Changing party member appearance?

[Anastase]

Hello all, I am brand new to the community. I've actually been playing Kotor (the first one) for only a day or so. I'm having a problem, and was hoping someone here might be able to direct me towards the proper link if I'm just missing it, or perhaps help me if possible

 

I haven't been able to find the files that are supposed to be edited to change the appearance of an NPC (utc or 2da file I believe). My plan was to change my character to look like Bastila (I already accomplished this by using the Kotor Savegame Editor, though I'm not sure..will it stick through the next module load?). Then I also wanted to change Bastila's character to look like one of the PC option appearances, or alternately give her a different hair color from my character.

 

I'm guessing that other females have probably done this before, as Bastila is a very appealing character to play obviously Is there a walk-through posted somewhere which might explain how to change the appearance of an NPC to a PC so you can use it for your own character?

 

Any assistance with this is greatly appreciated

[Simbacca]

you are going to need to change the character's .utc file with either KotOR Tool or GFFEditor. first would have to look at the appearance.2da file and see what row number Bastilla is (which happens to be 4). next, you would have to extract the .utc file of the character whose apperance you want to change to Bastilla. then, you would have to (in GFFEdtior) change the ApperanceType field to 4, or (in KotOR tool) scroll down the apperance drop menu and select Bastilla's. then you would have to save the changes you made to the utc file, and finally place that file in your Override.

[Anastase]

Thank you very much for the instructions Simbacca! I do have a couple more questions ~smiles~

 

Where is the utc file located at, and once I find it, how do I extract the utc file that I need? I've looked at all the tutorials here and searched the posts, and I could not find anything that specifically states how to extract a utc file (or even how to know which one belongs to what creature/npc).

 

I'm coming from NWN and using the files and tools there, so while I have some familiarity with this, I don't know the specifics of things for Kotor

 

(Edit to this, I see the "Extract Entire RIM File" and "Extract for Module Editing" buttons, would I use one of these?)

[Anastase]

Also, could anyone answer this question?

 

I used:

 

http://www.pcgamemods.com/mod/14018.html to let me choose Bastila as my PC character

 

and I used:

 

http://www.pcgamemods.com/mod/9507.html to give both my character and Bastila the red hair/blue eyes texture.

 

Now my question is, can I keep my character as the Bastila look with red hair/blue eyes but change the NPC Bastila to have the blond hair like she does here: http://www.pcgamemods.com/mod/8308.html ??

[Simbacca]

well i have no idea how whatever tools you already have may work as my only modding experience is with KotOR and the tools found linked in these forums.

 

to extract the utc file you need, you would have to open up KotOR, click to expand where it says KotOR I, which should show four more choices (BIFs, RIMs, ERFs, Saves), then click to expand RIMs, which should show 2 more choices (Modules and Rims), and click to expand Modules.

 

now alot more expandable choices are going to show up, each pair representing a different area of the KotOR universe. for the sake of this walkthrough, let us say you want to change Nemo's (an older male jedi outside of dantoonie's jedi enclave) apperance to look like Bastilla. next step after what we were doing with KotOR Tool above is to click to expand the correct area. the one we need to expand is danm14aa_s.rim. this will give yet more expandable choices. we are going to expand "Blueprint, Character" next. once you expand that, you will see the .utc files of all the NPCs that appear in the Dantoonie Courtyard. single-click on the file named "dan14_nemo.utc" and then click the big top button to the far right of KotOR Tool that says "Extract File".

 

after deciding where you want to save it, it file is extracted. now all you have to do is open up the file with GFFEditor or KotOR Tool and change the apperancetype field as i stated in my earlier post. if you want to change the PC's apperance to Bastilla, that requires a whole different procedure, that will require editing 2da files, specifically apperance.2da (which also can be done with KotOR Tool).

 

if you need listings of the great tools made available to the KotOR modding community, visit here.

 

hope this helps at least getting you started

[Anastase]

That's wonderful Simbacca, thank you SO MUCH! You didn't happen to know the answer to my last post did you? I used the mod that I linked to change my PC appearance to Bastila (and it works perfectly), but I'd really like to have my character look like Bastila with red hair/blue eyes and the NPC Bastila to have blond hair. Is this even possible?

 

Also, after working through your instructions (very clear and easy to understand, again thank you ), is there a list somewhere that will tell me what each of the Module files represents? For example, you told me that danm14aa_s.rim = Dantoonie's Jedi Enclave, is there a list somewhere that names all of them?

 

And finally, will I need to change the file for each module I load into that has Bastila, or will the changes be carried over through each load? (I'm still trying to get the hang of the search function, but I promise I have tried looking up all this myself before posting! )

 

I so appreciate you taking the time to help me with this. I've never played any Star Wars games before, and this one is VERY enjoyable. I just love the Bastila face, but want us to look different while I play to give it a certain "feel"

[Anastase]

Oh I had another quick question..

 

If I do change Bastila's NPC face (say I change it to look like the female PC with a braid), will her face be like that in the cut scenes or are those pre-recorded to show the original Bastila? I'm not sure what's coming up (I just arrived on Tatooine) so I don't want to spoil any later movies/cut scenes by changing her appearance too much.

[Mono_Giganto]

If you change Bastila's appearance, she will still change in any in-game cutscenes, but she will look like the original Bastila in the recorded video scenes.

[Simbacca]

...is there a list somewhere that will tell me what each of the Module files represents? For example, you told me that danm14aa_s.rim = Dantoonie's Jedi Enclave, is there a list somewhere that names all of them?

 

KotOR Tool will do it for you. if you are not seeing the areas' names next to the .rims, then you need to change your options. on KotOR Tool top menu bar, click on Tools, then at the bottom of the drop down menu click on Options. with the pop-up, you have to click to put a check in the box next to the Show Module Descriptions, then click OK.

 

And finally, will I need to change the file for each module I load into that has Bastila, or will the changes be carried over through each load? (I'm still trying to get the hang of the search function, but I promise I have tried looking up all this myself before posting! )

 

when changing the appearance of a party member like that, you don't have to change them in each module. you will not have to make any utc alterations at all. the mods you download should include a file called P_BastilaH04.tga. just placing that file in the Override will have Bastilla's head call to that skin every load.

 

If I do change Bastila's NPC face (say I change it to look like the female PC with a braid), will her face be like that in the cut scenes or are those pre-recorded to show the original Bastila?

 

i do not believe the changes will carry over to pre-rendered cutscenses, but they may carry over on the in-game cutscenses (if you know what i mean). i must say though that i do not know for such as i am far from the experts around here.

 

more next post...

[Simbacca]

...continued from above

 

...I'd really like to have my character look like Bastila with red hair/blue eyes and the NPC Bastila to have blond hair. Is this even possible?

 

yes it is possible, just not with the mod you downloaded. you will have to remove the Bastilla as PC mod from your override. you will, however still need the other two mods you listed.

 

ok, what we have to figure out which starter head you want to replace (for now much easier than doing it without replacing). and once again for simplicity's sake, lets say you want to replace the one blond white girl starter head.

 

now all we have to do is rename the P_BastilaH04.tga that gives Bastilla red hair. it will have to be renamed this: PFHC04.tga. that is the name of the file the game uses to skin the 4th white PC starter head.

 

(on a side note to break down the file name for you; P = PC, F = Female, H = Head, C = Caucassian, 04 = 4th obviously. so say you wanted to replace the 3rd black male head, it would be PMHB03.tga)

 

after you rename that file, all you would have to do is stick it in your override folder and you would be able to select Bastilla's head when starting a new game instead of the generic white blond head. if you plan on going through the game as a lightside character, you are finished. however, if you plan on playing through as a darkside character, there is one more issue...

[Simbacca]

...continued from above

 

darkside transitions. each in-game starter character actually has 5 head tga files. the blond one we replaced has these five: PFHC04.tga, PFHC04d1.tga, PFHC04d2.tga, PFHC04d3.tga, and PFHC04d.tga. these files allow the face of you PC to become more hideous as you fall further to the darkside. d1 is the first change, followed by d2, than d3, and finally the most evil face d.

 

if we left this as is, you would start off Bastilla but if you start to fall to the darkside, your face would change to these increasingly ugly versions of the original blond PC head. to correct this, you will have to take the P_BastilaH04.tga file that makes Bastilla's hair red (the one we earlier change the name to PFHC04.tga) and copy 4 more files from it. then each of the 4 copies would have to be renamed to each of the darkside transition file names i listed above. after doing all that, you will now have 5 tga files to place in your override.

 

now even if you play through as a darkside character, you will retain Bastilla's head. do note however, that since there are no darkside transition head files for NPC, Bastilla's face will not become increasingly evil looking as the standard starter heads would. this would require player made transition tga files for Bastilla using a program that supports tga files.

 

again, hope this helps.

[Anastase]

Thanks Mono_Giganto and Simbacca for answering once again. This community sure is helpful and nice hehe I wish there was an multiplayer version of the game to play (there isn't is there? )

 

Simbacca, I followed your instructions and found the options. That is AWESOME. What a great tool, I didn't even think to fiddle with options, whoops!

 

Now, I went ahead and tried making a new character by dropping the renamed PFHC04.tga file (of Bastila with red hair/blue eyes), and it shows up looking like this:

 

 

Not what I had in mind when I wanted to play Bastila ~giggles~ I'm assuming that I need to change some options in the 2da so she has Bastila's facial structure and hair style right?

 

And Simbacca you have been MORE than helpful. I just cannot say how much it's appreciated that you're taking the time to help me work through this

[Mono_Giganto]

Yeah, you need to swap out the model for Bastila's head model. If you know how to do it, it's really easy. Open the heads.2da file. Find Bastila's line and copy its information into one of the female player lines [26-40]. If you want to add custom dark side textures:

 

Headtexe - First Transition

Headtexve - Second Transition

Headtexvve - Third Transition

Headtexvvve - Final Dark Side Transition

 

Whatever you type into those slots in place of **** will be the texture name of that transition.

 

Now you have Bastila's head selectable in place of a default head. (You can add it separately but replacing is much easier for beginners.) Now, if you want Bastila to look like the default head that you replaced, all you have to do is copy the information of that default head into Bastila's line. Easy enough, right?

 

Now, if you wanted both your player and Bastila to use the same head model, but different textures, you're probably going to have to use the renamer tool in MDL Ops, or Hex Edit. I would recommend grabbing MDL Ops (It's available at StarWarsKnights.com) and reading the renamer tutorial that comes with it.

 

Hope this helps!

[Anastase]

Thanks again Mono As you were typing that I actually found this thread: http://www.lucasforums.com/showthread.php?t=149289

 

I have been doing tons of searches, and I finally found that post. I also was playing around with retexturing Bastila's face. I started with the red haired version, and made the eyes a brighter blue, lips pinker, hair a different and lighter shade of red and gave her a bit of purple eyeshadow. How's this for a first try at retexturing?

 

 

Both of you have been SO helpful. I appreciate it very much and am looking forward to learning more. I might have to create a few things myself once I get the hang of it hehe.

 

Going to grab the MDLOps and see if I can figure all those instructions out hehe

[Mono_Giganto]

Heh, glad someone takes it upon themselves to use the search.

 

Looks well done for a first stab at reskinning, it's something I've never been too good at.

[Jackel]

I have been doing tons of searches, and I finally found that post. I also was playing around with retexturing Bastila's face. I started with the red haired version, and made the eyes a brighter blue, lips pinker, hair a different and lighter shade of red and gave her a bit of purple eyeshadow. How's this for a first try at retexturing?

 

Apart from the eyes being very bright (in my opinion) it looks like a really good reskin. Though it maybe my comp but does her skin look a little green?

[Simbacca]

yeah Anastase, i forgot about the p_bastilah.mdl and .mdx files. sorry about that. i don't know if i've been more than helpful by the looks of the first attempt i led you too, but i am glad that you found help and info from the more knowledgable vets around here.

[Anastase]

Mono_Giganto, I used to run a private message board and it would drive me nuts when people would ask the same questions over and over again, so anywhere I go I always search first, ask last And thanks, glad you think it's ok

 

Thanks Jackel The eyes are probably too bright for some people's taste, I have always been weird and liked bright color eyes (I like all colors but bright has always been attractive to me, though it's not seen very much in real life ). As for the skin, I actually did not recolor the skin, that's the way it's showing up when I play the game. It doesn't look that color in photoshop, it's a very natural light tan color. I didn't change any options in the game so I wonder why it's coming out that way. (Of course I did start with one of the skins I picked up on PCGamemods, so maybe they changed it.) I was thinking of changing the color because I thought that was the way everyone saw it. What color does her skin look like normally on your computer?

 

Simbacca, don't sell yourself short now. You responded several times to my many questions, and it's very appreciated ya know

[Anastase]

***NEW QUESTIONS :: JANUARY 8th***

 

1. Where do I extract the MDL and MDX files for Bastila's head?

 

2. Am I supposed to use Kotor Tool or Mdlops to extract these files?

 

I decided to go ahead and have both myself and Bastila use the same head with different hair colors, but I still cannot figure out these last two steps hehe.

 

If there is a general tutorial that explains where to find these two files for extracting NPC heads, or could someone tell me the file path I should follow to get to them? Thanks anyone who is able to help

[ChAiNz.2da]

***NEW QUESTIONS :: JANUARY 8th***

 

1. Where do I extract the MDL and MDX files for Bastila's head?

 

2. Am I supposed to use Kotor Tool or Mdlops to extract these files?

 

I decided to go ahead and have both myself and Bastila use the same head with different hair colors, but I still cannot figure out these last two steps hehe.

I'm assuming for KotOR I?

 

Kotor I > BIFs > models.bif > Aurora Model > p_bastilah.mdl

 

Kotor I > BIFs > models.bif > Aurora Model Extension > p_bastilah.mdx

 

You can use KotOR Tool to extract the model itself, and use MDLops to convert into ASCII for re-modeling purposes, or renaming of textures for the model (using the renamer function.

 

However, if you want a good "head"start (yah, bad pun... intended.. hehehe) look over this mod. You may perhaps be able to use it as a starting point

 

http://www.pcgamemods.com/mod/14018.html

 

EDIT: Note to self, read the entire thread before posting I see you already know about the mod I listed.. doh!...