Retexturing without replacing

[RabbitFly]

So this is something which many wonder. Texture artists are a dime a dozen, but people also want to create unique items with their textures. Me included.

 

I decided that although no one had managed yet, I would try to do it anyways. And I got quite far.

 

After having retextured and recolored textures from the armor pieces I wanted in my own "epic" set I started trying to figure out how to get them in the game with duplicating an already existing model under a new entry.

 

Without much knowledge of anything I followed Adinos' example as his model viewer is a great tool. His tool suggest that you need to create new entries of the MAO, MMH, and PHY files. His tool does not take care of the manual LOD the game uses though. So I started doing everything by hand.

 

I got copies of my chosen models for all 3 LODs, races, and genders. Thats 48 files for a chest piece, and 45 files for most other equipable items in the game. Thats 183 files for one set of armor. And thats not even counting the textures, which need multiple versions of themselves for LODs.

 

Then I changed the names of all the files to my own modelvariation

 

f. ex:

 

EM_ARM_HVYe_0.mmh - HVYe is the model and variation code for the ancient elven armor

 

to

 

EM_ARM_WNDr_0.mmh - WNDr is the model and variation code I choose to make sure I did not overwrite any files.

 

I did this to all the files. Then I started opening .MMH files and .PHY files in the toolset.

 

The .MMH files has one entry on top which indicates the name of itself. So I changed that to it's new name.

 

Then almost at the bottom there is one entry that is called MMH_Material_Object this is a refefrence to the MAO file, which I will get back to in a sec.

 

The .PHY files seems to only have one refrence and that is the by the top there is one for the .MMH file, I changed that to the new name.

 

The .MAO files are very straightforward, and lets you list the textures you want to use when the file is called.

 

diffusemap

normalmap

specularmap

tintmask (for the Dragon Age tiered armor tinting).

 

I changed the textures here to the new textures I had created. They still followed the same naming hierarchy.

 

F. ex

 

Original Texture:

PM_ARM_HVYe_0d.dds

 

My Texture

PM_ARM_WNDr_0d.dds

 

and so on and so one.

 

I also disabled the tintmask by declaring the default semantics as notint, and deleting the texture entry for the tintmask.

This is how the Black Legion Armor has disabled it's tint so it should be a sound way of doing it.

 

Before saving the .MAO file I also changed the name entry of the file in the top right to the new name of the file.

 

With all that done there was just one thing missing. Getting the Toolset to recognize the new models and variations.

 

 

The ItemVariations.xls has tabs for every equipable itemtype.

I used that to create 4 new .GDAs

 

armor_light_variations_wndr.gda

boots_light_variations_wndr.gda

gloves_light_variations_wndr.gda

helmet_light_variations_wndr.gda

 

For my purpouse I am using a medium armor model and making it light armor.

 

Putting all these files and my textures into my override folder I could now get the use the new model and variation in the toolset.

 

Here are some images to show my progress.

 

My custom texture in Adinos' model viewer.

http://www.home.no/rabbitfly/RangerPreview.jpg

 

All my custom models and variations pulled into the toolset by the material editor.

http://www.home.no/rabbitfly/Complete%20Set%20in%20Toolset.jpg

 

My custom model and variation in create item screen.

http://www.home.no/rabbitfly/Using%20New%20Model%20to%20create%20new%20item.jpg

 

 

Thats how far I got, cause trying to equip my newly created items on an npc will make the item become invisible. Also equipping the helmet will crash the toolset.

I am slightly at a loss here, the models and variations have had near no change done to them, and they are seemingly working perfect until I actually apply them to

an npc in the game.

 

I am hoping we can work together to get further on this, and I hope that showing you my process will help other people eliminate their problems faster.

I will keep trying and updating, but I need to take a break now. 183 files = 549 name edits have taken it's toll (yes I know I should have started with 1 file, but I got all excited :P)

[Alexspeed]

what can i say, i have not much clue about modding itself, but this looks good =)

 

so this is the way to make new armor without replacing the armor thats in the game, just with the meshes that are aviable?

 

I thought that would allready be possible and only the import of new meshes is a problem,

i wasnt aware the toolset limits also the making of new armor out of existing ones. or am i thinking wrong here?

 

I wish i could be of any help but my skills lay in other fields than working with a toolset =(

 

I hope you or someone else get it working. good luck and thank you for posting, i am sure its helpfull for others =)

[Flobulon]

Hey RabbitFly,

 

It sounds to me like it's most likely a problem with your GDA's. Would you consider posting them or a screenshot of their contents?

[RabbitFly]

hmm.. Yea that was always a thought I had.. especially seeing as I am currently using OpenOffice to compile GDAs and it's not working as intended. I can post them no problem, but kinda short on time right now.

 

I will get them up later today, or tomorrow.

[RabbitFly]

Ok I am just gonna host you the files so you can take a look.

 

ItemVariations.xls

 

Armor_light_variation_WanderingRanger.gda

 

boots_light_variation_WanderingRanger.gda

 

gloves_light_variation_WanderingRanger.gda

 

helmet_light_variation_WanderingRanger.gda

 

 

Ok thats it.. hope you can help me :)

[Kiwy]

The ItemVariations.xls has tabs for every equipable itemtype.

I used that to create 4 new .GDAs

-----------------------------------------

 

If I can ask Where is that ItemVariations.xls file? Or How can I create one?

 

How can I create GDA file? Through toolset? Can you show me some steps, please?

 

I am really stuck.... :wallbash:

[EvilPlushToy]

Kiwy look in the Dragon Age>Tools>Source>2DA>Rules folder for the itemvariations.xls

[RabbitFly]

If you want some pointers in how to create a new GDA.

 

go here.

 

as to how you should go about setting them up for getting new items into the toolset I am not actually 100% sure.

 

Yes I got mine into the toolset, but Flobulon thinks my problem lies in the GDAs so I am not sure.. In any case you could download the files I hosted up in my other post and compare them to the original to get an idea of what I did.

[Kiwy]

Thanks guys...

I think my toolset has problem as well.... It breaks when it has to compile scripts... so I guess I will wait until some newer version release then....