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These information are intended to help creators that do have and Expansion Pack installed, but nevertheless want to create objects that are usable by base-game users.

The most common mistake, in this case, is to think that cloning an object originally shipped with the base game will automatically create a base-game compliant object. This is not true.

When an EP is released, some older objects may get updated, either to add new function (it's the case of the UNI bookcases and computers, for instance), or to fix bugs in their code (which is something not visible during normal play).
In particular, the Nightlife has introduced a new format for the BHAVs (the 0x8009 format), that is unreadable by the base game engine.

Most of the creators have discovered, when the UNI was first released, that the OBJD held a value (field 0x0000, "Version_1 - Read Only") that was set to either 0x8b (which means "Base-game compliant") or 0x8c ("EP required").
Many creators believe that changing that code from 0x8c to 0x8b is enough to make an object base-game compliant. Again, this is not true: changing that code just makes an object appear in the base game catalog, but it doesn't ensure that the object will actually work with the base game!
The situation got worse with the release of the Nightlife and subsequent EPs, because the 0x8c code is used for all the EPs. And we know, by now, that the Nightlife has heavily updated almost all the objects: in some cases, changing the BHAV instructions (in order to fix bugs or adjusting an object's behaviour), in some other converting the BHAVs into the new 0x8009 format.
Also, the Pets EP has introduced a new format 0x54 for the menu (TTAB files).

I was asked many times to clear up these things, and therefore here are my suggestions, that will allow modders to create objects perfectly compliant with the base game; and will also allow to test those objects in a base-game environment.


PART 1 - *CREATING* BASE-GAME COMPLIANT OBJECTS.

First off, let me state as clearly as possible that these info are not intended to explain users to transform an EP object into a base game one; most of the objects released with the EP, technically speaking, could be trasformed to be used in the base game, but this would be a serious copyright infringment.
What I'm going to explain is how to clone an object that has been released with the base game, getting rid of all the updates and modification that the installation of the EP migh have produced on that object.

The procedure is extremely simple, because SimPE - starting from version 0.50 - has a new function that has the explicit purpose to exclude the EP components of the game.
In order to activate this function, do this:

1) Go to Extra -> Preferences -> File Table and *uncheck* the options "Include University Files", "Include Nightlife Files", "Include Business Files" and all the other EPs and Packs (the newest EPs are not shown in following picture, but they should be unchecked, too). Just leave active "Include CEP" and "Include Original Game".

2) Go to Tools -> PJSE plugin -> Reload file table

3) (Just to be 100% sure) Restart SimPE.


Until you change back these options, SimPE will exclude all the EP files: starting the Object Workshop you will see only the base game objects, and cloning one of them will create a package perfectly compliant with the base game.
Obviously, if the EP has added functions or changed the object's behaviour, the clone will *not* benefit of these improvements.


PART 2 - *TESTING* BASE-GAME COMPLIANT OBJECTS: Setting up a real Base-Game environment for your tests and nostalgic pleasure .

To easily set up a real base-game environment, to test your objects, use the new AnyGameStarter installer

In the absence of a "thank you" button, thank you! The information on base-game testing will be extremely valuable.

Thank you very much, this is very important information.

Thank you!

you should really get a thank you button
either way, very valuable information
thanks for helping us on our way, yet again

Gasp! I never realised this at all! Thank you in BIG LETTERS, Numenor!

Hoe and where do i create all of this . bow can i play without downloading anything

how can i play without downloding anything . where and how do i create all of this stuff

I don't understand your first question, you can always play the game with no downloads. To get started on creating stuff, start here and follow the links to object tutorials and such.

I've created some new objects but I want "everyone" (I mean even those who only have the base-game) to be able to use them but I had not read this thread yet so have I to re-create all my objects (after following the instructions) to be sure ?? Huh, hours will be spent again... and I'm sure I won't manage to follow this mini-tuto

edit : If I create the new environment with only the base-game objects, so I'll be able to build houses that don't require any EP, won't I ? So that can be very very interesting...

Before you start re-creating your items, you should check if it's necessary. Open each of your objects in SimPE, go to each Object Data, click on the Raw Data tab. Then click on the little icon on the top left corner of that window at says "AZ". Then look at the line at the top of the list. If that line says 0x8b for each of the Object Data for that object, then it's base game compatible without you having to fix anything. If even one of them says 0x8c, you should consider re-creating the object if you want to make sure it works in all versions of the game (unless it's something like a bookcase which you want to have the University specific functions for college, for example).

I've just checked and... the 3rd object data says "0x8c" grrrrrrrrr ! yet it's just a painting !! OK, so I know what I'm going to do... Thanks IB. And can you answer my question about creating a house in the new neirghborhood that won't require any EP ? If you don't know, just don't post

I've just modified my filetable so I cloned an base-game object and each object data says "0x8b" but I couldn't find the "Suspense" painting (that's the one I want to clone) and yet that's a base-game painting, I'm sure ! Besides I've already seen an painting (made by a creator) based on this game's one and each object data says "0x8b" so it's a base-game object !

The "Supense" painting should be in the catalog (I think) but it's not. You know, that's the painting on which we can see a big bridge. I can only find the "simcity at night" painting but I don't like it because this one has 4 texture images and I only need 2 (that's why I want the "suspense" painting and not another one *as stubborn as a mule*).

Hope it's clear.

I can find it in the Object Workshop... Mind that the painting name has a starting and an ending " (quotation mark) character, so it is alphabetically placed at the beginning of the list.

Where can you find the "Suspense" painting Numenor ?

EDIT I don't know why but I've just realized that many objects are not in their category but in the "Unknown" one... Paintings, scultures... and others...

Oh, you use the old Object Workshop... It is considered discontinued, you know? Let me check it...

EDIT:
I can see the "Suspense" painting in the decorative objects group, even using the old Object Workshop...
Try looking in the "Object Listing" tab: it should be listed as * "Suspense"... (with a starting asterisk and the quotation marks).

EDIT AGAIN:
The name may not have the starting asterisk in your Object Workshop...

I've never heard about an old object workshop...?? How do you get the "new" one ?

The one I'm using is a shortcut for "tools > object creation > object workshop" (I suppose) with SimPE version 0.52.

Ben, instead, go to Window -> Object Workshop

er, may i ask everyone a question? yes that means YOU! where do i download SimPe?

You can download SimPE here.

OK thanks . But how does it work ? I just clicked, then "package" appeared at the bottom left corner and "object workshop" desappeared. Where do I make the new one load ?

EDIT I'm off-topic, sorry. I'm gonna search if there's a thread about that "new" object workshop.

Ben, the "Window -> Object Workshop" is a switch: every time you click it, the "Object Workshop" icon appears and disappear at the bottom of SimPE window. Use the Window menu until you see that icon, and then don't touch any more the menu: every time you need the Object Workshop, the icon is already at the bottom of the screen.

I hadn't seen that "package" is always at the bottom of the screen (I don't sleep enough... :D) and never "appears/desappears".

I've understood it's a switch (in fact I already knew it... pff *going to bed*), but then what is the "new" object worskhop (the one you use) ??? Isn't the one I'm using the good one ?

No. The version you are using is a legacy version, left only for compatibility purposes.
Beside the new graphics (you can take a look at the new interface in the Recolour tutorial), the old version doesn't contain all the cloning options, as explained in this thread.

Quaxi has officially discontinued the update of that old version some time ago, so I suggest you to get acquainted to the new interface

Numenor... I think you're mistaken : There's no difference between the "new" interface you show me and the one I'm using so I think I've been already using the "new" one for a long time... the screenshot I made post #15 was taken in the new interface, not the old one !

Am I right ? The interface I'm using is blue and quite "contemporary" compared to (or with, I don't know) the old one.