Well, what you can try is open the mesh and export the original texture files of the colors that you want. Then just recolor the mesh in simpe and import those texture file so you can have those colors in the game. Hope that helps.

SimtopiX, I recommend leaving the "pull only default texture" option checked, have only one color option in the mesh package and then create separate recolors for the other options. Having many color options in one package makes the file large, and if you're putting this item up for download, people can't pick and choose which options they want, because you can't delete color options if they are included in the mesh package.

As IgnorantBliss has stated, kitchen counters are quite complex objects. Your clones don't work properly because SimPe is not capable of cloning them correctly: it's not a matter of checking/uncecking the right options.

That's why I have posted the templates: they are in a format that can be easily cloned using SimPE.

I've read (not yet tried) a tutorial on how to link a cloned object with it's original to get all original textures on the cloned object. However, the tutorial is based on an older version of SimPE. The program has evolved so much since, that it's hard to follow the steps in the SimPE-version I'm using. But before I dig in to it, I want to know if this linking-procedure is still acurate ? Can it still be done ?

Yes, I know, I don't intend to give up easily...

You will have to tell which tutorial you're talking about, otherwise it's hard to say if it's still up to date.

I'm just wondering, why are you so opposed to using the counter templates? You can still do with those clones anything you can do with clones made from Maxis counters. They just make things a lot easier for you, not having to deal with the badly linked textures and materials and just concentrate on the actual creating process.

SimtopiX, I guess you are talking about this tutorial, right?

That tutorial explains how to adjust your custom object to make it use the original Maxis texturs (from a Maxis object).
Your case is different, though similar (your case is quite unique, actually).
The problem with the counters is that they are two objects (counter with drawers or with doors) packed into the same package; and each of the objects is made by multiple alternative meshes (corner, mesh without the top drawer, normal mesh, etc...).

All these meshes use the same textures, taken from the main counter mesh with doors.
Therefore, you need to ensure the right "links" (the same explained in the tutorial) between the various meshes; but all these links are within the package: no one of these links points to an external object.

Fixing and checking all these links (that ofter are broken by SimPE) is hard. That's why I posted the templates: they already contain all the needed links, and I gave also detailed information about customizing the internal links.
I appreciate if you want to learn, and not just apply "blindly" a tutorial; but believe me: counters are very intricate objects :p

Numenor, that's exactly the tutorial I'm talking about. Is it still up to date, or would anyone care to make it up to date ?

IgnorantBliss, I'm not really opposed to using the templates, I'm only very fond of the "Fjord" kitchen counter. I just wanted to extend te range of possibilities. (You should see it, it really looks good... only in the wrong colours.) I'll post the file right here.

Assuming I would use a template, is it possible to create an object that perfectly fits with the original Maxis-counter ? That would mean replacing the template-meshes with the ones I created to make my failing kitchencounter. And what about the textures ?

I'm gonna find out...

I will be out of town for the next four days, so I can't examine your package. But I don't understand: it's an "extension" of the fjord counter, so why don't you use the original textures? it would be more useful, and will allow you to recolour both the original Maxis and your "extension" with only one recolour...

That's exactly my problem, Numenor. I'm only trying to create a one-drawer Fjord counter, with the same textures as the original Maxis. In that case I only have to change the meshes, and not the colours, right ? (As I said before, I've unchecked the "pull only default color" box to make sure all texture-posibilities are cloned at once). However, as you stated earlier, somewhere in the package a link must be broken, since all I get is default colour, no matter what colours I choose, even though all possibilities are showing in my catalouge. That's why I don't see what's wrong.

When you want an object to use all of the textures in a Maxis object, you don't include any of them into the package, rather you link your object to the Maxis original. It will not work automatically, you will have to do a bunch of linking. But it's a much smarter way of going about it than creating a huge package including all the Maxis textures, and in that case the counter would not be using any of the custom recolors people have on this counter.

Like I said, with these templates you can do anything you can do with other clones, including importing your own mesh. If you couldn't, then they would only be templates for recoloring .

That tutorial is still mostly up-to-date (I'm talking about the part that explains borrowing textures from another object). Some tabs in SimPE may have changed names and so on, but if you can't figure it out, you can always ask . I glanced through it quickly and most of it should still work as it is.

Woohoo..!!

It worked ! It really worked ! This is how it goes : I restarted the entire cloning procedure, imported all necessary meshes, deleted all texture files, material overrides and definitions. Following the previously mentioned tutorial I linked my new object to the original kitchencounter. And it came out just fine in the game, including placing a sink or an appliance and even make corners. There is just one little error (it could not be perfect yet, could it ?) : In the original mesh, there is a kind of shadow around the drawer-handle. In my mesh, this is not a shadow but a bright white 'surface'. I could just delete it in the mesh, but I'd rather turn it in to a shadow... Any suggestions on how to solve this 'minor' issue ?

Hi everyone! I've followed the tutorial all the way through...but I don't know how to copy the package into my Downloads folder!

So sorry, I'm completely new to Sims2...my old pc wasn't up to it! Thanks in advance!

Just open it in SimPE and "save as" it into the downloads folder, or go into the folder where it is saved and copy, then paste it into My Documents\EA Games\The Sims 2\Downloads.

Hi! I just want to thank you for this great tutorial. I'm fairly new to all this, and just made my first bedding recolors yesterday. It was amazing. I would never have been able to do it without this.

Hopefully I'll get good soon and start sharing my recolors here. I would love to give back to a site that has given me so much.

Thanks Mage, I'll try...feeling pretty dumb at the moment...

BTW I tried using SIMPE Wizards, it's really easy...if I use this more complicated version, what changes? That I can edit custom content?

Sorry, I've just started looking into all this...BTW great place!!!

You can recolor custom objects, yes (if they are recolorable), and you can also recolor objects by editing the Material Definitions, especially with subsets that have no texture image to recolor, like window glass.

Thank you for Tut it was so easy understand that I did some recolours of bedding. I might try do some other stuff next :D

So. Can anyone sunmmerize what has just been taught in the last...1,000,000 instuctions or so ?

how do i change the picture of the object in game?.. when selecting the object from buy mode?

Terminal, is this about a thumbnail of your recolor? If you put the recolor into the game before it's finished, the game will generate the thumbnail based on that, and it will not automatically change it later on even if you change the recolor. Try refreshing your thumbnail images by deleting the package files in the Thumbnails folder in the Sims 2 folder under My Documents. Delete the files, leave the folder. Then go into the game and find your recolor in the catalog. The image should be updated now.

ok ignoarant, thanks... ill try that now and report back

It seems that you are only given the option to recolor MAXIS objects. How do I recolor a custom object using this program?

mizskellington, if you look really carefully, in the Step 1 of the tutorial it's mentioned how to recolor custom objects (using the Open button instead of Start).

Waa? OH! lol
THanks

probaly a dumb question but how do you copy the package?