Question about new item creation . . .

[Janan Pacha]

I'm having trouble with this, I went over the tutorials that I thought would help, but honestly the numbers side of things is over my head. I'm not planning on creating a physically new item, it's one that's already in the game with an altered texture.

 

here's my troubles (it's possible I just didn't understand what I was reading from the tutorials, they may have told me just what I want to know - and it was completely over my head) when I create an item I don't understand the following:

 

1. How to give it a description.

 

2. How to configure its stats.

 

3. How to tell it what model to use.

 

4. How to tell it what texture to use.

 

I'm assuming since I'm using a texture that I edited I need to give said texture a seperate name otherwise I'll have two items that use the same one (a new robe, you can't see any skin so at this point I only need one version for male and female each).

 

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One further question, is it possible to create a new item without editing a .2da file if I just import it into the game via a code or saveeditor? I'd like to figure out how to put an item into the world at a later time, but right now I figure I'm having enough trouble figuring out what's up and what's down as is . . . o.O

 

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And this may seem liek a silly request, but please use english the tutorials I've read so far have been really . . . well written but that all seem to assume I know at least as much as the person writting them . . .and really I'm just not that smart. :\

[Achilles]

^^^^

Well, if you're referring to my stuff, I've assumed nothing other than the readers ability to read english and willingness to follow the tutorial while actually using the tools recommended

 

Just in case, here is a link to a tutorial that should be able to help you with what you need: http://www.lucasforums.com/showthread.php?t=132253. Keep in mind that it was written for KotOR. It still applies to TSL, however the upgrades in TSL are .2da based, so part of the tutorial will not be applicable.

 

Issue #1 is addressed in section 3.c

Issue #2 is addressed in section 3.b

Issue #3 is addressed in section 3.a (toward the end of the 3.a to be specific)

Issue #4...well, Issue #4 is also discussed in section 3.a but the truth is only you know which texture it is you're trying to use. If it's custom, then we have no way of knowing what you named it.

 

For your additional question: Yes, you can edit an item without changing .2da files, however some items will require that you edit one (an upgradeable lightsaber, for instance). Simply adding a robe shouldn't be a problem (unless you want to make it upgradeable).

[Janan Pacha]

I'm not good at being specific, my own problem not yours. Thanks a lot for the suggestions, it's especially helpful to know that it shouldn't be a problem to add a robe, unless I want it upgradeable.

 

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My problem with assigning the texture was that I didn't know if the name for the texture TGA file needed to follow a specific format or not.

 

My problem with assigning the model was that I had no idea what the name for the model was, I just know the darn thing by sight and not name (the model that the jal shey and Zeison Sha robes use).

 

Maybe it did go over those two things, but I miss things - I really do - even though I don't mean to. I thought I gave it a good read at least. The other stuff your tutorial does go over - rather well, but I kind of just find myself staring at things not knowing what to do. Believe me, this is definitly my own problem - I'm not a book learned, but I'm trying.

 

I've been messing around since I posted and have figured out a few things, not stuff I wanted to figure out . . . but at least I'm learning something. I'm also starting to recognize some of the things the tutorials I've gone over have gone over. So your tutorial is a help, I'm just a rather dense student.

 

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I did figure out hwo to assign the model form your tutorial though. I just don't know which model is which yet . . . -_- New territory is so fun when you're trying to get someplace and can't read the map because you're holding upsidedown or something silly like that O.o

[Det. Bart Lasiter]

For a robe you would name it somehing like a_robe_99, then in the KT GFF editor, set the texture to the last 2 digits, so in this case, 99.

[Achilles]

My problem with assigning the model was that I had no idea what the name for the model was, I just know the darn thing by sight and not name (the model that the jal shey and Zeison Sha robes use).

Don't fret too much; we were all new to modding when we started. A rather Zen thought isn't it?

 

Out of curiosity did you try using this tutorial? Seems like it might be exactly what you're looking for.

[Janan Pacha]

For a robe you would name it somehing like a_robe_99, then in the KT GFF editor, set the texture to the last 2 digits, so in this case, 99.

 

Thank you very much. That clears things up quite a bit.

 

Don't fret too much; we were all new to modding when we started. A rather Zen thought isn't it?

 

Out of curiosity did you try using this tutorial? Seems like it might be exactly what you're looking for.

 

No, apparently I missed it somehow. Thanks for the link - it's a very big help with the visuals. ^-^ Thanks again for trying to help in general, heh, I'll get this all down eventually.

 

Zen thoughts . . . sounds like a perfume commercial . . . o.O

[Janan Pacha]

After figuring out a lot of stuff, I'm still confused about these two:

 

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Texture Variation.

 

Body Variation.

 

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I think I must have misunderstood what I've been told and what the guide says, or maybe it's because they're talking about armor in the guide rather than a robe. The examples given are telling me that I need to get a number and then letter from appearance.2da except the texture I want to use isn't in the game as I've just made it.

 

I'm assuming that letter is M because the base textures for the item I'm basing this off of are:

 

PFBM02.tga

 

PMBM02.tga

 

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So how to I need to label my textures then, I can't use the same one or it'll look just the same . . . right? o.O

 

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Then my only problem is Body Variation? How do I find that number? Or is that number the 02 on the end of the base textures? *confused look* o.O;

 

Right now I have the following files ready (mostly):

 

1. File named: "a_robe_80"

2. 1 male texture.tga (no name yet)

3. 1 female texture.tga (no name yet)

4. ia_ClassZS_001.tpc (which is the base name, but I'm unsure of what exactly I need to do to get it to use a new icon . . . )

 

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Right now the textures are .tga apparently . . . the guide talks about changing the .tga files into .txi files, but at the same time talks about writing them as .txi files in the first place? o.O Translation please? I think I understand some of it, and can sort of follow the directions - maybe - but I certaintly am not understand why I'm doing these things.

 

Uhg, I hardly feel feel zen, more like a moron . . . heh does anyone here speak moron? lol

 

Thanks in advance for any help.

[stoffe]

Texture Variation.

Body Variation.

 

I'm assuming that letter is M because the base textures for the item I'm basing this off of are:

 

PFBM02.tga

 

PMBM02.tga

 

So how to I need to label my textures then, I can't use the same one or it'll look just the same . . . right? o.O

 

Then my only problem is Body Variation? How do I find that number? Or is that number the 02 on the end of the base textures? *confused look* o.O;

 

Look in the appearance.2da file for the line representing the appearance type you are modifying. Then look in the tex* column for the type of clothing you wish to modify the texture for. texi is for normal Jedi Robes, for example. You can get the correct column by looking in the baseitems.2da file.

 

In baseitems.2da, find the line matching what you have set as Base Item for your custom robes/clothes/armor (in the UTI template). Then look in the bodyvar column. The letter here corresponds to the model* and tex* columns in appearance.2da that the character will use when the clothing is equipped.

 

For example, normal Jedi Robes use baseitems.2da line 35, which has the value I set in the bodyvar column. This means that normal Jedi Robes use the model set in the modeli column, and the textures set in the texi column.

 

In other words, it's possible for different appearance types to use completely different models when equipping the same clothing.

 

To continue with the above example, for all player character appearance types the values in the modeli/texi columns is PFBIM/PFBI for females and PMBIM/PMBI for males.

 

(PFBIM meaning Playermodel, Female, Body, bodyvar I, Medium size...)

 

This means that the model used for robes is PFBIM.MDL/PFBIM.MDX for females, and the names of the textures start with PFBI. This is where the TextureVariation field comes in. Here you set the numerical suffix that will follow this base name. If you set TextureVariation to 2, it will load the file PFBI02.tpc (or .tga), for example. TextureVariation 4 would use PFBI04.tpc, and so on.

 

Ironically (despite the name), the BodyVariation field is not used for clothing/armors in KotOR/TSL. All clothes of the same base item type uses the same model set in its model* column in appearance.2da. The BodyVariation field is used for things like headgear (masks, helmets etc) to determine which model is used.

 

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[Janan Pacha]

Look in the appearance.2da file for the line representing the appearance type you are modifying. Then look in the tex* column for the type of clothing you wish to modify the texture for. texi is for normal Jedi Robes, for example. You can get the correct column by looking in the baseitems.2da file.

 

In baseitems.2da, find the line matching what you have set as Base Item for your custom robes/clothes/armor (in the UTI template). Then look in the bodyvar column. The letter here corresponds to the model* and tex* columns in appearance.2da that the character will use when the clothing is equipped.

 

When searching the .2da file how do I tell which Letter is the one I want, without (as I don't) knowing what or where it is I'm looking for the base jal shey robe - as its not like the normal jedi/knight/master robes?

 

This means that the model used for robes is PFBIM.MDL/PFBIM.MDX for females, and the names of the textures start with PFBI. This is where the TextureVariation field comes in. Here you set the numerical suffix that will follow this base name. If you set TextureVariation to 2, it will load the file PFBI02.tpc (or .tga), for example. TextureVariation 4 would use PFBI04.tpc, and so on.

 

So if I named the texture (using your example) PFBI80 I'd just type in 80 there and it would use the .tga file I'd dropped in the overide once I had everything in order? o.O

 

Ironically (despite the name), the BodyVariation field is not used for clothing/armors in KotOR/TSL. All clothes of the same base item type uses the same model set in its model* column in appearance.2da. The BodyVariation field is used for things like headgear (masks, helmets etc) to determine which model is used.

 

Noted, that's good to know. I'm still confused about the guide's mention as to .txi files needing dropped into the overide though . . . in fact I'm compeltely baffled as to where they came into the mix. o.O;

[stoffe]

When searching the .2da file how do I tell which Letter is the one I want, without (as I don't) knowing what or where it is I'm looking for the base jal shey robe - as its not like the normal jedi/knight/master robes?

 

That's what you should check in baseitems.2da for. Open the UTI template for your Jal Shey armor and look in the BaseItem field. Unfortunately KotorTool only displays the label, so open your UTI with a GFF Editor and check the BaseItem field. The value here (102 for Jay Shey armor) is the line number in the baseitems.2da file for your item.

 

So, open baseitems.2da with KotorTool and scroll down to line 102. Now check in the column labeled bodyvar for this line. That column in quite far to the right so you'll have to use the horizontal scrollbars to locate it. In this column there is a letter, (M in the case of Jal Shey/Zeison Sha armor), which refers to the corresponding modelm and texm columns in appearance.2da.

 

Open appearance.2da and look at any of the lines defining player appearance. They are the ones with labels starting with P_MAL_ (for male models) and P_FEM_ (for female models). Look in the texm column and find that the base texture name is PMBM for males and PFBM for females. Add your TextureVariation value from the UTI template to this (zero-padded to 2 digits if its less than 10), and you have the final texture name. PFBM80.tga and PMBM80.tga in your example.

 

So if I named the texture (using your example) PFBI80 I'd just type in 80 there and it would use the .tga file I'd dropped in the overide once I had everything in order? o.O

 

This would add a new texture that would be used for any standard jedi robes worn by females (since you use the PFBI base texture name) which have their TextureVariation field set to 80.

 

 

Noted, that's good to know. I'm still confused about the guide's mention as to .txi files needing dropped into the overide though . . . in fact I'm compeltely baffled as to where they came into the mix. o.O;

 

TXI files are texture information files. They contain directives to the game's rendering engine on how to treat the texture. The most common use for this in the case of armors is to apply an environment map texture to the armor texture that makes parts of it look metallic/shiny.

 

This uses the Alpha Channel in the TGA file to determine which parts and how much the environment map blends through the armor texture (ie the amount of shininess). If you leave out the TXI file the parts of the texture masked by the alpha channel will become transparent instead, since no environment map has been specified (ie you blend the texture to nothing since the metallic environment map is not there).

 

The TXI file is named the same as the texture it provides this additional information for. I.e. if your texture is named PFBM80.TGA, you would have to name your TXI file PFBM80.TXI.

 

The TXI file is, on most cases, a plain text file with a .TXI suffix instead of a .TXT suffix. In the case of the Jal Shey/Zeison Sha armors, the TXI file only specifies the metallic environment map texture as mentioned above. Thus those TXI files only need to contain this line:

 

envmaptexture CM_Baremetal

[CyricTheMad]

To get the .txi file, open the armor texture with the model viewer. Under the actual skin should be a small rectangle shaped box containing the text "envmaptexture CM_Baremetal" that stoffe mentioned. Right under that box should be a check box with the words "Export Selection to TXI file." Check the box, then go into the rectangle and click/drag to highlight all of "envmaptexture CM_Baremetal" and then click the "Write File" button to the right. (Assuming you are using kotor tool, that is) This is when you name it PFBM/PMBM etc.

[Jackel]

To get the .txi file, open the armor texture with the model viewer. Under the actual skin should be a small rectangle shaped box containing the text "envmaptexture CM_Baremetal" that stoffe mentioned. Right under that box should be a check box with the words "Export Selection to TXI file." Check the box, then go into the rectangle and click/drag to highlight all of "envmaptexture CM_Baremetal" and then click the "Write File" button to the right. (Assuming you are using kotor tool, that is) This is when you name it PFBM/PMBM etc.

 

Or you can just open a notepad file, write in it

 

envmaptexture CM_Baremetal

 

and save it as mytexturefilesnameshere.txi , replacing "mytexturefilesnameshere" with your texture file name.

[Janan Pacha]

So, open baseitems.2da with KotorTool and scroll down to line 102. Now check in the column labeled bodyvar for this line. That column in quite far to the right so you'll have to use the horizontal scrollbars to locate it. In this column there is a letter, (M in the case of Jal Shey/Zeison Sha armor), which refers to the corresponding modelm and texm columns in appearance.2da.

 

This explains it, it's not labeled what I was thinking, it uses the Zeison Sha label: Armor_Zeison_Sha on line 102, thanks a lot. I kept missing this and was really lost.

 

I also found the PMBM and PFBM labels by your description. I think, maybe, I can manage to find other things I need layer on my own, which is a big help by the way.

 

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Just so I make sure I understand though, M was the letter that told me I wanted to look at texM right? So if in the future something had . . . F or K as the letter I'd look under texF or texK for the base texture I'm looking for?

 

envmaptexture CM_Baremetal

 

o.O; . . . What if you messed with the alpha channel . . . a bit? o.O It would still work because the alpha tells it where to put what this line tells it to do? Or hum?

 

To get the .txi file, open the armor texture with the model viewer. Under the actual skin should be a small rectangle shaped box containing the text "envmaptexture CM_Baremetal" that stoffe mentioned. Right under that box should be a check box with the words "Export Selection to TXI file." Check the box, then go into the rectangle and click/drag to highlight all of "envmaptexture CM_Baremetal" and then click the "Write File" button to the right. (Assuming you are using kotor tool, that is) This is when you name it PFBM/PMBM etc.

 

Or you can just open a notepad file, write in it

 

envmaptexture CM_Baremetal

 

and save it as mytexturefilesnameshere.txi , replacing "mytexturefilesnameshere" with your texture file name.

 

Thanks both of you, those are both peices of information that are helpful.

 

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I worked a bit and tested before posting, the item I created seems to work just fine . . . I need to run back through and create the actual item now, this was just a quick test. I think I got it all though. *praises* You people are smart. ^_^

[Janan Pacha]

Done now except for the icon . . . it just shows up as a white square. I'm pretty sure the icon itself is okay, so I must have named it wrong:

 

ia_ClassZS_080

 

Is the name I gave it.

 

I based the name off of what I read:

 

http://www.lucasforums.com/showthread.php?t=143176

 

The last file that is need to make the armor complete is the Inventory Icon. For this Navigate to to ERFs-->swpc_tex_gui.erf-->I-->ia_class7_007.tga and rename the icon to ia_class7_070.tga.

 

That seemed like it should have been right . . . but then again I'm about as insightful as a rock, so - heh - help again?

[Jackel]

Done now except for the icon . . . it just shows up as a white square. I'm pretty sure the icon itself is okay, so I must have named it wrong:

 

ia_ClassZS_080

 

Is the name I gave it.

 

I based the name off of what I read:

 

http://www.lucasforums.com/showthread.php?t=143176

 

 

 

That seemed like it should have been right . . . but then again I'm about as insightful as a rock, so - heh - help again?

What you need to do is change the Z back to what ever the class number is, if you model is a class 7 model then your icon needs to read ia_class7_080. 7 can be any number aslong as it is what your model class is, if you were using clothes you would use class1 etc etc.

[Darkkender]

What you need to do is change the Z back to what ever the class number is, if you model is a class 7 model then your icon needs to read ia_class7_080. 7 can be any number aslong as it is what your model class is, if you were using clothes you would use class1 etc etc.

 

The Z in the item there Jackel is for the Zal Shey Arrmor type reference in Baseitems.2da. It is a legitamate item type.

 

@ Janan what you want to do is look at what the default icon is named in baseitems.2da that will tell you where you need to put the right numbers. Also you may want to go to a point in the game where you don't have a copy of the item present in your inventory and then cheat it in. If the item is present in your inventory after you make your changes out of game then it the icon will remain looking white untill you give yourself a new copy of the item.