meshes n downlodes

[xxbabygrl9xx]

what on earth is a mesh?? everytime i try n do a mesh sumthing goes wronge n i dunno how 2 zip or unzip it. is there a site that u don't need meshes for the clothes that is not sims2.com or can some1 xplain meshes 2 me.:D

[Rowanstaff]

what on earth is a mesh?? everytime i try n do a mesh sumthing goes wronge n i dunno how 2 zip or unzip it. is there a site that u don't need meshes for the clothes that is not sims2.com or can some1 xplain meshes 2 me.:DMesh: The 3d web-like model of an object made from polygons. Some meshes have a skin or color layer: a 2D image placed over the mesh in order to make it look nice.

All skins require a base mesh. All of the clothes and models in the Sims 2 are meshes (even the ones that came with the game, they are sometimes called Maxis or Default meshes). However, if you download a skin and don't have the mesh the skin will not show! These are sometimes called Custom meshes. New skins for existing meshes are commonly known recolored skins (recolors for short).

Now some sites, like TSR, will let you download tons of skins, but restrict access to the meshes unless you pay. Others link recolored skins of meshes without any link to or mention of the original meshes. In my opinion these are both examples of bad sites.

Sims2Sisters is a good site. LOTS of free content, and every custom mesh that is needed is either linked to or packaged with the downloaded skin. 2-for-u (http://www.2-f0r-u.de/startsims2.htm) is also great, and a source of lots of cool meshes. Lastly, check out Mod The Sims 2 (http://www.modthesims2.com/) for the absolute motherlode (woah, Simoleans!) of custom content, all free.

[xxbabygrl9xx]

ok thank you for that but i already know those sites. what i need 2 know now is how to use a mesh i really don't know how plz plz plz help me

[Rowanstaff]

You place the mesh package in your download folder along with all skins for it.

[Kristalrose]

You know what really makes me mad? You wanna know what really roasts my rear?? People who assume you have the necessary mesh, or that you know how to find it. I have downloaded from sites that will have adorable clothes, and will give a link to the INDEX page of the site where the original mesh is from. For example, let's say I've found this adorable little dress at, oh, I don't know, Sims2Die4 (I made that name up. If there is a real Sims2Die4, I apologize, I didn't know you existed.) Now, the designer at Sims2Die4 has borrowed a mesh from Kristal's Sims Specials. (Another one I made up. :) ). She posts a link to Kristal's welcome and update page. Kristal has 500 different styles of dresses, and so I have to wade through them to find the one that looks similar and hope this is the right mesh.

How hard is it to include the mesh with your skin? (or hair or whatever?) I understand that I can't just take a Mesh I like and start recoloring and designing and then post it as my own with someone else's mesh included. But, say, if I have come across a mesh that say, Mirelly made, I play around with in in my personal game (if I were so tallented, and I am not), and then I would ask permission of Mirelly to post my designs with her mesh and credit, and maybe send Mirelly the packaged files so that she may try them in her game and make sure that she felt it was a good use of her mesh. Then, once I have Mirelly's permission, I would post my design on my site, with her mesh included, but a credit and link to her home page. How freakin' hard is that?!:confused: :confused:

(Sorry for using your name, Mirelly, it was just an example. I was running out of creative Sim-Site names for my rant):rolleyes:

[xxbabygrl9xx]

i still don't get it i wanna know HOW to zip and unzip the mesh

[suitemichelle]

you unzip mesh, recolor etc. by clicking on the download file in your: documents eagames sims2 download file (unless you change it on purpose) make sure you have some kind of zip program. if the download ends in .rar then you need a special program to open it. a great little program that is almost effortless is called sims 2 file maid. you put your download on the "grass" and the maid puts it where it's supposed to be, however I don't believe she handles .rar files at all.

[Kristalrose]

Sims 2 File Maid???? Where'd ya get it? Do they have a Sims 2 File Cop yet? Those were my most-used Sims Utilities.

[xxbabygrl9xx]

oh my goodness i'm still confused i'm juzt gunna give up on meshes. i tried to use inzip but it didn't work at all and it just confused me so i uninstalled it and i'm just gunna stop tryin 2 get meshes or clothes from other sites xcept sims2.com unless there is a site that doesn't use meshes. if there is one can someone please tell me.

[suitemichelle]

http://mattwork.potsdam.edu/projects/SimFileMaid/index2.html

oh by the way she supports the following files:

.sims2skin*
.sims2pack*
.package
.zip
.rarOh my goodness, I forgot about file cop.... must be something like that thing that came with NL that tells you if the download will change something major in the game. Do ya think?

[zydeco]

You wanna know what really roasts my rear?? People who assume you have the necessary mesh
My personal gripe? Why can't they be included with the outfit or object? I hate having to go to another site to download the working half of the item. I don't even like having to download two separate things on a site to make one item work. (And geez...can you warn me that the mesh is only available at a PAY SITE!!!) The mesh should always be included with each item or don't even post it.

I finally found some really cute hairstyles. They even had a few anime type styles I thought Kristal's son would like. BUT I had to download the meshes at another site I'd never heard of. I go to the site and can't get past page one to find the appropriate mesh. I go back to the original site, find the forum, and sure enough...everyone is having problems getting the meshes. Someone provided a direct link on the forum. (Only someone as peeved as me would have bothered to continue searching. :mad:) Downloading these items was so convoluted I didn't bothering sharing them here. It appears the meshes will be put on a pay site soon so it would have been nice if everyone could grab them before that happens.

(In case anyone is tenacious, Simply elau has some cute anime hairstyles on page 7 or 8 but they use the meshes from Guppy-Sims http://guppysims.webcindario.com/ I can't get past the home page. She has tons of cute hair. I particularly love the waist length pigtails. You'll have to search Simply Elau's forum to get the link. :()

[Rowanstaff]

My personal gripe? Why can't they be included with the outfit or object? I hate having to go to another site to download the working half of the item. I don't even like having to download two separate things on a site to make one item work. (And geez...can you warn me that the mesh is only available at a PAY SITE!!!) The mesh should always be included with each item or don't even post it. I agree. And part of me wonders if people don't do this to try and generate hits for their pay site. Post a recolor on MST2 or another free site but make sure you know you have to go to a pay site to get the mesh.

If that is the case it's not an above board way to make money.

[xxbabygrl9xx]

ok well good news...i tried the maid thing i downloaded it and all....bad news when i put the things on the lawn i don't know where on earth they are going and if by luck i fing one of them i dunno wat on earth to do with it?? i know yall mist think i'm real dumm now but i'm not i juz dunt understand meshes.

[zydeco]

The meshes are treated just like the clothing. Think of the "clothing" as the cloth and the "meshes" as the pattern. (The meshes are invisible. They don't show up in your game. If the clothing works then the mesh is there.) If you download clothing that are just recolors of clothing that came with the game, you don't need meshes. They are already in your game. If you want to download clothing or objects that are unique, then you frequently have to download the mesh or pattern to go with it. They go to the same place. All clothing, meshes, objects, makeup and hairstyles can be put in the same huge file called C:\Documents and Settings\(your name)\My Documents\EA Games\The Sims 2\Downloads.

Different sites have preferred methods of transferring the clothing to you. Some like to use zip. files. Others use only rar. files. Some use EA/Maxis' unique simpack files. If you plan to download many things from all over the sim community you must have a zip program and a rar program. Most of the time many of the things you download will go to your Sim2\Download file ready to work. But sometimes you have to go into this file and manually open, unzip, or extract a download to make it work. If you are now using the Sims2 File Maid it should do most of this for you.

If you are trying to download clothing that needs a separate mesh from one particular site and the clothing isn't showing up in your game...it might be a problem with the site. The sim community and all it's fansites are made up of a range of designers. Some people are brilliant at this but many are just enthusiastic beginners. Learning to recolor things is relatively simple but making the meshes requires real skill. Few people have learned to do this well. It's why many sites make you go to another site to get the mesh. And sometimes...no matter how badly you want a particular item...it just won't work. :(

[Mirelly]

Good advice, Zy. I'd give you some benes if the forum would let me :rolleyes:

[Kristalrose]

I must say that I also downloaded File Maid and tried it out last night. :) Bloody Brilliant!!! And, hairstyles that had not been working properly before are now showing up. Yay!! :) So not only did it install my new downloads (I downloaded a ton of clothes, all the new stuff from AmySims here, and all the updates from All About Style), but it fixed older problems. Benes to you, Zy!! I have Mirelly's problem, I need to spread it around, too.

[KatAnubis]

My personal gripe? Why can't they be included with the outfit or object? I hate having to go to another site to download the working half of the item. I don't even like having to download two separate things on a site to make one item work. (And geez...can you warn me that the mesh is only available at a PAY SITE!!!) The mesh should always be included with each item or don't even post it.

That has to do with protecting the intellectual property rights of the mesh makers. (I do wish that they'd warn if it was a pay site for the mesh. And I wish that they'd explain exactly which mesh it is, as some of the sites just say "go to Site X for the mesh." They act as if there was only one mesh on that site.

(In case anyone is tenacious, Simply elau has some cute anime hairstyles on page 7 or 8 but they use the meshes from Guppy-Sims http://guppysims.webcindario.com/ I can't get past the home page. She has tons of cute hair. I particularly love the waist length pigtails. You'll have to search Simply Elau's forum to get the link. :()

Just a little heads up on things from Elau. While they may have nice things, they also have a lot of content which will get your uploads to the official site yanked or your page hidden until you remove it. Their skintones especially are not appropriate for the official site. (And anything that has the URL to elau in the tool tips or anywhere else on the download will also get it yanked or your page hidden. It's one of the big "no-no" sites in terms of content since that sort of thing tends to be their main feature.)

[xxbabygrl9xx]

ok thanx every1 but here i have 1 last problem. well i know how to use a sim file maid...sort of....well all i need to do is fing out how to put it in my game. when i doulbe click the items from the file maid it says that i should double click to put this file into my game so i close and double click again and it still says the same thing an d it keeps saying that for everything that i download.wat do i do for this problem now?? gosh i need lots of help with this game i mostlikely won't even undersand stuff on da expansion packs when i get them!!

[Kristalrose]

Here's how I do it, babygrl.

1) make yourself a new folder in you "My Documents" folder. I call mine "Unopened DLs", but you name yours what you want.

2)Save all your new downloads to your new "unopened DLs" file. Don't open them, don't unzip them, just save them and then close the download window.

3) When you are done downloading all your nice new clothes, hair, whatever, open the file maid.

4) Open the "Unopened DLs" and click on Edit: Select All.

5) Drag all the files onto the File Maid and let her install. This might take a few minutes depending on how many files.

6) When she's done, it will say at the bottom of the window, "Done! 100 (or however many) files Installed!"

[suitemichelle]

great explaination Rose... tried to give you kuddoes or however its spelled.

[zydeco]

Benes to you, Zy!!
LOL! No benes to me. Those go to SuiteMichelle. She's the one that mentioned the file maid. I don't have it but since you are so enthusiastic I might give it a try. :D I never could get it to work properly in TS1 so I didn't give it a second glance for TS2.

Just a little heads up on things from Elau. While they may have nice things, they also have a lot of content which will get your uploads to the official site yanked or your page hidden until you remove it. While I have never uploaded anything and have no plans to do so, I was unaware that the official site excluded content based on the URL! That's good to know though. It's a shame that unexceptional items like hair would get your project rejected but on the official site I'd prefer downloads not have custom content.

[xxbabygrl9xx]

thanx so much!! well i did that and now what where did the files go?

[suitemichelle]

now play the game and see if they showed up in it... lol

[xxbabygrl9xx]

nope they didn't show up

[zydeco]

Do you have an actual "download" folder in your game? Sometimes the game doesn't generate one when you install the game.

[xxbabygrl9xx]

yea i have 1. i used the file maid and then it said that plz double click this file 2 install into your game. and it doesn't work wheneva i do hat either.

[suitemichelle]

it may be that those items weren't colorized with a NL compatible cep so they only show in original game or expansion that they were created for. I'm having the same problem with a bunch of files even tho simPE says they are there.

[babewithbrains_14]

Buh?

I'm sorry. I just get confused easily. And I also don't have a clue what 'NL compatible cep' means. DON'T try enlightening me - it'll just make things worse.

Now, how do I post this again...?

[xxbabygrl9xx]

alright thanx i'll juz do it when i get a graphics card

[Kristalrose]

Babygirl: Don't know how else to help you right now, past coming to your house and checking out your computer. LOL Sorry.

Babe: Hairfish from Mermaid's Cove put up a great explanation of the new CEP: Go here http://www.hairfish.com/mermaidcove/html/2objectsindex.html

[Lynet]

yea i have 1. i used the file maid and then it said that plz double click this file 2 install into your game. and it doesn't work wheneva i do hat either.
I messed up the file maid, too. She unzips all my stuff in the wrong place because I screwed up on the first unzipping. I tried uninstalling the file maid and reinstalling her but my computer has decided that I'm just a silly woman who shouldn't be messing with things I don't understand. The maid STILL installs the downloads in the wrong place. Doesn't matter. I find them and copy them to the download folder and they work just fine but that may be a little too much to ask of Babygirl.

[xxbabygrl9xx]

lol kristalrose n thanx lynet

[Rowanstaff]

That is because when you screwed up that first install file maid added a regisdtry entry to tell your comp where to stick future files. To fix it you would have to uninstall file maid and then delete all of its registry entries.

[Lynet]

Thank you. Where are the registry entries? Can I find them with a sledge hammer? Sometimes I feel that way about software. ;)

[Rowanstaff]

You would need to use regedit, in Windows, and search for all regfistry functions associated to File Maid. Not an easy thing unless you're used to it.

[Lynet]

I think I'll skip it, then. I've been using the windows extracting tool without any problems anyway. The file maid seemed useful for doing several at once but what's an extra second or two. :p Thank you for the advice.

[zydeco]

You can download free registry cleaners. They clean out unused and old registry entries. I have EasyCleaner. I know better than to attempt doing anything manually with the registry. I'm always surprised at the things it finds. The first time I ran it I had hundreds of invalid registry entires. I now get about 10...they are usually related to sim downloads or music files my kids download. I've used it for several years now. Nothing has 'sploded yet! :)

[xxbabygrl9xx]

ok zy i'll try that what site is it?

[zydeco]

I'm not an authority on anything computer related! LOL! Ask anyone. You can find tons of reviews on the internet. Just google "registry cleaner". There are many you can buy and many that are free to download. I wouldn't necessarily recommend what I'm using. It's what my hubby's geek site recommended. There are probably a bunch of newer and better ones out there now.