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Questions Answered On This Page Below. 1. What is a zip file and what do I do with it?
Question: What is a zip file and what do I do with it? A zip file (whatever.zip) is a large file that has been compressed using one of the PKware programs like WinZip32. If you own a computer (and if you're reading this it's a good chance that you do!), and you plan on downloading files off of the internet, then you should get a good zip program such as WinZip. (You should also probably have a good Virus Scanner and scan all zipped files before unzipping them. Definitely scan self-executing files ( .exe files) before running them since self-executing programs can be Very dangerous.) WinZip and other programs like it are available from many sources on the internet such as www.winzip.com, www.pkware.com, www.softseek.com, & www.tucows.com.
Question: How do I get your skins into my The SIMS program? There are two methods here, method B would be for the more experienced computer user.
A. When using WinZip (or whatever you use) to unzip my files, extract them directly to your main
TheSims folder (directory) into the /GameData/Skins/ folder (directory). Question: I've done all that and I still can't see your outfits in my program! Well, I can't be sure of what exactly you did, and where you put things. You could try uninstalling The SIMS program and re-installing it, this has helped some people. One problem seems to be that some folks are trying to play ILLEGAL copies of the program downloaded off the net (no, I don't know where these are and I wouldn't tell you if I did!). Only solution here is to stop being a cheapskate and buy the program, you'll be glad you did! Another thing to be aware of is that The SIMS requires Skins files to be 256-color bitmap files. Any other number of colors in the bitmap file and the program will not recognize the file as a valid Skin file. Along these same lines there are paint programs out there that add extraneous data (usually text information) to a saved bitmap file, and this may also confuse The SIMS program. Question: I don't understand anything about the first three questions! I don't know what files, folders, or directories are! All I know how to do is turn on the computer and point & click with the mouse! Speak to your parents, your guardian, an older adult, or someone with more experience and knowledge of computers and managing the files on them. If they know how to use Explorer (File Explorer not Internet Explorer) or File Manager, then they should be able to help you. Question: I can't find the Skin_Pack_One.exe file! Go to www.thesims.com and go to their Downloads page. It should be there but it may be under a different name, such as "5 new skins pack". If you have installed the L.L. (first) Expansion Pack you should not need this file. Question: When trying to create a sim in the program, my game shuts down!? This has nothing to do with my skins. This is happening because of bad mesh (.cmx or .skn) files
which people are distributing with new head or body files because they are using a head or body form
not distributed by Maxis with the program. (.cmx & .skn files contain the mathematics
for actually building the shape of the head or body.) I don't know what you can
do except for uninstalling and re-installing the program, and then be more careful about
downloading heads or skins that come with new bodies, into your program. (I only use the meshes (body
forms) that come with the program and expansions, for my skins.)
As always, you should be careful before downloading/running self-executing files (.exe files)
as these may place .cmx files, .skn files (and god knows what else!) into your program on your hard drive.
See question one for more on .exe files. Question: How do I make my own skins for The SIMS? Well I can only tell you about the method I use, which probably isn't the best in the world but it works for me! You will need a good working knowledge of computer paint programs to be able to create anything useful. And of course knowledge of file management on your computer is Always helpful.
1. Getting started. First thing you should do is download the SimShow program from
www.thesims.com. No, not because this program will help you in any way, unfortunately the SimShow
program itself is worthless. But after you install it go to the /Gamedata/Textures/ directory and
you will find a ton of bitmap examples of the outfits used in the program. Believe it or not, all
of my outfits are modifications (okay Major modifications) of the .bmp files used in the program. Question: I've made some new skins but I can't get SimShow to load them. What am I doing wrong? The problem is not your new skins, it's that the SimShow program is really worthless and you should not try to use it. Create your new skins (using the method outlined above perhaps) and test them by running The SIMS and creating a new character. The only thing SimShow is good for are the example skin files that come with the program, which you can use to study and/or modify to help you make your own skins. (They are in the SimShow/GameData/Textures directory, or you can now download only the skins.) Question: I don't like your skins! Why don't you do This sort of skin? Why don't you do That sort of skin? I don't like all the colored stockings! Blah, blah, blah, etc, etc! I originally did these skins solely for My Own use in The SIMS program. I wanted
some nicer outfits for my female sims, and I wanted some outfits that were just more attractive
(especially from a male perspective). As long as I'd gone to all the trouble to create them I
figured I might as well make them available on the internet to others who might enjoy using them.
If you don't like my skins, fine, don't use them, and don't send me complaint-email about them.
I am not part of a big company, I do not work for Maxis or Electronic Arts, thus I am not here
to satisfy everyone's wants or needs. (Who knew the program would become so popular?! Heck,
it's just an upgrade of "Little Computer People"! And you can't even play card games with your Sims like
you could with your Little Computer People!!) Question: When are you going to make nude female skins available? Never. Designing the outfits is the fun part! Question: What about creating new heads/faces for my SIMS? This is a whole different process and nowhere near as "easy" as creating new skins for your Sims. New skins require only a new image file (and the correct body form (mesh) to put it on) in order to work. New heads require 3 files each; an image map of the face to place on the head, and two data files containing the mathmatics for actually creating the 3D shape of the head (a .cmx and and .skn file). You can download the Face Lift program from www.thesims.com, but I have found this program VERY difficult to work with. One of the biggest problems is that it creates heads of Widely varying sizes, so even if you finally get a shape & hair that you like the head will always be too small or too large (appearing in the program as a "peanut head" or an "elephant head"!). Hopefully the final release version of Face Lift will have some sort of size regulator to help produce heads of a more appropriate (and useful) size. Well it's 2001 and the "final" release versions of Face Lift are out. (I assume these are the final versions though they don't seem to be finished.) Unfortunately the Massive problem with head size still remains, thus making the program a tedious pain to try and use. (You simply have to Guess at the head being the correct size, and of course it Never is. It's always at least a bit too large or small. And getting the program to reproduce the exact same head only a bit larger or smaller is virtually impossible.) You'd think with a program like The SIMS (actually a series of programs now!) that has become this popular they would take the time to properly design the add-on programs for working with the elements of the game. If you're sick and tired of FaceLift giving you the wrong sized heads (as I am) you do have one other option. You can create new faces for the old heads by creating new bitmap images for them, and giving them the correct name preface. What the heck do I mean? If you have the expansions there should be a file in your GameData/Skins directory called C001FAlgt_Marion.bmp. This is simply a new image file to place on the C001 head form. You can do this yourself for any head that already exists in the game (the bitmap image files that start with C). Check the GameData/Skins directory for these, also the example files that come with SimShow, and some of the expansion pack directories. Also the head forms will work with any skin tone, so your new face for the file above could be C001FAmed_Rosa16.bmp and it would work fine. The only problem with this method is that you are stuck with whatever hair style that comes with the head (not the color though). You can do a little bit of manipulation, like covering or uncovering the ears, but not very much as the hair form will be exactly the same.
All material copyright © Robert P. Haycock, 2000 - 2002. |
