Post by CK on Sept 2, 2024 21:56:42 GMT -5
Hello folks! I'm seeking help in creating a plant (specifically, grass) that changes colors throughout the seasons and disappears during the winter.
Experience Modding: I'm very good at recolors, but messing directly with tuning and package parts in the warehouse is beyond my skill level (though I'd love to learn)
Background Context: I'm a part of a Sim equestrian community & noticed that, when I fill my pasture with grass (base game, debug, etc.), some of it will change colors with the seasons, but hangs around in dull colors during the winter when no grass would be growing. The perfectionist in me can't handle it. i just cant.
From what I can figure out (and I am not a tuning expert, I'm just making some guesses), BarelyGrown applies to Spring & Winter, FullyGrown applies to Summer, and Overgrown applies to Fall. Overgrown results in taller grass than FullyGrown.
How can I make this thing change colors with the seasons?
I'm stumped as to which direction I should go, or if this is even possible.
Experience Modding: I'm very good at recolors, but messing directly with tuning and package parts in the warehouse is beyond my skill level (though I'd love to learn)
Background Context: I'm a part of a Sim equestrian community & noticed that, when I fill my pasture with grass (base game, debug, etc.), some of it will change colors with the seasons, but hangs around in dull colors during the winter when no grass would be growing. The perfectionist in me can't handle it. i just cant.
So, I have worked out that, in order to make plants change colors through the seasons, I have to clone a plant from the base game that also changes colors. I'm using the base game Green Green Grass both to clone from and for the mesh itself. However, I am also considering cloning the Wild Grass item from Horse Ranch in order to make grazable grass, which would also be more useful than deco grass.
As far as I can tell, I have two options:
1.) Use the cloned Green Green Grass, which changes colors through the seasons but does not disappear during the winter. I would have to figure out what makes plants disappear during the winter, and possibly clone one of those debug grasses. The debug grasses (ex. plant_EP14_tallgrass_dry_01_small_green, one I can confirm disappears during the winter) don't have spec or bump maps, and when I try to import the GGG mesh, I get an error stating that 'Your mesh S4Studio_mesh_0 has a vertex group that is not a part of the mesh you are replacing'.
Is it even possible to import the GGG mesh into this debug item? How do I solve the vertex group problem? What makes the debug items disappear during the winter in the first place?
2.) Use the Wild Grass from Horse Ranch. Some things I have noticed about this item:
- It doesn't actually seem to change colors between seasons. Boo! It does sort-of disappear in the winter. Yay!
As far as I can tell, I have two options:
1.) Use the cloned Green Green Grass, which changes colors through the seasons but does not disappear during the winter. I would have to figure out what makes plants disappear during the winter, and possibly clone one of those debug grasses. The debug grasses (ex. plant_EP14_tallgrass_dry_01_small_green, one I can confirm disappears during the winter) don't have spec or bump maps, and when I try to import the GGG mesh, I get an error stating that 'Your mesh S4Studio_mesh_0 has a vertex group that is not a part of the mesh you are replacing'.
Is it even possible to import the GGG mesh into this debug item? How do I solve the vertex group problem? What makes the debug items disappear during the winter in the first place?
2.) Use the Wild Grass from Horse Ranch. Some things I have noticed about this item:
- It doesn't actually seem to change colors between seasons. Boo! It does sort-of disappear in the winter. Yay!
- It has two geometry states: one where the grass is barely growing and one where it is fully grown.
- It has three client states in tuning - Barely Grown, Fully Grown, Overgrown
- It has three client states in tuning - Barely Grown, Fully Grown, Overgrown
<T n="key">326163<!--wildGrass_Values_BarelyGrown--></T>
</U>
<U>
<T n="key">326165<!--wildGrass_Values_FullyGrown--></T>
</U>
<U>
<T n="key">326165<!--wildGrass_Values_Overgrown--></T>From what I can figure out (and I am not a tuning expert, I'm just making some guesses), BarelyGrown applies to Spring & Winter, FullyGrown applies to Summer, and Overgrown applies to Fall. Overgrown results in taller grass than FullyGrown.
How can I make this thing change colors with the seasons?
I'm stumped as to which direction I should go, or if this is even possible.