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How to create Plopable items for the Mayor Menu

Started by jeronij, January 13, 2007, 05:03:10 PM

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jeronij

Hello dear SC4 Devotion members,

I am trying to find an easy way to move posts from other forums. I will start with a tutorial I posted in Simtropolis some time ago. I hope you find it interesting and easy to follow.

Start to moving post....



Important before you start !!!. You will need Ilives Reader tool to follow the instructions contained in this tutorial. Download it here: Ilive Reader 0.9.3

My suggestion to start a new single plopable tree (or whatever model) mod:

MAKING A PLOPABLE TREE (OR WAHTEVER MODEL) MOD

1) Open an existing mod with Ilives Reades. I used the Yucca as example but you can use anyone that contains only one exemplar. There are mods with more than one exemplar, but they are out of the focus of this tutorial.

2) "Go to File --> Save as" and save it with a new name and under a new folder if necessary.

3) Now study carefully this picture and pay attention to the colour's relations.

1st PHASE

You must give the files on the left unique Instance ID's. To all except to the Dir file. You can do this by selecting the file, and then going to "Tools --> File Info --> Edit"
You can edit the instance field with your new ID values.
Once done click "OK" Do this for the following files:
LTEXT file 1 LTEXT file 2 Exemplar file PNG File * Important !!!: Make sure the Exemplar and the PNG do have the same instance ID !!!
You should be able to use any ID range you want, excep the A53A range (which is the one I use). So it would be a good idea to select a IDs range before starting modding.
Once you have decided your IDs range, check that they dont conflict with other plopable mods:
A53A**** Jeronij mods
FF5F**** Andreas Roth's mods
16****** Maxis trees / Goldiva's mods / Arkenberg Joe
073D**** PEGs mods
1945**** FronTheAshes mods
(Maybe I am missing someone, if so just let me know and I will update the list) So DONT use any of these ranges. You have millions of free ranges available !!!
ADDED January 2011 -->  Check the current reserved ranges list at the end of this post

2nd PHASE

Once you have updated your IDs, it is time to save ;-D

Once you have saved the mod, it is time to explain the pic.

1 RED : Exemplar name. Change this value to an unique name that identifies your new mod. Just double click on it, change the name and hit Apply to update the value.

2 BLUE : Exemplar ID.The value on the left is linked to the value on the right. You must update the value on the right to make it match with the value on the left.

3 GREEN : This is the mod name that you will see in the game. The value on the left is linked to the value on the right. You must update the value on the right to make it match with the value on the left. Once done, you can click on the LTEXT file and you can change this text on the rigth side of the screen. Dont forget to click on Apply for the changes to take effect.

4 LIGHT BLUE : This is the description that you will see in the game. The value on the left is linked to the value on the right. You must update the value on the right to make it match with the value on the left. Once done, you can click on the LTEXT file and you can change this text on the rigth side of the screen. Dont forget to click on Apply for the changes to take effect.

5 BLACK : This is the icon file that you will see in the game. The value on the left is linked to the two properties on the right. You must update the values on the right to make them match with the value on the left. See below if you want a custom icon.

6 YELLOW : Resource Key Type 1. This is the link to the 3D model. The values of this property are the Type Group and Instance IDs of the tree model that you are trying to plop. The easiest way to update this value for me is: Dont close the active Ilives Reader window and open a new Ilives Reades session. In the new session, open the file containing the descriptor for your 3D model. It could be a separate SC4Desc file or it could be an exemplar file contained in a BIG dat file. Anyway, you have to find the exemplar that belongs to the wanted tree.Once you have found the exemplar file, go to its Resource Key Type 1 property and open it. Select all the values in the "Values as Text" field at the bottom of the property window and copy it to clipboard (Crtl+C) Now change to the initial Ilieves Reader session, select the Resource Key Type 1 property of your new exemplarand open it. Select all the values in the "Values as Text" field and delete them (Del). Now paste the values from the precedent step into this field (Crtl+V) Hit Apply. Go to File and Save. At this point, you can start your game and test your mod. Make sure the mod file is found in one of the game's plugins folders as well as the tree model. If you followed the instuctions strictly, you should be enjoying your new mod ;-D .

If not, read again the tutorial and make sure you understand the file relations, and you understand what you are doing.

3rd PHASE

Want a custom icon?

Once the tree can be plopped you can take a pic to create your custom icon. Making custom icons is out of the scope of this tutorial.You can find a very useful one here:Creating Custom Lot Icons by Deadwoods. Great work btw !!!

Once you have you brand new icon, it is time to import it into your mod !!!.

Open you mod with Ilives Reader ( if it is not opened already) and once the file is loaded, right click on the left side on the window, under the files list. Select "Insert and Compress File". Search the icon file you made (.png) and accept. A list shows up. Select PNG and hit OK The new file shows now in the file list, with Group and Instance set to 0. You have to correct this and update those values to the previous PNGf file ones. Fortunately you have in this moment both files available so it should not be a big problem to find the needed values. If you did it right, you should have now two png files with the same Type, Group and Instance values. Now select the old png file ( you can see the image on the left side of the window if you are not sure ;-D) and right click on it. Select"Remove file". Hit "Yes" if asked to confirm deletion. Now you should have only one png file. YOUR png file ;-D

Save the mod and test it in game. If you did it right, you should see it with the new icon.

There are some other properties that you may want to change, like the Item Order or the Plop cost, which are self explaining and quite easy to cahnge.

There are some other specific flora properties which are only partialy known, but you dont need to know about them for this single mods. The know information can be explained in a future tutorial about multi model mods if necessary.

I hope the information contained in this tutorial is useful for you.

Feel free to share your feedback !!! Jeronij 2006

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End to moving post....

Mmmm, it seems something went wrong while updating the tutorial... I will fix it asap  ;)




2013 - UPDATE -

LIST OF KNOWN RESERVED ID RANGES

001a**** netmod mods
0621**** Marsh mods
073D**** PEGs mods
120***** tb7
16****** Maxis trees / Goldiva mods / Arkenberg Joe mods
1945**** FronTheAshes mods
1962**** Badsim mods
2707**** Mrbisonm mods
2801**** Sandrasim1 Mods
2AB4**** Heblem mods
2B2C**** 2b2gbi mods
33AA**** Lowkee33 mods
4B7C**** nbvc mods
54F***** scirius mods
5F83**** Simfox mods
5F85**** kodlovag mods
6******* c.p. / cycledog
73C***** supremec
78DA**** Orange_o_
7b85**** flunight mods
7E0D**** Swordmaster mods
81BB**** metarvo mods
82AA**** Kergelen mods
87DB**** zarzyk mods
A100**** A_1P mods
ACEF**** gn_leugim
A53A**** Jeronij mods
AE85**** Tarkus mods
AF44**** Girafe mods
AF45**** Girafe mods
AF46**** Girafe mods
AF47**** Girafe mods
B191**** Bipin mods
B700**** BartonThinks mods
BA19**** bap mods
BA30**** JayStimson mods
BBBB**** GameFrog mods
C008**** Simcoug mods
C106**** Kloudkicker mods
C56C**** Silur mods
CCC0**** CSG Design mods
CCC1**** CSG Design mods
CCC2**** CSG Design mods
CCC3**** CSG Design mods
CCC4**** CSG Design mods
CCC5**** CSG Design mods
CCC6**** CSG Design mods
CCC7**** CSG Design mods
CCC8**** CSG Design mods
CCC9**** CSG Design mods
DDDD**** Golhbul
D24C**** Knapp
D7D7**** Dusktrooper mods
EA53**** Ernestmaxis mods
EEEE**** vortext mods
F72C**** Selles mods
F750**** shokthrpy mods
F768**** epicblunder mods
F7EC**** rusekrax mods
F85C**** 11241036 mods
F8F8**** Barroco Hispano mods
FF5F**** Andreas Roth mods
FFFF **** mgb204 mods
End of Edit
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Traff

This is of real interest and will come in handy.
Thank you.
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TheTeaCat

Thank you for sharing this with us ;D

Nice clear info as usual from you  &apls
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FromTheAshes

How do I get to the screen shwon on your picture? No joke, I don't have ANY experience in Ilive's reader. When I open a .dat everything looks different...
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jeronij

Make sure you open a mod file. Depending on your configuration, the Reader opens the last used file. Or even Maxis files.

Once you are sure you have a plopable mod file opened, click on one of the files on the left column, to see the associated properties/values on the right column, where you can edit them.
If you click on a exemplar file you will get the properties associated to that exemplar
If you click on a text file you will see the text
and so on ...

I hope you get the idea  ;)
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FromTheAshes

Ahhhm actually this is what I get after opening a mod file (should be one.. I used ploppable water, which should be the same as a tree)
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jeronij

#7
You are on the way  :thumbsup:

Scroll down the list on the left until you find a Entry named exemplar. Click on it, and on the right you will see the properties.

To change the values in the left column items:
Select the item and  click on the "File Info" Icon.  In that screen you can change values like Group Type and instance for the exemplar, text, textures and models files.

To change the values on the right (exemplar):

Double click on on one property. You can change the values in that screen. Dont forget to click Apply before closing it

I hope this quick guide is helpful. Idont have the time to explain this further  ;D

(Btw, what you see in your picture is a S3D entry type, which is a prop model for a determinated zoom and rotation. On the left column you can see the S3D file Group Type and ID, and on the right you can see the model itself,with some useful, but delicated features to edit the model)
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FromTheAshes

Thanks, the right column shows what I was searchin' for now. But in the left there is only one entry:
45      Dark Blue Water Flora by sorchin      0x0F Flora
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jeronij

Make sure you have the reader correctly configured. It seems to me that you dont have the properties.xml file correctly linked. Check the Reader's configuration options. Usually this file (properties.xml) is found in the same folder that the Reader.
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FromTheAshes

#10
This works so far, thanks a lot!
Now I've got another problem; my mod does not appear in game. :angrymore:
Can somebody check the file?
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Andreas

Apparently, the exemplar file got corrupted or something, it displays as "unknown" in my Reader installation. Also, the icon is blank, but I assume you included a blank template for the time being.
Andreas

FromTheAshes

I didn't know how to change the icon file.
Well, actually I amde everything as shown in the tutorial. Don't know what happened :(
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jeronij

#13
Well, you did not carefully follow the tutorial  $%Grinno$%

First I suggest you to use one of my  mods as a basis, so I can help you better.

You did change the Type and Group for all the files. This made the mod corrupt. You only have to change the values marked in the tutorial. Nothing else.
You did not change the exemplar ID to match
There are properties in the mod which are not necessary, like orient to slope , and other which are missing and are necessary like the plop cost.
I suggest you to use your own ID range for your exemplars: B5300000 for example

You should try again, but on a new basis, and without rush  ;)

( Btw, I could recover th file, but for some weird reason, if Sorchin mod is not present, the game chrashes. That is what I say to use one of my mods)
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FromTheAshes

Ok, I aint got any model with only ONE tree, there are allways some more trees to choose by klicking several times, you know what I mean. Can I delete all the Exampler files except one?
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jeronij

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FromTheAshes

Some of the properties on the right are not abled to change. When I type in any ID, it will get 0x0000000 after hitting the apply-button  %wrd
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jeronij

You can not write any value at any property. If the value turns to 0x00000000 it is surely because you are inserting invalid data values ( out of the allowed range )
Make sure you are editing the right property, and adding the right values.
I'd suggest you to open two instances of the Reader, and visualice the original mod in one instance, and the mod you are working with in the other instance.

I'd also suggest you to re-check these tutorials:  http://www.simtropolis.com/forum/messageview.cfm?catid=149&threadid=76307&enterthread=y

They are not directly related to your project, but they will help you to familiarize with the Reader, and make things easier  ;)
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FromTheAshes

I typed in "B5300000" as the ID at "Exemplar file". After saving and reopening it, Exemplar file turns to "Unknown". Theres just a few signs at the right column now.
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jeronij

I am currently not active - Please, contact Tarkus for any site related matter. Thanks for enjoying SC4D :D


Autism Awareness;  A Father Shares
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