Tutorial: Creating a Custom Multiple Pollination Technician Set

[simlish]

By request, this is an illustrated Multi-PT tutorial. I'm a "visual learner" and I've also spent the last four years creating visual aids and cards for my little students, so I figured the seemingly intimidating instructions to create a Multi-PT set might be easier to understand if there were some pics to illustrate every step. I really hope that after reading this tutorial, you'll be motivated to try it out! :)

Credits: The awesome original Multi-PT mod and tutorial were created by fwiffo. I'm only providing a few pics to make it easier to understand.


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Required mods and files to create a Multi-PT set:

1. Theo's Unlock Alien Eyes for All Skintones.
If your computer can't open 7z files, I also uploaded it as a zip file Here.

2. fwiffo's Multi-PT kit.
I also uploaded it here, because I slightly modified the mod template file to make it easier to understand according to my instructions, but both zips will work just fine.

3. If you want your new aliens to have different colored skins and eyes, you'll need, of course, to get them.

At this point I've not been able to make the PTs work with GENETIZED skins and eyes.
So, until I figure out the reason, stick with custom ones. Otherwise, your babies will be born with S2 skin and no eyes.

5. Place Theos mod and your custom skin tones and eyes in your Downloads folder.

6. Create a new folder in your desktop. Name it "Multi-PT" (or something you might remember) and unzip the Multi-PT kit inside of it.

Ready?

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A. CREATING A POLLINATION TECHNICIAN WITH CUSTOM SKIN AND EYES






Open BodyShop and create the four sims that will become your Pollination Technicians. They can be extracted pre-made Maxis sims (like the ones I'm using for this set), in-game born sims (extracted with SimPe), downloaded sims from other sources (though you should ask for permission first) or just go crazy and make your own.

Make sure your sims are ADULTS first! I have no idea what'd happen if you used teens or elders, but it's better to be safe, right?




I took this pic before I discovered that genetized skins don't work with PTs.
Originally, I was using the Enaylas genetized skins at Genesims. I liked them because they were genetized with values above 1, so they'd be dominant enough to appear on all alien children and also because I wanted to see what'd happen if I had one alien sim breed with an alien sim with a different skin: Perhaps a completely different alien skin? That'd been awesome but it didn't work when I tried it out.

TL;DR: USE CUSTOM ALIEN SKINS. GENETICIZED SKINS DO NOT WORK WITH MULTI PTs






Next step, choose the eyes for your alien. Remember, they need to be CUSTOM eyes (not townified or genetiziced).




Now, choose your PT's hair. Stick with the regular colors (skip the custom bin) and I recommend you use a base game Maxis hair if you are planning to upload your MultiPT set. That way you'll keep your file size low (and save bandwidth) and it'll be compatible for everyone. Plus, if you used a custom hair, I think you'd have to include it in the zip, otherwise I have no idea what'd happen in-game if someone lacked that file.

I used the bald hair for all my PTs. I dunno... it makes them look more "alienish" to me. If you use make-up, also try to stick with the Maxis options. These sims won't appear in-game, so there's no point in making them "pretty", if the only thing that will matter is their genetic data.




Finally, choose an outfit for your alien sim. I also used a base-game one that looked alien-ish. fwiffo unlocked the Mad Scientist one for his Multi-PT set, but I couldn't figure out how to do so in Bodyshop :S.




Ready? Open your SavedSims folder (My Documents -> EA Games -> SavedSims).
Re-name your newly created sims files and move them to the "Multi PT" folder you created earlier in your desktop.

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B. CREATING A POLLINATION TECHNICIAN WITH THE DEFAULT ALIEN SKIN AND EYES






To create a PT with NO custom content, you'll need Theo's Unlock Alien Eyes for all Skintones mod. It includes two files that do the following:
As you can see in this picture, there's a green square to the left of the default skintones. The mod makes the default alien skintone available in CAS and Bodyshop.
Click on it, and your sim will have its lovely green skin (or blue... or purple... depending the alien default skin you have installed).




You'll also notice a black square right next to the default eye colors. Click on it, and your sim will now have the default alien eyes (either the Maxis or a custom one if you have downloaded those).

While it's nice to have multi-colored aliens, I think I prefer my PTs with the default alien skin and eyes. The file size is much smaller and you won't be required to download special skins or eyes to make them work in your game.

For this tutorial, I created Johnny as a PT with default alien skin and eyes.




All right, we are done with Bodyshop.
Open your "Multi-PT" folder.
Inside you'll find three kinds of files:
- Several "PT" files required to turn your sim into a PT.
- The Multi-Pollination Technician template.
- The Four sims that will become the PTs of your set.

Ready?

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C. TURNING YOUR BODYSHOP SIMS INTO POLLINATION TECHNICIANS IN SIMPE




The next step is to teach our four sims to behave like PTs.
And for that you'll need to use SimPe. Yeah, that scary little program.
I'll try to explain how to use it as best as I can, but I'm not a modder, so correct me if I'm wrong, please!
This is SimPe's main window layout. There are a lot of buttons and options, but for now we'll stick with three parts:
- In pink, there's the resource tree. Some sim files are made of different parts (or resources), and they are classified by function. You can see the different classes in this small window.
- In green, the resource list. If you click on one of the classes from the resource tree, you'll see all the related parts in this window.
- In orange, the main window in which you work. Make sure you click on the little tab named "Plugin View" before continuing.




Next step is self-explanatory.




Now that we've opened the RippPT file (aka the first sim we are going to modify), click on that button circled in red.




Browse to your Multi-PT folder and select all the files you see. These are the "commands" Ripp will have to "learn" to abduct and impregnate other sims.




The screen will go blank for a few seconds (depending on your PC) and now you'll see that the resource tree now has several new "classes". Click on the one that says "Catalog Description". Then, click on "Catalog Description" on the resource files window.




Let's move to the large "Plugin View" window.
We are now going to give Ripp a new name. This is the name that will appear in your alien babies' family tree.
1. Click on the line that says first name.
2. Enter your PT's first name in that window. I always use "PT", but call your sims as you wish of course!
3. Click on "Copy String to all", so your PT will keep its name, no matter the language in which your game is installed.




Repeat these three steps with your PT's last name and click on "Commit".
This is important to make your changes permanent!




This part is very important. We are now going to give our new PT Ripp004 a unique GUID number.
Pollination Technicians are treated as game objects and therefore need an identification number (or GUID) to work.
If we don't make sure their GUID is exclusive (that means, it's not been used before), there's a risk it could be the same as the one of a Maxis object! I've read many times about CC replacing Maxis sofas or fridges because the creator was not careful to give his/her object an exclusive GUID. So, to avoid any potential conflicts, we should always assign our PT's their own special GUID.

To do so, click on "Object Data" on the resource tree. Now click on "Multi PT- Your Name Here" in the resource tree.




Let's move to the plug-in window.
1. Where it says FileName, replace "Your Name Here" with your PTs name (in my case, Ripp004).
2. Click on commit! (even the window is asking you to do so! :P)
3. Now, click on "Get GUID". You'll need to be connected to the Internet now.




If this is the first time creating an object with SimPE, you'll have to register to its database to get your unique GUID block.
That means, you'll be given a set of 256-ish GUIDS (all of them starting with the same few digits) to create objects with.
The registry is pretty easy. Just enter a name, a password, an e-mail if you want and click on "Register New User".

If you've created objects before, just log-in. Though I guess this part should be a piece of cake for you by now.
As you can see in this pic, my user GUID is 0x48CA. That means that all my creations, whether they are PTs or objects (if one day I learn to do them) willl have GUIDS starting with "0x48CA". You'll also get your own user GUID when you register. It takes just a couple seconds.

All right, as soon as you get your user GUID, you'll see in the bottom of the window that your PT's file name is already there.




By the way, if you click on "Existing objects", you'll see a list of all the PTs or objects you've created in the past.
This is great for reference, in case you forget or lose the paper in which you wrote down your object's GUID.
Click on the New Object tab to return to the previous window.
Now, click on "Register New Object".




And voilá! Your PT has its new GUID now! WRITE IT DOWN!
Now, click on the "Update all MMATS" checkbox (to make the check appear) and then click on "Update".
Click on "Commit", save (File -> Save) and close your file.

Your PT is ready!




Repeat the whole process (give a name and a new GUID) with your other three sims.
Write down their GUIDS too. Once you are done, take out a piece of paper and four colored pencils (or markers).
The next step is to modify fwiffo's hack so it recognizes your new PTs, but before that you'll need to convert your GUIDS into "little-endians".

Just follow the instructions in this window. This is the best way I could figure out to make this conversion as easy as possible, despite my language limitations.
Write the converted GUIDS down.

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D. MODIFYING THE MULTI PT HACK/MOD




In SimPe, go to File -> Open.
Browse to your MultiPT folder. This time we are going to work with the mod template (aka the hack).
Click on Open.




This file only has one resource. Select it.




In the main window, a bunch of numbers and arrows will appear.
If this is the first time you see the inside of a mod or hack, I'm pretty sure you'll freak out just like I did :D.
It makes you see modders like fwiffo, Pescado and TJ under a new light, right?

Don't worry about the number and arrows mess, we are ignoring most of it.
In the mean time, focus in the list on the left. All these little rows are numbered (underlined in purple).
Ignore rows number 0, 1, 2 and 3. We are not touching them.




From row 4 to the end, you'll soon notice a pattern.
The rows are divided in four groups with four rows each.
I modified the mod template so it'll be easier for you to see the pattern.
The first group (from rows 4 to 7) has a GUID with a lot of AAAAAAAA
The next group (from row 8 to row 11) has BBBBB.
And so on.
I labeled each group of rows as Set A, Set B, Set C and Set D.
Each of these sets will be related to one of your PTs.




Let’s focus on "Set A". These four rows will handle PT Ripp004's data.
The first row says "Set to Next" and has a GUID.
The second row says "Create New Object Instance" and also has a GUID
The third row says "Remove Objects Instance" and lacks a GUID. We are going to IGNORE it. Don't do anything to it!
Finally, the fourth row also says "Set to Next" and has a GUID.

We are going to modify these three rows.
Click on the first "Set to Next" row of Set "A" (or row number 4).




Move to the right side of the window.
The only thing you need to do is to enter the converted GUID (in this case, Ripp's converted GUID is 07 CA 48 00) in the spaces I highlighted with pink.
In other words, replace the AA AA AA AA you'll see in those spaces with your converted GUID.
Then, click on "Commit".
Easy, right?

Now move to the next row of "Set A", that says "Create New Object Instance" (or row number 5). Replace the AA AA AA AA with the converted GUID and click on commit.
Skip row number 6, the one that says "Remove Objects Instance". There's no need to do anything with it.
Move on to row number 7 that also says "Set to Next". Replace the AA AA AA AA with the converted GUID.

And you are done with your first PT!




Move on to the second set of rows, which I labeled "Set B" and contains rows (8, 9, 10 and 11).
This time, we are going to replace the BB BB BB BB of rows 8, 9 and 11 with the converted GUID of your second PT.
In my case, PT Nervous007 is my second PT, and its converted GUID is 08 CA 48 00, so I'll introduce these numbers here.

I have no pic of "Set C", for the third PT of the MultiPT Set.
This group includes rows 12, 13, 14 and 15.
Replace the CC CC CC CC values of rows 12, 13 and 15 with the converted GUID of your third PT.
In my case, PT John Smith is my third PT, and its converted GUID is 09 CA 48 00, so I'll introduce these numbers here.




Finally, it's time to modify "Set D", for your fourth and final PT.
This group includes rows 16, 17, 18 and 19.
Replace the DD DD DD DD values of rows 16, 17 and 15 with the converted GUID of your fourth PT.
In my case, PT Lilith005 is my last PT, and its converted GUID is 0A CA 48 00, so I'll introduce these numbers here.




If you did everything correctly, you'll now see this.
Each of the "Sets" will have the odd AAAAAAA or BBBBBB GUID replaced with the GUID of your PT's.
Here are Sets "A" and "B", now with the correct GUIDS of my PT Ripp004 and PT Nervous007




And here are sets "C" and "D", now with the correct GUIDS of my PT John Smith and PTLilith005.

If everything is correct, save your file and close SimPE.






All right...
Now that we've closed SimPe, open the MultiPT folder.
You'll notice a bunch of odd "bak" files now. SimPe saves a backup of your files, in case you mess up with them.
If you want to use those files again (as simple sims or the original un-modified template), just rename and change the "bak" termination to "package".
Fow now, select your four PTs and the modified template and place them on your downloads folder.

Your MultiPT Mod is ready to use! :)