How to create new magazines for your game

[_TANK_]

To create new magazines for your game, first make sure to download and install an original set of magazines, such as Fashion Magazines Set 1 (read instructions for the installation).

 

After that first step, copy the original set (ex FashionMagazinesSet1) into your sims4studio mods folder (typically C:\Documents\Sims 4 Studio\Mods).

 

1. Open sims4studio, check Standalone Recolor option under Object button, and click Object.

 

2. In the new window, check Custom under Content drop-down (top of the screen), check the Show Debug Items, select the magazine object that shows up and click Next.

 

3. Give your new set a name in the Save As window and a destination, preferably your sims4 mods directory

 

4. Once the new package is open, select any of the swatches you want to edit, and export the textures (in PNG). Open the exported textures with any image editor and let your fantasy do its job. After you are finished with your creativity, convert the new textures into dds files (it helps the game to read the textures quicker). You can use any png to dds online converter for that (ex https://convertio.co/png-dds/).

 

5. Import the new dds textures into your set of magazines (same step as exporting them, just click the import button).

 

6. Save the file and open the game.

 

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If you are using the modular version of Magazine Rack, to make the set of magazines show as a restocking choice, things get a bit more challenging.

 

7. You have to export both TANK:MagazineRack_FashionMagazines_set1_Object_Injector and TANK:MagazineRack_Interaction_Restock_FashionMagazines_set1 from the original set and import them into your new package, using the Batch Import button.

 

8. Change the names of both of them (ex. TANK:MagazineRack_FashionMagazines_set2_Object_Injector and TANK:MagazineRack_Interaction_Restock_FashionMagazines_set2).

 

9. Copy the new tuning ID from TANK:MagazineRack_Interaction_Restock_FashionMagazines_set2 and paste it into the Object_Injector Tuning (ex TANK:MagazineRack_FashionMagazines_set2_Object_Injector).

 

10. Select each object definition in your new package and select and copy the instance, go to Tools, click on Hash Generator and insert the copied instance into Hexadecimal input. Select and Copy the newly generated Decimal number and paste it into Notepad. Repeat this whole step for all the object definitions you have in your set.

 

11. Open the newly interaction tuning (ex TANK:MagazineRack_Interaction_Restock_FashionMagazines_set2) and scroll to line 599. Change the number inside <T n="definition"></T> with the any of the newly generated decimal numbers you created during step 10.

 

12. Repeat step 11 for the next <T n="definition"></T> on line 645, 691, 737, 783, 829, 875, 921, and so on, (look for the next block <V t="create_object">, as each block has a <T n="definition"></T> which can be changed). 

 

13. To give a name and description to each new magazine, open Hash Generator in Tools menu. Type in Text field the name tag of the magazine, for ex. TANK:Allure_Magazine_Ciara_name. Copy the FNV32 field and write it down in notepad. Type in Text field the description tag of the magazine, for ex. TANK:Allure_Magazine_Ciara_desc. Copy the FNV32 field again and paste it in notepad.

 

14. Close Hash Generator for now or move it in the background and go to sims4studio. Select the English String tuning and on the right side, click Edit Items.

 

15. In the new window, click Add and fill the Key field on the right of the window with the hash generated from the name tag you wrote down in notepad, while in Value field, write whatever name you want to give your magazine. Repeat the whole step for hash generated for the description tag.

 

16. Once done with step 15, click save to close the window and go to the object catalog of your magazine (it has the same instance as the object definition tuning) and click it. On the right side, look for DescriptionHash and NameHash fields. Put in your generated hashes respectively.

 

17. Repeat steps 13-16 for each of your magazines.

 

18. Last thing, go to Tools->Modding and click Copy String Tables To All Languages, so each new string you created in English strings table gets copied automatically into all the other strings tables.

 

After you are done, save your package and open your game to test your set.

 

Thats it.

 

Edited February 22, 2023 by TANK.

[thewatcher1]

Thank you so much for this tutorial! I've already started creating some of my own!
 

Spoiler

 

Question: and maybe I missed it above, but is there a way to update each description separately? S4S looks like it updates all descriptions for each swatch, even though the objects are different in the bookcase.

 

[_TANK_]

3 hours ago, thewatcher1 said:

Thank you so much for this tutorial! I've already started creating some of my own!
 

  Hide contents

 

Question: and maybe I missed it above, but is there a way to update each description separately? S4S looks like it updates all descriptions for each swatch, even though the objects are different in the bookcase.

 

 

Great job!

 

About the names and description, yes its possible. I updated the original post, please read between the lines 13-18.

Edited February 22, 2023 by TANK.

[SensualLust]

I tried this, and not sure why but it just doesnt appear in Sims4Studio. This is with 3.2.2.5. I'm thinking that its not detecting the mesh, because I pull it up under the my CC viewer, there is no mesh.

Edited September 7, 2024 by SensualLust

[PeterMcPhallus]

On 2/20/2023 at 4:14 PM, _TANK_ said:

After you are done, save your package and open your game to test your set.

 

Thats it.

 

 

Thank you for this tutorial. I was able to make magazines for my game just like thewatcher1 did. I called the magazine "Wicked Sims". The font I used is called "SimFuture", which you can get for free from several different places, just Goog it.

 

Spoiler

 

 

Sorry, but I will not share them here. I used images from my personal collection, which are all of unknown copyright status, and I don't feel like dealing with the jack-booted thugs of the DMCA.

 

I did have some fun with the back covers though. I found some really 'values dissonant' ads from the "Mad Men" era. I considered translating them into Simlish, but they're funnier if you can actually read them (I'm fairly sure these are all public domain stuff):

 

Spoiler

 

I did come across a couple of issues to be aware of;

1. You cannot upscale the textures like you can with most Standalone Recolors, at least not the 512x 1280 internal pages. I tried to import them as 1024x2560 and they went seriously wonky in the game.
2. Don't do what I did, and create elaborate page sequences, or centerfolds. Your Sim does not read the pages in any kind of order, and sometimes even shows the same page on both sides. It's completely random which two of the eight available pages (s)he will open to.
3. There's a glitch with the back cover that I can't figure out (See screenshot). It only occurs when the Sim is holding the magazine in a certain way. 
   Spoiler