Step 1: Introduction - Converting Sims2 Objects to Sims3

Tutorials are usually written by creators who have gone through a process of trial and error in creating some object. All creators use information gleaned from several sources and occasionally, one will sit down and write up the steps that worked for their project to help other creators who might want to make a similar item. It also saves that other creator all the time that was spent gathering and bug testing the steps used.

This tutorial is a hybrid of several tutorials and conversations. I wanted to convert Macarossi's lovely desert landscape collection to TS3 so I could use them in my game. While there are many excellent TS3 Tutorials out there and a couple of conversion tutorials, there wasn't 'one single' tutorial that told me every step I needed to take to successfully convert a TS2 plant to TS3 - every tutorial, while excellent for what they taught, were missing some necessary step that I needed to convert a TS2 plant, or had steps that don't pertain to this type of conversion. So, I set out to learn how to do this by reading through several tutorials and threads and conversing with other creators in the creator threads. There may be better ways to convert TS2 stuff, but this is what worked for me.

I put this tutorial on the wiki so that it may be easily edited by others whenever there are changes to any of programs used in conversion projects.

Note: I used photoshop and Milkshape because that's what I have. People who know how to use Blender and Gimp can make sub links on this wiki tutorial directing readers to their instructions. People are welcome to update this wiki tutorial when newer versions of the software used here become available. And, if you have a PDF maker, you are welcome to make a PDF version and post it here.

This tutorial covers every step I used to convert an outdoor TS2 plant mesh to TS3. It is important to use similar items for your clones when converting objects so your converted object will behave in a similar way. Clone plants for plants, dressers for dressers, beds for beds, etc.

For this Tutorial I used Macarossi's outdoor Dragon Tree from her Desert Landscape collection. TS3 outdoor objects are not clonable so use indoor plants and change several flags. - I used the TS3 indoor ivy ball topiary as the clone.

Even though Macarossi's Dragon tree mesh doesn't have a second color, I faked up a garish pinky-purple recolor and will walk through the steps to create a second color variation for the package. I could have used one of the other plants that actually HAD a color variation, but I had already finished those before thinking of writing this tutorial. ;0)

Macarossi's TS2 set

• Tutorials:STF Conversion Tute Step 2