Using the engine

Engine vX.Y.Z Windows · macOS · Linux

Everything you need to install TS4RLS, set up your folders, and generate a fresh loading screen every time you play.

Installation

Most people just want the app — grab the latest executable from the Releases page, no Python required. Running from source needs Python 3.6+.

  1. 1

    Clone the repo

    git clone https://github.com/TS4RLS/Engine.git
cd Engine
  2. 2

    Install dependencies

    pip install -r requirements.txt

    Installs Pillow and PySide6; PyInstaller is installed automatically the first time you build an executable, if it's missing.

  3. 3

    Launch

    python gui.py

    Or python gui.py --generate for a headless, one-shot run — no window, never blocks waiting for a keypress.

The GUI

The app opens with three tabs: Home, Build, and About. First run shows a one-time disclaimer, then the Build tab walks you through setup — no manual config file editing required.

Home

Shows your current settings read-only, with Generate loading screen, Rename images, Build executable, and Launch The Sims 4 buttons, plus a box showing the most recent standalone runner build with copy-path/copy-folder buttons.

Build

Set your images folder, Mods folder, and every optional setting (vertical mode, renaming, output size, launch method, CurseForge naming). Also has buttons to build the standalone runner executable and run the test suite.

About

Version and update-check, links back to this site and the GitHub repo, a Save Steam artwork (.zip)... button, and a changelog viewer rendered straight from CHANGELOG.md.

The standalone runner

Build tab's Build executable button compiles a separate, GUI-less exe (named RLSRunner, or TS4_x64 if CurseForge mode is on) that regenerates the loading screen and launches the game with no window of its own — point Steam or CurseForge at it in place of the game's own executable for a fresh screen on every launch.

Config shape

Everything lives in one config.json, stored per-user (not next to the executable) so moving or updating the app never loses your setup. The Build tab reads and writes it directly — only images_folder and mods_folder are required.

Required

images_folder — source images folder. mods_folder — your Sims 4 Mods folder, pre-filled automatically by the Build tab when found.

Image handling

is_vertical (default true) combines two portrait images side-by-side. rename_files renames every image to a random name and converts it to JPEG before picking. target_width/target_height set the output size (default 1920×1080).

Launching the game

launch_via_steam (default true) launches through steam:// instead of a direct executable; game_folder is only used when that's off.

Runner & misc

curseforge_mode names the built runner executable TS4_x64 instead of RLSRunner, for CurseForge/launcher integrations that expect that filename. non_interactive (default true) never blocks on a "press any key" prompt.

See the README for the full reference table, or src/cli/config_editor.py for the authoritative settings list.