How to Simply and free of conflicts Default Replace Bodyshop Contents – Mesh and texture
By Anko


Overview :

• A way to default fast.
• You’ll get a three files only package, even with texture AND mesh replacement.
• No conflict with other outfits’ replacements : you can have
  • different meshes for a maxis outfit that has only one mesh and multiple textures
  • different textures for maxis meshes that use the same one.
• No need to have the mesh twice in your download folder to keep CC outfits with that CC mesh.

Required knowledge :

• I tried to make it detailed, so that you don’t have to already know how to navigate in the interface of SimPE.
• However I assumed you already know how to recolor an outfit in bodyshop. You can see it anyway in the video (scroll down the post).

1. PREPARE YOUR WORK SPACE
   
   1. Check if you have :
      
      • A maxis outfit to replace (I’ll name it “O2R”)
      • A CC outfit to use to replace the maxis outfit, mesh and texture (I’ll name it“CC2U”)
      • SimPE
      • Bodyshop
      • notepad (it is really practical, but you can use another writing program) OR a piece of paper
      
      
   2. Create a “creation” folder to put your package and extracted files (I’ll name it “DR_Anko”)
   3. Copy the CC2U in your folder (mesh & texture)
   4. Open & Save a notepad file in your folder (if you choose the piece of paper, you don’t need this)
   
   
2. FIND THE PROPERTY SET NAME
   
   Find the property set name of the outfit you want to replace (02R)
   1. Open Bodyshop
   2. Create a new project with the O2R
   3. Import in game
   4. Close Bodyshop
   5. Open the “Saved sim” folder in your game folder “THE Sims 2”
   6. Open your new package in SimPE (down, the “plugin view” tab must be selected)
   7. Click on the property set file (GZPS) on the left, then on the right
   8. Copy the “name” in the list that appear down and paste in notepad, or write on a paper
   
   
3. EXTRACT THE MAXIS FILES
   Extract the right 3IDR file.
   1. Go down and click on the tab “Finder”
   2. In the “Finder menu”, choose “property set”
   3. Paste/write the name in the “match” place
   4. Press “start” and wait (certainly for a long time)
   5. When finished, you have a file (GZPS), click on it and wait
   6. SimPE has open a game file, so YOU MUSTN’T CHANGE AND SAVE ANYTHING !
   7. Go down and click on the “resource” tab
   8. Copy and paste in your notepad OR write down 2 numbers : “group” & “Instance” (not the High one) numbers. Precise which one is what.
   9. You might need to extract the property set by right clicking on it, if there's more than one subset in the CC mesh (CC2U).
      

      Quote: Originally posted by dharden
      

      Also, you do need to check the property sets for both outfits to make sure that both meshes have the same number of groups ("numoverrides"), and that the groups have the same names, and are in the same order ("override0subset", "override1subset", etc.) If they don't, you will need to replace the Maxis property set, and will need to edit it so that those values are the same as they are in the property set for the replacement outfit. Otherwise, it won't work right. (Yes, I did learn this the Hard Way.)

   10. Go back to “finder” tab
   11. In the “Finder menu”, choose “TGI search”
   12. Copy/write the 2 numbers in the right place (“group” & “Inst. Lo.”) and press “start”
   13. When finished, you should have found 2 files, click on the 3IDR (you don’t need the property set anymore) and wait
   14. SimPE has open a game file, so YOU MUSTN’T CHANGE AND SAVE ANYTHING !
   15. Right click on the files that is selected in the long list and “extract” in your folder
   16. Close SimPE
   
   
4. EXTRACT THE CC FILES
   Extract 2 files (TXTR, TXMAT) from the CC package used to replace the maxis outfit (CC2U)
   1. Open the texture package (CC2U) in SimPE
   2. Click on the TXMAT file on the left, you’ll get a file on the right
   3. Right click on that one and extract in your folder
   4. Click on the TXTR file on the left, you’ll get a file on the right
   5. Right click on that one and extract in your folder (if there are more than one, take them too)
   
   
5. CREATE YOUR NEW PACKAGE
   1. Open a new package (Files>New)
   2. Right click in the empty space on the right and “add” all the 3 files extracted (3IDR, TXTR & TXMAT) from your folder
   3. Right click in the empty space on the right and “add” the mesh package => you have to select “DBPF package” type of files first, in order to find the file in your creation folder.
   
   
6. SAVE & EDIT YOUR NEW PACKAGE
   Replace what is in the 3IDR by the CRES, SHPE & TXMAT references in your package
   1. Click on the 3IDR in the list, on the left then on the right
   2. Go down to “Plugin view” tab
   3. You have 3 lines (CRES, SHPE & TXMAT)
   4. Click on the “Package” button
   5. Grab each of your files in the pop up window and drag it in the 3IDR, one at a time, in the right order
   6. Now, that you have six lines, delete the 3 original lines in the 3IDR, by selecting them each at a time and clicking the "delete" button
   7. you must keep the original order of the lines (CRES, SHPE & TXMAT)
   8. Save you 3IDR file, by clicking the “commit” button
   
   
7. DELETE WHAT IS NOT NEEDED
   1. Delete the 4 files GMDC, GMND, CRES & SHPE, by right clicking on each and select delete.
   2. You have three files left in your package : the TXTR, the 3IDR (with 3 lines in it) and the TXMAT
   3. You might have to add the property set too, and modify it to match the CC propety set, regarding the numberoverrides and subset names. See step III / 9.
   
   
8. SAVE & RENAME YOUR NEW PACKAGE
   1. Save the package and close SimPE (Files>save OR the disc icon)
   2. Rename the package as you wish, but it must contain the mention “DR” or “default”. I use the property set name to know which maxis outfit is replaced.
   3. You must keep a notepad to know which mesh is used in each of your default replacement, OR you can add the CC mesh name in the name of your new package (the name of the package will be very long…), OR keep your defaults organized in sub folders with the name of the CC mesh needed.
   
   
9. TEST IT

1. Put your package in your download or Saved Sims folder
2. Remove the original CC texture package from your download folder (it’s not needed anymore and it might conflict), but keep the CC mesh there.
3. Delete the copy of the maxis outfit made in your Saved file folder : it won’t conflict with anything but it’s not needed and will waste space on your hard disc.
4. Open body shop
5. See if the maxis outfit appear just like you want
6. It can’t possibly conflict with anything because it replaces the mesh and texture references only for this specific outfit, not for all the outfits that use the same maxis texture and/or mesh. You can check if you want, though.
7. You can delete your creation folder now (“DR_Anko”), but keep your new package ! lol
8. It’s done ! But the thumbnail won’t refresh …
9. Thumbnails in Bodyshop :
   In the folder "Documents>EAGames>The Sims 2", delete the "cigen.package", then start Bodyshop ; it will regenerate and the thumbnails too.
10. Thumbnails in CAS :
    
    Simple way with PC version only : Find the thumbnail you want to refresh, and Ctrl-right click on it.
    Hard way : In the folder "Documents>EAGames>The Sims 2> thumbnails", delete the CASThumbnails.package, then start the game and go in CAS to see your new defaults : all the thumbnails will reload. It's slow, so don't do it often...
    
    
11. If you want to have only one package, open one and right click "add" all the other packages (Remember you have to select “DBPF package” type of files first, in order to find the package files). Its easier to do that at the end.

For something more visual, see this :

This is great..merci!!!

My pleasure ... de rien !

Yes, when editing the 3IDR, you must keep the lines for the CRES, SHPE, and TXMT(s) in the same order.

Also, you do need to check the property sets for both outfits to make sure that both meshes have the same number of groups ("numoverrides"), and that the groups have the same names, and are in the same order ("override0subset", "override1subset", etc.) If they don't, you will need to replace the Maxis property set, and will need to edit it so that those values are the same as they are in the property set for the replacement outfit. Otherwise, it won't work right. (Yes, I did learn this the Hard Way.)

Refreshing thumbnails in CAS (PC version only): Find the thumbnail you want to refresh, and Ctrl-right click on it .

Thanks for the confirmation. I've edited the tuto in orange.



Isn't all outfit have one "body" subset ?



Thanks for the tips. I've added it to the tuto too.

Oh, no, clothing meshes can have more than one subset, though I think most Maxis clothing only has one (top, bottom, or body). I don't know just how common it is for custom outfits to have two or more subsets, but I've seen it often enough to know to check for it.

Ok, thanks. I'll edit the tuto with your quote for now and I'll see what I can do later.