Merging Sims 2 CC: Tea's Top Tips
These questions were asked by @divagirl76 in a reply to my post about load times, and I thought it should be it's own separate post:
Do you recommend merging the mesh with the recolours into one file OR merge recolours only and leave the mesh separate?
Answer: I will answer this with examples 😊
a) Let's say I download a set which has a bunch of individual objects each with their own recolours. For each item, I merge the item together with it's recolours. In times gone by I'd just merge the entire set into 1-2 big files, and sometimes I still do, but these days I like to have more control over it and still be able to delete a CC object from within the game if I decide I don't want it anymore, and be sure the object + recolours all disappear at once. I sacrifice a little bit of load time speed for this, but I'm okay with it.
b) Let's say I download a big CC set like Honeywell's Bespoke windows and doors set. This set has some key master objects, then a bunch of recolours and repo meshes. Here's what I'd do with it or how I'd merge it.
First, I look through the set in a test game and see if there's any meshes I don't particularly want or need. I make a note of them in a notepad file, then outside of the game, delete anything I don't want.
Once I'm happy, leave the master meshes out on their own, then I merge:
All recolours together
All repo meshes together.
c) Let's say I download CAS stuff - I handle this slightly differently. With CAS stuff, all of the meshes (whether hair or clothing) I
Only remove special characters
Do not merge
I put all of these into a folder called CAS_Meshes_Hair or CAS_Meshes_Clothing
Why? Because otherwise I accidentally end up with 20 copies of the same hair mesh, lol. If I stick to this system, I get a prompt if the file is already in there. Handy! Then the recolours, I vet first and then merge.
2. Do the file names (or length of file names with or without spaces or weird characters) BEFORE merging matter? I know you will rename them when you do merge, so if they don't matter, I can save myself alot of time now and just bundle the recolours (or mesh and recolours) and rename them when I do merge.
Answer: nope, you can leave them as they are and then just give your merged package a nice neat name 😊
3. Do you merge recolours by creator?
Answer: Yes 😊 Let's say it's a Maxis mesh. I'll name it something like DECO_CivicIdolPoster_xmathyxRCs_merged If it's recolours of a cc set, I'll go something like SET_Bespoke_ShastaRCs_merged
4. Is there a limit to how many recolour files you should merge?
I've never run into any issues with it, but there's possibly some issues with merging a lot of large textures together - @picknmixsims might be able to weigh in here, as we were helping @lamare-sims with a broken merged file just yesterday, and William worked out that it was unhappy about texture files I think? In general, I would say I don't worry too much about it.
5. Is there some cc you shouldn't merge?
Yes, anything that when you merge it, you go in game and try to look at it, it's invisible 😄 This doesn't happen to me much anymore, but it can happen. In particular I remember trying to merge some old couches from HolySimoly that would throw a tanty every time, lol. You also cannot* merge:
Hood Deco
Fences
Columns
*You can merge these I think, definitely fences, but you need to go into SimPE afterwards and tweak some stuff. See this tutorial by @hugelunatic
6. Can you merge repository meshes or should they be kept separate?
Answer: As in my answer to your first question, you sure can. I just like to keep the master objects out on their own or things can start to complain. I also like to leave master meshes out in case I decide I want to make recolours 👀
General tips:
The thing with merging is that it can be tedious and time consuming, so attack it in small chunks. Like "this week I will merge all my painting recolours".
It's ultimately up to you where and how much you want to merge your content together. Some people will do huge merges and throw a bunch of content in together (looking at you, Lamare lol), others prefer to do smaller merges. These days I tend to prefer smaller merges, which as I mentioned above does sacrifice some load time speed, but gives me better control of my catalogue in game.
I also recommend everyone check out the latest update to object relocator by PickNMix, and for CAS stuff the Outfit Organizer, as we can now merge files with these and it's SUPER streamlined and simple. I merged a crap tonne of windows together with their diagonal meshes earlier this week and it was 10x faster with Object Relocator than it would have been otherwise.
While you're learning to merge, test in game regularly, keep an un-merged backup, or just keep a link to what you downloaded in case you need to try the merge again.
Hope that helps x
