Re: Skinning tutorial

[1upD]

I’ve already stated I’m not much of a tutorial writer, but after the tutorial the allowed me to fulfill my dream of skinning EaW with simple TGA editing just like in BFII was smashed in the memory wipe, I’ve decided to write a new one. This will be a tutorial on how to change the skin on a stormtrooper, and code it as an elite stormtrooper.

 

You will need:

*EaW(duh)

*FoC(optional)(if you ever hope to put your skin on the internet, or use it awesomely)

*.MEG extractor

*A .tga editing tool that can edit Alpha channels (*cough* Photoshop *cough*)

*http://eliteforce2.filefront.com/file/DDS_Converter;29412

*A hex editor (I use Hexedit)

*ALO viewer(optional)

 

Ok, if you haven’t already(*gasps*), extract Textures.MEG, Config.MEG and Models.MEG. Go into the textures folder you just created. Find EI_TROOPER.DDS. Copy it. Rename it EE_TROOPER.DDS, or something like that, BUT MAKE SURE IT HAS THE SAME AMMOUNT OF LETTERS. I’m not going to write a photoshop tutorial, so work your magic. BUT FIRST the Alpha channel. Select any part of the skin. Make sure it’s the part(one of the parts) that you want to change to player colors. Now, with that selected, switch the alpha channel. Fill your selection of the Alpha in white. Once you’re done with that, select the all the white parts on the alpha channel, and ‘select inverse’. Then you can do anything to the rest of the skin(not the alpha!) You can still edit parts with the alpha channel, but I don't recomend it, especially if you want to make the skin dark! Once you’re done, save it, and open up the DDS converter. Convert it to .DDS. Wow, that was hard! Then, go into the new Models folder. Find EI_TROOPER.ALO, Copy it, and rename it ELITESTORMTROOPER.ALO or something like that. Now, here’s the easies part. Open up hexedit. *cues scary music* Ok, so that’s the hardest part. ;D Find all references to EI_TROOPER.DDS,(use the find button) and change them to EE_TROOPER.DDS. If you make a mistake….*gestures to comp graveyard* ;D Then, make sure EE_TROOPER.DDS is in data\art\textures, and ELITESTORMTROOPER.ALO in data\art\models. If you have the ALO viewer, open it, go into data\art\models, and check out your model. If you are displeased, make some changes to the skin. Now, time for the coding! Go into your new config folder, and find GroundInfantry.XML. Put it in data\XML. For this tutorial, your elite stormy will replace the field commander guard.

Replace

 	<GroundInfantry Name="Squad_E_Field_Commander_Guard">
	<Variant_Of_Existing_Type>Squad_Stormtrooper</Variant_Of_Existing_Type>
	<Text_ID>TEXT_UNIT_COMMANDER_GUARD_E</Text_ID>
	<Tactical_Health>70</Tactical_Health>
	<Projectile_Fire_Recharge_Seconds>0.6</Projectile_Fire_Recharge_Seconds>
	<Score_Cost_Credits> 250 </Score_Cost_Credits>
	<Create_Team>Yes</Create_Team>
</GroundInfantry> 

with

<GroundInfantry Name="Squad_E_Field_Commander_Guard">
<Variant_Of_Existing_Type>Squad_Stormtrooper</Variant_Of_Existing_Type>
<Text_ID>TEXT_UNIT_COMMANDER_GUARD_E</Text_ID>
<Tactical_Health>70</Tactical_Health>
<Projectile_Fire_Recharge_Seconds>0.6</Projectile_Fire_Recharge_Seconds>
<Score_Cost_Credits> 250 </Score_Cost_Credits>
<Create_Team>Yes</Create_Team>
<Land_Terrain_Model_Mapping>
		Temperate, 			ELITESTORMTROOPER.ALO,
		Urban, 				ELITESTORMTROOPER.ALO,
		Arctic, 			ELITESTORMTROOPER.ALO,
		Volcanic, 			ELITESTORMTROOPER.ALO,
		Desert, 			ELITESTORMTROOPER.ALO,
		Forest, 			ELITESTORMTROOPER.ALO,
		Swamp, 				ELITESTORMTROOPER.ALO EI_TROOPER_Sand.ALO
	</Land_Terrain_Model_Mapping>
<No_Colorization_Color> 225, 225, 225, 225 </No_Colorization_Color>
<Projectile_Fire_Pulse_Count>3</Projectile_Fire_Pulse_Count>
<Projectile_Fire_Pulse_Delay_Seconds>0.15</Projectile_Fire_Pulse_Delay_Seconds>
<Projectile_Fire_Recharge_Seconds>1.0</Projectile_Fire_Recharge_Seconds>
<Targeting_Fire_Inaccuracy> Infantry, 1.5 </Targeting_Fire_Inaccuracy>
<Targeting_Fire_Inaccuracy> Vehicle, 5.0 </Targeting_Fire_Inaccuracy>
<Targeting_Fire_Inaccuracy> Air, 15.0 </Targeting_Fire_Inaccuracy>
</GroundInfantry>

Now, have a look at

<No_Colorization_Color> 255, 255, 255, 255 </No_Colorization_Color>

If you change those numbers, it’ll change the color of the parts of the skin white in the alpha in GC.

It goes like this

<No_Colorization_Color> amount of red, amount of green, amount of blue, 255 </No_Colorization_Color>

So have fun experimenting with that. In skirmish, that’ll be replaced by the player color.

 

Next(and most fun) step: If I wrote this tutorial right, and you followed it right, Play Empire at War, start a game as the Empire, and watch your field Commander squad! Now, I ask you to look at other tutorials, and experiment more. Soon you’ll see your own skinpack sitting on EaWfiles next to my own.

 

NOTE: I'm really afraid I made a mistake...If you find one, please tell me.

Edited June 22, 2007 by 1upD

[ultimentra]

this should be stickied.

[1upD]

Thanks for the stickey.

[fortune faded13]

is it possible to fix the bug for FOC, where the SSD has no skin, with editing the skin?

[1upD]

No. Change the resolution. ;D

[Droid803]

I play on max and its still go no skin.

Its a shader issue, like some of the old, badly converted models. Never knew petro would do that too.

[Mike.nl]

Just wondering, does it look something like this?

 

http://alpha1.dyns.net/eaw/screens/ssd-white.png

 

If not, could you post a screenshot?

[1upD]

OH SWEET!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I see you updated the .ALO viewer

 

Anyways, the Executor is perfectly grayish blue for me.

[fortune faded13]

same here, i play on max.

i tried viewing it with the .ALO viewer, but along with the rest of my units i try to look at in there, all i can only see the wireframe, or its grey without wireframe.

 

but the SSD does look like that, with no skin, Mike.

[Droid803]

Yes, mine look liked that...

or if you want another picture in game, mine looks exactly like the destroyed Annihilator on Wookiepedia.

 

It looks like that in game :S

[1upD]

Could we please get back on topic? This is a skinning tutorial, not "How to fix the Executor"

[Mike.nl]

Actually, can I make one last remark, since I don't know where else to put it

I think I may have fixed it. Download the fix (some shaders) and unpack it in the FoC directory.

 

http://alpha1.dyndns.info/eaw/downloads/SSD-fix.zip

 

I'm not sure if this will prevent you from playing online since this may be considered a mod by the game.

Right now I just want to know if it works or not. It does for me, but that's just me

Edited November 22, 2006 by Mike.nl

[1upD]

Thanks. That'll stop the posting about it

 

Any comments on my skinning tutorial? (remember to use Alphas!)

 

OFFTOPIC: When are you gonna release that AWSOME version of the .ALO viewer?

[Mike.nl]

That AloViewer is now released

 

And your tutorial looks great. You might want to split that block of text up into paragraphs though, but for the rest it looks good.

Just one thing... what's this about the aloviewer being "optional"? :'(

 

j/k

[1upD]

Thanks!

 

Just one thing... what's this about the aloviewer being "optional"?

Sorry......

 

You don't really need the .ALO viewer to skin, just to look at your skin without having to code it and look in-game. It's really helpful though.

 

I use it.

[THX1138_pff]

Why are the textures always written as .tga in the hex code?

[1upD]

Apparently the game automaticly converts all the DDS files to really cool TGAs that only take up as much space as the DDSs when it plays. It doesn't actually convert them, it just kinda...Well, it uses the DDSs as TGAs. It's very complicated. I've learned that TGAs actually work also! But I know there must be some disadvantage to that...

[Droid803]

I think that there are several TGAs in each DDS. Therefore, a DDS file is a cleaner way to package everything.

[THX1138_pff]

OK, as for the .YGA disadvantage, they can't handle layers, so no alpha channels.

[1upD]

OK, as for the .TGA disadvantage, they can't handle layers, so no alpha channels.

What do you mean? I've had .TGAs with Alpha channels, in fact, I COULD'NT skin at all if I couldn't alpha tgas.

[DragonShadow]

TGAs do have alpha channels. What they don't have are MIP maps. When you zoom out from units and such, the models switch to lower LODs, and the textures (when DDS) switch to lower-resolution MIPs. Since TGA doesn't have MIP map, then EaW/FoC has to (try to) render the whole texture even if the unit is little more than a speck on your screen.

[Droid803]

So it doesn't do much if your unit is huge but if its a fighter it may have an affect on preformance?

[DragonShadow]

So it doesn't do much if your unit is huge but if its a fighter it may have an affect on preformance?

 

Maybe on a very low end computer or if there's tons of units being shown...on any decent or better computer it shouldn't matter...

[Fynbos]

Does anyone here have mercy with me and give me a reskinned red Star Destroyer?

I want it for the Errant Venture, Booster Terriks ship.

In exchange I will gladly give you the hero coding for him.

 

I tried to do it on my own following his tut, but no luck, and after 3 tries I am kinda sick of it...

 

thanks

[1upD]

What did you get stuck on? I can help you.