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Re: Skinning tutorial


1upD
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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 by 1upD

"I feel fantastic and I'm

Still Alive

and when you're dying I will be

Still Alive

and when you're dead I will be

Still Alive

STILL ALIVE"~GLaDOS

Anybody who thinks Palpatine is a sepratist knows NOTHING about star Wars

When in doubt- rocket it.

Dowload The Underworld's Might beta from Filefront!

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Thanks for the stickey. :)

"I feel fantastic and I'm

Still Alive

and when you're dying I will be

Still Alive

and when you're dead I will be

Still Alive

STILL ALIVE"~GLaDOS

Anybody who thinks Palpatine is a sepratist knows NOTHING about star Wars

When in doubt- rocket it.

Dowload The Underworld's Might beta from Filefront!

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No. Change the resolution. ;D

"I feel fantastic and I'm

Still Alive

and when you're dying I will be

Still Alive

and when you're dead I will be

Still Alive

STILL ALIVE"~GLaDOS

Anybody who thinks Palpatine is a sepratist knows NOTHING about star Wars

When in doubt- rocket it.

Dowload The Underworld's Might beta from Filefront!

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

 

I see you updated the .ALO viewer :D

 

Anyways, the Executor is perfectly grayish blue for me.

"I feel fantastic and I'm

Still Alive

and when you're dying I will be

Still Alive

and when you're dead I will be

Still Alive

STILL ALIVE"~GLaDOS

Anybody who thinks Palpatine is a sepratist knows NOTHING about star Wars

When in doubt- rocket it.

Dowload The Underworld's Might beta from Filefront!

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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

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v423/kc1991/droid803sig.jpg

"That was fun"

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

"I feel fantastic and I'm

Still Alive

and when you're dying I will be

Still Alive

and when you're dead I will be

Still Alive

STILL ALIVE"~GLaDOS

Anybody who thinks Palpatine is a sepratist knows NOTHING about star Wars

When in doubt- rocket it.

Dowload The Underworld's Might beta from Filefront!

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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 by Mike.nl
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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?

"I feel fantastic and I'm

Still Alive

and when you're dying I will be

Still Alive

and when you're dead I will be

Still Alive

STILL ALIVE"~GLaDOS

Anybody who thinks Palpatine is a sepratist knows NOTHING about star Wars

When in doubt- rocket it.

Dowload The Underworld's Might beta from Filefront!

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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. :)

"I feel fantastic and I'm

Still Alive

and when you're dying I will be

Still Alive

and when you're dead I will be

Still Alive

STILL ALIVE"~GLaDOS

Anybody who thinks Palpatine is a sepratist knows NOTHING about star Wars

When in doubt- rocket it.

Dowload The Underworld's Might beta from Filefront!

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  • 4 weeks later...
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...

"I feel fantastic and I'm

Still Alive

and when you're dying I will be

Still Alive

and when you're dead I will be

Still Alive

STILL ALIVE"~GLaDOS

Anybody who thinks Palpatine is a sepratist knows NOTHING about star Wars

When in doubt- rocket it.

Dowload The Underworld's Might beta from Filefront!

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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.

"I feel fantastic and I'm

Still Alive

and when you're dying I will be

Still Alive

and when you're dead I will be

Still Alive

STILL ALIVE"~GLaDOS

Anybody who thinks Palpatine is a sepratist knows NOTHING about star Wars

When in doubt- rocket it.

Dowload The Underworld's Might beta from Filefront!

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  • 2 weeks later...
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.

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h65/NightshadowDragon/RyuuKageSIG.jpg

 

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h65/NightshadowDragon/AoSW-JCW_Banner.jpg

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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...

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h65/NightshadowDragon/RyuuKageSIG.jpg

 

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h65/NightshadowDragon/AoSW-JCW_Banner.jpg

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  • 2 months later...

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

to Bria Tharen!

 

http://img118.imageshack.us/img118/7831/ueawsig4mu9.png

http://www.vereinte-nationen.de/german.gif Ich spreche auch Deutsch.

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

"I feel fantastic and I'm

Still Alive

and when you're dying I will be

Still Alive

and when you're dead I will be

Still Alive

STILL ALIVE"~GLaDOS

Anybody who thinks Palpatine is a sepratist knows NOTHING about star Wars

When in doubt- rocket it.

Dowload The Underworld's Might beta from Filefront!

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