Default Replacement Skins

[LFox]

I'm not crazy about the blush myself but they do look rather nice and their about the best FREE skins that i've found.

Here's what i currently use, pale blush is currently done twice when i find a light that appeals to me more i'll change it.  I tried to pick a normal skintone that didn't have the blush so big and BLEH.

Dusk - Dark
Deep Earth - Medium
Pale Blush - Normal
Pale Blush - Light
Fae Blue - Zombie
Unearthly - Alien

For some reason my defaults still turn out to need the original packages i don't really care but it is odd.  Also anyone know how to change default eyes?  I want to use the eyes Enayla has to replace the originals (i like keeping my quality in sync, if one changes the other must)

[diamonde]

Thank you all for the links and the SimPE tips, now all my sims will have lovely Enayla skins.    Beautiful without being too realistic and looking ridiculous in-game.  And they're not anatomically correct, which I prefer.

My default replacement eyes are a few steps behind in realism, but I can live with that.  At least until somebody who admits that grey and green are both valid eye colours makes a better set.  Most of the ones I've seen have either blue or pinkish-grey (why?) for grey, or some dark hazel instead of green.  Which irritates the crap out of me, since my eyes are light green.  They really aren't that unusual, Lance Bass and Jensen Ackles spring to mind.

Yeah, I'm a little bit bitter.

[seventhson]

diamonde, allow me to point you to Gunmod's defaults made from Helaene's realistic eyes. They're gorgeous in-game, and might be what you're after...

[Sleepycat]

For some reason my defaults still turn out to need the original packages i don't really care but it is odd.  Also anyone know how to change default eyes?  I want to use the eyes Enayla has to replace the originals (i like keeping my quality in sync, if one changes the other must)

I found this comment odd, I hadn't had a chance to try my new default alien in-game but bodyshop was showing it properly when I checked (under create parts, change mannican(sp?) skin) but after reading your comment I checked again and it wasn't showing properly anymore (I guess because i took out the other file) so I fired up my game and checked in-game and...well lets just say the results were very odd    I'm going to redo my alien default the old way! 

I installed the new version of simpe alittle while ago but it keeps crashing on me so I couldn't really do any checking, wonder if restarting would help with the crashing...I'll try that soon, if not I'll reinstall the older version.

My default replacement eyes are a few steps behind in realism, but I can live with that.  At least until somebody who admits that grey and green are both valid eye colours makes a better set.  Most of the ones I've seen have either blue or pinkish-grey (why?) for grey, or some dark hazel instead of green.  Which irritates the crap out of me, since my eyes are light green.  They really aren't that unusual, Lance Bass and Jensen Ackles spring to mind.

Yeah, I'm a little bit bitter.

the default eyes I use are by sugarandcaffeine at mts2.com
http://forums.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=56315&highlight=sugarandcaffeine

They look really nice in-game and the green eyes are green!


I've tried Helaene's that GunMod made defaults but they seemed to dark to me and they creeped me out *laughs*

[Renatus]

I use sugarandcaffiene's default replacements too, and like them enough that I've made addtional colours based on them. I like that they have sclera and a little bit of shading up towards the top of the eye to make it look more three dimensional, but not so much that they look bizarre when a sim opens it's eyes really wide. I've noticed that most of the 'realistic' eyes, pretty as they are, have this big streak of dark shading up top and to the sides so that whenever a sim has an extreme expression (so, half of the time almost *L*) one sees the little bit of pretty eye and then this messy dark shading.

I can see why creators do that - the extra shading gives the eye a three dimensional look as well - but artistically it's pretty lazy to do something so messy on a part that WILL be seen.

[Emma]

These are the default eyes I use:

http://laverwinklesims.com/index.php?topic=14.0

They look really pretty

[nectere]

Sleepycat,

Whenever you use the shortcut method (scan folders method) in SimPe to make a default skin you must keep the original skin package plus the newly created one for it to work properly. It seems odd but what is cool about it is if you decide you dont like that default anymore you can simply get rid of the default part and not loose the original skin package from which you made the defaults. If you removed the original skin package you made the defaults from, you will generally get matrix skin or some other weird variation. So you can do it the old way and loose the base skin package as an option (turning it strictly into a default) or you can do it the shortcut method and have to keep both files in your downloads but not loose the base skin if you decide you no longer want it as a default. Make sense?

[angelyne]

I'm not crazy about the blush myself but they do look rather nice and their about the best FREE skins that i've found.
For some reason my defaults still turn out to need the original packages i don't really care but it is odd.  Also anyone know how to change default eyes?  I want to use the eyes Enayla has to replace the originals (i like keeping my quality in sync, if one changes the other must)

I often hear this, and it makes me wonder.  Are there better skin that are pay?  Unless you mean those ultra-realistic skin tones from Exnem?  I don't really like them.  They are just too realistic.  I like his eyes though, but I haven't been able yet to wean myself away from Helaene's default eyes.

I'm looking into making default eyes.  I did ask Gunmod some time back and he sent me some instructions.  Now I just need to figure it out !   I'm working from some default alien eyes replacement. When I do figure it out, I'll let you guys know.

angelyne, goodness I don't need credit for that info *laughs*  I'm just glad I could help and get the word out about that feature of simpe.

Well I'm glad. I don't want to step on any toes.  But if you did ask for it then you do deserve credit !!.

[MokeyHokey]

Whenever you use the shortcut method (scan folders method) in SimPe to make a default skin you must keep the original skin package plus the newly created one for it to work properly.

Crap in a HAT, is that why mine aren't working? I thought I was just totally stupid and wasn't understanding. That and the fact that I have to restart SimPe after every skin since it throws me "out of memory" errors--I have frigging 2GB--if I don't.

[Renatus]

Mokey, I also have to restart SimPE after every default replacement skin I make - not because it gives me memory errors but because it spends about half a second 'making' the default replacement, which ends up being a 1KB file that doesn't do a damned thing. It's irritating, but the thought of doing it the hard way gives me fits.

[jmtmom]

I noticed that the default files are huge too: 3.4 to 8.4 MB. Is there a way to make them smaller?

[LFox]

Thanks for the links to the default eyes guys, i've decided to go with sugarandcaffeine's eye replacements.  I'm not 100% satisfied with them because of their brightness on the lighter colors but their a nice improvement.

Paid skins aren't necessarily good but you CAN find some very good ones.  There's one guy who owns a pay site and made some i can't remember the name his weren't bad looking but he seriously over did it on the wrinkles for the elder stage.

Does anyone know exactly how to create default replacement eyes using simpe?  I'm just curious as to how it would be done or would it just be easier to use a already replacement package and merely change the image inside?  Reason i ask is i'm thinking of gathering the eyes done by Enayla and changing them to default replacements because their just, WOW.

Edit: I have successfully changed one of Enayla's eyes into a default and will be doing so for the rest of my eyes.  If anyone wants to know i did it like this.

1. I downloaded sugarandcaffeine's default eyes
2. I opened the Enayla eye i wanted and found the eye texture then right clicked and selected export, then saved the image.
3. I opened the approriate color of sugarandcaffeine's eyes with simpe right clicked the eye texture and selected import then selected the file i saved.
4. Commit changes and it's done.

I had a issue where the changes kept coming out big pixel looking for a few of the eyes.  This was fixed after i changed the format setting on the texture to Raw32bit, figured I'd give a heads up on that since i just spent the last hour trying to work out why the quality when from WOW to BLEH everytime i imported it.

[angelyne]

Does Sim Surgery work well for changing a skin ?  I know the few times I tried it with SimsPE, I had weird results with the neck not maching the body.  Has that been fixed?  And how difficult is it to adjust the genetics afterward.  Oh and if you pick as model a sims with a default skin tone, will that work correctly?

I don't really understand the skin tony only *from archetype.  But all the tones are listed?  blah wish there was a manual that came with this

For some reason my defaults still turn out to need the original packages i don't really care but it is odd.  Also anyone know how to change default eyes?  I want to use the eyes Enayla has to replace the originals (i like keeping my quality in sync, if one changes the other must)

I'm looking at the new default I created and SimPe doesn't see them as skins but as recolor.  So maybe that's why both are required.  It's  not a standard skin but something else?

[LFox]

I've successfully changed all 5 defaults to use Enayla's eyes.  The light blue and dark blue i personally had to photoshop to get the color right as there were none already done.  Here's how they all look.

[Sleepycat]

Sleepycat,

Whenever you use the shortcut method (scan folders method) in SimPe to make a default skin you must keep the original skin package plus the newly created one for it to work properly. It seems odd but what is cool about it is if you decide you dont like that default anymore you can simply get rid of the default part and not loose the original skin package from which you made the defaults. If you removed the original skin package you made the defaults from, you will generally get matrix skin or some other weird variation. So you can do it the old way and loose the base skin package as an option (turning it strictly into a default) or you can do it the shortcut method and have to keep both files in your downloads but not loose the base skin if you decide you no longer want it as a default. Make sense?

ya I got the matrix look *giggles* I ended up doing one the old way which gave me a chance to fiddle with the skintone, got it closer to the color I wanted AND I managed to get the alien eyes to work for teens by changing the eyes on the skintone images *is very pleased* 

now I must show off Patty Curious, Pascals teenage alien daughter (please excuse her makeup, she hasn't learned how to apply it properly yet)




I even tried making new default alien eyes, worked but old Garns (I think thats his name - the pollitech dude living in strangetown) face texture disappeared *giggles*

Doing the default skintone replacments the shortcut way is better then nothing and it's certainly faster and I may use it again now that I know that it requires the other file. I normally don't keep custom skintones in because the only ones I use are default replacements, I dislike custom anything being dominate (which is why I put the time in to bin custom hair, before I knew how to do it I wouldn't use custom hair) but I'm getting sick and tired of only seeing 4/5 skintones (my main hood only has 1 alien (still an infant) at the moment, no vampires yet and there will never be zombies) so I may go on a downloading spree soon and get a bunch of custom skintones and just use simpe to make sure they aren't always the passed on skintone, which will give me a reason to play with DNA 


Anyway hopefully I feel up to playing tonight, I've added a number of new things I want to check out (like crammys cock *giggles* ) and I to need to set up the lot sync timer too! *finally decided to try them out*

[diamonde]

These are the default eyes I use:

http://laverwinklesims.com/index.php?topic=14.0

Those are lovely, and the green is green!  Thanks.

[angelyne]

This is all so cool Sleepycat.  I love what you have done. 

And what is cool about this place, is for the first time, I feel like I can actually do (some) of this.

It's crammyboy's hack great?  I don't see how I cou;d go back to playing without it.  It's just so disturbing to see....nothing.  Think of the pity we would feel for a real person thus afflicted.   

The only problem with Enyala's skin is that they are hairless.  I asked about that in her thread and from the comments, you'd think I was suggesting sacrificing babies.  Anyway, that will teach me to post at MTS2.  I wonder how difficult it would be to actually modify the skins.

But what I really wish, is that crammy boy would modifies his mesh to add hair.  It could turned on or off via the controls.  This way any skin could be made anatomically correct, everyone would be happy: The people who want normal looking sims and the people who prefer them handicapped ()

[nectere]

Crammys hack already has those options.... You can turn the hair off, change the color of the hair, on, change the color of "it", as well as the size shape, religion...etc...are you sure you have the right version?

[angelyne]

I've got whatever he has posted at MTS2.  It's been there for a while, so I think I have the most recent version.  I never saw any options for hair, or changing colors.  Just the options that controls when it's actually shown.

[myskaal]

I'm in the same boat as you, angelyne. I don't have any of those options and have the most recent version I was able to find from MTS2. To think what I'm missing out on... 

I'm going to go back and reread through this thread now because I think I missed somewhere how to fix the alien eyes not showing with certain default replacement skins, but  just in case I didn't miss it and it's not actually in here would someone be able to explain how to do that?

*edit - nevermind I found it. Now I just have to teach myself how to edit the skins.

and to add, angelyne, apparently you have to click on the *object* itself to get all those other options. (I re-read the download thread)

[nectere]

Oh uhm yes, I forgot to mention that minor detail...heh

[angelyne]

and to add, angelyne, apparently you have to click on the *object* itself to get all those other options. (I re-read the download thread)

eeeeeeeewwwwwwwwwww you mean I have to touch it ?? 

This is awesome, now I'll be able to use any skin I want.  If only the same thing existed for women, maybe I'll have to learn to edit skins as well.  (and yes I know about Mathman's "object")

[Sleepycat]

angelyne, some of your comments about the skintones gave me a chuckle    I remember when I first started playing, got rid of the blur and then discovered my sims had no nipples    it just seemed so wrong! It didn't take me long to track down some nice realistic default replacements! heh, when I was a kid I used a pen/marker or a crayon or something to give my barbie dolls nipples 

I haven't had a chance to play with crammys *cough* errr...play the game yet... I ended up needing to go back to bed    I'm not sure if I'll be up to playing later, I should take a nap now but part of me wants to go on a downloading spree 

After I download a bunch of custom hair I might download Enyala's skintones (now that I have a nice shiny satellite connection) and edit them, they need atleast some hair "down below"  My skintone editing skill leaves alot to be desired but maybe I'll get lucky (or I'll just snitch the needed "parts" off another skintone hehehe) maybe I can get rid of the blush on the cheeks too    My graphics program can do so much, if only I had more "know how" and a memory *laughs*

I totally understand the feeling of not being able to do something and the joy of feeling that this is something I might be able to do!  I felt so empowered when my friend Grykon (aka Tim) was kind enough to make me a default alien file (and give me directions) so I could work off of it to make my own.



myskaal,  I had a problem of my teens not having the alien eyes, they had these brown maxis eyes (even though I have default eye replacements)  I managed to fix mine by editing the skintone files, on each face image file an eye is shown (hard to explain)
damn and for some reason I can't sign into my image host account hmmm I zip it and attach it, now you can see what I mean and you can copy the eye part if you want to try it on yours and see if that helps. I changed the eye part on every face image even though only teens were having the problem (for some reason the teen female face isn't even used)
I am also attaching a zip of the black alien eyes done up as a default replacement file (was testing with it) I don't know if it will work with the default alien skintone file you are using (I only checked it with Garn and his face lost its texture *laughs* but I think it was just his problem because he had the same problem with a different version of the file)

[404'ed!]

[myskaal]

I pretty much understand the concept of how to fix the eye problem, and any other things that one might want to change about a particular skin file.
What I can't figure out is how to change an already exisitng skintone. I would guess one uses SimPE in some way but I've only ever used bodyshop to clone and make my own and damn all the "help me!!!1!" threads that fill up the forums with no replies to weed through to try to find one that actually explains it.
Allergies, bronchial infection and a whoooole lotta meds do not make for a patient tutorial browsing.

[LFox]

SleepyCat: I got the same face texture problem when trying your file and i think i know why.  Your color seems to expand outside the small eye box, i'm not certain but it seems to be acting as a modification to the face.  Looks like you can add face tattoos in within the eye file.  Remove all the color that goes outside the eye box and it should work.

I used that file to make myself a default alien eye replace and it worked perfectly except that the teens get the default green eyes for some odd reason.  When i tried using mutiple texture files in it bodyshop stopped responding everytime.  I'm not sure what's causing it as i even tried copying only the instance values to another file to try it.  The same teen eye bug result occured so unless there's a problem with the instance i'm not sure what's causing it.  Do you know of any alien default replacements that don't have the teen eye problem?  BTW thanks for the file now my aliens have a nicer eye look even if the teen one is screwed up.