So I've ported some more objects...but there are those weird shadow things attached to the bookshelves and I cannot find a way to get rid of them. There aren't any visible issues on Blender (my go-to program) nor if I put them inside, so it must be to do with how the meshes are shaded outside.

Sometimes it's a stray face/edge/vertex (often near-invisible in the meshing program if you don't know how to find them). Usually happens if you've removed something and a part of the mesh was left behind.
If you switch to edge or vertex view in the meshing program, they tend to stick out a lot more than in face mode, because you can see the outline of the edge/vertices floating in mid-air.

Other times it's a stray opaque line on an otherwise invisible part of a texture, usually due to the alpha having some near-invisible lines.
If so, check all edges of the shadow or alpha, and make sure the shadow or alpha is black where it's supposed to be black.

If it's spesifically the outside shadow (and you're 100% sure it's not the two others), check the "tsNoShadow" line in the GMND and see if all the shadow groups are set to "Value = 1" (this hides them from the sun shadow).


If you can't figure it out, can you upload the file? It's difficult to tell exactly what it is just from a picture.

There aren't any peculiar stray verticies in the meshing program (Blender) I use.

If it's any indication, I made new shadow meshes for the shelves. The loose shadow thing doesn't turn up in other lots (possibly due to being set in a different time of day) Turns out I forgot to set the values for the shelves in the GMND to 1, but the problem still stands. It doesn't happen in any of the other stuff I've converted though.

Here is the file for the left bookcase:

Appears to be outside the area of where the mesh/texture reaches, so you're right in that it doesn't appear to be from the mesh. Des it occur always when you put the meshes down, and stay there from all angles?

Sometimes when I put items down there's a brief moment where an item "streaks" as if it's a visual glitch on the screen, but it goes away.

Well for this particular lot (where I am taking photos), it shows like that specifically on that angle (EDIT), but not on other lots, like the Tutorial one.

If the shadows only show up on one particular lot, it's possible theyr'e caused by something else. Have you checked that there aren't any other items close by that are making those shadows (lamps, wall decor, anything else not seen on screen)?

So I've deleted all of the objects on the Lot (except for the walls at first), but the loose shadow was still there, so I made the outer walls into an actual room. when I switched to the full wall view, the shadow appeared, but when I took down a wall and made it outdoor again, the shadow was suddenly gone...and the issue still persists when I put in another bookshelf or when I reload the Lot.

It sounds like your lot is bugged and the issue is not the object. Shadows without a full room are not objects shadows, but outdoor shadows.

I doubt it's got anything to do with the outdiir shadow, because it's not even following the shadow. It's on the complete opposite side of where a shadow would be.

I've had a look at the mesh, and there doesn't appear to be any mesh parts that would cause this either, in the shadow or mesh, or othweise.

Disabling the shadows is only necessary for items you don't want showing in the outside shadow, usually only the shadow groups. If you disable the bookshelf/other groups too, the outdoor shadow doesn't show.


Do you have two versions of the same bookshelf that both show up at the same time? Can you upload both files, exactly as they are now? Could be one has an issue the other one doesn't have.

In response to HugeLunatic, I've made a completely new Lot in Veronaville (The same Neighbourhood, and it is a Community Lot that I forgot to note, which is also the same as in the first image of the post) and the issue is still showing. Out of curiosity I checked to see if that issue was in Residential Lots and surprise, it isn't. I tested another neighbourhood (Strangetown) and same oddity is still happening, and it applies to both new and Pre-Made lots of both kinds.

Also to simmer22, I forgot to note that in post #7 that both of versions of the bookshelf are identical to one another, as in the same it IS .package file I'm using. But do you mean I should try a different Object ID as a separate bookshelf in Buy mode?

I also have the other bookshelf in the first post uploaded in case if you want to check that for issues. I initially didn't upload it because I thought that problem was universal, one-object thing.

Have you tried with other objects under the same conditions (for instance the item you cloned - could be a bug carried forward from that one)?

Also, if the issue only shows on the left-hand side - from the look of the "Strangetown residential" picture, if there was a glitch, the shadow would poentially be covering it up. You'll want to take a picture when the shadow is at the back of the item, not at the front, so you can better compare them.

What are your ingame graphic settings? Could just be a random bug related to the shadows from smooth edges on low, or shadow settings on low/medium, or similar.

I cloned it from the Craftmeister Booknook for both of them....but it turns out that the stray shadow issue happens to all other Maxis single bookshelves too!

I had Smooth Edges disabled this entire time but when I re-enabled it...it still didn't work.

Maybe this shadow thing is a Maxis Mistake? Sorry if this problem turned into a bit of an unexpected acknowledgement of it, this game's loaded with the weirdest of oddities.

Likely a bug. Can't say I've noticed it in my game, but I play with shadows off, and in the cases I do play with shadows, I rarely put bookcases outside.

Could be a bug that's patched/only present in some game versions/only in lower EPs.

Which game version do you have/do you have all EPs (if discs)/is your game patched (if discs)?

I use the Ultimate Collection, Origin Games edition, particularly of an older patch before they put in DRM.

I've installed a few fixes though, including the Sims shadow fix.

The first edition of the UC had SecuRom (which they had to remove/fix because it caused problems with Windows 10).

If I remember to do so, I'll check if it happens in my game the next time I play (also UC, didn't install until around 2019 or thereabout, so it's probably a later version).