How To Add Skins WIP

[congo]

I'm still very confused when it comes to the "Adding skins to the game" part, it says there are 3 methods but there is only 1. None of it makes sense to me.

 

Can it be explained a little easier?

 

For me the simplest method is to place them in a known slot using CDDS explorer. Save the default CDDS file such as Fictional USMC which will be found in your Bazaar/World folder. I usually save my produced skin file as a DDS, this is a plug-in that can be found at NVIDIAS website and allows you to save in photoshop as DDS. Place your newly created files in a convenient location such as your desktop so they are easy to navigate to. Open CDDS explorer which is part of the Modman package. Click on the file folder icon in the upper right corner and then navigate to the Fictional USMC grey scheme in Bazaar\World. Tell it to open this CDDS file and you will see the graphics that comprise that ingame model. Highlight the one you want to replace and then click on insert at the bottom of the page. Now navigate to you DDS file or files that you made and saved and click on open and it will place your file in the CDDS file replacing the default . One other thing if you are using the template supplied by ED dont forget to change BMP 1 t0 2 and 2 to 1 as they are reversed and this will screw up your ingame skins if you dont change them. This method prevents you from having to mess with Lua scripts and such. When you want the default skin back just put the saved CDDS file back in Bazaar\World and you're good to go.

Edited February 2, 2009 by congo

[CrazyD]

Nighthawk - be advised that once RCN Moose settles in at the other end of the country, he's planning to finish his tutorial on adding skins into the game. See a couple posts up from this one, he's aware that he only did one method, and that he's planning to update that tutorial to include the next 2 methods he knows of. Congo's last posted method replaces one of the in-game skins already installed. Personally, I'd like to be able to keep all of the skins available, and with info regarding installing with modman this should be easy (once someone walks us through it of course, lol)

Edited February 3, 2009 by CrazyD

[RCN_Moose]

I'm here....just not settled in.

 

Nighthawk, I'm planning to add the other two methods, just haven't got that far yet. (hence the WIP - Work In Progress) I was also looking to get some feedback for the portion down to see how people were understanding it. I've none done a tutorial before so I'm trying to make this one foolproof.

[RCN_Moose]

Okay, I'm going to work on getting a finalized version done this weekend that will include all 3 methods. Hopefully I'll have it done by Monday.

 

On a bright note, I just found that Word 2007 has a free PDF convertor. Sweet. Filesize went from 5Megs to 800KB. :)

[CrazyD]

That's good news, Moose! In fact, I'm wanting to start saving my skin projects to their own file now that I've gotten the hang of it. As for input - if you could start right from the beginning - ie: Step 1: Open Modman 7.1. Step 2: Click on ..., etc.

I trust that for example - if I am able to create the skin, save it and pack it so it could automatically install in its own skin slot. Then if I saved the original template layers - and I make some modifications, I could simply replace the original Paint1 bmp installation with the updated paint1 bmp? Or something like that?

[RCN_Moose]

Okay, almost done. If anyone is interested in pre-testing it before I post up for the world, PM your email addy and I'll send it to you.

[RCN_Moose]

Okay, tutorial is done (Version 1.0) I just posted it to lockonfiles so it should be available for download in the next few hours.

 

Please post any comments or feedback in this thread.

Thanks

[CrazyD]

Moose - I've just read your tutorial - WELL DONE!!!!!. Very clearly laid out and understandable. You asked for input, and so for no other reason than for editing's sake, my 2 cents:

 

1) Method 1 - temptextures route: when typing out the skin value to insert to the Temptextures folder as per your example - the line should read: "KA-50-Paint1-DEF-01", not "KA-50-Paint1-DEF01" (I know - I've typed this out countless times while checking my work, lol)

2) Method 2 - manual install: you indicated that you should add to the last listed value line by "1" - maybe ".1" would be better, even though you did demonstrate that by showing your example as

"Now you will need to change the value (increase it by one) In this case we would change it to 3.2 "

 

Like I said - just some editing points - otherwise, really well done. Of course, I've only read through this, though I expect actually doing it will prove to be successful.

 

Thanks again, Moose. You're efforts have not been in vain. Next time you're through (or to) this area, drop in for a beer (or wine, I make both!)

 

CRD

[RCN_Moose]

Thanks Crazy. Stupd typos. Thats what you get when you mix hockey, alcohol and typing :)

I'll make those changes for V1.1

 

For everyone else, download is avail at LockonFiles

[GreenGriffon]

Great job Moose - your effort is very appreciated.

[CrazyD]

Moose - had a quick read-through of your final tutorial - looks really good, except for one thing - I still cannot find the sample .lma7 file in Modman - wait, ok I just had a look and found the file in the Modman directory under the "tmps" using the browse feature within Modman. Funny that it doesn't show if you browse from your desktop to that same folder. Maybe put that into your tutorial so people will know how to find that sample .lma7 file.

 

Other than that, great job. I'm hoping to give it a go tomorrow.

[RCN_Moose]

I think I'll just add the lma7 sample to the package, with a link. that should be easier.

 

But keep the feedback coming :)

[DragonRR]

@Moose

 

Question for you! I haven't yet looked properly at doing skins although I have looked briefly. I had a problem after installing the DCS Xmas skin and then VikVaughan's Fractal camo on top. Basically the fractal skin was fine until I crashed. As an example: a damaged tail section would have the xmas skin on it rather than the fractal texture. Is this issue a peculiarity of the xmas skin or does this apply to all skins?

 

When I finally removed the xmas skin properly but still using the fractal camo a crashed tail section would be missing the texture altogether (invisible) .. So it makes me wonder if all current skins need more config entries to display on crashed sections..?

[Ramstein]

I had a problem with Modman, that caused my computer to crash and reboot when I started Black Shark. I had no idea it was Modman, but then after the computer crashed, I remembered the only changed I made since the day before, was that I had upgraded Modman to the latest version. When Modman opens it makes you slelect a game. Last time I made that selection, was BS. Anyways, to fix this problem of BS crashing the computer, I opened Modman and chose another game instead, and then closed Modman. BS stopped crashing my computer.

:thumbup:

[RCN_Moose]

Dragon, I'll be honest and say I don't know offhand. I'm just skiming through the files trying to remember where I saw the damage textures.

Installing or removing skins shouldn't have any impact on the damages. On the other hand, the Xmas skin uses ALL of the KA-50.skins files (theres the nose, tail, l wing, r wing, etc.) and to honest I'm not sure what they're for. None of the other skins out there use them, and they all work fine.

You have piqued my curiosity though, so I'm investigating :)

[Heiliger Bimbam]

Great tutorial!

 

But I've a little problem in buliding that CDDS file. I always got an error in the CMD window: CDDS can't handle the extracted Paint03. I've checked the file; its a 24bit bmp file. Any idea how I can fix this?

:cold:

[CrazyD]

Originally that file when extracted from the CDDS list as per Moose's tutorial, it would have been called KA-50-Paint1-DEF-03 and it is a .bmp file as you know. Did you make any changes to that .bmp file, ie: open in PS, change a colour or what have you, then saved as a different style of .bmp? Whenever I modify this particular file, I open, make the change, then just "save", not "save as". Then you can re-name the file, removing the "Paint1" to "test", or whatever. There shouldn't be any problem because it already is a .bmp file, cdds maker should be able to process it.

 

Hope that helps, I'm not the most qualified adviser, but there's been no other response ....

[Heiliger Bimbam]

I've just extracted the "KA-50-PAINT1-DEF-03.BMP" to my skin folder and renamed in to "KA-50-test-DEF-03.bmp". Then I've imported all the files into CDDS, saved the project and tried to build the CDDS. I didn't open the file with any other software.

 

Tried it several times. Tired also the "KA-50-PAINT2-DEF-03.BMP"...none of these files will work :(

[CrazyD]

Ok, why not try opening the file in Photoshop, make a change (I usually change the bottom centre blue colour to whatever my bottomside heli-skin colour would be) and save as a .bmp file with your "test" name. To be honest, I've never actually tried to install the stock KA-50-Paint1-DEF-03 in a cdds package, I've always modified it and saved as .... Other than that, I'm out of ideas - I've not run into this. Mind you I've never looked over the CDDS report to see what its done, once it say hit any key, well, off I go to the next step ... Maybe there isn't an issue?

 

(OK retract my last comment - obviously there's a problem. Have you taken it all the way and installed to Black Shark to see how your skin looks?)

Edited March 31, 2009 by CrazyD
retract statement

[SSneg]

Can I download the skinning manual from anywhere but LockOnFiles? I tried to register there several times but all I get is a "bad nickname" error. It also won't mail passwords to my older accounts :/

[RCN_Moose]

Heiliger, I'm not sure what the problem is offhand, but looking at your screenshot it looks like you missed something when you extracted the bitmap. I'll take a look at it tonight.

SSneg, I believe the Checksix forum has it posted as well. http://www.checksix-fr.com/

The sites in french but is it avail there as well.

[shaggy]

You have not placed The CDDS Studio utility in the right directory on your pc it seemes.

 

 

I've just extracted the "KA-50-PAINT1-DEF-03.BMP" to my skin folder and renamed in to "KA-50-test-DEF-03.bmp". Then I've imported all the files into CDDS, saved the project and tried to build the CDDS. I didn't open the file with any other software.

 

Tried it several times. Tired also the "KA-50-PAINT2-DEF-03.BMP"...none of these files will work :(

[SSneg]

SSneg, I believe the Checksix forum has it posted as well. http://www.checksix-fr.com/The sites in french but is it avail there as well.

Merci beaucoup! =)

[Heiliger Bimbam]

Ok, why not try opening the file in Photoshop, make a change (I usually change the bottom centre blue colour to whatever my bottomside heli-skin colour would be) and save as a .bmp file with your "test" name. To be honest, I've never actually tried to install the stock KA-50-Paint1-DEF-03 in a cdds package, I've always modified it and saved as ....

Thats it. Irfan View said the extracted file was 24bit, but Photoshop says it is 32bit. So I resaved it as 24bit and viola, it works. I got a beautiful CDDS file.

 

Big thanks to all of you guys :thumbup:

[RCN_Moose]

Since this has been resurrected, I will be posting a revised tutorial (V1.1) this weekend. It will include the following changes/additions:

 

-Fixes a couple of typos

-Adds information for the multiple skin files for correct damage textures

-Adds additional photos to assist with color schemes (courtesy of MadTommy)

-Adds example files (embedded files for skin.lma7, modified db_countries, etc)

-Amplifies section on adding KA-50 to other countries

-Cleaning up some of the formatting and examples to make them easier to follow