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Sir Not Appearing In This Film
Original Poster
#1 Old 29th Sep 2014 at 8:24 PM Last edited by plasticbox : 21st Oct 2014 at 1:23 AM. Reason: Yay categories!
Default Non-Default Skin Tones
So, here is how I made my new non-default skin tone (http://www.modthesims.info/download.php?t=536838):

First, in FullBuild0, look for files with the tag TONE (type 0x0354796A)
Export one of those to a new package.
Open it in a hex editor, and you'll see that after the first 4 bytes, there is an instance id (in reverse)
Use that instance ID to find the textures, they will be in either FullBuild6, 7, or 8.
There should be 2 of them.
Export both to your new .package with the TONE file.

Give your TONE file a new instance id. IMPORTANT They won't work with a large instance id for some reason. I could only get them to show in the game with an FNV24 and all the higher bits set to 0 (ie - 0x00000000007362DC) Anything larger than that, like an FNV32 or 64, and they don't work in-game.

Now, give both textures a new matching instance id (this one doesn't matter, so use an FNV64).
Export and hex-edit the TONE file so that the instance (after the first 4 bytes) matches the new instance of your textures (again, reversed).
Also, towards the end of the TONE file is the color code for the swatch. It is distinguishable by the byte FF, again, this is reversed, so the 3 bytes preceding the FF will dictate your skin tone's swatch color.
Plus, the 6th byte from the end of the file seems to be how the swatches are organized in CAS, I changed mine to 99 and it moved a few spaces to the right, changing it to FF moved it to the end.
Save and re-import your TONE file.

Now, the 2 textures, both will have a tag of UNKN, but one of them will preview correctly in s4pe (make sure you have the latest version). The other won't preview at all.
The one that will NOT preview (type 0xB6C8B6A0) is the texture used by CAS, the other (type 0x3453CF95) is the texture that is used in-game.
The one that will preview should have an Export as DDS option, use that to export the image. The other one you will need to Export as file and rename the extension from .bnry to .dds.
Edit both textures how you like. Then re-import them, again, using Import from DDS for the 0x3453CF95 type, and import from file for the 0xB6C8B6A0 type.

Save, and test in game. You should now have a new, non-default skin tone, with it's own recolored swatch.

Good Luck!

Note: I've been playing around with all of this for the last 2 days, so, although I think I covered everything, it's possible I forgot something. Please, if you try this, let me know of your success or failure.
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Test Subject
#2 Old 30th Sep 2014 at 8:56 AM
That's great! Awesome find!
Test Subject
#3 Old 30th Sep 2014 at 4:00 PM
"towards the end of the TONE file is the color code for the swatch. It is distinguishable by the byte FF, again, this is reversed, so the 3 bytes preceding the FF will dictate your skin tone's swatch color.
Plus, the 6th byte from the end of the file seems to be how the swatches are organized in CAS, I changed mine to 99 and it moved a few spaces to the right, changing it to FF moved it to the end."

could you clear this up with a quick screen shot of the Hex code?

I have succeeded in getting a from scratch skin tone to work in game just now need to figure out how the swatch and placement works.
Test Subject
#4 Old 30th Sep 2014 at 4:43 PM
ok lets just use the yellow skin package file as reference

in the TONE file Hex code on the 4th line ...30 were the FF is found, before the FF we see 3F 01 08 --- so reversed its 08013f
but if you enter that into a color picker you get a very dark blue not the bright yellow seen on the in game swatch

so am I looking at the wrong bytes?
if so please use the Yellow skin tone Hex file to point out the correct location of the color code
Test Subject
#5 Old 30th Sep 2014 at 4:55 PM
ok nvm I figured out the swatch now just for the last bit swatch location
Sir Not Appearing In This Film
Original Poster
#6 Old 30th Sep 2014 at 5:18 PM
Quote:
I needed to export it as a file, not as a package. Otherwise the instance id starts somewhere in the middle of the file and s4pe adds some data that makes it harder to identify the important parts.


I guess I could have been a little more clear, I meant export it as a .package, then open the package in s4pe, click on the TONE file and use the built in hex viewer to find the instance id, or, you can do it your way and export as a file and use an external hex editor too, either way.

Quote:
I'm not sure why there are two TONE files in his package...


There shouldn't be, perhaps you accidentally created another TONE file when playing around with the .package?

Quote:
you just started your search for the color a few bytes too early.


Yea, there are a lot more FF bytes in my TONE than there are in the game's, probably would be easier to use an original for referencing, but it seems like you've all got it.

Quote:
The swatch is the last FF in his file. I can't figure out any rule though.


I haven't been able to figure out any steadfast rule for this either.
Test Subject
#7 Old 30th Sep 2014 at 5:33 PM
well I finally got it moved had to highjack and edit the hex code from Snaitf's yellow skin to do it

so the 6th byte from the end isn't true for all the TONE files it is true for the TONE Snaitf edited tho
Test Subject
#8 Old 1st Oct 2014 at 8:10 AM
Can anyone make a picture tutorial to translate all of this gibberish for those of us who don't work with code for a living?

I feel like there should be a tutorial to this tutorial >_>
Test Subject
#9 Old 1st Oct 2014 at 12:51 PM
Thank you Snaitf, my skin works like a charme
Instructor
#10 Old 2nd Oct 2014 at 3:19 PM Last edited by simmer4eveer : 2nd Oct 2014 at 5:11 PM.

what now, which of them is the instance id ?

I need a cigarette
Sir Not Appearing In This Film
Original Poster
#11 Old 2nd Oct 2014 at 5:10 PM
Quote: Originally posted by simmer4eveer
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what now, which of them is the instance id?


You don't hex edit the .package, you hex edit the TONE file
Test Subject
#12 Old 3rd Oct 2014 at 1:30 AM
Quote: Originally posted by Wihi
Can anyone make a picture tutorial to translate all of this gibberish for those of us who don't work with code for a living?

I feel like there should be a tutorial to this tutorial >_>


I can see how it feels like that, considering you have read the hex code in reverse, but after that it's very smooth sailing, the explanation is a bit... Involved. The best way I can explain it is to start on row 000030 column 0a-09 reading the columns from right to left , but the numbers stay the same . So where you see 08 ff ff the color in hexadecimal is ffff08. I'm not sure if I made it any less confusing. This is a great tutorial though thanks Snaitf!
Test Subject
#13 Old 24th Oct 2014 at 5:53 PM
hey, i'm new for this. how can i make a ts2 or 3 skin conversion to ts4 ?
Test Subject
#14 Old 2nd Nov 2014 at 3:36 PM
"Open it in a hex editor, and you'll see that after the first 4 bytes, there is an instance id (in reverse)
Use that instance ID to find the textures, they will be in either FullBuild6, 7, or 8.
There should be 2 of them.
Export both to your new .package with the TONE file.

Give your TONE file a new instance id. IMPORTANT They won't work with a large instance id for some reason. I could only get them to show in the game with an FNV24 and all the higher bits set to 0 (ie - 0x00000000007362DC) Anything larger than that, like an FNV32 or 64, and they don't work in-game."

Can you make screenshots? I don't understand what to do.
Test Subject
#15 Old 5th Nov 2014 at 3:40 AM
So this is my first time having to edit anything like this. I made a set of skins (as skin details) using The Sims 4 Studio, but was disappointed to find they layer over accessories and makeup, so I'm trying to make them actual skins. I'm sure I'll be able to edit the right files once I get the hang of this, but I'm unsure what all the talk of fullbuild etc etc means. Can anyone elaborate for a complete hex editing layman?
Pettifogging Legalist!
retired moderator
#16 Old 5th Nov 2014 at 3:47 AM
@pepstar, this tutorial is about skinTONES, not skin details. Regarding layering order, look at the tutorial by Notegain a few threads further down, that seems more relevant.

Stuff for TS2 · TS3 · TS4 | Please do not PM me with technical questions – we have Create forums for that.

In the kingdom of the blind, do as the Romans do.
Test Subject
#17 Old 5th Nov 2014 at 4:53 AM Last edited by pepstar : 5th Nov 2014 at 5:23 AM.
Thank you but as I mentioned in my post, I was unhappy with the results I got when I made my skins as skin details, so I am attempting to make them actual skintones. I think I may have figured this out partially but I can't find a matching instance ID (reversed, or otherwise) matching the id in the tone file I exported. :C

EDIT: Did not realize that 'reversed' actually meant that individual letter pairs would be in the same order, just the order the pairs were arranged in would be reversed. I found the files, now lets see if I can do the rest!
Lab Assistant
#18 Old 30th Jan 2015 at 11:53 AM
Hey snaift I followed your tutorial and made a package but somehow I cant see the new tone popping up in CAS. I made the instance manually, maybe thats the problem I dont know how to generate a FVN24? So I did all the steps but somehow Im too dumb and its still not working. It crashes my game. Im probably very dumb, mercy guys :0

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Pettifogging Legalist!
retired moderator
#19 Old 30th Jan 2015 at 12:22 PM
Isn’t there meanwhile a wrapper for the skin tone? I don’t have s4pe here, but IIRC snaitf wrote one last fall. So no hex editing necessary.

To hash instances of all sorts, you can use ModdingToolkit (apart from the built-in s4pe feature), link see sticky in Tools.

Stuff for TS2 · TS3 · TS4 | Please do not PM me with technical questions – we have Create forums for that.

In the kingdom of the blind, do as the Romans do.
Lab Assistant
#20 Old 30th Jan 2015 at 12:32 PM
Which wrapper for skin tones? Where? :o Thx for the link and all the info, very useful

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Pettifogging Legalist!
retired moderator
#21 Old 30th Jan 2015 at 12:43 PM
Can you use the "Grid" button on a TONE resource / does it have a text preview when you turn that on in Settings? If yes, then you have a wrapper for it. This is part of the regular s4pe download, not an extra thing. Should probably check whether you have a recent-ish version of it.

ETA, according to this, TONE was added November last year. (Link is just for reference – that is not the current version!)

Stuff for TS2 · TS3 · TS4 | Please do not PM me with technical questions – we have Create forums for that.

In the kingdom of the blind, do as the Romans do.
Lab Assistant
#22 Old 30th Jan 2015 at 12:49 PM
Oh yea I had to update my s4pe ahahaa thank you. But how is thta useful? Sry I have no idea how to use that grid hahaaa :#0

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Pettifogging Legalist!
retired moderator
#23 Old 30th Jan 2015 at 12:52 PM
Should be the same as what snaitf wrote in post #1 (at least I'm not aware that anything regarding skin tones has changed significantly since November, but I’m no expert on that) .. except that you don't need to export / hex edit / re-import, but can edit the relevant fields directly in the Grid view.

Stuff for TS2 · TS3 · TS4 | Please do not PM me with technical questions – we have Create forums for that.

In the kingdom of the blind, do as the Romans do.
Lab Assistant
#24 Old 30th Jan 2015 at 1:05 PM Last edited by trap lorde : 30th Jan 2015 at 1:16 PM.
Okay, so I have to type in a new instance (or can this be generated?) and change the texture reference path. I will try this out, lets see what happens :B Plus may I ask another question? I have made this texture, are getting the linked textures 'multiplied' to the mesh or how is the game putting over these files? Like do I have to expect a darker output as the bare texture color (in case it gets multiplied)? Thanks a lot


EDIT: it crashed my game again :0 This is how I tweak the package


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Test Subject
#25 Old 28th Mar 2015 at 1:43 PM
looks like the newest patch broke this Snaitf

do you know a work around?
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