Texture Questions

[Aeneas2020 10]

Dear BIS community,

First thread so hang with me here. I'm a texture artist...used to working with maya, max and photoshop so all this bulldozer and o2 stuff is new to me. Basically what i am trying to do is simple retextures on an existing addon model (with the creator's permission). However every tutorial i find talks about .p3d's etc etc and how to create models which is all fine and dandy but not what i'm looking for. What i want to know is if there is any way for me to decompile the .pbo to get to the .p3d inside (again this might be the wrong workflow i have no idea what i'm doing with these tools) and then access the textures so i can export them and work on them in photoshop. Please someone tell me if i'm being completely stupid or not. Any help is most appreciate and thanks in advance for your replies.

[PuFu 4600]

Will break down your post into areas that is needed to be covered:

1. P3Ds (the model itself, O2 file).

First, all the p3ds are binarized (as in not editable). That goes for both BIS ones, as well as community ones. Check THIS thread for more info why.

2. PAAs (texture file, TexView file)

Those are the files you need to retexture. You can open them with TexView that is coming with the BI TOOLs 2. Then save those to TGA and start editing with your prefered 2d editing software (PS, Gimp etc)

Also, you can open the files with PS (32 bit version only), if you grab Kegetys Tools Pack and install the plug-in provided there...

3. PBOs and Unpacking

There are a number of utilities that can do that. One of those is called cpbo and is part of the Kegetys tool pack i linked above.

Easy to work with, just install it (make sure you unpack the file from the archive first), the double click (or right click, you will see the option top part) any Pbo.

As said, there are others our there as well, just use the Search function on those forums

Other stuff:

* you cannot link your new textures to the actual model without being able to open the p3d (which, as said, it is binarized in 99% of the cases) without:

• hexediting the p3d (and changing the path of the texture urls)
  
• the p3d having a hiddenSelection that you can take advantage of.
  
• contacting the author (in the case of a community addon), and ask for his consent (and while you are at it, ask for an MLOD format of the p3d as well).
  

Hope it helps

Edited November 1, 2009 by PuFu

[Aeneas2020 10]

Thanks much clearer now. I've already contacted the author so thats no an issue but the rest should make things much easier thank again.

[Planck 1]

contacting the author (in the case of a community addon), and ask for his consent (and while you are at it, ask for an ODOL format of the p3d as well).

Should read:

contacting the author (in the case of a community addon), and ask for his consent (and while you are at it, ask for an MLOD format of the p3d as well).

Planck

[PuFu 4600]

Should read:

Planck

Correct :P

[Aeneas2020 10]

Ok so let me ask you this. I seem to have a pretty basic grasp of the tools. I've read over all the tuts and they seem to make a lot of sense. However all i wish to do now is open the USMC force recon models and do some simple retextures and make a new addon. I know I am coming across as a complete moron here but i really have no idea how to go about this.

As the old addage goes you can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink. Well im the horse at the water's edge i need someone to shove my head under and show me how to do it lol.

[PuFu 4600]

I suggest you take it step by step:

1. Retexture

You will find the the .paas under \characters2\usmc\data (once you unpboed characters2.pbo)

You will need to retext the _co.paa files (the names should be self explanatory).

2. Setting up the rvmats - OPTIONAL

Those are the material files for the maps/texture you will be doing, so you will need to have those edited as well. You will need a program such as eliteness to open them up (those are binarized as well), then change the path of the files you edited (in the case of messing with anything but diffuse maps (shouldn't be the case for a retex really)

3. Hexediting the p3ds

This is a tricky part.

You will need a Hex Editor that has both Bit editor and text editor, so you can find the paths you need to change and edit those. HERE is a comprehensive comparison of most of the HEX editors our there.

Make sure you move the files you want to edit (p3ds) out, into your own folder/work area...

To remember: The length of the edited path needs to be EXACTLY the same with the one you will add, or you will break the file on save...

4. Configs

Not gonna cover much here, just that you will need to do the configs for the models you created (you will need new models (the hex edited ones) that will have to have the paths changed for the textures you edited..

Not a hard thing to do, especially since you can inherit everything from the existing classes minus the models...WiKI is your friend here...Or post again once you got there

5. Packing it up

You will need the BinPBO <or a 3rd party tool - not recommended for the first time doers> (provided in BIS TOOLs 2 pack), for packing it all together and binarizing the config (just make sure you do the binarizing without having the models in - since they will be already binarized), OR you binarize only the config and pack it all together with cpbo or binPBO (binarization dissabled).

I suggest you learn early how to sign the pbos, i guess it should be a MUST DO, for every Addon maker out there, if they plan a PUBLIC release..

Have FUN :P

[Aeneas2020 10]

You are the man! :D i will have the wife send you some congratulatory brownies as soon as i figure out how to attach them to an email :S

[soul_assassin 1750]

You are the man! :D i will have the wife send you some congratulatory brownies as soon as i figure out how to attach them to an email :S

you have to rar them first :p