Ulrek
10-12-2010, 19:30
Hey all. second guide from me thus far. hopefully this will help to steadily lower the number of posts asking for help about the simple things, since no one explains them in their own guides all that much.
If you've already read my guide to editing soldiers you can skip the first few steps about how to unpack and use your new textures. but i don't trust my fellow man not to be lazy, so i'll re-list the steps here anyway.
(First Step) Go get a program like WinRAR or 7.zip, you'll want one of these programs anyway. since most modders pack their work in the improved storage files they can create. to upload them easily. and make them smaller to download.
(Second Step) Get a program like Gimp. or paint.net, however i suggest Gimp. since i've heared paint.net doesn't really have a "shader" tool that allows you to tweak the color of existing textures. but i cant confirm this. either way they're both free. but remember to download and install the .dds plugins for either of them. otherwise they won't be able to open .dds files. or save them.
(Third Step) Than go to your MoW install folder, and than go in to the "resource" folder" and open the e3.pak file. and than go in, and open the "inventory" folder. inside you will find the models and textures for all the small ingame items. from first aid stuff to guns. and ammo. if your goal is weapons alone. scroll through the list untill you find the "-weapons" folder, and there are all the textures from weapons infantrymen can pick up and use in the game. from maxims to mosin rifles. helmets and other things are listed as "-equipment".
(Fourth Step) Edit and reskin weapons to your hearts content. and than save them. note, unlike soldiers. mipmaps don't seem to apply as much. however i've noticed weird things with the trigger guard happening both when saving the files with mipmaps and without. so try both to see what makes the texture work the best. and look the best.
(Fith step) Put them in either "resource/entity/(-equipment or -weapons, depending on what it is.)/(Place the folder with the edited files inside it here.) " or. place it inside the same file path inside a mod folder. for a mod install. rather than directly installing.
(Sixth step) To override or not to override. if you want the texture to replace the textures in vMoW than leave the folder name and .def file name the same. and it will replace the stock texture. which is useful for making visual addons for the normal campaign missions without editing breeds or the missions themselves. If you're going to make your new items stand out. you'll need to do a few more steps than with soldier textures. first, rename the folder and .def file only. make sure they're the same name, and than edit this line inside the .def file. replace the name in the {item " "} box with the name of your new items set file. thus telling the model to look at that file as well. since the editor oddly doesn't always spawn items based on its .set file. and sometimes spawns the model first. and than loads the .set file that the model is pointing to. so it can cause items to change from a rifle to a machine gun when a soldier picks it up.
{extender "stuff"
{item "c96"}
}
*Tips*
When reskinning items. you can use a model as a stand in for another item. like turning a mosin carbine in to a SKS standin. or you can just make the wood look a bit nicer. or change the color of it from a brownish color to a more reddish one. which is why i suggest gimps shadding tools. since it allows you to change the colors easier. while still using a free program.
Also. when editing metal. be very careful about using bright colors. and try using shading to make some parts seem lower than they are. as a example. you can turn a colt .45 in to a browning high power pistol via darkening the end of the slide and barrel enough. and smudging it a little bit to blend it in. so that it looks like the slide is shorter than it really is on the model.
And. if you lack a new model with which to make a item, try getting your hands on Soldiers:Heroes of World war 2. and either editing or reskinning its models as a base. since MoW models cannot be edited it seems. the weapons won't look as good. but will at least look more like what you want than just putting a totally different weapon in the soldiers hands of the country you're trying to create.
*READ THIS PLEASE*
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Due to the PMs i've gotten in reply to this asking for help i've thought to add this little bit in to this mini guide.
DO NOT re-name any other files than the skins folder and the .def file. if you change the name of the .dds files or any other file it will mess up.
Also, if you have a question ask it here please. don't send it as a PM unless it has something to do with a the details of a mod you're working on. or something else you'd rather not post for the public to see.
The reason for this is so that others can read your questions and read my answers, and might find a answer to their own problems without having to ask it themselves. and thus saving time.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-Ulrek-
If you've already read my guide to editing soldiers you can skip the first few steps about how to unpack and use your new textures. but i don't trust my fellow man not to be lazy, so i'll re-list the steps here anyway.
(First Step) Go get a program like WinRAR or 7.zip, you'll want one of these programs anyway. since most modders pack their work in the improved storage files they can create. to upload them easily. and make them smaller to download.
(Second Step) Get a program like Gimp. or paint.net, however i suggest Gimp. since i've heared paint.net doesn't really have a "shader" tool that allows you to tweak the color of existing textures. but i cant confirm this. either way they're both free. but remember to download and install the .dds plugins for either of them. otherwise they won't be able to open .dds files. or save them.
(Third Step) Than go to your MoW install folder, and than go in to the "resource" folder" and open the e3.pak file. and than go in, and open the "inventory" folder. inside you will find the models and textures for all the small ingame items. from first aid stuff to guns. and ammo. if your goal is weapons alone. scroll through the list untill you find the "-weapons" folder, and there are all the textures from weapons infantrymen can pick up and use in the game. from maxims to mosin rifles. helmets and other things are listed as "-equipment".
(Fourth Step) Edit and reskin weapons to your hearts content. and than save them. note, unlike soldiers. mipmaps don't seem to apply as much. however i've noticed weird things with the trigger guard happening both when saving the files with mipmaps and without. so try both to see what makes the texture work the best. and look the best.
(Fith step) Put them in either "resource/entity/(-equipment or -weapons, depending on what it is.)/(Place the folder with the edited files inside it here.) " or. place it inside the same file path inside a mod folder. for a mod install. rather than directly installing.
(Sixth step) To override or not to override. if you want the texture to replace the textures in vMoW than leave the folder name and .def file name the same. and it will replace the stock texture. which is useful for making visual addons for the normal campaign missions without editing breeds or the missions themselves. If you're going to make your new items stand out. you'll need to do a few more steps than with soldier textures. first, rename the folder and .def file only. make sure they're the same name, and than edit this line inside the .def file. replace the name in the {item " "} box with the name of your new items set file. thus telling the model to look at that file as well. since the editor oddly doesn't always spawn items based on its .set file. and sometimes spawns the model first. and than loads the .set file that the model is pointing to. so it can cause items to change from a rifle to a machine gun when a soldier picks it up.
{extender "stuff"
{item "c96"}
}
*Tips*
When reskinning items. you can use a model as a stand in for another item. like turning a mosin carbine in to a SKS standin. or you can just make the wood look a bit nicer. or change the color of it from a brownish color to a more reddish one. which is why i suggest gimps shadding tools. since it allows you to change the colors easier. while still using a free program.
Also. when editing metal. be very careful about using bright colors. and try using shading to make some parts seem lower than they are. as a example. you can turn a colt .45 in to a browning high power pistol via darkening the end of the slide and barrel enough. and smudging it a little bit to blend it in. so that it looks like the slide is shorter than it really is on the model.
And. if you lack a new model with which to make a item, try getting your hands on Soldiers:Heroes of World war 2. and either editing or reskinning its models as a base. since MoW models cannot be edited it seems. the weapons won't look as good. but will at least look more like what you want than just putting a totally different weapon in the soldiers hands of the country you're trying to create.
*READ THIS PLEASE*
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Due to the PMs i've gotten in reply to this asking for help i've thought to add this little bit in to this mini guide.
DO NOT re-name any other files than the skins folder and the .def file. if you change the name of the .dds files or any other file it will mess up.
Also, if you have a question ask it here please. don't send it as a PM unless it has something to do with a the details of a mod you're working on. or something else you'd rather not post for the public to see.
The reason for this is so that others can read your questions and read my answers, and might find a answer to their own problems without having to ask it themselves. and thus saving time.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-Ulrek-