during play.

Step 3

Open the soften terrain tool and smooth out any sharp corners on your hills, try to make them look weather-worn and natural.

Step 4

Now it's time to add the water. Open the water tool and place a pond at the bottom of your hills. Think of real ponds. Try to avoid too many sharp corners.

Step 5

The key is to make sure that wherever you decide to place the waterfall, the “base” of the waterfall is where the pond is the deepest.

Step 6

Return to the build menu and purchase one or two columns. (I find that more than a couple of columns can be difficult to find and retrieve later.)

Step 7

Simultaneously press and hold the Control, Shift, C keys to open the cheat menu and type: moveobjects on Pick up one of the columns and place it in the water at the "bottom" of the waterfall. The land will fall away to reveal water. Just remember: Always turn off the cheat code before exiting the lot.

Step 8

You can also hold down the Alt key for more precise control during the positioning of your columns.

Step 9

As the columns are placed, more water will appear to “cascade” down the slopes. Don’t worry if there is a bit of land exposed at the bottom of the waterfall that can be camouflaged later.

Step 10

Continue to place your columns until you have a waterfall you’re happy with. Be patient. Don't rush. Take the time to be "picky."

Step 11

Retrieve the columns and delete them.

Programs we will be using

TSR Workshop
Adobe CS2 or higher
DDS Plugins for Adobe

BlackGarden’s Tutorial will also be very useful if you don’t know about Adobe’s pen tool:
Extracting Sims and Objects from Screenshots

Step 1

You should have already meshed your plant and have your UV map handy. Make sure your map is the size of the dds files from workshop for this tutorial. The size of the dds we will be using is 256 X 256. Then import your meshes to WS. Delete all Variation Files by choosing them and in turn hitting the red X until you only have one file.

Step 2

These are our dds files we will be working with. We will not be exporting the mask for this tutorial, we won’t need it.
In turn export Overlay, Multiplier, and Specular naming them and placing them in a file you can find easily.
Open Adobe CS2 or higher. Drag, in turn, your Overlay, Multiplier, and Specular into Adobe

Step 3

Now you will make a blank 256 X 256 file to work with. Not necessary but an easier way to make your files. Make it black.

I’m going to take my UV map and place it on the blank file Like so:

Step 4

Now we will position our plant and other non recolorable images on the map.

Step 5

Now delete the UV map, flatten image and you should have this:

Step 6

Now we have our working “Model” for the rest of our dds files.

Now we’ll work on our Overlay First

Copy this “Model” to your overlay file. Ctrl A, ctrl C this file and then ctrl V to the overlay. Your overlay now has its base.

Ah, but your overlay needs a new alpha file. So back to your “Model”. Duplicate the main layer of the model file. Using your wand tool you will select all black parts on the duplicate layer and right click select inverse. Using your pencil at the highest setting and making sure your main color swatch is white click on your selected image. You should have something that looks like this:

Step 7

Now we want to ctrl A and ctrl C to copy this layer to our Overlay Alpha. So lets do that now, ctrl V to paste and you should have an alpha layer for your overlay that looks like this:

Step 8

Flatten layer and save as a DXT5 ARGB 8 bpp | interpolated alpha. Overlay is now done.

ONWARD! Now would be the time to grab a cup of coffee or a Soda…..So I’ll wait for a minute.

Ok minute over. Now we will work on the Multiplier.

The first thing we want to do is go back to our “Model”. Make sure you deleted the Alpha File we made for our overlay. You should now be back to this for your “Model”:

Step 9

Now we want to make a multiplier file. So again duplicate your “Model” layer. Now go to Image/Adjustments/Desaturate. Now your “Model” should have a layer that looks like this:

Step 10

As before you will copy this layer and paste it over the multiplier file. Now we get into the tricky parts……Yes what makes you think it can’t get any more complicated? Hmmmm?

Take your UV map and place it on top of both the Multiplier layer then reduce visibility to 35%. You should have something that looks like this:

Step 11

Now see how we still have the pot to do? Well we are going to hand draw around the pot with a grey layer. So make a 256 X 256 Grey layer to work with and save it. Now place that saved layer over this multiplier and reduce visibility to 45% so you can see the UV map underneath. Rastersize the layer in case you didn’t know you had to do that. Right Click on the layer, Rastersize. You should now have this:

Step 12

Now we will cut around the pot using our pen tool. If you don’t know how to do this I suggest you read BlackGarden’s Tutorial first found here:

Extracting Sims and Objects from Screenshots

Now we will delete the extra layer and the UV map, then flatten so that we are left with this:

Step 13

Now we Could get into all the technical stuffs about shading in your multiplier because the pot part does need some shading, but that is not the purpose of this tutorial. So we won’t :0).

So Onward, now we need an alpha layer for the multiplier. Yes on plants the Multiplier has an alpha layer. So now we will go back to our “Model”. Select the black parts with your wand tool and then select inverse so that your parts are selected. Going to your pencil tool again we want to make white the parts to the plant. Ending up with something that looks like this again:

Step 14

Now place our UV map over top of this file. Reduce visibility to 35% so you can see underneath the UV map. Now comes the most important part or making our leaf totally invisible around the leaf in game. You are going to trace your UV map around the entire leaf surface of the mesh part with your pen tool (Again referring to BlackGardens Tutorial). Like this:

Step 15

Notice how I drew a little bit larger than my mesh map. Now we will layer via cut just that section. Delete the UV map and place a white background layer underneath the cut out. Flatten and it should look like this:

Step 16

Now you will copy and paste this to the alpha layer of the Multiplier and your channel should look like this:

Step 17

Now save to DXT5 ARGB 8 bpp | interpolated alpha. Your Multiplier is now done.

Take a break, Walk around and clear your head, the hard parts are now done. We have one more thing left to do. The Specular.

We’re going to go back to our “Model” mesh and clear off all the editing we have done thus far. So Edit/Step backwards until you get back to where our “Model” looks like this:

Step 18

Now we want to copy this to our Specular file and then place our UV map on top with a 35% visibility so we can see below. Cut out Place a white layer under your UV map and cut out your planter part like this again using the pen tool:

Step 19

Now save to DXT5 ARGB 8 bpp | interpolated alpha. Your Multiplier is now done.


Take a break, Walk around and clear your head, the hard parts are now done. We have one more thing left to do. The Specular.

We’re going to go back to our “Model” mesh and clear off all the editing we have done thus far. So Edit/Step backwards until you get back to where our “Model” looks like this:

Step 20

Add a totally black alpha layer and then save as a DXT5 ARGB 8 bpp | interpolated alpha. Now we are ready for import back into Workshop.

So in turn import each file into Workshop, Overlay, Multiplier, and Specular. Your plant should look something like this:

You'll need a few things before we begin, so please make sure you have these before you get started.

You'll need:
* A Graphics Editor capable of supporting DDS
* The TSR Workshop
* Milkshape 3D (Recommended 1.8.4 or later)

Note:
You must be familiar with your graphic editor, the DDS file format and know some basic commands in Milkshape 3D. (You must have purchased Milkshape 3D as the trial version does not allow import / export, this is vital in this tutorial).

Step 1 - Download TSR Workshop

Right, start off by downloading the Workshop software, which can be found here http://www.thesimsresource.com/workshop/ (The latest version is usually available here), and once it has downloaded make sure you install the program.

Step 2 - Installing the Milkshape Plugins

Before launching Workshop for the first time, you need to install the Milkshape Plug-ins.
Go to this directory: C:\Program Files\The Sims Resource\TSR Workshop\Extras\Milkshape plugins\ and copy the following two files to C:\Program Files\Milkshape 3D 1.8.4\.

It is vital that you don't skip this step, otherwise you won't be able to edit some files later on.

Step 3 - Load TSR Workshop

Go to your Start Menu > All Programs and load the TSR Workshop (it may take a while to load if this is your first time loading it).
You’ll be greeted with a splash screen where you can see the loading progress of Workshop, and then the main Workshop Interface after that.

We’re going to now clone an object, and load it into the Workshop ready for editing.

Step 4 - Creating a New Project

Navigate to the top left of the Workshop UI and click on the ‘Create new Project’ button which looks like this:

For future reference, 'Open project' will open up any .wrk file (The file format in which TSR Workshop saves a project, so it can easily be edited later).

'Recent projects' will list your recently opened / saved .wrk files, so you can load them quickly if need be.

Step 5 - Loading the Object List

Select ‘objects’ from the next pop-up, next you should select 'object' again like I have in the image.

Click on ‘Next’ on the bottom right, and wait for the objects to load (Again depending on your computer this could take a while).

Step 6 - Selecting an Object to Clone

Once the object list has loaded, select the item you wish to create. I’ll go through this tutorial creating a table, but feel free to explore and clone whatever you wish to.

If you're unfamiliar to the concept of object meshing, then I would strongly advise that you start off by making a table, it'll be a lot easier to follow this tutorial.

The process of loading the object list can vary depending on the speed of your computer.

I’m going to clone the Table coffee mission2x1 here, but as you can see from the picture that’s pretty much the selection process.

And once you have selected the object you wish to clone, in the bottom right corner click on ‘Next’.

I will show you how easy it is to make your very own custom painting by your favorite artist using one of the very lovely frames that already exists in your game.

What You will Need:

• TSR Workshop (8.7 or latest release)

• Graphics editing program (I will be using Photoshop CS3 (a good working knowledge is a plus) or the program of your choice.

• DDS plug-ins for Photoshop, current version (installed)
(http://developer.nvidia.com/object/photoshop_dds_plugins.htm). Gimp and Paint Shop Pro also have plug-ins available on the internet.

• Good quality image of your choice or you can use mine. Just right click and save it. But, I do ask that you only use it for tutorial purposes as I’ve already uploaded it for publication on TSR.

I’ll be using one of my favorites, The Waterlily Pond with the Japanese Bridge, 1899 by Claude Monet.

Section 1 - Creating a New Project

We’ll start by opening Workshop (WS) and clicking on Create New Project

In the Create a new project screen select Object and then click Next

You will now find yourself on the Object Clone screen. In the Object By Category section on the left, select Décor/Wall Art. You will see workshop display all the paintings in the game. Remember the only paintings available to clone are the ones with a frame. I’ve selected the Painting still life for my painting. Click Next and you’re on your way.

At this point the Project details screen will pop up. Here you will type in your Project Name, Title and Description. When you are finished with all of your information go ahead and click Next

Your project has now been created and we are ready to customize it. As you can see from the screenshot, your project is opened on the Project tab. It’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with all the sections. It’s in this tab where you can change your project name and description if you find any mistakes and in game categories.

When you’re finished with the Project tab go ahead and click on the Textures tab. You will see a dropdown box called Variation. If you click on it you will see exactly that, how many frame variations (colors) this particular mesh has. There are 3 for the Painting Still Life. Make sure the first one is selected and move on to the next section.

There are several tutorials discussing how to make patterns for the Create-A-Style tool in Sims 3 that are helping many people make great patterns. However, I started out as a total beginner, and was still fumbling with issues such as ‘why channels?’ and ‘how do I add an alpha?’
when other people were seemingly outputting a pattern a minute!!!

If you too are floundering and feel like you know nothing, hopefully this tutorial will help you. After you’ve succeeded with this one, you’ll be able to move on to more advanced stuff. This tutorial is meant for people who still have no idea what they’re doing and need to know WHY they're doing this or that. So it DOES go on a bit. But that's me!

Your pattern

I’m not going to make a pattern from scratch (because that would assume you can paint stuff)! Instead, and because I can't paint stuff either, I’m going to convert an existing texture using a basic select tool to split a brick pattern across three channels (and an alpha) to make the English Victorian brick pattern shown on the right. You can use any pattern (including my brick pattern).

Whatever you use, ensure you start with a pattern that has easy sections to cut out and divide, and is sized 256 pixels wide by 256 pixels high.

Create the base shape/ room where you want to create your halfwall. You can create it on a foundation like i did, but you don't have to. This also works on groundlevel. Although, if you go with this way, your room needs to be 2 story's high.

When you have done this, press CTRL+SHIFT+C on your keyboard to open the cheat window and enter this cheat:
ConstrainFloorElevation false

Now go to the buildmode and select any stair, with or without rail, make sure it's set to 1.

Place first stair

Place the Modular stair on the ground and move it a little with the mousebutton clicked so that it will move into the ground. Let the mousebutton go.

Place second stair

On the landing of this first stair, place the start for your second stair and repeat last action. By placing these 3 stairs, you have lowered the ground by 8 clicks. That is half a wall. a full wall is 16 clicks high. So by this you can messure how high your halfwall would be.

Create bigger area

Go to the flatten tool in your buildmode and drag from the lowest created point and just make your workarea a little bigger.

Place new wall

now create a 1x1 either foundation or room. This depends on what you choose for your first room, where you want your halfwall. If you've build that on a foundation, you need to add a foundation here too. If not, then just place a wall. with a second story.

Create to be Halfwall

Next create the to be halfwall in your room/ showroom and go up one level (buildlevel) Please take note; do not let you halfwall connect to any of the outerwalls. Make sure that there is at least 2 tiles between the walls and to be halfwall.

Create your halfwall

Select the flatten tool again; now drag from the top of your “pilar” outside Onto your to be halfwall. The arrow in the picture is showing the direction you should go.

Warped wall

After you let go you can see your newly created halfwall. You will also notice that the outer wall is pulled down. This we can fix.

Fix your warped wall

select the whole edge along the wall with the flatten tool and let go again.

Fixed wall

You can see your wall is now "corrected" again. Next Change the walls, floors etc. and decorate your room to make your screenshot. please take note that with this method you will not have a ceiling in your screen. So keep that in mind when taking your screenshot.

And you're done!

Now you have finished your halfwall. Take your screen enjoy it. Do not forget to turn off your cheat, you do this by opening the cheatwindow and type ConstrainFloorElevation true.

I wanted to share with you, my own construction method U-Shaped Stairs. We will create a U-shaped stair on a foundation or straight on the ground.

(I would like to thanks to  BlackGarden. for useful tuturial of Creating L-Sahape Stairs.  I used it at my first L-Shape stairs and on this U-Shape stair.)

With foundation: 

1.  At first, create a foundation and a room two floors.. (We need three frames for the U-turn. That's why I've created a room 7x3.)

2.  Count to backwards 7 frames from the corner and make three steps. Now, remove the stairs.

3.  We have turned down terrain. Place one square of foundation and make two floors on the lowest level of terrain. Then, turn to the side. In here, count to backwards 5 frames from the corner and make two steps. Now, remove the stairs.

4.  We have turned down terrain again. Place one square of foundation and make two floors on the lowest level of terrain again.  And now we have to column. We need a cheat. constrainfloorelevation false (Hit ctrl+shift+C and type into the box constrainfloorelevation false and press enter.)

5. Go to the second floor and walls are down. Go to the terrain tools, and choose the level terrain tool. Now drag from the top of your first colomun to the corner.

6. Place one tile of floor at the corner of your stair. Place your stair at the corner.

7. Then, turn to the side. Go to the terrain tools and choose the level terrain tool. Drag from the top of your second colomun to the corner.

8.  Place one tile of floor at the corner. When you place a tile, there been a mistake. Not very important. We can fix it.

9. Go to back the terrain tools and choose the level terrain tool again. Drag from the top of your first colomun to the corner.

10. Ok! That improved. Place your second stair at the corner.

11. Place a tile at the second floor and then place the third stair. Yes, we made a U-Shaped Stair. But it isn't over.

12. We must fix the top. This is easily fixed with "level terrain tool". Go to the terrain tools and choose the level terrain tool. Drag from the high corner to the lowered corner as shown. It fixed!

Now, turn off the cheat "constrainfloorelevation true"  (press ctrl+shift+C, typ constrainfloorelevation true and press enter.)

 Remove outside wall and foundation. Yes, it's over.

On the ground: 

We will use the same method but we will not do foundation. We will start from the ground. 

1.  At first, create a room two floors. (We need three frames for the U-turn. That's why I've created a room 7x3.) 

2.  Count to backwards 7 frames from the corner and make three steps. Now, remove the stairs. We have turned down terrain. Make two floors on the lowest level of terrain. Then, turn to the side. In here, count to backwards 5 frames from the corner and make two steps. Now, remove the stairs.

3. We have turned down terrain again. Make two floors on the lowest level of terrain again.  And now we have two column. We need a cheat. "constrainfloorelevation false" (Hit ctrl+shift+C and type into the box constrainfloorelevation false and press enter.) 

4. Go to the second floor and walls are down. Go to the terrain tools, and choose the level terrain tool. Now drag from the top of your first colomun to the corner. Place one tile of floor at the corner of your stair. Place your stair at the corner.

5. Then, turn to the side. Go to the terrain tools, and choose the level terrain tool. Drag from the top of your second colomun to the corner. Place your second stair at the corner.

 6. Place a tile at the second floor and then place the third stair. Yes, we made a U-Shaped Stair. But it isn't over. We must fix the top. This is easily fixed with "level terrain tool". Go to the terrain tools, and choose the level terrain tool. Drag from the high corner to the lowered corner as shown. It fixed!

7. Now, turn off the cheat "constrainfloorelevation true"  (Hit ctrl+shift+C, typ constrainfloorelevation true and press enter.)

 8. Remove outside wall and foundation. Yes, it's over.

Under Project you can manage the projects name, the description
and others.  Under  the Textures tab you will see the needed textures, which you
have to export as a .dds file for making the costum eyes.
now, click on the textures tab.
→ Textures → Face Overlay








click on Face Overlay on the right site.
click on the little button with the dots.
esport the image wich will pop up in another window.
→ Face Overlay → "... Button" → export

Now, open the exported image in photoshop or another program,
which is able to open a .dds file.
the Eye Image is shown in the left under corner of the Overlay image.
der Overlay Grafik. You can change the Eye you want to do, the rest of the Images has to be white colored.

now, color and change the Image you like. save your changes as a .dds file!

now, go back to the workshop and click to face Overlay again.
open the window by clicking on the button with the dots to import your new eye image.




now, click done to take effect.
→ import → done

under the category
Tint color you will see the colors
of the feline mak.
change the terms to false!
now, your mask won´t longer be orange ;).→ Tint color A|B|C enabled → false



now, go back to your project tab.
give your project a name unter the categories: Title + Description.
now, click  Extras and name your project under the category: Filename
this will be the name for your S3Pack! It´s important to use a name there!





now you can  Export your eyes  to Sims3Pack
 :)
________________________________________

I uploaded my Eye Overlay Image for you,

I think it´s much easier for you to work with it :

|Eye Overlay|

• As we are using a cheat, remember to turn it off
• Always test your bridge with Sims
• Also test your lot on another location as it has been said the bridge doesn’t work properly if the lot is moved.
  

So let’s move on to the building:

Step 1: Build 2 1x1 foundation blocks with an uneven number of tiles between them. Uneven numbers makes the best result.

Step 2: Build another 1x1 foundation block in the middle, 1 tile out on the side. This allows you to place floor tiles between the 2 blocks

Step 3: Drag the floor across and then delete the extra foundation block.

Step 4: Choose some stairs you like and a fence you like. The fence can be added later when you are finished if you prefer that.

Step5: Now use the raise terrain tool with the smallest circular brush and maximum strength and raise the terrain a few clicks 2 tiles from the bridge. Just so you create a small hill.

Step 6: Build a 1x1 foundation block over the hill

Step 7: Now bring up the cheat box and enable the cheat “constrainfloorelevation false”

Use the terrain levelling tool and start on the foundation and drag it over the bridge, leaving 1 tile on each side.

Step 8: The result will be like this.  Remove the foundation you just placed.

Hello!

This tut will teach you how to create your own eye shadow in the simplest way that I know of. We will be editing a Maxis eye shadow (I said it was simple!) and then importing it into the game. I know it's not special, and we're not fiddling around with colors and masks, but it's the core... the basics for the beginners!

You will need:

• TSR Workshop (up-to-date, remember!)
• PhotoShop (I use 7.0)
  
• The .DDS plugin
• Sims 3 (of course!)

We'll start by opening TSR Workshop, and clicking "Create a new Project".

Then this box should come up:

We want to select "Makeup/Facial overlay".

Once it's selected, click next. This tree should come up (it may take a moment to load the info):

When the tree pops up, click Young Adult, then Female, then Everyday. We want to select "afMakeupEyeshadowSweet". This is because we will be creating an eye shadow tail (you'll see what I mean later). Now click next.

This box comes up:

The box I've highlighted is the most important part of them all. Each item you make needs a Unique Identifier. So just add the first letter of your name or any word you like - as long as it's unique (make sure it doesn't have same identifier as another item basically).

Fill out your Project Name, Title and Description in any way you like... it's totally up to you.

Click Next when you're done. When the Finished box comes up, click Ok.

Now your 3D Object preview comes up. On the navigation panel to your right, click the "Texture" tab. Like so:

Then we want to export the Face Overlay into a .dds file. We do this by hovering over the Face Overlay bar and then clicking the small "..." box that comes up. Then this box comes up:

Can you see the similarity between these white smudges and the in-game eye shadow? It's hard to think of at first, but you get the idea. We then need to click "Export". I'd recommend creating a new folder and saving it as "makeup_face_overlay" or something like that. Then just click Save.

So you’ve downloaded and installed Merlin and are ready to start installing your custom content? Great! But there are a few important steps you must complete first.

Once the program is installed, you’ll find the shortcut to start Merlin on your desktop (fig 1).

Fig 1

Just double click the shortcut to get started! Merlin will then prompt you to set your options (fig 2). This is a CRITICAL step! Make sure you get this right, because if you don’t, Merlin will not function correctly!

Fig 2

You have to tell Merlin two things:

1. Your game data path: This is the path to your Sims 3 installation, usually located in C:\Program Files\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3.
2. Your game save path: This is the path to the Sims 3 folder in your “My Documents” folder.
   For XP users, this is located in C:\Documents and Settings\Your Name Here\My Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3.
   For Vista users, it’s C:\Users\Your Name Here\My Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3.

Note that depending on the version you have, you may have more options. Just set them as you wish. (The 1.0 version of Merlin contains an option entitled “Copy Sims3Pack files to Downloads directory?” which is no longer functional. Checked or unchecked, it won’t do anything, so feel free to ignore it. It will be replaced in later versions.)

Once everything looks good, click the Save Options button (fig 3).

Fig 3

Merlin will then prompt you and ask if you want the framework installed (fig 4).

Fig 4

This is VERY important. The “framework” is a set of folders (Mods\Packages) that is installed to your Sims 3 data directory along with a file called Resource.cfg that allows the game to read Custom Content. If your paths are incorrectly set OR you do not install the framework, installed custom content will NOT show up.

(In the event that you configure things incorrectly the first time, you can simply delete the options.txt file from wherever you installed Merlin (usually C:\Program Files\The Sims Resource\TSR Merlin) and Merlin will prompt you to go through the configuration again.)

Once you finish, Merlin will ask you to restart the program. Just click OK and double click on the shortcut again.

Interface Overview

1. Open Sims3Pack – This button will allow you to open a .Sims3Pack file for installation.
2. Open Package – This will allow you to open any .package files to install them.
3. Manage Installed Custom Content – Clicking this will bring up the Merlin Manager, which is described in more detail later on.
4. Install – This will install the current file you have open. If it is not available as an option, it must mean that it is already installed.
5. Uninstall – If this button is lit up, it means the file you’re viewing is already installed, and you can delete it if you so wish now.
6. The File Menu – Here you will find the “Batch Install” option which will let you install all the .package and .Sims3Pack files in a given directory.

Installing and Managing Downloads

So let’s say you downloaded an awesome house you want to install now. Just click Open Sims3Pack, locate the file, and click Open. Merlin will now look like this (fig 5):

Fig 5

To install, all you have to do is click the Install button in the middle of the bottom row of buttons and it will extract the .package file from the .Sims3Pack and copy it to the proper place in your My Documents directory. Now that that’s done, you can open more files to install or choose to batch install a whole group of them. But that’s up to you!

(Important note: Due to technical limitations of the way CC is currently installed, many installed files will NOT display as custom content in the catalog! The game will register them as EA made objects and so you may have to look a few times before you can recognize them.)

For now, however, we’re going to manage our already installed files by clicking the Manage Custom Content button. We’re then greeted with this screen (fig 6):

Fig 6

Once we get to this screen, we just need to choose the folder we want to look at by clicking button number one. In our case, I’m just going to select the entire Sims 3 directory in the My Documents folder. Once done, it looks like this (fig 7):

Ah, there we are! I’ve already located the house I just installed and am looking at it now. Nice isn’t it? Note that we have multiple pictures available of the house. We know this because of the lit up arrow underneath the image I’ve already selected. In this case, of course, it’s just several versions of the same picture of the house in different sizes, but no matter! Not all packages will have pictures, of course. It depends mostly on how the artist made the item in question, and what program they used.

Some other things of note:

1. The Filter Button – This allows you to force the list to only show the type of content you’re interested in. You can choose from objects, Create-A-Sim (CAS) parts, lots, households, sims, or unknown packages.
2. Move File – This lets you move the selected package to a new location.
3. Delete File – Allows you to delete the file you’re currently looking at.
4. Rename File – Rename all those horrible number-names to something more sensible!

These are the functions that are available when you click any .package file from the list. If you click a folder, however, you get a few more options:

Fig 8

1. Mass Move – This will move all the files in the folder you’ve selected to a new location.
2. Mass Delete – This will delete all the files in the folder you’ve selected.

With that, that’s pretty much all you need to know to get started in Merlin!

In 10 easy steps! How to make your lots that extra bit special.

Do you feel like your lots are tedious and tiresome? Want to add in some extra special touches that will turn mess to masterpiece? This tutorial will show you how!

I was asked to make a Tutorial to show you, how I made my costume makeup stuff with the Workshop. I thinks it´s easy to do and it takes maybe not a lot of time for you to do, but, take a look yourself ;)

First Step

Open the Workshop and open a new Project. Choose Makeup/Facial Overlay and the Age,Gender and Clothing part, you want to create |In my case I choosed: Young adult x Male x Everyday|. Choose the mask called: amCostumeMakeUpFeline ( the tiger mask) and go on with "next,next and ok". The mesh will loading.

Second Step

Now, you have your Feline Mesh on the left and some tabs on the right. the first tab is for your Filename and description, the gender you want to make your stuff for and the age. You can name your mask and put in a short sescription, I use always the same name for all. You can also change the type of your mask (Glasses, Makeup... ). First you have ti edit the name and description. You could do it later, but I think it´sbetter to make this first, so you can´t forget it later ;)Type in title and despcription |In my case all the same: Facial Tattoo| And choose the gender and age you want to make it for |I choosed child to elder, both genders|. Now click on "extras" and fill in a filename (should be the same as you filled in befor - for example Facial Tattoo) and for filename 2, you can fill in your credits | e.g Billabong/ your name|.

Thrid Step

Okay, now go to the "textures" tab and click on: Face Overlay. If it´s marked blue, you will see a little button with three dots on the right site. Click on it to pop up another window. Now you´ll see another window with a white colored Image of the mask on a black background. Choose "export" and save the Image under a name you find easily somewhere you want. |I chooses the name: Tattoo_Overlay and saved it on my desktop|. Click done to close the popup window.

Fourth Step

Open an Imageprogram that can open files of kind .dds! Maybe you have to download a plugin for this. I use Photoshop Elements 6.0 with a plugin. Open your eyported Overlay Image with it without loading midmaps! Now add two new layers. Color one of them in white and make it invisible! The second one you made you can use fordoing your mask on. The reason that the white layer is hidden is that it´s better to do the mask when you see the original image. So you have a lead, where the eyes and the mouth goes and where to set the mask on :) In my case it looks this way:

Fifth Step

Now, delete the original layer with the tigers mask andmake the white layer visible. You should see your mask on a white background. If you´re ready, save the Image as .dds file and change to the workshop. Click again to mark the Face Overlay section and click to the button with the three dots the same way you did one step before. This time Click "Import" and choose your .dds mask image! Click done. |Pls. don´t be afraid, that the colors of the feline mask are already shown up, we will change this next!|

Last Step

We´re nearly finished. Now we have to hide the feline colors. Under the "textures" tab you will see some more categories called: tint color A,B ... and so on. To hide this you only have to click on the "true" section and choose "false". Do this from A to C or D, if it is enabled too. Your Face will go clear and your mask will be the only thing leaving :) Now, save Your Creation as Sims3Pack. Go to File, choose Export and To Sims3Pack :)

To make more than one mask in the same category, click on the "copy" symbol on the right top ;)

You are finished!

This simple step by step guide will help you to create Sims 3 patterns!  You dont even need any knowledge about editing graphics or Photoshop!  If you already have a pattern you would like to use, I reccommend that it have equal proportions (256x256 pixels is optimal).   

Requirements:

Step 1

Open up the image you're using for a pattern, in Photoshop. It should have three main colours at most.  For this tutorial, im using a camo texture.

Once you've loaded it up, were going to change the colors around. 

Step 2

Now, we need to select the areas that have the same colour.  To do this, choose the Magic Wand Tool (the 7th tool from the top).  Make sure the settings are:   the selection mode= Add To Selection; and the Tolerance should be set to around 12.  The less distinct the colors are, the lower the tollerance should be. 

Step 3

Once you finish the settings, start clicking on one of the main colors in the template.  For example, I'm going to start with brown.  So I would click on every brown space.  If you notice that some of the other colours are being selected, set the tolerance lower.

(Step 1) Under Build Mode, select 2 "UpRite Collums" and place them 2 squares apart. (depends on how big your BillBoard is)

(Step 2) Now select a nice flooring to create the BillBoard Base. (I find Hardwood looks nice)

(Step 3) Now That We Have a Base, Create a Wall along the back edge of the Base. This is where You will Post Your design.

(Step 4) Paint the wall with the background color of your design for best looks. Here I just Paint it with "Paste Stucko" As a Plain White.

(Step 5) Under Buy Mode, Select 2 "Garden Glow Spotlights" and place them facing eachother on both ends of the Base.

(Step 6) Post Your Own Design or one of my custom store signs onto the billboard. Since mine are 2 halves, remember to place both .Package files into the 'Download' Folder in order to see the entire picture and not a gray, blank wall.

New bumpmaps for clothing with the TSR Workshop Tutorial

Welcome to my "New bumpmaps for clothing with the TSR Workshop" tutorial. Before we begin, I assume you have read Sinastra's wonderfull In Depth Clothing Re-Texturing Tutorial for the TSR Workshop. Therefore I stress that this tutorial will not learn how to manipulate DDS files in any way.

This tutorial will help you get rid of the old bumpmaps and teach you how to create new ones with TSR Workshop.  Re-texturing is new to me so this tutorial will not be perfect. I hope it still helps you with learning how to create new items for The Sims 3 without those hideous old bumpmaps.

1: Let's get started!

As stated before I assume you have done Sinastra's tutorial. When you have finished it you sometimes (depending on the base mesh you used to retextured) see an old bumpmap showing trough in the game. Darn... Al that work just to see it being ruined by a bumpmap!

Well when I had the same problem (See pic above!), I fooled around and found a solution! I'll teach you how you can get New bumpmaps for clothing with TSR Workshop.

So, when you have retextured a mesh you should have a new Overlay, a new Clothing Multiplier, a new Clothing Specular. Here is my example dress with all these in TSR Workshop with my new DDS files next to it!

You have to import these DDS files in the right places.

To do this click "key:numbers" (in bold in TSR Workshop next to Overlay, Mask, Multiplier and Clothing Specular), there will appear three dots, click them and select import in the new window. 

Your New Overlay must be entirely black.

On to the next part! -->

]]> v_ware 2009-08-18T00:54:00-00:00 http://www.thesimsresource.com/tutorials/view-post/post/12615/ http://www.thesimsresource.com/tutorials/view-post/post/12615/ Adding Logos to Clothing - A Beginners Tutorial This tutorial is a beginner's guide to changing the logos and graphics on Sims 3 clothing using the TSR Worksho Adding Logos to Clothing - A Beginners Tutorial

This tutorial is a beginner's guide to changing the logos and graphics on Sims 3 clothing using the TSR Workshop and Adobe Photoshop with the DDS plugin. I will only be explaining the steps I use to accomplish this task. If you wish to learn more about the TSR Workshop as it pertains to clothing, I would highly recommend that you read through Sinastra's "In Depth Clothing Re-Texturing Tutorial for the TSR Workshop" as she goes into much more detail about all the different tabs and what they mean. I will be describing only the exact steps I use in this process, but this is a good start for the beginner to learn to create some simple custom clothing.

Begin at the beginning

Our first step is, of course, to open the TSR Workshop. You will start by clicking "Create New Project". This will bring up a new window, we will click on "clothing" and then click "next".

Choosing clothing item to clone.

The next window to appear will show us a tree view on the left with the different ages, sex and categories of clothing to choose from. For this tutorial, I will be using the girls tee with a rainbow graphic on it. As the stencils are already enabled on it, it is a good place for the beginner to start. So first click on child, then female and then everyday and scroll down until you find this shirt, if you wish to follow this tutorial exactly.

Your Project Details

In this step you will create your project name, the title for your item, a description and most importantly a unique identifier. You MUST change the unique identifier so the new item you create does not override the original item!! Do not use the default!! It's a good idea to try and make the name unique as the Sims 3 launcher will not install an item if it has the same name as something already installed. I like to add my name or initials to the project name and identifier. Once you have filled in all the information, click "next" in the bottom right corner. A new window will pop up called "Finished". Just click "OK" in the bottom right corner.

Preparing to Export

The next window to open up shows the clothing item we chose for our project and all the information pertaining to it. For this tutorial, I will not be making any changes to the shirt other than the graphic on the front and the colors of the shirt. So, first select the "Texture" tab at the top, then highlight the "Stencil A". Highlighting this will make the small box with three dots appear to the right. Click on this box.

Exporting the Image

A new window will pop up with the original image. We are now ready to export this image and make it our own. Click on the "Export" button. **The Import button located directly below the export button is what you will click to import your texture back into the workshop**

Saving the Image

Now save the image somewhere it is easy to find. I like to save directly to my desktop, but you can save it wherever it is easiest for you. Don't bother changing the name, just click save. We are now ready to edit the image in Adobe Photoshop. I just leave the TSR Workshop running while I edit the image.

 Beginner +

- you need to have some building experience for this tutorial but no prior experience with CFE is necessary -

CONTENTS

CFE BASICS ... Page 2

PREPARING TO BUILD ... Page 3

READY TO BUILD ... Page 4

FINISHING UP ... Page 6

FAQ'S & TROUBLESHOOTING ... Page 7