This is a new version of the MTS2 Mesh Tool.

However it hasn`t been as tested as much as we would of liked, but we have decided from now on to release new versions quicker , even though it will mean there may be more problems with these version , it will allow more people to test the new features much quicker.
These new "test versions" will only be available for download from this forum.

(begin edit - this is important info!)

At this time multiple people have reported problems editing nightlife and above meshes with meshtool. I suggest using a different editing method (Unimesh or SimPE SMD export) if you wish to edit meshes from those EPs

Scroll down to the bottom of this message to the 'download' box to get your copy of meshtool.

For a beginning tutorial on how to make clothing with meshtool, please see This Beginner Tutorial

For details about how to edit as an SMD file with xsi modtool, see This XSI Modtool Tutorial

This tool was created with visual basic - if you get an error about MSVBVM60.DLL was not found

you need to download visual basic for free from microsoft:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...&displaylang=en

If the link doesn't work - go to microsoft and search for 'visual basic 6'
(end edit by Tiggerypum)

The main new features of this version are that it allows more changes to animated objects.

Some of the new features are:

* Allows the meshes from obj files to be put into the "subgroups"/"bones" of a gmdc mesh allowing objects such as fridges to be made , with working doors.
(see Exnem`s fridge for a example of a object made in this way)

*Allows a mesh from a obj file to be added to a subgroup/bone without replacing what mesh was already in that subgroup.

*Exports objects to SMD files.

*Imports SMD files.

At the moment there isn`t any tutorials on using the new features (see below for a mini tutorial on exporting a body mesh to a smd file and reimporting it. ) New tutorials will be added as soon as we can get them wrote.

Mini tutorial for body meshes.

1: open the mesh tool and load a gmdc file(from a body mesh) in step 2 (it should be safe to skip step 1 , but if you have any problems load in any obj file)

2: open the 3d view in the file menu

3: in the 3d view window check the check box named "edit groups" then click on the entry called "body" in the "objects" list box.

4: then click the export smd button, a new window will open asking if you want multiple bones per vertice or single bones per vertice, with a body mesh the only reason (other than if you have problems with multiple bones) to select single bones is if you are using Milkshape as that only supports singles bones per vertice. So leave the multiple bones option selected and click export and save the file. now close the mesh tool program.

5: now open the smd file in your 3d program, currently all the bones aren`t connected correctly into a real skeleton. (ie the hand bone isn`t connected to the arm bone, each bone is just connected directly to the root bone) as the gmdc file doesn`t hold the information on what bone is connected to what, but we will be adding a option for the mesh tool to make the bones into a correctly connect skeleton in a future version. (note this doesn`t effect how the sim will appear in the game, the skeleton will be correct when the gmdc file is reimported back into the package )

6: edit or change how ever you want the body mesh, just make sure you assign any new vertices to the correct bones, and don`t assign any vertice to more than 3 bones. ( with this version of the mesh tool when using smd files you can make what changes to a body mesh that you want, you are no longer restricted to just moving vertices around.)

7: save the mesh back out to a smd file.

8: Open the mesh tool program again (please make sure you do close it in step 4 and reopen it now, as it hasn`t been tested that it doesn`t cause any problems if not closed down to clear any internal memory. )

9: go directly to the 3d view in the file menu.

10: if you are using 3ds studio cannonfodder exporter (we can`t say if any other 3ds smd exporter will work), then check the box named "Using 3ds Max"", or if you are using Softimage XSI mod tool (and I would think the same for the full version) then check the box named "using XSI mod tool"

11: in the file menu select load mesh , then load your smd file.

12: now in the file menu select load gmdc, load the original gmdc file.

13:now check the box named "body editing"

14 now check the edit groups box again. and then click on whatever name is in the "models" list box and then again click on the "body" entry in objects list box.

15: in the edit box name "sub-group#:" should now be "0" , change this to 1 and click commit.

16: now click the "replace" button and save the created gmdc file as whatever you want.

17: then replace the gmdc file back into the package in the normal way.

Please note that currently some of the datalists which are in a original gmdc file for a body mesh aren`t put in the created gmdc file, these are thought to effect such things are shape deforms, so sims created in this way will can only have the normal body type and I would think can`t show being pregnant.
We aim to add back these datalists in future versions.

Updated version 0.9.45:

-will now give a message saying that it can`t export objects which contain no bones to a smd rather than giving a sub script error.

- fixed a bug which when importing some smd files would cause the bones to be wrongly assigned.

updated version 0.9.46:

-fixed a bug which caused a sub script error when assigning meshes from a obj file to the sub groups.

How very awesome! Thanks for all your hard work. The bones/working doors feature will be fantastic.

Cool one, many thanks for that

You guys are doing an awesome job!

TazzMann

Hey guys I'm new to this forum so, if anyone could help me out I will be very thankfull. I'm having a problem when I try to load my newly smd file created with the mesh tool into milkshape3d but when I do this it crashes!! Please! If someone have already experienced this problem and managed to solve it gimme a hint! Like most of you all I'm trying to edit the body meshes of my sims. Please some one help me out!

post the smd file you are trying to load and I`ll have a look for you , also post the gmdc file it was exported from. When using milkshape, it is best to select 1 bone per vertice when exporting a smd file as this is all milkshape supports (although later versions of milkshape should read the smd files with more than one bone assignment in and just ignore the extra assignments)

When I try to export an SMD file, the Mesh Tool crashes with a "Subscript out of range" error. Anyone else getting this?

are you trying to export a object which doesn`t have any subgroups (when you click on a object in the objects list, does a number other than "0" appear in the box below it (called "numb sub groups" ) if so this mean that object doesn`t have any bones /sub groups. Currently the mesh tool will not export such objects to a smd file (as the smd file needs vertices to be assigned to a bone), however I will be posting a new version soon which will create a "dummy" bone and assign all vertices to that for objects which don`t actually have bones in them, allowing them to be exported to smd files.

There are still a few objects which the mesh tool won`t export (or import) which do have bones. (currently the mesh tool will only export objects which either have all the vertices assigned to one bone, or ones which have at least 1 vertice assigned to 3 bones...ie with objects in which the maximum number of bones any vertice is assigned to is 2, then the mesh tool will not export it)

So if the number of sub groups isn`t "0" , can you post the gmdc file and I`ll have a look.

the other thing is with objects (meshes other than body or hair meshes.) most of them only have the vertices assigned to one bone, so when exporting a object, select the one bone per vertice option.

Really I uploaded the current version mainly to be used with body and hair meshes (though it will work with some objects too), depending on what time I get, I`ll try to post a updated version sometime in the new few days or so.

I`ve just posted a new version which corrects a couple of problems, one is the sub script error when trying to export objects with no bones to a smd file , and the other was a bug in the importing of some smd files.

Tutorial on editing/making an armoire.

There are two ways you can use the mesh tool to make a working armoire(with opening doors), one is using meshes in a obj file and the other is with smd files.

Method 1: SMD files.

1: open SimPE and go to object work shop, clone the "* "Anti-Quaint-Ed" Ltd. Ed. Armoire"

2: extract the gmdc file from the package.

3: open the mesh tool.

4: go to the 3d view and load in the gmdc file you extracted in step 2

5: check the edit groups box. and then select entry called "armoire" in the object list, now click export smd button. Select the option of single bone per vertice. Close down the mesh tool.

6: import the smd file into your 3d program and edit it (or delete the mesh and create a new one) just remember to assign the vertices to the bones, and don`t assign any vertice to a bone which is unused when you first import the smd file. Export the edited object back out to a smd file. (with this object, the vertices for the main armoire should be assigned to bone 3, then the vertices for left door should be assigned to bone 5 , and for the right door bone 4.)

7: Open the mesh tool up and go to the 3d view, check any boxes for your 3d program. and load the smd file created in step 6.

8: load the original gmdc file you extracted in step 2.

9: select the "armoire" entry in the object list and the "object 1" (or whatever it happens to be called) in models list

10: in the Model box (bottom right of window) the number in the "sub groups#" box should be "0" change this to 1 (or anyother number), and click commit.

11: click the replace button, and save the gmdc file , now replace in back into you package in the normal way.

Note this hasn`t changed the handles or hinges to the armoire as they are in the object called "armoireQuaint" listed in the objects list, so these would need to also be exported to a smd file and changed.

Method two :

using obj files.

1: clone the armoire and extract the gmdc file as in method 1, also export the object to a obj file from within SimPE.

2: Use your 3d program to make a armoire, it will need to be in 3 (the main armoire, and two doors) pieces/groups/meshes. (so each is listed as a seperate group in the obj file).

3: export the meshes to a single obj file.

4: open up the mesh tool and load the obj file (either from the main screen or go straight to the 3d view and do it from there.)

5: load in the gmdc file you extracted from the package.

6: click on the "armoire" entry in the object list.

7: now click on the name you gave the main armoire mesh in the models list.

8: now check the box called "gmdc view" and use the "+" and "-" buttons to switch through the subgroups untill you find the group in which the mesh matches the main armoire (as it happens with this object it is sub group 1)

9: with the "armoire" entry and the entry for the armoire mesh (in the model list) highlighted. entry the number 1 in the sub groups# box (in the model box in the bottom right of the window) and click commit.

10: now highlight the mesh entry for the left door (in the models list) and again switch through the gmdc sub groups untill you find the matching group. (should be sub group 3)

11: so with both entries highlighted you enter "3" in the "sub groups#" box and click commit.

12: repeat above two steps for the right door (which is in sub group 2).

13: now click the replace button and save you gmdc file.

Note: you can also use the above method to add a part to a existing subgroup. Say you wanted to add something onto the front of the right door. You would have that mesh(the object you want to add to the door) in a obj file and load it in along with the gmdc file.
Now you would select the entry for that mesh in the model list and the entry for the "armoire" in the objects list, then assign the mesh to the sub group for the right door (sub group 2).
Now the difference when adding a mesh to a existing mesh rather than replacing the existing mesh is that to save the gmdc file you click the add model button.

Note adding to a existing mesh/sub group only works when using obj files, you can`t add a mesh from a smd file to a existin mesh (with the current version)

Also the above two methods can be used to make other items (like fridges, stoves etc)

I love bleeding edge technology.

I get this message in 3ds when I try to edit the mesh.

What effects would yes/no have here on my final mesh? Would I lose any model data?
http://modthesims2.com/attachment.p...achmentid=33475

Pass , I`ve never used 3ds for years, but as it says about the skin, I`m thinking it may be something to do with the texture. Most programs seem to need the smd file to list a texture map (the only one I tested which was happy with no texture map was milkshape) so the smd files created with the mesh tool list a nonsense name as the texture , this seemed to make the programs I tested happy (even though of course they couldn`t find that texture map). So I`m guessing that might be 3ds complaining about the non existant texture map.
Guess you`ll have to try the different options and see, or if you try a option (or two) and then post the smd created afterwards (don`t make any changes and included the original smd file), I`ll be able to tell if they are missing any information.

Have you seen the results of importing into 3ds? The bones get placed horizontal and rooted very strangly.

There is a 30 day trial at the website if your interested.
Here is my quicklink page so you don't have to register
www.churchofmod.com/3dmax

In the pic, I have moved what I think is the pelvis bone. The bone going down is the root. I know in milkshape, the bones all converge at the root but not here.

I know the rotation of the bones isn`t set correctly, this is something I plan to add to/correct in the new version, over the next couple of days (if I get time)

I`ll also download that trail version and have a look.

I know it doesn`t make it as easy to edit as if the bones where correctly rotated but as long as the vertices are assigned to the correct bones, then the meshes will work correctly in the game , as the mesh tool doesn`t use the bone positions or rotations from a smd file when importing.(it only uses the bone assignments)

I'm a bad boy, check that link again at the bottom.
http://churchofmod.com/3dmax/
:P

Thanks Miche, great work!
I have test the new Mest Tool, Method one works with MS3D create a new dresser (Using XSI mod tool checked, am I right? any way, it works), Method two get an error message 9 when replace save gmdc, but it works if only assign one subgroup.

If you are using Milkshape (MS3D?) , then no you don`t need the use XSI mod tool checked, having that checked when not using that program is likely to assign the vertices to the wrong bones, as the XSI mod tool creates a extra bone in the smd files it creates and having that box checked tells the mesh tool to expect that and remove it.

can you send the files you tried using for method two and describe what you did exactly.

what link ??

Thank you for your explanation about the XSI, I did it this time without it checked, it works! so happy:D
The obj files still not work, the attachments are the obj and gmdc, thanks

Try the new update , see if that fixes the obj problems (it should do).

It is work! It is work!!! Both method work!!!!!
Thank you so much for the hard work

ok i downloaded this new meshing tool and when i go to load a obj it does not show any in the files please help? :confused:

is there other programs that i need too. i have SimPE what else do i need if anything please help me want to learn this stuff :confused:

I need a bit more information than what you have given, what do you mean it doesn`t show anything in the obj files?

What exactly are you doing? the mesh tool has various ways of importing a obj file.)

Can you post the obj file you are trying to import and describe exactly what you are doing ?