How to port models from The sims 4 to sfm.

Hello! This is a guide on how to port sims 4 models to sfm! I am not an expert on this, nor do i claim to be, but i know enough to create a guide for anyone that wants to start sfm, or anyone who needs help with porting models to sfm! (This guide is not for gmod, because i don't know how to create ragdolls or playermodels, yet...)

What you will need:

Sims 4 ripper. [modthesims.info]
Blender and the blender source tools (blender is already on steam) [steamreview.org]
Notepad++ [notepad-plus-plus.org]
VTFedit [gamebanana.com]
And finally, crowbar *(You will have to go to the "Download Crowbar" part of the steam website)

Exporting the sim model from The sims 4 ripper

First, make sure you have the sim you want to export in a save file.

Next, open TS4SimRipper, click select, and go to you're save file.
(It should be in a .SAVE file called Slot_00000000, or something of that sort. The file is also located in Domuments\Electronic arts\the sims 4\saves)



Select the sim you want to port to sfm to in the bottom left (It should be the first and last name of you're sim) and select the outfit you want them to have (Bottom right side of the screen underneath occult)

Select save as DAE and then chose where you want the model and textures to be.

Blender

Open blender, go to edit, Preferences...Then go to addons, community, select the install and search blender source tools in the file window (DO NOT EXTRACT THE FILES), search for blender source tools in the search bar, and click the checkmark box.















Go to file, import, select Collada (Default) (.dae) and select the model you exported.

Go to the top right, select rig, the name of your sim, the name of you're sim again, and copy Material_001, or what it says there (This is for the textures, so don't forget it!)









Then go to scene (The icon in the middle right that has a water drop and circle) and go to the Source Engine export drop down menu. Click the file icon and select where you want the model to go to. Select SMD (Right below the folder icon) and click export, Collection.smd. Go to where you exported it and rename it to your sim's name. (I chose Bob Pancakes, so I renamed it to BobPancakes)

Resizing in blender (Required if you don't want your model to be small)

The model you exported is too small/big for sfm, what do i do?!

First open crowbar and select decompile, MDL input, browse and go to C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\SourceFilmmaker\game\tf_movies\models\player\hwm and select one of the characters.
Go to Output to, browse, and select a place for the exported models to go (I chose GMOA, I also have no idea what gmoa means) and then click decompile.

The only file you need is called Character*_physics.smd (*Name of character isn't actually called character)

Reopen blender, go to file, import, smd and select the Character_physics model. Select the skeleton of the model (It should be a bunch of circles) and click delete. Select the actual model, push R, then x, and then 90, then push enter/left click.


Import the smd of your sim's model, push S, and then resize the model to that of the Character_Physics model, then delete the Character_physics model
Push A on you're model to select it, select object, apply rotation and scale (This resizes both the model and the bones)


Then re-export the model. You should delete the original .smd model after the 2nd export.

Creating the .qc file

Next create a text document (right click, new, text document).
open it and put this in:

$modelname "ModelPath\ModelName.mdl"
$body mybody "ModelName.smd"
$staticprop
$surfaceprop combine_metal
$cdmaterials "models\ModelTexture"

$sequence idle "ModelName.smd"

$collisionmodel "ModelName.smd" { $concave }

This is the qc file base I use for all of my sfm models
(also make sure that the file path you have for $cdmaterials "models\ModelTexture" is not what the actual .vmt file is called, it's just the filepath, and sfm get funky if you have a period in your folder path)

Remove $Staticprop (It's only useful if you're porting props), and replace all instances of modelname (Except for the first $modelname) with the name of your sim's character
Next replace modelpath with something like Bob_Model, and replace modeltexture with something like bob_texture. (You should replace bob with the name of your sim, you can also replace bob_texture and bob_model with whatever you want, but it should be those for you're first model)
Save and exit, and then rename the file extension to .txt to .qc (it will say it might be unusable, but click yes anyways)

Also if you're going to publish a model to the sfm work shop (Which I will not help with) You should change the file path from bob_model & bob_texture to something like Your user name/The game you're exporting from/name of character/. It isn't required, but it helps with finding the model and textures once it's all said and done.

Compiling model

Open crowbar, go to compile, qc input, and select browse. (Open the qc file you made earlier and)
Then go to output folder, browse, and select where you want the exported files to go.
Select sorce filmmaker in the "games that has the model compiler" and click compile. (If there is any issue, make sure all the files are in the right place first, and then ask about it)
Go to where you exported the files, create a new folder and call it materials, go to that folder and create another folder and call it models, go to that folder and create another folder (It should be called Sim name_texture)

Creating the textures

Open vtfedit, go to file, import, and then select the texture for the model. (I exported Bob Pancakes, so it is called BobPancakes_diffuse.png for me)

Go to options and select auto create vmt file.






Then go to file, save as, and go to materials, model, sim name_texture and call it "Material_001"

Exit VMTedit and go to the file Material_001.vmt, and replace LightmappedGeneric with VertexLitGeneric and save.

Creating the testing folder for sfm (Optional)

Go to sfm in you're steam library, select launch, and launch SDK.










Go select "Create new mod or add existing mod" and call it "testing" (Or something for testing models in sfm with) and select "create mod".

Select "Edit search paths for selected mod" and click the checkmark box for testing (Or whatever you named it) and click ok.

Or you can just put it in the usermod/workshop folder if you want. This isn't required, but highly recommended.

Moving the files to sfm

Go to "testing" (Or whatever you named it) and drag the materials and model files into it.

Launch sfm and create a new session. Right click the screen that says "NO MAP LOADED!" select load map, and open any map.

Select the plus button on the top left of the screen, and select "Create animation set for new model"
Select mod filter in the top right of the new window and select testing (Or whatever you named it) and select you're model, and click open.

If all goes right, you just ported a model to sfm! Congratulations!
If you have any issues or problems with the guide, or porting the model, I will try my best to help in any way I can. Thank you.

[Lmgmm06]

cool this doesn't work any more due to a blender update and i can't use older versions of blender because it crashes. man i really hate blender.

[Just Craig is fine]

Did you export the texture for sfm?

If so, check your qc file (specifically look for where it says $cdmaterials) and your vmt file (specifically $basetexture) and make sure they have the same filepath (case sensitive).

If they do not have the same path, this would happen.

[SuperMario231]

I opened SFM, followed instruction, and when I put my sim in there, it gave me black and pink texture.

[Just Craig is fine]

Then I really don't know. My knowledge of porting to source only really applies to getting the model and textures working (along side some other basic features), so I really can't help you much on the gmod end. Sorry lad, maybe you should ask that person instead of me? I don't mean to come off as rude, it's just an idea on what you could do, cause I'm pretty much useless on the gmod end.

[76561198167566727]

I'm just doing it for Gmod tbh, but I guess an SFM guide is the closest guide. Thing is, someone else who did it on Gmod said all I need to do is rename the bones into ValveBiped ones, but I'm wondering if I also have to sort the bone tree in blender to match the valve one, idk

[Just Craig is fine]

You really shouldn't need to, and for the most part I've heard problems with renaming the bones. If you want an ik rig for the model in sfm, here is a link for the auto rigger I use:

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=444750868
(In case steam removes the link, search Auto-Rigger v1.9 for Biped Models, or just auto rigger)

[76561198167566727]

What about the ValveBiped renamings?

[Just Craig is fine]

Dang, idk then. You could try to post your problem in the comments for the sims 4 ripper page, cause I don't know how to help you there lad. Sorry

[SuperMario231]

"Exporting the sim model from The sims 4 ripper"
Select the sim you want to port to sfm to in the bottom left
(It should be the first and last name of you're sim) and select the outfit you want them to have (Bottom right side of the screen underneath occult)

that part. I select the sim, and then "working..." then that "Unhandled error exception" popped up.

[Just Craig is fine]

I’m sorry, but what part are you at right now? Are you still trying to export the sim?