Default Replacements - the basics
When you want some game item - object or clothing - to appear different from EA-version, you use a Default Replacement (DR). There are a couple of different ways to achieve this, and as I get many questions about this, I decided to make a post about it.
Why should you have an Override-folder?
If you want to use DR, an override-folder is a good idea to have. This means that you set up your Mods-folder to load the files in this folder first, before all other mods/cc.
A very simple setup can look like this, in your The Sims 4/Mods-folder:
The two important things here are the Overrides-folder and the resource.cfg file, besides that, you can have any folders you want. If you didn't organize your folders yet, you can start like this. (It is a very good idea to get organized).
Your resource.cfg file should look like this, if you open it:
This means you can have more nestled folders in your Mods-folder, but it also gives you an overrides-folder.
Reminder: Never place script-mods deeper than one level.
(You can rename the Overrides-folder if you want, but then you also need to change the name in the Resource-folder accordingly.)
Here is a zip with a ready-made new Resources.cfg and also an Overrides-folder - unzip in your Mods-folder and overwrite your old Resources.cfg.
Now, place all your Default Replacement-files in the Overrides-folder. You can also place important mods here, especially those that for example override the UI.
YOU CAN ONLY HAVE ONE DEFAULT REPLACEMENT PER CLOTHING/OBJECT.
If you you have more they will clash and game will probably load the original game-file.
When you play a themed world, you don't need DR-objects in general - most often you just use CC-items, the normal way. But then there are some items, that are very annoying. The modern stuff that the game automatically loads, like the dinnerware, or the baby bassinets, and the like. I have made a lot of DR-objects, and I have also downloaded a lot of them. Place all these in the Overrides-folder. You can sort stuff in it, I have for example a folder called Baby with the baby-stuff. I would NOT have too many nested folders in the Overrides-folder, one level down is ok.
DR-objects are made with a hider included - they are actually cloned from the game-object and changed to look different. So no hiders needed.
If you have tried my medieval NPC-uniforms, you probably know that they come (most of them) in 2 parts: the alternative uniform, and a hider.
Some are made the same way you replace objects, and then you don't need a hider. My replacement for Grimmy is made like that.
Place the DR-CAS items in the Overrides-folder.
I make my NPC-uniforms with adding tags to them, for example the Maid-tag for the Maid uniform. If you want to learn more about tagging clothing, I made a tutorial here.
Many CC-creators - especially early on - cloned CAS items happily unaware of the tagging. This is why you can have clothing in your CC-folders that clash with DR-uniforms - to correct this you can run the S4S batch fix on the CC-folder (NOT the overrides-folder :) ) to make everything marked "not for random". This will also remove any uniform- or style tags.
You can hide everything in CAS if you want. Find hiders for everything at these sites:
Starbeary Sims
Plumbobs & Cowplants
I put together special sets of hiders for the NPC-uniforms I made.
Place your hiders in the Override-folder. Check so you have only one hider per item, or they will clash.
So, if you have everything in CAS already hidden, you don't need my NPC-hiders.
Checklist, if you have problems with the Default Replacements/Hiders to work:
- Place them in the Overrides-folder
- Check for more than one DR per item or more than one hider
- If they still don't work, try them in a game folder with only the DR/hiders in. if they work without other mods in, you have something in your Mods-folder that stops them from working.
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