hey! i dont know if i did something wrong but when i downloaded your default wallpaper it told me the file was corrupted. had to take it out to open my game <3
Thank you for letting me know! I'll take it down for now and try to fix it.
Title : TS1 Inspired Reshade / (Pre-Rendered Sprites Style?)
After many experiments, I finally found the visual approach I've been looking for. Thank you so much for all the support, likes, comments, and reblogs on the previous post, it kept me motivated to finish this preset.
This preset started from one simple thought while I was playing or editing screenshots: "hmmm, this still looks 3D."
By using VidTheKid's Isometric Camera Mod as the main foundation, I tried to bring the look of TS2 closer to the feel of TS1. At first, I really liked it. However, over time I realized that this is still a 3D environment that has only been given an isometric perspective. Lowering the lighting, turning off shadows, even when the lighting is turned off completely using the "boolprop lightingEnabled false" cheat, those objects just look like 3D models sitting in a dark room. And this is not the fault of the mod or the game. TS2 was indeed built as a 3D game rendered in real-time, while The Sims 1 used pre-rendered images (sprites). This difference is what makes the TS2 look stay smooth and dynamic, but makes it difficult to bring the solid and static impression of TS1's pre-rendered objects, as seen in the comparison images above. Both are the same indoor scenes, one with default Maxis lighting and the other with my Reshade. You can see how the object textures and colors in my Reshade stand out even in a room with no windows or lamps. Additionally, the object edges are bolder and statically composed, as if each object carries its own texture or color without lighting influence, or simply, sprite-like.
Additionally, I can't decide which one I like more, as every player certainly has their own preferences. I will provide other examples with images labeled code 01-03 :
Take a look at CODE 01, this is the default Maxis lighting without my shader. The terrain paint textures are barely visible, perhaps due to the very smooth color transitions or the game's lighting influence? I'm not entirely sure about the technical details. Additionally, the edges of each object are still somewhat uneven.
Then look at CODE 02, the game's color palette starts to become limited, yet each object still receives in-game lighting. The color transitions show a dithering effect. If you notice, the terrain textures, like the blades of grass start to become visible, and the edges between objects now have distinct borders and visible separation lines.
And finally, CODE 03, the game's natural lighting is completely disabled. All the colors pop out and become flat because I've enabled the "boolprop lightingEnabled false" cheat. Technically, this is similar to Image 02, but by enabling this cheat, the lamps or any other light sources in your game become purely decorative, their glow no longer affects the light or darkness of objects. Even if there's a light effect around the lamp itself, it becomes purely cosmetic or in other words, it's just part of the lamp's image itself (referring back to that sprite-like feel). I will further explain the technical side of the CODE 02&03 setup using another indoor and outdoor example below.
Take a look at the images of Mrs. Crumplebottom below, both indoors and outdoors. All of these are shown without my shaders. only pure, default Maxis lighting.
The first image shows the default Maxis lighting with in-game settings (Lighting: High, Shadows: Off). Here, you can see Mrs. Crumplebottom outdoors being hit by the game's sunlight, while indoors, she receives reflections from the lamp next to her, visible as a glow on her face and body.
The second image shows what happens when you enable the "boolprop lightingEnabled false" cheat. As I mentioned before, this completely disables all in-game light sources; as a result, Mrs. Crumplebottom looks exactly the same whether she is outdoors or indoors. However the lack of this cheat is, it makes everything look dim and dark. Notice that even though there is a lamp next to her, the light doesn't affect Mrs. Crumplebottom or the toilet she's sitting on. the lamp's glow effect exists in isolation, looking like a fake or "phoney" effect.
The third image shows a side effect or glitch that might occur when enabling this cheat. Don't panic! This will return to normal if you refresh it by reopening the cheat console (Ctrl+Shift+C), selecting the cheat again, and pressing Enter.
Next, here is how the same scenes look with my Reshade applied, bringing out that specific visual style I mentioned.
The first image, If you liked the "Code 02" version from before, This image is an example of the results you will get. My Reshade combined with the default Maxis lighting. With this setup, light sources and the outdoor environment still provide reflections to your objects or Sims. You can see how the colors appear limited yet pop out, the color transitions look sharp, and the edges of objects or Sims are visible and static. Then, if you look closely, there is a dithering effect in the colors (I hope it’s still visible once uploaded; I’m not sure how much Tumblr will compress the image quality, but you can always test it in-game to see the full effect yourself). The textures also look much denser, take a look at the cloud wallpaper and the green grass carpet; everything brings out its maximum texture detail without the blurriness found in the version without Reshade.
[NOTE: For those of you who prefer this version, you can adjust the White Point value in Levels.fx from my default of 160 to 230–255.]
The second image, if you prefer the "Code 03" version, this is the result you will get. Personally, I really love using this one in my gameplay. Technically, it’s the same as Code 02, but I feel this version truly delivers that pre-rendered visual. It effectively fixes the dim and overly dark colors that usually occur when you enable the "boolprop lightingEnabled false" cheat. Since all lighting is even, there is no in-game lighting/shading, so any light or dark spots you see are just from the textures or 'baked (is that the right term? idk 😂), Your objects look as if they are standing on their own, with every color and texture popping at their maximum. What I love most about this version is how my Sims skin tones resemble the look of TS1.[NOTE: If you feel this version is a bit too bright, you can adjust the White Point value in Levels.fx from my default of 160 to 170-180.]
Anyway, Mrs. Crumplebottom I’m using is available for download from amazing @bayoubashsims thanks and sorry for putting her in such a weird room setup haha 😆.
Then If you notice a #ffff00 yellow outline with 0.15 thickness on the edges of your objects, that’s actually intentional. I chose this color as a tribute to old TS1 CC creators, whose objects sometimes had a bit of yellow leakage perhaps leftovers from the P-Sprites (is this the right term?). So, this is my love letter to them. Hm, I wish I had been playing the Sims back in their era, haha.
[NOTE : Don't worry, this outline isn't always super visible, sometimes it subtly blends in with your floor, walls, or terrain. I actually experimented with black vs this yellow, and it turns out this one looks much better! It makes the edges look more defined and clear]
Bonus for you! I’ve included 3 terrain paints inspired by The Sims 1 (Grass, Dirt, and Sand). I didn’t extract these directly from the original TS1, instead, I found some textures online and edited them myself. While the colors might not perfectly resemble the original TS1. But here's a fun fact, these textures really pop and show their detail much better once you use my Preset.
sheep and tree : Kativip, large bushes : beautifulnerdkitty , small bushes : sim_man123 (TSR) , rocks : tony-veis (4t2 Snowy Escape)
Lastly, this preset is a visual interpretation inspired by TS1, not a 1:1 recreation. These two games use different systems, so the results will never be exactly the same. But even if this doesn't fully feel like TS1 yet, at least this approach can lean towards the visual feel of classic isometric games with pre-rendered sprites. (Also, a huge shoutout to VidTheKid on MTS for the isometric camera mod, it's what makes this whole look possible, You're truly a legend!).
[NOTE : I’ve included a guide inside the RAR file, please make sure to read it! The total file size is about 25 MB because I’ve also included several preview photos, which you can delete anytime. If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment or send me a message!]
wcif your ts2 road default? your game looks so pretty it's like you're playing a different game than me
thank you! haha. i made that road default a few years ago using sims 4 assets. i still have the files lying around, so i could throw it to together and publish it at some point! 🤎
I make a few mods every now and then to make the game a little more difficult and slightly realistic. One of the ways I try to achieve this is by adding prices to interactions to simulate sims actually using up a product (like @lamare-sims' Supply Mod, but more limited in its scope).
I based this override on a.deep.indigo's Personal Sim Hygiene mod - and I'd highly recommend giving it a go as it incentivises sims to take care of their dental hygiene in a simple way (and their Dental Care mod expands on this with more gameplay elements).
§3 charge of the 'Brush Teeth' interaction
Place in your mods (and/or custom overrides) folder!
A default replacement for the bare walls using walls from The Sims 4: Restoration Kit. They're my favourite walls from one of my favourite kits, and I thought they looked even better in The Sims 2. I used @psychosim's replacement as a base.
are you coming back? i miss your posts! (and i hope you’re doing well) ☺️
Thank you! That's really kind of you - I hope you're also doing well. I'm definitely playing, and really want to create new stories and make some funky posts. So, maybe soon? 🙂
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