Help with a simple Model mod

[Dark Diva]

I need some instruction on the mdl and mdx files. Basically what I want to do is put Mish's clothes on the PC female smuggler. I have a mod that I am pilfering the mdl and mdx files on that does just this, but i'd like to release it with my own skin I made, and since I don't know how the files work or how to mod them I can't. I tried simply extracting the files for Mission and renaming them as PFBBS01 but that didn't work so I'm guessing there's more to it. I also was looking at some point using the jedimem female and male models with reskins to make some jedi armor ( I haven't seen anyone use these and personally think they look cool). If someone could either point me to a basic step by step tutorial on how to equip different models on to PC's, or write one up for me I would appreciate it very much. And type slooooowly (lol) I'm still at the baby steps. Thanks in advance for any help.

[Malaksjaw]

I too Im at my baby steps but I think I could give you some instruction on how you can mod .mdl files.

 

First you extract the .mdl and .mdx files you want to use. Place them in the SAME directory. Use MDLOps to convert the mdl into ascii-model.

 

Install Gmax. It's free. Then install the NWMax pluggin, which allows you to import ascii-mdls into Gmax. Import the ascii-mdl into Gmax. You can then edit the model (there is some sort of process into compiling the model later on so that it will work in-game) or use it as a reference when making new textures, or what ever. Hope this helped.

 

MDLOps Is Here:

http://home.comcast.net/~cchargin/kotor/mdlops0-5-0.zip

Gmax:

http://files.turbosquid.com/Products/L567271/XFM83W83US/gmax12.exe

NWMax Is here:

http://nwmax.dladventures.com/download/NWmax-gmax-v0_7setup.exe

 

 

Finally, since I can't explain you might find these usefull:

 

http://www.lucasforums.com/showthread.php?t=183995

 

http://www.lucasforums.com/showthread.php?t=183575

 

http://www.lucasforums.com/showthread.php?t=184106

 

Good Luck! Try not to get frustrated, I know I do! :compcry:

[Kha]

I tried simply extracting the files for Mission and renaming them as PFBBS01 but that didn't work so I'm guessing there's more to it.

Inside the mdl file there is the name of the model and the texture it uses, so you need to change that too. Or you change it in Gmax, or hexedit the file.

[Dark Diva]

Thanks for the response guys! I know this is easy stuff for most and I appreciate you answering. Okay I got the mdl file extracted and into ascii format. Downloaded a hex editor (tried to use the one in the KT but it was all numbers and made by brain hurt and I couldn't figure out a way to edit the texture name using NWMax and GMax) and opened up the ascii model I made. I need to rename all the parts that say P_MissionBB to PFBBS01; is that correct? That will leave extra blank spaces in some fields, is that going to be a problem?

 

Also if my guess is right, how do I change the format back so I can use the new model in the game? And do I need to do anything to the mdx model or do I just have to have it for the mod and rename it PFBBS01?

 

Edit: for lawling spelling errors

[Malaksjaw]

Thanks for the response guys! I know this is easy stuff for most and I appreciate you answering. Okay I got the mdl file extracted and into ascii format. Downloaded a hex editor (tried to use the one in the KT but it was all numbers and made by brain hurt and I couldn't figure out a way to edit the texture name using NWMax and GMax) and opened up the ascii model I made. I need to rename all the parts that say P_MissionBB to PFBBS01; is that correct? That will leave extra blank spaces in some fields, is that going to be a problem?

 

Okay. Lets see.

 

In your first post you mentioned about switching body models around. I'm a noob (yes I am) at this so I'm not really sure how you would go about that. My best guess would be to extract the model you want to use and rename it with the name of the model you want to replace in game. You would also need to hex edit the model (.mdl) to point at the right texture (the one from the model you want to use). Does that make sense? I would use examples but im afraid I don't own KotorI.

 

To do this, use the hex editor and use the find and replace functions. That way you don't get those "extra" spaces. It worked for me when I did it. Note that there a few places where you have to replace (around three, I think). Once you have Hex edited the .mdl you can use MDLOps again to convert it into an ascii-mdl, not for the ascii-model itself, but for the text document it creates wich tells you what textures the model will use. It will show you both the texture the .mdl uses for the body and for the head (or at leat it shows both for the models I have seen). Once I check to see it points at the right texture, I usually delete it, since I won't use it.

 

Also if my guess is right, how do I change the format back so I can use the new model in the game? And do I need to do anything to the mdx model or do I just have to have it for the mod and rename it PFBBS01?

 

You ONLY need the ascii-mdl to be able to import it into Gmax. Unless, you edit the model in any way, THEN you WOULD probably need to do something to convert it back to .mdl format. Don't know what though, since I have never needed to do so. So yes, only put .mdls and .mdx in your override folder, ascii-mdls won't work.

 

For a long time I too wondered what the hell I had to do with the .mdx files. Here is your answer: nothing. Isn't that great The only reason why you extract them as well is because MDLOps needs the file to convert .mdx into an ascii-mdl. Why I said to place both .mdl and .mdx in the SAME folder.

 

I would recomend, if you have not done so already, to use the links I posted above and download the hex editor, and MDLOps.

 

 

P.S. Modding looks complicated, but its really not. Take your time and you'll do fine.

[Dark Diva]

Okay, lol if I understand this right my first problem was I was only renaming the body texture and not the head texture for the original mission model to the scoundrel model. Sooo... I want this to work for any head... and I'm guessing the string I need to replace would be P_MissionH01 with PFBBS? Or is it PFBBS01?

[Malaksjaw]

Sooo... I want this to work for any head... and I'm guessing the string I need to replace would be P_MissionH01 with PFBBS? Or is it PFBBS01?

 

I don't know if its PFBBS or PFBBS01, since I don't own Kotor1 (I mod for TSL, there are some differences in file names and all that).

 

What happens when you try it in game?

 

Here is my suggestion, again, I am also learning, keep trying. You'll eventually figure some things out. The BEST way to learn is by trail and error.

 

[REALIZATION]: It actually just occured to me that perhaps the best way to change the appearance of a PC might be by 2da editing (appearance.2da? maybe). But this is something I still have to learn.

[Dark Diva]

I think I could actually do the 2da editing fairly easy as I do it a lot with making my own mods compatible. I'm trying to avoid it though because so many mods already use the appearance.2da files and i'de like it to be easily compatible. But yeah the hex editor I've got and I've figured out how to find and rename the files. The problem with Mission's model is it also has her head name in there. I think I need to rename both but i'm still having trouble figuring out what to rename the head. I tried just deleting the head name but that didn't work, I tried PFBBS but that didn't work (probably because it's a body name) I just cant figure out what the head name is. I still have a few more to try. So far I try to start a new game to see if it's working and it just crashes:( I'm going to try a few more names though.

[Malaksjaw]

I think I could actually do the 2da editing fairly easy as I do it a lot with making my own mods compatible. I'm trying to avoid it though because so many mods already use the appearance.2da files and i'de like it to be easily compatible.

 

Me too! For the same exact reason.

 

The problem with Mission's model is it also has her head name in there.

 

[idea]: Does the model of Mission you are using include the head or is it just the body. If the first, then try to see if you can find one which has only the body (might not exist). If it has just the body, then maybe there is a way to make the .mdl not look for a head skin. I don't know if it actually uses the head texture...umm, I wonder.

 

[WARNING]: As a modder, many idead pop into my mind...but very few actually get me somewhere

[Kha]

I couldn't figure out a way to edit the texture name using NWMax and GMax)

To change the name of the texture using Gmax you need to rename the texture file and in Gmax assign the new texture, the #9 and #10 message of this thread explains how to do that and to rename the model using Gmax you need change the name of the Aurora base, the message #10 explains that:

http://www.lucasforums.com/showthread.php?t=167221

But this only work for body models, not heads.

 

If you go into hexediting the new and old names must have the same number of letters, and if I'm not mistaken you change the mdl file not the mdl.ascii file, and just save the file after the changes.