[tutorial] Making Custom Color Crystals

[ShadowOfAngels]

How to make a Custom Color Crystal Tutorial.

 

Well first off you need all the tools, all you really need to do is download the tools for modding, but I'll tell you what you need anyway.

 

TOOLS

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KotOR Tool

GFFEditor (Or k-gff)

Gimp (or PhotoShop)

and a hex editor of your choosing.

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First make a new file on the desktop, this will be your project file, name it anything you want (I always do this, it's more of a personal preference, you don't have to do it, but it helps keep you organized.)

 

Now open KotOR Tool.

First we're going to extract all the files we need to our project file.

 

BEFORE STARTING A LITTLE NOTE TO KEEP IN MIND!

Before you start doing all this stuff, go through and check the numbers on everything that is being edited/extracted, you don't want to use a number that is already taken, so when you extract your file change the number extension to one that isn't taken. Example: when extracting your model files, first off pick a number that isn't taken, then save all your mdl/mdx files with that number extension, same goes for everything else!

 

I used the yellow crystal for reference, but you can use whatever color you want.

Open up g_w_sbrcrstlxx.uti (xx = any number between 14 and 18 those are the color crystals) these files can be found in KotOR Tool under BIFs --> Templates --> Blueprint, Item --> g_w_sbrcrstlxx.uti. And look through and change anything you want to whatever you want or it will show up as Crystal, Yellow etc. etc. After you've edited this to your liking save it in your project folder.

 

Next extract upcrystals.2da, which can be found in KotOR Tool under BIFs --> 2da --> 2D Array --> upcrystals.2da

 

Next go and open all your Lightsaber uti files, under KotOR Tool BIFs --> Blueprint, Item --> g_w_dblsbrxxx.uti, g_w_lghtsbrxx.uti, and g_w_shortsbrxx.uti and edit the last thing that says comment, it will have a color, change it to your color. And save.

 

After that go and get your mdl and mdx files for your Lightsabers, go to KotOR Tool BIFs --> Items --> Aurora Model --> w_dblsbrxxx.mdl, w_lghtsbrxx.mdl, w_shortsbrxx.mdl. Now for the mdx files (yes you need these) Go to KotOR Tool BIFs --> Items --> Aurora Model Extension --> w_dblsbrxxx.mdx, w_lghtsbrxx.mdx, w_shortsbrxx.mdx. Extract all of these files (I know it may be a little bit to keep up with, but it's a lot easier done than said lol).

 

Okay you're done getting all your lightsaber files, now you need your color to edit, I used a blue tga for it, and just started adding colors from the other lightsaber color tga's, but you can do it however you want. Go to KotOR Tool ERFs --> swpc_tex_tpa --> W --> w_lsabre(color)01.tpc, double click it and a new window will open with the desired saber color, click "Write File" and go to your project file and save it as a TGA file, very important to save it as a tga.

 

Now comes the fun stuff!

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Open KotOR Tool and you should see some icons at the top, they have 2da, a head, Txt, and ERF printed on them, you want to open up the one marked 2da. Go to File --> Open and open up your upcrystals.2da. You should see a chart, go all the way down and click on the empty space at the bottom, it should open up a new row, under the Row Table section put the next number in the sequence (e.g. 0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8 etc. etc.). Next go under the label section of your new row and type in a name for your crystal, whatever name you want. Next go to Template, now this part is important, they have already used g_w_sbrcrstl01 - 21 so just use anything between 22 and 99 so you have a pretty good number range there. Next under shortmdlvar put a new g_w_shortsbrxx, same with the rest of them a new g_w_lghtsbrxx, and a new G_W_DBLSBRXXX (replace the xx's and xxx's with the numbers of your saber mdl files). Now click on another rown, trust me this part saves a lot of frustration, just click on another row besides your new one before you save, or this won't work, don't ask me why, it just doesn't. Now save it and you're done editing upcrystals.2da, congratulations! You've just done a micro-mod, as I like to call it!

 

Next!

Open up your tga file you extracted the one called w_lsabre(color)01.tga, edit it to the color of your choosing and save it. Now this part is kind of important because you don't want to save over another color, name it something like w_lsabremycolor01.tga, or w_lsabre(color)02.tga. Example: If you're using the w_lsabregren01.tga and you save it with that name, you'll change all the Green sabers to your color, and that isn't what we're going for here.

 

Next open up your GFFEditor (or k-gff) and open up g_w_sbrcrstlxx.uti and go down until you find ResRef and change the value to your crystals file name, if you find another instance of the other name just change it to yours as well, I can't remember if there is only one instance of this or if there's more so just look out for 'em.

 

After you've done that open up your Hex Editor, this is where the real fun starts happening! Open up your g_w_lghtsbrxx.mdl..... If you need a paper bag go ahead I'll wait......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... Okay got it? Now breath into it slowly..... Ready? Okay here we go.Either press ctrl+f or open up find and type in the original color tga color. Example: If you're using w_lsabreyelo01.tga then type in yelo and click find, change the result to your custom tga file name. (a little confusing I know but it gets easier trust me.). Now you have to do this until you get no more results from your searches. Lightsabers and Shorsabers have 4 of these instances, but the Doublesaber has 8, so this part will take a while, but just suck it up and do it.

 

Now put all these files that you've extracted and edited into your Override folder, launch the game and open the cheat console and type in giveitem g_w_sbrcrstlxx and then go put the crystal in your lightsaber's color slot, then you should see your color.

 

Congratulations! You've just made your own personal Lightsaber color crystal!

 

If I missed anything, or if there is something wrong with your mod, just PM me and I'll do what I can to help you, this IS my first tut after all.