MTS2:Creator Guidelines/Sims/Right Info and Right Files

Sims - Right Info/Right Files

Right Files

Make sure your sim is a .sims2pack file, packaged from Body Shop. Please see: Creator Guidelines - Sims - Packaging Your Sim for instructions. We do NOT accept sims packaged on lots.

ZIP or RAR

You will need to put your .sims2pack file(s) into a RAR or ZIP file to upload here. Please see here for instructions on doing so. Please do not include both a ZIP and RAR with the same contents - just choose one.

Please do not double-compress your files - you should not have a ZIP inside a ZIP or a RAR inside a RAR. Q-Xpress will not properly unpack these files, and it makes extra unnecessary steps for downloaders.

Upload in Sets

If you have created several sims in a set, or similar sims in the same sort of theme at the same time, please upload these together in a single set, all on one thread (instead of all separately, one by one, on different threads). This is easier for everyone: on our upload moderators, as they only have one thread to review rather than several... on you, as submitting a single thread is much quicker and easier than several... and on downloaders, as they can get everything they want all in one place rather than having to hunt around.

Meshes Needed/Included?

Do you need a mesh? If you are including a recolour of a hair, clothing, or accessory, downloaders may need a custom mesh for the sim's content to work right. If you don't know whether a custom mesh is required, it's very easy to check: cut and paste the contents of your Downloads folder somewhere else temporarily. Then put in only your sim and its associated files (just double-click on the sims2pack file to install it to your game, just as if you had downloaded it), and load the game or Body Shop. If it shows up correctly, you don't need a custom mesh. If it doesn't show up correctly and shows a Maxis default instead, you do need a custom mesh, and you'll need to figure out what one it is. This can be tricky if you have a lot of meshes - best way is to make sure you know what mesh is required before you go and put an item on a sim!

Once you've identified what mesh it is, you need to check back with the original creator on their site or forum and see what they say about that - look for a FAQ or policies page to see what they have to say about including their meshes. They may not want you to include their mesh, or they may only be okay with it if you include their readme file as well.

Including Meshes: If your creation does require a custom mesh, you may be able to include it if:

• You have made the mesh yourself. In this case, please include a numeric poly count for your mesh somewhere in the post.
• You have recoloured the item the mesh is required for yourself, and if the creator allows redistribution of their meshes with recolours.

Please do not include meshes that are uploaded on MTS2, even if the creator says it's okay - this creates redundant uploads.

Do not include meshes that the creator says not to include, or if the creator doesn't say. If you get special permission to include a mesh that normally cannot be included (or the creator's policies don't say anything) please say in the text of your upload post that you have permission - we can't read your mind!

If you do include the mesh, make sure you include a credit and link in the text of your post - and make sure you state that the mesh is included!

Linking to Meshes: If you cannot include a mesh, or the mesh is hosted on MTS2, link to the mesh in the appropriate spot when uploading - when you mark your upload as a New Mesh Recolour you will get a screen asking you to link to the mesh. Please give as direct a link as possible - to the page where the mesh is, if you can. If you cannot give a direct link, or if there are a lot of meshes on the page, please give directions in the text of your post, as clear as possible... i.e. "Look under Female, Adult, Everyday, then go to Page 4, and download the black dress with the blue belt outfit - the mesh is included with it." Please do not hotlink the mesh - i.e. you want to link to the page it can be downloaded from, not the actual rar or zip file with the mesh in it - hotlinking is bad manners.

Expansion/Stuff Packs Required?

Please read this part carefully to ensure people know exactly what expansions may or may not be required for your sim.

• The Sim's face, geometry, and features sculpted in Body Shop: No expansions required under any circumstances. Your sim's facial features will work in ANY game. You probably don't need to check anything under expansions for a sim, so anyone can use it.

• Maxis hair, clothing, or accessory meshes or recolours of those from an EP: The sim may require the EP the item is from but only for that item... How crucial that piece is to your sim varies depending on the sim - someone may just not look right without their gorilla suit, and so you would mark that expansion as required for the sim. BUT... if the EP-required item could be changed without fundamentally changing your sim, you don't need to mark the expansion as required. DO make sure to tell your downloaders that the item you used was EP-required, and to remove any recolour of the EP-required mesh you may have included when installing, using Clean Installer.

Downloaders can then just change that particular part on the sim to whatever they may have that is appropriate.

• If the sim is wearing custom hair, clothing, or accessory meshes and recolours, or your recolours of custom hair, clothing, or accessory meshes, they will not require an expansion for these items.

• Custom makeup, skintones, beards textured onto the skin (not the Father Time beard), full-face makeup, brows, and eyes do not require expansions.

• Sims packaged as Young Adults will require the University expansion. Please consider packaging your sim as an Adult instead, so anyone can use it in their game. If University owners would like to create your sim as a Young Adult they can quickly and easily switch it to Young Adult using Body Shop.

• The Pets Exception: If you (or the original creator) have the Pets expansion installed and have created any custom content (recolours or meshes) for a sim in the version of Body Shop that installs with Pets, that content will require the Pets Expansion. It is strongly suggested that install the Pets Patch and then reimport your project so your content will not needlessly require Pets.

Where to Upload

Please make sure you upload to the correct category. Click here to see what forums we have for offer:

• Anime, Comic & Gaming Characters
• Celebrities and Real People
• Horror and Gothic
• Sci-Fi
• Other

Self-sims do NOT go in the Downloads forum - please do not upload sims of yourself or people you know... you may share them by email but due to the limited demand for downloading random users' self-sims, we do not allow non-staff self-sims posted in the Downloads forum.