๐ซ [BG] SGFX/XTKO: IT LIVES! MY BEAUTIFUL CREATURE! I have risen you from the grave and given you new life! Go forth and devour! ยบเฝยฐ
โ๏ธ TS4: BASE GAME โ ๐ 3/9/25 ๐ NIL โ๏ธ 2/4/26
๐ Rebuilt for almost every game update [๐] whether or not it's broken [๐].
โ ๏ธ This is not compatible with "Better BuildBuy" or "Expandable BuildBuy Catalog" by TMEX.
โ๏ธ These are ZIP archives. See "BASIC INSTALL INSTRUCTIONS" for more info.
๐ You can request assistance or inform me of issues in a new comment on this post, in a new post in the Troubleshooting Community Chat, or via DM (Discord). I don't bite, unless biting is the necessary response.
โ// โ TOTES "RANTY" SGFX/XTKO DESCRIPTION:
This is my (9th) standalone neurodiversity-friendly "SGFX Override".
"Expandable BuildBuy Catalog" remained unmaintained for almost TWENTY-ONE (21) MONTHS between 2023 and 2025. That's almost TWO (2) YEARS!
I exhumed it from the grave, assembled the rotted bits, and breathed new life into it. In other words, I've re-built it from the ground up, as I do with every "XMODTko".
Step aside Dr. Frankenstein, THE Rocket Scientist is here!
Toggle it with tilde "~" or "1" on your keyboard - not the "1" on the numpad, the "1" above "Q".
Let me know if you encounter any issues while using this. Cheers!
P.S. Like all other "SGFX Overrides", this is usually updated every time the game updates.
โ โโ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ \\โ// โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โโ โ
โ// โ DELETE THESE FILES IFFIN' YOU GOTHAM:
sej_XMODTko_TwistedMexi_MyBeautifulSquishy.package
โ โโ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ \\๐// โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โโ โ
โ// โ DON'T LOOK, SENPAI:
๐ GDrive Folder -- https://../drive/SGFXTKO_MyBeautifulSquishy
๐ SFS Folder -- PENDINGโข
โ// โ IF YOU LOOK, SHE'LL SEE YOU:
๐ช SGFX Overrides (Standalone) Collection -- https://../collection/1306589
๐ธ SGFX Patch Collection -- https://../collection/951353
โพ๏ธ Neurodiversity-Friendly Collection -- https://../collection/877663
๐ Original by TwistedMexi -- https://twistedmexi.com/Mods/
โ// โ IF SHE SEES YOU, SHE'LL NOM YOUR GIBLETS:
๐ BUGFIXES & BAND-AIDS Collection -- https://../collection/884858
๐ Silence the Noise Collection -- https://../collection/1367566
๐บ๏ธ All-in-One Live Event Rewards Unlocker -- https://../posts/120588981
๐บ๏ธ Batty Batโข CASMenu Override (Standalone) -- https://../posts/107958333
๐บ๏ธ More Columns ร Batty Batโข -- https://../posts/135116776
๐บ๏ธ CAS Filters -- https://../posts/126616540
โ โโ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ \\๐บ// โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โโ โ
โ// โ MY WEB OF ELDRITCH HORROR:
THREE THOUSAND YEARS OF LONGING -- Be mine, Squishy!
COMPATIBILITY WITH OTHER SGFX PROJECTS -- Self-explanatory.
COMPATIBILITY NOTES FOR THIRD-PARTY MODS -- Self-explanatory.
PROGRESSION -- This is not a change-log. โก
BASIC INSTALL INSTRUCTIONS -- Drag 'n drop, replace files, etc. โ๏ธ
PROJECT MIRRORS -- This project, but Elsweyr. ๐ฑ
ZIP CONTAINS -- A complete list of this project's archives and files.
โ// โ THREE THOUSAND YEARS OF LONGING:
I don't use "Better BuildBuy" anymore. I haven't for a long time because I simply have no need for the majority of the features stuffed into it. HOWEVER, I did use the standalone "Expandable BuildBuy Catalog", and I have felt its absence for the the past TWENTY (20) MONTHS that it has remained outdated.
I keep visiting the mod-page hoping against hope that one day I'll find it's been updated, but it never is. I can accept that, but also, "I can do some !@#$, so I'mma do some !@#$".
"Expandable BuildBuy Catalog" is one of those top tier modifications that EAxis should roll into the game so all simmers on all platforms can utilize it.
I didn't get into "Scale Form GFX" modding explicitly with the hope that one day I'd be able to resurrect "Expandable BuildBuy Catalog", but it has been on my mind ever since my understanding of "Scale Form GFX" resources expanded. So I did it. You're welcome.
Also, the answer is "No." I did not ask permission or notify anyone about this, but I'm also not stealing anyone's work and trying to pass it off as my own, now am I?
TWENTY (20) MONTHS is almost TWO (2) YEARS. If that can't be considered "abandoned", then I don't know what is.
"Expandable BuildBuy Catalog" was finally updated after almost TWENTY-ONE (21) MONTHS, on 4/25/2025. You're welcome. Shirley my actions had nothing to do with it, right?!
"My Beautiful Squishy" was also on CurseForge for NINE (9) DAYS after getting approval. HOWEVER, I received a notification on 3/20/2025 that it was removed until further notice - until I request and receive permission, which I have no intention of doing.
I'd rather post the very scathing rant I have in draft concerning "gratitude" and "entitlement".
You can enjoy this one in the meantime. -- https://../posts/YouAreWelcome
P.S. I am committed to maintaining this for as long as I am alive and the internet permits, despite TwistedMexi finally updating "Expandable BuildBuy Catalog" SEVEN (7) WEEKS after my "Initial Release". You're welcome, though we can all pretend that me doing this without asking permission or telling anyone, and having the audacity to continue doing it even after facing consequences for... totes not this, had absolutely nothing to do with anything at all! TwistedMexi was totes just waiting for "the right time", and we all just needed to find a little more patience in our itty-bitty hearts! Right? Yep! ๐น๐๐พ
P.P.S. I'm not a vile and despicable person. I'm just willing to publicly do and say what I think needs to be done and said, despite the consequences. Clearly someone had to. ๐ฑ๐น๐
โ// โ COMPATIBILITY WITH OTHER SGFX PROJECTS:
I mean to destroy all annoying UI effects.
To that end, I have created a collection of standalone "SGFX Overrides" and "SGFX Patches". To remove all annoying UI effects from your game, you must mix and match my standalone "SGFX Overrides" and my "SGFX Patches".
I know this is a little complicated, but merging these overrides is a recipe for disaster.
THESE SGFX PROJECTS ARE NOT COMPATIBLE:
โ SGFX Patch for Better BuildBuy -- https://../posts/117337021
THESE SGFX PROJECTS ARE COMPATIBLE:
โ๏ธ Fixing CAS Because EAxis Won't -- https://../posts/134653412
โ๏ธ LClick DISMISS + RClick PIN -- https://../posts/112728731
โ๏ธ Main Menu Override -- https://../posts/121348052
โช My Beautiful Squishy (Expandable BB Catalog) -- YOU ARE HERE
โ๏ธ No Glowing Dots on Calendar, etc. -- https://../posts/116006465
โ๏ธ No Glowing Dots in Social Bunny -- https://../posts/117105007
โ๏ธ No Godrays in CAS or Build Mode, etc. -- https://../posts/117006563
โ๏ธ No Godrays on Quests, etc. -- https://../posts/116007299
โ๏ธ No Godrays on Quests: Event Button Variants -- https://../posts/121840542
โ๏ธ No Promo Garbage, etc. -- https://../posts/112973547
โ๏ธ Pure Black CAS Transition + Loading Screens -- https://../posts/123464880
โ๏ธ Pure Black World Transition + Selection Screens -- https://../posts/132809890
โ๏ธ Smudgy Wudgy Barfy Warfy -- https://../posts/133330990
โ๏ธ SGFX Patch for More Traits in CAS -- https://../posts/117343700
โ๏ธ SGFX Patch for UI Cheats Extension -- https://../posts/116265171
โ// โ COMPATIBILITY NOTES FOR THIRD-PARTY MODS:
This modifies the following "Scale Form GFX" resources:
BuildBuyFilter -- Defines UI elements in the Build Mode Filter Options menu.
BuildBuyInventory -- Defines UI elements in the Build Mode Household Inventory.
BuildBuyNavigation -- Defines UI elements in Build Mode, including the Cancel function.
BuildBuyProductCatalog -- Defines UI elements in the Build Mode Catalog.
This conflicts with the following third-party mods:
Better BuildBuy -- No ifs, butts, or mayflies.
Expandable BuildBuy Catalog -- It's literally (almost) the same mod.
My Beautiful Squishy will work with any third-party mod that works with "Better BuildBuy", including "UI Cheats Extension" and "More Traits in CAS", but it will never work with "Better BuildBuy" or "Expandable BuildBuy Catalog".
โ โโ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ \\โก// โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โโ โ
โ// โ PROGRESSION - THIS IS NOT A CHANGE-LOG:
โก 7/13/2025 -- I WAS ASKED TO ADD A MISSING FEATURE, BUT...
The most recent version of "Expandable BuildBuy Catalog" hides modded content by default and only shows it when the "Custom Content" filter is enabled. I was asked to include this in "Squishy", but so far it has remained elusive.
I believe I know what bit of code does it, and I can modify "Squishy" to include it, but it refuses to work. If I'm correct in my assessment, it is because it relies on other code that no longer exists in the current version of the game. In fact, if I'm correct, then it relies on code that hasn't been in the game for years.
Let's just set aside that last statement for now.
In the meantime, you can patch "Squishy" with the most recent version of "Expandable BuildBuy Catalog" to regain the feature. I don't recommend it, but I tried it and it works.
Here are the steps to patch "Squishy":
STEP 1 -- Download the most recent version of "Expandable BuildBuy Catalog".
STEP 2 -- Open "tmex-ExpandableCatalog.package" with Sims 4 Studio. You will see (4) "Scale Form GFX" resources. You need to delete (3) of them:
DELETE "buildbuyfilter"
DELETE "buildbuyinventory"
DELETE "buildbuynavigation"
DO NOT DELETE "buildbuyproductcatalog"
STEP 3 -- Rename "tmex-ExpandableCatalog.package" to "sej_SGFXTKO_TwistedMexi_MyBeautifulOutdatedPatch.package" and pop it in the same folder with my mod. It will load before my mod and re-enable the feature.
STEP 4 -- Launch the game and verify it's working by going into Build Mode. All modded content should be hidden by default in the catalog, and shown when the "Custom Content" filter is enabled.
STEP 5 -- Exit the game and verify that you got no new "lastUIException.txt" errors in your TS4 USER FOLDER (this is the folder that contains the "Mods" folder). New "lastUIException.txt" errors have no numbers in the filename after exiting the game, but will rename itself with numbers the next time you launch the game. As long as you get no errors, patching "Squishy" with this outdated "Scale Form GFX" resource should be "safe".
Now let's go back to "that statement".
If I'm correct, then the outdated "Scale Form GFX" resource is from Update 7/18/2023. I was able to verified how old this thing is because I got my hands on Update 9/26/2023.
Having Update 9/26/2023 means that I might be able to make my own "BeautifulOutdatedPatch", or that I might be able to track down the necessary changes between 2023 and 2025 to make the feature work with the new resources.
If that fails, then somewhere there is code that defines what is shown in the catalog by default, and somewhere else there is code that defines what the filters do. I just need to find it and dissect it, and maybe I can do something similar enough to replace it the missing feature.
I don't like outdated "Scale Form GFX" mods, but I'm also not an expert in "Scale Form GFX" modding. Maybe using old "Scale Form GFX" resources is safe if it ain't throwing errors or crashing the game. Literally everyone else seems fine doing it.
My "Scale Form GFX" mods are small. They take time, but no real effort, to rebuild with every game update. I'll stick to my "meticulous" rebuilding, even if it might be a waste of time. It keeps my mind at ease. "My Beautiful Squishy" is updating today.
โ๏ธ 7/2/2025 -- FILENAMES HAVE CHANGED!
Please remember to manually delete the older "XMODTko" releases of this mod.
๐ 3/9/2025 #3 -- MY BEAUTIFUL SQUISHY IS RELEASED INTO THE WILD!
Beware my Squishy! She remembers you abandoned her and she is not amused.
๐ซ 3/9/2025 #2 -- I FOUND THE DUCT TAPE! SHE HAS ALL EIGHT LEGS AGAIN!
I will name her "Squishy" and she will be mine, and she will be my Squishy.
Enough silliness. What's next? Well... I need to disassemble my "Squishy" and rebuild her anew. I will make for her a body of Vibranium and Adamantium so that none shall ever hurt her again. Never enough silliness! C'mon, I'm a nightmare otherwise. Have you seen my rants? ๐น
In all seriousness though, I need to disassemble "Squishy" and rebuild her so I can get a better handle on the code. Once I reassemble her, she will be released into the wild.
I'll tweak her on my own time afterwards:
The "blue patch" I pointed out in one of the WIP screenshots - that's also visible in all of the release screenshots - ain't the mod. It's the game. It's supposed to be the same color as the rest of the "gray" area, but it ain't, and it been "ain't" for a while - TMEX's BBB video is (4) years old and it's visible there too. It's an EAxis special.
๐ซ 3/9/2025 #1 -- DON'T GET TOO EXCITED YET...
It works, or appears to, but it's not perfect yet. Fingers crossed that I can iron out the kinks. No LastException or LastCrash errors, but I either missed a couple screws or they simply don't fit no more.
๐ 3/X/2025 -- I WANT TO RESURRECT A DED THING.
This one might ruffle some feathers because I'm about to step on toes.
There's something I want. It has been abandoned for some time and I have no interest in the bloated mod that has taken its place. It's SGFX and it's a lot of dissecting, and I'm not sure yet if I can actually pull it off, but I'm going to try.
That's literally all I'm going to tell you for this until I have a working "prototype".
โ โโ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ \\โ๏ธ// โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โโ โ
โ// โ BASIC INSTALL INSTRUCTIONS:
The following options must be enabled for this mod to work properly:
โ ๏ธ GAME OPTIONS ยป OTHER ยป "Enable Custom Content and Mods"
โ
These are ZIP archives. They can be opened or extracted with:
Windows Explorer on Windows -- https://../windows/zip-and-unzip-files
Finder on Mac -- https://../mac/zip-and-unzip-files-and-folders
I personally use 7-Zip for all of my zipping needs. It's free and it's open-source:
7-Zip for Windows -- https://7-zip.org
โ
This ZIP archive contains a "#Sej" folder and sub-folder for better mod organization.
1๏ธโฃ EXIT the game.
2๏ธโฃ DOWNLOAD the ZIP archive.
3๏ธโฃ OPEN or EXTRACT the ZIP archive.
4๏ธโฃ DRAG 'N DROP or MOVE the "#Sej" folder into the following folder:
Documents ยป Electronic Arts ยป The Sims 4 ยป "Mods"
5๏ธโฃ Choose "Replace the file in the destination" if prompted to "Replace or Skip Files":
6๏ธโฃ LAUNCH the game.
โ// โ PROJECT MIRRORS:
Bluesky -- NIL
CF (Legacy) -- https://../bg-xmodtko-my-beautiful-squishy
Reddit -- https://../r/Sims4/comments/1j9k2zc
Tumblr -- NIL
โ// โ ZIP CONTAINS (0) TS4SCRIPT + (1) PACKAGE:
This is a simple "Scale Form GFX" override.
This should NEVER contain TS4SCRIPT files, BATCH files, EXE files, or anything other than PACKAGE files, my "#Sej" folder, and a sub-folder.
This section exists as a reminder that we are in someone's crosshairs.
Rogue TS4SCRIPT files, BATCH files, EXE files, etc., encountered where they don't belong could contain malicious PYTHON script or other !@#$ that will attempt to infect your device and steal your personal information when executed by you or the game. Malware can ruin lives. Don't !@#$ around.
๐๏ธ sej_SGFXTKO_TwistedMexi_MyBeautifulSquishy_[YYMMDD]_[RELINFO].zip
๐ #Sej ยป SGFX
๐ sej_SGFXTKO_TwistedMexi_MyBeautifulSquishy.package
Comments (13)
does this still work? obviously the original does not.
warning that I have no modding experience whatsoever but I had an idea/question: since twistedmexi has the "hide cc by default" filter in BBB, is there a way to find that code from BBB and put it in squishy? Cause you said that there's been code changes that make it so yours doesn't work, but if it works for him is there a way to like copy it over or something? my apologies if this makes no sense
"my apologies if this makes no sense" It's the obvious question, "Why doesn't it work here, if it works in the OG and in 'BBB'?", and it's a perfectly "sensical" question... until I explain why it makes sense. It works in the OG and in "BBB" because the SGFX resource that enables that feature in both of those mods, hasn't been rebuilt with the new versions of that SGFX resource since 2023. I assume that the reason it hasn't been rebuilt is because the modification refuses to work in newer versions of that SGFX resource, and since EAxis hasn't made any critical changes to that SGFX resource since 2023 and "it's not throwing any errors", it's not a priority to rebuild it. Did that make sense? Explaining it always feels weird to me, like I'm not explaining it properly. In other words, if we were to isolate that feature as a standalone mod, I'd be telling you that "that mod hasn't been updated since 2023, and it only works because EAxis hasn't made any critical changes to the resource it modifies, and it can't be updated because the non-critical changes EAxis has made to the resource, renders the modification non-functional." And I feel like saying it that way is also confusing! ๐น Take all of that with a grain of salt because I am not an expert at SGFX modding and I could be missing something that's staring me right in the face. โ I've identified the code (and the script) and inserted it into the new SGFX, but it simply does nothing. -SQUINTS AND PONDERS- It does nothing...?! -TOTES INTERNAL MONOLOGUE- Is it "doing nothing" because the script I'm modifying is no longer the script being used? It could be the redundancies thing that I discovered and mentioned in my "SGFX: Fixing CAS" override. It's quite possible that (one of) the scripts in that SGFX resource that needs to be modified for that feature to work, is now a redundancy that does nothing in the newer versions of that SGFX resource. That would explain why the code "does nothing", when it absolutely should - even if it's just to break Build Mode. If I'm correct, then it could mean that each SGFX resource has an internal list that tells it where to pull the scripts it's using from. That would make sense since there seems to be no consistency - "SGFX: Fixing CAS" sent me on a wild hunt multiple times. It would also mean that I can in fact bring that feature into 2025. I just need to find the correct SGFX resource. โ I haven't given up on trying to duplicate the feature, I've just been busy with other things - and "SGFX: Fixing CAS" took priority. Until I can figure it out (or give up entirely because it refuses to work), you can use the instructions I provided - where did I leave those instructions - to "patch" Squishy with the outdated SGFX resource from "Expandable Catalog". For now, it still works. In fact, as long as the feature works in "BBB", it'll probably work in a Squishy patch. โ Patch instructions are in the PROGRESSION section, in "โก 7/13/2025 -- I WAS ASKED TO ADD A MISSING FEATURE, BUT..."
twistedmexi is notorious for refusing to fix mods that have been broken for a year or more. he still has not fixed the favorites feature of BBB which has been broken since october 2024. outright refuses to acknowledge it even exists. he and his support staff are extremely rude and hostile towards people asking for help. for someone making nearly 20k per month off of patron donations you'd think he'd actually... yk. listen to the people giving him money.
Wait, the Favorites feature is broken?! If something can't be fixed because of changes EAxis made... just say that and folks will understand - if that's the case. It's like the change to how Custom Content is shown that I was asked to port over. It don't seem to work in updated versions of the necessary SGFX resource and I still can't determine why. โ "[...] is notorious for refusing to fix mods that have been broken for a year or more. [...] outright refuses to acknowledge it even exists." He certainly ignored Expandable Build Buy Catalog. Not even a reply to the comment with 160 likes pointing out that the mod was broken. That's one of the things that really set me off when taking the "get some patience" quips into account. โ "for someone making nearly 20k per month off of patron donations you'd think he'd actually... yk. listen to the people giving him money." You'd certainly think so. ๐น
Is this still compatible? What honestly was the difference with better buildbuy? Was it just using debug items? I never understood the difference. Also are you able to still hide maxis stuff or was that only better build buy's mod?
"Is this still compatible?" Indeed it is! It always is! I rebuild it with every update like all of my other SGFX mods. ๐ธ โ "What honestly was the difference with better buildbuy?" BBB is chock-full of a bunch of other features including the toggle for debug and other stuff, a favorites function, and there's some new "swatch tray" thing in an Early Access version, etc., et cetera. It's just that I only ever cared about the expandable catalog. โ "are you able to still hide maxis stuff or was that only better build buy's mod?" Unless I'm mistaken, that's the default way the Custom Content filter works. It hides all EAxis stuff and just shows you the Custom Content.
Hi! Thank you so much for reviving this, I've been looking for an updated version forever. I was wondering if you'd be able to edit the filters - in the og version, if you want to see cc you have to include that filter, otherwise it will only show you maxis stuff. Is that something you can do for your version as well? Sometimes I don't want to build with my cc and I loved being able to choose wether or not it appeared in the catalogue
The OG does that?! The old OG or the finally updated OG? If I remember correctly, it was "Better BuildBuy" what added new filters to Build Mode? I'll take a look and get back to you.
OMG thank you so much I truly appreciate you doing this I have wanted this back so bad it is working great for me !!! Thank you again for all your hard work๐
You're very welcome! Have fun!
Thank you so much for this!
You are very welcome! Please let me know if you encounter any issues. I didn't while I was testing it on my home lot and Copperdale High School, but I also didn't go through each of the building and landscaping tools yet.