I wish I knew enough about editing those files to be comfortable in walking you through it. I think, though, if you already have and use S3PE then that would go a long way to making the job a whole lot easier. There are walkthrough instructions on the MTS site with the download but I am one who really likes to follow along with pictures. I'm a visual learner. But at least with that mod you can drop it in and try it out in another world to see if it would be even worth your time to learn how to edit the files. Good luck with your quest toward better lighting!!
Thank you @Jessa_Dakkar - I think I'm more of a visual learner too. I don't even know what S3PE is I'm so technologically challenged, it's not even funny!
@lanlyn - I just looked at gelina's lighting tweaks...what is S3PE? I might do the lighting tweaks with one of @brntwaffles' mods.
@aricarai S3PE is Sims 3 Package Editor. I've only used it to do basic package file merging and some editing. The merging process isn't too difficult to learn. Here are a few video tutorials that I hope will help.
@JoAnne65 Yes that should be so. Though I'm not 100% sure if it affects every world... IMO it seems to... but then I don't often play a lot of different EA worlds, so I can't say for sure. But definitely, just pop it into your mods/packages folder and then remove when you don't want it.
@kiara07 They don't seem to, I've been running all of them together fine.
@aricarai No filters used, no tweaks. You just decide which package to install. I see that @Jessa_Dakkar has posted some great pics, it's thanks to her that I discovered this mod! As you can see, the shadows are very natural, as is the darkness of night...
@GaiaHypothesis Thanks, I will. I will see soon enough it it also works in the worlds I'm playing anyway (and I can do some tests in other worlds). Love the pictures in this topic by the way.
@lanlyn - thank you for the videos. I'm going to have to put that on the back burner at the moment...I can't even follow simple directions for installing store content in order. *facepalm* *headdesk* I think my brain is dead!
@GaiaHypothesis Thanks, I will. I will see soon enough it it also works in the worlds I'm playing anyway (and I can do some tests in other worlds). Love the pictures in this topic by the way.
It will appear in all worlds... This is coming from someone who has used lighting mods for years and played various worlds (EA and custom).
Clear cache if you decide to remove the mod. This is important anytime you remove content but even more so with defaults.. lighting mods are considered default.
@Simasaurus09 Thanks, that's awesome And yes, clearing cache has become a habit after playing ever since I've been using mods. I'm going to try it in a minute, if I'm blown away I'll share the result here ^.^
I really want a lighting mod for Midnight Hollow because it's way too dark for me. I don't want sunshiney bright, only enough to see the world while maintaining its dark/gloominess. Also, I fear that a lighting mod will affect my other worlds too, and I'm not sure I want that
I really want a lighting mod for Midnight Hollow because it's way too dark for me. I don't want sunshiney bright, only enough to see the world while maintaining its dark/gloominess. Also, I fear that a lighting mod will affect my other worlds too, and I'm not sure I want that
Yes it will effect all worlds but it's easy enough to pull out and clear cache if you decide to switch to another world. (at least for me... I do it quite often.)
I was also checking out lighting mods recently and still looking. I did up some comparison pictures in Sunset Valley to compare Burnt waffles clear cut day and cloud 9, as well as Gelina's lighting tweaks that might be of some use. No editing besides the obvious resize and labeling. I don't know how you use the spoiler so I will just post.
Ooops! typo on this pic. All were taken at 11:30pm
After I edited that to change the sunset time, I renamed and placed it where I knew where to find it. Now download the lighting mod you want and place it someplace. Do the File>New, Resource>Import>from package again in S3pe. Find the lighting file and open it.
Now do the Resource>Import>From Package again while the lighting mod is open in S3PE and locate the lighting tweaks you want to import, in my case gelina's lighting tweaks file with my sunset edit. Then use Save As to rename the lighting file to something that you'll recognize and place it in your mods folder.
I did this because gelina used ddfender's dynamic shadows and they are more intense that the one's Brntwaffles put in her mods. I like the more dramatic shadows and light! But I don't like how dark the nights are with ddfender's original lighting files, and I like having my choice of water color (the last one I used was too blue for me - I'm playing a world called Salmon Lakes by My Sim Realtor and this is more like a place in Michigan where rivers are mostly greenish.
@petalbot your pictures are amazing and very helpful! (I unknowingly made this post without realizing there was a page 2 I hadn't read yet!).
The Sims
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@Jessa_Dakkar and @jillbg - I'm not at my computer at the moment, but do you know if the mod you use can used in conjunction with other mods or are they defaults. I really love the shadows that it creates.
I think it would be gorgeous with @brntwaffles' mods!
@Jessa_Dakkar and @jillbg - I'm not at my computer at the moment, but do you know if the mod you use can used in conjunction with other mods or are they defaults. I really love the shadows that it creates.
I think it would be gorgeous with @brntwaffles' mods!
I haven't tried but I am going to guess no based on this line of text in the description for dDefinder's Lighting Tweaks. Will conflict with other mods that change lighting, sky colors, timescale, or water color.
I think I read earlier that another lighting mod uses dDefinder's shadowing? I'm not certain how all that works.
Almost all of Brntwaffles lighting mods use dDefender's dynamic shadows tweaks. I just compared his dynamic shadows file with the parameters in brntwaffles Blue Skies MV water mod and it looks like she just imported his lighting tweaks into her file. At least with just skimming it, it looked identical to me. That's not to say that all of her mods just imported those settings as is; she might have changed some in some of her versions, I don't know. The thing is that the lighting is not dramatic all the time, in my experience. It's mainly certain times of day when the sun is in a certain position that you see the most effect from the shadows and bright light.
The files contain instructions for what kind of weather is possible and specify it's parameters. This is covered in dDefender's lighting tweaks - balanced package. He has his dynamic shadows package separate but if you wanted to you could import those into his balanced package and just have one file to use (using the instructions I gave earlier).
I do like brntwaffles because of the choice of water colors and some other tweaks that were made as the game developed (and after dDefender seemed to move on to other things). She also used some weather effects she found in some custom worlds, for example, so there is more variety. It's fun to experiment!
In essence if you use one of brntwaffles mods you are probably already getting dDefender's dynamic shadows mod, plus some additional tweaks to the weather.
The Sims
Where are we going, and why am I in this hand basket?!
I never installed a lighting mod before, I'll try one...
I'd like to know, to replace weather files in one specific world, what's the whole list of weather files I should replace and which ones I shouldn't touch ?
And about the moon, as I'd like to try a custom moon, if I place it in my Mods folder, will it override the moon in absolutely all worlds, even in worlds with a custom moon such as Lunar Lakes ? Or will Lunar Lakes' moon be safe ? If not, how do I install a custom moon in individual worlds so that Lunar Lakes won't be affected ?
You might want to ask your questions in the CAW forum, @Candyd. I know some world creators have made custom weather and moons for their worlds. I've never tried to edit my own files so I have no clue. I did find a tutorial here: http://www.modthesims.info/showthread.php?t=459198 but I'm not sure it gets into moons or not. *edit - toward the bottom of page 1 they begin to talk about the moon and how to edit it.
I think a moon mod would over-ride all worlds, but I'm not really sure. I'm using this one: http://potato-ballad-sims.tumblr.com/post/132236536504/flings-open-door-hey-ive-also-got-candy. You could try putting that or any moon mod in your mods folder and opening up Lunar Lakes to see if it changes the moon. If it does, then you could remove it and clear caches. No harm done!
The Sims
Where are we going, and why am I in this hand basket?!
Moons, stars, and things like that will override all worlds because they are considered defaults too... There is a way to edit only certain worlds but I didn't have the guide. Looks like Happy Simmer3 posted it.
Thanks for the link @HappySimmer3 ! That would be a bit annoying if weather and moon from fantasy worlds were overridden, I hope to find the way to not affect all worlds so I don't need to move files and clear cache all the time...
Hey guys, I have to bother you with a stupid question, but I can't seem to find an answer for it anywhere else. I've downloaded this lighting mod by brntwaffles (Update 3.0 with Lucky Palms water and no Aurora) and these clouds by Nilxis, put them both in my Mods folder (Documents>Electronic Arts>The Sims 3>Mods>Packages>Lighting Mod + Clouds) and...well, nothing has changed, really. I don't see any difference and the clouds don't even show up as far as I can tell. I'm currently playing in Bridgeport, my graphics settings are all on the highest level possible except for High Detail Lots (it's set on 4), Draw Distance (it's set on medium) and Tree Detail (which is set on high). Now, I'm no stranger to downloading/installing mods and CC, but I'm pretty sure I did something wrong. I just don't know what it is...any input is appreciated. And if you need more info/screenshots, let me know! Thanks!
"Who's the more foolish, the fool or the fool who follows him?"
Hey guys, I have to bother you with a plum question, but I can't seem to find an answer for it anywhere else. I've downloaded this lighting mod by brntwaffles (Update 3.0 with Lucky Palms water and no Aurora) and these clouds by Nilxis, put them both in my Mods folder (Documents>Electronic Arts>The Sims 3>Mods>Packages>Lighting Mod + Clouds) and...well, nothing has changed, really. I don't see any difference and the clouds don't even show up as far as I can tell. I'm currently playing in Bridgeport, my graphics settings are all on the highest level possible except for High Detail Lots (it's set on 4), Draw Distance (it's set on medium) and Tree Detail (which is set on high). Now, I'm no stranger to downloading/installing mods and CC, but I'm pretty sure I did something wrong. I just don't know what it is...any input is appreciated. And if you need more info/screenshots, let me know! Thanks!
I'm pretty sure it's because Bridgeport already has custom lighting. The mod you're trying to use only works in worlds with no custom lighting already unless you edit some sort of file but I don't know anything about that lol. So if you were to use that mod in like Sunset Valley or Hidden Springs or most custom worlds, you'd then be able to see the lighting mod.
Not sure about the clouds though? I would think that would work in any town.
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2016 How To: Merge Your Custom Content | The Sims 3
2014 Sims 3 Package Merging Tutorial With S3PE
2012 S3PE Tutorial For The Sims 3
@kiara07 They don't seem to, I've been running all of them together fine.
Look What We Started- Simblr (MATURE CONTENT)
ISLAND END- Simblr (MATURE CONTENT, link is for scene list on sims.com)
Studio
Here is what I use http://brntwaffles.tumblr.com/post/46956659521/this-is-a-default-lighting-mod-that-will-override
Dream Dimension 2.5 with St. Claire water. Unedited images apart from resizing for web.
Clear cache if you decide to remove the mod. This is important anytime you remove content but even more so with defaults.. lighting mods are considered default.
S3 simblr: http://simplysimming.tumblr.com/
S4 simblr: http://simlogic.tumblr.com/
- MH Lighting Mod (effects all worlds)
These additional mods will replace the terrain and plants adding some color to the world. (only effects MH)S3 simblr: http://simplysimming.tumblr.com/
S4 simblr: http://simlogic.tumblr.com/
Ooops! typo on this pic. All were taken at 11:30pm
Press the green download button.
Install and open the app. Point to File>New, then point the cursor at Resource > Import > From Package.
Locate the lighting file you want to tweak. I used gelina's tweaked lighting here, only I edited it first to change the sunset time from 18 (6PM) to 20 (8pm): gelinadownloads.tumblr.com/post/70105742453/lighting-tweaks-here-are-my-lighting-tweaks-that
After I edited that to change the sunset time, I renamed and placed it where I knew where to find it. Now download the lighting mod you want and place it someplace. Do the File>New, Resource>Import>from package again in S3pe. Find the lighting file and open it.
Now do the Resource>Import>From Package again while the lighting mod is open in S3PE and locate the lighting tweaks you want to import, in my case gelina's lighting tweaks file with my sunset edit. Then use Save As to rename the lighting file to something that you'll recognize and place it in your mods folder.
I did this because gelina used ddfender's dynamic shadows and they are more intense that the one's Brntwaffles put in her mods. I like the more dramatic shadows and light! But I don't like how dark the nights are with ddfender's original lighting files, and I like having my choice of water color (the last one I used was too blue for me - I'm playing a world called Salmon Lakes by My Sim Realtor and this is more like a place in Michigan where rivers are mostly greenish.
@petalbot your pictures are amazing and very helpful! (I unknowingly made this post without realizing there was a page 2 I hadn't read yet!).
Where are we going, and why am I in this hand basket?!
@HappySimmer3 - thank you for the link and instructions. I'll have a go at the weekend!
I think it would be gorgeous with @brntwaffles' mods!
I haven't tried but I am going to guess no based on this line of text in the description for dDefinder's Lighting Tweaks.
Will conflict with other mods that change lighting, sky colors, timescale, or water color.
I think I read earlier that another lighting mod uses dDefinder's shadowing? I'm not certain how all that works.
The files contain instructions for what kind of weather is possible and specify it's parameters. This is covered in dDefender's lighting tweaks - balanced package. He has his dynamic shadows package separate but if you wanted to you could import those into his balanced package and just have one file to use (using the instructions I gave earlier).
I do like brntwaffles because of the choice of water colors and some other tweaks that were made as the game developed (and after dDefender seemed to move on to other things). She also used some weather effects she found in some custom worlds, for example, so there is more variety. It's fun to experiment!
In essence if you use one of brntwaffles mods you are probably already getting dDefender's dynamic shadows mod, plus some additional tweaks to the weather.
Where are we going, and why am I in this hand basket?!
I never installed a lighting mod before, I'll try one...
I'd like to know, to replace weather files in one specific world, what's the whole list of weather files I should replace and which ones I shouldn't touch ?
And about the moon, as I'd like to try a custom moon, if I place it in my Mods folder, will it override the moon in absolutely all worlds, even in worlds with a custom moon such as Lunar Lakes ? Or will Lunar Lakes' moon be safe ? If not, how do I install a custom moon in individual worlds so that Lunar Lakes won't be affected ?
My Sims 3 blog, Back to the Sims 3
I think a moon mod would over-ride all worlds, but I'm not really sure. I'm using this one: http://potato-ballad-sims.tumblr.com/post/132236536504/flings-open-door-hey-ive-also-got-candy. You could try putting that or any moon mod in your mods folder and opening up Lunar Lakes to see if it changes the moon. If it does, then you could remove it and clear caches. No harm done!
Where are we going, and why am I in this hand basket?!
S3 simblr: http://simplysimming.tumblr.com/
S4 simblr: http://simlogic.tumblr.com/
My Sims 3 blog, Back to the Sims 3
I'm pretty sure it's because Bridgeport already has custom lighting. The mod you're trying to use only works in worlds with no custom lighting already unless you edit some sort of file but I don't know anything about that lol. So if you were to use that mod in like Sunset Valley or Hidden Springs or most custom worlds, you'd then be able to see the lighting mod.
Not sure about the clouds though? I would think that would work in any town.
I am starting in Bridgeport, but haven't been able to play as of yet, but I can tell from map view that things look different.