Okay, so I recently just did a 4to2 Top conversion. Now I am trying to convert the pants. I looked at plataspir's tutorial and it seems like wayyy too much for even me. So i asked around and apparently the Sims4 EP16 Pants that I wanted converted has been done already, BUT, it is attached to another outfit. So I asked around for a little assistance, and someone told me to cut off the top part of the mesh and just keep the pants, then clone a bottom by Maxis and link the new mesh to that item and then recolor it with the other textures from SIms4Studio. So here in Milkshape, I inported that mesh from the whole outfit, cut off the torso portion, and left behind the pants and shoes. Now, the shoes werent the same ones from the Sims 4, so I opened Blender, exported that sims 4 shoe model as an OBJ, and then used the Sims 2 AM Body Bottom to cut off the pieces that were clipping through the shoes.
Seen here:

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So after that, I deleted the pants portion so that I could remap the joints using MeshtoolKit for the shoes because they weren't jointed yet. So I ran the shoes alone through the toolKit using the Original Mesh as the reference. There werent any issues and the program ran smoothly. I then undid the delete to bring back my pants mesh and the remaining body skin i got from the Sims 2 AM Bottomthat I imported using UniMesh and deleted the shoes that did not have the bone assignments. Here is how it looks:

[IMG][/IMG]

[IMG][/IMG]

So I basically just recombined everything together to get this:

[IMG][/IMG]

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Now I am wondering what my next step should be? Did I do anything wrong here? Are there any details that I am missing? Also, will there be an issue if there are assignments for parts that arent on the mesh, like Torso and hair assignments that are left over from the original mesh?

There shouldn't be any hair assignments on a bottom mesh, so if there are any of those, you might want to get that fixed (don't know why there would be any on a clothing mesh unless it had some sort of hood or hat part attached).

From here you fix any potential gaps between the seams, and make sure the mesh and texture files have the correct number of and names for the subsets. It's not too much different from the top you did.

HAve you looked through the Unimesh tutorials? Can be useful, especially the last one on combining mesh parts.
https://simswiki.info/wiki.php?titl...New_Mesh_Basics
https://simswiki.info/wiki.php?titl..._and_UV_Mapping
https://modthesims.info/showthread.php?t=179177

Depending on the mesh, you can either do it the way the tutorial describes (For a smooth finish), or (if the mesh allows for it without showing gaps) just making sure the seams have the same assigments.

Also make sure to test out your mesh ingame - regular walk/sit animations, if they work with poses (some meshes have bone assignments for the "shorts" part of the skeleton, which can cause weird legs with some poses), whether they are seamless in the gaps (with skintight tops), and maybe throw in some "jump on the couch" animations or similar to see if everything is moving fine with more extreme animations.

Interesting, this mesh I imported from a cloned Maxis bottom I made also has comments for b_hair as well...

[IMG][/IMG]

Does it matter in the long run? I extracted this straight from SimPE with no edits or MeshToolKit used...

Edit: Would it be okay if I asked you to fix the mesh if you have any knowledge? I can sent the files over if that's okay?

You're looking at the Joints comments. Leave those be. All CAS meshes have a full skeleton that includes all the joints, and the joints have comments (that specify their positioning). it's perfectly normal.

However, if your mesh has vertex assignments for the hair bones, that could be a problem. It's not very likely since the head is very far from the legs.

There can be the odd wrong assignment (left/right switches, occasionally a wrong bone, epecially under arms, in the crotch area, neck area, and similar - often with somewhat oversized items, or high-poly items. The Auskel joint occasionally causes some trouble (no vertices should be assigned to it).

Would it be okay if I sent you the file to fix???

[IMG][/IMG]

Sure
(Both the current Milkshape file and the package files)


Did you do anything to the joints or joint comments?

The mesh assignments look alright (from the picture, anyway), but it's possible you've imported multiple skeletons or some such.

I did run the mesh again through MeshToolKit using the Maxis Mesh I cloned from SimPe. Then I got a bunch of weird extra joints that didnt have assignments.
[IMG][/IMG]

I didn't modify the comments at all though. I linked the relevant files below as a Zip.

I get an error message in Milkshape for the "MyPantMesh(UnimeshExport)" file. Do you have the milkshape file (ms3d file)?

The imported file in SimPE seems to have had all the joint names deleted (not normal).

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I did manage to get aound the problem by first extracting the mesh in your "ViceCollectionPantsAM_MESH" file from SimPE, then importing the maxis pants ("Extracted_GMDC-ThisisMaxisMesh") to Milkshape, then importing the "ViceCollectionPantsAM_MESH" file (answer "no" if you get a question about importing a second skeleton, and "yes" to the "if you import over another model...").
For the morphs, you should only need the ones for your pants, if you've made them.

Delete the first "body" mesh (make sure to check that you're deleting the correct one).

This keeps the original skeleton from the maxis pants, and the bone assignments from your pants.

Export, then try replacing in SimPe. If something is still broken, it could be a CRES issue from the bad import - might want to try remaking the mesh pacage file.

I'm getting a weird thing wth the "r_pinky" joint, seemingly being assigned to the whole pants section (not shoes). Could just be 1% or some such, but it's not showing when checking the other joints.

Here is the ms3d file linked below.
You wouldn't mind doing a favor fixing the mesh, would you? So that way I can just reupload and fix in SimPE after? 😅

The way I described above is actually a quite useful trick to have in your toolbox if the skeleton is borked but the joint assignments are still intact, so I recommend you try it out.

For future reference, you need a mesh with an intact skeleton (extract the same type of mesh - a top/bottom/fullbody - for the correct age and gender), import this one first in Milkshape, then import over the "borked" version, delete the maxis mesh group, and the skeleton is fixed.

I had a look at the Milkshape file, and the skeleton seems to have accumulated all the joints into the 0,0,0 coordinate so it looks like there's just one giant joint showing (click "show skeleton"). If you deleted/edited the joints comments, that could be why it happened, possibly also if anything happened to the skeleton in one of the other programs.

Ah, so if I just import the maxis mesh first then import my mesh like you said then delete it should be fixed then?

In Milkshape, yes.
Then export the fixed file to SimPE.

So it seems ive ran into a UV issue...
For some reason the shoe UVs are clipping into the "skin" part of the mesh when I try to do the Texture Coordinating Editor... ugh this is so frustrating...
[IMG][/IMG]
And ideas on a fix?

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The shoes and pants should be in a separate subset from the skin parts (just like the top you made).
The skin parts should ideally match the placement of the maxis UVs, or it's going to have trouble with various skintones showing up wrong.

It's especially important for 4t1/3t2 pants, because pants texture overlays the top texture, so it can conflict with tops that use the same UV coordinates (hoodies, top-only dresses for female pants, top-only coats, etc.)

Also make sure to fix the skeleton (the picture shows the joint issue I was talking about, with all the joints having moved to the 0,0,0 coordinate).

Ohh! The maxis mesh I used only has the "body" which is why I thought I had to attach both the shoes(and exposed "skin") and pants together under one group. So is it okay if I have a body group and another as long as the "pants" texture is named "body" like in the SimPE files?
Edit:
Wait I think you mean the pants and shoes together, and THEN the skin by itself? If so, that's how I had it originally but I got confused and thought I needed to attach it to shoes.

Shoes and pants seem like they can go fine together in a separate subset, yes - but if you want any parts where skin is showing, you always get the best result using maxis-matching UVplacement and the original naming for that subset.

The main "skin" part of pants should be called "bottom". What you call the "pants" part isn't too important, but would go for something pants-related (so "pants" is a good option, "shoes" if you have a separate group for that, "Skirt" if that's what you've got - and similar), because the naming can sometimes matter for tops and bottoms, especially if two parts have the same name.

For the main skin/clothing group - Tops=top, pants=bottom, full body=body
(It's also very important to use the proper comments for the clothing morphs, if you've got those, since using the wrong ones can result in the game crashing during spesific tasks, or morphs not working as they should. Using the wrong gender or age for the clothes can cause skeleton or mesh placement issues).

If you always start out with the proper clothing type (top/bottom/fullbody) and the correct age/gender for what you're making, you can use the same naming + the info from comments. Then add on subsets you need or similar.

Okay, after sme editing - this is what I have:

1. I separated the groups again by importing a separate shoe mesh obj and Sims AM bottom. deleted the exposed bits again and just imported it back by itself. I ran the meshkit again on the shoes ALONE. So it has assignments. Dont worry, I didnt import any bones or change anything! Its is stil sitting at 0,0,0. So now I have a seperate "bottom" group I labeled which is the "skin" around the shoe area that is exposed:
[IMG][/IMG]

A group for the pants:
[IMG][/IMG]

And shoes...:
[IMG][/IMG]

Everything still has the regular bone assignments... except the comments are gone again.

[IMG][/IMG]

Its like I fix one thing and it creates another issue LOL . Hopefully the solution is simple this time?

The mesh already has bone assignments, so you don't need to do that again.
You don't need to import stuff again if everything is there - instead, you mark the faces in the mesh you want to separate from the rest, and do "Regroup" in the Groups tab (make sure to fix the group name and comments).


It's not supposed to sit at 0,0,0 - you're supposed to have a seleton that has actual joints/bones (should look like a blue stick man when you click on "show skeleton".
You can fix it the way I described earlier.

(If you get a big mess of blue stick-orbs when clicking "show skeleton", do "File --> Preferences --> Misc --> Joint size: 0.010000 )


The UVs for the shoes and pants seem like they're compatible, so you can combine those two as a single subset.
"Skin" parts should be in the "Bottom" group.


You really should fix the skeleton issue. Then add the comments (make sure the subset/group names are correct in the comments, too).

Should I be concerned if the joints dont have comments in them in Milkshape? Like for example, if I click on "auskel" > Comment and it is blank?

Edit: I attached an image below. I combined pants and shoes(works fine, and bottom is the skin)

Okay! This is what I have now! Looks a lot better

[IMG][/IMG]

Edit: It looks normal in body Shop. But the pants is the wrong one here from the picture
[IMG][/IMG]

Yes - all the joints comments should have what looks like strings of numbers in them (coordinates).
Best not to touch those unless you know what you're doing and under the right circumstances (CAS projects? Nope).

As I said before, you can fix the skeleton/joints by first importing a maxis mesh (same type/gender/age) into an empty Milkshape window, then importing yours over this one (make sure both files are either ".5gd" or ".simpe" files).



Looks better now in MIlkshape.

In Bodyshop, the thumbnail doesn't match, so it's possible Bodyshop is showing a placeholder mesh (the way it does when a file lacks the mesh).
Have you made sure to link up the mesh and recolor file, and edit all the necessary info in the texture file (subset/group names, PropertySet, Names of textures, etc.)?

Oh, so If I replace a GMDC file, I have to go back and re-link it again?

Not necessarily, but there is something off in the files, so you can give it a try.

Make sure to check you've set up the recolor file so it matches the new mesh file, though.

Does it have something to do with this?

[IMG][/IMG]

Possibly. Some of the H&M jeans are glitchy (incorrectly labeled as fullbody outfits)

You'd be better off using basegame pants as the base instead.