So, I know I haven't done that many, start to finish 4to3 conversions yet. But I experiment and help other people a lot behind the scenes, and I soak up teachings from knowledgeable people such as @simlicious @justmiha97 @thornowl @virtual-hugs, a little bit of @elvgreen and more people like a sponge, and have learnt a lot the past months. So I thought I'd write down what I do when I was working on the Aria dress! While it's a bit chaotic, this essentially functions as a very thorough 4to3 tutorial.
4to3 conversion workflow write down Note: this isn’t a cleaned up, perfect steps tutorial - it is a write down of my own wip, and will inclu
The above document contains my workflow, from start to finish. I use blender 3.6 (unless mentioned otherwise) and no milkshape at all.
It is VERY thorough, long, and can be lowkey overwhelming. I hope my table of contents at the beginning is clear enough. All the links are clickable, so you can just go to where it interests you. If you wonder about it, it's most likely in there, can be extrapolated from the information or I can brainstorm and experiment a how-to(-fix) if needed.
Some notes of what it includes:
Adapting the TS4 normal, specular and shadow maps to ts3
A clean finishing method to get EAXIS-like finishes that allows you to optimize the UV lay-out (nicer textures!) and further minimize clipping.
A quick texture making method to adapt the TS4 texture(s) to a brand new, potentially very different TS3 UV-layout. If you're lucky (it sometimes acts up) the actual texture-changing takes 5 seconds - puzzling the new UV lay-out beforehand would be the hardest part! (But it's also fun, puzzling!)
Very Precise bone assignment
Manually editing morphs, with some tricks for e.g. the fit morph...Why do fit morphs have such ugly boobs, even vanilla stuff?
Bonedelta editing to animate well with pregnant bellies or wide skirts.
... And more. I put my heart and soul into this!
Some things I'd like to try out in the future:
Experimenting with adapting the original TS4 bones to TS3 right there in blender.
Look at more efficient methods for editing morphs and FTOM and age conversions more in-depth (I didn't include the FtoM because it is just lots and lots and lots of proportional editing)
Converting a high-poly Alpha mesh to be more optimized and maxis-match, while keeping good topology and castability. (Likely lots of dissolving edges like here, rather than purely the decimate modifier, which often messes up the topology)
Any questions or something that isn't clear in the doc, don't hesitate to ask!
if anyone is interested in seeing my process for converting hairs, here is a video! its not a full on tutorial but i do have captions at the bottom explaining what im doing. i figure it could probably be helpful to someone wanting to learn how to convert hairs, since theres not a bunch of recent tutorials for this kind of thing. i would recommend learning the basics of blender and cc making/terminology before starting your own conversions, i promise it will make your life so much easier.
i am by no means an expert, this is just how i do it and it works for me. however, please feel free to correct me if you see something that i do wrong! i am always open to learning more <3
if there are any questions you have, please ask away! i will try to reply as soon as i can
update: i've also made a video for converting the accessories that come with hairs! (works the same for hairs with multiple versions as well) you can watch it here: https://youtu.be/Tz0PuBdMERM i recommend watching the other video before this one, since i don't go into much detail in this one.
while finally (!!!) fixing my own cc for the dx11 update, i put together a little tutorial on how to fix broken cc by yourself because there might be a lot of cc you can't connect to the og creator anymore, the creator doesn't exist anymore or whatever. there's also a lot of other batch fixes in this menu tab so maybe you can even find some fixes for other cc that's been broken in your game as well :)
there's quite a few things i have to update since i didn't take proper care of some older sets as well as the recent update that stopped custom content tv's from working with the consoles in game since they got a few new interactions.
so, i am onto that, too!
Upscayl is a great tool for improving textures and reference images. Whether you are working on character skins, environmental textures, or UI elements, this program helps to:
Increase image resolution without losing quality
Reduce pixelation and enhance details
Improve the clarity of textures for a more realistic look
How I Use Upscayl (look at the photo)
Finding or Creating a Reference Image
I start with an image that I want to enhance. This could be a low-resolution texture or a reference image for a new design.
Adding Noise for Testing
To demonstrate how Upscayl improves images, I intentionally added noise to a mask texture. This allows me to compare the before and after results more clearly.
Processing the Image in Upscayl
I import the noisy texture into Upscayl and choose an appropriate AI model. The program processes the image, enhancing its details and removing unwanted noise.
Examining the Results
After running the texture through Upscayl, the difference is clear: the texture appears sharper, more detailed, and free of noise, making it more suitable for in-game use.
Enhancing Existing Game Textures
Apart from improving references, Upscayl is also useful for enhancing in-game textures, such as character skins. If a skin looks too blurry or low-resolution, running it through Upscayl can significantly improve its appearance without having to manually repaint details.
this guide is specifically for my friend mel <3
but of course anyone is free to reference it x
𖡡 you've downloaded the game, played around a little bit, and now you're looking to add mods and custom content (cc) into your game
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this game is basically nothing without mod and cc creators, so all credit and love to them ♡
step 01: setting up your mods folder
open file explorer, go to documents, and find the folder labeled electronic arts. then click on the sims 4.
you'll see a folder labeled mods - pin it to quick access [this will make accessing it easier]
step 02: downloading mods and cc
you can find cc and mods so many ways!! tumblr, youtube, pinterest, instagram, etc. there are a lot of blogs on tumblr specifically for cc finds too
make sure you're downloading things from a reliable source. for example - a creator's patreon/tumblr or website, simfileshare.net [often linked as sfs], google docs, curseforge, itch.io, and *unanimously hated* thesimsresource.com
→ the sims resource is hated because of all of the fucking ads lmaooo
you'll be downloading package files and zip files. you'll find them in your downloads in file explorer
step 03: installing mods and cc
navigate to downloads in file explorer
package files can be simply dragged into the mods folder
zip files need to be extracted, then you can drag and drop the unzipped folder into your mods folder
→ whatever you put into your mods folder can only be one extra folder deep or it won't show up in your game
when it comes to mods [not cc], creators will often have instructions for you. follow those exactly
step 04: mods + game updates
sometimes mods break when there's a game update. it's just a very annoying part of the game at this point lol
some mods will have a pop-up in the game letting you know it needs to be updated. but if it doesn't and you notice something is fucked up, you can google 'broken mods' and usually someone else will be having the same problem and can let you know to update it
if a mod is broken, remove it from your mods folder and go download the new version from the creator
→ a lot of mod creators update very quickly [like the same day or within a couple days] but sometimes they don't. just be patient and check for updates periodically
recommended: the sims 4 mod manager // dl here
→ the mod manager will allow you to see and deactivate or remove mods and cc from your game [it's automatically connected to your mods folder and can be helpful when you can't find broken mods or cc]
gameplay mods i recommend
mccc by @deaderpoolmc // dl here
✧ gives a you a lot of control of your game
tool by @twistedmexi // dl here
✧ place and size things however you want
better build/buy by @twistedmexi // dl here
✧ gives you easier access to things in build/buy that you'd normally have to use cheats for
relationship and pregnancy overhaul by lumpinou // dl here
✧ more realistic gameplay [this one is essential!!]
lgbtqia+ by lumpinou // dl here
✧ gender identity, gender affirmation and transition, self-discovery, coming out, dating apps and lot traits [i love this mod so much!!]
healthcare redux by adeepindigo // dl here
✧ adds illness, injury, chronic conditions, allergies, medical emergencies, etc
childbirth mod by @pandasamacc // dl here
✧ good for family gameplay
snbills by @simrealist // dl here
✧ bank accounts
also want to mention milk thistle & sunblind by @softerhaze
✧ the lighting with these mods is *essential* pls check them out!!
create-a-sim [cas] mods i recommend
cas backgrounds // i love vyxated
✧ these are just extra fun!! you can find a lot on tumblr or youtube to download. it's a super easy drag and drop into your mods folder. but when you want to change it, make sure you remove the current one or it won't work!!
gentle cas lighting by northerin siberia winds // dl here
✧ replaces the ea lighting in cas with a softer glow and shadows
any cas lighting by helgatisha // dl here
✧ i like the colors they have!!
faq/before you begin: This is a tutorial for personal use ONLY. If you use this tutorial DO NOT reupload your overrides unless it the original creator gives you permission to do so. reuploading a creator's custom content IS theft. I do not condone stealing cc from hard working creators, so please only use this as a tutorial for yourself!
to get started, you will need:
꣑ৎ sims 4 studio
꣑ৎ the underwear you want to make your default
꣑ৎ and patience ( ,,◕ ̫ ◕,, )
this tutorial is aimed towards people who have never used ts4 studio before! so if it seems too hand holdy im sorry, i just want to make sure everyone can understand! If you don't understand something, please don't feel shy about reaching out! either through a dm or an ask! i'll be happy to help!
start by downloading TS4 studio. The process is fairly simple, but if you get stuck here's a great tutorial you can follow!
once you have it all installed, you'll want to make a folder on your desktop. This is just for organization purposes, to make digging for the files easier later on:
here's an example of what i named my folder! for simplicity's sake though, i'll be referring to the desktop folder as the "underwear override" folder, but you can name yours whatever you want! Just make sure its on your desktop~ ( ˶ˆᗜˆ˵ )
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next you'll want to find the underwear you'd like to make a default replacement. I'm using the Sentate's Angeliki set (bra and panties) from their midnight collection found HERE. (Also a gentle reminder, this is for PERSONAL USE only. Sorry i keep repeating this, i'd just hate for people to use this tutorial for bad ｡°(°.◜ᯅ◝°)°｡ )
any underwear SHOULD work, unless the underwear you pick has 3D pieces. I wish i could explain why, but i honestly have no clue. Im a noob at this haha. Just make sure your mesh isn't 3D!
once you have the undies of your choice secured, go ahead and place both into the "underwear override" folder on your desktop! (photo below)
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now it's time for the fun part! You'll go ahead and open sims 4 studio, once in there, you'll want to click where it says "my projects" (photo below)
Once you do that, your files should all pop up. It doesn't matter where it takes you, you'll just want to find the "desktop" section of your file menu! Then, you'll find the "underwear override" folder and open that~ Now you'll just go ahead and open the package that you want. I'm going to start with the bra, but the process for the underwear is exactly the same! so it doesn't matter which one you choose to do first ദ്ദി ˉ͈̀꒳ˉ͈́ )✧ (photo below)
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if you did it right, your screen should look similar to mine! ¡¡¡( •̀ ᴗ •́ )و!!! (photo below)
now, you'll just want to select the swatch you'd like at the top! (if you've never used the sims 4 studio before, you can use your mouse wheel and the right mouse button to control the camera in the blue area with the weird bald sim lol- that way you can see the swatch you're picking a bit better! (photo below)
now that you have the swatch you like, in the texture setting, diffuse should already be selected. You'll want to go ahead and click "Export", then name the file "bra1". If you did it correctly, it should save as a PNG! (photo below)
then, you'll want to go down the line of textures (shadow, specural, normal, emission, colorshiftmask) and continue to number them (EX: shadow is bra2, specural is bra3, ect ect) til your folder is full with each texture! It should look like this if you've done it right! (photo below)
after you're done with that. You'll go ahead and click "File" and "main menu" in your sims 4 studio! (no need to save!)
from here, you'll go ahead and select "Override" under the CAS section on the main menu then click the CAS button at the very top. (photo below)
the menu here might look confusing if you've never used sims 4 studio before, but just copy the way mine looks to make the process a bit easier! At the top drop down menus, you'll want to select "Gender: female, Age: Adult, Part Type: Clothing Top, Game Pack: base game" This should narrow down the menu a bit! (photo below)
then, you'll scroll til you find THIS exact bra. This is the bra the sims 4 uses as their default, and we're overriding this, so please be sure to select the exact one! (photo below)
once you select it, click "next", and it should take you to your files once more. You'll want to name THIS file something unique, that way there's no conflicts! I suggest something like: "Underwear_Override_Bra" just so you know which one you're working on, and you also know that this is an override (๑˃́ꇴ˂̀๑)
once you've named your package at the bottom, go ahead and click enter, and the studio should open back up~ (photo below)
now, you'll want to repeat the same export process from before, but use import instead! Then, you'll import the pngs the same way you saved them. (EX: diffuse is bra1, shadow is bra2, ect). Once you've done that, you should immediately see the textures change (photo below)
now that your textures are changed, you'll want to make sure to catagorize it properly, just to prevent your male sims from getting a bra when you take their shirt off as well. If you for some reason want your male sims to have an unremoveable bra, feel free to skip this step! if not, then you'll want to click the "catagories" tab right beside "meshes"
once there, you'll scroll all the way to the bottom til you hit "Part Flags", then you'll check "restrict opposite gender" and "restrict opposite frame" (i'm not sure if these mean the same thing, but i just checked both to be extra sure!) (photo below)
once you've finished replacing all the textures and catagorizing the override, you'll go ahead and click the save button at the bottom right hand corner, then open your "Underwear Override" folder. You should have your "Underwear_Override_bra" package now saved! yay!
All that's left to do is repeat these steps with the panties of your choice, then drag both package files into your mods folder just like you would any other cc! (photo below)
(mine are named differently because i already made my own recolors + default replacements ( 〃．．).. i'll try and upload a recolor tutorial later today for anyone curious!)
but now, you're done! all that's left to do is open your game and see your overrides in cas! If you did everything correctly, the undies should just appear when you take your sim's clothes off (⁄ ⁄•⁄-⁄•⁄ ⁄)
heres how mine turned out! (˵ •̀ ᴗ •́ ˵ ) ✧ im super proud of them!
it took me a few hours to get this tutorial together, so im a bit loopy signing off. If this is completely incomprehensible and confusing im so sorry, again if anyone has questions please do send an ask or message me! i'll do my best to answer any questions :) and also please remember; DO NOT REUPLOAD ANYONE ELSES CUSTOM CONTENT! this is for PERSONAL USE!
