TS3 VFX Tool 1.0.9 Beta
 

This is the same tool as the one I made for Sims 4, there are already other VFX tools for Sims 3 so the reason I published this one is because it can be used to exchange visual effects between Sims 4, Sims 3 and Sims Medieval.

Please note that when exporting/importing it is only the visual effect itself that is migrated, referenced image, sound and model resources must be migrated manually using other tools.












How to edit a visual effect
We are going to give the "zzz" effect a more bluish color when Sims are napping/sleeping.

1. Double-Click on TS3VFXTool.exe to start the tool.
2. Click on TS3 to load the Sims 3 visual effect library.
3. Select the Visual Effect "zzz" and click Clone.
4. In New Effect name use "zzz" again to create an override.
5. Select ParticleEffect Block Index 0 and click Edit.
6. Enter the values 0.15, 0.35, 1 in the ColorCurve table for a bluish color, click Return.
7. Click Return and then Save, the name doesn't matter except you can't call it Sims3Effects, place the package in your mods folder for testing.

VFX Player
The file Denton47_EffectsMachine.zip contains a simple effect player that can be used to play all effects in game, just like Andrews Effect Player in Sims 4. The model used is the FX Machine and found under Entertainment / Parties, it requires the Late Night expansion.

Installation
Extract the TS3VFXTool zip file to a new directory somewhere on your harddrive, Double-Click on TS3VFXTool.exe to start the tool.

If you have a non-standard Sims installation you can create a file named Install_Dir.txt containing the paths of your installation directories, the first line is for Sims 3 base game and the second line is for Sims Medieval (optional).

Updates

• Version 1.0.1
  • Added support for Sims Medieval.

• Version 1.0.2
  • Fixed Merge package bug.

• Version 1.0.3
  • Added support for cloning complex effects that reference eachother.

• Version 1.0.4
  • Fixed missing ContextMenuStrip in Metaparticle Surfaces.

• Version 1.0.5
  • Retain selection when reloading main VFX database.

• Version 1.0.6
  • Fixed button state issue when reloading main VFX database.

• Version 1.0.7
  • Fixed button states when editing custom effects.

• Version 1.0.8
  • It is now possible to add new block types by copying from other effects.

• Version 1.0.9
  • The tool now supports ParticleEffect version 3, 4 and 5.

Links
TS4 VFX Tool
https://modthesims.info/showthread.php?t=639339

Description of the SWARM engine.
http://www.andrewwillmott.com/talks...cedural-content

After opening the TS3 or TSM list, I have to close out of the program to load the other game's list as clicking the associated button does nothing. Is that able to be fixed?

Also, is the tool able to create new VFX atm? Don't remember if you said anything in the previous thread.

It was merely a precaution to avoid resetting everything if you hit the buttons by mistake, but I have put in a dialog now to allow the reload, it will be part of the next update.

You can create new effects and overrides, I have tested both.

The prospect of being able to change TS3's effects, and import TS4 & TSM ones is so amazing; thank you!

A few questions (noob alert! I know nothing about particle effects or tuning them.):
1) I'm assuming the 0.15, 0.35, 1 bluish color values you provided are from the CMY format, instead of RBG, correct? (I just googled the numbers to see what came up, and got this: https://convertingcolors.com/cmy-co...5,%200.35,%201), which is yellowish, so I'm a bit confused).
2) Is there a public list of all of the TS4 FX effects, the way there is a list of all the TS3 fog Emitter codes at SimsVIP? Or will such a list be provided when TS4 FX support is added to this tool? [EDIT] I'm dumb; I just found out how to extract the codes in S4S's cheat box, and uploaded the list here: https://www.mediafire.com/file/kdlb...X_List.txt/file
3) I've never worked with TS4 FX codes before--do they work with the basegame, like TS3 fog emitter codes? (For instance: even someone without the UNI EP can still use all the FX the codes from UNI in the fog emitter).
4) Where can we find the FX codes list for TSM, please?

1) It is RGB, not RBG, also, the ColorCurve grid has the color names as header (screenshot 4, middle left).
3) All visual effects for all DLCs are stored in the base game files, including referenced images and object models, but not sound, sound recordings are store in the DLC package files.
4) Start the tool, click TSM and when the effects are loaded click Effect list to export all effect names into a text file.

Amazing work denton47!
There is a way to obtain all resources needed for the effect that i'm trying to convert to sims 4?
I'm trying to convert the ep8applebobbing sims 3 effect, but i don't know how to find all model/textures needed.
In the sims 3 deltabuild0 i also found "lighting data" resources linked to the effect resources (appleBobbingApplesA_lightingdata%%+LITE.light). How can i import them in sims4package?
Thanks

In order to find the referenced resource for ep8applebobbing you look in the IID field in ParticleEffects, either on screen or in the exported JSON file, in this case it is the following:

0x0000000000F73201
0x00000000008A80BD
0x00000000008A80BE
0x0000000000F07695
0x0000000000F07692
0x0000000000F07693
0x0000000000F07690

If the IID starts with 0x00000000 it is an object model, they are found in base game DeltaBuild0.package, the LITE resource is part of the object.

B/B Objects is not something I know much about, I assume you use the s3py Blender plugin to import the object and then use S4Studio to export it to TS4 ?, maybe someone with more knowledge can help you out here.

I've migrated the apple mesh and linked to the particle effect in the vfx (particleeffect blockindex2 ) ... i correctly display the mesh in the game, but it doesn't move. The apples should be floating like in the sims 3 effect.
What is that i'm missing?
I post the vfx file and package with mesh and texture.

EDIT: Is it possible to add a new blocktype to a vfx ? Like adding a soundeffect blocktype to a vfx that has only particleeffect.

Can you make tutorial convert sims 3 effect to sims 4 ?

@Waronk @AlexCroft If you're interested, since custom VFX for Sims 4 conflicts with each other and means that downloaders can only use one custom VFX at a time, I plan on hosting a community VFX resource similar to Zerbu's (or other up-to-date) Venue List, XML Injector, etc. where creators can request a VFX to be converted and added (if not already done yet), or send their custom-made VFX to be added. It made sense to start such a resource because we can't rely on downloaders to download the tool and merge, and so creators don't have to re-convert VFX that someone may have already done for their own projects. And because I'm gong to be converting all the objects and animations from Sims 3/Sims Medieval and need the VFX for them, I'll eventually have a very large resource for my own mods and there's no reason to limit all those converted VFX to just myself when it could be shared with the community. If you are interested let me know!

@Waronk The tutorial for converting is on the front page and first post of the TS4 VFX Tool! It's the third tutorial, here: https://modthesims.info/showthread....137#post5621137

@MizoreYukii I see @AlexCroft succeed convert sims 3 effect to sims 4
https://twitter.com/Alexcroft93/sta...746439287488518

@Waronk I saw, and I have as well! My first test subjects were some small ones for a trainset from Sims 3 Supernatural. My post was about keeping custom VFX in one place though because you can only have one custom file in your folder at a time unless they are merged. Releasing multiple custom VFX will force players to have to pick and choose between our mods, or figure out how to merge VFX, and in my experience with the community it's better to avoid those situations.

When I using multiple effects. the effect does not appear.

Thank you very much for making this tool @denton47. I tested in game and it's work. Also thank you @Waronk for tell me about using vfx tool.
https://twitter.com/Cepzid/status/1498354431100076032

I merged all effects and it works . When I using one custom file each effect, the effect no appears because it causing conflict at visual effects instance map.

TS3 uses a shader to animate the object:

0x460E93F4 ParticleAnim

0xD600CB63 AnimSpeed, Type: kTypeFloat
0x3F89C2EF AnimDir, Type: kTypeFloat4
0x637DAA05 diffuse, Type: kTypeFloat4
0x2D4E507E DiffuseUVScale, Type: kTypeFloat2
0xBA2D1AB9 NormalUVScale, Type: kTypeFloat2
0x3C45E334 NormalMapScale, Type: kTypeFloat
0x8286D3EC NormalMapUVChannel, Type: kTypeFloat
0xA6199A70 SurfaceTransparency, Type: kTypeFloat
0xC3C472A1 RefractionDistortionScale, Type: kTypeFloat
0x511979DE SpecularAmount, Type: kTypeFloat
0xF755F7FF shininess, Type: kTypeFloat
0x6CC0FD85 DiffuseMap, Type: kTypeTexture
0x6E56548A NormalMap, Type: kTypeTexture

TS4 has a shader with the same name, I assume this is the one you need to use:

0x460E93F4 ParticleAnim

0xAF758377 UsesTangents, Type: kTypeBool
0xD600CB63 AnimSpeed, Type: kTypeFloat
0x3F89C2EF AnimDir, Type: kTypeFloat4
0x46402CEB AnimSpeed2, Type: kTypeFloat
0xF4DDDE0F AnimDir2, Type: kTypeFloat4
0x637DAA05 diffuse, Type: kTypeFloat4
0x2D4E507E DiffuseUVScale, Type: kTypeFloat2
0xBA2D1AB9 NormalUVScale, Type: kTypeFloat2
0x3C45E334 NormalMapScale, Type: kTypeFloat
0x8286D3EC NormalMapUVChannel, Type: kTypeFloat
0x2CE11842 specular, Type: kTypeFloat3
0x6CC0FD85 DiffuseMap, Type: kTypeTexture
0x6E56548A NormalMap, Type: kTypeTexture
0xCEBA7E8A SpecMap, Type: kTypeTexture
0x79C44C9B CubeEnvMap, Type: kTypeTexture
0xDC75C12B OverlayMap, Type: kTypeTexture (Does not currently support Self Illumination, Unlit, AlphaMask, Diffuse x as time, or wind)
0x7FEEA605 OverlayUnlit, Type: kTypeBool
0xF519B57F AlphaBlended, Type: kTypeBool
0xE77A2B60 AlphaMaskThreshold, Type: kTypeFloat
0x0EB11726 SelfIllumination, Type: kTypeBool
0xF34F6897 UseDiffuseXAsTime, Type: kTypeBool
0x61E6C1AB ScaleWithWind, Type: kTypeBool
0x739EF713 Unlit, Type: kTypeBool

Sorry, but you're not understanding me, let me see if I can re-word this. ^^; Merging your own VFX works only for you. That doesn't change the problem of downloaders trying to use multiple mods with custom VFX from different creators. If you release your own VFX file with your mods, WaronK releases his own VFX file for his mods as well, same for AlexCroft, and I release my own, that means players will have conflicts when downloading all of our mods because that's 4 custom VFX files floating around, so that's 4 conflicting files they are stuck choosing between. And expecting players to download the VFX Tool just to merge is not going to happen for 99% of them. It's better to combine all 4 custom VFX files (and future ones) to make a community VFX resource similar to XML Injector.

I thought the same thing, and already used the same shader... but it doesn't work. Here a screenshot of the shaders used with the same values. Have you other solutions? Thanks

I hope, we can together can convert every sims 3 effects, in order to prevent conflict.

@MizoreYukii are you planning to make community group for convert every sims 3 effect to sims 4. Like @zulf said, so we can work together convert every sims 3 effect to sims 4.

The only thing I can recommend is to compare your effect with TS4 effects using the ParticleAnim shader, maybe TS4 needs more information than provided from TS3, one similar effect could be ep07_conservation_floating_trash_2.

I have attached two text files, one is a list of TS4 objects using the ParticleAnim shader, the other is a complete list of all ParticleEffect entries with IID, you can use that one to search for the object reference.

Sorry for the late response, took a rest from social media. @Waronk @Zulf Ferdiana I actually hadn't considered a community group but that's a not a bad idea. Give me a few days to figure out the steps we'll need to do to get that working and then I'll message you two.

Awesome, also my dm always open, I'm currently convert 24 sims 3 effects to sims 4. Then, I will send 24 sims 3 effects.

I've spent a lot of time matching every single setting, but no way. It seems that ts4 shader has a different behaviour with the particleanim.

I'll post the files here, maybe some shader expert could help me?

I'm currently convert 68 sims 3 effect with @Zulf Ferdiana to sims 4, I'm so happy if someone work together convert all sims 3 effect to sims 4. Include my custom effect for ferris wheel mod

That's still my plan as I told Zulf last time, been busy, but will try to work on the merged file soon.

Is this still happening??

Adding surfaces on Metaparticles
 

Hello,
I'm trying to make a mod to all butterflies have a surface physics, but i notice that in the metaparticles i can't add a new surface, there some way that can i add then or an update to make this possible?

Thank you very very much.
Matthew.

I seem to have missed mapping a ContextMenuStrip but it is fixed now, please download new version 1.0.4.

It seems that some effects doesn't work in the conversion process. For example I tried to convert "ep8applebobbingsplash" and i've also converted the related texture image resource linked 9A4242BEBDF66AA7.
But it doesn't work. Am i doing something wrong in the conversion process?

P.S.
I wonder if there will be a function in the future that will auto-extracts all resources needed for the effect in order to work (meshes or textures).

Att. mimi88jp, here are the exported effects you need, I had to add empty.package to the zip file, otherwise I couldn't upload it.

Thankyou Sooo Much!!
 

I've been waiting since February for this!!

If it's not too much trouble, could the original way the list reloaded be added back as it was in the previous version, please? Where after it reloaded it remained in the same spot instead of being back at the top like it is now. That makes it a lot easier when trying to find specific VFX or clone lots of related VFX.

I have changed the tool to work like the TS4 version, the list will still reset when switching between TS3 and TSM.

Oh wow how am I only finding out about this now?! I had a project that I unfortunately had to stop working on because of the fact that I had some issues with editing VFX through a hex editor or even remotely trying to do it through S3PE. (Tracking resources and what belongs together was... really not easy).

Will definitely pick up that project again and give this a try Hopefully, this should also help the development of the tool for simply edited VFX usage if I find anything. May also try and include things with my script mods (More like TS4 > TS3).

Thank you so much for making this!

Did you figure it out?
 

Hi Alex, Just wondering did you figure out how to get the mesh to work?

Thank you so much! But for the resetting, the "Clone" option turns off/stays blank when resetting the list while the "Edit" button stays on/available, so I can't export the next item anyhow. If I try clicking "Edit" to see if it will let me at least export, it throws this error:

Also sometimes it still resets back to the top of the list but I'm not quite sure why/what triggers it.

The button states were not resetting when reloading but this should be fixed now.

New Bug on VFX Tool 1.06 - Cannot save an effect
 

Hey there, i found a new bug when i try to edit a custom effect. The save button is unable to save.
Check the image bellow, this bug happened to all of my custom effects.

Hugs from Canibal.

Fixed, please download version 1.0.7.

Update with my custom effect for ferris wheel mod
https://modthesims.info/showthread....076#post5840076

Hello Denton47! I'm releasing some effects mods for the sims 3, thank you very much for your tool, it took me several months to master it, but I finally managed to release it little by little to the public.

I would like to thank you for this wonder.

Another important thing, I would like to know if it is possible to add new particles, sounds or metaparticles in effects already created, because when I edit an effect without SoundEffect, I would like to know if I can add one more BlockIndex.

We have the "ADD" button when I open the menu to edit the effect, but it just duplicates an existing particle, and I can't create a new Index block to add a SoundEffect, Metaparticles or normal particles. And the arrow in BlockType do not work to change the type to a Metaparticle, SoundEffect or Particle

I don't know if it's possible, but it would be so nice for my mod projects to have this option working.

Again thank you very much and if you still play sims 3 check out what I already did with your tool!

Canibal_MLO

You are right, the Add button just does a copy of the current selected row, the problem with adding new effect resources "from scratch" is that I don't know what the default values for all the effect properties are supposed to be, if a property has an invalid value it usually just crashes the game.

I think the best solution would be to copy an effect type from another effect to ensure all properties have valid values, I will take a closer look at this and revert.

It is now possible to add new block types by copying from other effects,



You will need to load the main database first when editing custom effects.

I haven't done a lot of testing, let me know if something is not working correctly.

I know this thread has been quiet for sometime now but I was wondering if it would be possible to edit the lighthouse beam rotation with this tool? The beam rotates too fast for my liking and I would like to slow it down some.

EDIT: Well, I did found the visual effect - Lighthouse beam - but unfortunately I have no idea what to do or how to change it.

I don't think the rotation is done by the visual effect, more likely by the ParticleAnim or ParticleAnimComplex shaders, I assume you need to change the AnimSpeed and/or AnimDir parameters.

These are the Lighthouse visual effects,

lighthousebeam
lighthousefx
lighthouseglow
lighthouselensflarefx

I don't know the names of the Lighthouse world objects.

Ah, okay. I'll start looking at those things then. Thank you for the help.

@denton47 I was wondering if it would be possible to load also store objects effects in some way. I'm trying to convert the montevista pizza oven effect, but it doesn't load to the vfx tool. Thanks

This is an older version of the SWB resource, I will try and make the tool compatible and revert.

The tool now supports ParticleEffect version 3, 4 and 5, please download new version 1.0.9.

Outstanding! What a nice tool!

Do we know what the "Flags"-Fields stand for? Or is that just Black Magic?

Hi, I tried clone the sims medieval effect, but there error like this, like unable game location, where my game file are correct. But, clone sims 3 effect are working

The tool will use the following Windows Registry key to obtain the install directory,

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Maxis\The Sims Medieval\Install Dir

If you have this, the value here will be used and not the one from Install_Dir.txt.

The tool then searches the install directory for SASDeltaBuild2.package, if this package is not found you get,

"Unable to locate Sims Medieval game packages"

Thank you, it worked now