Kryptek camo - WIP

[biggins 10]

This is a retexture I have been working on. It is a family of camo patterns made by Kryptek of Fairbanks, Alaska. The U.S. Army is testing this pattern to replace the UCP/ACU camo pattern. Kryptek is competing with submissions from ADS (US4CES), Crye (Multicam) and Brookwood. I hope Kryptek wins because this camo pattern looks awesome.

I have been using Massi's excellent Army Rangers unit and substituting the Kryptek patterns. It looks pretty good so far. This is my first attempt at a mod and there are a lot of things I have learned and some more things I need to learn. Most of my work has been on the textures. I am having trouble changing the "config.bin" file so I'm not sure if I can successfully change that. I don't have an estimated release date but I might release it for beta testing if anyone wants to try it out.

These are the patterns

Highlander - transitional

Nomad - desert

Mandrake - woodland

Typhon - night

Yes, Typhon is spelled correctly.

Here are some pics.

Highlander

Mandrake

Nomad

Edited August 10, 2013 by Biggins
Changed thread title. It was "Kryptek camo - WIP."

[sv5000 127]

Interesting looking camo. If your using Massi's work as a base, why not ask him to help with the config.bin issue?

[biggins 10]

Massi's code is not the problem. I am inexperienced with changing a config.bin file. The biggest challenge is renaming all the files and references to them. The config file is very large with 5 camo patterns and 19 soldier classes for each pattern. I'm going to start small with 1 class, then work my way up from there.

Edited April 20, 2013 by Biggins

[biggins 10]

Ok, I have made some changes to the config file but now my character textures won't load. I get this error:

Cannot load texture "mas_us_rangs\delta\data\do_1_cw.paa"

Is the location of this texture located in the P3D file?

I have tried opening the P3D file in Oxygen 2 but I get this error:

Unable to load binarized version of the P3D. Mesh loaded into the editor is only known bounding box of the P3D model. You can see some properties in Named Properties window.

Oxygen will reject all requests to save this model into P3D to prevent you to destroy the file by mistake.

Thanks for your help.

[scarecrow398 43]

The P3D's are BIS's and therefore binarised (encrypted), all you can see is the name of each LOD, not view or change anything.

and yes, the RVMAT's and diffuse (colour) map locations are defined in .P3D, you need to use the same file name and structure as massi's addon uses or change it, but unless i'm mistaken, i believe changing it is classed as a no, no.

I assume the issue with the config was de-binarizing it from .bin to .cpp form?

[biggins 10]

Ok, I will keep working at it. Here's another pic showing 4 of the camo patterns.

From left to right... Typhon, Mandrake, Highlander and Nomad.

Edited April 21, 2013 by Biggins

[R0adki11 3949]

Massi's code is not the problem. I am inexperienced with changing a config.bin file. The biggest challenge is renaming all the files and references to them. The config file is very large with 5 camo patterns and 19 soldier classes for each pattern. I'm going to start small with 1 class, then work my way up from there.

You can't change a config.bin file as thats a config file in a binarized format, you need the config file in cpp file format. Also as your basing it off Massi's addons you should have atleast asked permission to use his addons before altering them. If you had asked Massi, i am sure he would have sent you the required files for your Mod.

[biggins 10]

I sent a PM to Massi asking his permission.

[biggins 10]

Here is a screenshot of soldiers in the Urban pattern.

Edited April 25, 2013 by Biggins

[biggins 10]

Sweet!!! I made it on the WIP weekly report on Armaholic. Thanks Foxhound and R0adki11.

No response from Massi yet.

[biggins 10]

I have not heard from Massi yet. He is either ignoring me or he never checks his PMs.

So I downloaded Binkowski's Test Soldier file and retextured it using Kryptek Mandrake.

It looks terrible compared to Massi's models.

Does anyone know of a better model? Maybe one that was designed for Arma 2 and not converted from Arma 1.

Edited August 10, 2013 by Biggins
Removed pic.

[R0adki11 3949]

@Biggins just to correct you, the models that Massi uses are default Arma2 models which Massi has re-textured, he didn't create them. Im guessing Massi may not have replied yet as he maybe busy in real life.

what issues are you having with getting the models in game?

[davidwj 10]

Saw your pics, look great. Any chance I can get those pattern graphics to mess around with?

[biggins 10]

@R0adki11 - I am having trouble understanding what belongs to Massi and what is free and available to the public.

I can mod the default Arma2 models and textures but I am having trouble locating those files.

@davidwj - I found the patterns on Kryptek's website. I used GIMP to edit out the "KRYPTEK" logo in the middle.

http://www.kryptek.com/wp-content/sdaolpu/2011/12/highlander1.jpg

http://www.kryptek.com/wp-content/sdaolpu/2011/12/mandrake1.jpg

http://www.kryptek.com/wp-content/sdaolpu/2011/12/nomad1.jpg

http://www.kryptek.com/wp-content/sdaolpu/2011/12/typhon1.jpg

http://www.kryptek.com/wp-content/sdaolpu/2011/12/urban1.jpg

http://www.kryptek.com/wp-content/sdaolpu/2011/12/yeti1.jpg

[Rich_R 1087]

Wow....the camo is more like Crytek...is it just me or does there seem like a lot of money involved with the US Militaries changing out their camo as often as they do. I understand there's a natural replacement cycle with uniforms wearing out etc, but it seems like every five years a new camo is being introduced?

[R0adki11 3949]

@R0adki11 - I am having trouble understanding what belongs to Massi and what is free and available to the public.

I can mod the default Arma2 models and textures but I am having trouble locating those files.

What is the current issue with getting your addon in game?

[biggins 10]

@R0adki11 - I am not having issues getting the addon in game. I will keep working on it until I hear from Massi. Hopefully his real life issues will not keep him occupied much longer.

Update.

I have made some changes to the P3D files using a hex editor. In the past, all the Delta Force characters used the same equipment texture. This texture contained a MOLLE panel, pistol mag pouch, knee pad, shemagh and some other stuff. I copied the equipment PAA file and created separate versions for desert, woodland and night. If you look at the previous pictures I have posted, all the character have green knee pads, tan shemagh, coyote MOLLE panel and OD green pistol mag pouches. Now, that equipment more closely matches their camo pattern. Also, I changed the helmet color on Highlander from green to tan. Click on the thumbnails to enlarge.

From left to right... Urban, Typhon and Mandrake. Showing shemagh, pistol mag pouches and MOLLE panel (covering bottom half of M4 mag pouches).

From left to right... Highlander and Nomad. Showing same equipment.

All patterns with knee pads matching color scheme.

I would like to get rid of the smoke grenades but I may leave them. There are some collision problems with the rifle buttstock passing through the smoke grenades.

Also, I am upgrading my hard drive tonight. I have been using a Patriot Wildfire 128 GB SSD. I'm moving up to a Samsung 840 Series 500 GB SSD. I found a new one online for $350 USD. The write speed is a little slower but I probably won't notice. I will have to reinstall everything so it may be a week or two before I post anything new.

Edited May 2, 2013 by Biggins

[biggins 10]

I have a few updates. This biggest announcement is that Massi has replied to my message and is allowing me to use stuff from his 75th Rangers mod. Thank you very much Massi!!!

Secondly, most of my time has been spent changing the equipment color for the for the Highlander and Urban patterns. I had a hard time making up my mind, so this is what I have chosen. But I may change my mind again. :p

Highlander with coyote plate carrier and pouches with some green accessories. This is a darker shade of brown from Nomad.

Urban with desert equipment. Previously, I used black equipment.

Thirdly, there are some real life developments related to this. The U.S. Army has finished testing the camo patterns. They will announce a winner within a few months.

http://www.military.com/daily-news/2013/04/17/army-leadership-set-to-pick-new-cammo-pattern.html

Here too:

http://kitup.military.com/2013/05/army-chief-camouflage-coming.html

Edited May 31, 2013 by Biggins

[biggins 10]

I have released a beta version of this mod. It is available here:

Removed link

Here is a screenshot to go along with it.

Here is the info available in the readme.

Kryptek Special Forces addon beta

by Biggins

version 0.8

Release date: June 06, 2013

The U.S. Army is currently testing different camouflage patterns to replace their UCP uniforms. One of the companies involved in the competition is Kryptek Outdoor Group of Fairbanks, Alaska. Their camo patterns could be on every U.S. Army soldier within a few years. This addon contains the family of camo patterns for different environments.

Highlander (transitional)

Mandrake (woodland)

Nomad (desert)

Urban (gray)

Typhon (night)

This mod has been adapted from Massi's 75th Rangers v1.02. He has granted me permission to use files contained within his mod. All the units in my mod are U.S. Army Special Forces soldiers adapted from the Operation Arrowhead expansion. They are availabe under BluFor -> US. Groups are available under BluFor -> US Army. Most of the units use the SCAR-H (Mk17) rifle.

I have not tested this in multiplayer or with the ACE addon.

Planned changes:

Add backpacks in Highlander pattern.

Add pockets and stitching.

Add classes with M4 rifles.

Credits and thanks:

A big thanks to Massi for allowing me to use his 75th Rangers mod as a base.

Kryptek Outdoor Group for designing the patterns. Good luck to them in the competition.

Bohemia Interactive for releasing this game and allowing people to mod it.

Mikero for creating the Eliteness and DePbo tools. I used them a lot.

Included PBO file:

bigs_kryptek.pbo

Requirements:

Arma 2: Operation Arrowhead

Edited August 13, 2013 by Biggins
Removed link

[R0adki11 3949]

Looks great Biggins, glad to see you made it to a full release :)

[Guest]

Release frontpaged on the Armaholic homepage.

Kryptek Special Forces v0.8 beta

PS: I have moved your thread to the "ARMA 2 & OA - ADDONS & MODS: COMPLETE" section since this now contains a downloadlink.

You can of course continue using this thread for your wip and development updates.

[biggins 10]

Wow, that was quick!

Thanks Foxhound.

[Wiercik 1]

It's my idea :)

http://www.armaholic.com/page.php?id=19619&highlight=POLISH%2BMODERN%2BARMY

[biggins 10]

Here is the Alpha 0.9 version of the Kryptek mod.

Removed download link

Changelog:

• Added backpacks in Highlander pattern.
  
• Added more detail to the uniforms.
  
• Added soldiers equipped with the M4 rifle.
  
• Included HTML file with all classes listed (backpacks, characters and groups).
  

Screenshot of soldiers equipped with M4 rifles.

Backpack in Highlander camo.

Edited August 13, 2013 by Biggins
Removed download link

[Guest]

Updated version frontpaged on the Armaholic homepage.

Kryptek Special Forces v0.9 alpha

===================================================

We have also "connected" these pages to your account on Armaholic.

This means in the future you will be able to maintain these pages yourself if you wish to do so. Once this new feature is ready we will contact you about it and explain how things work and what options you have.

When you have any questions already feel free to PM or email me!