Hello, do you have tutorial for how you get 3D models into your game?
hi! it's easy, here's a quick tutorial:
So first off you'll need Sims 4 Studio, Blender, and a very general idea of how to use Blender to make CC
Your 3D model needs to be in a file format supported by Blender. I use 2.76 which supports what you see in the screenshot below. If the model you found isn't available in a supported format, there are converters online which can convert models to .obj (anyconv.com, etc.). Just give it a Google
I found a .dae model of an old TV on freepoly.org to use for this tutorial (the download came with a textures folder and a model folder).
In S4S, create a 3D mesh for whatever kind of model you downloaded (or just a deco object, if you don't want it to be functional).
In the meshes tab, export the mesh of the EA object.
Open the blender file of the EA object, and import the 3D model into the scene. The TV model is a collada file, but you'd import whatever kind of file you downloaded.
If it looks like nothing happened, don't worry! Your model is there, it's probably just to scale - which means super huge in comparison to the tiny Sims 4 object. Zoom out until you can see it, and then size it down with the 'S' key. Move it to the same place as the EA mesh
Rename UV Map to uv_0. Then, after deleting the EA mesh in edit mode, join the 3D model with the EA object. Shift-click the imported model then the EA object in the outliner, before pressing Ctrl+J (you have to be in Object mode for this to work. Use Tab key to quickly toggle between Edit and Object mode)
If you are using a deco object, you'll be replacing s4studio_mesh_1. s4studio_mesh_0 will probably be a shadow plane, which can be left alone or hidden altogether in your mesh
Apply a decimate modifier to the mesh if necessary (some 3D models are pretty geometry heavy – you'll probably want it under 10k polys). Since decimating is destructive, you don't want a very high poly mesh, because it won't look good after the modifier is applied. (you can retopologize the mesh but that's a whole other thing)
Import the mesh in S4S (the higher poly the mesh, the longer this takes), then import the texture that came with the model. This texture was a 4k JPEG, so it needed a bit of work (especially as TS4 doesn't support 4k textures). I sized it down to 1024x1024 and converted it to a .png.
Replace all LODs and shadow meshes. Make sure to import a blank bump and specular map, or else your object will be oddly lined and shiny
This last step is optional, but as most 3D models (that aren't game ready) are made for rendered environments, a lot of the textures don't have ambient occlusion or highlights. It makes for a bit of a plain-looking object in TS4, so I like to add these by baking the shadows in blender and painting highlights in PS. I also used the oil paint filter in Photoshop on the wood to make it more maxis-match.
If you haven't made anything for TS4 this might seem complicated, but once you get the basics it's very, very simple. Like copy-and-paste
the only other thing would be to make sure that the license for the 3D model permits personal use! (and not to paywall it obviously because beyond being crusty behaviour, that is legally perilous)
download the TV here if you like
and if you have any questions about specific steps, dm me!
