About meshes and polygons

Games use 3D shapes called meshes.  A mesh is made up of a number of shapes called polygons that join together at their points (vertices).  The Sims uses triangle polygons as shown in the dolphin opposite.

Why we set limits

The more polygons a shape contains, the harder a graphics card has to work to render it.  Most polygons in The Sims are already reserved by Electronic Arts for Sim models, the neighbourhead terrain and other details.  As a result, other content is typically a low number of triangles to ensure the game is able to perform well on a whole range of computers.

We maintain high standards for the content we host.  In particular, we adhere to Electronic Arts' limits and we will only host content that falls within the limits we've set out in our Polycount guide. 

Squares versus triangles

If your 3D program renders your meshes in squares, note that for The Sims, the mesh will still be triangulated, so every square polygon you use is 2 triangles.  For example: if you make an armchair at 600 square polys, in real terms that is 1200 triangles, and therefore a 1200 polycount in the game.

Always remember to count your mesh in triangles before submitting it to avoid rejection for excessive polycounts!