tutorial request: Exporting and setting up a mask in a utc and bace items

[Canderis]

Could someone wright a tutorial on exporting a mask and getting it fully set up for ingame use?

[ROTNR]

I think you want .uti ... .utc's are Character files... so if you would like a .uti tutorial let me know, I can write one for you.

[ROTNR]

Actually, it's getting kinda late here almost midnight and I got skool tomorrow, so here's a .uti tutorial, I am almost positive that this is what you want.

 

Okay, so you want to make a mask eh? Well, it just so happens that I did this a little while back *about 3 months* so, I think I can help you with this. Basically, it is the same as if you were doing anything else. I personally, always open up a mask.mdl just to see the rough size it should be, then I make the .uti and change resrefs and stuff... anyway here's a tutorial.

-----Tutorial-----

Things you'll need:

1. KotOR Tool

2. A mask (Already created preferred)

3. NWMAX

4. MDLOps

5. (Optional) a brain :-p

 

Okay, so first start off by opening up your KotOR Tool and select a mask. (In my case i_mask_001) Then you will want to get the .MDL's and .MDX's exported to the same directory. In KotOR 1 you will click Aurora Model and Aurora Model extension to bring up from there export your mask.mdl and .mdx. Now, open MDLOps and select your version of KotOR. Then click select file and click "Read and Write model." *NOTE: MDLops will automatically change the name of the mdl to -ascii in order to ensure you do not overwrite it and to show that it is no longer a binary file.*

 

Then go into NWMAX and go to MDL Loading. Click browse, then select the .mdl. After this check "Import Geom Only" then import. Then go to file>merge>(Your created mask) *NOTE: MAsk may need to be exported to .3ds* Now, depending on how large the mask is, you may need to scale it down so that it may be around the same size as the .mdl you imported earlier. It's always a good idea to match the to ends together, depending on your mask, this may not be necessary.Then select the .mdl and click the edit tab. From there click the "editable poly" menu and choose select by element (The cube) then select attach and select your mesh. Now, delete the mask (NOT YOUR MASK). Now select the AuroraBase (Green Square), uncheck Do Sanity Checks, choose an Export Directory (Choose a different directory for this to ensure you do not overwrite the original .mdl) , then click Export Geom only.

 

Now, go back to MDLOps and select the new .mdl and click "Read and Write model." When it's finished it will say Finished Processing Model *Depending on how many faces your model has this may take a little while*

 

Now, open up KTOOL. Then open BIF's and select *For KotOR 1 at least* templates.bif then blueprint, Item. Then find a mask (KotOR 1 g_i_mask01 is the one I will use.) and double click it. Change the template resref to the name of your model dropping the .mdl extension of course, same goes for the tag. Keep everything else the same. Then you can go through the rest of the tabs at the top and decide what you want them to be. then save that file to the same place you used mdlops to read and write your models. (This makes everything a little more organized.) Now, drop the files into your override folder and you should be ready to go.

 

The finished result should look like this.

 

 

Here it is ingame (BTW: I just used a box as the mask and the texture carried over with the mask.)

 

 

BTW: If you want me to go through changing the icon and texture just let me know,

-Pete

[Canderis]

Thanks, but isnt there a baseitems.2da part to making this?

[TriggerGod]

Thanks, but isnt there a baseitems.2da part to making this?

 

no. After you export a mask as whatever the mask model is, in the uti file, you just change the model variation to whatever number you gave to your model files.

[Canderis]

Thanks trig, I made the model and got it exported and stuff but it wont read the texture in gmax. How can I make the texture apply to it?

[HK-42]

Thanks trig, I made the model and got it exported and stuff but it wont read the texture in gmax. How can I make the texture apply to it?

 

do you have a uwv map?

[Canderis]

No, I was hoping I wouldn't need one

 

EDIT: i made the texture apply, thanks for the help guys!

[HK-42]

No, I was hoping I wouldn't need one

 

EDIT: i made the texture apply, thanks for the help guys!

 

Any screenie of your mask?

[Canderis]

Not yet. I am getting the texture setup.

 

 

EDIT: heres a pic

 

 

EDIT 2:What do I name the texture to get it ingame?

[ROTNR]

to get a texture into the game, you need to first apply it to your mesh in NWMAX and make sure the UVW's are good. Then when you go to export it, make sure "Copy TGA's" is checked, then move your texture into the override folder with your models and you will be good to go.

-Pete

 

EDIT: BTW you may need to make sure that you have the texture saved as a .TGA... (http://www.gimp.org <--- this will help with that if you don't have photoshop.)

[HK-42]

the name doesnt matter. But yes, you need a uvw.

[Canderis]

I do use gimp RONTR, so the name does not matter? Do I hex edit the model to read the texture?

[HK-42]

I do use gimp RONTR, so the name does not matter? Do I hex edit the model to read the texture?

 

No. As long as the texture is applied in gmax it should work, and of course the texture, uwv, and model in the override.

[TriggerGod]

...uvw...in the override.

 

You don't need a .uvw file in your override folder at all. As long as you have it exported and you have 'baked' (in gmax all you have to do is detach the parts of the model you seperated to an element (visual aid))

 

Do I hex edit the model to read the texture?

As long as you have the texture applied in max, it will work. No hex editing required after you export it out of max.

[Canderis]

I have been having trouble with this again. I got everything exported and set up following the tut but I keep getting the base item. Any tips?

[ROTNR]

Well, make sure that the .mdl files are in different folders to avoid confusion. Make sure you read and write your new .mdl for the compiled .mdl and .mdx files. also make sure you change the texture so it will look correct =).

hope this helps,

-Pete

[Canderis]

Nope, didn't help, its not the model files I don't think. They are fine. Its the utc. I followed the steps but still not working.

[ROTNR]

hmm... the things that come to mind are making the tag and template resref the same. *Maybe Changing the model variation* and make sure that baseitem is Mask. Other than these would be the only things *I think* that would be wrong with the .utc file. But you can open it in KGFF Editor to see anything else that might be a problem. Also, try using a different .utc then the mask you modified, that might be another possible answer. If you wish, you can go here:

for my video tutorial on doing this (Only took me 3 months to put the tutorial on Youtube xD) just to make sure that you aren't keeping out any steps.

hope this helps,

-Pete

[Canderis]

Well I got it ingame now, but I got another problem, Its probably just positioning in gmax, nothing big

Show spoiler

(hidden content - requires Javascript to show)

 

Right?

[211Darthrevan443]

Hello, can you please tell Me how you got it ingame, I know its 2014, but I still like to mod "Kotor". You probably won't reply to this, since you posted this in 2008, but it's worth a try...

[DeathScepter]

Btw, Would this thread help with my Jedi Robe idea? I was thinking of new Jedi Robes and using Dark Jedi NPC's robes in various colors. and optional crystals and new upgrades.

[Canderis]

Wow. This is ancient haha. I was 13 then I think. I've been here too long it seems!

Hello, can you please tell Me how you got it ingame, I know its 2014, but I still like to mod "Kotor". You probably won't reply to this, since you posted this in 2008, but it's worth a try...

Did you read the third post in this thread? It explains the whole process.

 

Btw, Would this thread help with my Jedi Robe idea? I was thinking of new Jedi Robes and using Dark Jedi NPC's robes in various colors. and optional crystals and new upgrades.

 

I don't think this would help you with that. Some of the other tutorials would help you better. I wrote one that might help. http://www.lucasforums.com/showthread.php?t=202892

[DeathScepter]

thank you. I will look into that. One of my jedi robes idea is a Dark Jedi NPC Robes that PC, Bastila, Juhani and Jolee can use