Exploring the creative process.

Many people mistakenly think that creating even a simple object by repurposing its basic function is easy. This post is here to show you just how wrong you are and to reveal what goes on behind the scenes.

I was asked by a community member to create a more realistic apothecary table for a house interior. They wanted it to be similar in style to the gemology table.

So I need to turn this

Into this.

The first step is to edit the 3D object to remove all the gemology-related elements that are not needed for an apothecary table.

Just by looking at the 3D model, now that the gemology equipment has been removed, you'll probably notice a small texture problem with the black shadows that EA textured onto the original files.

So I need to turn this

So I need to modify both the 3D model and its textures 12 times, once for each color of the gemology table. This will involve merging textures and adding new objects, like a book and a mortar and pestle, to create the full apothecary table equipment.

If I don't modify the textures and just copy and paste, the result is far from satisfactory. This is a step that many people ignore, likely because they don't realize the amount of work involved.

But the work isn't finished. Once I've created the 3D objects and modified the textures for a single model, I have to repeat the retouching process 12 times for each texture.

Once I've worked on the textures 12 times, I also have to deal with the different meshes of the object.

A Sims 4 object is indeed composed of multiple meshes. To prevent the game from crashing, I have to optimize each mesh by simplifying its geometry so it's compatible with every PC configuration, from low to high quality. I also need to take care of the object's shadows.

An object can have multiple states, such as a mortar and pestle being full or empty. This multiplies the number of 3D meshes by three, with one mesh for the Default state, one for the Empty state, and one for the Full state, for a total of 12 meshes.

Once the textures and 3D meshes are finished, you might think the work is done. But it's not! Unlike the gemology table, the apothecary table doesn't have lighting in the game. I therefore have to add a lighting texture.

Once the 12 meshes, the 12 textures, the normal map, and the lighting and reflection textures have been completed for this object, the work is finished.

You end up with a functional object! But that's not always the case, as some objects require more work. You might need to adjust the base game's settings by adding new interactions or changing how Sims behave with the object.

The change in Sims' behavior with the object is tied to an XML code file called Tuning. This will require learning the basics of editing code tags.

I'll also skip the steps for adding decoration slots to the object, as that's the easiest part. Additionally, I'll bypass the translation of in-game text, such as interaction or catalog descriptions, since they can exist in both English and French on different objects.

I create objects for The Sims 4 that are far more complex than a simple recolor of a hairstyle or a piece of clothing, which is something that can be done with any photo editing software using a color wheel.

So please, stop saying that creating custom content (CC) is easy!

It's important to understand that content creators are under no obligation to share their creations for free or behind a paywall. Sharing is a personal choice, not an obligation. It's not an entitlement, but a privilege that some people abuse.

The reasoning is the same as the one you find when faced with a bad game expansion pack: "If you don't like it, don't buy it!" The problem here is that people like the content but don't want to pay for it.

Indeed, it's true that many objects don't systematically break after an update. However, many creators don't limit themselves to simple recolors. Their mods, while not scripted, are functional and modify the game's core settings and mechanics.

Every patch and every new DLC can change or modify old settings, such as the introduction of luck in item recovery. All of these elements have to be checked with "last exception" files after each update. A mod might not cause the game to crash, but it could simply stop working correctly. Not to mention the new bugs created by EA itself after each patch, which further complicate the task.

If you think you can do better, I invite you to try for yourself. Here is the link to start learning: https://sims4studio.com/thread/662/index-studio-tutorials-online-manual.

Best Regards

Serinion